Tag: Japan - Page 52
News Latest Mana Game Rises To The Challenge
Now we're hoping for a 3DS port
Launched just a few hours ago in Japan on iOS (due on Android later in the year), Rise of Mana is the most recent title in Square's long running RPG series, perhaps most fondly remembered by Western gamers for the first SNES entry Secret of Mana. In keeping with some of the more iconic Mana games, Rise of Mana is an...
News Harvest Moon: Connect To A New World Dominates for 3DS in Japan
Hardware sales for the region aren't pretty as PS4 drops
The latest Media Create Japanese chart results are in, and they have some interesting numbers to consider. Software sees the latest Harvest Moon title enjoy an impressive début, while a substantial drop in the PS4 system's sales — which some reports suggest is due to stock shortages — is...
News Hamatora: Look At Smoking World Announced For 3DS
"Shared World" concept tying together multiple mediums into one setting
Shuuhou Imai, best known for his work on the Tokyo Majin Gakuen series that's been on everything from the original Playstation to the Nintendo DS, has just released some details on a new title — Hamatora: Look At Smoking World — for 3DS through his blog. The game is set...
Feature Games That Almost Were - A Look At Cancelled N64 Titles
Everything not saved will be lost
The end of the millennium was a turbulent time for Nintendo – the N64 hadn’t quite turned out to be the SNES Mk.II success it’d hoped the hardware would be, the 64DD add-on got off to a cautious launch in Japan and in 2001 both the N64 and the Game Boy Color would be completely replaced with younger and more...
News Japanese Prime Minister Says the Country's Economy "Can Learn From" Nintendo
Keeping the faith
Nintendo's stock market value and current financial results may be a long way short of the recent glory days of the Wii and DS era, yet despite that drop in fortunes the company still has substantial cash reserves and is emphasizing plans to evolve its business and return to significant success. The 3DS continues to perform —...
News Swoon! Style Savvy: Trendsetters Is Getting "Dream Boyfriend" Mode In Japan
OMG!
Style Savvy: Trendsetters is a game which is unashamedly aimed at female players, and in Japan it's getting an update that is sure to get pulses racing. On April 17th, a new edition will be released which contains a raft of new features, the most interesting of which has to be the "Dream Boyfriend" mode. In this new mode, you'll be able to...
Matters Of Import Wonder Project J2 Brings Masterful 2D To The N64
Making cute robots girls cry
The N64 never did get much 2D love when it was around, but games like Wonder Project J2 — as well as Treasure’s Bangai-O — show that other developers were missing a trick by ignoring the untapped potential of this side of Nintendo’s hardware. First published by Enix in 1996, Josette’s adventures on Blueland...
News Steampunk Shooter Steel Empire Hits The Japanese 3DS eShop Later This Month
The 16-bit Sega release is getting a new lease of life
We first told you about the 3DS eShop conversion of the cult Mega Drive / Genesis shooter Steel Empire in August last year, but things have been pretty quiet since then. Thankfully, we can now update you with some more info — the game hits Japan later this month and will retail for 2940 yen...
Weirdness Don't Be Afraid Of This Big, Bad Japanese Monster Hunter 4 Commercial
Here, little piggy
Capcom has already unleashed some pretty unusual commercials to support Monster Hunter 4 (and, by extension, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate) on the 3DS, but this latest one looks set to top them all. The TV spot — which is due to air on March 1st — has been teased by Japanese site
News Wii U Lifetime Sales in Japan Overtake the Xbox 360
Hey, it's a landmark
At the end of 2014 we're hopeful, even optimistic, that we'll be looking at a far brighter scenario for the Wii U. We don't have the facts and figures to start talking comebacks at the time of writing, however, so are restricted to looking ahead and taking the positives that we can. There is one, too. Earlier today we reported...
News PS4 Launch Sales Close to Wii U Equivalents, 3DS Remains Best of the Rest
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze swings past 50,000 sales to date
It's been a big week for the games industry in Japan, with Sony's PS4 arriving in the market. Naturally it's made a splash in both the hardware and software charts, leaving efforts on 3DS, Wii U and other systems up against a new group of launch games. To start with software, as...
Matters of Import Protect Buildings in Radirgy de Gojaru
A single screen shocker
We had a quick look at this title before, but now we’ve had more time with it we can finally give the game the full Matters of Import treatment. It looks like a pretty standard shooter at first glance, but you're tasked this time with protecting an unassuming grey building at the bottom of the screen from harm, instead of...
News Gargoyle's Quest II and Street Fighter 2010 Could Be Heading to the 3DS Virtual Console
Retro-heads Rejoice!
