Summary
While the original run of theCode Geassanime may have concluded back in 2008, the popular alternate history mecha franchise has made a comeback over the past few years with new films.Lelouch of the Re;surrectionfollowed theInitiation,Transgression, andGlorificationtrilogy that established an alternative timeline which has since become the mainCode Geasscontinuity moving forward. With the latest series of films,Roze of the Recapture, set to debut in May as the first step in studio Sunrise’s decade-long plan, there’s now the most potential forCode Geassto grow across different mediums in years.
Considering the fact it is owned by Bandai Namco, the era for the series that will begin withCode Geass: Roze of the Recapture’s continued depiction of the modern timeline could easily mark new video game adaptations. Mobile platform-focused games have essentially been the only form ofCode Geass-related media in the industry since around the time of the original anime’s popularity, and the titles released back then have remained obscure relative to their source material. All the franchise’s games, apart from the most recent mobile title, have been Japan-exclusives that were never made available elsewhere apart from fan translations, but fans looking forward to whatRozecould bring are likely to enjoy delving into an underrated side ofCode Geass' history.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion (2007)
The first game that the series ever received was the Nintendo DS-exclusiveLelouch of the Rebellionfrom 2007, released alongside the original run of the anime. It plays as a turn-based RPG centered around combat encounters inCode Geass' Knightmare Frames, and was notable at the time for utilizing the DS' microphone to allow the player to issue gimmicky voice commands.Code Geassfor the DS roughly followed the first season of the anime while also diverging into its own story, and it remains possibly the most action-oriented and faithful appearance of the series in gaming to date.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion - Lost Colors (2008)
Lost Colorswould follow as the secondCode Geassgame, now on the stronger hardware of the PS2 and PSP despite this title being a visual novel. Lacking a focus on RPG mechanics and combat and centered around the adventures of the original character Rai instead ofCode Geassprotagonist Lelouch,it sees players navigating decisions regarding relationships with various characters from the anime. With multiple routes and endings,Lost Colorsis a faithful representation of its franchise’s concepts and cast despite major differences from most of its media.
Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 - Banjou no Geass Gekijou (2008)
A far less serious outing than the other major games of the series,Banjou no Geass Gekijouserves as a collection of minigames in a similar style to theMario Partyfranchise. Between multiple lighthearted parody games that subvert the typically serioustone of theCode Geassanime, this entry on the DS sees players progressing through the board game set-up this genre is known for. Super Deformed versions of the cast make this a memorable celebration of the original anime, and it even features the return of Rai fromLost Colors.
Code Geass' Mobile-Based Game Releases
Code Geass: Genesic Re;Code (2021)
A mobile gacha game that launched afterthe rise ofCode Geass' new timeline,Genesicwas considered fairly unremarkable for a game of its genre while still appealing to fans of the series' many characters. After a run that seemingly didn’t quite match up to other popular gacha titles, it was shut down back in April 2023.
Code Geass: Lost Stories (2022)
While another mobile game,Lost Storiesis actually a tower defense title instead of a traditional gacha. It falls under similar free-to-play tropes overall, but this internationally-released game’s original story content updates have kept its players engaged enough for it to still be running.
