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Wander Stars

I love the combat, aesthetics, and banter between characters. I had an extremely rough time in the boss fights due to technical qualms. I tried pushing forward, but losing at an unplayable mess of a boss fight takes you back to the start of the chapter to do everything all over again—a loss of progress. After dealing with this, I gave up and am waiting for fixes. I suggest playing Wander Stars on Steam, because there is something so special here with this RPG teasing well-known anime tropes with a dark-skinned girl of colour lead–a rarity in the shounen genre. But for me, the unplayable mess it became has driven me away from the game’s Nintendo Switch version.
Wander Stars Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, replayability
93% User Score Based on 125 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5CloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
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Wander Stars Game Cover

About

Wander Stars is a single player tactical role playing game with a anime theme. It was developed by Paper Castle Games and was released on September 19, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Wander Stars is a turn-based RPG with roguelite elements where you make your own attacks by combining words! Create your own fighting techniques, befriend your rivals, and explore the universe in this story-driven adventure inspired by 90s anime.

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Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
Wander Stars screenshot
+7
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93%
Audience ScoreBased on 125 reviews
story34 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • Unique and creative turn-based combat system where attacks are built by combining words, offering deep customization and strategy.
  • Beautiful and nostalgic 90s anime-inspired art style, animations, and soundtrack that perfectly capture the era's vibe.
  • Engaging characters with strong writing and a charming story that appeals to fans of classic shonen anime.
  • Multiple bugs and UI/UX issues including unresponsive menus, word equipping glitches, overlapping elements, and game softlocks that sometimes hinder gameplay.
  • Randomized enemy weaknesses and resistances reduce strategic depth, causing repetition and frustration in combat.
  • Story pacing becomes uneven late in the game with a weak, open-ended, or cliffhanger-like ending that leaves many players unsatisfied.
  • story
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is generally well-received for its charming, nostalgic homage to 80s and 90s anime, with engaging characters and a fun, if sometimes cliché, plot. However, many find the narrative uneven, with strong beginnings but weaker, confusing, or filler-heavy later episodes, culminating in an open-ended, somewhat rushed finale that may disappoint those seeking closure. Overall, the story complements the gameplay and art well but is often seen as secondary to the game's unique mechanics and style.

    • “The story really feels like watching a lost 90s anime, a great mix of Latin American influence and silly sci-fi that will have anyone hooked, with enough great character writing, expressive sprites, and charming moments to make you fall in love with the whole cast.”
    • “The presentation harkening back to old shonen anime is incredible with beautiful animation and still drawings, and it's also accompanied by an absolute banger of a soundtrack and so far an interesting story that has me hooked.”
    • “The story unfolds like an old-school anime series, complete with cliffhangers, quirky side characters, and that mix of comedy and heartfelt growth that keeps you hooked.”
    • “The story progressed and I don't know what happened; I reached the end of the chapter without understanding what led to it, which makes me sad because, as I mentioned, I'm interested in the story!”
    • “Making matters worse, the story goes downhill, shifting from a clear goal into a confusing mix of genres and abstract psycho nonsense.”
    • “I feel like a lot of the story writing also gets weaker near this point as well, and the overall ending, while being open for a sequel apparently, feels rushed and unsatisfying.”
  • gameplay
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is widely praised for its creative, turn-based combat system that involves combining words to craft unique attacks, offering strategic depth and rewarding mastery. While many find it engaging and addictive with a nostalgic anime vibe, some criticize restrictive word-slot limits, occasional frustrating boss fights, and UI clunkiness. Overall, the gameplay stands out as the game's strongest aspect, balancing innovation and charm despite some mechanical quirks.

    • “The gameplay is a turn-based affair where your moves are assembled by lining up a series of words available to you in the most optimal ways to ensure maximum use.”
    • “The gameplay nails the format of map-based RPGs and smoothly guides you into understanding the mechanics of words, pep-ups, and stats without much fuss.”
    • “The gameplay is great, the combat in particular is very creative both in the attacks you can "create" and the incentive to not kill enemies, and finally this game's charm is off the charts.”
    • “My only complaint regarding the gameplay would be the strict word-slot limitations, which felt a bit restrictive when trying to fit in new, useful words.”
    • “Some gameplay elements in later chapters are quite boring or frustrating, namely chapters 4, 5, 9, and 10.”
    • “The only real complaint I have about the gameplay is one certain boss and one certain enemy, both of which have very unique weaknesses that if you don't have the correct words (like I did) you can literally soft-lock the fight and need to save/quit and change your deck before fighting them again.”
  • graphics
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and nostalgic art style, strongly reminiscent of 80s and 90s anime, particularly works by Akira Toriyama. The expressive visuals, polished animations, and faithful homage to classic anime aesthetics create a visually engaging and fun experience that complements the gameplay and storytelling.

