The 10 best Digimon games of all time, ranked

The best Digimon games are the ones that exemplify the differences between the Digimon and Pokemon anime series that stretch back to the '00s. Sure, both are about monster battling, but Digimon is more about telling a longer storyline using a secondary world as a deliberate parallel to our own reality. Pokemon is excellent in its own ways as an episodic series where each storyline is its own yarn. In a gaming landscape now littered with Pokemon-like titles from Palworld to Temtem, hoping to snag the crown from Pokemon Legends Z-A, Digimon games are at their best ditching the comparison to embrace doing their own thing.

Which also means that, unlike Pokemon, games based on Digimon don't just have one main gameplay style they stick to. Bandai Namco Entertainment has been open to taking their monster-collecting series in many different directions. Earlier Digimon World games riff on the Tamagotchi-style monster raising of the original Digivices, whereas later Digimon Story titles switch gears to go after the best JRPG games with deeper storytelling and turn-based brawls. That makes it pretty tough to know which games are worth your time, and which ones are just licensed fare you don't need to bother with.

But it's also part of the fun – across the best Digimon games you never know quite what to expect. Here, though, I am limiting myself to just the games released in English – plenty of great games in the series are still available only in Japan. With a rich gaming history and our glowing Digimon Story: Time Stranger review, there's no better time to enter the digital world.

The best Digimon games ever, starting with...

10. Digimon World: Next Order

Release: 2016
Developer: BB Studio
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch

Digimon World: Next Order is a bit unfairly maligned, considering the uphill battle it was facing. This is simply a pretty cozy monster raiser. But, as a revival, the waters were muddied thanks to some of the series being Japan-exclusive. Not to mention, the Digimon Story games had already adapted the Digimon World name for branding purposes over here, causing further confusion. Slow-paced, this centers the Tamagotchi-style raising of the original LCD digivices as you explore a world with your companion Digimon. Everything here comes down to how you raised your pals, with battles built around watching their monster AI rather than taking charge yourself. Some may find the pace irritating, but when you find a groove, it's chill.

9. Digimon: Digital Card Battle

Release: 2000
Developer: BEC
Platform(s): PS1

Digimon: Digital Card Battle was the perfect game for a young Digimon fan who couldn't afford to buy many of that era's collectible card game booster packs, nor had any friends who'd want to play it anyway. Even so, though it resembles that card game, this is a simpler version that leverages the medium with elements like equippable digi-parts to be more customizable. Collecting new cards and optimizing strategy as you battle your way to the Infinity Tower is quite compelling in its own way for solo play. It runs into some of the problems of video game TCGs from this period with wonky AI, turns that can feel sluggish over extended periods, and some game-breaking strategies – but this is an underrated gem.

8. Digimon World 3

Release: 2002
Developer: BEC, Boom Corp
Platform(s): PS1

At the time, Digimon World 3 (known in Europe as Digimon World 2003, which I mention just because it sounds rad), was a big departure for the series. Less centered around raising a specific Digimon to explore a world or digital dungeon, this is much closer to other party-battling JRPGs of the era, and you can really see how these fundamentals would eventually evolve themselves into the Digimon Story games. Exploring the fictional 'Digimon Online' with your avatar ditches predecessors' 3D worlds with spritework, but it manages to avoid feeling like a step down thanks to truly gorgeous art design. The zoomed-out feel also allows for snappier play as you explore these pretty environments (not that Digimon World 2 set a high bar in that department). 3D battles mean this entry still has a great sense of scale, and with lots of Digimon included, there's a great sense of the unknown as you refine your party.

7. Digimon World DS

Release: 2006
Developer: BEC
Platform(s): Nintendo DS

Digimon World DS is another entry in the long-running World series that started on PS1… or is it? In actual fact, this kicked off the Digimon Story subseries that persists through to Digimon Story: Time Stranger in Japan, but they decided to give us what we know over here, branding-wise, which can be confusing to look back on. Still, this outing does evolve on some of the mechanics Digimon World 3 introduced, pivoting the series into a direction that more comfortably embraces traditional JRPG mechanics while continuing to center monster raising. Simply going handheld, though, is a big shift that pays off well here. Exploration almost feels like Mega Man Battle Network, with more traditional turn-based battling featuring some gorgeous 2D spritework. The story is a little light touch, and while monster raising is more simplistic than other outings, that has its own appeal, as it means it's easy to get into. The second screen even shows the Digimon you don't have with you hanging out, which is cute.

