Games that weren't released in the US, but should have been

[Zionmaster]

I'm not talking about great fighting games, or sequels/prequels as in the case of the Final Fantasy series.

I'm talking about games that had practically no reason not to be released in the states.

Two big examples I can think of are Sonic on the Master System, which while it was released, it was just the PAL version with an extra sticker.

Another, and one of my favorite games, was Mario & Wario. The game is 100% in English. It's an addicting puzzle-platformer type game, and it could have helped sell the Super Nintendo mouse! And yet it never made it beyond the Super-Fami.

Anyways, anyone else know of any games that had no business not being sold here?

[markusman64ds]

A few of the Super Sentai games were never released here as Power Rangers games.



Gekisou Sentai Carranger was never released as a PR Turbo game. Probably due to the fact that the SuFami Turbo was never released here either.



Denji Sentai Megaranger was never released as a PR in Space game.

[Parodius Duh!]

The Firemen for SNES

[kedawa]

Terranigma.

[starsoldier1]

I know a ton of PC Engine games like Out Run, Castlevania X, Gradius, and Fire Pro Wrestling just to name a few.

[treismac]

Konami's The Goonies for the Famicom had no reason for only being available in Playchoice-10 in North America.

Adventure Island 4 is also not excessively Japanesey and thus should have made the trip across the water, too.

So much of the Puyo Puyo (Puyo Pop) series should have came over here even if it meant regionalizing the charm out of the game's characters and story. I know we got Kirby's Avalanche and Dr. Robotnick's Mean Bean Machine, but still...

[mrmark0673]

For the NES:
U-four-ia

Genesis:
Monster World IV

Those two stick out as games that absolutely should have come to the states. Two of the best games on their platforms.

[Aussie2B]

That's a good question, although I'm guessing most people who will respond aren't going to seriously read/think about it and just start listing off every game they wish had come out in the US even though there are plenty of blatant reasons as to why it wouldn't be a wise business move or was otherwise prevented. I think most games fall into that category, as sad as it may be to accept.

But, yeah, Mario & Wario is a good choice. It was incredibly close to being released in the US, and I just don't understand why they scrapped it. I guess they decided to give up on pushing support for the SNES mouse.

Hmmm, as for what I'd pick, that's pretty tough. Japanese games that got released in Europe but not the US are probably a good starting point. If they felt that the game had Western appeal to make Europe worthwhile, then they'd probably do about as well in the US. Konami did that a lot. TwinBee games, Parodius games, Rakuga Kids, etc. Maybe with some of those they thought Europe was bigger on shmups, but what's the excuse for TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventure? A great platformer with charming characters, colorful graphics, and fast, smooth gameplay. The US had loads of SNES platformers, and I'm sure that could've fit in just fine. If anything, it could've helped in the war against Sega and Sonic, back when gamers were obsessed with speed.

[Zionmaster]

I know a ton of PC Engine games like Out Run, Castlevania X, Gradius, and Fire Pro Wrestling just to name a few.

Yeah the Turbografx never really caught on here. Funny they didn't bring all the games over, considering they faithfully reproduced everything else, including those abysmally short controller cords

[davidbrit2]

The Famicom conversion/remake of Maze of Galious. It's like a side-scrolling Zelda, with a little bit of a Goonies II feel (it is from Konami after all). No clue how it didn't make it to North America.

[JSoup]

I remember Tomato Adventure being one of the first GBA games I was looking forward to playing, but it never made it to the states. I wonder if that translation patch project from years ago ever got finished....

[Zionmaster]

I remember Tomato Adventure being one of the first GBA games I was looking forward to playing, but it never made it to the states. I wonder if that translation patch project from years ago ever got finished....

That reminds me, weren't there sequels to Princess Tomato that never got released? And yes, I realize I broke from my original post there.

[FoxNtd]

Bio Miracle was supposed to come to the US but Mr. Lincoln thought he knows best for the entire continent.

Better yet...

罪と罰 (Sin & Punishment) on N64. Fuck you, NoA.

[staxx]

NES
Gradius 2
Summer Carnival
Kid Dracula

Sega Genesis
Golden Axe 3
Zero Wing (USA)

Turbo Grafx
Street Fighter 2 Champion Edition
Dracula X
Dungeon Explorer 2
Spriggan
Hellfire
ok many more games

Super Famicom
Mystical Ninja 2,3,4
Super Robot Wars Series

[Steve W]

The original Xbox game Metal Wolf Panic (is that right?) is pretty much in English, including all the FMV. The company that published it had the choice of bringing that one to the US or some other forgettable mech game, so they went with the latter.

Alien Hominid didn't get released for the Xbox here, although the GameCube and PS2 versions did. That was weird.

[wingzrow]

Pulseman for sega genesis and umihara kawase for snes

Not much to say about them. They're just excellent games.

[Parodius Duh!]

Summer Carnival

Interesting choice....this game is so exclusively Japanese it hurts.

[Duke.Togo]

Crisis Force and Holy Diver spring to mind.

[TimeLady]

I'm seconding both Metal Wolf Chaos and Terranigma here.

Metal Wolf Chaos because it was pretty much completely in English, and it would have been so over the top awesome that it probably would have sold like hotcakes over here.

Terranigma because . . . well, I'm pretty sure a publisher could have been found for it in the USA despite it being released at the end of the SNES's lifespan. And besides, PAL land has/had been screwed for games for Nintendo systems since the NES - why did they get an exclusive like that!? ::cries::

[hellraiser]

I know it was on sega channel but megaman wily wars should have been been made available on cart.