The Best Games Bandai Namco Ever Put Out

Tekken 7

• Release Date — March 18, 2015
• Release Platforms — Arcade, PlayStation® 4, Windows, Xbox One
• 10,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 82

Tekken 7 is the seventh main and ninth overall installment in the Tekken series. This title introduced many new features to the series — Rage Arts,  a critical move unique to each character and only accessible while in Rage mode, Power Crush, an attack that can absorb an opponent’s hits and continue attacking, and Screw hits a new way to initiate combos.

This title also introduced the following new characters to Tekken:

• Akuma: One of the guest characters of Tekken 7. He is a master of the Satsui no Hado from Capcom’s Street Fighter and he was added in Fated Retribution.
• Claudio Serafino: A man from Italy who is also a member of an Anti-Devil organization combating the Devil Gene.
• Fahkumram: Fahkumram is a strong fighter from Thailand.
• Geese Howard: Another guest character of Tekken 7. He’s the crime boss of South Town from SNK’s fighting game seriesFatal Fury. He also appears in The King of Fighters and Art of Fighting.
• Gigas: A hulk-like, red-skinned humanoid. He’s completely nude while covered in many cybernetics.
• Jack-7: A new model of the Jack series.
• Josie Rizal: A young Filipina fighter who practices eskrima and kickboxing.
• Kazumi Mishima / Devil Kazumi: Heihachi’s wife and Kazuya’s mother. She possesses the Devil Gene.
• Kid Kazuya: A younger version of Kazuya Mishima. He is only playable for a brief period in the story mode.
• Kunimitsu II: The daughter of the original Kunimitsu from Tekken and Tekken 2. She inherited her mother’s mantle and vendetta against Yoshimitsu.
• Leroy Smith: A wing chun master from New York City, New York. He lost his family to gang violence during Heihachi’s rule. To get revenge, he spent 50 years training in secrecy before returning to fight Heihachi.
• Lidia Sobieska: The young prime minister of Poland who is also a karateka.
• Lucky Chloe: An idol who wears a kitten-themed costume and has the unique “freestyle dance” fighting style.
• Master Raven: A female iteration of the original Raven. She is even in charge of the organization that the original Raven worked for.
• Negan Smith: Another guest character in Tekken 7. Originally from The Walking Dead comic and television series. He wields a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire named Lucille.
• Noctis Lucis Caelum: One of the first guest characters in Tekken 7 and the main protagonist ofFinal Fantasy XV.
• Shaheen: A Saudi Arabian man who uses a “military self-defense” fighting style.

Tekken 7 received good reviews on release. Many critics considered the title to be a good, but not great entry in the franchise. Throughout its lifespan, the game was nominated for 5 Best Fighting Game awards. Tekken 7 is a balanced approach to a casual and competitive fighter with its deep systems, long move lists, and plenty of single-player content.

Dark Souls III

• Release Date — March 24, 2016
• Release Platforms — PlayStation® 4, Windows, Xbox One
• 10,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 89

Dark Souls III is the third and final entry in the Dark Souls series. The game follows The Ashen One, an undead vessel tasked with returning the Lords of Cinder to their thrones. The game is the pinnacle of Dark Souls game design as it is an iteration of systems 10 years in the making. This title introduced weapon arts and a second type of Estus Flask that replenishes focus points, a system similar to mana in previous titles.

The game was released to critical and commercial success. Many fans truly see it as the phenomenal end of an era it is. The game wasn’t without its criticism though. The game didn’t run the best, its map design was a bit linear, and it was a bit too easy for veterans of the series. Being the pinnacle of a franchise’s formula can be a double-edged sword as some people felt that the franchise was running its course. In retrospect though, this title deserves all of its accolades.

