Gacha games get a lot of flak, and I’ve got a bit of a love-hate thing going on with them (probably the same as most of you). Sure, they’re glorified slot machines built to drain your wallet, but… they’re also ridiculously fun. Unless, of course, RNGesus decides to smite you. Which, in my case, is pretty much always.
That said, not all gacha games are created equal. Some are flat-out awful, but a few really stand out.
And because I can’t resist (whether that makes me a true fan or just a glutton for punishment is still up for debate), I dove into a bunch of them to put together this list of the best gacha games in 2025. My luck was terrible across the board, but these games still managed to keep me hooked. And while “respecting your time and money” might be a stretch, at least they make sure your effort pays off. Thank the pity system for that one.
So, if you’re chasing that next dopamine hit, these are worth a spin.
What are Gacha games? Gacha games are a genre of video games, primarily on mobile platforms, that use a randomized reward system similar to capsule-toy vending machines (known as “gachapon” in Japan). You spend in-game currency (which you either earn or buy) to get random characters, items, or equipment. It’s a bit like gambling, with the goal to get the rarest or the most powerful item. But that aside, they often have elements like strategy, turn-based fighting, and more.
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Genshin Impact
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android, PS4/PS5 |
| Release | 2020 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 5/5 |
Genshin Impact is probably the most popular and widely-played gacha game, and for a good reason — it mixed gacha mechanics with an open-world RPG, and got something truly incredible. Even years after launch, it’s still expanding with new regions, major story chapters, and character banners that dominate social media whenever they drop.
The gacha side of Genshin is fairly forgiving thanks to a pity system which might be too complex for me to explain here, but you can find more details here. In the meantime, all you need to know is that you’re guaranteed a 5-star character after 80 or 90 pulls without getting a 5 star. But Genshin is such a huge game, there’s so much to do that sometimes you can forget about the summoning part entirely.
The world is stunning, traversal is fun on its own, and the elemental combat system offers layers of synergy that keep battles fresh. That said, the daily grind like the commissions, resin farming, and artifact rerolls can wear thin over time, especially if you’re pushing hard for optimal setups.
But at the end of the day, if you want a gacha that feels like a “real” adventure game as much as a character collector, this is the one to start with.
Honkai: Star Rail
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android, PS5 |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
| Replayability | 5/5 |
This one is more like the classic JRPGs. Instead of the free-form open world of Genshin, you get a more structured journey aboard the Astral Express and a turn-based combat system.The pacing is gentler, with a clear narrative spine that makes it easier to follow than many gacha titles.
Turn-based fights feel strategic and satisfying, with elemental weaknesses, ultimate abilities, and team synergies you can actually sink your teeth into. Auto-battle options also make grinding less of a headache, especially if you want something to play while you work or do chores. Plus it has gorgeous animations, voice acting, and a great soundtrack.
When it comes to gacha systems, Star Rail is one of the more generous titles in the genre. Every 10 pulls, you’re guaranteed a 4 star, and every 90 pulls a 5 star, so it’s a pretty simple system. Events regularly hand out premium currency so if you’re F2P, you can build solid teams without feeling completely walled off from new characters.
If Genshin is the game for explorers, Honkai: Star Rail is the pick for players who love JRPG pacing: structured storytelling, tactical battles, and a steady drip of new content that respects your time.
Wuthering Waves
| Developer | Kuro Games |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | Moderate |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Wuthering Waves, at a first glance, seems a lot like Genshin Impact, but once you actually start playing, you realize it’s not all that similar. There’s fluid combat, stylish traversal, and an atmosphere that leans more somber and melancholic.
Fighting in Wuthering Waves feels more precise and weighty, and the transitions between all of the skills are smooth. It’s more like an action game than a traditional RPG in that sense.
On the gacha side, it follows the familiar banner and pity system formula, but the real bottleneck comes from resource farming. Leveling up characters, weapons, and echoes (its unique equipment system) requires significant grind, which can get frustrating in the long haul.
