20 Best Gacha Games: Your Guide to Top-Tier Gachas in 2025
The best gacha games are the ones with awesome characters and a story that doesn’t feel like a chore. As a HUGE gacha enjoyer, I’m glad to say that, as of 2025, we already have plenty of games that meet these criteria.
Still, the genre is quite saturated nowadays and can be a tad overwhelming. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back.
Here, I’ll list out the best gacha games where you get to experience massive adventures, unique gameplay mechanics, amazing narratives, and collect cool, cute, badass, or extremely well-designed characters that might just entice you to try your luck.
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Our Top Picks for Gacha Games
Before I get into the full list, let’s look at what our team would call the “gold standard” in gacha gaming this year. These three titles represent the peak of the genre in terms of production value, gameplay innovation, and community feedback. If you only have time to try one new game, it should be one of these:
- Genshin Impact (2020) – This game set the bar very high for the open-world gacha formula, giving you endless exploration in a massive world that feels great to play solo or with players across both mobile and PC.
- Wuthering Waves (2024) – An incredible release from Kuro Games that features fluid fighting and exploration mechanics, as well as a satisfying gacha system that’s arguably more forgiving than most gachas of its kind, with its guaranteed Weapon banner.
- Arknights (2020) – A unique, gacha-enhanced take on the strategy genre that lets you deploy a powerful team of collectible units with unique skills in a highly tactical tower defense combat system.
Still with me? In case you’re not satisfied with our top picks, I’ve got 17 more top-tier gacha titles lined up that might better suit your theme, genre, or gameplay preferences. Just keep scrolling to see my full list of gacha games you should look into ASAP.
20 Best Gacha Games Worthy of Daily Grinds & Gacha Salts
Listed below are the 20 best gacha games that I’ve found over my long years of near-unhealthy obsession over the genre – rated and ranked according to the quality of their core gameplay, unique mechanics, story, characters, F2P-friendliness, and community feedback.
1. Genshin Impact [Best For Large Open-World & Rich Story Content]
| Our Score | 10
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| Type of Game | Open-World Action RPG, Elemental Combat |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PS4, PS5, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2020 |
| Creator/s | miHoYo (HoYoverse) |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skins |
Genshin Impact is THE massive free-to-play gacha sensation that’s among the first to ever give us gorgeous anime aesthetics in an enormous fantasy open-world.
It’s also one of the most popular gacha games out there and is available across multiple platforms, so it doesn’t matter if you’re gaming on mobile or settled in on PC – it’ll be very easy for you to jump right into the continent of Teyvat.
Genshin Impact is an enormous, visually stunning open world that’s perfect for long-term play, considering how much content there already is. Few games on this list can match its polish and active playerbase, making it one of the best gachas for genre newcomers to start with.
This is the game you play if you want a AAA gacha with terrific exploration. You can climb practically any surface, glide across vast distances, and discover tons of secrets, puzzles, interesting NPCs, and treasures hidden in every corner of the world.
Another thing this game did extremely well was its combat system. You control a party of four characters, each tied to a different element, and the fun is mixing and matching their abilities to trigger powerful elemental reactions. This depth of combat keeps long-time players hooked, but the game is casual-friendly enough for newcomers to play.
Even better, there’s a co-op feature that lets you join up with friends to take down bosses and clear dungeons, adding a shared element to the gameplay.
My Verdict: Genshin Impact will give you hundreds of hours of genuinely fun adventuring, regardless of your preference. It’s by far one of the most content-rich and event-heavy gachas out there, after all, so you better bet it has a little something for everyone.
2. Wuthering Waves [Best For Open-World With High-Action Combat]
| Our Score | 10
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| Type of Game | Open-World Action RPG, High-Speed Combat |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2024 |
| Creator/s | Kuro Games |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skins |
Just when the gacha community’s hopes of getting a true competitor to Genshin Impact were starting to fade following its phenomenal 2020 release, Kuro Games came out swinging in 2024 with Wuthering Waves. It’s a similarly gorgeous open-world gacha with excellent visuals and physics, courtesy of Unreal Engine 4.
Wuthering Waves stands out by having an exhilarating high-speed combat system that gives you a more energetic, fast-paced, and skill-based alternative to other games (notably Genshin Impact) in the open-world gacha genre.
While it may not be as popular playerbase-wise as Genshin Impact, mostly due to the latter having already established market dominance for open-world gacha titles, I’d still argue that Wuthering Waves has the gacha juggernaut beat in some aspects.
