Going to Japan, need game recommendations

[sn0zc0r3]

Hey guys,

I'm going to Japan in September to visit some friends as well as to attend TGS. A fFriend of mine is a big collector and is going to take me around to all of his favorite shops in Osaka and Tokyo to pick up a bunch of games. My goal is to see if I can pick up a Turbo Duo and a PSX on the cheap, but my friend also recommended that I write up a list for games I want to look for.

The problem is however that I'm not super into import collecting. Sure, I know about some of the bigger ones like Rondo of Blood, Radiant Silvergun, etc, but I don't know much more beyond that.

Since I know you people are much more knowledgeable than I, I thought I'd get some recommendations from you. I'm basically looking for quality games that I could find much cheaper when I'm out than I normally would if I would order it from an import site or forum such as this one. I've been building up my Saturn collection as of late and I want to get into TG16/PC-Engine games in the future so those are 2 systems I'm thinking about concentrating on while I'm out there. PS1/PS2 and Super Famicom is fair game as well.

Little help?

(x-posted on a few forums)

[sylvestor]

I collect imports,mainly shooters. For the PCE I would reccomend you look for Sylphia.Its a shooter that fetches $250.00+ here in the states...Also: gate of thunder....rayxanber 3......spriggan....All good shooters.Layer section for the Saturn is a fine shooter and its affordable. Pick up a copy of Sylphia for me while your at it!

[Baloo]

Here's some good picks:

Saturn:

Metal Slug
X-men Vs. Street Fighter
Marvel Super Heroes Vs. Street Fighter
Christmas NiGHTS

Genesis:

Alien Soldier
Panorama Cotton

Dreamcast:

Segagaga

[Richter Belmount]

Choanki , any of them

[sn0zc0r3]

These are all great. Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I've got some of the choanki games on the list already, no worries.\\^_^/

I'd rather get the us version of christmas nights honestly. Panorama Cotton and Segagaga are on the list now as well. Thanks!

Those shooters sound pretty awesome. Those are now added to the list.

[Iron Draggon]

Saturn:

Psychic Assassin Toramoru
Hissatsu
Elevator Action Returns
AD&D Collection

all will cost you triple digits, but without any import fees they'll be alot less

[Kid Fenris]

I collect imports,mainly shooters. For the PCE I would reccomend you look for Sylphia.Its a shooter that fetches $250.00+ here in the states...Also: gate of thunder....rayxanber 3......spriggan....

The first Spriggan should be at the top of your list if you're really into shooters, specifically the MUSHA/Aleste kind. It's probably the best on the system.

Other suggestions:

Pricey but good:
Panzer Bandit (PSX, Guardian Heroes clone)

$20-range stuff:
Internal Section (PSX, Tempest-style musical shooter)
Brave Prove (PSX, decent Zelda clone)
Gunners Heaven (PSX, halfway enjoyable Gunstar Heroes clone)
Cyberbots (Saturn, often overlooked Capcom mech fighter)

Under $10 and fun:
Battle Tycoon (Super Famicom, fighting game with an RPG-style quest mode)
Sakura Taisen Hanagumi Columns (Saturn, it's Puzzle Fighter with Columns)

[sylvestor]

I also have Taramoru. Good game but at $300.00-$400.00..mostly a collectable.It is the rarest game on the saturn.

[smork]

Saturn:

Elevator Action Returns
AD&D Collection

all will cost you triple digits, but without any import fees they'll be alot less

AD&D is usually under $100 in Akihabara, and Elevator Action Returns is usually well under $50 in Akihabara. I think I paid $30 for mine, complete. Both highly recommended.

[The 1 2 P]

What kind of games do you like?

[Breetai]

You'll probably have a touch time finding a Turbo Duo for much less than 15,000yen in the shops you're most likely to hit up. It's possible you'd find it for less, but expect to pay about that for a Duo (with all the hook-ups and a controller). Maybe a bit more if you want it complete in box. Expect a similar price for a PSX, if not higher.

Make sure to check out the "junk" bins in stores before you drop big money on games if you're not concerned how pristine they are. I found a very good copy of Dracula X for about 4000yen. The disc has no scratches, the case is in excellent condition, and the manual only has a couple of small creases where the tabs are on the inside of the CD case. Almost perfect.

[Baloo]

Oh, one more game.

Sega CD - Snatcher

I have a feeling that they're dirt cheap there due to Snatcher being on like 3 other systems in Japan, like the MSX.

