Gacha games get a lot of hate, and I mean… it’s not not deserved, seeing as how most of them see your wallet as their personal property. But I have to admit — they’re also so much fun. Unless RNGesus hates you like it hates me. Then it’s still fun, but also frustrating.
My relationship with gacha games dates all the way back to 2014 which means I have well over 10 years of experience. Trust me when I say this, I didn’t just play these games for a couple of hours so I can write this. I have invested well over 1000+ hours in each of these games, out of pure love and addiction for the genre.
And, because I don’t do things halfway, I spent a good portion of that time deep analyzing each game, the most efficient ways to farm, building teams for PVE and PVP, competing against top players (whales) as F2P, dealing with bad RNG, and so many other things that come with a territory.
I’ve seen and experienced everything that this genre has to offer. That’s why I can confidently recommend these games to you.
And if you’re too busy to read the whole article, here’s a list with one-sentence overviews of each game I recommend. In case any of them seem fun to you, just click on the link and it’ll skip you over to its section.
Quick Overview of The Best Gacha Games I Played
If you’re too busy to read the whole article, here’s a list with one-sentence overviews of each game I recommend. In case any of them seem fun to you, just click on the link and it’ll skip you over to its section.
- Wuthering Waves — A gorgeous open-world RPG with skill-based combat, generous rewards, and plenty of endgame challenges.
- Umamusume: Pretty Derby — A unique concept, but so much fun.
- Arknights — Gacha with tower defence, and a bit darker overall.
- Reverse 1999 — One of the best-looking games out there, heavy on the narrative.
- Zenless Zone Zero — Managing a VHS store + brawling with monsters? Yes please.
- Summoners War — Many fun collabs with popular media (Witcher, Demon Slayer, LoTR, Frieren, etc.), and plenty to summon.
- Epic Seven — A good-looking gacha with heavy PvP elements.
- Solo Leveling: Arise — If you love the anime, you’ll love this one.
- AFK Journey — Gacha and AFK/idle mechanics in one fun package
- Genshin Impact — Open world, clear pity mechanics, and overall beautiful game.
- Honkai: Star Rail – Turn-based combat done right with an incredible story and top-tier production values.
- Goddess of Victory: Nikke – A cover shooter that mixes fast-paced combat with a surprisingly emotional story.
- Azur Lane – A generous naval gacha with plenty of ship girls to collect and satisfying side-scrolling battles.
- BLEACH: Soul Resonance – The closest you’ll get to reliving the anime with flashy combat and faithful recreations of iconic battles.
- Blue Archive – A charming gacha with lovable characters, strategic combat, and one of the funniest stories in the genre.
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.
Note: I update this list periodically to add more games or remove some if they are no longer good or dead. All of the games on this list have been tested and played by me personally. Last updated on July 28, 2026 to improve UX, make it more useful to readers and add a few games. If you’d like a game played/tested/considered for this list, drop a comment below!
Wuthering Waves
| Developer | Kuro Games |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | Moderate |
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. It’s a bit more melancholy, a bit more fan-service-y, a bit more like a traditional RPG with gacha elements. Still, I enjoyed it a lot and it has a solid pity system. The only issue is the resource farming. Leveling up characters, weapons, and echoes (its unique equipment system) requires significant grind, which can get frustrating in the long haul.
Plus, it has great collab events! Cyberpunk: Edgerunners collaboration event was one the best collabs that I’ve witnessed not only when it comes to gacha games but all the games in general. Hopefully they decide to make a rerun for people who missed it. Also, it sorta raised a bar and set new standards. Now, if other gacha games want to stay relevant, they’ll have to invest more money into other stuff besides the “new weekly shiny pack”.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby
| Developer | Cygames |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2021 (JP), 2023 (Global) |
| F2P Viability | Medium-High |
Umamusume: Pretty Derby is probably one of the strangest gachas I’ve ever played. The concept is this: you’re collecting horse girls, training them and racing them competitively. But trust me on this one, this game grows on you.
From such a wild concept comes a pretty neat little game with beautiful visuals and quite a learning curve. You get to do training arcs (each of which feels like a mini-campaign). And the gacha component is basically rolling for new characters and support cards. I have a guide here if it’ll help you figure it out, but all in all, I highly recommend!