6. Digimon World Dawn & Dusk

Release: 2007
Developer: BEC
Platform(s): Nintendo DS

Digimon World Dawn and Dusk is, in some ways, a straightforward sequel to Digimon World DS, but edges it out with a more in-depth story to follow, and deeper Digimon raising that better melds together the classic games with JRPG action. In some ways, that can make it pricklier to get into, but more rewarding as you assemble your team of Digimon who you've put more work into raising. Just as gorgeous as its predecessor with some incredible pixel art that's some of the best on Nintendo DS, the only downside is a Pokemon-style two-version system that limits the Digimon you can get in each. Given how broad Digivolution routes can be, it feels odd to come up against limitations like this, and it isn't a feature that translates well from Pokemon to Digimon.

5. Digimon Survive

Release: 2022
Developer: Hyde
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Digimon Survive spent many years in development, to the point where the hype for a substantial new Digimon game could never match up, disappointing many. Still, it's a matter of expectation, as Digimon Survive is a really unique beast with loads to love if you're willing to meet it on its own terms. Yes, there's strategy RPG battles that demand the kind of planning you'd expect from something like Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. But, rather than the game centering on them, the story is the focus. This is more of a visual novel with tactical fights to break up the pace like The Hundred Line than the other way around. That works well if you're looking for a new Digimon story with some surprisingly mature writing, but less so if you want a meaty Digimon-themed SRPG. What's here might not be what you'd expect from a Digimon game, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

4. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth

Release: 2015
Developer: Media.Vision
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth broke a drought of localized Digimon games making it out of Japan, and what a game to put the series back onto the map. While Digimon was absent from our gaming screens, the likes of Shin Megami Tensei had been growing in popularity with releases like Persona 5, meaning Digimon could ditch the constant Pokemon comparisons to spotlight its multi-route monster evolutions in a way that would better click. Based around EDEN, where digital avatars can congregate like a sort of second life, plenty of nostalgic fun is had with the idea of chat rooms you can actually explore, and firewalls you can smash with digital upgrades. The story is lightweight, as is the battling – thanks in part to original development being for PS Vita – but this is a confident and fun JRPG that uses what makes Digimon unique to feel just as fresh among the competition.

3. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker's Memory

Release: 2017
Developer: Media.Vision
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch

A direct follow-up to Cyber Sleuth, this sequel doesn't just boast rewards for save games of the original; saves from this also add more content into its predecessor when updated to its 'complete edition' form, making these retroactively like two peas in a pod. However, this is a genuine evolution, refining the monster collecting the first game got right into mechanics that feel much more polished. The real star of the show is Hacker's Memory's story, though. With the foundations already set up, more emphasis could be placed on an authored narrative, which has you navigating the world of hackers that's on the periphery of the first game. Strong characters make this one of the most memorable outings for the series, and one that understands the appeal of the anime series, too.

2. Digimon World

Release: 1999
Developer: BEC
Platform(s): PS1

Controversially high? Maybe. Originally released in 1999 on PS1, the RPG that's focused on exploring a dangerous world with your own Digimon companion still feels unique compared to just about any other game that exists. The Tamagotchi-esque rearing is detailed, and can feel punishing when deep into enemy territory, your Digimon cops it due to old age, reverting back to egg form for you to begin the process again. Conflicting fan and official information, alongside obtuse data display in-game, means that even now, certain elements of Digimon World work remain mysterious. Like it or not, this epic-yet-personal adventure is distinctly fuelled by vibes, meaning you'll either have a treasured and unforgettable quest to save the digital world, or a miserable one. Something about that makes it feel special.

1. Digimon Story: Time Stranger

Release: 2025
Developer: Media.Vision
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is the newest entry in the series, and it's nice to have a new RPG slot so easily into the top spot. Not only does this evolve the monster battling, raising, and collecting mechanics from the earlier Story games, it also neatly evolves ideas that have been kicking around since the earliest World games. All while delivering a high-stakes time travel plot that feels like it'd be right at home in the anime series. This really is the best of both worlds. At times, the rules around building the perfect Digimon team can still be hard to figure out, but Time Stranger strikes a solid balance, meaning that the team you end up bringing through to the end of the game really feels like your own squad, adding a personal flavor to the way the story shakes out. In a series of games with plenty of interesting releases that nevertheless have plenty of caveats, Time Stranger has the fewest – an evolution that feels like it could carve a path for Digimon in gaming like never before.

For more recommendations, head on over to our list of the best Pokemon games and the best games of 2025 so far.