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For a first playthrough, play Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2, Bayonetta 3, then Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. This release-order approach takes you through the mainline games before the story-focused prequel, whose origin-story context is especially rewarding after the trilogy. If you prefer chronological story placement, start with Origins—but Bayonetta 3’s parallel realities make the series more complicated than one uninterrupted biography.
Recommended Bayonetta play order
- Bayonetta — The original game, first released in Japan on October 29, 2009, and worldwide in January 2010. Later ports are versions of this entry, not separate story chapters. PlatinumGames’ anniversary history gives the original release dates.
- Bayonetta 2 — The mainline sequel, first released for Wii U in 2014 and later for Nintendo Switch in 2018. Its story begins months after the battle with Balder. Nintendo’s game page lists the Switch edition and provides a story overview.
- Bayonetta 3 — The third numbered entry, released October 28, 2022. It introduces the Homunculi threat and Viola, while expanding the story to include multiple Bayonettas. Nintendo’s release announcement covers the date and new threat; its game page introduces the multiple Bayonettas and Viola.
- Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon — A story-focused action-adventure prequel released for Nintendo Switch on March 17, 2023. It follows young Cereza and her demon companion Cheshire. PlatinumGames’ official page describes it as the first page of Cereza’s story.
This order is an editorial recommendation, not a requirement: you do not need to finish the numbered games to start Origins.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Bayonetta -Switch | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon | $59.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Bayonetta story timeline
Origins: Cereza’s childhood
Bayonetta Origins takes place earliest in Cereza’s life, when she is a young witch in training. PlatinumGames presents it as an origin story, with a storybook presentation and a distinct Cereza-and-Cheshire adventure. Its position at the start of a chronological list does not make it the best first game for every newcomer: release order lets you encounter the mainline series before its retrospective backstory.
The numbered games
The numbered games are the mainline adventures. In Bayonetta 2, the official story history places events months after the battle with Balder; the plot gets underway when Gomorrah runs amok and Jeanne’s soul is pulled into Inferno, sending Bayonetta on a rescue mission. Nintendo’s official overview summarizes that setup.
#1 Best Overall
- Witch fell her angel with her smile and beautiful black hair
- The Nintendo Switch is the origin of the action game series that works with the beautiful and brutal witch "Beyonetta"
- The thrill of throwing off your enemy attacks with a single sheet of paper, and the variety of combos will overwhelm your enemy. You can enjoy brilliant and extreme climax action with the angels of attacking
Bayonetta 3 brings in Homunculi and parallel-world versions of Bayonetta. As a result, it is safer to describe the broad order as Origins first, followed by the mainline games in release order, than to present every event as part of one simple, definitive biography of the same person. The official overview establishes the parallel-world framing, but does not by itself settle every continuity detail across realities.
Chronological order or release order?
| Approach | Order | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Release order | Bayonetta → Bayonetta 2 → Bayonetta 3 → Bayonetta Origins | First-time players who want the mainline progression before the prequel’s origin-story context. |
| Broad story chronology | Bayonetta Origins → the numbered games in release order | Players who want to begin with young Cereza and accept that Bayonetta 3 complicates a single timeline. |
PlatinumGames has described Origins as a game for both newcomers and established players, and its director characterized it as story-focused, adding character detail and backstory. That makes either starting point viable; release order is the clearer recommendation for a first run through the franchise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What counts as a Bayonetta spin-off?
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Origins is the relevant game spin-off and prequel. It is an action-adventure rather than another numbered entry in the mainline action series, and its storybook style and two-character setup distinguish it from the numbered games. Treat it as an optional game in the sense that it is not a numbered sequel—not as an unrelated side story.
Rank #2
- Journey into the Avalon Forest as Cereza—a young Bayonetta—and her very first demon, Cheshire, to gain the power to save her mother
- Control both Cereza and Cheshire simultaneously and coordinate to solve puzzles and beat faeries
- Colorful environments look as if they were painted by hand, and fully narrated story scenes are told through the vibrantly illustrated pages of a storybook
Adaptations, ports, and crossovers
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is an animated adaptation, not a game chapter to insert into the play order. Crossovers, cameos, costumes, and ports likewise are not required numbered story entries. The available official material does not establish that the film is necessary to understand game continuity, so it is not part of the recommended game order.
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The official pages list Nintendo Switch versions of Bayonetta 2, Bayonetta 3, and Bayonetta Origins. The original Bayonetta has appeared in multiple editions and on different platforms; check the edition and storefront available to you rather than treating a port as a new story entry. Release dates above refer to the original release of each game, except where a later Switch release is explicitly noted.
Quick Recap
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