That said, Kuro Games has already shown willingness to tweak drop rates and improve rewards based on feedback, which suggests they’re committed to making it sustainable.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
| Developer | Cygames |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2021 (JP), 2023 (Global) |
| F2P Viability | Medium-High |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
On paper, Umamusume: Pretty Derby sounds like one of the strangest gachas ever made: you’re collecting horse girls, training them, and racing them competitively. In practice, it’s one of the most polished and addictive “raising sims” in the genre. You get gacha collection with stat training, roguelite progression, and surprisingly emotional storytelling.
Instead of focusing purely on combat, the game revolves around raising your chosen horse girl through training arcs, improving their stats, and preparing them for races. Each training cycle plays out almost like a mini-campaign, where your decisions — what events to prioritize, how to balance fatigue, what skills to pick — shape how your character develops. Once a cycle ends, you take your trained racer into competitive modes, where they perform alongside and against other players’ units.
The gacha itself is split between recruiting new characters and rolling for support cards, which are crucial to building strong training runs. That can be intimidating at first, since you’re managing two resource pools. Still, Umamusume is more generous than most gachas, with frequent events and a steady flow of free pulls so you can still stay competitive, even on F2P.
Arknights
| Developer | Hypergryph / Yostar |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2019 (China), 2020 (Global) |
| F2P Viability | High |
| Replayability | 5/5 |
Arknights carved out its own niche in the gacha world by ditching the usual JRPG combat for something closer to tactical tower defense. Instead of simply leveling up characters and throwing them into turn-based battles, you’re strategically deploying operators on maps, balancing offense, defense, and resource management against increasingly complex enemy waves. The result is one of the smartest and most challenging gachas available.
Every operator you collect has a defined role in battle — vanguards to generate cost, guards and snipers for offense, defenders and medics to keep your lines stable — and mastering these roles is key to success. At the same time, the game’s dystopian sci-fi setting is unusually dark and mature for the genre.
From a gacha perspective, Arknights is one of the friendlier titles out there. Pity systems are clear, resources flow steadily, and many lower-rarity units remain viable well into the endgame.
Limbus Company
| Developer | ProjectMoon |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | Moderate |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Limbus Company is one of the more unusual gacha games out there — it’s darker, more narrative-driven, and more eccentric than most of its competitors, and that’s why it has such a dedicated following.
The gacha mechanics themselves are fairly standard, with banner rotations and multiple rarities, but the real draw is how team synergies and story beats interlock. Progression can feel opaque at first, and newcomers might bounce off the heavy lore or unusual mechanics. But if you stick with it, though, that depth pays off in spades, as you uncover layers of weirdness and gameplay systems that aren’t afraid to be different.
From a free-to-play perspective, it’s serviceable: you can experience the story without paying, but the meta side is tilted toward whales a bit (as they usually are) but still, it’s not a game designed to compete on power scaling so much as on style and atmosphere.
Reverse 1999
| Developer | Bluepoch |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Reverse: 1999 is set in a surreal alternate version of the 20th century, which is pretty unique in the gacha game world. It blends turn-based combat with a dense, voice-acted narrative that’s unusually front-and-center. Instead of leaning on flashy action, it pulls you in with atmosphere: jazzy soundtracks, retro visuals, and a mysterious plot about navigating time anomalies.
The combat revolves around a unique card-based system. Each character’s skills are represented as cards, and combining them in different ways allows for stronger effects or tactical flexibility. The pace is slower, but it pairs perfectly with the heavy narrative style.
From a free-to-play perspective, Reverse: 1999 is surprisingly generous. Its pity system is straightforward (every 70 pulls, you’re guaranteed a 6-star), premium currency is handed out regularly through events, and the game doesn’t demand constant spending to keep up. The biggest thing to get used to is actually the time commitment: the story asks you to pay attention, and progression can feel slow if you’re used to faster, grind-heavy gachas.
