Inazuma Eleven is a soccer-related RPG game developed on the Nintendo DS platform and published by Level-5. The storyline is directly incorporated from its anime with minimal modification to the main storyline. Anime-wise, you can probably stream it on websites like EyeOnAnime or KissAnime.

The story (both anime and game) focuses on the main character, Endou Mamoru (or Mark Evans in the game), a very enthusiastic and talented goalkeeper in the Raimon Junior high school. As the grandson of Endou Daisuke (or David Evans), one of the strongest goal keepers in Japan, Mark inherited some of his grandfather’s very strong special techniques.

At the start, Raimon Junior high school does not have enough players to form a proper team to join any high school competitions. However, everything changes when ace striker Gouenji Shuuya (or Axel Blaze) transferred to Raimon Junior high school and joined as their very last member, the eleventh player.

In terms of the game itself, it is pretty fun — a very smart way of merging soccer and RPG games together as one. You get to recruit (more than 1000 players available for selection) and train your players according to their respective position on the field. You also get to buy equipment and skills for your players to strengthen them.

During random battles, players are required to fulfil a random objective within a time limit. The types of random battles are, for instance, snatching the ball from your opponents or scoring the first goal.

It is worth mentioning that this game requires a certain amount of thinking and strategising. Energy or TP (like the magical power of most RPG games) is consumed upon using a super shot or super keep (basically, special skills). As such, you have to always make a decision on whether to use them. At the same time, you can trick your opponent into wasting their TP too.

Overall, this is a highly addictive game which requires concentration, strategy and swiping of your fingers. Inazuma fans should try it. I love this game even though I hate its sequel, Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm / Inazuma Eleven 2: Blizzard; because both of them would force players to retrain their characters from scratch again, just imagine starting from level 1 all over again…

Get the game now on Nintendo DS!