[Breetai]

Oh, one more game.

Sega CD - Snatcher

I have a feeling that they're dirt cheap there due to Snatcher being on like 3 other systems in Japan, like the MSX.It is cheap. I got my PCE version for under $1... but really, what's the point other than collection purposes? Unless you're pretty fluent in Japanese, it's unplayable. The Sega CD isn't even region free. He'd also need to pick up a Mega CD/Mega Drive combo.

[Baloo]

It is cheap. I got my PCE version for under $1... but really, what's the point other than collection purposes? Unless you're pretty fluent in Japanese, it's unplayable. The Sega CD isn't even region free. He'd also need to pick up a Mega CD/Mega Drive combo.

True, I forgot about how you can't region unlock the Sega CD. And for some reason I was thinking the game was in English for Sega CD like some of the import Saturn games are. Scratch what I just said then.

[sn0zc0r3]

Saturn:

Psychic Assassin Toramoru
Hissatsu
Elevator Action Returns
AD&D Collection

all will cost you triple digits, but without any import fees they'll be alot less

Toramoru is definitely on the list. Many of the games on my list are dependent on if my bonus comes through before I head out to Japan. If it does, I'll have a couple grand to throw around.

AD&D would be wonderful to have. A game store near my place had a copy but wanted ~$130 for it.

I'll have to look into Elevator Action. I always enjoyed the old ones in arcades and what not.

Hissatsu looks interesting. I'll have to see how much it is before I make a determination. Thanks for the suggestion though!


The first Spriggan should be at the top of your list if you're really into shooters, specifically the MUSHA/Aleste kind. It's probably the best on the system.

Other suggestions:

Pricey but good:
Panzer Bandit (PSX, Guardian Heroes clone)

$20-range stuff:
Internal Section (PSX, Tempest-style musical shooter)
Brave Prove (PSX, decent Zelda clone)
Gunners Heaven (PSX, halfway enjoyable Gunstar Heroes clone)
Cyberbots (Saturn, often overlooked Capcom mech fighter)

Under $10 and fun:
Battle Tycoon (Super Famicom, fighting game with an RPG-style quest mode)
Sakura Taisen Hanagumi Columns (Saturn, it's Puzzle Fighter with Columns)

Wow, lots of great stuff. Internal Section is already on the list but all the others (except for the columns clone. I was never a big fan haha) I will definitely look at. Gunstar Heroes is one of my favorite genny games so I'll definitely give gunners heaven a look. Will not knowing japanese hurt me too much for Battle Tycoon?


AD&D is usually under $100 in Akihabara, and Elevator Action Returns is usually well under $50 in Akihabara. I think I paid $30 for mine, complete. Both highly recommended.

wow, $30? I'll definitely check that out then if 2 people are talking it up. I should probably mention that 4 of the days that I'm out there will be in Tokyo. The rest will be around Osaka.


What kind of games do you like?

Pretty much everything really. The only games I can't get into are the turn-based strategy games. Too slow for my taste. I'm a game designer though so I try and play as many games as I can.


You'll probably have a touch time finding a Turbo Duo for much less than 15,000yen in the shops you're most likely to hit up. It's possible you'd find it for less, but expect to pay about that for a Duo (with all the hook-ups and a controller). Maybe a bit more if you want it complete in box. Expect a similar price for a PSX, if not higher.

Make sure to check out the "junk" bins in stores before you drop big money on games if you're not concerned how pristine they are. I found a very good copy of Dracula X for about 4000yen. The disc has no scratches, the case is in excellent condition, and the manual only has a couple of small creases where the tabs are on the inside of the CD case. Almost perfect.

As long as the system is under $200, I could deal with that. I figure I could get a nice, used system that has all the hookups and then hit up a bunch of forums and ask if people have any boxes to make it complete. The PSX is a pie-in-the-sky item that I hope I can get for not too much.

I've heard a lot about the "Junk" bins so I'm going to hit those up a lot after I get over the initial awe of the game store. I figure I can always grab certain pieces of a game after the fact if I really need to (i.e. - a better manual, spine card, etc).


Oh, one more game.

Sega CD - Snatcher

I have a feeling that they're dirt cheap there due to Snatcher being on like 3 other systems in Japan, like the MSX.

I LOVE snatcher but I'd rather get the english version so I can play through it (legally this time though haha).

[Kid Fenris]

Will not knowing japanese hurt me too much for Battle Tycoon?

