It is hard to beat an atomic turtle the size of a skyscraper, or a bipedal beetle bigger than a blimp. Literally. The Japanese military has tried on numerous occasions. Yet, Kaiju media has always been a little niche. Sure, Godzilla and King Kong have gotten a little attention, but the world of Kaiju is so much more than those two icons.
While the video game market may not be drowning in Kaiju franchises, every generation gives us a few new brilliant entries. This means that if you are looking to wet your toes in the world of Kaiju games, this list should havesomethingthat will attract your interest!
We need to start by addressing the elephant in the room.Since we have a dedicated article ranking the best Godzilla games, we’ll be focusing on titles that don’t feature kaiju-dom’s biggest star. Thankfully for us, there are a ton of games on offer!
1995
Available Platforms
Game Boy
Godzilla, Godzilla, Godzilla! You’d swear Godzilla is the only Kaiju. When is it Gamera’s time to shine? Well, friends, Gamera The Guardian Of The Universe is a Game Boy game that never left Japan and is unabashedlyawesome.
It is, at its core, a pretty simple game. Gamera faces off against five opponents in turn-based combat. There is no world map, you are just ferried from encounter to encounter. Where things get interesting is in the combat itself, which features you inputting strings of commands. The success of each will depend greatly on what your opponent does. It is surprisingly in-depth, if a touch chaotic.
But what seals its position on this list is how these attacks are animated. The amount of detail, and cinematic splendor, is off-the-charts for a Game Boy game. This game is a marvel and any Kaiju fan with a Game Boy should seek it out!
While Gamera the Guardian of the Universe never left Japan, there is an easily located, high-quality, translation patch available.
2017
PS4
Known for its incredible, frenetic action,Earth Defense Force 5is among the most refined games in the franchise. Whilethe majority of your time will be spent facing off against giant insects, which are massive, but probably not big enough to count as Kaiju, youwillengage in some thrilling setpiece battles against someproperKaiju as well.
When it comes to visceral, twitchy action, EDF5 has you covered. However, if you are concerned that it is just Dynasty Warriors with bugs and guns, we assure you, it does start to push you the deeper you get in. It’s also a blast to play with friends. It’s the most fun you’ll have shooting gigantic monstrosities you’ll likely encounter.
2022
Switch
We are waging that more than a few of you let this one pass you by. We were surprised to find out about its existence ourselves but are happy to report that this is everything you could possibly want from a Monster Rancher game fused with Ultraman.
If you aren’t familiar with Monster Rancher, imagine if you took Pokemon and merged it with Tomodachi. You’ll spend most of your time training your Kaiju, balancing their diet, and sending them out on errands. But worry not, you’ll also be able to battle your Kaiju against rivals. You’ll also be able to fuse your Kaiju with other giants. It’s a great, feature-rich entry and deserves to get more attention!
2006
PS2, Game Cube, Wii
Rampage is the granddaddy of the Kaiju game. Total Destruction (and the Rampage series as a whole) is a bit of an odd duck in that every innovation is highly measured. There are half a dozen Rampage games, yet, none jumped the Shark (though thereisa Shark Kaiju selectable in Total Destruction, but that is different). You’ll smash buildings, gobble civilians, and smack around your fellow Kaiju.
Is it simple? Impressively. However, that means that it is also easy to pick up and enjoy. Rampage (in video game form) has never forgotten its roots. The biggest inclusion for Total Destruction is the roster. The first game had 3 monsters, Total Destruction has 30. Those cities don’t stand a chance!
While the PS2 and Game Cube versions of Total Destruction have 30 characters, the Wii version actually has an astonishing 40. That being said, that version of Total Destruction does have forced motion controls as well. So, we’d say you are better off sticking with the versions with the smaller roster.
2013
3DS
Childhood innocence? Whimsy? And a little card battling thrown into the mix? Yup, that’s Attack of the Friday Monsters in a nutshell. This incredibly charming adventure does better than simply giving the joy of stomping around as a Kaiju. Instead, it lets you relive the wonder of being a child and loving Kaiju.