This is a bit of a hot take that might just get me labeled a Kurobot, but I think the game just has better graphics, character designs, fighting animations, exploration mechanics, and a more generous gacha system (no 50/50 on Weapon Banners) than its main competitor.
It has lots of potential in my opinion, but still has a bit more left to prove before I can confidently put it over my current #1, considering Genshin has set a really high bar of excellence for gacha games as a whole.
My Verdict: Having played both titles, I can confidently say that Wuthering Waves is by far the closest to Genshin Impact in terms of overall quality. It has just about everything Genshin has – the fun events, tons of side content, puzzles for days, massive, detailed maps, plenty of awesome characters, and an overarching main plot that you’ll enjoy more if you’re into darker, more mature themes.
3. Arknights [Best For Strategic Depth & Tower Defense Gameplay]
| Our Score | 9.8
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| Type of Game | Tower Defense, Tactical Strategy |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Hypergryph, Yostar |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Skin |
Arknights is easily one of the most fun tactical RPGs in the gacha space, standing out with its slick presentation and incredibly deep tower defense mechanics. You take control of a pharmaceutical organization known as Rhodes Island, leading a group of superhuman units called Operators to fight against a world-ending infection.
The gameplay loop centers on highly cerebral strategy, where your positioning of your team of Operators determines how well you perform. Here, every single map is a puzzle where you must deploy your team of Operators, each with unique skills and classes, at the right point on the map to block enemies and unleash devastating attacks.
Arknights has an incredible sense of style and world-building that goes beyond your typical gacha game. Its dark, industrial sci-fi feature set and compelling narrative make you genuinely care about your units and the deep lore of the game’s world.
Trust me, seeing that perfect three-star clear screen on a hard stage after multiple retries is one of the most satisfying feelings you can get. You and your friends will definitely have fun comparing who can solve the hardest maps with the most optimized (or unlikely) team combinations.
My Verdict: As one of the best mobile gacha games, Arknights delivers an unusually high level of strategic depth. If planning multiple steps ahead is your thing, you’ll find it deeply satisfying, especially when facing its demanding endgame stages.
4. Umamusume: Pretty Derby [Best For RNG Addicts & Sports/Idol Gacha Enthusiasts]
| Our Score | 9.7
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| Type of Game | Idol-Racing Simulation, Management |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Creator/s | Cygames |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Support Card, Character |
Ever since it was released in Japan way back in 2021 and became such a massive hit in its home turf, Umamusume: Pretty Derby’s global release has been one of the most hyped in gacha history. And, as someone who’s been playing this game daily since its first week, I have to say that Cygames certainly didn’t disappoint with its global port.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby brings an entirely different flavor of gacha to the table compared to other top-tier titles with its well-designed protagonists based on real-life horses and Umazing storylines based on real-life races.
Most gacha games on this list allow you to experience massive fantasy worlds and fight all sorts of menacing monsters. Yeah, that’s cool and all, but here? You get to collect, train, interact with, and race horse girls.
Now, what makes a racing game with anthropomorphic horse girls/idols so special, you might ask? It’s simple, really. This game is, by far, one of the most RNG-heavy gachas out there. You don’t just get to experience the highs and lows of chance while pulling in banners, but also while training and racing your umas.
Here, your Uma’s stats, skills, skill activations, and overall performance in races depend mostly on your luck, and the rest on your knowledge of game mechanics as a trainer (Umamusume is a wit game, too, after all).
My Verdict: Umamusume: Pretty Derby is the perfect title for gacha fans like me who’re obsessed with the dopamine rush of pixel gambling. The gacha mechanics are cranked all the way up to an absurd eleven here, which means even the biggest of whales can’t just steamroll you in PvP modes if you care enough to learn how to optimize your account – or if you’re lucky.
5. Guardian Tales [Best For Story & 2D Pixel Anime Aesthetics]
| Our Score | 9.5
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| Type of Game | Action-Adventure RPG, Puzzle |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch |
| Release Year | 2020 |
| Creator/s | Kong Studios, Kakao Games |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skin |
Guardian Tales is yet another gacha that I’ve personally enjoyed a lot more than I initially expected before playing it, mostly due to how impactful and gripping its narrative is. I’d even go as far as to say that if I were to make a list ranking gacha games based on their story alone, this one would comfortably be within my top three.
This one might have that pleasantly cute pixel sprite art style, but don’t be fooled – this game has one of the most well-written, deep, and oftentimes deceptively dark overarching plots that I’ve ever seen in a gacha game, and that’s saying something because I’ve played a whole lot.
