Anubis, the Ancient Egyptian god depicted as a man with a jackal-like head, has remained as one of the most famous deities of Egypt throughout the ages. He is the god of mummification and the afterlife. One of his key roles was to weigh the hearts of souls to decide whether they were allowed to enter the realm of the dead.
Today, thousands of years after his supposed existence, Anubis features in many books, movies, and video games of popular culture. Here are the best games in which Anubis appears.
Anubis II
Despite the name, Anubis II is not a sequel. The 2005 action video game from UK game developer Data Design Interactive is set in Ancient Egypt. It is available for PlayStation 2, Wii, and Microsoft Windows.
You get to control Anubis in his quest to lift the curse of the pharaohs. When using the Wii remote, Anubis can perform some fantastic moves, such as swinging his Sceptre of Ra and throwing canopic bombs. If you are a fan of Egypt-themed video games, Anubis II is a fun one to play.
Book of Dead
Anubis does not only feature in video games. He can also be found in the fantastic slot game called Book of Dead, named after the Ancient Egyptian funerary text that was placed in the coffins or burial chambers of the deceased.
The Book of Dead slot game is the third title in the Rich Wilde series. The adventurer previously appeared in the Aztec Idols and Pearls of India games. In this slot, Rich Wilde heads to the Giza pyramids of Egypt, where Anubis has opened the gates to the underworld.
Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2 received much critical acclaim upon its release in 2020. The platform game involves controlling Ana, the daughter of the explorer featured in the first Spelunky game. As Ana, you must navigate deadly caves and battle hostile monsters and traps in order to collect treasures.
Along the way, you will come across The Temple of Anubis. Inside, you will find Anubis himself sitting dormant on his throne. When you get close to him, the deity awakes, and you must fight Anubis to take his sceptre.
Scribblenauts Unlimited
The fourth title in the Scribblenauts series is a puzzle sandbox game in which you control the protagonist Maxwell as he travels through an open world environment to collect Starites. Scribblenauts Unlimited is more adventure-based than the previous titles in the series.
You get to traverse through different themed areas and accept various challenges along the way. One of the many foes you will come across is Anubis. Other than the game’s pharaohs and mummies, Anubis is hostile to all other creatures. You can either face him head-on or run away if you do not feel like you are up to the challenge of taking on a god. Scribblenauts Unlimited was released in 2012. In 2013, the game won the Pocket Gamer Awards’ Best Casual/Puzzle Game category.
Persona 5
The sixth instalment in the Persona series of games, which are part of the wider Megami Tensei franchise, was released in 2016. Persona 5 soon became cited as one of the greatest role-playing video games of all time. It takes place in modern-day Tokyo and follows a student called Joker. He and other students gain special powers and they form a group of secret vigilantes called the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
The group then explores the supernatural realm known as the Metaverse to steal malevolent intent from adults’ hearts. Along the way, they encounter Anubis. If you manage to execute Anubis by electric chair in the Velvet Room, you obtain a Makouha skill card, which will come in very handy on the rest of your journey.
