Bandai Namco - Starting a reemergence of anime-based videogames?

Bandai Namco, or Namco Bandai, is one of those companies that intrigues me. They have the anime market pretty much covered to a point where no one can compete with them. However, because of them we are seeing, what I believe is the 3rd(2nd for the people in US/EU) emergence of the anime game.

To put the first one in retrospect, you need to look back at the NES and how, mainly in Japan, anime games would flood the system. From RPGs to Sidescrollers to Fighters and so on, games were loaded onto the system, for better or for worse. While I can say some of these games are... kinda bad, as a whole they were okay. You even had a barcode reader for the NES which was used in several anime-based videogames... that and Ultraman, of course. There was an Ultraman Olympics game. We saw such heavy hitters as Fist of the North Star, Yu Yu Hakusho, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, among others join the platform. There was even a Kinnikuman game, that made it to the US as M.U.S.C.L.E.

The second one, is something everyone's probably at least known about. Early-Mid 2000's, the anime games reemerged. Budokai brought DBZ back into prominence, Naruto games started, there were Yu Yu Hakusho games, an Inuyasha game released, ULTIMATE MUSCLE showed up as well, and it was great. One Piece also inched in, and it seemed like the quality of those games were a step up from the old NES anime-based games because they could do more with them. However, the anime craze dipped once again and only the biggest names were allowed to keep making titles that could come to the US.

Fast Forward to 2012. March. Naruto Shippuden Ninja Storm Generations releases and begins the 3rd reemergence. One Piece Pirate Warriors drops soon after. It's simpler if I make a list of just Bandai Namco(or Bandai or Namco) anime based games that released after 2012.

2012:
Naruto Shippuden Ninja Storm Generations
One Piece Pirate Warriors
Dragon Ball Budokai HD Collection
Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs(Japan-Only, Full Boost in 2014)

2013:
Digimon Adventure(Japan Only)
Saint Seiya Brave Soldiers
Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment(2014 for non-Japan)
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3(And Full Burst edition)
Gintama no Sugoroku(Japan Only)
Macross 30: Voices Across the Galaxy(Japan Only)
Jojo's All Star Battle(2014 for Non-Japan)
One Piece Pirate Warriors 2

2014:
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution
J-Stars Victory Vs(June 2015 for Non-Japan)
Digimon All Star Rumble
One Piece Unlimited World Red

2015:
Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth(Japan Only)
One Piece Pirate Warriors 3(Forthcoming)
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven(Forthcoming)
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4(Forthcoming)
Saint Seiya Soldier's Soul(Forthcoming)

Geez, that's a lot, and this is all by one company. And I know I missed some, as there are a few other Anime games not made by Namco Bandai. Fist of the North Star titles and more Gundam titles as well.

I can safely say, that all of the US released ones are at least okay to play, and they have some great titles up there. Xenoverse, All Star Battle, Unlimited World Red are all great games, IMHO. All Star Battle is a game that could be a competitive fighter guaranteed. Xenoverse is probably the most original Dragon Ball game in it's history, and Unlimited World Red is a blast to play, as I feel it's less Dynasty Warriors and more simple Beat Em Up than the Pirate Warriors series. The Naruto games are always a blast to play also, and Saint Seiya, for all it's flaws in Brave Soldiers, actually plays decently.

Now, more so then ever before, these games are actually going full international. To the point where you could see lesser known titles get a digital release. I implore you to at least take a look at some of the new one's coming up. J-Stars could be the biggest anime crossover game of all time, and has the potential to be the next Smash Brothers. Saint Seiya looks like it's gotten a major improvements. One Piece is chock-full of new things that should bring the interest about. Eyes of Heaven has literally changed what the original game was about favoring a 'team battle' mode. Also, Naruto's only going next-gen, so that should be exciting.

It's going to be an exciting time to be an anime fan and a video game fan, and I hope if you like video games or anime or both, that you check some of these titles up. Maybe you'll find a new favorite. I sure have in these last couple years of the 3rd emergence.