The Danganronpa Games: Dive into Murder Mystery Mayhem
Are you tired of the same old puzzle games and action-adventure games? Are you looking to sink your teeth into something a little more thrilling and suspenseful? If so, then Danganronpa might just be the perfect game for you.
Developed by Spike Chunsoft, the Danganronpa series has become renowned for its unique blend of murder mystery, investigation, and courtroom drama. With its captivating storyline, intricate puzzles, and immersive gameplay, it’s no wonder these games have captivated gamers around the world.
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Table of Contents
A Brief Overview of the Series
The Danganronpa games follow a group of high school students who find themselves trapped in a sadistic killing game. With their lives on the line, they must work together to uncover the truth behind the mastermind behind the deadly game. While each game has its own unique storyline and characters, they all share a common thread – despair. The games are known for their dark sense of humor and shocking twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
The Main Games and Their Initial Release Dates
There are currently three main Danganronpa games that have been released:
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
As the first game in the Danganronpa series, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc was originally released in Japan in 2010. Since then, it has been released on multiple platforms worldwide.
It tells the story of Class 78th at Hope’s Peak Academy, which is the setting of Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc. Originally lauded as Japan’s best and brightest high school students, Hope’s Peak Academy plunges into despair when Makoto Naegi and his classmates are locked in the school, playing a sick game at the whim of a sadistic bear called Monokuma. Students are pitted against one another as Monokuma offers them freedom if they can kill one of their peers.
During Monokuma’s vicious killing game, you will try to survive and uncover the secrets behind Monokuma’s true identity. As you investigate murders and pin down culprits, you get to know your classmates, as well as their histories, desires, and aspirations. Explore the academy and progress through the story.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair
A direct sequel to Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair follows on from the popularity of the first game. In 2012, it was released for the PSP in Japan, following the events of Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls.
The story takes you into the shoes of Hajime Hinata, a newly enrolled student at Hope’s Peak Academy. When he arrives at the academy, he is overwhelmed with exhaustion, and then wakes up to find he is facing his peers in a classroom. Usami, a pink, magical girl bunny, reveals to the students that they are actually on a paradisal island, where they must befriend each other in order to gain Hope Fragments and nurture their hope.
When disaster strikes just as they’re adjusting to island life, the students must fight in Monokuma’s next generation of killing games in order to survive.
A similar gameplay loop is followed in Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, with the main differences being the ability to walk around the island as Hajime, and the nonstop debate mechanic.
Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp
Dropping as a part of the Danganronpa 10th Anniversary celebration, Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp is an extended version of Danganronpa V3: Killing Hamony’s Ultimate Talent Development Plan minigame.
An RPG board game featuring a lineup of characters from all of the previous titles, Ultimate Summer Camp tasks you with exploring Jabberwock Island, collecting Hope Fragments, and developing your characters. Battle enemies to earn money, upgrade your equipment, defeat bosses, and unlock new islands in this alternate, non-killing tropical paradise.
Danganronpa game collections and remasters
Danganronpa 1.2 Reload
A collection of the first and second games with several new features, Danganronpa 1.2 Reload initially came out on Playstation Vita in Japan in 2013. In 2017, NIS published the game in North America and Europe on Playstation 4, then re-released it on the Playstation 5 through backwards compatibility.
Danganronpa Decadence
In celebration of the Danganronpa 10th Anniversary in 2024, Spike Chunsoft (and Numskull Games in Europe) released Danganronpa Decadence, a remastered collection for Nintendo Switch. It includes the Anniversary Edition remasters of all the mainline games, Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, and Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony. Additionally, it also features Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summercamp as a standalone experience. Indulge in a decade of despair with either the exclusive, physical-only bundle or you can purchase the games individually from the Nintendo eShop.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
The third major instalment in the series, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, was originally released on PS4 and PS Vita in Japan, then later on PS4, PS Vita, and PC in the West.
A ‘psycho-cool’ environment surrounds 16 new characters who are, once again, kidnapped and imprisoned at a school in Killing Harmony, dubbed ‘the biggest, most exhilarating episode yet’. Discover the truth behind brutal murders and condemn your new friends to death as you dive into a fast-paced investigation that puts lives on the line.
Having closed the Hope’s Peak Academy arc with Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School anime, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is the first game set in a new school with all new characters. As with the previous titles, the gameplay remains relatively the same, with a loop and linear path that is embellished this time with some new elements.
In this first-person game you control the protagonist from a first-person perspective, interacting with characters, investigating, and participating in class trials at your leisure.
Spin-off Danganronpa games
Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls
An exclusive spin-off game set between Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls takes place between Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair. A visual novel that broke the tried-and-tested format, it was published in Japan in 2014 and released in the West in 2015.
As you attempt to survive in a chaotic city overrun by Monokuma Units, you take control of Komaru Naegi, Makoto Naegi’s younger sister. You must take control of the Hacking Gun with the help of your partner, Toko Fukawa, escaping the Monokuma Kids and uncovering the city’s secrets with the help of the Hacking Gun.
Danganronpa games in order
We’ve got you covered in our guide to Danganronpa games. We recommend playing Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls third because it contains spoilers for Goodbye Despair. Note that, chronologically, Trigger Happy Havoc falls between Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls and Goodbye Despair.
