5 Bandai Namco Games You Forgot Were Awesome

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Bandai Namco was created in 2006 when two famous video game companies joined forces. Since then, they’ve published many popular games, including massive successes like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and the ongoing Tekken series. Beyond these well-known titles, Bandai Namco has also released some lesser-known games that are still enjoyable, even if they didn’t achieve the same level of sales as their biggest hits.

Here are the five Bandai Namco games many players have forgotten about.

5) Chroma Squad

I absolutely love Chroma Squad! It’s a really fun tactical RPG made by Behold Studios. The best part is, Bandai Namco helped them bring it to consoles and mobile, which was awesome. You play as a team of five stunt performers who are basically making their own *Power Rangersstyle show – it’s such a cool concept!

Even though the combat is staged, it feels incredibly realistic while you’re playing. The monsters and robots hit hard! You can also improve your team with detailed skill trees and find even more advantages through crafting and random gear. If you love Power Rangers or tactical RPGs, this game is a definite must-play.

4) Mario Super Sluggers

Before Namco and another company joined forces, they developed Mario Superstar Baseball for the GameCube. While the Wii version isn’t as good, because of the added motion controls, it was still a hit with families who wanted a more detailed baseball experience than Wii Sports offered.

In Super Sluggers, you can enjoy Adventure Mode, where you build a team to defeat Bowser and Bowser Jr. The game also features a fun multiplayer mode for quick, arcade-style baseball action.

3) Eternal Sonata

Eternal Sonata has a pretty unique story for an Xbox 360 game. You play as Frédéric Chopin, the famous Polish pianist and composer. While he historically died of tuberculosis at the age of 39, the game imagines what happens as he’s dying – he’s transported to a fantastical world drawn from his life and musical creations.

The story is completely wild, but it gives the developers a chance to create a fantastic soundtrack – one of the best of its time. Music is central to everything, even the battles, which use a unique turn-based system with musical elements. However, the music truly shines. While you could simply listen to it on a streaming service, experiencing the game Eternal Sonata enhances the music, making it a complete tribute to the composer. If you enjoy classical music, Eternal Sonata is definitely worth playing.

2) Tales of Vesperia

Similar to the Mario Sluggers games, the Tales of series actually began before Bandai and Namco joined forces. While Tales of Innocence was the first Tales game released after the merger, Vesperia was the first to truly stand out as a success for the newly combined Bandai Namco.

This game, originally released for the Xbox 360, received widespread praise. People loved its impressive graphics and memorable characters. While the English translation had a few minor issues and the game is a bit short after you finish the main story, it’s considered one of the best entries in the entire series.

Some fans might suggest Tales of Xillia for this position, and it’s definitely a fantastic Tales game. However, I wanted to highlight the beginning of Bandai Namco’s involvement with the series. Regardless, an older Tales title absolutely needs to be included. While the series has gradually become more popular outside of Japan, it really deserves wider recognition internationally.

1) Enslaved: Odyssey to the West

Often hailed as one of the most overlooked games ever made, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West was created by Ninja Theory in 2010. Originally, the developers envisioned it as a CGI movie, but when that plan didn’t work out, they shifted gears to a science fiction setting. They brought in writer Alex Garland to craft the story and later involved him in the game’s overall design, ensuring the narrative and gameplay worked seamlessly together.

Ninja Theory hired Andy Serkis and Lindsey Shaw to voice the main characters, and both actors gave outstanding performances. The developers put a lot of effort into making the characters’ relationship feel realistic, which was unusual for games at the time. Visually, Enslaved was also striking, appearing when many games had a drab, brown color scheme. Its bright and colorful take on a post-apocalyptic world felt refreshing.

While Enslaved wasn’t perfect – it had some gameplay flaws and technical problems – it’s still considered a standout game from its time. Sadly, it didn’t attract a large enough audience, and the planned sequel was never developed.

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2026-02-28 01:41