Arknights
| Developer | Hypergryph / Yostar |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC |
| Release | 2019 (China), 2020 (Global) |
| F2P Viability | High |
Arknights is more like a tactical tower defense and less like a JRPG, but it works. You’re leveling characters and deploying your operators across the maps, while also doing defense and resource management. It’s quite challenging, but it’s also fun. The setting is also really interesting and much darker and more mature than you normally get in gachas. You get a clear pity system too, so no worries about your lack of luck or your wallet.
Reverse 1999
| Developer | Bluepoch |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
Reverse: 1999 is one of the prettiest games I ever played. It has beautiful visuals, a great, jazzy vibe, and a fully voice-acted cast of characters. The battles are done via a card system, so it’s a bit slower in pace, and it’s more narrative in style. It’s a generous gacha as well. After 70 pulls with nothing, you get a 6 star, you get premium currency often and you don’t need to spend anything on it. The only thing I’d note is that you have to pay attention to the story itself, more so than in other games.
Zenless Zone Zero
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android, PS5 |
| Release | 2024 |
| F2P Viability | High |
Zenless Zone Zero is one of the games on this list I played the most. It lived on my phone for ages as my main daily game, and I loved it. You work in a VHS store (which is fun) and the aesthetics of it (city lights, neon, corporate intrigue), are a surprise. Combat is built on tight action mechanics, and feels like an arcade brawler at times. For the gacha part, you get banner rotations and clear pity systems. Honestly, you don’t need to spend a dime on ZZZ, it’s entirely F2P friendly.
Summoners War
| Developer | Com2uS |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2014 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
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. 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.
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 |
Epic Seven is pretty quick to pick up but hard to master. Characters have clearly defined roles, unique personalities, and the synergy between them determines whether you succeed in PvE dungeons, PvP arenas, or guild wars. 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 |
Solo Leveling: Arise had hype baked in from the start, adapting one of the most beloved webtoons and anime in recent memory will do that to you. 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.
As someone who owns Solo Leveling manhwa and watched the anime more times than I would love to admit, this was a surreal experience that I would recommend to anyone.
Mind the spoilers, though!
AFK Journey
| Developer | Hothead Games |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
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. 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.
Like most of these games, I’ve been playing it from day one and I followed its journey across many years. While AFK Journey is one of the newer gachas, the devs have been doing a great job with making their game better. They’ve even done a Frieren collab recently, I’m glad I was there for that. Hopefully we see even more collaborations in future.
Genshin Impact
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android, PS4/PS5 |
| Release | 2020 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
Genshin Impact is probably the most popular and widely-played gacha game, so I’m not discovering a new continent here, but it’s still worth mentioning in case you’ve heard of it, but haven’t played it yet.
Seriously, give it a go. It’s fun and you can summon a ton, but it’s not going to force you to forfeit your kidney to get a good mob. There are open-world mechanics, a pity system (guaranteed a 5-star character after 80 or 90 pulls without getting a 5 star), and it feels like a real adventure game instead of just a gacha.
My advice to newer players would be to stay clear from any “fast guides” that will tell you what to focus and what to ignore. Just play the game, explore freely and finish quests as they come.
Take it slow and enjoy the process because if you were to follow some random person’s ideal way of playing, you’re going to end up overwhelmed and you’ll burn yourself out. There’re so many characters, systems, domains, and a story that’s well over 100 hours. You want to take it slow and absorb all of the information at your own pace.
Honkai: Star Rail
| Developer | COGNOSPHERE PTE. LTD., miHoYo |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | 2023 |
| F2P Viability | High |
Honkai: Star Rail is considered to have one of the best turn-based combat systems in this genre. And it’s paired with a great story that only gets better as you progress. Also I have to give them props for high-quality cinematography.
As someone who’s played entirely as a free-to-play player, I’d say it’s even more generous than Genshin in several ways. That said, some endgame modes are clearly designed with well-built teams in mind, and reaching their full potential often means pulling a few limited characters. I also have a feeling they’re aware of it and they’ve been giving out more pulls each patch.
Of course if you’re more of a casual player who just wants to experience Honkai: Star Rail, you’ll find no issues and have a pleasant experience.
Goddess of Victory: Nikke
| Developer | SHIFT UP Corporation |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | 2022 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
Goddess of Victory: Nikke is a third-person cover shooter that surprisingly has an emotional and well-written story. Which I have to warn you about without spoiling but there were moments where I was “GOD DAMN, can’t believe that happened” and the few moments after “OH S###, it got worse”.
