Top Five Namco Video Game Franchises

Namco, now known as Namco Bandai, is famous for their arcade franchises. It wasn't until they port the arcade titles to home consoles that the games get the attention they deserved. While not as successful, Namco's console-only franchises also had its fair share of hits. Here are the top five video game franchises from Namco.

5. Pac-man
One of the most iconic characters in the video game industry, Pac-man is the mascot of Namco. All it took for a little yellow pie chart to find success was just one addicting arcade game where eating pellets and ghosts never gets boring even though it has been more than 25 years since it was released. While it is by far the oldest franchise on the list, the Pac-man franchise is also the most revolutionary.

4. Klonoa
While it was not the most popular of Namco franchises, the Klonoa games have always been top notch. In an era where 2D games were dying, Klonoa: Door to Phantomile kept the genre alive by offering an incredible 2D platforming experience in a 3D world. The sequel, Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil, sets the bar even higher for what a next-generation 2D platforming game should be. The Klonoa games are just plain fun to play.

3. Ace Combat
Ace Combat is the premier flight simulator video game. Just one round with the fighter jets will be enough to convince even the most jaded aviators of its ultra-realistic presentation. No other console game in the genre provides the same the top-notch graphics (the games are always ahead of the curve whether if they were developed on the Playstation or Xbox 360), visceral combat and engaging story as this thrilling flight franchise.

2. Tekken
Probably the most famous Namco franchise, Tekken was one of the first breakthrough 3D fighting games. The intuitive controls helped the games reached into mass appeal while the ultra deep combos made it a hit with hardcore fans. Not to mention that the games have its handful of colorful fighters, from the sexy Nina Williams to the obscure Panda. While the franchise may not be among the best fighting games ever, it is certainly one of the most popular.