Summary
Co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki,Studio Ghiblihas changed the landscape of Japanese anime since its creation in 1985. The animation studio’s talent in beautiful storytelling with important messages has touched creative mediums globally, from film and television to gaming. For example, in 2010,Studio Ghiblicollaborated with developer Level-5 for the RPGNi no Kunifranchiseby producing animated sequences in the games.
Even outside of directly collaborating with developers, Studio Ghibli’s impact is clear to see in several games, includingThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandSoulframe. The Japanese animation studio’s influence shows no signs of stopping soon andcontinues to inspire gaming developersto create some of the industry’s most stunningly artistic games.
Updated on June 21, 2025, by Mehrdad Khayyat:The popularity of anime and manga series in the world is no secret to anyone, and for many, Studio Ghibli is the peak of this amazing art, thanks to its immensely gorgeous sketches and deeply impactful stories.
Many other forms of entertainment have taken inspiration from the Studio Ghibli animes, and video games are no exception. Not inspiring from the artstyle, but some games have taken it even further, attempting to recreate some of the most lovely worlds of Studio Ghibli or a replica of them.
InThe Wandering Village, society has been driven from their homes by toxic plants and spores. While looking for shelter, they come across a colossal, wandering creature that they call “Onbu.” Theysettle on the creature’s backand develop a symbiotic relationship as they both look for a new home that isn’t contaminated.
Described as a “city-building game with a unique touch,” themain crux ofThe Wandering Villageis very reminiscent ofHowl’s Moving Castle. But the developer Stray Fawn’s main inspirations for the game were actuallyNausicaä of the Valley of the WindandPrincess Mononoke, as mentioned intheir Kickstarter campaign. “As for the rest of the visuals, we wanted to go with a detailed painterly style, which matches the Ghibli aesthetic,” Markus Rossé, animator and tech artist at Stray Fawn Studios, told80 Level.
Hoais a game that takes players right into the hand-painted backgrounds of Studio Ghibli through the eyes of a little fairy. Developed by Scrollcat Studios,Hoais a relaxing platformer that includes a variety of magical creatures that help Hoa on her journey through breathtaking forests and other Ghibli-esque landscapes.
The game’s art director Son Tra Le took her love forMy Neighbor Totoroand inserted it intoHoa, giving players the same experience she had watching the film.
“If youtake any still fromMy Neighbor Totoro, you’ll want to spend the rest of your life in it,” she toldThe Los Angeles Times. As for how they tackled transferring the Ghibli art style to game form,Hoa’slead Ryo told80 Levelthat they “spent a lot of time watching all Ghibli movies, researching their background art, breaking down the techniques, then finding a way to recreate that.”
Set for release in October 2024,Europatakes place on the smallest of Jupiter’s four moons. Players take on the role of Zee, an android who traverses the terraformed landscape to discover the mysteries of the abandoned Utopia, including what happened to the last human to live in the colony. Zee takes on their journey by running, gliding, and flying via the Zephyr jetpack, which can be upgraded to reach a point where Zee can endlessly fly across Europa.
Europa’sdevelopers Helder Pintohaven’t shared any direct influences from Studio Ghibli in their game. But by looking at the trailer and its concept art, it’s clear that Europa’s environments and world-building take major inspiration from the beautiful work of the Studio Ghibli artists. And its focus on telling an “intimate story about growing up and humanity’s relationship with nature” will be very familiar to Ghibli fans.
7Rakuen
Inspired By Studio Ghibli In General
Rakuenis a pixelated game with a heartfelt story to tell. While the primary perspective of the game is top-down, the characters are portrayed with anime visuals when they are talking to each other in the dialogue scenes. But more than the visuals, it’s the story ofRakuenthat fits into multiple Studio Ghibli movies.
For anyone looking for a wholesome story with some tears to share,Rakuenis the best choice. It’s one of those games that leaves the player in tears but also sends positive vibes to them, just like the feeling that someone would sense after watching a Studio Ghibli anime.
