What are some good japanese SNES games ??
I just found out that the SNES can be converted to play Japanese SNES (Super Famicom) games by snapping off a little tab inside the unit. I have the compact version of the SNES and am hoping this will also work on mine.
What are some good Japanese titles I would want to pick up? Also, can making this "adjustment" to my SNES screw it up or make it unable to play US games?
Thanks!!
Is there a site where it gives step by step instructions for the mod with pictures? As for good super famicom games there is the GO GO Ackman series, Ghost sweeper Misuki(sp?) and some others that i can't remember right now.
Sorry Ryan, but your girlfriend is in another school.
Video games & manga (my manga scanlation group that scanlates video game manga) http://www.north101.net/Chara/vgm/index.html
Re: What are some good japanese SNES games ??
Hmm, good questions! I haven't done this mod, but at worst you should only have a slot that's a bit too big for the SNES carts and the game wiggles around a bit. Remember that you can't play European PAL carts, but I know you're smarter than that.
Lots of stuff out there you've seen over here, but I feel there's something special about owning a box designed the way the game's creators had in mind.
Right now, Super Famicom games are probably at their lowest price; they will go up in value instead of further downwards. $30 grabs you a pretty good title, so here's a few:
1. Shin Megami Tensei
This is the original version of a rather freaky RPG; it's hard to explain because it's centered partly around a demonic computer (or something). A great game.
2. Super Metroid
You know about this one (U.S. and Japanese game ROMs are identical, right down to the Japanese text having to be selected as an option), but you didn't know that the box looked so much better than the U.S. release:
home.attbi.com/~edoscuro/SM_SFC_front.jpg
and
home.attbi.com/~edoscuro/SM_SFC_complete.jpg
3. Contra Spirits (Contra 3 Japanese)
The heroes look slightly elvish, but neat box art here.
4. Zelda no Densetsu
(I think that's right; Zelda 2 was NOT Zelda no Densetsu. 3 Probably had some subtitle or other). Well, it's Zelda, and I haven't bought a copy yet. Get it if you can find it.
5. Demon's Blazon
Demon's Crest by another name. Wow, this title is GREAT.
6. (Sexy, I think?) Parodius
Yep, another game that has Gradius, Twinbee, and some other stuff in there, all flying in humor filled 2D levels. Can't miss this one (so far, I have, though).
7. Akumajo Dracula XX
Not a terribly well loved title (compares unfavorably at times to its CD-ROM based counterpart from 1993,) and the box art is certainly different (this is Castlevania: Dracula X for the Super Nintendo, from Japan) but a few little things make this a superior title to the U.S version.
8. Fire Emblem games (Trakia 776 etc)
Getting rare these are...released quite late; the last game on the SNES was released in 1999 (Yes, not a typo). Four years later, you can't find them anymore. They're all in Japanese text, but if you manage to play them, you've picked a good title. Fire Emblem 3 stayed on Famitsu's (that's a very well respected Japanese gaming magazine, very tough in its ratings) top games list for longer than any (SNES at least) Final Fantasy game had. Wow.
There is certainly more, but that's all for now. Have fun looking! Always feel free to ask me about something or other you've found out there on the internet.
Just look for two little gray plastic tabs (NOT the eject tabs *looks ruefully at his original SNES*) near the back bottom of the cart slot. They need to be removed to allow SFC games in.
OP: Try finding a game Umihara Kawase. It's like Bionic Commando with a little girl, fish-based enemies, and much more realistic physics.
And, hopefully, better levels.Originally Posted by BenT
*dodges thrown objects*
And ("Ressurection of Hitler) less Nazi (Nazz...) references.
Sounds like fun, though.
Well, I agree about hte Go Go Ackman series (Go Go Ackman 1, 2, and 3). Those are very playable and fun. I also recommend highly:
Der Langrisser (heavy japanese, but the battles are easy to master if you've played Warsong for Genesis. If not...tough going
Front Mission - All the menus are in English...but the story isn't! Great strategy game however, and easy to play when you can read the menus!
Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie - One of the best (and hardest) side scrolliung shmups for the SFC. Runs at least $50+ usually though.
Sonic Wings - Good solid shmup for SFC, fairly cheap, but not super easy to get either.
Fire Emblems (1-3, Thracia 776) Great strategy games...mostly intuitive gameplay, but once again, heavy japanese
Zenki - Great platform/action game!
Those are some of my favorites off the top of my head....I'm sure there are a lot more out there i just haven't tried yet
However, I DON'T agree about the following ones. I don't see the point in importing these unless you REALLY want an import collection. I typically only import stuff that didn't come to the US myself, or that has major differences taht don't require heavy japanese reading.
