Konamihas a stained reputation these days, but there was once a time when seeing its logo pop up at the start of a game meant a great, refined experience. The series detailed in the entries below proves this. Konami’s games had variety, heart, and often innovated within the medium.
While some of these series are hard to access these days on modern hardware, Konami has at least been gracious enough torelease collections of some of them. Whichever franchise is the absolute best depends on personal taste, but there is no denying the great gaming that lies within each of them.
We denote how many games are in each series, but only differentiate spin-offs when it is clear they are spin-offs. Some older franchises do not number their titles or stop numbering after a few entries.
Because it only has two games and a single spin-off,Zone of the Endersonly qualifies for the highest spot on the list. It is a plus that both entries are tight action games where players control mechs in a futuristic setting.
Both the debut entry and its sequel are extremely short, but that only means there is no padding. The sequel,The 2nd Runner, makes especially good use of its mechanics to ensure every mission feels different.
The firstZone of the Endersfamously came with a demo forMetal Gear Solid 2, which some people played more than the game they bought.
6Lethal Enforcers
Light-Gun Series That Evolved To Use Motion-Sensing Tech
Light-gun games are not as exciting as they once were,but they used to easily create a line at an arcade.Lethal Enforcerstook players through urban environments, taking out ruthless criminals using digitized sprites as graphics.
The console versions had a special peripheral that looked like a small revolver. As the series evolved, Konami put outPolice 911, which cleverly added motion-sensing so players' movements would be reflected in the game. It is not impressive these days with VR and games likeSuper Hot, but it was a neat gimmick when it was released and it worked well.
It is hard to go wrong with 2DContra. Even the debut entry has a simple, irresistible charm. The franchise becomes less reliable once it adds a dimension, though. The PS1Contragames are infamously clunky, butShattered Soldieron the PS2 is a shining example of updating a classic genre for a new generation.
The intense, side-scrolling actionwill give players countless game overs, but it is this difficulty and trial-and-error that makes the bestContragames so compelling. The only thing it has not had in many years is a tried and true AAA game.
Before Harmonix came along withGuitar Heroandrevolutionized rhythm games, Konami innovated in the genre with games likeBeatmania, Guitar Freak, andDance Dance Revolution.
The latter in particular became a phenomenon all its own. The cabinets had a commanding presence in any arcade where they sat, and people would gather around the machine to watch when a master was at the helm.
The home console versions had a peripheral in addition to support for regular controllers. One can look atJust Danceas a successor, but nothing beats the physicality of dancing on those trademark boards.
Castlevaniastarted its life on the NES with an intensely difficult side-scrolling action game. The sequel,Simon’s Quest, added more elements of adventure games to the mix, while the following two games returned to a more streamlined approach.
It is impossible to go through every title in the series, butSymphony of the Nightdeserves special praise for how it includes RPG elements and an interconnected map reminiscent ofMetroid. It has not had the same fortune and praise in the 3D era, but theLords of Shadowgame from 2010 is fondly remembered. Playing the classics today in theCastlevania Collectionshows how well the simpler gameplay has aged along with the art design.
Silent Hillon the original PlayStation already differentiated itself from its peers with its fully 3D graphics.Silent Hill 2blew the doors open on what was possible in video game storytelling. The third game completes a trilogy, but the franchise is not done yet.
Entries afterSilent Hill 3become less reliable, but there are still some interesting additions, likeShattered Memorieson the Wii where conversations with a therapist change parts of the game.Silent Hills,a famously canceled collaborationbetweenMetal Gearcreator Hideo Kojimaand director Guillermo del Toro showed promise of bringing the series back some prestige, but gamers will never know if it would have been the shot in the arm it needed.
Metal Geardid not start with 1998’sMetal Gear Solid, but that third game is what many fondly remember as their introduction to the series that would go in so many wild directions.Metal Gear Solid 2perfected the stealth mechanics while also telling a haunting story about the incoming digital age.
From there, each subsequent entry did something a little different with the genre, never quite giving gamers what they expected, but usually leaving them satisfied. Since 2015’sThe Phantom Pain, it is difficult to know if the series will ever return to its old glory. Series creator Hideo Kojima founded his own studio and madeDeath Stranding. However, what fans have now is one of the finest runs of any video game franchise.
