Key takeaways
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Neon Genesis Evangelion has spawned numerous video games, from visual novels to fighting games.
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Titles like 1st Impression and Battle Orchestra offer fans an interactive anime experience.
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Evangelion 64 stands out as the best all-rounder for delivering a solid gaming experience on the Nintendo 64.
An anime milestone and cultural touchstone, Neon Genesis Evangelion remains an enduring presence nearly thirty years after it was first released. The apocalyptic story of giant robots piloted by conflicted teenagers is one of the most beloved and iconic franchises in Japanese animation, and has gained new fans along the way thanks to its inclusion on Netflix and a fourth and final release. Rebuild movie released in 2021.
The series adapts well to video games, and over the years there have been so many titles and spin-offs (including pachinko, dating sims, visual novels, and mobile games) that it’s hard to count them all. To make life a little easier, here are some of the top best products. Evangelion games.
Despite the popularity of the series abroad, many Neon Genesis Evangelion The games were never released outside of Japan and as a result can only be played in Japanese.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion 1st printing
Latest first impressions on the series’ video game debut
- Developer: SEGA AM2
- Platform: Sega Saturn
- Release date: March 1, 1996
- Gender: Visual novel/RPG
1st impression Set the tone for most games in the series by prioritizing footage, visuals, and music from the television series over gameplay elements. Shortly after the episode “Asuka Attacks!”, the player takes control of Shinji Ikari after losing his memories following a traumatic battle with the angel and must recover by training with Asuka before once again facing the angel who defeated him.
The gameplay, as it stands, mixes RPG elements with plenty of animated visuals and iconography from the show. The whole thing can be finished in about forty minutes, so it doesn’t offer the most solid gameplay experience, but it’s still a joyful celebration of anime with some neat Saturn-era visuals.
6
Shinseiki Evangelion: Writing Project E (PC)
One of the most extravagant but pleasant entries
- Developer: Gainax
- Platform: personal computer
- Release date: February 8, 2001
- Gender: writing
Anyone familiar with Sega Typing of the dead You will know the drill of this typing game as the player has to use a special keyboard to type words within a time limit to complete the tasks. Writing the project E is at the quirkier end of the spectrum of Evangelion games, as it comically jumps between serious and not-so-serious scenarios.
In one minute, Asuka will be fighting mass-produced units in a recreation of the unforgettable scenario from The end of Evangelion. A few seconds later, a cute Misato will be drinking beer and preparing bento boxes in her kitchen. The game requires writing kana and Latin characters so English speakers can have a little more to enjoy in this colorful and whimsical entry.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion 2nd printing
Second time’s the charm as Shinji continues his adventures
- Developer: Gainax
- Platform: Sega Saturn
- Release date: March 7, 1997
- Gender: Visual novel/RPG
2nd impressionAs the title suggests, it does pretty much the same job as its predecessor. The biggest difference here is that the game uses a choose-your-own-adventure approach and has separate paths that the player can follow in the narrative, each with its own ending. It contains a completely new story but also has the same structure as an episode of the show, so fans will feel like they are playing an interactive anime.
The game focuses on Shinji’s interactions with a transfer student named Mayumi Yamagishi and her infection by an angel. The gameplay refines the RPG formula introduced in the previous game and, for good measure, includes plenty of animated visuals.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion: Battle Orchestra
There’s No Room For Teenage Angst In This Fighting Game
- Developer: headlock
- Platform: PlayStation 2, PlayStation portable
- Release date: June 28, 2007 (PS2), March 19, 2009 (PSP)
- Gender: Struggling
This platform fighting game that was originally released for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable recreates epic confrontations between powerful beings. Any Evangelion Fans who would like the opportunity to face off will be in seventh heaven, as all Eva and Angel Units from the franchise are included. Some fanservice is thrown in for good measure, as the characters in the Rebuild Movies are also included.
The game mechanics lack the depth of more well-known fighting games like Super Smash Bros. but they are still useful. The game featured fully rendered 3D backgrounds and each playable character could perform two special attacks that can unleash a devastating special attack.
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Evangelion Reconstruction: Sound Impact
Make sweet music in this rhythm action game
- Developer: Grasshopper making
- Platform: PlayStation Portable (PSP)
- Release date: September 29, 2011
- Gender: Rhythm
The rhythm action craze of the 2000s found a home in this PlayStation Portable title, overseen by no more heroes developer Grasshopper Manufacture with Suda 51 as executive producer. The game came out shortly after the first of the Rebuild The film was released in Japan. Most of the music featured in the game was taken from that film.
Original Evangelion Composer Shiro Sagisu had his compositions in the game, along with legendary themes. silent hill composer Akira Yamaoka. The title maintains Grasshopper Manufacture’s taste for the esoteric. Dazzling visuals combine with unconventional gameplay elements to create a unique, but not the longest, experience.
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Evangelion VR: Throne of Souls
A truly spectacular experience, with a capture
- Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Platform: Virtual reality arcade experience
- Release date: July 14, 2017
- Gender: First-person mechanical combat
throne of souls recreates an experience that most Evangelion Fans can only dream: a first-person pilot simulation of the Eva Unit, in a virtual reality game no less. Players take a seat inside a dedicated motion simulator that’s meant to be an Eva cockpit (without getting drenched in the immersive LCL orange liquid), where they must defend Tokyo-3 from the Tenth Angel, teaming up with two other pilots to banish the lack. beast.
The game includes program features such as monitoring the player’s sync speed, and the visuals are state-of-the-art, making it a once-in-a-lifetime spectacular video game. Unfortunately for anyone outside of Japan, this experience is only available in select Japanese VR arcades, meaning there’s a lot of traveling involved if you want Shinji to get into the robot.
1
Neon Genesis Evangelion, also known as Evangelion 64
The best all-rounder offers a solid Eva experience
- Developer: BEC
- Platform: Nintendo 64
- Release date: June 25, 1999
- Gender: Action/Fight
Evangelion 64 takes the top spot for several reasons: it’s the most playable, it hits the sweet spot between fan service and gameplay, and it offers longer play time than some of its competitors. Not only that, but it looks noticeably better than several Nintendo 64 games released around the same time, representing a technical high point for the console.
The premise is quite simple; Shinji must pilot Unit 01 and defeat the Angels, but there are unlockable game modes, as well as the ability to play as Rei or Asuka. The game’s cinematic presentation made it feel like an episode come to life and included story aspects not found in the TV show or movies, making it a holy grail for hardcore. Evangelion fans.