Weird otome games from Japan
Otome games have an impressive track record of rescuing deprived singletons from loneliness by supplying 2D characters who can’t wait to date them. But things can get a little predictable once you become an experienced otome gamer. To spice up your gaming experience, play these 8 weird otome games that will leave you questioning your life.
1. My Horse Prince (2016)
Image credit: USAYA
My Horse Prince tells the tale of an unlikely love between a human and a horse.
You play as a young lady who has spent every 14th February, since birth, alone – until a detour to a ranch changes your life. On that fateful day, you witness the arrival of your Prince Charming, Yuuma. He smirks, inches closer, and without warning, kabedons you.
Image credit: USAYA
From then on, you’ll need to build a relationship with Yuuma to unlock new story chapters. To do so, you should talk to Yuuma once every 30 minutes.
Image credit: USAYA
When talking to Yuuma, the game will regularly give you dialogue options to choose from. Pick the best option to boost Yuuma’s stamina level. When his stamina level is high, his bond with you can be strengthened more effectively.
Image adapted from: USAYA
As for actually increasing the bond level, you’ll have to click on items, such as carrots and treadmills, which spawn in real time.
Clicking on these items will also trigger different animations, depending on the story chapter. As such, you can watch Yuuma use his 2 muscular front legs to carry out domestic and hard labour alike, from cutting up green onion stalks to doing construction work.
As it’s an offline game, My Horse Prince does not consume any mobile data. Feel free to keep Yuuma company while on the train – just don’t forget to turn down your screen brightness to avoid questioning looks from the passenger next to you.
Price: Free
Get it from: App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android)
2. Hatoful Boyfriend (2011)
Image credit: Devolver
If horses aren’t your thing, try pigeons instead.
In a world where pigeons and humans share an equal intellectual and social standing, Hiyoko Tosaka, a full-fledged human being, finds herself at St. Pigeonation’s Institute, an elite academic institution for pigeons.
Image credit: Devolver
Playing as Hiyoko, you’ll get to know your newfound pigeon friends better as you venture through their respective story routes. Be it the boisterous, pudding-obsessed track captain Okosan, the flirty senpai Yuuya, or even the mysterious school doctor Shuu, each and every pigeon has an elaborate backstory waiting to be unravelled by you.
Image credit: Devolver
However, Hatoful Boyfriend is more than just a light-hearted otome game about your feathered companions. There are character endings so heart-wrenching that you’ll have to make peace with the fact that a pigeon dating simulator made you cry.
Meanwhile, the “Bad Boys Love” path bears a suspenseful mystery-solving plot that uncovers the real reason why Hiyoko is in the school in the first place. Through this route, you’ll learn more details about the peculiar world of Hatoful Boyfriend.
Image credit: @katiepajamas
Filled with corny bird puns every-birdy will roll their eyes at, as well as dashing personae behind the beaks and feathers, Hatoful Boyfriend is a game worth your time to explore.
Price: USD9.99 (PC, PS4), USD4.99 (iOS, Android)
Get it from: Steam (PC), Playstation Store (PS4), App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android)
3. Creature Romances: Kokonoe Kokoro (2018)
Image credit: @sekaiproject
In Creature Romances: Kokonoe Kokoro, you play as Ichitarou Ichinose, a high school boy without much direction in life. However, there is one goal you’re certain of – get Kokoro, your pretty childhood friend, to successfully fall in love with you.
Before you think that this is just another clichéd otome plot, it is important to mention this: Kokoro isn’t like the other girls – she’s half-human, half-grasshopper.
Image credit: Sekai Project
How do you woo your crush? Simple – be so terrible at studying and planning for your future that she is compelled to help you get your life together. As you spend more time with her, mutual feelings will eventually develop.
But getting the girl of your dreams is not that easy. Pining, struggling with low self esteem, and dealing with life-or-death situations are all part and parcel of building a successful relationship with Kokoro.
Image credit: Sekai Project
The game comes with fully-voiced dialogues so you can indulge in Kokoro’s sweet-sounding voice. However, we recommend playing the game with your room door locked – just in case someone walks in at the wrong moment.
Price: USD2.99
Get it from: Steam (PC)
4. Romantic Creatures: For The Ladies (2020)
Image credit: @sekaiproject
Date a delinquent who’s too cool for school in Romantic Creatures: For The Ladies. In fact, these boys are so cool that they don’t even have human faces. Instead, they look like they have just emerged from a museum of prehistoric insects.
In this strange alternate universe, you play as Nanami, a high school student who falls sick one day. While entering the nurse’s office, you bump into Junya, your childhood friend who’s also a notorious troublemaker in school. He takes good care of you in the nurse’s office after noticing that you’re unwell.
Image credit: Sekai Project
Under his care, you doze off and wake up in the evening. While heading down the stairs, you trip and fall into the arms of Kaito, another school delinquent and the leader of a gang that has beef with Junya.
