Mega Tensei – also known as Shin megami tensei — is one of the oldest RPG franchises in the world. But most of us wouldn’t know that. First released in 1987 on the Famicom, it wasn’t until the Virtual Boy that Nintendo gamers (well, some of them) learned about the demon summoning series. And now, the series boasts multiple spin-off series, revivals, remakes, and enhanced editions. That’s a pretty big hole to dive into.
Since becoming popular in the West — thanks to Shin Megami Tensei III And character 3 on PS2 — Atlus’ star was only just rising, with the spin-off series becoming its own beast. But what about the more traditional, hardcore games you can get in the West? To be Best Shin Megami Tensei game?
We let you lovely readers vote for your favorite SMT games. With the recent release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Revengewe’re sure there are plenty of people who want to get involved in this sometimes extremely difficult franchise. But there’s nothing better than the dark, philosophical and heavy nature of SMT, so we’re here to get you involved.
We’re leaving Persona off this list because, while it still has many of the same demons and mechanics, it’s essentially its own game (don’t worry, we’ll be doing our best Persona picks soon) – this list is meant to shed some light on the name that started it all.
Other by-products, such as Devil’s survivor And Tokyo Illusion Sessionis the game, however, along with remakes, ports, and base and enhanced versions of certain games. We’ll also only be covering games available in the West, and only on Nintendo systems—so, yeah, while Shin megami tensei available on mobile devices in the West, its Super Famicom version was never playable in the West with an official English localization.
Miss: This ranking is not fixed. Registered Nintendo Life users can click on the stars below and rate the games on a 10-point scale. The list order is generated from NL User Ratings and is therefore subject to change, even after publication. You can change or add your score to any of the games below by clicking the star next to the title.
Make a pact, start negotiating, and check out our ranking of the best Shin Megami Tensei games on Switch and Nintendo. We start from the bottom…
Once you get the hang of it Jack Bros. is a short game, and it’s a shame there aren’t more puzzles. However, the multiple characters and two difficulty settings add to the longevity of an already enjoyable game. The game has great music and looks nice too – although it doesn’t really benefit from playing on the Virtual Boy. Overall, the game’s strengths more than make up for any weaknesses, making Jack Bros. an essential Virtual Boy purchase.
For fans of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona, this is a no-brainer — Soul Hacker is a great entry in the series and you won’t be disappointed. Even better, it’s a great place for beginners to start, with a relatively smooth difficulty curve and user-friendly tips to help you out of sticky situations. If you’re a die-hard SMT fan then you might find the dungeons a little bland, but if you’re looking for a good place to start or are a fan of deep, dark, story-driven dungeon crawlers with soul, Spookies is waiting to be called.
Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remake It’s undeniably the best way to play this classic RPG, but it’s also pretty clear that the nearly two-decade-old game is getting its age. A compelling story, fun combat system, and engaging demon-recruiting and fusion mechanics make Shin Megami Tensei III well worth your time, but outdated visuals, poor music, and sometimes unforgiving mechanics hold it back from being great. We’d recommend it to longtime fans and newcomers alike, but be warned that you might want to wait for a sale.
With fun tactical battles, a never-ending dramatic storyline, and a wonderfully upbeat, apocalyptic style, Devil Survivor 2 is a total blast from start to finish. If you missed the original release, you’re in for a treat, and the Triangulum scenario adds another long-form adventure that’s instantly accessible to the experience. It’s also a more enjoyable experience than most other games in the series. Whether you’re a longtime MegaTen fan or just enjoy deep, strategic RPGs, take the plunge and dive into Nicaea; you won’t regret it.
As a follow-up, we thought Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse almost perfect, but we know it’s more controversial among die-hard fans. It allows players to revisit a familiar world from a new perspective and adds a number of small but important mechanical improvements that make gameplay smoother throughout. We recommend you play through it SMTIV first to get the most out of Apocalypse and experience one of the 3DS’s best JRPGs, but Apocalypse is still a delightfully dark adventure steeped in dystopian charm. Between the endearing demons, deeply satisfying combat, and killer aesthetics, we couldn’t get enough—end times have never felt so good.
If you already own or play The Devil Survives on DS, then Overclocking may not be the new version you expected. However, for those new to this title, prepare to be impressed. While the game doesn’t offer many improvements, it’s still a great, stylish RPG that cleverly blends strategy and turn-based combat. This is definitely one of the strongest 3DS games out there, with multiple endings and tons of content to explore.
From monster collecting and deadly combat to a sci-fi Antarctic setting, Strange Journey Redux is a hugely engaging adventure and a great reason to get lost in the 3DS again. As a remake of the DS classic, Redux adds enough new content to make replaying it worth your time, along with many welcome accessibility improvements to help newcomers access one of Shin Megami Tensei’s best-kept secrets. Many consider this game inferior to the original DS game, but we think Strange Journey – Redux or otherwise – is a can’t-miss ride for JRPG fans.
Tokyo Mirage #FE version about 85% Shin Megami Tenseiand 15% Emblem of firebut somehow it feels like something completely separate from both. It strikes a chord and boasts a dynamic and energetic combat system wrapped in a setting that takes J-Pop cheesiness to sublime heights. There’s a remarkably long and enjoyable experience here for anyone who hasn’t experienced stage fright because of its relatively narrow proposition. ‘Encore’ Switch Port makes it easy to keep up with today’s games, but like so many quirky (and brilliant!) games do, it was originally part of the wonderfully diverse and underrated library of Wii U.