Aside from its brilliant story, you can certainly feel the developers’ passion for the game due to how streamlined the game’s quality of life is. Farming gear, resources, and completing daily missions take only a few minutes per day, so you don’t have to worry about the grind if you’re pressed for time.
Of course, this wouldn’t be here if its excellent story is all it has going for it. Guardian Tales also has some of the best puzzles, stage design, worldbuilding, and combat (fights in later chapters get exceptionally brutal) you’ll ever experience in a gacha. It’s a very well-rounded experience, as far as content goes.
My Verdict: Guardian Tales is by far one of the top story-heavy games within the gacha genre, and is the #1 title I recommend if you want a GOATED game that plays exceptionally well on a Switch just as it does on a phone.
6. Nikke: Goddess of Victory [Best For Stellar Character Design & Animations]
| Our Score | 9.4
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| Type of Game | Third-Person Shooter, Idle RPG |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2022 |
| Creator/s | Shift Up, Level Infinite |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Skins |
If you’re looking for another gacha game that completely flips the script on traditional mobile RPGs, you need to check out Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Released by Shift Up (also the brilliant minds behind the similarly fanservice-heavy title: Stellar Blade), this game does away with traditional turn-based combat for high-octane, third-person cover shooting.
The premise is simple, yet dark: you command a squad of combat android units called Nikkes in a desperate fight to reclaim the surface world from alien mechanical units.
Nikke‘s shining feature (aside from its stellar character animations) is its unexpectedly deep storylines that really breathe life into each unit. Plus, the core shooter gameplay is highly intuitive, which makes it a perfect title for people who want action over endless menus.
The gameplay loop here is incredibly satisfying. You build a team of five Nikkes, each with unique skills and weapons, taking cover behind obstacles while aiming down sights to blast enemies.
Since you play this game primarily on mobile devices like Android and iOS, the controls are surprisingly smooth for a shooter. You get to focus on your strategy and timing your special bursts to melt enemy bosses. But honestly? I think you should download it just for the fun of watching those burst animations alone. Don’t ask why.
My Verdict: If you are obsessed with collecting beautifully designed characters (understatement of the year) and actually crave fun, fast-paced shooter action over complicated strategy, this game is perfect for you to pick up on your phone. This is seriously the most fun I’ve had with a vertical-screen shooter in years.
7. Zenless Zone Zero [Best For Fast-Paced Combat & Memorable Characters]
| Our Score | 9.4
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| Type of Game | Action RPG, Urban Fantasy |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2024 |
| Creator/s | miHoYo (HoYoverse) |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skins |
Zenless Zone Zero is the next miHoYo game (spoiler alert: it won’t be the last) to grace my list – coming in with some of the best cinematic cutscenes, voice acting, and some seriously stylish art direction I’ve seen in any game, period. This title takes the familiar action-RPG formula and coats it in a vibrant, urban fantasy setting.
The combat system is fast and flashy. You’re controlling a crew of agents in intense skirmishes against strange creatures called Ethereals. The core loop involves mastering dodges, parries, and quick swaps between team members to unleash massive coordinated attacks.
Zenless Zone Zero isn’t just an awesome action-heavy game. What drew me to this game, and what I think most of you would like as well, is its social features that allow you to talk, interact, and hang out with playable characters outside of the story.
Truthfully, the amount of care via consistent updates this game has enjoyed from the devs since its underwhelming release is what convinced me that MiHoYo will keep giving us more games that consistently prioritize quality over quantity. The way they handle live services guarantees the long-term health of the game and its community.
My Verdict: Zenless Zone Zero is a killer recommendation for anyone who wants a high-quality experience across the board, as you’d expect from all HoYoverse games. It’s a terrific hack-and-slash game with tons of memorable characters that are all given their moments to shine not just in the main plot, but through the game’s amazing side content as well.
8. Punishing: Gray Raven [Best For Stylish & Challenging Combat]
| Our Score | 9.1
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| Type of Game | Action RPG, Hack and Slash |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2021 |
| Creator/s | Kuro Games |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skins |
If you’re looking for a proper challenge among great action RPG games within the gacha genre, Punishing: Gray Raven is where it’s at.
Hitting enemies pops up colored orbs, and smashing three of the same color gives you a massive, character-specific skill attack. Me? I had lots of fun nailing a perfect dodge that triggers the Matrix – a brief, glorious moment of bullet time that instantly supercharges your next orb ping into a 3-ping powerhouse.
