Good Famicom ONLY games?

[Drexel923]

With the upcoming release of Messiah's NEX system, I've been thinking about picking up some Famicom games. Problem is, I don't really know much about it, and since the library is so huge (and I can't read Japanese), it makes it hard to find info.

So, I know for sure that I want 2 games already:

Arkanoid 2
Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Grafitti

I'm looking for other english friendly platformers/puzzle/vert shooters/action (basically anything but horizontal shooters) that are Famicom ONLY releases. Also, if possible, could anyone who posts put a general price that the game goes for (maybe with and without box/manual?). Don't want to push my luck and ask for too much ;)

Thanks for any info :)

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I'd be interested to see what's mentioned here too, having just picked up a real live Famicom of my own. :D

[davidbrit2]

Atlantis no Nazo is pretty cool if you like obscure sidescrolling platformers with a SHITLOAD of levels. If anybody can figure out how to get through the final area, let me know. Heh.

[Spartacus]

Vertical Shooters:
Twinbee and Twinbee 3 - I've always like the Twinbee's
Super Xevious - different from the US Xevious
Super Star Force -different from US Star Force
B-Wings - Has a very large and diverse arsenal to equip your ship with and at anytime during the game you can jettison your power up weapon and attach different one's that you run across. I really liked this one alot!
Argus - It's okay
Hector 87 - It's okay
Exed Exes - It's okay

Other Shooters:
Thexder - I liked this game. Square made it and it's a non-scrolling platform shooter. You can transform yourself back and forth from a ship that fires forward, but can fly freely in all directions, into a guy in a suit who walks, jumps and shoots. You'll need to do a little bit of both styles to get through. Good game.

Sky Destroyer - A Psuedo 3D game where you're flying a Zero from a chase plane view over water and shooting the hell out of what ever is in front of you, both in the air and on the sea. Pretty good freedom of movement and when you're hit you catch fire and crash into the sea. I liked it.

Star Luster - Another psuedo 3D game where you're flying a space ship from the cockpit view and basicly flying all over the place trying to shoot down everything you see. You'll have a small radar scope for guidance and an energy and shield meter. It's OK.

Exerion - Kinda of a mix of space invader/galaxian with waves of enemies, except that you can freely fly your ship any where you please on the screen, which appears to be scrolling upwards, including around and behind the attackers. Different.

Konami World - A very good platforming game. There's doors leading to teleporters that let you pick the level you care to try. During the game you can transform yourself back and forth from a dude who punches into a hot looking gal who kicks (literally) butt! Nice looking game and fun.

[Jumpman Jr.]

Holy Diver is pretty good from what I hear. Although from what I hear, its kind of rare. But I've found it locally, so it can't be that rare

[Lemmy Kilmister]

How 'bout Crisis force and Gradius 2. I know Gradius is also for the PC-Engine but it's still an import only title.

[Lord Contaminous]

Atlantis no Nazo is pretty cool if you like obscure sidescrolling platformers with a SHITLOAD of levels. If anybody can figure out how to get through the final area, let me know. Heh.

Watch this.

http://www.super-movies.com/mv/sa-atorantisu.htm

[Leroy]

I have an NES version of Exerion from Hong Kong.

Goonies 1 all the way, all in English and rocks.

Dig Dug 1.. not released in the US.

Tower of Druaga.. if you like my avatar. I seem to be the only American who likes this game. Also all in English. It's a clunky old arcade adventure game. See Namco Museum 3.

Bird Week.. awesome game. AWESOME.

More to come..

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I love the original Tower Of Druaga. Might have to seek that one out then!

Also - I love, love, love the arcade version of Exed Exes, so that and this so-called "Super Xevious" just jumped to the top of my list. :D

[Doonzmore]

Are the Lupin games any good?

[Leroy]

I love the original Tower Of Druaga. Might have to seek that one out then!
Sweet. I bought a Famicom ToD and stuck it in an NES case with converter. My girlfriend drew up some custom label art for it. Ah, I love that game. There's even a second quest on it.. I used to have a translation of the treasure solutions but I can't find it at the moment.

[Drexel923]

Does anyone know how the Famicom version of Mappy is? (not Mappy Land).

