Gacha games tickle that dopamine receptor in your brain that wants to win big and use those prizes to dominate the game. It’s gambling in all but name, but there’s a reason the genre is a huge money-maker.
If you’re dipping your toes into the genre for the first time or looking to replace your current Gacha, here’s a selection of great games you can do it with.
The ‘best’ Gacha is highly subjective. Some players want a F2P-friendly experience, while others want a waifu collectathon, or to dominate in PvP. I’ve tried to cover a broad range in this list to satisfy everyone.
10Raid: Shadow Legends
And Today’s Sponsor Is …
Raid: Shadow Legends
Raid: Shadow Legendsis known for itsaggressive advertising campaigns, but as someone who’s invested hundreds of hours into the game, I think it’s absolutely worth checking out.
Battles inRaidare turn-based, making itideal for small screensor players who don’t enjoy action combat. Team compositions matter, and it’s satisfying when you come up with a combination that pops off.
Thestory takes a backseat to the gameplay, which feels like more of a stat grinder. Better gear is locked behind intense boss battles, each requiring a specific strategy to take down at higher levels.
Raid: Shadow Legendskicks off this list, as while it’s a decent Gacha, I won’t likely return to it.
During the end game, I hit an almost insurmountable wall where I simply didn’t have the units I needed for specific bosses, and the grind became unbearable. On the other hand, if youthrive in grindy games, you will adore the title.
9AFK Arena
Collab Central
AFK Arenais anF2P-friendly Gachaand perfect if you don’t want to spend ages completing daily tasks.
AFK Arenais an auto battler where team comps are the name of the game. There areseveral factions, each with a distinct theme, and you’re always getting stronger, even if you aren’t playing! You have almost no control over your units in combat, but this design choice makesAFK Arenasurprisingly strategic.
Units and premium currency aredished out at a respectable rate, and you won’t feel gate-kept as a low-spender until much later. There are also collaborations galore, and even the Prince of Persia and Ezio have made guest appearances.
AFK Arenais pretty hands-off at times, but that’s the charm. There’s also a fantastic catch-up mechanic in the “Garrison” system. Newcomers can rent units from more experienced players and eventually own them after enough investment.
The title is also a great choice if you play on older hardware, as the graphics are pretty but basic.
8Azur Lane
A Gacha With Shmup Combat
Azur Lanehas been out since 2017, and while it’s arguably not as popular as it once was, it remains a solid Gacha withmountains of content.
The allure for many will be theShmup-stylecombat, even if it can be automated. Your ‘Fleet’ consists of a group of ‘Ship Girls,’ and while the title definitelyleans toward fan service, an impressive amount of strategy is involved.
Azur Lanehas a reputation for being F2P friendlywithout requiring much investment. Powerful characters are obtainable without spending, and you’re spoiled for choice if you’re after a ‘waifu’ collectathon.
As a disclaimer, I’m a relatively noviceAzur Laneplayer, but the beginner experience is accessible, and mechanics are introduced at a comfortable rate.
7AFK Journey
The Arena Gets An Upgrade
AFK Journey
I’ve already sungAFK Arena’s praises, andAFK Journeyis another great way to experience the universe Lilith has created.
The most obvious difference betweenArenaandJourneyisthe massive graphics overhaul.AFK Journeyis a gorgeous game, and the world feels more alive thanks to itsemphasis on storytelling. It’s still an auto battler but offers a different approach to many systems, some better, others worse.
I findAFK Journeyis at its best when you’re in an active clan, as there areplenty of weekly activitiesfor decent rewards. PvP is also surprisingly fierce among the top ranks.
Journeyis much newer thanArenabut isn’t a sequel, andboth can be enjoyed with little overlapbeyond a few core characters.
6Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle
Kamehameha!!!
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle
Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battleisthe first Gacha that hooked meand got me into the genre as a whole.
Dokkan Battleis actually acolor-matching gameat its core. Each unit requires specific colored gems to use its super attack, and there’s plenty of strategy in team comps.
I adore the combat system inDokkanas it’s surprisingly deep and strategic yet simple at the surface level. There’s tonnes of content, but it’s digestible as the core gameplay is so intuitive.
The roster is whereDokkan Battletruly shines. All of your favorites from the show are here, and manyspecial attacks are accompanied by flashy animations.