The gameplay is centered around an awesome synergy of quick skill timing and on-the-fly orb management that forces you to be constantly engaged in the fight.
PGR’s standout feature is its Signal Orb system, which truly reinvents mobile combat, turning simple hack-and-slash into something smokin’, sexy, and stylish. It’s the kind of game that respects player skill above all else, which is always a massive win for any gacha fan.
Also, this game is decently free-to-play-friendly, thanks to a very generous gacha and guaranteed pity pulls, which means you can totally chase your favorite Construct. Plus, the moody, heavy sci-fi story about fighting the Punishing Virus that’s not at all afraid to get really dark is a very nice backdrop to all the action.
My Verdict: Punishing Gray Raven manages to be highly accessible for free-to-play players while still offering the most demanding, à la Devil May Cry, boss fights on mobile. It’s without a doubt one of the more challenging gacha titles I’ve come across.
9. Honkai: Star Rail [Best For Fast-Paced Turn-Based Combat & Hefty Story]
| Our Score | 9
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based Strategy RPG, Interstellar Adventure |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PS5, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2023 |
| Creator/s | miHoYo (HoYoverse) |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Skins |
If you thought turn-based RPGs couldn’t feel snappy, Honkai: Star Rail is here to beam you up and prove you wrong. This chart-topping miHoYo title swaps out Genshin’s open-world trekking for a story-rich adventure with exhilarating turn-based combat across the galaxy aboard the Astral Express.
Similar to a turn-based gacha I used to love (now unfortunately EOS), Exos Heroes, the combat here revolves around the Weakness Break system: figure out what elements your enemies hate and slam them until their tough white bar shatters.
Breaking an enemy delays their turn and hits them with a status effect, setting you up for massive damage. Each character also follows a Path – such as Preservation for shields or Destruction for pure damage – which defines their role and makes team-building a crucial part of the gameplay.
Honkai: Star Rail successfully merged the polish of a massive production with the convenience of a casual mobile game and proved that turn-based combat can be thrillingly fast-paced. It’s not your typical turn-based gacha, to say the least. It’s a miHoYo game, after all.
But what really cranks the fun up are the Ultimate abilities. You can unleash all sorts of flashy, gorgeous Ultimates at any moment, even during the enemy’s attack animation, to change the entire flow of battle instantly.
Not only is it a beautifully animated and well-written sci-fi/fantasy classic, but it also totally respects your time (thank heavens for the recently implemented dialogue skip), as it lets you jump in, clear your tasks with auto-battle, and jump out in a jiff.
My Verdict: Honkai: Star Rail offers a refreshing twist on classic turn-based JRPGs – all wrapped in a stunning sci-fi universe and a lengthy, brilliant narrative.
10. Fire Emblem Heroes [Best For Strategic Grid Combat]
| Our Score | 9
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| Type of Game | Tactical Strategy RPG, Miniaturized Maps |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2017 |
| Creator/s | Intelligent Systems, Nintendo |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character |
Fire Emblem Heroes is easily one of the best strategy games as far as gachas go. This one takes the iconic console series’ fun tactical combat and crams it onto your phone. That depth comes from the deep skills system, which lets you turn even low-tier units into absolute monsters.
Once your team is ready, you’ll jump into high-stakes PvP, which is where those amazing builds really count. Even better, the developers loaded it with amazing quality-of-life features like quick menus and automatic routines. This cuts down on your screen time while giving you that sweet, sweet sense of daily progress.
Fire Emblem Heroes proved you can have console-level strategy games on a phone. In essence, it’s a non-stop source of short, satisfying tactical battles that’ll keep you entertained for years.
Though the single-player story is plenty of fun, the high-stakes PvP modes like the Aether Raids are what you’ll likely be hooked on here.
My Verdict: Fire Emblem Heroes is perfect for tactical RPG fans who are into deep team-building without the intensive grinding, or for anyone who needs a quick hit of strategy in their free time.
11. Infinity Nikki [Best For Dress-Up Mechanics With Fashion Rarities]
| Our Score | 8.8
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| Type of Game | Dress-Up, Open-World Adventure, RPG |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, PS5, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2024 |
| Creator/s | Paper Games |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Outfits (Sets & Individual Pieces) |
Forget about those outdated, linear dress-up flash games. This is THE gorgeous open-world game you’ve likely been waiting for if you’re a fashion aficionado who’s into dressing to impress.