Shin Megami Tensei - very heavy japanese, hard to play
Akujamo Dracula XX - Lousy ass game, and cheaper to get the US one, Castlevania: Dracula X. Best avoid it totally and get the Duo one, Dracula X: Rondo of the Blood if you really want it.
Super Metroid - Why not get the cheaper US one?
Contra Spirits - Same as Super Metroid..jsut buy the US one, unless you want the subtle Contra variances.
Demon's Blazon - Buy the US one...cheaper and easier to read the manual!
Zelda no Densetsu - I don't know if that's Link to the Past, but if it is, get the US one inestead
scooterb: "I once shot a man in Catan, just to watch him die."
well, I found a review about this game called Jaki Crush. Supposed to be like Devil's Crush but with better graphics and Mode 7 effects. I might pick that up.
Maxlords is right about the details of all the games (Zelda 3 is LttP, yes, and it doesn't have as nice a splash screen) but he's rather dismissive of something I call "Style." Zelda 3 has a box cover quite reminiscent of the original Famicom Disk System packaging; both feature Link in different poses with sword drawn. Yes, the U.S. packaging is great; but I'd at least check it out just to see. Worth a buy? That's up to the hardcore Zelda fan. Actually, this is probably the weakest buy on this list if you're worried about your wallet.
The U.S. Super Metroid game is cheaper, but it lacks the plastic items card, and probably has a weaker composition to the manual (but it can't be THAT bad). Check my complete picture again.
SMT is...freaky. If you enjoyed Sweet Home, you'll enjoy that one. That's that. The game looks like Dragon Quest games (or the PC D&D games like Pool of Radiance or Eye of the Beholder) in moving about, just done like Atlus would in 1991.
Demon's Crest US version, yes, BUY IT! It's cheap, and you can't lose there. I haven't seen a very good picture of the box, but it looks good. Great, probably better than the Choh, er excuse me "Japanese Super Ghouls n' Ghosts" box.
Akumajo Dracula XX...meh. Do emu it first, see what you think. I forget these things because I'm a Akumajo Dracula fan.. ;0
Good picks these, though; I'm just not as good a follower of sidescrolling aircraft shooters.
Heh. Fair enough. Usually I go for functionality over style. I like to be able to read my manuals and games, but on the other hand, I occasionally import platform or shooter games because the box art is SO much better in Japan, and they occasionally are a bit different (Contra Spirits, etc).
Didn't know about the plastic item card and such. Good info!The U.S. Super Metroid game is cheaper, but it lacks the plastic items card, and probably has a weaker composition to the manual (but it can't be THAT bad). Check my complete picture again.
Yeah....the Shin Megami Tensei series kicks all kinds of ass. Unfortunately, out of the MANY installments, only 3 have made it stateside so far: Persona (PSX), Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSX), and Revelations: Demon Slayer (GBC). There are two side stories for SFC as well, and a host of others (Persona: Innocent Sin, Soul Hackers, Soul Hackers 2, Devil Summoner, and many more). The Shin Megami Tensei series is HUGE in Japan...too bad no one translates most of the games in it. If you CAN read Japanese, I highly recommend them, otherwise, just get the 3 US releases and dream a lotSMT is...freaky. If you enjoyed Sweet Home, you'll enjoy that one. That's that. The game looks like Dragon Quest games (or the PC D&D games like Pool of Radiance or Eye of the Beholder) in moving about, just done like Atlus would in 1991.
He he. Ok, you're a bit biased. But still, I think they butchered it from the PC Engine version myself. I had the US version of Drac X, and I played it and everything about it felt watered down compared to the PCE version. The graphics were of course not as good, but the control was also lacking in comparison, and the extras (great music, some of the hidden paths, the save function) were missing. If you're an AD fan, by all means, snap it up, but for the average fan, I don't think it's one that they'd be all over, especially if they have the means to get the PCE version. However, if you do NOT have a Duo, I would recommend either it or it's US counterpart, whichever you can afford.Akumajo Dracula XX...meh. Do emu it first, see what you think. I forget these things because I'm a Akumajo Dracula fan.. ;0
scooterb: "I once shot a man in Catan, just to watch him die."
See, some of us (are they "us?") collect every game for a system, which isn't exactly what I call a functional gaming habit. Heh, $13K for a PAL copy of Kizuna Encounter, right?
Others are after this for some nice additions to their shelf (myself) and actually would rather emulate the things legally. Yes, my eyes don't like the TV so much.
I myself know a lot about a very few games, and only a little about most. I actually am after most of the really legendary stuff since you're looking at familiar names. The not-imported stuff is more hit-and-miss, but every once in a while you find a game like Getsufuu Maden or Dodonpachi.
