Summary
A landmark of anime and a cultural touchstone,Neon Genesis Evangelionis still an enduring presence nearly thirty years after it was first released. The apocalyptic tale of giant robots piloted by conflicted teenagers is one of the best-loved and most iconic franchises in Japanese animation and has picked up new fans along the way thanks to its inclusion on Netflix and a fourth and finalRebuildmovie released in 2021.
The series lends itself well to video games, and over the years, there have been so many titles and spin-offs - including pachinko, dating simulators, visual novels, and mobile games - that it is difficult to keep count of them all. To make life a little easier, these are some of the best mainlineEvangeliongames.
Despite the series' popularity overseas, manyNeon Genesis Evangeliongames were never released outside of Japan and, as a result, can only be played in Japanese.
7Neon Genesis Evangelion 1st Impression
First Impressions Last In The Series Video Game Debut
1st Impressionset the tone for most games in the series by prioritizing footage, imagery, and music from the TV series over gameplay elements. Taking place shortly after the episode “Asuka Strikes!”, the player takes control of Shinji Ikari after losing his memories following a traumatic Angel battle and must recover by sparring with Asuka before eventually re-confronting the Angel that defeated him.
The gameplay, such as it is, mixes RPG elements with a ton of animated footage and iconography from the show. The whole thing can be finished in a tidy forty minutes or so, so it doesn’t offer the most robust gaming experience but is still a cheerful celebration of the anime with some neat Saturn-era visuals.
6Shinseiki Evangelion: Typing Project E (PC)
One Of The Most Outlandish But Enjoyable Entries
Anyone familiar with Sega’sTyping Of The Deadwill know the drill in thistyping game, as the player must use a special keyboard to type words within a time limit to complete tasks.Typing Project Esits at the quirkier end of the spectrum ofEvangeliongames, as it comically bounces between serious and not-so-serious scenarios.
One minute Asuka will be fighting off mass-produced units in a recreation of the unforgettable set-piece fromThe End Of Evangelion. Mere seconds later, a cutesy Misato will be chugging beer and prepping bento boxes in her kitchen. The game requires typing of Kana and Latin characters so English speakers may have a little more to enjoy in this colorful, outlandish entry.
5Neon Genesis Evangelion 2nd Impression
Second Time’s The Charm As Shinji Continues His Adventures
2nd Impression, as the title suggests, does much of the same work as its predecessor. The biggest difference in this case is that the game utilizes a choose-your-own-adventure approach and has separate routes that the player can take in the narrative each with their own ending. It contains a brand 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 their infection by an Angel. The gameplay refines on the RPG formula introduced in the previous game and throws in plenty of animated footage for good measure.
4Neon Genesis Evangelion: Battle Orchestra
No Room For Teen Angst In This Brawler
Epic showdowns between mighty beings are recreated in this platform fighting game that was originally released for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. AnyEvangelionfan who wanted the chance to duke it out will be in seventh heaven as every Eva Unit and Angel from the franchise is included. Some fan service is thrown in for good measure as characters from theRebuildfilms are also included.
The gameplay mechanics lack the depth of more well-known fighting games likeSuper Smash Bros.but are still serviceable. The game featured fully-rendered 3D backgrounds and each playable character could perform two special attacks that can unleash a devastating special attack.
3Rebuild Of Evangelion: Sound Impact
Make Sweet Music In This Rhythm Action Game
The rhythm action craze of the 2000s found a home in this PlayStation Portable title, overseen byNo More Heroesdeveloper Grasshopper Manufacture withSuda 51as Executive Producer. The game came out shortly after the first of theRebuildmovies was released in Japan. Most of the music featured in the game was taken from that film.
OriginalEvangelioncomposer Shiro Sagisu had his compositions in the game, along with legendarySilent Hillcomposer Akira Yamaoka. The title maintains Grasshopper Manufacture’s flair for the esoteric. Eye-popping visuals combine with off-beat gameplay elements to make a unique experience, albeit not the longest one.
2Evangelion VR: Throne Of Souls
A Truly Spectacular Experience - With A Catch
Throne Of Soulsrecreates an experience that mostEvangelionfans can only dream of - an Eva Unit first-person pilot simulation, ina VR gameno less. Players take a seat inside a dedicated motion simulator that is meant to be an Eva cockpit (without getting soaked in immersive LCL orange fluid), where they must defend Tokyo-3 from The Tenth Angel, teaming up with two other pilots to banish the foul beast.
The game includes features from the show like monitoring the player’s sync rate, and the visuals are state-of-the-art, making for a once-in-a-lifetime video gaming spectacular. Sadly for anyone outside of Japan, such an experience is only available at select Japanese VR arcades, meaning that a lot of travel fare is involved if you want Shinji to get in the robot.
1Neon Genesis Evangelion, AKA Evangelion 64
The Best All-Rounder Offers A Solid Eva Experience
Evangelion 64takes the top spot for a few reasons: it’s the most playable, it hits the sweet spot between fan service and gameplay, and it offers a longer playing time than some of its competitors. Not only that, but it looks noticeably better than severalNintendo 64 gamesreleased around the same time, representing something of a technical high point for the console.
The premise is fairly simple; Shinji must pilot Unit 01 and defeat Angels, but there are unlockable gameplay modes as well as the chance to play as Rei or Asuka. The game’s cinematic presentation made it feel like an episode come to life, and it included story aspects not found in the TV show or movies, making it a holy grail for hardcoreEvangelionfans.