Infinity Nikki is unlike most previous titles of its genre because here, you’re free to explore a huge, stunning world with plenty of content to enjoy. You can even float and glide around the map in different outfits, slaying while you show off your fit.
Despite its rocky launch, I still believe Infinity Nikki is worthy of this list because it represents a bold and imaginative step forward for its genre. It’s a dress-up game with deep customization, puzzles, and combat in an open-world setting. What more could you want?
Aside from flexing your attire, this game is all about finding and mastering the elemental powers hidden in clothing. You’ll want to collect every piece of fabric and accessory you see, not just for looks, but for platforming and puzzle-solving abilities. Getting to style your favorite characters in a world this vast is a total game-changer.
My Verdict: Infinity Nikki is an amazing recommendation for players who love cozy exploration but wish they had a massive wardrobe and character customization options to go along with it.
12. Another Eden [Best For Classic JRPG Fans]
| Our Score | 8.7
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| Type of Game | Classic JRPG, Time-Travel Adventure |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2019 |
| Creator/s | Wright Flyer Studios, WFS |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character |
Sick of the gacha-staple daily chores and energy timers? Another Eden is a breath of fresh air in this regard, giving you a proper JRPG experience right on your phone. It doesn’t rely on energy or dailies to keep you hooked – it doesn’t have to.
After all, the brilliantly presented time-travel adventure is the real hero here, written by Masato Kato – the very same narrative genius behind Chrono Trigger.
Another Eden separates itself from other top-tier gachas by essentially being a premium console JRPG disguised as a free-to-play mobile game. You can seriously ignore the gacha elements completely and just immerse yourself in the epic narrative without a single time gate.
The world is huge, and you’ll want to explore every corner. You’ll also meet a giant cast of fully-developed characters that don’t just exist to be pulled from a banner, as they all feel essential to the plot.
The turn-based combat is very fun and slick, but honestly, it’s really the writing and the world-hopping that’ll keep you coming back. It’s a classic JRPG experience, through and through.
My Verdict: Go play this. It’s perfect for players who miss the golden age of ’90s JRPGs, especially Chrono Trigger fans looking for a new title to fall in love with. This is a pure, old-school gem where the plot and cast take center stage instead of gacha mechanics that, though often fun, can be predatory at times.
13. Fate/Grand Order [Best For Outstanding Story Depth]
| Our Score | 8.5
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based Strategy RPG, Visual Novel |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2017 |
| Creator/s | Lasengle (formerly Delightworks), Aniplex |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character |
This game isn’t for the faint of heart or anyone who wants a quick skip button. Fate/Grand Order is a full-on visual novel and an epic JRPG rolled into one massive package.
The commitment to the central story is frankly absurd, spanning multiple time periods and alternate histories, and it’ll easily keep you entertained as it did me right until I lost my previous phone, and with it, my account. That’s why you always back up anything digital, folks…
Nothing else on mobile matches Fate/Grand Order‘s sheer dedication to a well-told, high-stakes narrative. It’s a colossal, engaging commitment that rewards you with incredible lore and a vast cast of unique Servants that even extends to its manga, anime, and novel adaptations.
You’ll spend hours leveling up your Servants, who are legendary characters pulled from history and mythology. It’s what makes the grind worthwhile.
Yes, you’re not just pulling for some anime randos – you’re collecting King Arthur, Cleopatra, and Gilgamesh, all with incredible backstories. Sure, the turn-based combat is simple, but the team-building aspect has got some depth to it.
Just brace yourself, because the drop rates are notoriously rough. Even now with the pity system (yes, it used to have none at all), rare pulls will feel like a divine miracle given the brutal odds of 5★ servants.
My Verdict: Fate/Grand Order is a REQUIRED download for JRPG fans who value narrative and character above all else. If you don’t mind grinding and can handle the brutal gacha odds, you’re looking at hundreds of hours of high-quality content. Godspeed on your pulls, though.
14. Epic Seven [Best For Anime Visuals & E-Sports Level Turn-Based Combat]
| Our Score | 8.4
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| Type of Game | Strategy RPG, Anime Cinematic |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2018 |
| Creator/s | Smilegate Megaport |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Artifacts, Skins |
Epic Seven is a min-maxer’s paradise in the sense that it isn’t a game you can simply auto-battle your way through forever. It requires serious dedication, as it’s one of the best turn-based RPGs in the gacha genre in terms of technical depth.
