Summary
Video games featuringKaijuappear to be making a comeback. Several monster games launched in the 80s and 90s, but the genre peaked withWar of the Monstersin 2003. There have been other games that featured Kaiju, but most aren’t AAA games. However, the Kaiju monster movie and video game are as popular as ever, with multiple hits in the genre, including Koei Tecmo’sUltra Kaiju Monster Rancheron the Switchand Apple TV’sMonarchseries set in theKing Kong x Godzillauniverse.
Thanks to movies likeGodzilla vs. KongandPacific Rim,developers are catching on to how much fun it is to get monsters and giants to fight each other in video game form. While there have been severalKaiju-themed games, this list is focused on the best available today.
Updated Jun 05, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:Thanks to the Godzilla and King Kong movies providing cinematic escapism and Monarch adding more context to the Monsterverse, Kaiju-related media in gaming and entertainment has seen a resurgence. Even the Japanese-made Godzilla Minus One is being hailed as one of the greatest monster movies in recent times. The excitement for the genre has seen fans looking toward gaming to live out their epic Kaiju fantasies. This list is updated to include more Kaiju games that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
10Kaiju Wars
An Advance Wars Style Strategy Game With Monsters
Players take on the role of a mayor using an out-of-its-depth military force to fight back against a Kaiju invasion. The action is tongue-in-cheek andAdvance Wars-esque in style, and players must hold off an attack from Kaiju as the scientists work to create a serum that can end the invasion once and for all.
Players must keep an eye on the target buildings the monsters intend to destroy and slow them down by any means necessary. Unfortunately, even though the monsters can retreat, they will return stronger and more dangerous. So, the player must up their game and utilize more advanced methods of slowing them down.
9Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher
A Monster Breeding RPG For Fans Of Kaiju
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancheris a monster-raising sim with anUltramancrossover. Players raise and train their monsters according to a calendar so they can be entered and fight in tournaments. Players can send their monsters to other farms to increase specific stats and gain new abilities.
However, raising a monster takes care and consideration when extending their lives and keeping them healthy for the next contest. It’s a return to form for the once-popularMonster Rancherseries as it goes back to basics and returns to what made the farming sim so appealing to fans.
8Daikaiju Daikessen: Versus
A Retro-Styled Tribute To King Of The Monsters
Released in 2020,Daikaiju Daikessen: Versusis a free-to-play arcade-style fighting game.Daikaijuis a homage to Neo Geo’sKing of the Monstersand is currently in early access. As a result, some balancing issues need addressing within its fighting system.
However, the combat requires some strategic thinking, and the battles between the monsters can be a lot of fun.King of Monstersremains one of the best Kaiju games of all time, andDaikaijuis a solid tribute for fans hoping for a sequel.
7Godzilla: Save The Earth
Fight As Godzilla With Earth As The Arena
Godzilla: Save the Earthis a 3D fighting game that features a recognizable cast of monsters from theGodzillauniverse. It features variations of Godzilla, Mothra, Jet Jaguar, and more. It’s a sequel toGodzilla: Destroy All Monstersand improves on it.
The combat is faster, and the sense of scale is a perfect adaptation of theclassicGodzillamovieswith destructible environments and recognizable moves. The single-player lacks depth, but its couch co-op multiplayer combat will keepGodzillafans entertained for hours.
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rainis the first game in the series to be developed by Yuke’s. It adopted a more serious tone than its campy predecessors but maintained the monster B-movie aesthetic fans have grown to love. The series began with fighting hordes of giant alien bugs until the Kaiju got introduced as an enemy fromEarth Defense 4.1.
Iron Rainfeatures the largest Kaiju featured intheEarth Defense Forceseries, with the Raznid standing 300 meters tall. Monster movie fans will get a kick out of theEDFseries fromEarth Defence Force 4.1onwards. From there, the series started to include Kaiju and giant mechs in tribute to both theGodzillaand thePacific Rimseries. The games are great fun in single-player but hilarious in offline co-op multiplayer.
5Rampage
An Arcade Classic Beat-Em-Up That Stands The Test Of Time
Rampageis a side-scrolling beat-em-up featuring giant monsters and wasa huge hit in arcadesduring the 1980s. The game’s sequels weren’t as well-received, but the original remains a favorite among Kaiju fans more than 30 years later.
It was adapted into a surprisingly fun big-budget Hollywood movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in 2018. On a visual level,Rampagehas aged, but as a multiplayer game, it remains timeless.
GigaBashis anisometric action brawler with Kaijuand gameplay similar to Capcom’sPowerstoneseries. One can playGigaBashas a single-player game or multiplayer, but its main strength is in the local versus modes.
GigaBash’s single-player campaigns feature four different playable Kaiju to choose from and serve as a tutorial of sorts on gameplay mechanics. There is also online play, but the most fun is playing locally with friends and family in chaotic team battles.
3King Of The Monsters
Classic Fighting With Monsters Inspired By Godzilla And Ultraman
Developed by SNK, the studio behind theKing of FightersandSamurai Shodownseries,King of Monstersis an entertaining fighting game featuring Kaiju. The characters take inspiration from Godzilla, King Kong, and Ultraman.
The fighting system is easy to pick up, and the character designs are fantastic. The original game remains the best port of the arcade classic by featuring six monsters instead of the sequel’s three.
War of the Monstersis a Kaiju fighting game inspired by 1950s horror movies andGodzilla. The game’s story is also presented as a B-movie from the 50s, and while its story isn’t deep, it’s challenging, andWar of the Monstersoffers a good balance between single multiplayer carnage.
The 3D arenas are fully explorable and destructive. The game also supports up to four players for local co-op. Couch co-op is the best way to experienceWar of the Monsters,with a surprisingly deep and fluid combat system.
1Dawn Of The Monsters
Streets Of Rage-Style Beat-Em-Up WIth Monsters
Dawn of the Monstersis a 2.5D side-scrolling beat-em-up that supports up to four players. ThinkStreets of Ragewith giant monsters that share a resemblance with the creatures fromGodzillaandUltraman.
The players are required to fight waves of monsters called the Nephilim. One can enjoyDawn of the Monstersas a single-player or a multiplayer game. Visually, the game implements a cell-shaded manga comic book style that taps into the classic Japanese monster movie feel.