[Drexel923]

Does anyone know how the Famicom version of Mappy is? (not Mappy Land).

[Kroogah]

It's pretty accurate, like most Namco ports to the Fami.

Samurai Pizza Cats/Kyatto Ninden Teyandei is a REALLY GOOD action platformer game.

Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa, good Konami platformer, though you'll probably have to get a pirate cart (I think this game was disk only otherwise)

And then there's Kunio.
Nekketsu! Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroes
Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigekidayo
Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu
I absolutely love all 3 of those.

Capcom also did great ports of SonSon and Pirate Ship Higemaru.

[Kroogah]

It's pretty accurate, like most Namco ports to the Fami.

Samurai Pizza Cats/Kyatto Ninden Teyandei is a REALLY GOOD action platformer game.

Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa, good Konami platformer, though you'll probably have to get a pirate cart (I think this game was disk only otherwise)

And then there's Kunio.
Nekketsu! Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroes
Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigekidayo
Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu
I absolutely love all 3 of those.

Capcom also did great ports of SonSon and Pirate Ship Higemaru.

[Dire 51]

Tower of Druaga.. if you like my avatar. I seem to be the only American who likes this game. Also all in English. It's a clunky old arcade adventure game. See Namco Museum 3.

I like the arcade game quite a bit, but I much prefer the PC Engine version. It took everything about the arcade and improved it 100%.

[Lord Contaminous]

I gotta say the same for Dragon Spirit.

PC Engine > Famicom

[KJN]

http://gaijin.parodius.com/img/moai03.gif
Moai Kun
Plattform puzzler from Konami starring one of those Easter island heads that always appears in the Gradius games. Fun game, all text in english, read more here (http://gaijin.parodius.com/Moai.htm).

[Dire 51]

Moai Kun is a pretty fun little game. One of these days I'll get around to writing a review of it.

[maxlords]

Best recommendations I can give:

Crisis Force (Konami) AWESOME vert. shooter. Very rare, but SOOOO fun! 2 player simultaneous, your ships can work together with guns too!

Getsuu Fuu Ma Den (sp?)(Konami) - Kick ass platformer that goes right to left....very very good!

Star Wars - (Namco) Jp only game based on the original Star Wars movie!

Konami Wai Wai World - Platformer where you rescue Konami characters from some sort of traps and then get to play them. Very cool but hard to find!

Konami Wai Wai World 2 - Similar but IMO, better than the first one.

Yumi Penguin Monogatari - possibly my favorite Famicom game so far....you play a FAT ASS penguin who has promised to lose weight for his girlfriend. She'll dump you if you don't lose the chub, but there's some baddies throwing all kinds of food and candy at you and if they get ya, you automatically eat it and get fat again, and it's bye bye girly! Hilarious platformer!

For stuff that was released here, Contra 1 has extra movie sequences in Japan, and Castlevania 3 has a special sound chip to give it better music on the Famicom version. I'd also recommend the infamous Splatterhouse: Wanpaku Graffiti as well....kicks ass!

The Kunio games are also quite good but SPENDY! I liked Holy Diver, but it's friggin HARD! Too hard IMO. It's like Castlevania on steroids....virtually impossible.

For the stuff I haven't played...what is Bird Week? How is Goonies compared to Goonies 2?

[NE146]

This seems to come up every so often (i.e. "best famicom only games") and has been talked about in a couple of other threads in the past.

I sort of dug ArnoldRimmer83's suggestions in this one

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16948

[GarrettCRW]

First, you'll want a Famicom Disk System. Lots of really good titles there with no cartridge version whatsoever.

Some quality titles, FDS or otherwise:

Super Mario Bros. 2-Thought the Super NES "Lost Levels" release was hard? That was for babies compared to the real deal. Evil, evil, evil. And you have to conquer it 8 times to access Worlds A-D.

Devil World-A fun little Pac-Man clone loaded with bibles, crosses, and a blue Satan.

Doki Doki Panic-Worth playing if only to see how much Nintendo changed and added to get our Super Mario 2. Be warned, though, that there appears to be no way to clear saved game data (possibly because Nintendo expected players to take their disks to the local Disk Writer and buy a new game), so you'll miss the alternate/partial endings if you buy a fully cleared disk.

