The Top Konami Games Ever Released

When it comes to Konami, it’s easy to find oneself falling into the seemingly endless rabbit hole of their controversies. From the pivoting into slot machines instead of new game releases to the controversial falling out between them and Hideo Kojima. Konami just couldn’t keep themselves out of the public’s scrutinizing eye. Their many shortcomings aside, Konami used to be one of the best companies in the industry releasing many generation-defining products. Here are the top Konami titles ever released.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Release Date — May 12, 1989
• Release Platforms — Nintendo Entertainment System, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, MSX, ZX Spectrum, PlayChoice-10
• Units Sold — Over 5 million worldwide.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a side-scrolling platformer that was developed by Konami in the late 1980s. The game was one of the first video games based on the animated TV show of the same name. The game follows the story of the turtles as they must save April from Shredder.

Players start the game as Leonardo but can play any of the other turtles through the information screen. The game sold well commercially however it was met with mixed reception when the original NES version was released. Some publications praised its controls and graphics but others were disappointed in the effort.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

• Release Date — March 20, 1997
• Release Platforms — PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 4, Android, iOS
• Units Sold — Over 700 thousand worldwide.

One simply cannot discuss the prolific metroidvania genre without talking about how it got half of its namesake. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is easily one of the best games of all time on top of being a great Konami title. Funnily enough, Symphony of the Night sold poorly but over time it developed a cult following.

The players have to explore Dracula’s castle in this title to defeat Shaft, an entity controlling Richter Belmont the lord of the castle. The game received wide critical acclaim when it was released but at the time gamers just weren’t ready for it. No matter how interesting or fun a game is if it isn’t accessible to the masses it risks commercial failure. It’s a good thing the world is giving this title the praise it deserves.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories

• Release Date — December 9, 1999
• Release Platforms — PlayStation
• Units Sold — Over 2 Million worldwide.

We owe Konami, not only very popular Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, but for the great Yu-Gi-Oh! video games as well. Forbidden Memories is one of the better titles in the Yu-Gi-Oh! video game catalog. The game was released exclusively for the PlayStation and is still very popular today.

The game follows a storyline split between Ancient Egypt and modern Domino City. The player swaps between Atem, the Prince, and Yugi Mutou the protagonist of the manga and anime. The game didn’t review well on release but found its fanbase as a speedrunning game.

Silent Hill 2

• Release Date — September 24, 2001
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows
• Units Sold — Over 1 Million worldwide.

Another phenomenal title in Konami’s portfolio, Silent Hill 2 is one of the most interesting and influential horror experiences of all time. The title follows James Sunderland who journeys to the titular town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his dead wife. The game was praised by horror buffs and critics alike for its masterful use of symbolism and subtle storytelling.

The way Silent Hill 2 handles themes of grief and guilt has been and will be studied for years to come. It was released during what felt like a golden era for Konami titles and is easily one of the best.

Silent Hill 3

• Release Date — May 23, 2003
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows
• Units Sold — Over 300 thousand units worldwide.

Right after releasing the amazing Silent Hill 2, Konami and Team Silent doubled back with the just as good Silent Hill 3. The title is a direct sequel to the first game and follows Heather, a teenager entangled withSilent Hill‘s cult. Whereas the previous title felt like it had a more male-focused narrative, this game flipped the script by tackling very real female-focused horrors.

The game was received well with its only consistent criticism was its lack of innovation from the last game. The game was praised for how it handled themes of womanhood and woman-centric fears such as stalking, forced pregnancy, and personal agency. This approach to horror hasn’t been successfully replicated in the last 20 years. Easy pick for one of the best Konami titles.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

• Release Date — September 1, 2015
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One
• Units Sold — Over 6 million units worldwide.

The absolute pinnacle of the Metal Gear Solid series. The Phantom Pain was released as Hideo Kojima’s final work at Konami and what a send-off it is. Players control Punished Venom Snake to exact revenge on those who attacked him at the end of the previous title, Ground Zeroes. The title is an action-adventure stealth title that was praised for its player freedom.

The game had its fair share of criticism though. First, the game was criticized for its inconsistent story quality. Then one of the main characters, Quiet, received criticism for her sexualized character design. Despite its many shortcomings, this is probably the closest the industry has ever gotten to a perfect action game. That is enough for it to be considered one of the best Konami games ever.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

• Release Date — November 13, 2001
• Release Platforms — PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows
• Units Sold — Over 7 million units worldwide.

If it was up to me, this whole list would be entries from the Metal Gear Solid series. Metal Gear Solid 2 might not be the best title in the series but it is the most profound. (It also sold the best.) The story follows Raiden as he uncovers a huge conspiracy about a powerful secret organization.

The game was praised on release for its design, gameplay, and graphics. However, not everyone enjoyed the game’s story in 2001. This title only gets better as time goes on because it almost perfectly predicts the world we live in today. Specifically its stance on censorship, information, and memes for crying out loud. Metal Gear Solid 2 is an example of a game being art and for that, it’s one of the best games ever.

Mario Party 8

• Release Date — May 29, 2007
• Release Platforms — Nintendo Wii
• Units Sold — Over 8 million units worldwide.

Technically, this title wasn’t developed by Konami, but it was instead developed by Hudson Soft. Hudson Soft was acquired by Konami in April of 2011. The game is the eighth main installment of the Mario Party series and the first Wii title in the franchise. Mario Party 8 isn’t very different from the rest of the series but it does have a few things to make it stand out.

The game introduced two new original characters: MC Ballyhoo and Big Top. It was also controversial due to its terrible release in the United Kingdom. There are 73 minigames for players to enjoy and most of them make use of the motion control functionality of the Wii Remote. This game gets a spot on the list because it was able to find its footing after a rocky launch. It’s the twelfth best-selling Wii game after all.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2008

• Release Date — October 25, 2007
• Release Platforms — Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, Mobile phone
• Units Sold — Over 9 million units worldwide.

If this was a list of the best-selling Konami games it would just be 10 entries from the Pro Evolution Soccer series. This title is an association football video game that has been in direct competition with EA’s FIFA. The game’s reception depended on which version you played but most agreed the Wii release reigned supreme.

The game’s Wii release is drastically different, Konami completely overhauled the basic gameplay to fit the Wii’s capabilities. Players tend to enjoy this version more. The Wii version allows for much more control thus allowing for more skill expression.

Frogger

• Release Date — August 1981
• Release Platforms — Arcade, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Intellivision, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, TI-99/4A, VIC-20
• Units Sold — Over 20 million units worldwide.

Frogger is hands down one of the standout titles from Konami’s catalog. Many believe it’s one of the greatest games of all time and the sales back up its claim. The objective of the game is to guide a frog to multiple empty homes on the other side of the screen. A simple premise that is challenging and addictive.

The game was a massive hit on release. Gamers of all ages and genders lined up to play it in their local arcade. When the game made it to the console it sold just as well. It was almost like the game just couldn’t fail. Today, Frogger is a shell of its former self but it’s important to look back and see what can be learned from the monoliths of gaming’s past.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Collage of Konami Titles.