Megami Tensei – also known as Shin megami tensei — is one of the oldest RPG franchises in the world. But most of us wouldn’t know that. First released in 1987 on the Famicom, it wasn’t until the Virtual Boy that Nintendo gamers (well, some of them) learned about the demon summoning series. And now, the series boasts multiple spin-off series, revivals, remakes, and enhanced editions. That’s a pretty big hole to dive into.
Since becoming popular in the West — thanks Shin Megami Tensei III And character 3 on PS2 — Atlus’s star was just rising, with the spin-off series later becoming its own beast. But in terms of the traditional, hardcore and games you can get in the West, what about? To be Best Shin Megami Tensei game?
We let you lovely readers vote for your favorite SMT games. With the recent release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Revengewe’re sure there are plenty of people interested in getting involved in this sometimes extremely difficult franchise. But there’s nothing quite like the moody, philosophical, and heavy nature of SMT, so we’re here to help you get involved.
We’re leaving Persona out of this ranking because while it still shares many of the same demons and mechanics, it’s essentially its own thing at this point (don’t worry, we’ll be voting soon best Persona games) – this list is to shed light on the name that started it all.
Other appendages, like Devil’s survivor And Tokyo Illusion Sessionare games, however, along with remakes, ports, and base and enhanced versions of certain games. We’ll also only include games that are available in the West and only on Nintendo systems—so, yes, while Shin megami tensei Although available on mobile devices in the West, the Super Famicom version of the game has never been playable in the West with an official English localization.
Miss: This ranking is not fixed. Registered Nintendo Life users can click on the stars below and rate the game on a scale of 10. The list order is generated from NL User Ratings and is therefore subject to change. even after publication. You can change or add your points to any of the games below by clicking on the star next to the title.
Make a pact, start negotiating, and check your ranking of the best Shin Megami Tensei games on Switch and Nintendo systems. We start from the bottom…
Once you get the hang of it Jack Bros. is a short game, and it’s a shame there aren’t any more puzzles on offer. However, the multiple characters and two difficulty settings should extend the life of an already fun game. It has great music and looks great too – although it doesn’t really gain anything from being on the Virtual Boy. Overall, the game’s strengths more than make up for any weaknesses, making Jack Bros. an essential Virtual Boy purchase.
For fans of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona, this is a no-brainer — Soul Hacker is a great entry in the series and you won’t be disappointed. Even better, it’s a great place for beginners to start, with a relatively smooth difficulty curve and user-friendly tips to help you out of sticky situations. If you’re a die-hard SMT fan then you might find the dungeons a little bland, but if you’re looking for a good place to start or are a fan of deep, dark, story-driven dungeon crawlers with soul, Spookies is waiting to be called.
Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remake It’s undeniably the best way to play this classic RPG, but it’s also pretty clear that the nearly two-decade-old game is getting its age. A compelling story, fun combat system, and engaging demon-recruiting and fusion mechanics make Shin Megami Tensei III well worth your time, but outdated visuals, poor music, and sometimes unforgiving mechanics hold it back from being great. We’d recommend it to longtime fans and newcomers alike, but be warned that you might want to wait for a sale.
If you already own or play Devil’s survivor on DS, then Overclocking may not be the new release you were expecting. However, for those new to the title, prepare to be impressed. While the game doesn’t offer much in the way of innovation, it’s still a stylish, excellent RPG that skillfully blends strategy and turn-based combat. It’s certainly one of the stronger 3DS games out there, with multiple endings and tons of content to explore.
With fun tactical battles, a never-ending dramatic storyline, and a wonderfully upbeat, apocalyptic style, Devil Survivor 2 was a total blast from start to finish. If you missed the original release, you’re in for a treat, and the Triangulum scenario adds a full adventure instantly accessible to the experience. It’s also a lighter experience than most of the other games in the series. Whether you’re a longtime MegaTen fan or just enjoy deep strategy role-playing games, gather your courage and log on to Nicaea; you will not regret it.
As a sequel, we think Shin Megami Tensei IV: Doomsday almost perfect, but we know that it has a more controversial reputation among loyal fans. It allows players to revisit a familiar world from a new perspective and adds a number of small but significant mechanical improvements that make gameplay smoother. We recommend you play through it SMTIV first to get the most out of Apocalypse and experience one of the 3DS’s best JRPGs, but Apocalypse is still a delightfully dark adventure steeped in dystopian charm. Between the endearing demons, deeply satisfying combat, and killer aesthetics, we couldn’t get enough—end times have never felt so good.
From demon collecting and murderous combat to a sci-fi Antarctic setting, Redux strange journey is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure and a great excuse to get lost in the 3DS once more. A remake of the DS classic, Redux adds enough new content to make a replay worth your time, along with a number of welcome accessibility improvements to help newcomers get to grips with one of Shin Megami Tensei’s best-kept secrets. Many have argued that the game is inferior to the original DS game, but we think Strange Journey – Redux or otherwise – is a must-see for JRPG fans.
Tokyo Mirage Session #FE is about 85% Shin megami tenseiand 15% Firebut somehow it feels like something completely separate from both. It strikes a chord and boasts a dynamic and energetic combat system wrapped in a setting that takes J-Pop cheesiness to sublime heights. There’s a remarkably long and enjoyable experience here for anyone who hasn’t experienced stage fright because of its relatively narrow proposition. ‘Encore’ Switch Port makes it easy to keep up these days, but like so many other weird (and wonderful!) games, it was originally part of the Wii U’s wonderfully diverse and underrated library.