Zenless Zone Zero
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android, PS5 |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Zenless Zone Zero is HoYoverse’s freshest take on the gacha formula, and it’s immediately striking thanks to its modern, urban setting. Instead of sweeping fantasy landscapes or spacefaring JRPG tropes, ZZZ drops you into New Eridu — a city brimming with neon lights, corporate intrigue, and stylish characters who wouldn’t look out of place in an anime-inspired Netflix series.
Combat is fast-paced and looks great. It’s built around tight action mechanics rather than slow tactical systems. It’s more about reflexes than stats, in a way. If Genshin Impact is about exploration and Honkai: Star Rail is about strategy, Zenless Zone Zero is about action — a gacha that plays like an arcade brawler at its best.
The gacha itself is what you’d expect from HoYoverse: banner rotations with clear pity rules and regular event giveaways. All of the progress is about missions in New Eridu and repeated combat runs in procedurally generated “Hollows”, so even if you’re F2P, you can comfortably enjoy the core game.
Summoners War
| Developer | Com2uS |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2014 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 5/5 |
If there’s a “classic” in the gacha space, it’s Summoners War, at least for me. I played it with my wife when we just started dating and now we have 3 kids and we still play it at times, so you can see why. It predates most of today’s heavy-hitters and has managed to stay relevant for over a decade (which I kind of didn’t expect). This is no small feat in a genre where games often burn out within a few years.
At its core, Summoners War is about building and optimizing teams from a massive roster of monsters, each with their own skills and evolutions. Combat is turn-based, but the real depth comes from rune customization, synergy across monster families, and the sheer amount of stuff you can do. Dungeons, raids, PvP arenas, guild wars, and live events all contribute to an endgame that can keep you busy indefinitely.
The gacha system is more old-school than modern titles like Honkai or Wuthering Waves. Pull rates can feel harsher than in most games, and progressing without spending takes patience. Still, the game has matured to the point where generous events, collaborations, and long-term resource systems make free-to-play progress achievable — especially if you’re willing to grind. It’s not the most newcomer-friendly gacha, but if you love depth and routine, it’ll fit like a glove.
Epic Seven
| Developer | Super Creative / Smilegate |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2018 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Epic Seven is pretty quick to pick up but hard to master. At the heart of it is the team composition. Characters have clearly defined roles, unique personalities, and the synergy between them determines whether you succeed in PvE dungeons, PvP arenas, or guild wars. The game offers a steady drip of new heroes and gear, but even older units remain relevant with the right builds, which keeps it balanced.
On the gacha side, Epic Seven sits somewhere in the middle of the pack. Pity mechanics exist, but rates can still be tough if you’re unlucky. If you’re free-to-play, you can progress through the story and farm gear at a steady pace, but if you’re aiming to keep up in PvP, the grind is significant. That said, there are regular events and collaborations (including anime crossovers) which help make it easier.
Solo Leveling: Arise
| Developer | Netmarble |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Solo Leveling: Arise had hype baked in from the start — adapting one of the most beloved webtoons and anime in recent memory into a flashy, action-heavy gacha. Where many gachas lean on turn-based systems, Arise has fast-paced, real-time combat that puts you directly in control of Sung Jinwoo and other hunters (what are their names exactly?).
The game follows the story beats you already know — Jinwoo’s rise from the weakest hunter to the most powerful — but layers in a gacha system where you summon and build other hunters to join your team. It’s a chance to step right into the fantasy, especially while you have to wait for the new season to drop.
On the gacha side, Arise isn’t the most punishing, but it’s also not the most generous. Pull rates can sting, and premium hunters are often a big power spike. Still, Netmarble has built in a steady flow of events and story rewards.
Mind the spoilers, though!