It doesn’t help that the game also features an excellent soundtrack that pairs well with everything. While as a F2P player you can hit level walls easily, the frequent collabs and generous rewards make things that much easier. Also if you’re not big on fan service, pick any other gacha.
Azur Lane
| Developer | Manjuu, Xiamen Yongshi Network Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2017 |
| F2P Viability | High |
Azur Lane is considered to be one of the most F2P-friendly gacha games available. The monetization is focused on skins and storage. It’s very beginner-friendly and you won’t have any problems jumping into the game and getting things done.
Same goes for mid-game, but once you reach the end game, you’ll have to put a little thought into strategizing but nothing majorly time consuming. I feel like Azur Lane is a good example on how gacha should conduct their business. And I would highly recommend it to someone who never played gacha games to try it. This is a perfect introductory game.
BLEACH: Soul Resonance
| Developer | Black Moon Studio |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Release | 2025 |
| F2P Viability | Medium |
Bleach: Soul Resonance is a perfect game if you’re a fan of Bleach anime. It faithfully recreates moments from the anime and you get to play with some of the most iconic characters from it.
It has fast-paced combat, beautiful anime-style visuals and most importantly you get to yell “Bankai” while using them in game. I’ve had an absolute blast playing it, so much that I’ve decided to re-watch the anime from the beginning.
On top of everything, the game is still relatively new in this space so you would get a chance to follow as its content improves and evolves. As for the gacha aspect, there’s a slight discrepancy when it comes to premium units but nothing that affects a major portion of the content. It’s mainly a PVP thing, like in every gacha, more characters you have more options to counter the enemy.
Blue Archive
| Developer | Nexon, NEXON Games |
| Platforms | Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows |
| Release | 2021 |
| F2P Viability | High |
Last but not least, Blue Archive. It’s one of those games that completely caught me off guard. I expected a fairly standard anime gacha, but what I got was a surprisingly charming experience with memorable characters, lighthearted humor, and a story that sometimes can be funny and other times very serious.
It’s easy to see why the game has built such a passionate community over the years. Blue Archive is F2P friendly gacha and known to be generous with free pulls and recruitment tickets. Also I would like to say that it’s a game that has no business having music this good. It’s a great game if you’re someone in dire need of some relaxation time.
Gacha Games Comparison
| Game | Pity System | Why Give it a Try? |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 (featured guaranteed within 180 if you lose the 50/50) | A polished turn-based RPG with an incredible story, memorable characters, and one of the best pity systems in the genre. |
| Goddess of Victory: Nikke | SSR guaranteed every 200 Mileage Tickets | A unique cover shooter with fast-paced combat, an emotional story, and some of the highest production values you’ll find in a gacha. |
| Azur Lane | No traditional pity, but UR banners guarantee a UR after 200 pulls | One of the most F2P-friendly gachas ever made, featuring generous summon rates, hundreds of collectible ship girls, and monetization focused mostly on cosmetics. |
| BLEACH: Soul Resonance | 5-star guaranteed every 80 pulls | A faithful adaptation of the anime with flashy action combat, iconic Bankai abilities, and plenty of fan-favorite characters to unlock. |
| Blue Archive | 3-star guaranteed every 200 Recruitment Points | A charming tactical RPG with lovable students, hilarious storytelling, generous rewards, and strategic team building that stays engaging well into the endgame. |
FAQs
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 Genshin Impact, 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.
Azure Lane is considered to be the most F2P friendly gacha game. Most of the characters can be obtained without spending money and the game mainly earns money through selling cosmetic skins and storage upgrades.
Absolutely worth it. Even years after launch, Genshin Impact continues to receive massive expansions, new characters, and story chapters. If you’re someone who enjoys open-world exploration, cool characters, and frequent updates, it’s still one of the best free gacha games available.
Several excellent gacha games focus entirely on PvE, including Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Blue Archive, and Reverse: 1999. These games are more focused on the story and endgame.
Not necessarily, as someone who has a ton of experience in gacha games, I strongly believe with enough dedication you can easily compete against some of the top spenders. It’s more of carefully using the free recources that you’ve been given by the game. Which I managed to prove on several occasions by reaching number one spot in couple gacha games.
