12 Best Anime Dating Sims That You Should Know Update 04/2024

Best Anime Dating Sims

There are several anime adaptations that could benefit from playing dating sim games. The fact that you can watch anime from these titles right now should come as no surprise to anyone.

There have been several offshoots from one medium to the next. Video games based on popular anime, such as Dragon Ball Z and Castlevania, have been released. Anime adaptations can be found in the specialized gaming market of dating sims.

There have been dating sim video games since the 1990s. In order to qualify as a dating sim, a game’s main objective must be to have the player fall in love with one of the other characters in the cast. The most popular RPGs nowadays combine aspects of a dating sim with an action-adventure game.

However, when it comes to pure dating sim games, they tend to be more popular in Japan and are regarded niche to worldwide audiences. Anime may be well-known in the West, but the dating sim games that sparked it are mostly unknown outside of Japan.

Allison Stalberg updated the article on August 19th, 2021: There has been a slight increase in the popularity of dating simulations. This could be a result of a rise in human isolation, or it could just be a result of increasing word-of-mouth on the internet. Dating sims may be considered a guilty pleasure by some, but the stigma has faded as dating sim games have become more widely accepted around the world. Choosing a partner from among a cast of characters is a common feature in many popular video games (like Mass Effect or Fire Emblem).

As a result of the anime adaptations of these games, they became more widely known and less obscure around the world.

1. Hakuoki

Hakuoki

Hakuoki is technically an otome game. Otome is a subgenre of dating sim games in which the female protagonist picks a male counterpart with whom she develops a close relationship (and the bond is not always necessarily romantic). This game is both an otome and a historical fantasy at the same time. A three-season anime series was adapted from the game. Not only that, but it was the subject of not one but two feature films.

During the Bakumatsu period in Japan, a young girl is sent to the Shinsengumi, a special police squad. There is a love meter for each character, and how the game finishes relies on the meter’s position.

2. Sakura Wars

Sega owns the steampunk dating game Sakura Wars. In the ’90s, its first game was released; the most recent one was released in the year 2019. Steam-powered mechs are used by female characters in anime and video games to battle supernatural foes. There are five core series games, as well as a slew of spin-offs.

The plot of the anime, which consists of 25 episodes, differs significantly from that of the games.

3. Prince Of Stride

Prince Of Stride

Sports and romance are intertwined in this dating sim. It’s called “Stride,” and it’s quite similar to parkour. Teams of six participants sprint across town as part of the sport. Nana Sakurai, the game’s protagonist (though players can change her name), takes on the role of team captain and is tasked with preparing her team for the competition.

4. Amnesia

The PS Vita version of this trilogy was released between 2011 and 2013. Another otome game, it has five separate tales and a variety of characters. Each of the four suit symbols (Heart, Spade, Clover, Diamond, and Joker) represents a different plot path involving a different male character. Each path takes you to a different universe. There is an implied theme of forgetfulness in the game’s title, which is appropriate given the protagonist’s condition. The protagonist’s amnesia is also affected by the path they take.

5. La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia

La Storia Della Arcana Famiglia

“The Story of the Arcane Family” is the Italian translation of the game’s name. As a PSP game from 2011 with roots in reverse harem as well as adventure and romance, it’s a multi-faceted experience. The plot revolves around a powerful organization that enters into contracts with Arcana cards that grant them special abilities. Contests for the new boss are held after the organization’s head decides to step down. When a new boss takes over, he or she will also win the hand of his daughter-in-law.

Related: The Funniest Steam Dating Sims You’ve Never Heard Of (& Those That Are Just Weird)

Felicità, the leader’s daughter, is enraged and decides to take part in the competition to find out which of the participants she really loves.

6. Photo Kano

Kazuya Maeda, a second-year high school student, is the protagonist of this PSP game, which was released in 2012. As a result of his interest in photography, he’s been introduced to several attractive girls at school. In 2013, a 13-episode anime series based on Photo Kano was released. As a result of its popularity, the PS Vita version of the game was released at the same time as the anime in 2013.

Even though players can choose from a variety of women to date, the most well-known of these is Haruka Niimi, who graces the game’s cover art. As a child, Kazuya was best friends with her.

7. Galaxy Angel

Galaxy Angel

The PS2, Xbox One, and PC versions of this sci-fi tactical dating sim include many games. The original trilogy and the sequel trilogy are both available. People who watch anime and those who play games may have different impressions of the characters, because their personalities change based on the media they are exposed to. The plot is also somewhat different.

Commander Takuto Meyers is the protagonist, and he has the option of dating one of the Galaxy Angels.

8. Doki Doki Literature Club

Doki Doki Literature Club is known for being a psychological horror thriller disguised as a dating sim. With its startling plot turns, it deconstructs the genre in an interesting way. It’s received prizes, which is unusual for dating sims, and it explores topics like despair and sorrow in great depth. It’s not a title for the lighthearted.

In comparison, the anime version is a lot less well-known. Space Pirate Mito, Boogiepop Phantom, Slayers, and Demon King Daimao are among the other films directed by Takashi Watanabe.

9. Girl Friend Beta

Girl Friend Beta

The first Girl Friend Beta game was released for iOS and Android in 2012, but only in Japan. Later that year, the PS Vita received its own console version of the game. The first season of this 12-episode series aired in Japan in 2014.

For the most part, the games are about engaging with virtual female characters and increasing their closeness meter. With over 100 female characters, players have a wide range of options to choose from.

10. Comic Party

This dating sim, whose name is sometimes shortened to “Comipa,” was inspired by a real-life convention called “Comiket,” which takes place twice a year in Tokyo. Dreamcast and PlayStation 2 versions of Comic Party were also released in 1999. In 2001, the game’s manga and anime adaptations were released at the same time. Anime Party Revolution, the follow-up to the original, was released.

Kazuki Sendo, the story’s protagonist, is in attendance at the Comic Party convention, which takes place once a month. Both the number of copies the player can sell and the type of lady he can date during the convention are affected by the decisions he makes.

11. Angelique

There are numerous Angelique games, spin-offs, and film adaptations, which were only released in Japan at the time. Fans of the series from outside of Japan have shown considerable interest in seeing the series made available for non-Japanese gamers. An Angelique game was released in 1994, with the most recent being in 2021.

A 13-episode anime and a follow-up were released in 2006 and 2007 as a result of the games. The fantasy components of the series story make it more difficult to follow. Essentially, the new Queen of the Cosmos is being selected. Angelique, a potential successor to Queen Elizabeth II, is the protagonist of the game. When she’s finished, she’ll be able to choose from nine potential suitors.

12. Amagami

Angelique

In 2009, a PlayStation 2 version of this dating game was only available in Japan. The manga for it was also released at the same time. Anime Amagami SS, which had 26 episodes when it was released a year later, followed one year after that. After two years, the anime had a sequel.

The plot is quite straightforward. Christmas Eve, a male character had his heart broken by a woman. After meeting six females in his second year of high school, he decides to give love another go.