Not really, since getting through the RPG-style mode is really just a matter of earning money from fights and then buying and equipping more expensive gear. Battle Tycoon is actually the sequel to a PC Engine RPG-fighter called Flash Hiders, though Flash Hiders has a more elaborate (and entirely in Japanese) storyline.


Oh, one more game.

Sega CD - Snatcher

I have a feeling that they're dirt cheap there due to Snatcher being on like 3 other systems in Japan, like the MSX.

Was Snatcher even released for the Mega CD in Japan? I was under the impression that it was only brought out for the system in North America and Europe.

[The 1 2 P]

Pretty much everything really. The only games I can't get into are the turn-based strategy games. Too slow for my taste. I'm a game designer though so I try and play as many games as I can.

Then I would recommend the Bust-A-Move(Bust-A-Groove in the US) games(1 and 2) and Incredible Crisis(Tondemo Crisis in Japan), all for the PS1.

[Breetai]

As long as the system is under $200, I could deal with that. I figure I could get a nice, used system that has all the hookups and then hit up a bunch of forums and ask if people have any boxes to make it complete. The PSX is a pie-in-the-sky item that I hope I can get for not too much.You'll definitely find a complete in box Duo for about $200. There's a good chance you'll even find a boxed Duo-R or Duo-RX for $200, although they tend to creep in price just a little bit more than the Duo.


I've heard a lot about the "Junk" bins so I'm going to hit those up a lot after I get over the initial awe of the game store. I figure I can always grab certain pieces of a game after the fact if I really need to (i.e. - a better manual, spine card, etc).A lot of the time, games in the junk bins are perfectly fine. CD games, anyway. Cart games are usually unboxed.[/QUOTE]

[Breetai]

Then I would recommend the Bust-A-Move(Bust-A-Groove in the US) games(1 and 2)...Puzzle Bobble?

[smork]

Toramoru is definitely on the list. Many of the games on my list are dependent on if my bonus comes through before I head out to Japan. If it does, I'll have a couple grand to throw around.

There's this one store right on the main road under the tracks (whose name I can't remember) - they don't have much retro anymore but last time I was in there they had more than one Taromaru (minus spine card) in the $200 range. Might check it out.


wow, $30? I'll definitely check that out then if 2 people are talking it up. I should probably mention that 4 of the days that I'm out there will be in Tokyo. The rest will be around Osaka.

The last few times I've been to Den Den Town in Osaka (last time was in late May) the prices were horrid. The only shop with great prices was A-Too (which is not surprising, I really love A-Too), neither Big Tiger had anything worth mentioning, the nice Sofmap with the retro games was picked through, and the main Super Potato's prices were way more than the one in Tokyo's, and the one in Tokyo is always overpriced.

Just a warning that the pickings aren't as good there as before. There are some really nice places in the burbs of Osaka, though, and I like one of the A-Too shops in Kyoto.


As long as the system is under $200, I could deal with that. I figure I could get a nice, used system that has all the hookups and then hit up a bunch of forums and ask if people have any boxes to make it complete. The PSX is a pie-in-the-sky item that I hope I can get for not too much.

The only way you'll pay more than $200 for a Duo is if you get it in Super Potato (recommended place to browse, but highly unrecommended place to buy due to bad prices), and even then you might only go over $200 if it's a Duo RX. Unboxed and outside of Akihabara you'll easily score one for under $100.

PSX isn't much of a pie-in-the-sky item, you see them used all the time. If you look in the "recent imports" thread you can see the one I got a week or two ago for ~$100 in the Tokyo area. I think they will normally be in the $200-250 range. The best place for that sort of thing is probably the game-oriented Softmap on the main street in Akihabara - they always have lots of systems at fair prices.

[The 1 2 P]

Puzzle Bobble?

No, I'm talking about the dance (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bust_a_Groove) games that arrived on the PS1 before DDR did(atleast in the US).

[Breetai]

There's this one store right on the main road under the tracks (whose name I can't remember) - they don't have much retro anymore but last time I was in there they had more than one Taromaru (minus spine card) in the $200 range. Might check it out.Do you mean Traders 2?


The only way you'll pay more than $200 for a Duo is if you get it in Super Potato (recommended place to browse, but highly unrecommended place to buy due to bad prices), and even then you might only go over $200 if it's a Duo RX. Unboxed and outside of Akihabara you'll easily score one for under $100.I was actually referencing Super Potato prices. :D The reason is because it's about the only place I know of in Tokyo where you're guaranteed to find a Duo. I got my CIB Duo for around $50, but I was lucky. You do not see that every day. At least I don't!


