Bleach Games You Might Not Know Exist

April 16, 2024

As one of the “Big 3” shonen anime in the early 2000s, next to Naruto and One Piece, Bleach was rife with characters wielding massive swords and gaining wild power-ups. These would, of course, lend themselves nicely to some impressive video games, placing that power squarely in the player’s hands.

Bleach 3RD Phantom and Bleach Heat The Soul 6

Players will need to brush up on their Kido and Bankai techniques in order to make it through these challenging Bleach games in one piece.

However, even as one of the most popular anime of the time, it seems that some Bleach games managed to make it past many fans’ radars. Well, with the anime being in the middle of the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, now would be the perfect time for fans to catch up on the games they missed from this story that is nearly 2 decades old.

10 Bleach: Heat the Soul Series

Sales According to VGChartz: About 0.49M (Across 7 Games)

Platform(s): PlayStation Portable
Released: March 24, 2005-September 2, 2010
Developer: Eighting
Genre(s): Fighting

Yearly entries in the Heat the Soul series brought bleach games more in line with other shonen anime-based games of the time, adding to the story and roster as the anime progressed. In addition, being a traditional 3D fighter, meant it was specifically sharing DNA with classics like Tekken and Soul Calibur.

The first game in the series had a measly 6 playable characters, but that roster would balloon to a staggering 86 by the final installment. Other features that would eventually make their way to the series are tag team battles, as well as a 4-player mode.

9 Bleach: The 3rd Phantom

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.20M

Multiple Bleach characters on a isometric grid

Platform(s): Nintendo DS
Released: June 26, 2008
Developer: Treasure Co. Ltd
Genre(s): Tactical RPG

Another example of the diversity in Bleach games, The 3rd Phantom is a tactical RPG akin to the Fire Emblem series. Characters are moved about a grid until engaging in battle, at which time, the camera shifts to a 2D view to see who comes out on top.

The story is an original one involving a pair of time-displaced twins making their way in a Soul Society they know nothing about anymore. A twin is chosen by the player at the beginning of the game, which determines exactly how the events of the game unfold, as well as some fun extras throughout “Free Time” between missions.

8 Bleach: Blade Battlers (Series)

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.11M

Platform(s): PlayStation 2
Released: October 12, 2006-September 27, 2007
Developer: Racjen
Genre(s): Fighting

As far as fulfilling stories go, the Japan-exclusive Blade Battlers series has much to be desired, with each featuring a handful of silly, non-canonical stories for players to brawl their way through. However, they make up for it by letting fans embody their favorite characters from the show, with full reign to move about a stage in any direction during combat.

Throughout a fight, players build up meters that allow them to use large attacks or transformations. Of course, not every character has a Bankai form, like the stuffed animal Kon, so their specials have to get a little creative. Some tend to get a bit destructive, too, changing the look of the stage to reflect it.

7 Bleach GC: Tasogare ni Mamieru Shinigami

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.09M

Platform(s): Nintendo Gamecube
Released: December 8, 2005
Developer: Polygon Magic
Genre(s): Fighting

The way battle-anime present characters and their powers is often long and drawn out to allow each one to truly shine. But what if the drama was forgone so that skill with the blade trumped all else?

Guybrush in Tales of Monkey Island, Vergil and Dante in Devil May Cry 5, Sekiro in Sekiro Shadows Die Twice

The gaming industry is packed with excellent sword-fighting games. These 8 titles stand above the rest as the most iconic.

Tasogare ni Mamieru Shinigami is a weapon-based fighter in the same vein as games like Samurai Showdown. Here, matches are short and decisive, much like they would be in reality. Things could get hurried along even faster if someone manages to pull off one of a character’s special moves.

6 Bleach: Erabareshi Tamashii

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.08M

Platform(s): PlayStation 2
Released: August 4, 2005
Developer: SCEI
Genre(s): Adventure

Something that Bleach games can’t be criticized for is the amount of original stories that are incorporated into their games. Erabareshi Tamashii is a perfect example of this, taking place entirely in Ichigo’s hometown of Karakura, as a hollow invasion takes place.

Stages see players move from one enclosed arena to another, battling waves of those iconic white-masked monsters. Also featured are bouts with some familiar faces from the show, including the snakey Ichimaru Gin, as well as surprises like Izuru Kira.

5 Bleach: Hanatareshi Yabou

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.07M

Platform(s): PlayStation 2
Released: February 16, 2006
Developer: SCEI
Genre(s): Adventure

Bleach, and really shonen anime in general, are highly reliant on fast-paced action to keep their audiences’ attention. So, of course, the logical next move is to funnel that essence into a turn-based RPG, right?

The best PS2 RPGs on the market have proved themselves as timeless classics that are still worth picking up over 2 decades later.

Well, that’s exactly what Hanatareshi Yabou does while giving fans an original story, with some new characters, to sink their teeth into. Unfortunately, even with moderately varied hollow designs, there isn’t much going on to keep combat or exploration engaging.

4 Bleach: Versus Crusade

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.06M

Platform(s): Nintendo Wii
Released: December 18, 2008
Developer: Treasure Co. Ltd
Genre(s): Fighting

Teams of two face off against each other in this Japan exclusive for the Nintendo Wii. With 25 characters to choose from, the roster is a healthy one, especially considering it only takes place during the Arrancar arcs of the anime.

Fighting is unique in Versus Crusade as well, having the camera hanging out behind the player, tracking their movements closely. Locking on to an opponent is the most effective way to close the distance before handing them a rather cinematic beating.

3 Bleach DS 4th: Flame Bringer

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.03M

Platform(s): Nintendo DS
Released: August 6, 2009
Developer: Dimps
Genre(s): Beat-Em-Up

Bleach DS 4th: Flame Bringer provides 8 playable characters across an interesting original story about a masterless zanpakuto with a mind of its own. Players get to enjoy some solid side-scrolling action gameplay, with stages punctuated by boss battles against some of the series’ most notable foes.

Side-scrolling role-playing games have captivated gamers for decades, blending traditional RPGs’ immersive storytelling and character development with

Where some DS games of this kind fill the bottom DS screen with buttons to activate specials or use items, Flame Bringer utilized both for gameplay. Other times, like during boss battles, they might be taken up to show the true breadth of a bankai.

2 Bleach: Soul Carnival 2

Sales According to VGChartz: 0.03M

Platform(s): PlayStation Portable
Released: December 10, 2009
Developer: Racjin
Genre(s): ARPG

Soul Carnival 2 covers a bit more than its predecessor, with more stages and more characters to get through them with. It sees the story up until Ichigo’s final bout with Ulquiorra in Hueco Mundo.

That being said, it’s still the same chibi art style and basic beat-em-up combat against droves of hollows. Minor bits of each stage are destructible like the first game as well. However, even with its additions, the game is a bit rudimentary, even for a PSP game.

1 Bleach Advance: Kurenai ni Somaru Soul Society

Sales According to VGChartz: N/A

Platform(s): Gameboy Advance
Released: July 21, 2005
Developer: Alpha Unit
Genre(s): Action

Essentially a hectic game of rock, paper, and scissors, seeing this game to the end requires a deft hand and a lot of luck. What it doesn’t take, though, is a whole lot of time, as Kurenai ni Somaru Soul Society only covers the infiltration of Soul Society, stopping at Ichigo’s battle with Byakuya.

It’s definitely not hard to see why this title wasn’t localized for a western audience. While the highly “command-battle” action is certainly unique, it might be hard to grasp for many.