Top Imports - Sony Playstation

[junglehunter]

I've not played many PS1 Imports but I'd go for Guitar Freaks and Ore No Ryouri (My Cooking). The latter is nuts - like a chef's version of Tapper.

Is that cooking game the one that was featured on one of the Playstation Jam Pack demo discs?

I loved that game, but it was a bit hard with the language barrier. The icons helped somewhat. And chasing that little punk kid down who stole was fun.

[Trevor Belmont]

Haven't played it, but I've heard Panzer Bandit is pretty cool if you're into beat-'em-ups.

[Dire 51]

Metal Slug

I have this. I figured that the Japanese version would include the blood that became "sweat" in the US version. Great cover art as well

There was no US version of Metal Slug, just Metal Slug X.

[bargora]

Nichibutsu Arcade Classics has Frisky Tom, Crazy Climber and Moon Cresta (plus updated versions), all of which are available individually as well--and it may cost less to buy the three separate discs than to buy the compilation.

Image Fight & X-Multiply is some neat-o shooting fun, but hard hard hard.

Cyberbots is a wacky little Capcom 2D fighter--but instead of musclebound d00dz & h0t ch1x (or monsters), it features fighting machines.

I also recommend Vib Ribbon (which works fine on my hard-modded U.S. PSone), Internal Section and Gradius Gaiden.

[Push Upstairs]

There was no US version of Metal Slug, just Metal Slug X.

There is a plain "Metal Slug" for PSX?

Because all i have seen (and own) is "Metal Slug X"

I like the blood, i miss the prisoner names (in Japanese), but i think the artwork is much funnier and goes with the game.

[Dire 51]

There is a plain "Metal Slug" for PSX?

Yep. It was released at the same time as the Saturn version, and it's a pretty spot-on port of the NG original. Obviously there were a lot of animation frames cut, and there's some horrendous load times, but if you can get past all that it's pretty good.

I reviewed it a while back on the OPCFG... check it out here.

[Push Upstairs]

I might have to find me the Saturn version of "Metal Slug".

[Dire 51]

Make sure you get a 4 meg RAM cart to run it, though - you need one for MS.

[dj898]

get Kamenrider-V3 and if that turns out to be too pricy get Kamenrider...

useless tidbit: the guy in Kamenrider is none other than segata sanshiro himself...

[Push Upstairs]

Make sure you get a 4 meg RAM cart to run it, though - you need one for MS.

My import device is a 4-in-1 cart.

I hope its one of the "fixed" ones that also functions properly as a 4 meg RAM.

[Dire 51]

My import device is a 4-in-1 cart.

I hope its one of the "fixed" ones that also functions properly as a 4 meg RAM.

Hmmm... guess all I can really say here is "good luck!" *nods*

[Aussie2B]

The search tool does work! Nearly 2 years old, but whatever...

I'm just wondering what you're favorite Japanese only (never came to usa) games are. I think I might want to collect a few, but don't know what the "greats" are.

Nate

Hmmm, I wonder how I missed this topic before? Anyway, from what I've read, pretty much everything in this list is Japanese-only, or at least significantly different from the US release (like Namco Museum Vol. 2 with a different game in place of the US's Super Pac-Man).

Anyway, despite that I got a whole shelf of PlayStation imports, I don't have much to recommend. o_O Most of my games are simple Japanese versions of games that got US releases (be it on PlayStation or on another console, like all the King of Fighters ports).

But to get to some Japanese-only recommendations... Art Truck Battle is a hilarious semi sim where you gotta beat the competition to deliver your goods. The best part of the game is the great male Japanese singing. The sequel has a Japanese woman singing, but it lacks the punch of the original and isn't nearly as funny. You also get to completely customize your truck (hence the "art"), and you even get a button for cursing at your opponent in Japanese. :)

Ganbare Goemon: Ooedo Daikaiten is just another great Goemon game with 2D side-scrolling graphics with some 3D elements thrown in (and very impressive looking 3D Impact battles). Most Goemon games have a theme, and this one's theme is recycling. o_O

Not to be confused with the US King's Field (which is in fact King's Field 2 in Japan), King's Field never saw a US release. If you love the series, this is an excellent addition. It definitely shows its age a bit (it's from 1994, I think; one of the very first PlayStation games), but it still plays great.

And I don't know if anyone here but me likes dating sims (let alone playing dating sims completely in Japanese), but both Mitsumete Knight and Zutto Issho seem quite fun.

Finally, I should point out that while not exclusive to PlayStation or Japan, Rockman X3 is a nice alternative if you don't want to fork out the dough for Mega Man X3 for SNES.

[Dart]

No one has mentioned Tobal 2 yet?

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Make sure you get a 4 meg RAM cart to run it, though - you need one for MS.

My import device is a 4-in-1 cart.

I hope its one of the "fixed" ones that also functions properly as a 4 meg RAM.

It'll work. I use to play X-Men vs. Street Fighter all the time with my 4-1 cart.

[nate1749]

Thanks Aussie2B, I'll try to get a hold of some of those titles - especially that truck one =)

Nate

[Dimitri]

I'll second Ore no Ryouri, that game is freaking bonkers!

I recently picked up a little gem called Kitchen Panic, it's a really interesting 2D plafromer, where you play as a potato. With spin moves!

And if you're looking for absolutely awful games (that are great in their awfulness) track down a copy of Exector. It's a really early release, and easily one of the worst games ever made, plus it was done by the same people that did Guilty Gear (Arc System Works).

[InsaneDavid]

And I don't know if anyone here but me likes dating sims (let alone playing dating sims completely in Japanese), but both Mitsumete Knight and Zutto Issho seem quite fun.

By any chance have you played the Refrain Love games? I haven't been able to find a review anywhere.

[Aussie2B]

Nah, can't say that I have.

[ubersaurus]

My picks:

Metal Slug-pretty good port of the arcade game, and it's pretty cheap now with the recent budget rerelease.

Soukyugurentai-has a bit more slowdown than it's saturn counterpart, but it's leagues cheaper, and has an extra ship you can use. Excellent shooter, one of the best I've ever played.

Gradius Gaiden-I don't believe there's enough good to say about this one. It's the Gradius game for people who don't like Gradius games. It's a fine shooter any way you look at it.

vib ribbon-music game. That you can use your own cds on. I don't believe I need to say anything more about this one.

Dragonball Z Legends-Yeah, I'm amazed too. It's the lone good Dragonball game, if only because it doesn't try to be a standard fighter. Get your team of characters to hit the other team enough to fill the "balance bar" at the bottom of the screen, allowing you to do a super attack that will hurt someone on their team. Kinda easy in story mode, the insanity of multiplayer and the hard challenge levels make it a nice pick.

[slownerveaction]

Three I haven't seen mentioned yet:

Umihara Kawase Shun - Great sequel to the SFC original. Superb little 2D platformer.

The Cameraman - a.k.a. Gekibo, or Photograph Boy. Port of the PCE game where you play a photographer getting all sorts of weird and wacky pictures. Has an extra level and two player option added -- and it's way cheaper than the PCE Hucard to boot!

Ganbare Goemon: Uchuu Kaizoku Akogingu - Yet another 2D Goemon game, in the same style as the first SNES one (Legend of the Mystical Ninja).