PSX isn't much of a pie-in-the-sky item, you see them used all the time. If you look in the "recent imports" thread you can see the one I got a week or two ago for ~$100 in the Tokyo area. I think they will normally be in the $200-250 range. The best place for that sort of thing is probably the game-oriented Softmap on the main street in Akihabara - they always have lots of systems at fair prices.I agree. I don't see them every time I go to Akiba, but they do pop up fairly regularly. For a comparison: You are guaranteed to find PCE Duos. You have a decent chance of finding a PSX. Budget $200 for each, although it's possible to find either in the $100 range.

[smork]

Do you mean Traders 2?

No, it's that one right under the tracks on the main road, on the station side, in that radio center building. I might go down there tomorrow and if I do I'll look up the name.

[Breetai]

No, it's that one right under the tracks on the main road, on the station side, in that radio center building. I might go down there tomorrow and if I do I'll look up the name.I'm thinking of going there, too. I usually do an Akiba run once or twice a month, and it's usually on Sundays. Maybe I'll run into you (and have no idea who you are when I do)!

To be honest, I have no idea which store you're talking about. Then again, I'm on my fifth or sixth tall can of Sapporo Happoshu and NOT getting pissed off at my wife (again) for thinking of spending way the hell too much money on getting her fingernails detailed, so I'm just rambling. I'm sure I'll figure it all out tomorrow.

In the meantime, I just downloaded Mobile Lightforce and Namco Museum Essentials off PSN on my PS3, so I've got some shoot 'em ups to play before passing out. Awesome!

[Breetai]

Dammit, my wife won't stop playing Pac-Man on that Namco collection! I wanna play Xevious...

[Breetai]

Well, I woke up in decent shape, so I made it to Akihabara today. I didn't buy much; just a 480yen copy of Flicky for the SG-1000. Brings my total number of SG-1000 games to two. :) I still can't find a Mark III controller.

Here's a couple deals I found:

Trader2 has a copy of Dungeons & Dragons on the Saturn for 1860yen (or was it 1680yen?). Really cheap! Unfortunately, it's disc only. Just the two discs. No case, no manual, no 4MB cart. But, if you just want the game, it's there. I'd have grabbed it, but I'm waiting for the price to drop to 800yen. I'm a cheap bastard.

There's a PCE Duo-R with all hook-ups in one of the shops on the main road for just uner 8000yen. They usually run around 20,000yen in Akihabara. The catch is that it's yellowing. If you don't mind trying to get it white again, it's not a bad deal. It's probably the cheapest you'll find in Tokyo without hitting off every Hard-Off you can find in the subburbs.

[mobiusclimber]

I got my regular plain Duo off Ebay for $100, so you should have no problems finding one for that or less. I've heard shmups are big sellers in Japan and most do command high prices, but... it's just what I heard. Anyway, my recs:

Moon Remix RPG (PSX) - rare and pricey title, it's a great RPG and would be awesome to get if you can find it cheap.
serial experiments lain (PSX) - this is the game that the anime was based off of. very expensive.
Any Dreamcast Shmups - Karous, Ikaruga, Radirgy, Under Defeat, etc etc
L.O.L. Lack of Love (Dreamcast) - It's a weird RPG/sim/etc hybrid, fetches good money on auction sites in the US.
Napple Tale (Dreamcast) - another RPG that's a bit pricey but probably worth it if you find it cheaper.
Akumajou Dracula X (PC Engine CD) - This game should be quite a bit less than the $100+ it normally goes for in the states, and it's as awesome as everyone always says it is.
Mother (Famicom), Mother I + II & Mother III (GBA) - I'm a big fan of the first game but not the second one (released as Earthbound in the states). These titles are heavily sought-after and command decent prices here, but are probably not as expensive in Japan.
Violinist no Hameln (Super Famicom) - This game is an excellent platformer, usually goes for around $40~50 on Ebay.
Do-Re-Mi Fantasy (Super Famicom) - Another great platformer in the same price range, hopefully you can find em cheaper.
R Rendering Ranger (Super Famicom) - If you see this game for less than $100, particularly complete, snatch it up.
Fire Emblem 777 Thracia (Super Famicom) - Strat-RPG that sells for big bucks, so if you see one get it. It usually comes with all kinds of extras in a big box.