Here, optimizing your heroes’ gear is just as important as actually reading their kit and using their skills properly. The gear grind is intense and is centered around finding the perfect weapons and armor with randomized substats.
Epic Seven perfectly complements its brutal strategic depth with eye-candy anime visuals and fantastic storytelling. Sure, the game’s quite grindy, but it’s all worth it considering the characters and the story chapters are all so well-designed, and the PVE content is just as engaging as its competitive ones.
Basically, every victory in the later content comes down to precise team building and how willing you are to grind resources just to get that perfect unit.
Personally, I loved just how the PvP is so mechanically sound that there’s even an active e-sports scene held by the publisher themselves annually, which also shows just how passionate they are about their game and community, despite the game’s age.
My Verdict: Epic Seven is a very nice game for tactical anime RPG players who love deep systems and aren’t afraid of a serious grind. If you enjoy theory-crafting team comps and obsessing over stat rolls, congrats – you’ve just found your next major time sink.
15. Persona 5: The Phantom X [Best For Persona-Style School Life Sim & Turn-Based Combat]
| Our Score | 8.3
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based RPG, Urban Fantasy |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Creator/s | Black Wings Game Studio, Perfect World Games |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Persona, Weapon |
Persona 5: The Phantom X is a full-scale mobile gacha adaptation of one of the best JRPGs ever made. I’ve played this one upon release, and right from the moment that slick, jazzy soundtrack hits, I just knew I was in for an absolute banger.
Although this spinoff doesn’t exactly match up against the OG blow-for-blow (to be fair, I think very few JRPGs do), it still captures the same style, attitude, and visual flair of Persona 5, bringing the life-sim and Palace-crawling loop to your pocket.
P5X earned its place in the rankings because the developers didn’t treat it like a low-effort mobile cash grab. They are genuinely committed to the iconic presentation, making the menus, transitions, and character animations feel indistinguishable from a top-tier console title.
You’ll manage your school life and social stats by day, and dive into the Metaverse at night to steal hearts. The combat is a very nice Persona-signature turn-based combat system – it’s fast, flashy, and revolves around exploiting weaknesses to set up All-Out Attacks.
It’s shockingly polished for a mobile title and feels like a premium console experience you can play anywhere. And if you loved the original, you’re going to feel right at home with the new cast of Phantom Thieves.
My Verdict: If you’re a fan of the original game or high-school life simulators combined with deep JRPG combat, stop what you’re doing and download Persona 5: The Phantom X right now. It’s the closest you’ll get to experiencing Persona 5 without forking over cash – provided you stay F2P, of course.
16. Honkai Impact 3rd [Best For Intense 3D Combat & HoYo-Quality Lore]
| Our Score | 8.3
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| Type of Game | Action RPG, Hack and Slash |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2018 |
| Creator/s | miHoYo (HoYoverse) |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character, Weapon, Stigmata, Skins |
Step into the futuristic sci-fi battlefield of Honkai Impact 3rd, and you’ll immediately realize this isn’t your average mobile gacha (again, that’s just your average miHoYo title).
This is a dedicated action-RPG experience built purely for die-hard real-time combat and social sim fans. The core appeal here is most definitely the hack-and-slash combat. It’s frantic, flashy, and unbelievably satisfying.
You’re dodging, parrying, and chaining combos with Valkyries who feel genuinely powerful. The production value, especially the Ultimate animations, is off the charts.
Honkai Impact 3rd throws out the auto-battle crutch and demands genuine player skill. The speed and mechanical precision required for high-end stages are unmatched. It’s among the first titles that proved mobile games can deliver an intense, skill-based, real-time action experience that very few others in the gacha genre even attempt to replicate.
Beyond the flash, the world-spanning narrative is darker and deeper than most AAA games, complete with stunning, full-length animated shorts. It’s a complete package of high-octane action and emotional storytelling.
My Verdict: In my eyes, Honkai Impact 3rd walked so Zenless Zone Zero could run. If you’re fed up with gachas with static combat and want something that actually moves your fingers, this is it. It’s a must-play for action game veterans who appreciate deep lore and don’t mind a challenge.
17. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis [Best For Final Fantasy Fans]
| Our Score | 8.2
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based RPG, Episodic Narrative |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release Year | 2023 |
| Creator/s | Applibot, Square Enix |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Weapon, Gear/Character Skins |
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis felt like the ultimate nostalgia trip. They’ve managed to compress the entire Final Fantasy VII saga, including Crisis Core and the original, into one beautiful, episodic package. The visuals are so stunning, and I appreciated seeing the classic blocky characters rebuilt with modern rendering.
