From RPGs to horror games, yokai have always had a presence in the world of gaming. While some yokai are taken directly from lore and put into games, many other enemy designs are inspired by yokai.

I’ve put together a list of recent AAA games heavily featuring yokai, but know that the list is much larger when you include decades of game titles. Many games will often translate enemies in the West as demons or ogres, and I know my mental image goes to western depictions of their images. I believe for Japanese gamers, the cultural context of demons or ogres being yokai adjacent is there. The headless enemies in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, or the infamous Giant Skeleton (Gashadokuro) in Elden Ring and in Dark Souls 3, are just a couple examples of how Western and Japanese audiences may interpret the source of an enemy’s visual design differently.

I asked a few Japanese members on the TOM Staff to help with this list, and a common response was, “Oh, yeah! That’s also a yokai now that I think of it.” And from there on, their list of suggestions drastically expanded from creatures in Dragon Quest to Pokémon like Jynx, Ghastly, Ninetails, and Arcanine.

Article

Yokai in Games

Writer: LeonNovember 7, 2025

What’s inside

Yo-kai Watch Series

Yo-kai Watch is undoubtedly the most popular yokai franchise in gaming. One of the few franchises to rival Pokemon and even outsell it in Japan during its debut year. The charm of this RPG series revolves around solving different yokai’s light-hearted issues which indirectly are affecting the people around it. This was originally released on the Nintendo 3DS, but there is a Switch version if you’re lucky to find it.

Official Website

©2019 LEVEL-5 Inc.
©LEVEL-5 Inc.

Nioh Series

The Nioh franchise has always prominently featured yokai, and each entry in the series amps up the danger they present in each era of Japan. Remember, yokai are not inherently bad, they’re just a bit mischievous.Nioh sets up the premise that there are yokai spirits willing to help you defeat the bad ones. Nioh 2 allows the protagonist to harness the powers of the yokai and transform, unleashing their true strength. Plus, who doesn’t love finding those cute, little Kodama for your mini-shrines?

Official Website

©KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. All rights reserved.

Onimusha Series

This franchise has the keyword Oni in its title. In Japanese, Oni means demon, and they are one of the most prolific yokai. Onimusha is a franchise built around slaying the Genma and absorbing their powers in the Oni Gauntlet to then defeat more Genma. Remasters of the previous titles, except a few, are available on current platforms. Plus, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, a new entry in the franchise, is on its way in 2026.

Official Website

©CAPCOM

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a strategy-action hybrid, and the Seethe are some of the most detailed interpretations of yokai I’ve seen. The game itself is mission based, and you’ll face waves of enemies seeking to defile the land. It’s up to you to protect the maiden, rescue people in the village to fight for you, guide the maiden to the gate, and purify the area. I believe Kunitsu-Gami is a hidden gem that you’ll enjoy, and it’s also available on all current platforms, with the Nintendo Switch 2 version in the works.

Official Website

©CAPCOM

Fatal Frame Series

The Fatal Frame franchise has always been in the line of survival horror where you defeat a ghost’s spirit by taking photos of them with your camera. But why do I mention this series? Are yurei, aka. ghosts, yokai?

As someone from the west, it was easy for me to believe that yurei and yokai are related. However, thanks to my Japanese editor, I learned that the origin of ghosts and yokai are separate. Simply put, ghosts originate from a living being that dies, but its spirit refuses to move on. However, yokai are spirit beings that have always been here and reside in nature, like forest or water spirits.

Yokai, ghosts, and Japanese mythology can be a deep rabbit hole. But while you’re here, there’s a remaster of Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water available across all current platforms, and the FATAL FRAME II: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE is set to debut sometime in 2026.

Official Website

KEMURI

All of that to say that yokai are everywhere and yet remain unseen, and that’s probably how they like it. Which reminds me of an upcoming game called KEMURI from Unseen. While little is known about how the game will play, studio founder Ikumi Nakamura has made it clear that the game revolves around yokai and how you will use their powers as a yokai hunter.

Official Website