Best Games Inspired By Journey To The West, Ranked

Key Takeaways

Dive into the iconic Journey to the West with video games inspired by Wu Cheng’en’s legendary tale.
From SonSon’s arcade platformer to Saiyuki’s tactical RPG, experience the novel’s heroes in gaming.
Black Myth: Wukong offers a stylish RPG adventure, the most authentic adaptation of the classic story.

As a seasoned gamer with over three decades of experience under my belt, I have seen many games based on classic tales come and go. However, it’s rare to find adaptations that truly capture the spirit and essence of the original work while still offering something fresh and engaging. In the case of games inspired by Journey to the West, I can honestly say that some have done an exceptional job in this regard.

A blend of history, fantasy, humor, and spiritual discourse, Wu Cheng’en’s Journey to the West stands as a celebrated work in Chinese literature. Drawing inspiration from the actual journey of Xuanzeng, a priest, it embellishes events by introducing Sanzang, a monk, with three celestial guardians: Sha Wujing, a river ogre; Zhu Bajie, a pig demon; and Sun Wukong, a mischievous monkey imbued with magical powers.

As a gamer immersed in the rich tapestry of storytelling, I’ve found myself captivated by the epic tale of “Journey to the West”. This legendary saga has sparked a myriad of adaptations across various media, from books and TV shows to movies, comics, and video games. However, not all these games truly embody the spirit of the legend as I’ve come to experience. The ones that allow me to take on the roles of Wukong and his companions, or challenge me with the guardians of Sanzang, are undeniably the best games drawn from this timeless story.

8 SonSon

Journey To The East Side Of The Screen

Best Games Inspired By Journey To The West, Ranked

One classic example is Capcom’s game, SonSon, which is similar to SNK’s later release, Psycho Soldier, in terms of being a side-scrolling arcade platformer. In this game, players can control characters like Wukong (SonSon) and Bajie (TonTon), navigating through a series of platforms with gaps they can walk over or move up or down between levels. The objective is to reach the Buddha statue at the end and use magic to eliminate any obstacles standing in their way.

The game is easy to learn, but difficult to truly master due to the busy lanes. However, it becomes less challenging when players receive special fruit power-ups that can change the course of the game. This game has been re-released multiple times via Capcom compilations such as Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium, and it has also been mentioned in numerous other games. For instance, SonSon’s granddaughter is playable in Marvel Vs Capcom 2.

7 Mega Man: The Wily Wars

The Blue Bomber Takes On The Novel’s Heroes

Hey there, gaming buddy! You’re right that Mega Man: The Wily Wars was essentially a Genesis remake of the first three NES games, Mega Man 1 through 3. But let me tell you, that’s just the beginning of the adventure! Once you’ve conquered all three remade games, a whole new chapter called ‘The Wily Tower’ unfolds. In this tower, Mega Man gets to pick any weapon from his previous encounters in MM1-3 to take on its stages. So, it’s not just a simple remake; there’s a hidden depth to explore!

They needed to make careful decisions because at the final levels they’d encounter a boss modeled after characters from “Journey to the West”. The water-based robot Mega Water.S, similar to Sha Wujing, would submerge and fire water jets at Mega Man. Hyper Storm.H, reminiscent of Zhu Bajie, would charge into Mega Man using his massive size, despite sharing the same level of intelligence as his literary counterpart. Lastly, Buster Rod.G would wield a rod and replicate himself like Monkey (Wukong).

6 Saiyuki: Journey West

A Tactical Approach To The Story

Developer: Koei
Platforms: PlayStation
Release: August 2001

Instead of referencing “SonSon” and “Mega Man: The Wily Wars”, one might consider these as examples, but the question at hand is about experiencing the original novels in a video game format. Later games have attempted this with some creative liberties, although earlier titles made an effort to compress the novel onto an NES cartridge or arcade board, with varying levels of success.

A memorable title was “Saiyuki: Journey West,” an RPG tactical game similar to “Final Fantasy Tactics.” In this game, Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing could transform in combat, with Sanzang serving as the healer. Although it was a PlayStation 1 game that came out almost a year after the launch of the PS2, it caught Gamespot’s attention enough to be nominated for their ‘Best Game No One Played’ award in 2001.

5 Dragon Ball: Origins

How Sun Wukong Created Son Goku

These days, many people are familiar with “Journey to the West” as it served as a source of inspiration for the “Dragon Ball” series. Notably, the main character in “Dragon Ball”, Son Goku, is actually based on Wukong’s Japanese name. However, it’s worth noting that most fans who discovered “Dragon Ball” outside Japan were drawn into the series primarily through the intense arcs of “Dragon Ball Z”. During this period, the influences from “Journey to the West” became less prominent, while those from “Superman” grew more significant.