What's the deal with Dracula XX? I myself am a big fan of the end credits in DXX, (Richter's ending/Maria's Samba are alright but pretty cheesy, after listening to each about 30 times in a CD player) but your average gamer has about as much chance of getting there as a drunk squirrel does of running up the side of the Empire State Building. The graphics are actually quite colorful, and there's a bit of superior SNES stuff in there every once in a while. My big point, though, is that they've got too much of what I call "musical sparkles and...stuff" (my superior knowledge of musical terminology is showing) instead of solid, clean sounding tunes. Dracula XX/DX SNES does have some pretty nasty cutoff of notes at times (the Game Over music, for example) but it's working from a pretty nice sample set quite well. The secret level, 5' is one of the best levels in the entire Castlevania series, though the Ghost Ship from the "real thing" is prettier. The rather nasty rising water run from Bloodlines has been improved; the water ghosts now actually fit in the environment (why were they in the clock tower of Rondo?) along with what I feel is a pretty underrated BGM.
The Bloodlines motif in level design did not go unnoticed by myself, and they're actually improved on. There's a spot in the game where you can go in a loop, circling through the same few rooms without end (and one holds a pork chop). The lack of a clock in this game allows the compulsive point gathering type ample time to sit and zap zombies to their heart's content, or take advantage of the aforementioned loop.
I used to go to Japan yearly so I'd pick up games from there all the time.. But what I used to do was actually ROUTE a slot into my cartridges so they'd snap in.. Hey, this was a couple years ago right.. I didn't give a shit then :P
By the way, I remember picking up Super Metroid there as well.. they were practically clearing them out! The game was JUST RELEASED but no one was buying them! So they were going for the sale price of 900 yen which came out to about 9 bucks. Funny eh.
Ummm.... 9000 yen is about $77 US. I think maybe you meant 900 yen, which is $8 US. Either that, or you got TAKEN!
scooterb: "I once shot a man in Catan, just to watch him die."
This mod works, and I have had no trouble with my US carts either, so go for it. Only Import I have is Seiken Denetsu 3, think I spelt it right ..... Its Secret of Mana 2 anyway.
Well, not getting any help from the actual game box, but in 1993 (I had to hunt around a bit to find this out BTW) a certain Sharp x68000 game cost 9,800 yen new:
http://home.attbi.com/~edoscuro/adrax68K_back_med.jpg
(sorry about that horrible picture, have to take a better one someday, especially since I've got a perfect copy now)
9000 yen seems about right.
Back in 1986, a Famicom Disk System hand case cost 250 yen (mine has the sticker on the unopened outer wrapping, so I can verify this) and a Famicom disk game would cost maybe 3000. Disk System games were cheap and intentionally so. That was 8 years before the time of Super Metroid, though.
Nah he's right. I meant 900 yen. (post has been edited)
Wow, that's really bad...I mean, it's Super Metroid, best game whose title is an obvious reference to S&M...hell, best game ever...and it's going for 1/10 the suggested retail price. Was that for a used cart, and when did you get it?
No it was brand spanking new! And this was when Super Metroid was released because I was just reading the hype in the U.S about the release, then went on that trip and saw it, thought "i've been wanting that, but I'll wait until I get home and get the U.S. version" since if there's an english version of a game, I generally prefer that, but then I thought about the price and it dawned on me.. "wow! that's cheap!". So I got it. It was just around 1994 and was definitely not out in the stores for more than 1 or 2 months...Wow, that's really bad...I mean, it's Super Metroid, best game whose title is an obvious reference to S&M...hell, best game ever...and it's going for 1/10 the suggested retail price. Was that for a used cart, and when did you get it?Nah he's right. I meant 900 yen. (post has been edited)
Luckily the Japanese version also gave you the option of English so I lucked out
Yeah...you really lucked out. You not only got a game nobody back home could claim to have, but you picked up one of those rare titles in Nintendo history that have identical ROM sets for both Japan and the U.S. There aren't Japanese and English ROMs of Super Metroid, you might have noticed that; and if you've ever looked at the ROM data through a tile viewer you'll notice Japanese characters in there. Mod your SNES and you're all set, eh?
I laugh when I see people who value their sealed copies of the Japanese SM with their lives; I knew it was common but not THAT common. I'll have to look around some more...
Alternately, instead of breaking off the tabs inside the SNES, you can break off the tabs on an SNES game genie. It works... it's what I use.
My favorite imports... Mario & Wario (you need an SNES mouse) and Super Bomberman 3, 4, and 5.
secret of mana series
Chrono trigger
Secret of evermore
Super bonk 1 and 2
Final fantasy series
Actraiser 1 and 2
Super metroid
Super mario world
Super mario world 3: Yoshi's Island
Super bomberman series
The legend of Zelda: the link to the past
Super adventure Island series
Dragon ball z series
Star fox
Super Street fighter 2 Turbo
Street fighter 2 championship edition
Street fighter
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