Image credit: Sekai Project
After encountering the 2 male characters, you have to choose either Junya or Kaito to begin your next romance. You can then eat crepes, play arcade games, and escape from perilous situations together with your chosen partner.
This game is made by the same company that brought you Creature Romances: Kokonoe Kokoro, so you can expect good Japanese voice acting and great visuals during your gameplay.
Price: USD2.99
Get it from: Steam (PC)
5. Paca Plus (2017)
Image credit: Sekai Project
Paca Plus features the lovelier, fluffier cousin of llamas – alpacas.
Kazuma Saeki brings his girlfriend, Yukari Izumi, to the Alpaca Kingdom as a birthday treat, given their shared enthusiasm for the fluffy animal. To his surprise, this trip transforms Yukari into an alpaca – but only in his own eyes.
Image credit: Sekai Project
Playing from Kazuma’s perspective, you’ll struggle to make sense of this strange phenomenon. Apparently, no one else senses anything wrong with your alpaca girlfriend.
Image credit: Sekai Project
If you’ve ever wondered what a violin-playing alpaca looks like, or would love to hear Yukari’s raspy alpaca voice, then do give this cute game a try.
Price: USD9.99
Get it from: Steam (PC)
6. Gakuen Handsome (2010)
Image credit: Amazon
Gakuen Handsome is here to show you what true male beauty looks like. With desirable features such as a skin-piercing jawline, noodle-like silhouettes, and delicately proportioned hands, the male characters in this game will triumph over all other otome boyfriends you’ve dated before.
Image credit: Tohoku Penet
In this game, you play as a student in an all-boys school. While going about your school life, you’ll get to meet various male characters and build a deeper relationship with them. From your childhood buddy Saotome to the arrogant student council president Kagami, the game accurately presents every major character archetype you’ll find in anime.
Image credit: Tohoku Penet
In all, Gakuen Handsome is an entertaining satire of the otome and Boy’s Love genre. Though English translations are not available yet, we’re sure that the MSPaint-level graphics alone will be enough to compel you to continue the game.
Image credit: Crunchyroll
An anime of the same name was released in 2016. Check out the trailer below.
Price: ¥500 (~USD4.72) (Windows, MacOS), USD6.99 (iOS), USD7.99 (Android)
Get it from: Booth (Windows, MacOS), App Store (iOS), Google Playstore (Android)
7. Kabedon: Never Wanna Let You Go (2016)
Image credit: Agali Inc.
If you can’t commit to time-consuming plot-based otome games, try Kabedon: Never Wanna Let You Go. It is a mobile clicker game with a simple storyline – you play as Don, a high school student wooing your childhood best friend. You once overheard her say, “Once in a lifetime, I wish someone [sic] KABEDON me…”
As such, you set out to do just that.
Image credit: Agali Inc.
However, a classical wall slam is basic in the world of kabedon. Instead, you’ve decided to impress your crush with fancy kabedon variations, such as a floor-don, leg-don, and eventually a don using all 4 limbs.
Eventually, the game will present you with 3 potential routes to follow through. Depending on the route, you’ll unlock different endings.
Price: Free
Get it from: App Store (iOS), Google Play (Android)
8. I Love You, Colonel Sanders! (2019)
Image credit: Psyop
I Love You, Colonel Sanders! is an otome game that will have you drooling for KFC – but for a reason unrelated to food.
In this game, you are given the opportunity of a lifetime to date the founder of KFC. The plot begins with your first day at the University of Cooking School Academy for Learning, where you meet the legendary Colonel Sanders.
Image credit: Psyop
Through a variety of gameplay elements, from Pokemon-style battles to sudden timed quizzes, you and Colonel Sanders train to be excellent chefs while fending off a Spork Monster and overly competitive classmates.
Image credit: Psyop
As your relationship with Colonel Sanders grows increasingly intimate, you’ll get the chance to visit his house, where you’ll discover several easter eggs about KFC’s history.
Image credit: Psyop
While not a game you’d want to play when you’re hungry, this dating sim marries high-quality visuals with a funny storyline to bring you a Finger Lickin’ Good time you’ll never forget.
Price: Free
Get it from: Steam (PC)
Weird otome games to play
Normal otome games bring us happiness by offering virtual love prospects to our lonely lives. But these weird otome games can offer you happiness in another way – through laughter.
Brace yourself for one of the strangest experiences in your life, and don’t forget to share the joy with your friends by sending them a screenshot of your favourite horse prince.
For other weird things about Japan, check out:
- Weird Japanese laws that are real
- Weird Japanese food combinations
- Weird Japanese mascots
- Unusual facts about Japan
- Delicious but unusual Japanese foods
Cover image adapted from (left to right): USAYA, Devolver, Psyop