Combat is a modernized version of the Active Time Battle (ATB) system and gives you that perfect sweet spot between real-time action and strategic menu commands.
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis made my list because it’s the only place you can experience every major piece of the FF7 timeline in one continuous game. It’s a well-made homage to the lore and is a must-have archive for longtime fans who want the full, definitive story without swapping consoles.
How you advance your characters in this game depends entirely on the weapons you pull and equip (all characters are unlockable for free). Getting a new weapon isn’t just a stat bump; it’s often tied to a powerful new ability for your hero.
This vast world of magic and machines is one of the most beloved settings in fantasy history, and its detailed presentation easily ranks this as one of the most impressive RPG games you can download this year.
My Verdict: If you’ve ever loved a single moment of the Final Fantasy VII universe, you owe it to yourself to download this. It’s an absolute 10/10 pick-up for both JRPG veterans who appreciate classic ATB strategy and newcomers who want the definitive starting point for plenty of the Final Fantasy main characters’ journeys.
18. Limbus Company [Best For Dark Themes & Lore]
| Our Score | 8.2
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based RPG, Deckbuilder |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2023 |
| Creator/s | Project Moon |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Identity (Character Variant/Skin), E.G.O (Skill) |
As you can probably tell from my previous entries, I’m no stranger to thematically or narratively darker gacha titles.
Limbus Company, however, is in a league of its own. It isn’t a cheerful anime adventure; it’s a brutal, deeply engaging dive into moral ambiguity and monster-slaying.
Here, you’ll be controlling a bus of 12 “Sinners” who are literally trying to reclaim pieces of their shattered identity in a bleak, dystopian cityscape known as The City.
Limbus Company is a brilliant example of a quality game focused on narrative that doesn’t use predatory mechanics. It shows that excellent gacha design can be generous while still being immensely profitable, offering a refreshing and unique alternative compared to the genre’s typically light-hearted, seldom Weenie Hut Jr’s-esque PG atmosphere and themes.
The combat uses a unique coin-flip system mixed with team-based mechanics. Strategy is key, but luck can always change the tide. It’s an atmospheric experience where the dark narrative is the real belle of the ball, forcing you to question the characters’ humanity constantly.
The developers have managed to make the game surprisingly accessible, considering its depth. The gacha system is incredibly fair and allows dedicated players to reliably acquire new versions of the Sinners without needing massive investments.
My Verdict: If you appreciate niche games with heavy lore, mature themes, and gameplay that rewards smart resource allocation over raw pulling power, Limbus Company is your game. Simply put, it’s for gamers who prefer reading lengthy lore files and getting into challenging, non-fluffy content, not those who just want fast, casual fun.
19. One Piece Treasure Cruise [Best For One Piece & Old-School Gacha Fans]
| Our Score | 8.1
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| Type of Game | Turn-Based RPG, Tap-Battle |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2015 |
| Creator/s | KLab Games, Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Character (Crew Member) |
One Piece Treasure Cruise holds a very special place in my heart because this is the first gacha I’ve ever played, and the game that induced years-long admiration (and definitely not crippling addiction) for the genre.
This one’s a long-running, amazing anime game that brilliantly adapts the series’ massive cast and epic storyline, featuring engaging tap-timing turn-based battles that hinge on rhythm and precision.
OPTC deserves to be on this list because it has, arguably, the best content-to-longevity ratio of any game here. It’s been running strong for years, consistently adding new arcs and characters, making it one of the best ways to experience the One Piece world in a video game format.
Getting powerful characters is easy here (especially with all the freebies you get that usually come with older gachas), but optimizing your crew to take on the most difficult raids is where the real fun starts. You’ll have to strategize over team synergy and the special abilities of your chosen crew members.
Again, the game is incredibly generous. Spending real cash on a paid pack via IAP isn’t necessary if you want to enjoy the core content or to collect a huge roster of high-tier units. In fact, I tried it out again recently, and the developers made it so easy to get free heroes compared to when I started that I’m actually envious of anyone who’s only making their accounts now.
My Verdict: If you’re a fan of One Piece (who isn’t at this point?) and love deep team-building strategy, check this out. I also think this game is the perfect way to relive the entire One Piece saga, if you prefer gaming over watching hundreds of episodes.
