There are tons of video game companies that have been around for ages, and one of the first to make a name for itself is Namco. The Japanese company was founded in 1955, three years before the first video game was released. Initially, Namco produced entertainment products, but in 1978, it developed its first video game, Gee Bee, a block-breaker similar to Breakout. From there, the company went on to develop some of the most successful video games of all time. We reviewed the company’s history and identified the best Namco games for each console generation. The winners were determined based on contemporary critics’ reviews upon release, the game’s influence on the industry, and how much fun they were to play.
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1st) Galaxian
1st Gen: Atari Pong | Coleco Telstar | Magnavox Odyssey
Namco didn’t get in on the first console generation, but the company did score an early arcade hit with Galaxian in 1979, which would prove highly influential in the following decade, on and off consoles. Galaxian is a fixed shooter about shooting invading aliens from a ship protecting Earth, making Galaxian Namco’s gaming answer to Taito’s Space Invaders, which was released the year prior. Galaxian would be ported to various consoles over the years, and it was one of the most influential games Namco developed in the 1970s, but its next big hit would actually become the best-selling game of all time.
2nd) Pac-Man
2nd Gen: Atari 2600 | Channel F | ColecoVision | Intellivision | Magnavox Odyssey 2
Namco released Pac-Man in arcades in 1980, and it quickly became the world’s most popular game. It didn’t take long for the game to find its way onto home video game consoles, giving Namco its first foray into the market’s 2nd generation. While I personally despised the Pac-Man port on the Atari 2600, it’s actually the system’s best-selling game with over 8 million units sold. On top of that, in arcades, Pac-Man scored so many quarters that it became the best-selling arcade game of all time, and that record has yet to be broken. Adjusted for inflation, Pac-Man has earned more than $10.5 billion, which is a lot of quarters.
3rd) R.B.I. Baseball
3rd Gen: Atari 7800 | Nintendo Entertainment System | Sega Master System
Into the third console generation, most of Namco’s games were ports of its popular arcade titles, and the company would continue this trend throughout much of its history. There were dozens of great games released on the three dominant systems of the generation, and the best was Pro Baseball: Family Stadium, known as R.B.I. Baseball in North America. The game was a huge hit in Japan before making its way across the Pacific to the States, where players embraced it immediately. There were plenty of sports games released on the NES, but R.B.I. Baseball is often cited as one of the best baseball games on the system.
4th) Galaga ‘88
4th Gen: TurboGrafx-16 | Genesis | Neo Geo | Super Nintendo Entertainment System
In 1987, Namco released a remake of one of its best-selling shooters, Galaga, calling it Galaga ‘88. The game was released in arcades and on the TurboGrafx-16, which is where I played it until my thumbs bled, as it was a great update to an already excellent game. During the 4th generation, Namco’s titles included numerous remakes, such as Galaga ‘88, alongside some new titles for the TG16 and a dozen for the Sega Genesis, but the best was Galaga ‘88. It enhanced gameplay with updated graphics, new mechanics, and better music, making for a more engrossing experience.
5th) Soul Edge
5th Gen: 3DO | Jaguar | PlayStation | Nintendo 64
Namco’s games in the 5th generation included plenty of re-releases of arcade hits, but the company also launched a fantastic new fighting franchise with Soul Edge on the PlayStation. Soul Edge is the first title in the Soulcalibur franchise, and it’s one of the first fighting games to utilize weapons as a primary mechanic. The game is based around its titular sword, which offers unlimited power to whoever wields it, and Soul Edge was a huge hit. It spawned a massive franchise that continues today, and is an easy winner for the 5th console generation.
6th) Tekken 5
6th Gen: GameCube | Dreamcast | PlayStation 2 | Xbox
Namco didn’t sit idly by with only one successful fighting franchise, as it also developed the Tekken series alongside Soulcalibur. The 5th console generation saw further development of the latter, but the 5th title in the former is one of the greatest fighting games of the 2000s. Tekken 5 was released in 2004 for the PlayStation 2 and was a massive success, featuring an extensive roster of 32 fighters and numerous upgrades. Namco updated the game multiple times following its release, with Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection being the final expansion. Tekken 5 came in 6th in our ranking of the 10 best fighting games of the 2000s, and it’s easily Namco’s best game from the 6th console generation.
7th) Soulcalibur IV
7th Gen: PlayStation 3 | Wii | Xbox 360
In the 7th generation, Bandai acquired Namco, and the company became Bandai Namco Games, but for this list, we’re sticking with Namco for brevity. The company’s best game of this generation was tough to nail down, given the sheer number of excellent options. After combing through the lot, there was no denying that Soulcalibur IV was the best Namco game released during the 7th generation. The fifth main entry in the franchise marked a major upgrade to the overall gameplay and graphics, enhancing pretty much every aspect, and it included several Star Wars characters, which certainly drew in fans from that franchise.
8th) Dark Souls III
8th Gen: Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 4 | Wii U | Xbox One
The final entry in the Dark Souls series is a fitting pick for Namco’s winner during the 8th console generation. Because console exclusivity wasn’t a major factor during this and subsequent generations, the game was well received on the PS4, Xbox One, and PCs. Dark Souls III concludes the series by ending the narrative of its two predecessors, and Namco released two DLC expansions, both of which were as critically acclaimed as the primary game. Within a few years of its release, Dark Souls III sold over 10 million units, becoming a major success for the company.
9th) Elden Ring
9th Gen: Nintendo Switch | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X|S
It wasn’t even remotely difficult to choose the winner for the 9th console generation, as Elden Ring scored far above Namco’s other entries. The game is a master class in action role-playing game development, and it plays beautifully on every 9th-generation platform. Elden Ring won numerous accolades, sold over 30 million copies, and received a killer DLC that sold an additional 10 million copies, making Elden Ring Namco’s best-selling title in the 21st century. It’s also touted as one of the greatest games ever made, so Namco did well in the 9th generation.
10th) Little Nightmares III
10th Gen: Nintendo Switch 2 | PlayStation 6 | Xbox Project Helix
As of writing, there’s no consensus as to when the 10th console generation began or will begin. That said, many in the industry have pointed to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 as the beginning of the 10th console generation, so using that as a guide, Namco’s best game thus far is Little Nightmares III. The game was initially released on multiple platforms in October 2025, including the Switch 2, and it’s an excellent addition to the Little Nightmares series. As time passes, Namco will undoubtedly release more of its games on the Switch 2, the PS6, and whatever console Microsoft eventually releases, but for now, Little Nightmares III takes the lead.
What’s your all-time favorite Namco game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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