Holy Diver-Very tough, but very good. (Likely not given a US release because religious imagery and themes are more prevalent than in Castlevania.) Certainly a must buy if you like Castlevania, though don't expect to beat it in this lifetime. ;)

Gradius II-Excellent, excellent sequel that required one of Konami's ubiqutous custom mappers. (Most Famicom games use the familiar mappers and Nintendo's standard Famicom case. Konami was a major exception to this rule.) You're pretty much screwed if you die, though.

Other quality titles to look out for are the FDS versions of Ice Climber, Clu Clu Land, Excitebike, and Mario Bros., which all have added content over the US versions. Zelda, Zelda II, Kid Icarus, and Metroid all make nice use of the FDS' FM chip. The Lolo/Eggerland series features different, harder puzzles than the US series. The FC version of Bayou Billy is easier. Kid Niki received a couple of extremely Japanese-styled sequels in Japan. Arkanoid II was bundled, like the US release of the original, with the adjustable paddle controller (just designed for the Famicom's accessory port). Hitler no Fukkatsu (Bionic Commando) is famously loaded with Nazi imagery, but plays exactly like the US version.

[RetroYoungen]

Devil World-A fun little Pac-Man clone loaded with bibles, crosses, and a blue Satan.

I really have to agree with this one. This was one of the main reasons why I bought my clone (yeah, I'm an import n00b13). It's very cool, simple and easy to pick up, with very little text (and what little there is is in English). I wrote a review of it in my blog earlier today, actually.

Twin Bee, definately. Fun fun.

And I don't know about anyone else, but I've had some fun with Teraono Dosuko Dzumou (a sumo game). I don't know exactly what I'm doing in it (I basically started out mashing to see what I could do, then went from there) other than the regular sumo rules, but it's amusing.

[StealthLurker]

First, you'll want a Famicom Disk System. Lots of really good titles there with no cartridge version whatsoever.

Some quality titles, FDS or otherwise:

Super Mario Bros. 2-Thought the Super NES "Lost Levels" release was hard? That was for babies compared to the real deal. Evil, evil, evil. And you have to conquer it 8 times to access Worlds A-D.

Devil World-A fun little Pac-Man clone loaded with bibles, crosses, and a blue Satan.

Doki Doki Panic-Worth playing if only to see how much Nintendo changed and added to get our Super Mario 2. Be warned, though, that there appears to be no way to clear saved game data (possibly because Nintendo expected players to take their disks to the local Disk Writer and buy a new game), so you'll miss the alternate/partial endings if you buy a fully cleared disk.

Holy Diver-Very tough, but very good. (Likely not given a US release because religious imagery and themes are more prevalent than in Castlevania.) Certainly a must buy if you like Castlevania, though don't expect to beat it in this lifetime. ;)

Gradius II-Excellent, excellent sequel that required one of Konami's ubiqutous custom mappers. (Most Famicom games use the familiar mappers and Nintendo's standard Famicom case. Konami was a major exception to this rule.) You're pretty much screwed if you die, though.

Other quality titles to look out for are the FDS versions of Ice Climber, Clu Clu Land, Excitebike, and Mario Bros., which all have added content over the US versions. Zelda, Zelda II, Kid Icarus, and Metroid all make nice use of the FDS' FM chip. The Lolo/Eggerland series features different, harder puzzles than the US series. The FC version of Bayou Billy is easier. Kid Niki received a couple of extremely Japanese-styled sequels in Japan. Arkanoid II was bundled, like the US release of the original, with the adjustable paddle controller (just designed for the Famicom's accessory port). Hitler no Fukkatsu (Bionic Commando) is famously loaded with Nazi imagery, but plays exactly like the US version.


If you're patient you can find those FDS only versions in pirate cart form. I just don't like the idea of a game possibly going bad, worrying about belts, dirty heads, etc... even though I have a disk system, twin, game disks, etc. I just keep them as collector's pieces and don't actually use them to play (maybe just to test). That's all imho of course. :)

.

[delafro]

Cosmic Epsilon is a Space Harrier clone that's certainly worth a look. I believe it has a 3D mode in it as well. Very Cool.