[Breetai]

I got my regular plain Duo off Ebay for $100, so you should have no problems finding one for that or less.How often do you seem them on Ebay for $100? I'm guessing not often. Similarly, I don't see them that often in Japan (at least around Tokyo) for $100. $150-200 in Tokyo is pretty standard, unless there's something wrong (yellowing, for example). If you venture out into the suburbs, they can be found for $100 or less... but even than that's not common. I can't speak for outside of the Tokyo area (Saitama, Chiba, Kanagawa, Tokyo).


I've heard shmups are big sellers in Japan and most do command high prices, but... it's just what I heard.It's true. When they turn up in the cheaper shops, they go quickly. A tourist isn't likely to have a chance to visit many of those cheaper places, if any at all. There's not much choice but to pay the high prices in places like Akihabara (Tokyo) or Denden Town (Osaka).

Anyway, my recs:


Akumajou Dracula X (PC Engine CD) - This game should be quite a bit less than the $100+ it normally goes for in the states...Why should it be? It's regular price is 6000-10000yen here, which is about $65-110. That's the same range as they sell for online. At least it's cheaper than the $200 it used to go for!


Mother (Famicom), Mother I + II & Mother III (GBA) - I'm a big fan of the first game but not the second one (released as Earthbound in the states). These titles are heavily sought-after and command decent prices here, but are probably not as expensive in Japan.Mother and Mother 2 can be had for next to nothing here. $1-$20 for each; depending where you shop. My boxed Mother 2 was 300yen. Mother 3 is more expensive.

I'm not trying to be a bastard, but at the same time it doesn't help to have someone coming to Japan with unrealistic expectations about prices here.

[smork]

I got my regular plain Duo off Ebay for $100, so you should have no problems finding one for that or less.

Not in Akihabara. Like Breetai said it's pretty easy to get one $100 or less in the burbs or the countryside, but in the city it's virtually impossible.


Moon Remix RPG (PSX) - rare and pricey title, it's a great RPG and would be awesome to get if you can find it cheap.

Unlikely to get it cheap - at least $40 I would say. Cheaper via Y!A, sometimes.


serial experiments lain (PSX) - this is the game that the anime was based off of. very expensive.

Consistently one of the most expensive PSX games - $150ish. Plus it's heavy Japanese-language, right? Doesn't sound like the best option.


Any Dreamcast Shmups - Karous, Ikaruga, Radirgy, Under Defeat, etc etc

Under Defeat costs more now than it did new, just like Border Down. All are easy to find, and Ikaruga seems to be coming down in price a fair amount. Messe Sanoh still has Shikigami no Shiro and Trizeal new, believe it or not. (well, they did a month or two ago)


L.O.L. Lack of Love (Dreamcast) - It's a weird RPG/sim/etc hybrid, fetches good money on auction sites in the US.

Not pricey. Consistently $20-25. Good choice.


Napple Tale (Dreamcast) - another RPG that's a bit pricey but probably worth it if you find it cheaper.

Prolly $50, $40 on a good day. Lovely game, but also very heavy Japanese.


Akumajou Dracula X (PC Engine CD) - This game should be quite a bit less than the $100+ it normally goes for in the states, and it's as awesome as everyone always says it is.

Would life be so nice. If you luck out you might get it for $80, but it's probably just about $100 like the states.


Mother (Famicom), Mother I + II & Mother III (GBA) - I'm a big fan of the first game but not the second one (released as Earthbound in the states). These titles are heavily sought-after and command decent prices here, but are probably not as expensive in Japan.

Famicom versions very cheap, GBA versions typical GBA prices ($30 or so)


R Rendering Ranger (Super Famicom) - If you see this game for less than $100, particularly complete, snatch it up.

Heh, if you see it less than $100 give me a call so I can snatch it. I've never seen it that cheap and rarely see it at all.

...Just my 2 yen.

[sn0zc0r3]

Man, so many awesome recommendations. I so appreciate it guys. I'll give a much more in depth reply to many of these comments later today, buuuutttt....


Heh, if you see it less than $100 give me a call so I can snatch it. I've never seen it that cheap and rarely see it at all.


Friend of mine (the guy who I'm going out to visit in Japan actually) just told me awhile ago that he found this game, loose, for 280 yen.