    • “The artwork in the game is fantastic and it cannot be understated how nice it is to look at.”
    • “The animation and art style are strong and dynamic, and there were points I tried to screenshot simply because the framing of the "shot" was so good.”
    • “Wander Stars has the aesthetic of your classic anime (think Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Quest, Pokémon, Yu Yu Hakusho-esque energy, etc.) which becomes evident with character builds, interactions, and art styles. There are a lot of moments where you’ll catch yourself smirking because of the nostalgia and for those new to the genre, you’ll smile all the same.”
    • “Bosses are mostly remembered not by their first glance visuals but by their moveset, and since I have seen none of it I genuinely don't remember any of them.”
    • “Right now it just fast-forwards through them, which, to be fair, aligns with the TV episode aesthetic that I think they were going for.”
    • “It feels like a missed opportunity to have some delightfully cheesy voice acting to help match the game's 90's anime aesthetic.”
  • music
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music is widely praised for being catchy, diverse, and perfectly complementing the game's anime-inspired aesthetic, with each chapter and boss featuring unique, memorable tracks. Many users describe the soundtrack as a major highlight and a key reason to engage with the game, often likening it to iconic anime scores. Overall, the music is considered exceptional, elevating the atmosphere and earning high praise for its quality and style.

    • “Genuine underrated gem of a game with phenomenal characters and an incredible soundtrack!”
    • “The music being a major highlight, with each chapter and boss having its own combat music.”
    • “Music is phenomenal and some tracks I'd listen to even outside of the game.”
    • “In fact, the entire game feels repetitive as hell, as there is little variety everywhere: NPCs, animations, music, sound effects, fights, it's just all way too similar!”
    • “The aesthetic, the art style, the music, the passion is all there, but the gameplay is not good.”
    • “I bought the Steam version for the soundtrack and sketchbook because I wanted to give Paper Castle more money and because I'm impatient.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is broadly goofy and witty, featuring clever dialogue and cultural references that many players find genuinely funny. Its comedic style, combined with a passionate art style and engaging characters, contributes to a fun and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic anime. Overall, the writing and humor are well-crafted and enhance the game's charm and appeal.

    • “The writing is broadly goofy, but I found myself chuckling at multiple exchanges, and some of the scenes have genuine wit ('don't worry, nuns are actually a type of witch!').”
    • “The story also isn't bad and the dialogue can be pretty funny.”
    • “The aesthetic is top notch, it takes me back to the 90s when I was a child watching anime on lazy afternoons; the type of humor really clicks with me and I love how there's many little cultural references and wordplays everywhere.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game experiences occasional bugs such as UI glitches, unresponsive elements, and issues with equipping words, which can affect gameplay stability. Some players encountered significant glitches, including a game-breaking final boss bug, though regular updates suggest improvements are ongoing. Despite these hiccups, the core experience remains enjoyable for many.

    • “Full of glitches (to the point where I could not complete it because of a bug with the final boss), but otherwise great game.”
    • “It's a little buggy (UI elements overlapping or unresponsive at times), and its combat system isn't as deep as it may appear (you can find yourself spamming words rather than thinking, on normal, and elements aren't very engaging to use).”
    • “The menus can be slightly buggy at times but the game is frequently updated so what minor errors that have come up will likely be patched out soon.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability through varied runs and engaging gameplay, though randomness in upgrades and weaknesses can sometimes make the experience feel underwhelming. Players appreciate the story and fun gameplay but suggest adding an option to skip cut scenes to enhance replay value further.

    • “Insane replay value: check.”
    • “Has a great story so far and the gameplay is fun (and replayable).”
    • “It is meant to encourage replayability, but with how runs can be random in what words Ringo is weak against, what words or upgrades you'll find, or what kind of random pep-ups you get, it all underwhelms the experience.”
    • “Also since replayability is a thing, it would be nicer if you could just skip the cut scenes.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development is praised for its nostalgic 80s and 90s anime-inspired designs, evoking classics like Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon. The detailed and culturally rich character aesthetics contribute to a unique and heartfelt experience.

    • “While I'm not huge into late 90's anime, I can still feel the vibe of Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon oozing from this game—from the character design all the way down to the base gameplay mechanic of using words to fight.”
    • “The character designs really are out of 80/90s anime; you can see the obvious influences.”
    • “You can tell it is a labor of love, with all the references to Venezuelan food and the character designs.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game can become repetitive and tedious due to frequent encounters with similar enemies despite randomization, which diminishes engagement. However, the process of collecting words to unlock new attacks and abilities is surprisingly enjoyable and not burdensome.

    • “This would still be fun in an anime where you're fighting hordes of goons like the Red Ribbon Army, but all of these guys are supposed to be different from each other because everything is randomized, which makes seeing the same enemies over and over rather tedious and unengaging.”
    • “It can get slightly tedious scrolling horizontally through words if you have a lot of them.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game delivers a deeply emotional experience reminiscent of classic anime, blending heartfelt storytelling, quirky characters, and a mix of comedy and growth. Its style, animation, and gameplay collectively create a refreshing and engaging atmosphere that resonates strongly with players.

    • “The story unfolds like an old-school anime series, complete with cliffhangers, quirky side characters, and that mix of comedy and heartfelt growth that keeps you hooked.”
    • “Its story, style, animation, gameplay, even the characters, everything feels so emotional, refreshing and fun at the same time!”
    • “It's a beautiful and heartfelt game and I cannot wait to play the rest of the game!”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without demanding high system resources, providing a seamless performance experience.

    • “The game is not very demanding, but I always appreciate a game that runs smoothly.”
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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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17h Median play time
18h Average play time
8-30h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Wander Stars is a tactical role playing game with anime theme.

Wander Stars is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 18 hours playing Wander Stars.

Wander Stars was released on September 19, 2025.

Wander Stars was developed by Paper Castle Games.

Wander Stars has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Wander Stars for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Wander Stars is a single player game.

Similar games include LunarLux, Dimensionals, Aethermancer, SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, Chrono Ark and others.