Digimon games have been gaining quite the traction outside Japan, and just in time for the release of Digimon Story: Time Stranger. There was a point in time when people turned away from Digimon video games. This was because Nintendo’s hit monster-taming title used to dominate the genre.
These days, the tables have started to turn around a bit. Digimon games have been getting popular due to the increasingly deep RPG mechanics. We have compiled a list of Digimon games that you should check out before getting into Time Stranger.
Digimon Games To Play Before Time Stranger Drops
10) Digimon ReArise
Digimon ReArise was one of the modern titles released in 2018 and was made to capitalize on the rising trend of online gacha games. The game also got a Western release in 2019, but unfortunately, due to several factors, it was shut down in 2022.
There was not much to the general gameplay, as it was all about collecting and fighting other Digimons. It had a gameplay loop watered down to the basic systems that a JRPG should have. Digimons could be collected through various ways, including actual currency transactions.
The game was primarily made for mobile devices. While it may not be everyone’s favorite Digimon game, it is still worth a mention because of how accessible it was, being an online game.
9) Digimon Digital Card Battle
Much like Pokémon, Digimon also had its own trading card games. But these were unfortunately never as popular as Nintendo’s staple franchise in the West. Other physical trading card games, such as the Yu-Gi-Oh! The series also found its foothold outside Japan.
This is why Digimon Digital Card Battle was an important game for the franchise. Originally called Digimon World: Digital Card Arena in Japan. The game was released for the PlayStation 1.
Gameplay is just like any other card battler, with its own rules and systems. Players get a deck of 30 cards, which includes evolution, support, and digimon-type cards. Even though the game might not be remembered as much as many of the contemporary action titles. It was crucial in introducing Digimon card games to the West, more than the physical ones.
8) Digimon World
When people talk about Digimon video games, Digimon World is the first game that comes to everyone’s mind. Released for the PlayStation and developed by BEC. This game was many gamers’ introduction to a different monster tamer than the popular Nintendo one.
The story follows you as the chosen child who is isekaid’ to the file island by Jijimon. Digimons have been losing their memories and going on a rampage. It is up to the players to solve the mystery and help the Digimons recover.
The gameplay loop of the Digimon World games involves the endless cycle of looping through raising a training level Digimon all the way up to ultimate. Eventually, the partner Digimon will fade away and turn back into an egg before starting all over again.
7) Digimon Rumble Arena 2
Digimon looks like the perfect IP to build a fighting game out of. Well, there have been several attempts at it to varying degrees of success. But the only game so far that has received a lot of praise is Digimon Rumble Arena 2.
As you might have guessed by the title, it is the second game in the Rumble Arena series. Released for all the major game consoles in 2004. Digimon Rumble Arena 2 successfully elevated the formula introduced in the first game.
Rather than being a traditional fighting game, the gameplay took heavily from the popular Super Smash Bros games. It pitted Digimons against each other in a battle-royale-style arena platformer, where the strongest would come out on top.
6) Digimon World Dawn and Dusk
These are actually two different Digimon games. Much like how Nintendo makes two versions of its mainline Pokémon games. Bandai wanted to capitalize on the dual release formula of mainline Pokémon titles. Thus exist Digimon World Dawn and Digimon World Dusk.
These titles were released for the Nintendo DS and are a part of the greater Digimon World Story series. It was originally titled Digimon Story Sunburst and Digimon Story Moonlight in Japan.
Gameplay involves regular RPG-style monster taming with around 400 Digimons to collect, train, and digivolve. The level designs include varied locations with isometric-style dungeons.
5) Digimon World: Next Order
Reading the title, you probably have guessed it, Digimon World: Next Order is the modern entry in the Digimon World series. The game was originally released for PlayStation Vita in Japan, and subsequently for PlayStation 4 worldwide.
It also received a Nintendo Switch and PC release in 2023. Digimon World: Next Order takes the existing gameplay loop of taming your partner Digimon and elevates it further. This time, the game introduces an open world and the ability to tag along with two partner Digimons.
Another interesting aspect that this title is fondly remembered for is the town-building aspect. Players get to build their own Digimon community and farm. Digimon World: Next Order is fondly remembered as the best in the World series of games.
4) Digimon Survive
Probably the most misunderstood Digimon game that got shafted by a lot of the fans because it was not like RPG games. Digimon Survive is a really good Digimon game if you care for visual novels and story-centric games.
The plot of Digimon Survive is heavily inspired by the popular Digimon Adventure anime. A bunch of chosen school kids get transported to an alternate world where they meet their partner Digimons.
Being a visual with heavy focus on the story, Digimon Survive is a title where dialogue choices will matter a lot. The combat shifts gameplay to an isometric style layout with tactical-turn-based combat. If you are a fan of the anime, then this is one Digimon game you’d better not miss out on.
3) Digimon Adventure
Keeping up with the topic of story-focused Digimon games, there’s no way we could’ve missed out on Digimon Adventure. This game is a retelling of the original anime and can be considered as one of the best RPGs on the PSP handheld system.
The story follows the general events of the anime with voice acting by the original Japanese crew along with iconic soundtracks from the show. If you are a fan of tracks such as Brave Heart, then this game ought to put a smile on your face with each evolution sequence.
Unfortunately, the game was never released outside Japan, which is a surprise since the anime was fairly popular worldwide. But thankfully, a fan translation of the game was released by the community that has preserved this amazing game.
2) Digimon World Re: Digitize
Digimon World Re: Digitize is the first time we get to see the art style of Suzuhito Yasuda being brought to the Digimon world. He is an artist who is also known for his works in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor. That is another popular monster-collecting franchise.
This is a game that was originally released for the PSP in Japan. It later got a reworked port for the Nintendo 3DS called Digimon World Re: Digitize Decode. Gameplay elements are completely derived from the tried and true Digimon World games.
Digimon World Re: Digitize follows a young kid named Taigo who is transported to the digital world and has to raise his partner Digimons. The game features a lot of guest characters, including Lili from the Tekken franchise.
1) Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth and its consequent sequel, subtitled Hacker’s Memory, are hands down the best games in the franchise. If you absolutely love monster-collecting RPGs, then you owe it to yourself to play these games.
Instead, it is going back to the themes of an alternate fantasy world, which has been a recurring theme in these games. Cyber Sleuth creates its own original Digital Cyberspace universe where the Digimons come from.
Players take on the role of investigators along with their partner Digimons. Slowly progressing through a slew of cyberspace mysteries that lead to a conspiracy.
At the moment, it is hard to know if the upcoming Digimon Story story title, Time Stranger, will be able to dethrone the Cyber Sleuth series. But it’s exciting to know that the developers have built that game upon the successes of what made Cyber Sleuth amazing.