Tekken 2

• Release Date — June 21, 1995
• Release Platforms — PlayStation® 1, PlayStation® 2, Arcade
• 11, 740, 000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 89

Tekken 2 is one of the most important fighting games of all time. This title not only revolutionized Tekken but the many fight games that came after it. Tekken 2 enhanced tackles so that distance traveled factored into the damage. The game also introduced the following new characters to Tekken:

• Alex: A boxing dinosaur genetically altered by Doctor Bosconovitch.
• Angel: A mysterious being connected to Kazuya somehow.
• Baek Doo San: A taekwondo practitioner who has a rivalry with Marshall Law.
• Bruce Irvin: A Muay Thai kickboxer suffering from amnesia. Currently, he is serving as one of Kazuya’s bodyguards.
• Jack-2: An updated Jack model.
• Jun Kazama: A mixed martial artist and animal rights activist fighting to arrest Kazuya.
• Lei Wulong: A Hong Kong cop who was also tasked with defeating and arresting Kazuya.
• Roger: A boxing kangaroo genetically altered by Doctor Bosconovitch.

Looking back on this title is so interesting because it was almost universally loved. The game’s lighting, graphics, fluid character movement, and complexity made it stand out amongst its contemporaries. Also Namco’s attention to accessibility made it ahead of its time as modern-day fighting games attempt to appeal to casual or disabled players.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

• Release Date — February 4, 2016
• Release Platforms — PlayStation® 4, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch
• 11, 880, 000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 79

This title is the perfect example of a great anime tie-in fighting game. It is the sixth installment of the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series. The game follows the anime up to its conclusion while also adding bonus content from the Boruto: Naruto The Movie. This game introduced the following characters to the franchise:

• Naruto Uzumaki (Sage of the Six Paths Mode)
• Naruto Uzumaki (THE LAST)
• Sakura Haruno (THE LAST)
• Sasuke Uchiha (Rinne-Sharingan)
• Sasuke Uchiha (THE LAST)
• Obito Uchiha (Ten Tails Jinchuriki)
• Obito Uchiha (Rampaging)
• Madara Uchiha (Six Paths)
• Rin Nohara
• Kaguya Otsutsuki
• Hanabi Hyuga
• Hinata Hyuga (THE LAST)
• Boruto Uzumaki (DLC)
• Boruto Uzumaki (Road to Boruto) (DLC)
• Boruto Uzumaki (Scientific Ninja Tool) (DLC)
• Naruto Uzumaki (Road to Boruto) (DLC)
• Sarada Uchiha (DLC)
• Sarada Uchiha (Chunin Exam) (DLC)
• Sasuke Uchiha (Road to Boruto) (DLC)
• Mitsuki (DLC)
• Momoshiki Otsutsuki (DLC)
• Kinshiki Otsutsuki (DLC)

Naruto: Ultimate NinjaStorm 4 appeals primarily to fans of the Naruto anime but it was even praised by people outside of the fandom. Many publications praised its visuals and interpretation of the show’s narrative. The flashy yet simple combat also makes it appeal to a more casual audience. The game was criticized for its lack of innovation but it’s a masterclass when it comes to polishing an old concept.

Digimon

• Release Date — June 26, 1997
• Release Platforms — N/A
• 14,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — N/A

Bandai developed The Digital Monster and marketed it as the male counterpart to the Tamagotchi, another Bandai release marketed towards girls. The popularity of this digital pet spawned the Digimon series. The game allows players to check their Digimon status, feed and train them, and even battle against another player’s Digimon.

Tekken 3

• Release Date — March 20, 1997
• Release Platforms — PlayStation® 1, PlayStation® 2, Arcade
• 14,535,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 96

The best game in the Tekken series is also one of the best games ever released by Bandai Namco. Everything that makes Tekken great stems from this title. This title took the revolutionary game design of its predecessor and dialed it to eleven. The game added an extra emphasis on the third dimension. Fighters can now sidestep and take advantage of being in a 3d space.

Tekken 3 also introduced the following fighters to Tekken:

• Bryan Fury: An undead kickboxer turned into a cyborg by the mad scientist Dr. Abel to kidnap his rival, Dr. Bosconovitch.
• Crow, Falcon, Hawk, and Owl: These are unplayable enemy characters in Tekken Force. Crow however is the weakest and is the only one to appear again in a Tekken game.
• Dr. Bosconovitch: The silly, elderly genius scientist who is good friends with Yoshimitsu. He’s currently being held by Kazuya and the Mishima Zaibatsu.
• Eddy Gordo: A Capoeira prodigy framed by the Mishima Zaibatsu.
• Forest Law: The son of Marshall Law.
• Gon: A special guest character in Tekken 3. He is originally from a manga also named Gon.
• Gun Jack: The third model of the Jack series.
• Hwoarang: A Tae Kwon Do student of Baek Doo San who wants to take revenge against Ogre.
• Jin Kazama: The protagonist, the son of Kazuya Mishima and Jun Kazama, and the grandson of Heihachi Mishima. He practices both his parents’ martial arts and also seeks revenge against Ogre.
• Julia Chang: The adopted daughter of Michelle Chang. She is on a mission to rescue her kidnapped mother from the Mishima Zaibatsu.
• King II: The successor of the original King who participates in saving his predecessor’s orphanage after the original is killed by Ogre.
• Kuma II: The son of the original Kuma also serves as Heihachi’s loyal pet and bodyguard.
• Ling Xiaoyu: A Chinese teenage practitioner of Baguazhang and Piguaquan. She only joined the iron fist tournament so she can win and build her own amusement park.
• Mokujin: A 2,000-year-old wooden dummy who comes to life as a result of Ogre’s awakening and can switch between every other character’s fighting styles.
• Panda: Xiaoyu’s pet and bodyguard; the current Kuma has a crush on her.
• Ogre: A mysterious immortal bioweapon alien known as the God of Fighting.
• Tiger Jackson: A disco man with an afro.

Tekken 3 is one of the best video games of all time and one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic. The visuals may not have aged as well but every other aspect of the game is just as good today. This is easily a top 5 Bandai Namco game.

Elden Ring

• Release Date — February 25, 2022
• Release Platforms — PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• 20,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — 96

Elden Ring was the obvious next step in the expansion of the Dark Souls IP. The game takes place in the Lands Between, and the player is known in the game as an exile tasked with repairing the Elden Ring and becoming the Elden Lord. This game was also the game that made From Software a household name.

Elden Ring is a polarizing title. Even though it has received universal acclaim, it drew a rift between hardcore Dark Souls fans and newcomers. Some people preferred the more polished linear experiences while others embraced the new direction and freedom. Like it or not, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to its design, and the game will be studied for years to come.

Tamagotchi Connection

• Release Date — 2004
• Release Platforms — N/A
• 20,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — N/A

The Tamagotchi Connection is unique from prior models in that it uses infrared technology to connect and interact with other devices. Bandai Namco took the successful Tamagotchi Generation One and took it to the next level. This generation of the Tamagotchi has 6 versions all with their own features and mini-games. 4 of these versions are built around the following 6 levels of friendship Tamagotchis are able to have with other Tamagotchis.

• Acquaintance (one smiley-face)
• Buddy (two smiley faces)
• Friend (three smiley faces)
• Good friend (four smiley faces)
• Best friend (two love-hearts, two smiley faces, during connection they may kiss)
• Partner (four love-hearts, during connection they will kiss and may have babies)

Tamagotchi Generation One

• Release Date — November 23, 1996
• Release Platforms — N/A
• 40,000,000 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — N/A

The original Tamagotchi was groundbreaking when it was released. The original features included in this release are still used on almost all virtual pets to this day. Tamagotchi has also been ported to mobile devices adding to its dominance. The creators, Aki Maita and Akihiro Yokoi were even awarded anIg Nobel Prize for the Tamagotchi.

Pac-Man

• Release Date — July 1980
• Release Platforms — Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, MSX, Nintendo Entertainment System, Commodore 64, VIC-20, Intellivision, ZX Spectrum, TI-99/4A, IBM PC, Game Boy, Game Gear, Game Boy Color, Neo Geo Pocket Color, Mobile phone, Game Boy Advance, iPod Touch, Xbox 360, PlayStation® 4, Xbox One, iOS, Android
• 64,586,002 Units Sold
• Metacritic Score — N/A

Pac-Man is a worldwide phenomenon. This game spawned several sequels, merchandise, two television series, and even a hit song. The character Pac-Man is also the official mascot of Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game is an action maze chase game where you control Pac-Man in a maze eating dots and avoiding the four colored ghosts — Blinky (red), Pinky (pink), Inky (cyan), and Clyde (orange).

Originally this game was a mild success but over time it snowballed into the monolith it is today. Pac-Man is the best-selling arcade game of all time and its many ports also tend to sell well. No other Bandai Namco game can compete with the legacy of Pac-Man.