[Immutable]

Ninja Kun & Puyo Puyo are two favorites.

[GarrettCRW]

Cosmic Epsilon is a Space Harrier clone that's certainly worth a look. I believe it has a 3D mode in it as well. Very Cool.

The question, though, is if it uses the fake 3D that both the US and Japanese releases of 3D Worldrunner used, or the full-on 3D System Support that Falsion, Attack Animal Gakuen, and 3D Hot Rally use.

[PC-Famicom64]

Wate untell The Revolution comes out then you can Download all your Favorites .

:)

[ArnoldRimmer83]

Wate untell The Revolution comes out then you can Download all your Favorites .

:)

Except for the fact that Nintendo is probably not likely to allow non Japanese residents to download Famicom games when that system emerges.

[manuel]

"Namida no Soukoban" (涙の倉庫番) (Famicom Disc System) is an excellent title. I'm not sure, but I think it didn't come out in the US.
I'm sure most of you know this game. It's often referred to as "Sokoban" or "Boxxle" (Gameboy) or "Shove It!" (Genesis).
It's quite hard to find even here in Japan, but I still haven't given up hope that I maybe find it at a used game store nearby.

For all you who don't know the game, a short description:
You're in a room with lots of boxes and you have to shove the boxes on marked areas. You can only push the boxes, but not pull them and that is what makes it so difficult.

[Arthur-Otaku]

I recommend boku dracula kun (castlevania jr.) and japanese version of yo noid! (I don't remeber the name)

[Scoots]

i was surprised at how many of the games mentioned here i own. i definitely cosign on these recommendations:

splatterhouse wanpaku graffiti
namco star wars (HARD!)
crisis force
goonies
devil world
tower of druaga
mappy

how about crazy climber! the original came with two snap on joystick things (you use one controller for each arm, turned 90 degrees), but i attached two advantages to a board and play it that way. pretty sweet!

[Kamino]

Bokosuka wars.
Oh wait you wanted GOOD GAMES...
WOW! YOU LOSE!


Also: get gradius 2.

[Lord Contaminous]

Got some up my alley:
Lagrange Point
Higemaru Makaijima
Rockman 2 (no difficulty options. straight up hard mode by default)
Gradius 2
Sweet Home

[Ed Oscuro]

Bokosuka wars.
Oh wait you wanted GOOD GAMES...
WOW! YOU LOSE!
LOL

I've tried playing that game a few times. Are you sure it wasn't an original MSX game?

[Tron 2.0]

Got some up my alley:
Lagrange Point
Higemaru Makaijima
Rockman 2 (no difficulty options. straight up hard mode by default)
Gradius 2
Sweet Home
Bump!

I'm supose to be getting a, Famicom av soon.

Is Sweet Home hard to play useing a walk through?

[dakkonmc]

wai wai world is one of the best Famicom games that never hit US

[PC-Famicom64]

Wate untell The Revolution comes out then you can Download all your Favorites .

:)

Except for the fact that Nintendo is probably not likely to allow non Japanese residents to download Famicom games when that system emerges.Jim Mavrick (a formore staff meber of Nintendo of Europe,And forgive me for spelling his name wrong) said yes you can download imports.

;)

[NickmasterX]

Platformers:
Cocoron
Akumajou Special - Boku Dracula Kun (castlevania parody)
Asmik Kun Land
Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (cool platformer, play a baby!)
Time Zone
Uforia
Splatter House Wanpaku Graffiti (Splatterhouse parody)
Yume Penguin Monogatari (play a weird chubby penguin)
Wai Wai World 2 (has like every konami character)
Naughty Kokkuns Gourmet World (play a chef!)
Mr. Gimmick (This one's actually released in europe so its in english, great game imo)
Holy Diver (like castlevania)

Strategy:
Zoids Mokushiroku (I love this game... its like a strategy rpg but when you attack a unit its a real time shooter, good 2 players)

Beat-em-up
Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu
Downtown Special - Kunio Kun no Jidaigeki Dayo Zenin Shuugou!

Shooter:
Twinbee
Over Horizon
Summer Carnival '92 Recca (this might be hard to find i think)
Gradius 2
Crisis Force

Puzzle:
Puyo Puyo