Whether you’re familiar with or completely new to gacha games, there’s a wide variety of options to choose from. From sci-fi to fantas, and even dress-up games, gacha appeals to a wide audience, and you’re sure to find the right game for your taste.
But what does 2024 have to offer? While some of the best gacha titles have just been released this year, others are older and still widely popular. If you’re looking for the best gacha game to get into, you should find what you’re looking for in the list below.
Wuthering Waves
69%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Kuro Games
Publisher
Kuro Games
Release
May 22, 2024
Released on May 22, 2024, Wuthering Waves is an action RPG game set in a futuristic open world after an apocalyptic event called the Lament took place, wiping out the majority of civilization and causing dangerous monsters to appear. After choosing between a male or female Rover, you wake up, forgetting your entire past, and set upon a journey to figure out who you were and how to save the current civilization from numerous dangers. The biggest aspect of Wuthering Waves that holds it above many action gacha games is its incredible combat. Each character has unique and deliberate combat maneuvers that amount to more than just button-smashing enemies. The lore of the world is also intriguing, and while there’s limited content with it being fairly new, the future for Wuthering Waves is incredibly bright.
Blue Archive
83%
Platforms
Android, iOS
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy
Developer
Nexon Games
Publisher
Yostar Games
Release
February 04, 2021
This RTS and visual novel mash-up is set in the modern-day and has the player take on the role of a Sensei seeking find the missing president of the General Student Council and resolve any issues and incidents around the city of Kivotos. With thousands of different academies situated in Kivotos, you must create units of up to six members to engage in military combat. Blue Archive was released on February 4, 2021, and is one of the most beloved turn-based RPG gacha games to date. It even received an anime adaptation in April 2024. Blue Archive is a balance between visual novel sections separated by chapters and RTS combat encounters that use characters received from the game’s gacha system. If you’re someone who likes the idea of a modern-day story set in a world not too dissimilar to Earth, Blue Archive may be the best choice for you.
Honkai: Star Rail
79%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure
Developer
HoYoverse, miHoYo
Publisher
Cognosphere, HoYoverse, miHoYo
Release
April 26, 2023
One of HoYoverse’s most popular game releases, and possibly its best game yet, Honkai: Star Rail is a sci-fi turn-based RPG released on April 26, 2023. You play as the Trailblazer. Accompanied by friends, you travel across the stars on the Astral Express to solve problems on new and exciting planets, while also uncovering a dark overarching narrative with Trailblazer at the center of it all. Honkai: Star Rail’s combat has players in a four-character party and it’s turn-based, with each character having their own damage type and Path, which is what the classes are called. This makes Honkai: Star Rail incredibly strategic. It also has an enticing narrative surrounding it. With hundreds of quests to complete, places to explore, and characters to meet, Honkai: Star Rail is packed with content and is still continuously updating.
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis
10%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Applibot, Inc, Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
September 07, 2023
Set in the world of the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy 7, Ever Crisis is the mobile gacha game spinoff that allows you to play as your favorite characters, including Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, and more. Released on September 7, 2023, Ever Crisis expands on the story of Final Fantasy 7 with new episodic content released every month. If you adore the story of Final Fantasy 7, Ever Crisis is the best gacha title for you, as it also includes an original prequel narrative focusing on Sephiroth’s point of view that is set over a decade before the original game’s events. Players old and new can all enjoy what Ever Crisis has to offer. Similar to the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Ever Crisis uses the Active Time Battle system. So it almost looks like turn-based combat, but it’s actually live combat where you charge up your ATB meter to use combat maneuvers. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the Final Fantasy 7 games, Ever Crisis should still be enjoyable.
Genshin Impact
79%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
HoYoverse, Cognosphere, miHoYo
Publisher
HoYoverse, Cognosphere, miHoYo
Release
September 28, 2020
If you know the term gacha, you probably already know a little bit about Genshin Impact. Released in 2020, Genshin Impact is HoYoverse’s most popular gacha game and continues to be a monumental success. Set in the fantasy open world of Teyvat, this action-adventure RPG has you play as the Traveler, who lost their sibling and is in search of them after being thrown into an unfamiliar world. The long main campaign has you explore and unlock new and unique regions with their own cultures, sidequests, and characters to meet. There’s an abundance of content within Genshin Impact for new fans, and even veteran players may be overwhelmed by how much there is to do. Inspired by other open-world titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Genshin Impact has captured the hearts of millions and is the most well-known gacha game to date.
Honkai Impact 3rd
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat ’em up, Adventure, Visual Novel
Developer
HoYoverse, miHoYo
Publisher
HoYoverse, Cognosphere, miHoYo
Release
October 14, 2016
Honkai: Impact 3rd is another game from HoYoverse, but came out way before Genshin Impact on October 14, 2016, in China. This action RPG may have a similar name to Honkai: Star Rail, but practically everything is different about it. It isn’t turn-based and instead focuses live combat with hack-and-slash elements to it. It also has a main story in between combat sections where you learn about the Valkyries, your team of characters, and the world the game takes place in. There’s also a bit of a social aspect to the game since you can chat with characters through the Dorm system, where you can build and decorate dorm rooms for characters while also getting the chance to speak with them. If you’re already a fan of most HoYoverse games, Honkai: Impact 3rd is nearly a decade old and has a dedicated fan base, so it’s a safe gacha game to try out.
AFK Journey
72%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS
Genre
Strategy, Adventure, Card & Board Game
Developer
Farlight Games
Release
January 09, 2024
Released on December 6, 2023, AFK Journey is a fantasy RPG set in the world of Esperia. You play as Merlin the mage and explore the colorful world from an isometric point of view, fight enemies and monsters, and collect a wide variety of heroes. Its combat is RTS since you can place your characters in positions before the battle and then watch them act on their own when the battle begins. It’s all automatic, but you can still help activate their Ultimate abilities when needed, as well as other combat abilities like explosions or arrows. The beautiful storybook art style makes the world feel lively, so if you’re looking for a whimsical fantasy gacha game, AFK Journey is right up your alley.
Zenless Zone Zero
67%
3.5/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
HoYoverse, miHoYo
Publisher
HoYoverse, Cognosphere, miHoYo
Release
June 20, 2024
Finally, another one of HoYoverse’s great games is its most recently released: Zenless Zone Zero. Released on July 4, 2024, this is an action RPG with incredibly exaggerated character movements that make the animation stand out as the game’s best quality. You play as Proxy, a master hacker who helps characters explore the Hollows, which are virtual dimensions littered with enemies to fight. It’s set in a futuristic society called New Eridu that’s filled with various opposing factions, and is technically a postapocalyptic world. With the help of your Bangboos and the right character classes, players can trigger amazing combos to deal massive blows to monsters. As this game just recently released, there’s not as much content as you’d find in these other games, but if you want to play a newer gacha game, give Zenless Zone Zero a try.