[mobiusclimber]

The same seller had a bunch of Duos for $100 apiece awhile ago. He might even still be selling them. But I think he stopped offering Seamail on them, so they ended up as $160 shipped or something. This is the regular PC Engine Duo, grey model. There wouldn't even BE any yellowing on it, it's grey! Also it's unboxed. It came w/ two games and a Tennokoe bank.

and I just checked and didn't seem him still offering them.

[smork]

Friend of mine (the guy who I'm going out to visit in Japan actually) just told me awhile ago that he found this game, loose, for 280 yen.

Now that's why we hunt for games! Good stuff.

[sn0zc0r3]

Trader2 has a copy of Dungeons & Dragons on the Saturn for 1860yen (or was it 1680yen?). Really cheap! Unfortunately, it's disc only. Just the two discs. No case, no manual, no 4MB cart. But, if you just want the game, it's there. I'd have grabbed it, but I'm waiting for the price to drop to 800yen. I'm a cheap bastard.

There's a PCE Duo-R with all hook-ups in one of the shops on the main road for just uner 8000yen. They usually run around 20,000yen in Akihabara. The catch is that it's yellowing. If you don't mind trying to get it white again, it's not a bad deal. It's probably the cheapest you'll find in Tokyo without hitting off every Hard-Off you can find in the subburbs.

I'd rather have D&D for saturn as complete as I can, but I could handle not having minor stuff for the right price (which is what that is haha).

The only difference I saw between the normal duo, the R and the RX were case differences and the lack of a headphone port (along with the RX coming with a 6-button pad). Is there a quality of hardware difference between the 3 though? As in, the laser or something wears away faster in the R but the RX stands up over time better?


Moon Remix RPG (PSX) - rare and pricey title, it's a great RPG and would be awesome to get if you can find it cheap. I'll prob shy away from most RPG's, unless the gameplay is really good or they have an english subtitle mode. While I do consider myself some kind of collector, being able to play the game is most important to me. I don't have a lot of games that are purely for show because I'm more of the mindset that games are meant to be played, not stared at on the shelf.


serial experiments lain (PSX) - this is the game that the anime was based off of. very expensive.
Unfortunate that it's expensive, considering I like this anime.


Any Dreamcast Shmups - Karous, Ikaruga, Radirgy, Under Defeat, etc etc
A lot of these are definitely on the list. I love ikaruga and I'd love to have a legit DC copy of it (I already own it on GC, but I have a burned copy for DC).


L.O.L. Lack of Love (Dreamcast) - It's a weird RPG/sim/etc hybrid, fetches good money on auction sites in the US. Can I play through this without knowing japanese?


Napple Tale (Dreamcast) - another RPG that's a bit pricey but probably worth it if you find it cheaper.
Same as above?


Akumajou Dracula X (PC Engine CD) - This game should be quite a bit less than the $100+ it normally goes for in the states, and it's as awesome as everyone always says it is.
I've played a little bit of it and I would LOOOOOOVE to own it. Symphony of the night is one of the best 2D games ever made in my opinion and I would love to play the game that people say is better than SOTN to completion.


Mother (Famicom), Mother I + II & Mother III (GBA) I love the mother series. Already got these. :)


Violinist no Hameln (Super Famicom) - This game is an excellent platformer, usually goes for around $40~50 on Ebay.

Do-Re-Mi Fantasy (Super Famicom) - Another great platformer in the same price range, hopefully you can find em cheaper.
I'll check and see if there are any videos on youtube for these.


Fire Emblem 777 Thracia (Super Famicom) - Strat-RPG that sells for big bucks, so if you see one get it. It usually comes with all kinds of extras in a big box. I'm not the biggest strat-rpg guy (it's the one genre I just can't get into that much). But hell, I'll keep my eye open for the hell of it haha.


Then I would recommend the Bust-A-Move(Bust-A-Groove in the US) games(1 and 2) and Incredible Crisis(Tondemo Crisis in Japan), all for the PS1. Great recommendations, but I already have the NTSC versions of all of these. :cheers:

[smork]

Can I play through this without knowing japanese?

Very much yes on L.O.L., not really on Napple Tale. Some would say yes, I would say it's not much fun at all without Japanese skills.

Do pick up L.O.L., though :)

[sn0zc0r3]

Very much yes on L.O.L., not really on Napple Tale. Some would say yes, I would say it's not much fun at all without Japanese skills.

Do pick up L.O.L., though :)
I watched a quick review for L.O.L on youtube and it looks awesome. Definitely going on the list haha.

