Happy Friday, everyone. Unfortunately there will be no game review this week, but to hold you over, here’s a list of my 10 favorite Japanese import games. Please understand that this list is entirely subjective and not based on any technical facts. One game may technically be better than another, but I’m ranking them on my personal preference. Also, keep watch: one of these will be the subject of my review next week! That being said, let’s begin.
#10: Bird Week (Famicom)
A game where you play as a mother bird flying around, trying to get butterflies for her babies. Charming, isn’t it? This is one of those games where whether or not you like it may depend on your willingness to hold the D-pad at all times and play really difficult games. Being one of those people, I enjoyed this game a lot. It’s got some surprisingly good action, fun challenges, and a lot of emotional depth. Sure, the weapons kind of sucked, but overall I thought this was a fairly solid action game, despite its unconventional premise.
#9: Binary Land (MSX)
A puzzle game where you control two children at the same time and have to make them reach the end of the maze at the same time so they can make love. It’s an original concept and it requires a bit of strategy to succeed, but that’s what makes it addicting. I’m not normally for puzzle games on consoles, but this unique ride was quite entertaining and it really makes you think, which is essential for any puzzle game. This is definitely one worth checking out.
#8: Panel de Pon (Super Famicom)
Panel de Pon is basically the precursor to games like Candy Crush. Similar to Tetris, the objective is to match blocks, although here you have to match colors in a certain order to make them disappear and progress. Released here as Tetris Attack, Panel de Pon is certainly a great puzzle game to be sure, although not quite as addictive as the original Tetris. I recommend trying it out, though; get the SNES version of Tetris Attack if you prefer puzzle games on consoles, or the Game Boy version if you prefer them on the go.
#7: Sweet Home (Family)
The precursor to Resident Evil, this is widely considered the best game on the Famicom and is a prime example of a movie-based game being better than the movie. (Take that, GoldenEye 007!) A great story, terrifying atmosphere, and unique battle mechanics certainly make this a solid JRPG, despite it being my least-favorite genre in gaming. Although it was never officially released outside of the Famicom, there do exist reproduction carts on NES with full English text.
#6: Joy Mech Fight (Famicom)
Easily the best fighting game of the 8-bit era… and it never came out in North America. Seriously, not even a Virtual Console release?! This was an amazing technical achievement for the Famicom. Nintendo’s second outing in the fighting game genre managed to put Joy Mech Fight in a competitive stance against games like Street Fighter II Turbo. Take into account its beautiful visuals, boundary-breaking animation, super responsive controls, and catchy soundtrack, and it’s not surprising that Joy Mech Fight finds itself on many critics’ lists of the best Japan-only games ever made.
#5: Battle City (Famicom)
An often forgotten Namco gem. Why? Because it never came out here in North America. At all. Not even on Virtual Console. It’s basically Combat on steroids. You control a one-man tank and have to destroy other tanks while protecting your base. It is a high-score game, but due to the different levels that don’t repeat, it doesn’t get boring for a long time. Take a break from Pac-Man or Galaga and try out this hidden gem.
#4: Egypt (Famicom)
A puzzle game, and a very unusual one, where you put puzzle pieces together by moving tiles to match them up. This game is extremely hard, especially for those who aren’t puzzle fanatics, but that’s why I love it. It’s a great game to challenge your mind with whenever you need a few minutes to kill time. It may not look good or sound good, but it’s all about gameplay with this type of game. Overall, it’s a great puzzle game that didn’t get as much attention as it truly deserves.
#3: Nuts & Milk (Famicom)
An arcade-style game that ironically never had an arcade release. Addictive side-scrolling gameplay and adorable visuals certainly make this game fantastic. It never got a release in North America, but I can’t really understand why, apart from maybe its questionable title. Judging by the overwhelmingly positive reception Nuts & Milk received over the years, it’s probably fair to say that had it been released here during the Black Box era, it would’ve become an instant classic, up there with games like Excitebike and Duck Hunt.
#2: Super Mario Bros. 2/Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Famicom Disk System)
The sequel to the immensely popular Super Mario Bros. didn’t hold back in terms of difficulty. I love Super Mario Bros. so trying out a beefed up version of it was quite refreshing. Sure, it looks and sounds almost exactly the same as the original, but the new, challenging level variety is what makes it stand out from the crowd. If you still have a Nintendo 3DS, you may appreciate it as an expansion pack to the original, but I’m warning you; play the first one a few times first!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Dezaemon 3D (N64)
Sky Destroyer (Famicom)
Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally (Famicom Disk System)
Ranma ½: Chougi Ranbuhen (Super Famicom)
Densetsu no Stafy (GBA)
#1: Sin and Punishment (N64)
Not only considered to be the best import game on N64, but among the best N64 games, as well as import games as a whole, period. A rail shooter with explosions, guns, and sword combat, and by god, it is lovely. It’s a shame its original US release was cancelled, because it could’ve been an instant classic, appearing on almost every list of best N64 games today. Despite its status as an obscure title, Sin and Punishment is among the finest imports in the world of gaming.