The Virtual Console has been an incredible asset to Nintendo over the years. Not only has it served as a method of playing yesterday’s games today, but it’s also come in handy when bridging the gap between retail releases. One of its downsides of course is that with every new console’s release, the back catalogue of games...
News Nintendo Releasing a Wii Sports Club Wii U Hardware Bundle in Japan
A reverse from Wii Sports not being bundled with Wii in the region
With Wii U hardware sales in Japan once again down to four-figure numbers in the weekly charts, Nintendo's preparing a fresh bundle to attract the region's consumers. This time around the offering, pictured above, will include the three Wii Sports Club eShop titles released so far,...
Video Import Only 3DS Blaster Radirgy De Gojaru Shakes Up The Shmup
Hand-cramping action ahoy!
We had a poke around Japan-only 3DS eShop shooter Radirgy De Gojaru's official website last week, but now the game's been released in The Land of the Rising Sun we've been able to spend some time with it ourselves. The first thing that strikes you is that while it looks like a shmup it's actually more of a tower defence...
News The Harvest Goddess Appears In Harvest Moon: Connect To A New World
Not a moment too soon
We've looked at the upcoming 3DS Harvest Moon a few times before, so it's with some relief that just three days before the game launches in Japan the Harvest Goddess has shown her face, alongside two more new neighbours that will no doubt make life on your farm much more interesting than it would be otherwise. The Goddess...
News New Characters, Monsters And Modes Join Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
Faces old, new and import-only are now part of the crew
We've already looked at the demo before, but now Square Enix have released some new information about Curtain Call's new versus mode as well as artwork for Makina and Rem, both from the currently Japan-only Final Fantasy Type-0. Versus mode can be played against either a friend or against...
News Bravely Default Producer Outlines a Continued Focus on the Story for Upcoming Sequel
Player choice with battle frequency customisation included again
With Bravely Default now available worldwide, it's naturally no surprise that the sequel is already confirmed for Japan, ensuring a likely scenario that gamers in the West will have to patiently await localisation news as those in the homeland of Square Enix enjoy the follow-up. The...
News Persona Q: Shadow of Labyrinth Soundtrack and 3DS XL Announced
More goodies for Atlus fans
We've looked at Atlus' upcoming dungeon crawler Persona Q a few times before, and once again the publisher has released a pair of videos, this time for the lead characters of Persona 3 and 4. Normally that would be all, but with the Japanese release oh-so-slowly drawing near it's also let slip that customers who get their...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Only Sells Just Over 35,000 Units in Japanese Launch
No notable Wii U hardware boost
The latest Media Create Japanese chart results are in, and while there are positives for the 3DS there's little cheer for Wii U. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze arrived in Japan on 13th February and, despite coming in second in the charts, has failed to make a significant impact. Top honours in the software...
Video Hanging Out With Arino In The Japanese GameCenter CX 3 Demo
Short and sweet
Japanese 3DS users are now able to get their hands on a demo of GameCenter CX 3, perhaps better known outside Japan as the latest game in the Retro Game Challenge series. The demo's a short slice of the story mode, with your chosen character (male or female) bumping into a youthful Arino back in a little 80's shop and eventually...
News R-Type, Street Fighter And Alien Crush Are All Flocking To The Japanese 3DS Virtual Console
Retro heavyweights flex their muscles on Nintendo's handheld
If you're a fan of blasting aliens, punching robots and playing demented pinball tables, then next week's Japanese 3DS Virtual Console releases should be right up your street. Irem's iconic 2D shooter R-Type is on the way (the PC Engine version), along with fellow PC Engine title Alien...
News Famicom Remix 1 + 2 Coming to Retail in Japan
A one-two nostalgic combo right in Japan's childhood
NES Remix was a pleasant surprise when suddenly announced for the Wii U eShop, and the appearance of its slightly more mature cousin NES Remix 2 is a good sign that this particular brand of retro carnival play is taking off. It may come to the delight and/or great envy of others, then, that Japan...
News More Forbidden Magna Images Are Released
The innkeeper and his... spirits?!
We briefly mentioned Marvelous AQL's new RPG when the details first surfaced in Famitsu last week, but since then the official Forbidden Magna website's opened up; we can finally share some quality images with you of Lux and three of the spirits he'll encounter — Charlotte, Diana and Beatrice. Each of these...
News Sega's New Shining Game Is Rather Different From What You Might Have Been Expecting
Turn-based action is replaced by 2D fighting
Sega's Shining series is one of gaming's most beloved franchises, but for the past few years western fans haven't been able to join the party, as all of the recent instalments have been strictly Japan only. However, that doesn't mean that we haven't been keeping a keen eye on upcoming entries, largely in...
