I said this same thing to someone in a post about Project X Zone when he said that he thought a lot of the franchises were most popular in the west than in Japan. Its always weird when people try to say whats popular and whats not in another country. Although I hear that about Sonic a lot, that he's not popular in Japan, he's popular enough, just not as much as say, Zelda and Link, Mario, Luigi, Pokemon, pretty much all RPGs, Layton, Phoenix Wright/Naruhodo Ryuichi, or a lot of other characters. His popularity has gone down everywhere, but I would say that's from the successes of a lot of other games, and the recent failures of his own franchise. Japanese people as a whole still like his older games, just like everyone else.

And yeah, there's 3DS E-shop game list, but I didn't check that. I can tomorrow or sometime this week and put that down here for you. I was much more interested in the VC list.

This list does show the relative lack in popularity of the Game Gear games as a whole. Those two Sonic games were the only Game Gear games on that list.

I actually thought Sonic was still pretty popular in Japan. Even if it's not by much, I'm still a little disheartened to hear he's fallen down the rungs.

Anyways, that list isn't much different from the American list, aside from the Mega Man and other games that didn't make it over here. Still, those games that didn't make it over here - Fire Emblem, Kunio-Kun, and For the Frog The Bell Tolls - I'm actually quite pleased they made it on the list. Not bad.

Ugh. ANOTHER GG GAME in Japan?

Come onnnnnnn SEGA, release Sonic labyrinth and blast in the US already.

Kawaii is one of those words that seems to have really gotten into the vocabulary (whether correctly used or not) of non-Japanese fans of anime/manga/games, etc. (been seeing people saying it all over since I started browsing gaming forums in the early 2000s)

I notice that sometimes too on these types of forums. Its a little startling (and I partially blame Gwen Stefani for people thinking Japanese people just use that word in all sorts of crazy ways, ugh). I mean, people use it to mean cute, but its not overused more than any other word. Its funny but when I first got to Japan during study abroad, it was always the super nerdy anime/manga lovers that didn't do very well in Japanese classes because they misused a lot of words, and a lot of them didn't extend their stay like a lot of us did. Its like once they saw real Japan, their image was shattered or something, since you know, there's not cat-ear girls and robots everywhere. .

I guess Sonic is popular enough in Japan for something like this: http://persona.mechafetus.com/ic/sega/sega15_lrg.JPG

Not my pic, it is from someone's blog.

I actually don't think I got that image from anywhere... Also I feel like in Miiverse kinda helps get a more in depth idea, since I'm actually communicating (via pictures and kawaii) and getting likes

umm how do you communicate with kawaii?

@SRArter Yeah those are everywhere. He is the mascot of the company after all. Even if there are no Sonic related games in the game center, his picture will still be on the Sega owned money changers.

Next they get Double Dragon NES (which is pretty much the same as the Game Boy version already available, except in color and supports VS. mode, because for some reason Nintendo only wants to support Download Play in NES games.) and Crystal Warriors for Game Gear, a SRPG (which was released internationally, so maybe the rest of us will see it whatever year Sega decides to continue GG support elsewhere. )

Wow, two Game Gear games in a row. I feel spoiled. So we did get 5 Famicom games, a Game Boy game, and a Game Gear game last month.
We already got what I guess is our Game Gear game for February, hope we also get a Game Boy game as well.

We're also getting Prof. Layton and the Miracle Mask on the 6th, Dragon Quest VII on the 7th, and Luigi's Mansion on March 20th!

Wow, the Game Gear games are pretty much the 3DS VC's equivalent to the Namco arcade games on Wii VC when it comes to NA only getting the inital set.

At least 3D Space Harrier is getting localized.

Its funny, because there's nothing on the Nintendo website that says that that game is part of the "3D Classics" series. Its grouped in with the regular 3DSware games. I think a lot of people (including whoever updates the Wikipedia page) just assume its part of that set, so its been grouped in with those games.

Anyway, other than a few games (Kaeru no tame ni kane ha naru, The Wing of Maduula, Metal Max, Bomberman GB 3, Fire Emblem, the Last Bible games and others that were Japanese exclusives) there's nothing to say that the games that are on the Japanese VC won't go to the west.

There are still a few games like Prince of Persia, Gradius, and Ghosts and Goblins, that we in Japan are waiting for.

We haven't had a Game Boy Color game since October. Hopefully we'll hit a nice rhythm like in the summer/fall where all platforms were being represented in updated sometime soon.

Another GG game in Japan...?

COME ON SEGA, JUST FREAKING RELEASE SONIC LABYRINTH IN NA ALREADY, YOU'RE APPROACHING ALMOST A YEAR OF NO GG VC!

@TheDreamingHawk Hey, you know, I haven't heard very good things from that game. I would request Sonic 2 8-bit... that's a good game. And hey, you know, Nintendo is getting better about releasing more VC games in North America. We are getting Ice Climber this week, Mega Man 2 next week, and other games in the coming weeks like Legend of the River King, Mega Man 3, Revenge of the Gator, and so on. Sonic Labyrinth isn't very good, I would recommend other games over that. Mega Man 2 is voted one of the best NES games and the 6th best game of all time by Nintendo Power, and it's coming out next week. I highly recommend that. If you want something Sonic related, Sonic Triple Trouble is better, as is Sonic Generations 3DS and Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed 3DS on Feburary 12th both physically and digitally on eShop (full game and demo). And one day we will get all the games Japan have now, like Denpa Men 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3.

The main reason he and I would like them to come out is because if they don't we may not get anymore Game Gear games at all since both Sonic Labyrinth and Sonic Blast were scheduled to come out during the 8 bit Summer back in 2012.

The misconception people have is that Sonic labyrinth is a terrible game. It's not, it's not amazing but it's a way to pass the time.

If you want a REALLY terrible game, Sonic spinball on game gear is the game for you. The reason I want Labyrinth badly is it was promised for July 2012. AND IT STILL HAS A COMING SOON PAGE! That's why SOME reviewer needs to get out of their seat and ask them why it's happening instead of ignoring it and killing the Game gear library. We are A MONTH away from a year of 0 NA game gear VC games. This is a severe problem, even in Europe and moreso in australia.

@TheDreamingHawk Very true. SEGA needs to keep their promises.

For VC, Japan's finally getting Ghost and Goblins next week along with a Japan only Famicom game called Ikki.

I think the only game we have that Japan doesn't now is Gradius, not counting the few that weren't released in Japan originally.

For 3DSware, they're getting Crazy Kangaroo and their getting whatever this is http://www.nintendo.co.jp/3ds/eshop/jncj/index.html

Here I am, at your assistance.

Its called Nikaku de Sushi. Its a version of a puzzle game called Nikaku tori. Its a puzzle game where you try to match the sushi tiles on the bottom screen to what is shown on the top screen. I guess you could relate it a bit to bejeweled.

I'm glad we're finally getting Ghosts n' Goblins. I've been waiting for that game.

Wait, they're getting Ikki? The game that single-handedly started the whole kusoge-phenomenon? Good lord.