20. Tears of Themis [Best For Otome Dating Sim Mechanics]
| Our Score | 8
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| Type of Game | Otome, Story-Driven Card Game |
| Platforms | Android, iOS |
| Release Year | 2021 |
| Creator/s | miHoYo (HoYoverse) |
| Gacha/Monetization Focus | Vision (Card/Skill), Outfits, Limited Story Content |
Brought to you once again by miHoYo, Tears of Themis is an excellent romance and legal mystery for all you otome enjoyers out there.
Similar to Love & Deepspace that almost made this list, it’s easily one of the best games for otome fans right now because the handsome lawyers, CEOs, and detectives you meet have actual depth to them and are central to the surprisingly complex cases you solve.
Tears of Themis features unique debate-style combat (à la Ace Attorney, but easier), which challenges your card collection, and stunning visual novel segments that deepen your relationships. Unlike most one-dimensional otomes, you’ll never feel stuck with boring gameplay here.
The story is surprisingly high-stakes and dark, so you won’t quickly forget the intense legal battles. Resource management is typical gacha fare, but the visual novel segments make it easier to push through. The investigation parts are genuinely tricky and will force you to pay attention to dialogue and evidence.
My Verdict: If you value narrative and romance over the frantic action that’s just all too common in the gacha genre, and you don’t mind a lot of reading, you’ll 100% love Tears of Themis. Simply put, this one is for gamers who appreciate deep lore and compelling relationships that evolve over time.
My Overall Verdict
For gamers only jumping onto the gacha bandwagon now, it would be an understatement to say that you’ll have an absurd amount of options to choose from, considering how profitable and saturated the market for these games is.
Now, in case you need a brief rundown of my recommendations, here are a few of the best gacha games you need to try, based on various preferences:
- For the Definitive Gacha Experience → Genshin Impact. This game set the standard for the entire genre by combining a massive, beautiful open world with deep elemental combat and unmatched production values.
- For Gacha Beginners → Zenless Zone Zero. The stylish, enclosed levels and fast-paced combat make it the perfect, less-overwhelming entry point to a high-quality gacha.
- For Hardcore Action in an Open-World → Wuthering Waves. Kuro Games cooked a punishing, high-skill combat ceiling and an Echo collection mechanic into their vast world for Genshin refugees and gacha newbies to conquer.
- For Turn-Based JRPG Fans → Epic Seven. Its beautiful, cinematic animations and deep strategic combat system feel like a classic JRPG had a glow-up with modern gacha mechanics.
- For Story Lovers → Fate/Grand Order. You’ll be signing up for a massive, multi-part visual novel story that’s famed for its incredible depth and character writing, which makes the grind worthwhile.
- For Otome Enthusiasts → Tears of Themis. This game pairs romance with legal mystery, providing compelling investigative gameplay alongside deeply written relationships that you’ll want to explore.
- For True Gambling Addicts/Idol Genre Fans → Umamusume: Pretty Derby. The addictive loop of RNG-heavy training, inheriting skills, and competing in high-stakes PvP races is a rush, especially if you’re willing to chase that perfect build.
FAQs
Genshin Impact is the best gacha game to play if you prefer vast, action-RPGs with tons of story content and memorable characters. For tactical depth, look at Arknights or Fire Emblem: Heroes. If you enjoy fast-paced combat, Wuthering Waves or Punishing: Gray Raven are very solid choices.
A gacha game is a video game featuring a monetization system where players spend in-game currency (most of which can be bought with real money) to receive randomized virtual items, like characters or weapons. The term comes from Japanese vending machine toys, where you can collect items of varying rarities.
Fate/Grand Order has the best story, according to the vast majority of the gacha gaming community, due to its expansive, high-quality anime-style arcs, but some titles like Honkai: Star Rail and Guardian Tales are also frequently cited to offer some of the most well-written plots in any gacha game.
The first true gacha game is widely considered to be Puzzle & Dragons, released in Japan in 2012 by GungHo Online Entertainment. It popularized the system of selling randomized units to players – the very addictive mechanic that quickly spread across the mobile gaming industry.
Honkai: Star Rail is currently my top pick for its excellent world-building and snappy turn-based combat. Other highly rated turn-based gacha games you should try are Limbus Company, which also has a refreshingly dark, mature story for a gacha, and Epic Seven, which is a certified JRPG gacha classic.
Yes, there are good open-world gacha games on PC. The best among them are Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves, both of which feature top-notch exploration mechanics, plenty of NPCs to interact with, and huge maps with tons of side content for you to discover.