Matters of Import Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Shows Us How Remakes Should Be Done
A monster masterpiece
Iru and Luca’s (or Tara and Cobi’s, if you prefer) adventure first graced the world with its presence thirteen years ago on the Game Boy Color, had a very brief fling with the PlayStation (Japan only, of course) in 2002, and then lay dormant for over a decade before Square Enix dusted it off and gave it an excellent modern...
Video Two Fan Favourites Are Added To The Persona Q: Shadow of Labyrinth Line-Up
Welcome Aigis and Teddie
Valentine's Day is the perfect time for Atlus to show Persona fans some love, and what better way to do it than share new videos of Aigis and Teddie in action? They're as painfully short as all the others but we can't help but get excited about what's looking to be another excellent 3DS dungeon crawler. If the Japanese...
News Kamen Rider: Battride War II Steers Its Way to Wii U in Japan
Like Power Rangers with bikes
In positive news for Wii U gamers in Japan, and a reminder that some third-party projects in the region are supporting the platform, it's emerged that Kamen Rider: Battride War II is coming to the system; the predecessor to this game was a PS3 exclusive brawler / bike-action game and enjoyed reasonable chart success...
News Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Finally Hitting the Track in Japan
"You're too--uh... what was it, again...?"
Most often, a cool game gets released in Japan and the rest of the world languishes, wondering when it will ever hit their corner of the planet — if it even will in the first place. However, now and then Japan is the last to receive a title, and that is most definitely the case with Sonic & All-Stars...
News Details of Forbidden Magna Emerge, a New 3DS Title From Marvelous AQL
The Rune Factory team try something different
Just recently there was a tantalising reveal of a new Marvelous AQL 3DS title called Forbidden Magna; some additional details have now come to light, thanks to a kind soul with a copy of Famitsu and a bit of patience. The game will apparently mostly closely resemble the 3DS Harvest Moon titles, using a...
News Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Storms to the Top of the Japanese Charts
3DS XL (LL) sales enjoy a boost
Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca’s Wonderful Mysterious Keys has enjoyed its début in the Japanese charts, with its success also bringing a boost to the 3DS; as for Wii U, there's not much to bring cheers. This week's Media Create results are dominated by two newcomers on the 3DS, with the DQ remake storming...
News Radirgy De Gojaru Website Shows Off The Firepower Behind The 3DS eShop Exclusive Blaster
Only one week to go before release
Late last year we covered the announcement of Radirgy De Gojaru, a Japanese eShop exclusive shmup which serves as a sequel to the Dreamcast blaster Radirgy. We've now got a bit more information to share with you before the game launches on the 19th of February, courtesy of the game’s incredibly orange official...
News Now There's a Kirby You Can Wear
You won't look ridiculous either
Gaming fashion is sadly all-too-often nothing more than a current-gen logo or character ripped from some art you've already seen plastered everywhere, and then printed on a "one size fits all" (allegedly) black t-shirt, or an ironed-on bit of pixel art slapped roughly in the middle of the chest area if you're after...
News 3DS Sales Tracking Ahead of Game Boy Advance In Japan
Unsurprisingly lagging behind DS sales figures
The 3DS has demonstrated its solid market performance yet again, with the latest Japanese sales tracking figures from Media Create revealing Nintendo’s beloved handheld is selling faster than the Game Boy Advance. After 154 weeks since the system’s original release in Japan, a total of 15 million...
Feature Monster Hunting with Kerry: Kechawacha – That's A Name, Not A Sneeze
Drinking potions like they're going out of style
With the recent announcement of both Monster Hunter 4G and a confirmed Western release in 2015, the self-titled "Greatest Editors In The World" have stuffed me back in my cupboard, denying me anything not directly related to creating Monster Hunter articles for you lovely people. I've been promised a...
Feature Your Guide Through Dragon Quest Monsters 2
The adventure starts here!
We know there are a lot of Nintendo Life readers who’d love to get their hands on Dragon Quest Monsters 2 but can’t, either because of Nintendo's ongoing region-locking policy or simply due to the language barrier. So we’re hoping to give you the next best thing – a front-row seat on Kerry’s run through the game!...
Video Slime Fighting And Pie Stealing Abound In The First 30 Minutes of Dragon Quest Monsters 2
Half an hour of RPG action awaits you
We've had a look at Square Enix's 3DS remake of the Game Boy Color RPG before, but now the wait is finally over — the title has launched in Japan and gamers lucky enough to be equipped with a Japanese 3DS can at last enjoy this Slime-filled RPG. In case you were wondering, we're lucky enough. We've played the...
