Top 10 Animes Based on Video Games

Typically, anime series are adaptations of manga, light novels, or are original works. However, there are also many titles based on popular video games. In this article, we have ranked ten of the best anime adaptations of games. The ranking is based on the audience ratings of the anime on the MyAnimeList website.

10. God Eater

The show portrays a post-apocalyptic Japan in the year 2071 where monsters called Aragami are causing mass destruction. The members of the famous organization Fenrir are known as God Eaters and are responsible for exterminating the monsters. To kill the Aragami, God Eaters use special weapons made from Aragami cells.

• Release Date: July 12th, 2015
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.19%
• Episodes: 13

9. When they cry (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Gou)

The anime takes place in June 1983. The main character, Keiichi Maebara, moves to a small village named Hinamizawa, where he luckily finds a group of friends to hang out with. As he gets used to his new life and has fun with the girls from school, he slowly realizes something is off with the village. The anime takes a dark turn as Keiichi makes a terrifying discovery about the secrets of the place.

• Release Date: October 1st, 2020
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.20%
• Episodes: 24

8. Danganronpa

Danganronpa is a hugely successful franchise, encompassing anime adaptations, light novels, and spin-offs. The games themselves gained enormous popularity, thanks to their mysterious and eerie nature.

The story revolves around Makoto Naegi, who is accepted into Hope's Peak Private Academy. However, this is far from a normal school experience. After attending the academy for the first time, Makoto finds himself trapped inside the school building with his classmates.

Together, they discover that the only way to escape is to comply with the principal's instructions. The school's head, a small bear robot, forces them to participate in a killing game where the winners are those who eliminate others without being found out.

• Release Date: July 5th, 2013
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.21%
• Episodes: 13

7. Pokemon

Of course, Pokémon has to be on the chart. This series marked the childhood of many, becoming one of the biggest anime franchises to this day.

As we know, the show illustrates a world where magical creatures named Pokémon are a normal part of people's lives. We follow the main character, Ash Ketchum, on his path to becoming a Pokémon trainer and working towards achieving his dream. To do that, he goes on numerous adventures, captures and trains new Pokémon, and battles with many rival trainers.

• Release Date: April 1st, 1997
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.38%
• Episodes: 276

6. Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken (2020)

Dai is a young orphan who lives on a remote island and was raised by monsters. All his life, he dreamt of becoming a hero. It wasn't until the revival of the Dark Lord Hadlar that Dai got the chance to embark on his first quest as a hero to stop the evil demon. This marked the beginning of Dai's adventure, allowing him to discover his hidden powers. Will he be able to fulfill his dream?

• Release Date: October 3rd, 2020
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.74%
• Episodes: 100

5. Devilman: Crybaby

The series was first released on Netflix and is full of grotesque and gory scenes.

The world is slowly becoming infested with devils that use humans as their living hosts. In rare cases, humans can overpower the demons that take over their bodies and retain their consciousness. Akira is one of the few who managed to control the demon inside him and become a Devilman, even though he is a crybaby at heart.

As demons started taking over the world, Akira, pressured by his best friend Ryo, joined a war against the evil entities.

• Release Date: January 5th, 2018
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.75%
• Episodes: 10

4. Clannad

Clannad is a deeply romantic slice-of-life story about a boy named Tomoya Okazaki, who doesn't take his life and school very seriously. One day, he comes across Nagisa Furukawa, a lonely girl who is repeating her school year due to illness.

The two of them start to hang out more and more. Tomoya even decides to help Nagisa make her dream of joining the school's drama club come true. His encounter with Nagisa will change his perception of life forever as he learns about other people's struggles.

• Release Date: October 7th, 2007
• MyAnimeList Rating:  7.99%
• Episodes: 23

3. Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works is probably one of the most popular adaptations of a game of all time. The series is based on a visual novel game about The Holy Grail War where Masters, alongside heroic spirits that they command as their Servants, fight for the Holy Grail. This season specifically covers the Fifth Holy Grail War, where Rin Toosaka, a well-known character from the previous season, also joins the fight together with her Servant, Archer. 

• Release Date: October 12th, 2014
• MyAnimeList Rating:  8.18%
• Episodes: 12

2. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners quickly became a fan favorite among gamers and anime lovers alike. Serving as a prequel to the video game Cyberpunk 2077, the series follows David Martinez, a street kid who transforms into an edgerunner, a high-tech mercenary, in the dystopian Night City.

Alongside his allies, he confronts numerous dangers and challenges in a world dominated by rampant technology and body modification. The series delves into themes of identity, survival, and freedom within a corrupt and oppressive society.

• Release Date: September 13th, 2022
• MyAnimeList Rating:  8.60%
• Episodes: 10

1. Steins; Gate

In the first place, we have Steins; Gate. This is another adaptation of a visual novel that incorporates science fiction, drama, and even thriller. In the anime, Rontoru Okabe is a mad scientist who constantly wants to explore and create various gadgets and technological innovations.

One day he and his friends, accidentally create the first-ever time machine. They use their invention to test the consequences of changing the past and put themselves in inevitable danger. 

• Release Date: September April 6th, 2011
• MyAnimeList Rating:  9.07%
• Episodes: 24

Honorable Mention: Castlevania

Castlevania is Netflix's adaptation of the popular game first released in 1986. Trevor Belmont, the last survivor of the Belmont clan, teams up with the witch Sypha Belnades and Dracula's only son, Alucard, to embark on the perilous quest of defeating the vampire Dracula and all his subordinates.

Although Castlevania has an anime style, it's not technically classified as an anime, and as a result, it isn't listed on the MyAnimeList website. Nevertheless, the series achieved immense success, boasting an exceptionally high audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Thanks to the success of Castlevania, in 2023 Netflix released a new spin-off series of the show called Castlevania: Nocturne. Make sure to check it out!

• Release Date: July 7th, 2017
• MyAnimeList Rating:  89%
• Episodes: 32

This wraps up our ranking for today. If you want to see more news or rankings of other anime, make sure to check out our latest recommendations for 2024.