Bananya Buddies Finally Lets You Collect and Befriend Those Banana Cats on Mobile
When does Bananya Buddies come out? The mobile cat-collecting game launches exclusively on Crunchyroll Game Vault this Summer 2025, with Android pre-registration open now and iOS pre-orders arriving soon. It's a cozy, mini-game filled experience where you befriend adorable banana-dwelling cats called Bananyas.
Quick Facts: What You Need to Know
– Release Window: Summer 2025 (exact date TBA)
– Platform: Crunchyroll Game Vault (requires Mega or Ultimate Fan membership)
– Pre-registration: Available now on Google Play; App Store sign-ups coming soon
– Price: Included with Crunchyroll Mega ($11.99/month) or Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month) tiers
– Languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Latin America & Spain)
– Availability: 200+ countries and territories
What Is Bananya Buddies? The First Original Crunchyroll Game
We got our hands on early details, and here's the scoop. Bananya Buddies marks Crunchyroll's first original game development. It's not a port or a licensed tie-in. It's a brand-new mobile title built from scratch to capture the gentle, silly vibe of the Bananya anime shorts.
The series, which started as a Q-LiA character design back in 2016, follows tiny cats that live inside bananas. Yes, you read that right. These “Bananyas” have their own secret world, weird rules, and a growing fanbase across Crunchyroll's platform. The game brings that same playful energy to your phone.
How the Game Works: Mini-Games, Shopping, and Best Buddy Sleepovers
Bananya Buddies drops you onto Bananya Planet, a colorful hub where you check in on visiting Bananyas. Your main goal? Play mini-games to earn in-game cash. Save up enough, and you can go on a shopping spree for toys and treats.
Leave those goodies out for your Bananyas, and they'll build up Buddy Points. The more points they earn, the longer they stick around. And while they're hanging out, they give you gifts in return. It's a small, satisfying loop that rewards regular play.
Reach Best Buddies status with a specific Bananya, and you unlock a sleepover event. Hit Best Buddies Forever status? The developers say you'll have to play to find out what happens. That kind of mystery keeps things fun.
10th Anniversary Anime Special Drops July 4
The game isn't the only Bananya news. A 10th anniversary anime special premieres at Anime Expo on July 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM, exactly ten years after the first episode aired. Following that debut, it hits Crunchyroll streaming on July 9.
Here's the official synopsis: “When I open my eyes, a bizarre world spreads before me. I spot strange kitties inside bananas… Bananyas, if you will. Hold on a moment, what is going on? Did I turn into a Bananya myself?! Through the forest, over the mountain, and across the land, we set out on a journey with the Bananyas in search of missing treasures.”
The special also features a brand-new theme song and an all-star voice cast. Atsumi Tanezaki (Anya Forger from SPY x FAMILY) voices Stray Bananya. Yuina Ito (Zundamon) voices Little Bananya. Toshiyuki Morikawa (Minato Namikaze from NARUTO) voices Tall Bananya. The theme song, “Nyanderful Nyanderland,” is performed by TAMAchan.
Crunchyroll Game Vault: Nearly 100 Games and Growing
Bananya Buddies joins a Crunchyroll Game Vault library of nearly 100 titles. That's a massive upgrade from the service's launch in 2023. For context, competing services like Netflix Games offer around 80 titles, but Crunchyroll's vault focuses entirely on anime-adjacent and mobile-friendly experiences.
To play Bananya Buddies, you'll need a Crunchyroll Mega or Ultimate Fan membership. The Mega tier costs $11.99 per month and includes ad-free streaming plus game access. The Ultimate Fan tier is $14.99 per month and adds offline viewing, four simultaneous streams, and priority event access. Both tiers unlock the game vault in over 200 regions.
If you're new to the franchise, you can catch up on the original Bananya series, Bananya and the Curious Bunch, and Bananya Around the World — all streaming now on Crunchyroll alongside 25,000+ hours of anime.
What We Like (and What We're Watching)
From what we've seen, Bananya Buddies nails the cozy, low-stakes feel that mobile games often miss. The mini-game loop is simple but rewarding. The “Best Buddies” system gives you a reason to keep returning. And the art style matches the anime perfectly.
One potential downside? It's locked behind a subscription. You can't buy it separately. That's fine for existing Crunchyroll fans, but casual players might balk at paying $12 a month just for one cat game. For reference, Neko Atsume is free with optional in-app purchases, and Cat Game – The Cats Collector! offers a free tier. Bananya Buddies doesn't have a standalone price yet.
Still, for anime fans already in the Crunchyroll ecosystem, this is a no-brainer. You're already paying for the service. Might as well befriend some banana cats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play Bananya Buddies without a Crunchyroll membership?
No. The game is exclusive to the Crunchyroll Game Vault, which requires a Mega ($11.99/month) or Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month) subscription. It's not available for separate purchase on app stores.
Is Bananya Buddies free to download?
Yes, the game itself is free to download from Google Play or the App Store. But you'll need an active Crunchyroll subscription to launch and play it. Think of it as a “free with subscription” title.
What platforms will Bananya Buddies be on?
It's a mobile-only game. Launch platforms are Android (via Google Play) and iOS (via the App Store). There's no word on PC, console, or tablet compatibility yet.
When does the Bananya 10th anniversary special come out?
The special premieres live at Anime Expo on July 4, 2025, at 10:00 AM. It then streams on Crunchyroll starting July 9, 2025. Both the game and the special celebrate the franchise's tenth birthday.
Can I watch the Bananya anime before the game launches?
Yes. The original Bananya series, along with Bananya and the Curious Bunch and Bananya Around the World, are all streaming now on Crunchyroll. You can binge all three before the game drops this summer.
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