Weirdness Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami Got A Copy Of Willow On The NES When He Joined Capcom
That's some incentive
Shinji Mikami may now be working hard on The Evil Within at his new studio Tango Gameworks, but he made his name creating titles for Capcom — most notably Resident Evil. He's been speaking to Famitsu about how he got started in the game industry, and has revealed that he was given a rather unusual gift when his employment...
Matters of Import Bahamut Lagoon Roars Onto The Japanese Wii U eShop
Here be dragons
Due for re-release on the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console service today, Bahamut Lagoon is (another) one of Squaresoft’s lost RPG treasures, a game that eighteen years after its original release still doesn’t officially exist to those of us living outside Japan. The game most closely resembles a strategy RPG, similar to Shining...
News Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy Curtain Call Gets A Japanese Release Date
There's a limited edition 3DS, too!
We've had a look at Curtain Call's demo before, but now Japanese gamers finally have a release date to impatiently wait for, too: the 24th of April, to be precise. The retail version of the game will cost 5800 Yen before tax (£35 / €42 / $57 USD), with the download copy a bit cheaper at 4444 Yen (£27 / €32...
Weirdness This is How Monster Hunter Beasts Spring to Life at Universal Studios Japan
Monstrous monsters on the prowl
We recently reported on Monster Hunter Real 2014, a Monster Hunter-themed extravaganza at the Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, Japan. The exhibit, which is open until 11th May, features Monster Hunter themed food and drink, elaborate models of gear from the game and quests that visitors can go on. One of the...
Interview Rainy Frog Talks About eShop Publishing in Japan
"The Wii U in Japan is more family orientated"
Earlier this year we told you about Rainy Frog, a publisher with ambitions to bring a number of Western download games to the Japanese eShop stores and, in the future, vice versa. Its one of a group of companies that establish offices in Japan — in order to be eligible as publishers in the region —...
News Yamauchi's Heirs Have "Desire To Sell" Shares In Nintendo, Claims Report
Nintendo willing to splash $1.1 billion in buyback deal
It was previously reported that Nintendo was looking to buy back as many as 10 million of its own shares in a buyback deal, and today more details regarding that arrangement have been revealed. Bloomberg is reporting that the heirs of
First Impressions We Shine A Light On Arc System Works Action RPG Swords & Darkness
It's not very bright
You can’t beat a bit of side-scrolling beat ‘em up action as far as we’re concerned, but we’ve been left twiddling our thumbs on 3DS since Code of Princess first hit Nintendo’s handheld in 2012. Arc System Works aim to fill that gap in Japan with the eShop exclusive Swords & Darkness, a moody action RPG set in a...
News Capcom's Monster Hunter Invades Universal Studios Japan
In the hunt
We recently covered the exciting news that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate was heading westward, and 3DS owners around the world rightfully took to the internet to celebrate. Japanese Monster Hunter fans still get all the really cool toys though, like the brand new Monster Hunter Real 2014 exhibition that opens tomorrow at the Universal...
Video Japanese Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Trailer Swings Into View
The Kongs go bananas when they get the cold shoulder
A new Japanese video showcasing footage from the upcoming Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has appeared, and it's chock-full of gameplay bits that may help tide fans over until the game's February launch. The video — which may contain spoilers for players who are trying to avoid seeing too...
News Hardware Sales Drop in Japan as Wii U Falls Into Four Figures
Can January be over now?
When considering important sales months in the calendar year, we suspect that plenty within the game development and publishing industry have January near the bottom of the list. It does bring some new games, such as Kirby: Triple Deluxe in Japan, but it generally represents a notable downturn after the highs of November and...
News Iwata And Miyamoto Both Take Pay Cuts In Response To Nintendo's Poor Financial Results
Iwata halves his salary, Miyamoto takes a 30 percent cut
It has been revealed that Nintendo president Satoru Iwata will be taking a 50 percent pay reduction following Nintendo's recent financial results. He's not the only one taking a cut; legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto will see his wage slashed by 30 percent, as will fellow Nintendo...
News The Tetris Company's Co-Founder Explains How He Brought The RPG Genre to Japan
A tale of fantasy
RPGs are often considered as a foundation block of the Japanese development industry, with the region's studios still producing a high number of these titles on a yearly basis. Whatever systems you own there are likely to be RPG titles available that were developed in Japan — especially if you have a DS or, increasingly, a 3DS...
Matters of Import E.X. Troopers Brings The Heat To 3DS
Capcom however, remains frosty
Capcom’s E.X. Troopers may not be the latest or biggest Japanese 3DS game around, but it’s certainly no less worthy of inclusion here than any other game we’ve previously covered on Matters of Import and — as this and its high-resolution PS3 port are the only E.X. Troopers games so far — it is sadly still the...