The F2P offering is also pretty generous. There’s a massive campaign withhundreds of levels, and premium currency is dished out at a reasonable rate.
If you enjoyDokkanand want a fantastic consoleDBZgame, don’t sleep onDragon Ball Z: Sparking Zero!
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO: 10 Best Characters, Ranked
It takes a lot to be considered the strongest in Dragon Ball.
5Zenless Zone Zero
Billy Here!
Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zerois the latest game in the MiHoYo catalog, offeringintense action combatin the futuristic New Eridu.
ZZZhas everything you’d expect from a MiHoYo game, including the economy, mission structure, and Gacha systems. The big difference is the fighting, which focuses heavily onstylish team-up abilities.
There’s an impressive amount of content outside of battles, too. You’ll find plenty of high-quality side quests, and the unique ‘grid’ system to traverse stages sells themaster hacker vibe. Oh, and the BangBoo are so adorable that you’ll want all of them!
The presentation is top-notch, and the title issurprisingly accessible, with new mechanics slowly drip-fed to the player. The game is pretty intensive on old phones, but can also be played on PC and PlayStation 5.
4Goddess of Victory: Nikke
Are You Ready To Go, Pit Boss?
Key Information
Mobile, PC
Release Date
November 2022
Goddess of Victory: Nikkeis astylish Gachawith a superb story, an incredible soundtrack, and a generous helping of fan service.
You’re the Commander, who leads a squad of “Nikke” into battle.Fights can be automated, or you can take full control and aim with your finger or a mouse.
Battles and pulling for new units are fun, and thestory hits far harder than I ever expected, with some genuine gut punches along the way.
There’s even a mild dating aspect where you get to know your Nikke a little better. Some explicit stuff is implied, and many Nikke have ridiculous proportions (I’m looking at you, Noir), so keep that in mind.
You might want to take my recommendation with a pinch of salt, as I play Nikke daily. That said, there’s so much to do,events are high-quality, and the game is quite friendly for low-spenders.
3Wuthering Waves
It’s A Hard Life Being A Rover
Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves, or WuWa as it’s known, offers an admirable attempt at ahigh-budget action RPGthat rewards combat prowess.
Everything you’d expect from that description is here, from avast open worldto a beautiful expanding roster of characters.
The part that truly shines in WuWa is the fighting.Mashing will only get you so far, and the battle system rewards perfect parries and timing.
In fact, you can defeat enemies far more powerful than you if you have a firm grasp of the mechanics, and it feels like your skill is rewarded instead of just your luck in the Gacha.
I wouldn’t say combat is ‘Souls-like,’ but it sometimes gets close.Wuthering Waveshas you covered if you’re after a gorgeous Gacha or a break from Hoyoverse games.
2Genshin Impact
An Industry Juggernaut
Genshin Impact
What Gacha list would be complete without arguably the most well-known of them all,Genshin Impact?
MiHoYo has Gacha games down toan exact science, and a few of their games feature in this list for different reasons.Genshin Impactis ahigh-fantasy RPGwith stunning graphics,a phenomenal soundtrack, expansive worlds, and an epic story tying everything together.
Combat is engaging asyou battle in real time, and every character has a unique identity and playstyle. There’s an almost overwhelming amount of content inGenshin, and large swathes of the game can be enjoyed without spending a single penny.
One of the best parts about Hoyoverse games is manypowerful characters are quite obtainable without spending. However, it’s hard not to get drawn into the Gacha as the character designs are incredible.
1Honkai: Star Rail
Seele Will Always Be The Best
Honkai: Star Rail
I warned you that Hoyoverse games would appear a few times on this list, andI’ve saved the best for last.
Honkai: Star Railis afuturistic fantasy Gachawith heavy RPG mechanics andturn-based combat. All the top-tier graphics and voice-acting you expect from MiHoYo are here, and the roster is my favorite among the titles.
The universe feels incredibly fleshed out, andeach world has a distinct style and theme. Naturally, everyone is basically a supermodel, and while there is a meta, you may squeeze your favorites into most team comps if you’re not tackling end-game content.
It seems like turn-based combat has been abandoned in many modern RPGs.Honkai: Star Railproves the system still has plenty to offer, making battles far less clumsy on a tiny phone screen.
If the combat doesn’t grab you, the story and cutscenes will!