Attack Of The Friday Monsters is infinitely charmingand will have you smiling throughout. It may not get your blood pumping, but it is a well-written delight andwillelicit chuckles. Attack of the Friday Monster’s onlyrealdownside is that it is trapped on the 3DS. We can only cross our fingers and hope it will be ported sometime down the road.
Unfortunately, due to the 3DS e-shop closing, you’re able to no longer purchase this title. You will need to track down a 3DS with it pre-installed or head for the high seas if you want to play it at this point.
2019
PS4, Switch
One element that we feel gets a little lost when delving into the best Kaiju games is the human element. So often we focus on the spectacle and forget about all the people underfoot. For that reason alone,13 Sentinels: Aegis Rimis a must-play game for Kaiju fans.
This is a winding, twisting tale about 13 different teenagers facing off against Kaiju spread across multiple eras. 13 Sentinels is part RTS, part SRPG, and part visual novel. All beautifully realized through hand-drawn graphics. So, if you want something a little more focused on narrative, and maybe a touch more heady than the typical Kaiju title, we wholeheartedly recommend this fantastic title!
1991
Arcade, SNES, Genesis
We are including both games as they arebothgood while offering enough differences to both be worth your attention.
The King of the Monsters games are, by and large, some of the most entertaining sprite-based arena brawlers. Interestingly, King of the Monsters and King of the Monsters 2 diverge in a lot of meaningful ways. While the first title is pretty much a straight wrestling game (featuring Kaiju, of course), its sequel adds side-scrolling sections to each stage. However, they still conclude with those grappling matches at the end of each level.
The first game also has a larger cast of playable Kaiju, while the second is a much more pleasing audio and visual package. Either way, both games are easy to pick up and play, and feel great to this day. They also both feature co-op play, so you can stomp Kaiju with a buddy. Every Kaiju fan should explore both titles, as they will surely have a blast.
PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
We here at TheGamer are Godzilla 2: War of the Monsters apologists. We think that game is fantastic and worthy of praise. It is a thoughtful strategy game that pits you against Godzilla and his Kaiju buddies. Against all odds, you need to defeat these mountainous foes by positioning your troops thoughtfully. However, there is a reason War of the Monsters isn’t on our list, despite being a classic. That reason is Kaiju Wars.
You see, Kaiju Wars is a greatly expanded modern iteration of Godzilla 2. It is packed with content, looks great, and adds some pretty interesting innovations. One of the best inclusions is that you can predict a Kaiju’s movement, helping to limit the unpredictability, while still maintaining that pinch of chaos. On top of having a full campaign, it also features custom content! It is an incredible game and deserves more praise!
2005
PS2, PS3, PS4
While there are a wide range of excellent games featuring Kaiju spanning most game genres, there are very few that allow you to fight Kaiju one-on-one using a sword and bow. That is, however, the experienceShadow of the Colossusoffers gamers.
Few games are able to provide the sense of scale that you get with Shadow of the Colossus. Nearly every confrontation of a new Colossus brings about an immediate sense of panic. And hey, alongside the exhilarating combat encounters, you also get to feel uneasy and saddened by the sparse, yet impactful, narrative.
We also considered Monster Hunter for this list, and while there are some massive creatures in the franchise, we feel like the majority fall a little short (pun intended) when it comes to the monster size that we feel would qualify a creature to be a Kaiju.
2018
PC, Mac, Switch
Is it a puzzle game? Is it an SRPG game? It’s both!Into The Breachfeatures turn-based combat on a grid, which will likely give you some Front Mission vibes. You’ll battle scads of killer Kaiju, and use your abilities to push them around the battlefield and line them up for deadly combo attacks, or just delay their advances efficiently. The way the encounters are tightly structured leads to optimal plays, which leaves you looking for the best possible solution for each scenario.
While some players may be slightly frustrated by how its systems limit expression, once you clue into the fact that this is, at least in part, a puzzle game, it scratches a rather specific itch. This Kaiju battler has a lot to offer for the fans who are able to gel with its unique approach to tactical combat.
