Magical Girl anime showsare a staple in the anime community. They are almost as old as the medium itself. For those that don’t know exactly what they are,Sailor Moonis a perfect example. That show, and others like it, tend to focus on young or teenage girls who can transform into magical forms. Imagine the genre likePower Rangers, but starring mostly female characters.
Most of these anime revolve around a monster of the week type of scenarios blended with slice-of-life comedy. That’s a generalization, but it gets the job done. Fans of this anime genre may have wanted to get into video games for some time now. There are thankfully plenty to recommend across a wide array of consoles and genres.
Updated July 18, 2025 by Ritwik Mitra:The allure of magical girls is both easy to see and hard to explain. Many fans loving the idea of pretty girls using their wealth of powers to change into totally different attire, becoming superheroines as they save the world from evil over and over again. These anime are fun to watch in their own right, with some magical girl shows being quite notable in their own right. Fans who love this genre will be more than pleased with the wealth of games that hit the same notes.
RELATED:Best RPG Games Based On Anime
13Hyperdimension Neptunia
Hyperdimension Neptuniais the first game in a series of magical girl JRPGs that are full to the brim with tight gameplay and boundless fanservice. This game is a joyride in every way, ensuring that players have as much fun as possible while leaning heavily into the magical girl genre. That being said, the games are far from progressive, and their depiction of women is questionable at best. This is evident in how dubious some of the outfits, are given the age of the women who wear them.
However, players willing to look past this dated depiction of women will find themselves immersed in a fun JRPG with a great gameplay loop. It may not be the most revolutionary title in the genre, butHyperdimension Neptuniaexecutes its concepts well and is a fun title to check out for fans of the magical girl genre.
12Blue Reflection
Players wholove thePersonaserieswill enjoy whatBlue Reflectionbrings to the table. The game focuses on the story of Hinako Shirai, a schoolgirl who stopped being a ballet dancer after a foot injury, only to get the powers of a Reflector and be able to move around freely once again.
However, this power comes with its own set of responsibilities. Hinako must juggle a double life as a normal high school student who forms valuable relationships in the real world, while entering an alternate world to fight monsters as a magical girl with her friends. This is where thePersonacomparisons come to light. Players must foster relationships that allow them to access passive skills that can be used in the fight of the Reflectors against these monsters.
11This Way Madness Lies
The combination ofShakespeare and the magical girl genresounds like an odd yet interesting combination. Many people will be amazed by the deft manner in whichThis Way Madness Liesexecutes this combination. Titles like these are a great example of why the indie gaming scene is so creative and astounding, developing experiences that most people didn’t think to be possible.
RELATED:The Best Modern-Day JRPGs (According To Metacritic)
The game has little to no filler, funneling players through multiple set pieces with great comedic writing that makes the experience stand out even more. This short and sweet experience is a must-play for fans of unique JRPGs who want to check out a different and more jovial setting in this genre.
10Bayonetta
The best way to experience bothBayonettagames is onSwitch. That’s because the Nintendo versions include costumes fromiconic Nintendo franchisessuch asThe Legend of Zelda. These games already have Magical Girl energy to them with the titular star kicking a lot of angel butt.
Adding in the ability to dress up as Link, for example, takes things to a new level. Hopefully, fans can also one day playBayonetta 3which was teased oh so long ago.
9Castlevania: Order Of Ecclesia
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesiais one of the very few games in this series that starred a female protagonist. Shanoa is just as powerful as any of herCastlevaniacounterparts such as Trevor Belmont and Alucard.
She has the unique trait of absorbing monster abilities through a magical back rune that is pretty much a tattoo. She may not transform into a Magical Girl but this girl has plenty of power to keep evil at bay. It is the lastfull 2D Metroidvaniain the series.
8Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 10-2is the ultimate Magical Girl example. It was unique at the time because it was the first game in the series to be a numbered sequel. Most other games are standalone adventures featuring new worlds and characters.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 10: The Strongest Non-Playable Characters
Yuna, Rikku, and Paine have plenty of girl-powered adventures with an addicting Job system that has the trio dressing up into plenty of wild costumes. It was quite an unexpected surprise given what the original game was about. The only downside was thatblitzball was different.
7Genshin Impact
Genshin Impactdoes have male characters, but it equally has a lot of female heroes as well. When this was first shown off, no one could have or expected this anime-inspired clone ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildto be any good.
It was a free-to-play game that carried a lot of stigma with it. Needless to say, the reactions post-launch have been incredible as well as the developer support for it. This is without a doubt the most anime-heavy game on the list and Magical Girl fans will love it.
6Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight
Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlightis a 2D Metroidvania game. It flew a little under the radar when it came out even though reviews for it were good. It features a female cast of villains with the hero looking like a little red riding hood equivalent in character design and in her weapon choices. It was a hard game to master but patches and other versions of it have added in easier modes to help cater to more casual players.
5Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is an HD remaster of thePS2exclusive original. It follows multiple characters in a beautifully designed2D action RPG. Each character’s campaign ties into the others all while being their own adventures.
RELATED:Top Hack and Slash Games of this Generation, According to Metacritic
There are male heroes, but the female heroes outnumber them. What’s great, besides the separate campaigns are that they all play differently too. Gwendolyn is a Valkyrie who wields a spear, Mercedes is a flying fairy with a crossbow, and Velvet is a witch with a chain whip.
4Sakuna: Of Rice And Ruin
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruinflew a little under the radar in 2020 because it had the unfortunate release date around the new console launches. It’s a2D action RPGstarring the goddess, Sakuna, who gets stripped of her godly powers and must do good deeds for mortals in order to ascend back into her rightful place. It’s mostly an action game, but there are simulation parts to it as involving as gardening. It’s a great blend of genres with a fun female lead.
