I know this isn’t a gaming blog, but since the only gacha games I devote myself to are anime-related anyway, then why not?
I keep talking about HypMic ARB in my monthly round-up posts because COVID’s knocked out several of the interesting things that can be done, but maybe I should elaborate on some of the games I’ve played.
I actually play HypMic and Bungou Stray Dogs‘s games on a regular basis (but BSD is less of a time sink because it has a cooldown period of 3 minutes in comparison to HypMic‘s 1 hour, which I’ve heard is one of the longest cooldown periods in a gacha game, full stop)…by that, I mean at least once per day. I did play Merc Storia, but then the app stopped working for me after an update.
It’s common for me to sink hours into ARB without noticing, hence why I talk about the tribulations of the game and the desired SSRs so much. Every SSR I’ve gotten in that game is either through lots of grinding or sheer luck…it was worse when I began though, because I am a weaker player than most (I admit before this, I’d never played a rhythm game outside Osu!, okay?!). Even now, other players I converse with through Discord don’t struggle with Hard or Expert beatmaps…they call ARB “easier compared to other rhythm games”, to boot. (*grumbles in background*)
Bungou Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost is comparatively easier to get SSRs in because every level in that game has rewards, plus there’s the daily/weekly rewards and the missions. Meanwhile, ARB only has daily/weekly, level up and mission rewards. Furthermore, BSD has an 11 play with a scaffolded “step up scout” (with certain steps having guaranteed SSRs or cheaper prices), while the closest ARB offers in that department is a 10 play with a guaranteed SR.
Outside of that, I started playing Mr Love: Queen’s Choice around the time the anime started. It’s not a gacha game as much as some of my other examples, though – from what I’ve heard, it’s more like Mystic Messenger (note Mystic Messenger doesn’t ever work for me) and have been jumping in and out of it ever since. I’m still only on chapter 1 though, so I haven’t seen all the boys yet…just Kiro and Lucien as of this post’s writing. (I spread myself too thin over too many games, haha – that’s how I ended up finding Shinken and Bungou to Alchemist back in the day.)
So how are you guys with gacha games? Do you have one “main” game and then others you play “on the side”, or do you just not play them because they’re so addictive? (Please don’t drag me into Fate/Grand Order though – I specifically want to stay away from that time sink…)
The Animanga Spellbook 
Um, what’s a gacha game? 😅
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…I guess I assumed everyone in the anime fandom knew what a gacha game was.
Gacha, short for “gachapon” (named after the sound it makes when the capsules come out of the machine), is a collectible system where you (supposedly) get things at random. In a game, that translates to a loot system which (often, sometimes the percentages don’t get disclosed) has set percentages of getting certain items, with the percentages getting smaller as the items get rarer. They’re known to be pretty addictive, especially when it comes to getting the rare stuff, and can be nasty on the wallet (which is why developers make them free to play with opt-in purchases, as a compromise).
A lot of anime franchises these days get a gacha game or vice versa and a lot of those games are endemic to mobile devices and/or PC, but a lot never make it outside Japan and/or get translated for an international audience.
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I used to be obsessed with this one which was called Dream Boyfriend: Astral Days it was kinda like a dress up game, where the gacha gave you dress up items. I’ve also played quite a bit of shining live. But I don’t tend to play many gacha games at all nowadays
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I actually had to google what gacha games are (sorry😅😅) but I play one I guess. Girls X Battle. It’s a fun game, but one that’s definitely pay to win, which is a bit of shame😔 Other than that it’s still a fun game to play and I really enjoy the anime feel that this game has😊
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I ended up doing an explanation in another comment on this post. Guess I assumed too much because gacha games are quite ubiquitous within anime circles these days.
I’ve never heard of this game, but I can definitely sympathise that pay-to-win is…annoying, to put it succinctly.
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I don’t play gacha games anymore. I’ve tried a few, but always quit soon after. Just too much of a money pit and time investment since they never seem to end. Some are very nice, but it’s just not for me.
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