Japanese Mobile and Browser Games – More Fandom, More Fun!

As mobile devices improve as years pass, many game and mobile developers also ride in the waves in creating the best applications and games for online users who are looking for something to pass the time. Over the recent years, online mobile and browser games have already taken over adding more fun and creating a new wave of fandoms for otaku fans, Japan enthusiasts, and so on.

In this Ani.Me special, we will be talking about some of Japan’s popular mobile and browser games that have not only have taken Japan by storm, but also all over the world. You may have been able to hear these games from conventions, reviews, and so on. So let’s begin!

Touken Ranbu

Touken Ranbu is an online browser game created by Nitroplus and is available to played via the DMM Games website. Officially launched in 2015, a player assumes the role of a saniwa, an individual who calls out “sword boys” or toudans to complete certain missions and destroy the evils that happen in the world. The game is set in an old fictional Japanese dynasty setting. The sword boys’ names are mostly of inspired from the popular Japanese swords, samurais, warriors, and so on.

The game has become so popular that it paved way for expansions of its franchise like stage plays, various merchandise, and even anime adaptations. The first anime adaptation released for the game is Touken Ranbu Hanamaru while an another anime under the animation studio ufotable will premiere this July. A second season for Hanamaru has also been green-lit.

Aside from the browser game, Touken Ranbu can now be played on Android and iOS with its app game Touken Ranbu Pocket.

Kantai Collection

Kantai Collection is one of DMM Games’ popular mobile browser games and still is until this day. A player assumes the role of Teitoku or Admiral and it is your job to complete missions, obtain items, and level up your “ship girls” to defeat the evil Abyssal ships. This game was actually released early than Touken Ranbu and has a massive fanbase not only in Japan but also in other parts of the world. The Kantai Collection franchise is popular that it expanded into an anime adaptation and an anime movie.

The ship girl characters that are featured in this game are based from real Japanese ships of the Imperial Japanese Navy back in World War II. It had recently expanded to add more “ships” from other countries like UK, Russia, and so on.

Fate/Grand Order

Fate/Grand Order is the official mobile game app under the massive Fate franchise. If you’re a die-hard fan, then you’re mostly like to recognize some of the characters like Saber, Gilgamesh, Emiya, and so on. Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero, and other characters in this franchise are also obtainable in “rolls”, game events, and missions. Similar case to Kantai Collection and Touken Ranbu, a TV anime film adaptation of Fate/Grand Order titled Fate/Grand Order: First Order premiered in Japan on New Year’s Eve.

Love Live! School Idol Festival

Ah, Love Live! Just who would ignore this group of girls who form a school idol group and just dance and sing their hearts out? Aside from its hit anime series Love Live! School Idol Project and Love Live! Sunshine!!, its game Love Live! School Idol Festival continues to be one of the most downloaded game app for both iOS and Android platforms.

Unlike the first three games mentioned that requires a lot of strategies, Love Live! School Idol Festival is quite different for it’s a rhythm game. Your aim is to complete songs by hitting the notes at the right timing. As you progress, you get to obtain items that you need to roll for new characters, new songs to play, and other things to satisfy the inner Love Live fan in you. The game is mostly known to feature the Love Live! characters in fancy or cute costumes and players can obtain them through character roll or completing needed missions.

The Formula of a Perfect Game

For someone or a company to create a perfect mobile or online browser game, you need to make sure that you have hit at least all of these important parts. If a certain game has all these, then it’s assured that it would be a huge hit for those who will be registering and playing the game. Below are some factors that that make the perfect mobile or browser game.

1) Great Character Art
We can’t deny that it’s the character art that first captures interested fans in getting into a certain game. Aside from plotting out the concept story of your game, the character art should also be cool, interesting, and unique from all the anime and game characters that your soon-to-be game followers would love. Although some usually place a little bit of inspired concept or references to other franchises, it is the a mobile game’s character art craves the followers for wanting more.

2) Add More Characters
Just because you have plotted out some main and secondary characters in a game, it doesn’t have to stop there. One of the reasons why fans of a certain Japanese game stay loyal is because of the fact that there more characters to watch out for in the future. A lot of Japanese mobile games have been using this important formula so it’s no question why they still have a massive following regardless of the many games that pop out recently.

3) Free Game Stuff
Everybody likes free stuff! For starting players, they are expected to receive some good premium freebies upon their registration in the game. It’s not really that much, but at least it would help them get started into loving the game. You need to take note that you need to give out the best of the best because for mobile gamers, first impressions of the game will always last.

4) Weekly or Monthly Game Events
Events are usually one of the popular reasons why mobile and browser games are still thriving. Weekly or Monthly events are usually game updates where they reveal new characters, new game features, and so on. The key here is that as long as you can provide awesome updates constantly for your game followers, then your game hype will still continue.