Persona 5: The Phantom X
| Developer | Nexon / P-Studio |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Persona 5: The Phantom X brings one of the most iconic JRPG franchises into the mobile gacha space. Combat is turn-based, with players managing a team of Persona users to exploit weaknesses and build combos. The gacha comes into play through recruiting new Phantom members and acquiring Personas with unique skills and affinities.
While free-to-play progression is possible, the meta favors consistent pulls to strengthen teams for higher-tier dungeons and PvP modes. This makes it a little grind-heavy, but for if you’re invested in the story or characters, it’s part of the long-term appeal.
The narrative is a major draw. Phantom X maintains the series’ focus on high school life, moral choices, and storytelling, giving the game more personality than many standard mobile RPGs.
AFK Journey
| Developer | Hothead Games |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
| Replayability | 3/5 |
AFK Journey is an idle gacha, so it’s very approachable. Instead of demanding hours of your time, it lets you progress automatically while you’re away. This makes it perfect if you want the thrill of character collection and progression without committing to long daily sessions or complicated mechanics.
Combat and progression are largely automated. You create the team and do hero upgrades, and equipment optimization, while the game runs battles in the background. There are occasional tactical choices — like which heroes to invest in or which stages to push — but the primary gameplay loop is easy-going and forgiving.
The gacha system is light and generous. You can accumulate currency through daily missions, events, and passive gameplay, so you can still summon strong characters without spending. While high-tier meta heroes exist, they’re less crucial for enjoying the story or general progression.
Another Eden
| Developer | Wright Flyer Studios / GREE |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2017 |
| F2P Viability | High |
| Replayability | 4/5 |
Another Eden stands out because it’s very F2P-friendly. It’s designed around a long, engaging narrative that spans time travel and multiple eras.
Combat is turn-based but strategic, with a focus on party synergy and elemental affinities. But unlike other gachas that lean heavily on PvP or limited events, Another Eden encourages exploration of dungeons, story chapters, and side content. So you can pretty much do everything free-to-play (and easily) and the gacha pulls make it all just a bit easier.
Gacha Games Comparison
| Game | Pity System | Why Give it a Try? |
|---|---|---|
| Genshin Impact | 5-star guaranteed every 90 pulls (with a 50/50 chance for the featured character) | Expansive open world, deep exploration, elemental combat, and constant content updates make it a must-play for RPG fans. |
| Honkai: Star Rail | 5-star guaranteed every 90 pulls; 4-star guaranteed every 10 pulls | Strategic turn-based combat with a strong story-driven experience; perfect for players who enjoy JRPGs. |
| Wuthering Waves | 5-star guaranteed every 80 pulls | Stylish, precise combat combined with exploration; great for those who like action-oriented gameplay. |
| Reverse: 1999 | 6-star guaranteed every 70 pulls; 50% chance for the rate-up character | Unique card-based combat with a surreal, narrative-driven world; ideal for story-focused players. |
| Zenless Zone Zero | 5-star guaranteed every 90 pulls; 50% chance for the rate-up character | High-energy urban action RPG with snappy combat; appealing to players who love fast, arcade-style battles. |
| Summoners War | No pity system | Deep monster collection, long-term progression, and competitive PvP; classic gacha longevity. |
| Epic Seven | 5-star guaranteed every 120 pulls | Gorgeous 2D visuals and fast-paced turn-based combat; perfect for players who enjoy stylish battles and team synergy. |
| Solo Leveling: Arise | 5-star guaranteed every 90 pulls; 50% chance for the rate-up SSR | Cinematic, action-packed gameplay tied to a beloved IP; great for fans of high-octane combat. |
| Persona 5: The Phantom X | 5-star guaranteed every 50 pulls; 50% chance for the rate-up character | Iconic franchise with stylish turn-based combat and Persona fusion; ideal for JRPG enthusiasts. |
| Umamusume: Pretty Derby | 5-star guaranteed every 200 pulls | Unique raising sim and racing mechanics; perfect for players who enjoy management + collection games. |
| Arknights | 6-star guaranteed every 60 pulls; 5-star guaranteed every 10 pulls | Strategic tower defense with a mature dystopian story; rewarding for players who love tactical challenges. |
| AFK Journey | 5-star guaranteed every 40 pulls | Casual, idle-friendly gacha; perfect for newcomers or players with limited time. |
| Another Eden | 5-star guaranteed every 50 pulls | Narrative-driven JRPG with a console-quality story; ideal for players who prioritize plot and exploration. |
| Limbus Company | 5-star guaranteed every 50 pulls | Dark, narrative-driven RPG with strategy elements; great for players who want something unique and atmospheric. |
How We Picked These Games
When choosing the gacha games featured here, we looked at a few key factors to make sure they’re worth your time and possibly your in-game currency:
- Content Depth & Longevity – We considered whether the game has a lot of story, events, and ongoing content to keep you engaged over weeks or months.