But, if players wanted to see those influences more overtly, one of the best ways outside the show itself would be Dragon Ball: Origins. The DS Zelda-like saw Goku’s first meetings with his friends, some closer to the book than others — Oolong’s introduction is almost 1:1 to Bajie’s debut in the novel, while others take more artistic license, like Erlang Shen inspiring Tien, or Wujing’s ugly river ogre becoming the desert-dwelling Yamcha.

4 Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate

The Novel’s Priest Fights For Herself

As a gamer, I’d say the Warriors Orochi series is all about pitting Dynasty Warriors against Samurai Warriors, with a sprinkle of Sino-Japanese history and mythology for good measure. In Warriors Orochi 2, Sun Wukong, the iconic character from Chinese mythology, made an appearance as a formidable antagonist, having been freed from the service of Sanzang and Nezha by the main villain, Taira Kiyomori. While Sanzang himself showed up in the PSP update, it wasn’t until Warriors Orochi 3 and its Ultimate edition that we delved deeper into his character.

In the thrilling world of WO3, I join forces with Hideyoshi Toyotomi, resembling a monkey, and Goemon, a rather rotund swine, on their quest for hidden riches. To my surprise, we end up with Sanzang instead – a character who feels eerily reminiscent of my past escapades with Bajie and Wukong as she helps us battle the demonic forces. Even their squabbling and bungling tactics bring back memories! Notably, Nezha, hailing from an older tale before appearing in Journey to the West, also makes his debut as a playable character in this exciting journey.

3 Enslaved: Odyssey To The West

A Pilgrimage To The Post-Apocalyptic Future

In gaming worlds, I’ve often found myself portrayed as a monk named Sanzang, but due to the gender-neutral nature of the Japanese translations, I’ve been depicted as both male and female. For instance, in Dragon Ball, I became Bulma, while in Warriors Orochi 3, I remained Sanzang. The 1978 Monkey series also featured me, albeit in a feminine role. Remarkably, this character made its way to the West, and Ninja Theory carried on the tradition with Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, where I was once again reimagined as a female figure.

In a future, post-apocalyptic setting, the narrative follows Trip (Sanzang), who, after being forced to crash their ship by Monkey, uses a unique headband to guide him safely back home. This serves as repayment. The game performed well, with some technical issues concerning frame rate, but garnered much praise, especially for Andy Serkis’ exceptional portrayal of Monkey. Regrettably, this didn’t lead to strong sales, making it one of Ninja Theory’s lesser-known titles.

2 Unruly Heroes

Multiplayer Madness In This Action-Adventure Beat ‘Em Up

Developer: Magic Design Studios.
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS.
Release: January 2019.

In its day, Enslaved boasted breathtaking, vivid graphics, despite its generally somber narrative. The classic Journey to the West novel, though not always filled with lighthearted moments due to elements like violence and monsters, often incorporated humor, particularly through the banter between Bajie and Monkey’s childish squabbles. Unruly Heroes amplifies these comedic elements by adopting a more whimsical, joyful tone for the narrative.

The game transforms the narrative into a platformer reminiscent of “Donkey Kong Country,” intertwined with puzzle-solving akin to “Prince of Persia.” In this adventure, players can swiftly alternate among characters Sanzang, Wukong, Kihong (Bajie), and Sandmonk (Wujing). This allows them to exploit each character’s unique skills and capabilities (such as gliding or double jumping) to surmount numerous challenges. Despite being relatively unknown, it offers an engaging experience rooted in the rich cultural tales of “Journey to the West.”

1 Black Myth: Wukong

The Monkey Returns In This Stylish Action-Adventure RPG

Currently, the latest video game adaptation of the classic tale “Journey to the West” goes by the name Black Myth: Wukong. In this version, Wukong declines the offer of immortality following his pilgrimage and is penalized by Heaven for his decision by being imprisoned in stone. Since then, monkeys from Mount Huaguo have been on a mission to revive him, and they do so by searching for the 6 Relics that contain fragments of his spirit. The latest character, who wields a staff like Wukong, is referred to as The Destined One.

As a longtime fan of Chinese mythology and someone who has spent countless hours immersed in its captivating stories, I must say that “Black Myth,” developed by Game Science, is truly a masterpiece. This game brings the rich tapestry of Chinese folklore to life in a way that no other game has managed to do before. The characters, such as Bajie, Red Boy, and Erlang Shen, are all skillfully woven into the narrative, providing an authentic and engaging experience for players.

2024-08-24 17:24