Yokai Innwouldn’t be in development if it wasn’t for Studio Ghibli. “The concept of [the game] was drafted while taking inspiration from many Studio Ghibli films, especiallySpirited Away,” its developer Shiba Pixels toldGame Rant, adding thatPrincess MononokeandWhisper of the Heartwere also influential in the design process. “The main places where this inspiration manifests are in the character designs and color palettes.” In addition, Shiba wanted to use the “sense of wonder and adventure” in these films to bring life to their game.
Players can look forward to welcoming spirits (yokai) to their inn, which they will progressively improve through foraging, farming, and crafting. Described by Shiba as a “blend ofAnimal CrossingandHarvest Moon” with a hint ofStardew Valley,Yokai Inneffortlessly blends the best of these gameswith a Ghibli-infused spirit.
Developed by indie studio Thunder Lotus,Spiritfarerhelps players explore the complex process of death and grief. The game follows Stella, a girl who takes over from Hades’ ferryman Charonas she guides souls to the afterlife. As she does so, Stella completes quests on their behalf so they can rest in peace.
Inspired by Greek mythology,Spiritfarer’s detailed inclusion of different spirits and their stories finds its roots in Studio Ghibli’sSpirited Away.
In a documentary presented byThe Escapist, Thunder Lotus’ marketing director Rodrigue Duperron said that the game “was very inspired bySpirited Awayand the idea of that hotel for spirits.” 2D artist Marie-Christine Levesque highlighted that the bathhouse provided a significant influence on their work, “with all its disorganized just living together. And having someone who runs around in this and trying to figure things out and do chores and take care of people,” as Stella does inSpiritfarer.
Without further explanation, that feature art itself says it all aboutMika and The Witch’s Mountainand its source of inspiration. The game takes the primary concept of Kiki’s Delivery Service and turns it into a peaceful and cozy game full of wholesome vibes about friendship and positivity.
Despite the fact that the core gameplay tries to let players relive the fantasy of Kiki, but the game does have a unique story to tell, with 3D visuals that do not replicate the look of Studio Ghibli’s works. That being said, the game is a must-play for any die-hard fan of Kiki, especially teenagers looking to take a break from violent adventures.
Professor Laytonhas been around for almost two decades now as one of the Nintendo-exclusive franchises, delivering a puzzle adventure with every new installment with an engaging story to follow and some lovely characters.
The visuals of the game, however, are the main reason why it is featured on this list, taking heavy inspiration from the masterpieces of Studio Ghibli. While the series barely goes after telling fantasy stories with otherworldly creatures,Professor Layton and the Azran Legacyis probably the closest adventure to a Studio Ghibli anime.
A new entry in the series is already in development and will be released sometime this year on Nintendo Switch.
InRogue Spirit, players become the Ghost of the Prince of the Kingdom of Midra. The land he once called home is under attack by a demonic evil known as the armies of Chaos, and it’s down to the Prince to possess these enemies and absorb their skills to defeat them.
Developed by the indie studio Kids With Sticks, the game was inspired by the work of Studio Ghibli from the very beginning. However, there isn’t a specific film that the team used as a reference. Instead, they used the collective feel and aesthetic of Ghibli art to support the narrative in their game. “What we take from a handful of Miyazaki’s films is primarily colorwork and design,” Kids With Sticks told80 Level. “Contrast and the right color space are the basis of our work. Thanks to the fact that Ghibli movies use traditional painting techniques (watercolor, gouache), the palettes are very distinct.”
A striking visual style that is unabashedly Ghibli,Forgotton Annewears its influences on its sleeve. As explained in aninterview with GamePilgrim, two of the game’s animators studied directly under Ghibli creators, and that educational background is demonstrated instantly through the opening cutscene, which is genuinely breathtaking. The similarities go beyond just the hand-drawn art style, asForgotton Anne’s setting and story are both reminiscent of Ghibli’s fantastical and emotional creations.
While easy to recommend to die-hard fans of the Japanese anime studio,Forgotton Annecould also hit the mark with players who are simply craving a story-driven puzzle game with well-written characters and fascinating world-building. The campaign even has branching paths to encourage repeat playthroughs.