[Breetai]

I'd rather have D&D for saturn as complete as I can, but I could handle not having minor stuff for the right price (which is what that is haha).That it is. A complete copy, at least in somewhere like Akihabara/Denden Town, will be in the 7000-8000yen range.


The only difference I saw between the normal duo, the R and the RX were case differences and the lack of a headphone port (along with the RX coming with a 6-button pad). Is there a quality of hardware difference between the 3 though? As in, the laser or something wears away faster in the R but the RX stands up over time better?Apparently something to do with the sound wears out faster on the original Duo, but it's fixable with some skills. My Duo works fine. Other than that and the lack of a headphone jack in the white models, the differences are just cosmetic.


I've played a little bit of it[Rondo of Blood] and I would LOOOOOOVE to own it. Symphony of the night is one of the best 2D games ever made in my opinion and I would love to play the game that people say is better than SOTN to completion. I don't know if it's fair to say it's "better than" SotN. It's different. Rondo of Blood plays more like a sequel to Castlevania III, while SotN is, as you know, all about exploration Metroid-style. I LOVE SotN, but merely like Rondo of Blood very much. Both are awesome, but quite different from each other. Rondo is still a much have, IMO, as is SotN.


I'd say, PC Engine-wise, pick of Rondo of Blood, Gates of Thunder, Winds of Thunder (unless you have a way of getting the US versions cheaply...), any other action Super CD games you can find on the cheap, and a few shooters (Super Star Soldier, R-Type, etc.) and platformers/puzzle games (Bomberman, Doraemon, Son Son II, PC Genjin, Alien Crush, etc.), and you should have a pretty good base.

[JapanesePeso]

As a general rule, the cheaper it is the better it sold. And if it sold well it is probably a decent game. So I recommend finding as many cheap-os as you can. There's always some great rare titles but if you're just looking to pick up some odds and ends, it's a good rule of thumb.

[Breetai]

As a general rule, the cheaper it is the better it sold. And if it sold well it is probably a decent game. So I recommend finding as many cheap-os as you can. There's always some great rare titles but if you're just looking to pick up some odds and ends, it's a good rule of thumb.WTF?

90% of his collection would be baseball, pro wrestling, horse racing and pachinko games if he did that.

edit: You bastard! Now I'm addicted to the videos on your site! They're horribly entertaining. Nice work.

[smork]

As a general rule, the cheaper it is the better it sold. And if it sold well it is probably a decent game. So I recommend finding as many cheap-os as you can. There's always some great rare titles but if you're just looking to pick up some odds and ends, it's a good rule of thumb.

I gotta go with Breetai on this. In fact alot of the more popular good games aren't so cheap - think things related to Mario. Almost nothing sells more than Mario, yet humble ol SMB sells for 1000+ almost always, New SMB is pretty much never below 3000, and every version of Mario Kart goes for at least 1000 (usually quite a bit more).

There are some huge franchises that are super cheap but they are nothing you can't buy in English in your home country super cheap. Cheap import-only games is going to give you tons of Pachislot and Keiba games (though I like many of the super cheap Japan-only sports games, but I am a big golf and baseball fan in general).

[JapanesePeso]

Sorry, I guess I assumed that he wouldn't pick up the cheap-o sports, keiba, and lame games.

Thanks for the compliments. :)

[Ed Oscuro]

These days it feels like my entire collection is expensive games - all good ones. I haven't found anything cheap but good in a while.

If I were going to Japan I'd be getting a bunch of arcade PCBs, although I would ship 'em back the old-fashioned way (not on the plane).

[mobiusclimber]

That's why I'm glad I can find enjoyment in Japanese RPGs even tho I don't totally understand the storyline. Many/most of them are cheap as hell and great fun.

[Gameboy415]

I was going to post a big list of recommended imports but then I realized something....

I'M the friend you're coming to visit! LOL
I'm also the guy who got R2: Rendering Ranger (cart-only) for 280円 8-)

[sn0zc0r3]

So as late as this is, I figure I should post a picture of all of the games I got while I was in Japan.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2752/4024911560_f9b550c02b.jpg

So about 60 games and 3 systems - a japanese ps2, a wonderswan crystal (that I found out was broken and the bastards didn't let me return it) and a Turbo Duo RX that I bought for about $160.

Thanks a TON for all of your suggestions! Going to be busy for quite awhile with all these. :)