- Gacha System Balance – We looked at how fair and rewarding the gacha pulls are, including availability of featured characters and ease of progressing without paying.
- Platform Accessibility – Games that can be played across mobile and PC, or offer cross-save functionality.
- Event Frequency & Rewards – Regular events that offer free or exclusive rewards make a gacha game much more fun, so we weighed that heavily.
- Community & Support – Active communities, frequent updates, and responsive developers indicate a healthier game ecosystem.
- Ease of Progression for Free-to-Play Players – Even if the gacha system encourages spending, we considered whether free-to-play players can still enjoy the game and make meaningful progress.
What Makes a Great Gacha Game?
A great gacha game needs to create a world that keeps players coming back for both the thrill of collection and the joy of gameplay. There needs to be character variety, good F2P progression, and just enough strategy for theorycrafting. You should feel rewarded when you summon a new hero or unit, but the game should also offer meaningful ways to use those characters in combat, exploration, or events.
Another important thing is content longevity. Frequent events, limited-time characters, and ongoing story expansions give you reasons to return daily, while challenging quests or competitive modes provide goals beyond simply collecting units.
And most importantly, there should be a healthy balance for free-to-play and paying players that ensures that the game feels fair: while spending can accelerate progression, free players should still be able to enjoy the story, collect characters, and participate in events without hitting constant roadblocks.
FAQs
The “best” gacha game depends on what you enjoy. Some players prioritize story-driven RPGs like Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves, while others prefer strategic collection games like Summoners War or Arknights.
Yes! All the games in our list are free-to-play. While in-app purchases can speed up progression or unlock exclusive characters, you can enjoy the core gameplay, story, and events without spending a dime. Some even provide generous free currency and regular login rewards for long-term players.
Many gacha games are optimized for a wide range of devices, but performance can vary. Games like Epic Seven and AFK Journey run smoothly on older phones, while more graphically intense titles like Genshin Impact may struggle on low-end hardware. Always check the official system requirements for your device.
Not necessarily. While spending can give faster access to rare characters, most gacha games provide ways for free-to-play players to gradually build strong teams through events, missions, and free summons. Patience and strategic play often go a long way.
Many popular gacha games now offer cross-platform play or official PC clients. Titles like Solo Leveling: Arise, Reverse: 1999, and Wuthering Waves let you play seamlessly on both PC and mobile, making it easier to switch between devices without losing progress.
Pavle is the founder of PlayForge and its lead writer and reviewer, covering PC, PS5, and mobile games, a with a focus on RPGs, MMOs, FPS games, and more. He’s been gaming since the PS2 days and now writes in-depth reviews and guides to help players find their next obsession and get gaming insights from real players, not just critics. His reviews are honest and transparent, but he always tries to stay positive, because in his opinion, almost any game can be fun if you look at it the right way.
In his free time, he likes to (obviously) play more games, spend time with his family, theorycraft about various media with his wife, and watch anime. So yes, he’s a complete nerd, even if he’ll never admit it.
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