Tag: Japan - Page 54
Weirdness Japanese Gamer Clears Ocarina Of Time Using Only His Feet
Saving Hyrule is by no means an easy feet
Ocarina of Time needs no introduction. It's a title that has been explored through speedrun after speedrun, exploited and researched tirelessly for different ways to complete it, and today it will even be featured on Awesome Games Done Quick's fantastic charity streaming event. This particular playthrough,...
Matters of Import Grappling With Attack On Titan: The Last Wings Of Mankind
Or Shingeki no Kyojin: Jinrui Saigo no Tsubasa, to Japanese players
Considering the intense critical and commercial acclaim Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan has been receiving, the emergence of a game based on the events portrayed in the anime and manga series was more of a question of “when”, rather than “if”. The more surprising news is...
Video Allow Us To Serve Up The First Thirty Minutes Of Puzzle & Dragons Z
Epic adventures await
Join us as we take you through the opening thirty minutes of GungHo’s smash hit Puzzle & Dragons Z, taking in cute white dragons with attitude, an evil group breaking the world into jigsaw-shaped pieces and of course plenty of puzzling too. Still not enough? Then be sure to check out our hands-on preview here. [
News Rainy Frog Launches to Focus on Bringing Western Download Titles to Japan
Kicks off with a re-named version of Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party
Whenever we refer to the continual growth of the eShop platforms here on Nintendo Life, and in particular the continuing rise of download-only and 'Indie' developers, we're specifically referring to territories outside of Japan. At present a game can only be released in Japan if...
News Pokémon X & Y Return to Top of Japanese Charts as 3DS Leads in Hardware
Wii U sales drop to 60,548
Update: Our original Japanese Charts post cited Media Create results from 4Gamer, but these appear to be incorrect. Our apologies for the error, and as an alternative below are the latest results from Famitsu. Earlier this week we found out how Nintendo had performed over the festive period in Japan, with 3DS and Wii U...
Matters of Import Drop Matching And Dragon Evolving In Puzzle & Dragons Z
This 3DS smash proves there is life after microtransactions
Puzzle & Dragons is popular wherever it’s available, but perhaps in its native Japan most of all. GungHo’s cash cow not only has regular tie-ins with big franchises like Monster Hunter, Taiko no Tatsujin and Hunter X Hunter, but has also generated an extensive range of merchandise...
News Pokémon Bank Remains Offline in Japan as Nintendo Apologises for Issues
An economic crash
During the festive break the Nintendo Network encountered issues for over two days, with a number of new system owners combining with Christmas Day Pokémon Bank gamers in Japan to cause major problems. The downtime of the eShop platforms in particular was damaging in such a busy period; yet while the online stores have been back...
News Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson Is Bouncing Towards Japanese 3DS Consoles This August
Best of the breast
It has been revealed in the latest issue of Famitsu that Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson is currently in development for the 3DS and will be hitting Japanese store shelves in August. Like Senran Kagura Burst, the game will be a side-scrolling fighter packed with scantly-clad, large-chested female combatants. Burst developer Tamsoft...
News Level 5 Is Hard At Work On A New Game That Will "Surprise" Us
CEO hoping to move the gaming industry along
Level 5 is a thoughtful company, and not only because it is the developer behind the brain-bending goodness of Professor Layton. The studio is careful and considered in its evaluation of the current gaming industry, and is interested in how ''technology advances'' and is always striving to defy...
News Pokemon X and Y Come Out on Top in Japanese Software Rankings for 2013
Hardware figures for 3DS and Wii U also revealed
Famitsu is reporting that Nintendo didn't just dominate the Japanese Christmas charts, but it almost cleaned up the entire year too, taking nine out of the top ten total sales spots for the year. The only game to break that hold over Japanese gamers was Grand Theft Auto V on Playstation 3, and even...
Matters of Import Welcome To The Terrifying Yet Accessible World Of Monster Hunter 4
Something to get your teeth stuck into
Monster Hunter 4 is the latest and greatest in Capcom’s endlessly popular series of wildlife-bothering games, bringing even more areas to explore and new monsters to turn into breastplates and boots. Thankfully hunters come prepared for these new challenges with two new weapon types and the all-new ability to...
First Impressions 3D After Burner II
GET READY!
Japanese code-shop M2’s range of Sega 3D Classics consistently puts everyone else’s retro remaster efforts in the shade, and the time we've spent with the Japanese version of 3D After Burner II yet again shows that the studio simply cannot be beaten when it comes to getting an arcade-accurate port running smoothly on the relatively...
News Nintendo Dominates Japanese Charts At Christmas
Not bad
Famitsu has released its multi-format sales figures for Japan, covering 23rd to 29th December. The title of this news post has given away who "won", but can you guess by how much? Wii U and 3DS games took eight out of the top ten positions, with the only non-Nintendo game to break it up being the Vita and Playstation 3 releases of Final...
Matters of Import Dessert-Based Adventures With Kaeru No Tame Ni Kane Wa Naru
That Zelda-ish game with the frog guy
Twenty one years ago, Game Boy fans were graced with the wonderful Link’s Awakening, an action-adventure classic that has quite rightfully taken its place in gaming history as one of the greatest games in both the Game Boy’s library and The Legend of Zelda series. But a year before that, Japanese gamers had...
News Genius Sonority Has Something "Challenging" In Store For Fans In 2014
Denpa Men studio working on new software this year
Genius Sonority has revealed in an interview with 4Gamer that it is hard at work on new content for 2014, and that it could prove to be quite a stern test for players. The Japanese company — famous for its Denpa Men series — isn't able to give a name to this new project yet, but president...
Matters Of Import Conflict Is Always On The Cards In Sega's Sangokushi Taisen Ten
Like Magic the Gathering and Dynasty Warriors after a stint in a blender
Sangokushi Taisen is a long-running and popular series in Japanese arcades, its initially strange mix of collectable trading cards and real-time strategy turning out to not only be incredibly good fun but also commercially successful; it has spawning multiple sequels,...
Video Capcom's Local Japanese Commercials For Monster Hunter 4 Are Pretty Funny
Cats, singers and wrestlers all feature
Monster Hunter 4 launched in Japan last year but Capcom is giving the title another promotional push on home soil with a series of commercials which are exclusive to different regions in the country. These ads — which you can view below — range from strange to downright hilarious, and only serve to make...
Matters Of Import Welcome To The Bizarre World Of Namco's Numan Athletics
'80s popstar Gary Numan sadly not involved
Nintendo’s Virtual Console service has been a constant treasure trove of classic gaming for many years now, covering hundreds of titles across some of the greatest systems to ever exist. It’s thrown up more than a few unexpected surprises along the way too – including this Japan-only port of the...
News Sega Looking To Bring More Free-To-Play Titles To The 3DS
Initial D: Perfect Drift Online just the beginning, says Toshihiro Nagoshi
Sega is currently working on Initial D: Perfect Drift Online, a Free-to-Play 3DS title which is scheduled for release in Japan this Winter. Speaking to Famitsu, Toshihiro Nagoshi has revealed that the game is merely the start of a prolonged campaign to see how freemium gaming...
Video Persona Q Website Shows New Footage
Some downloadable goodies for your PC too!
The Persona Q website has been updated with a new trailer showing off a lot of new event scenes in both movie and real-time forms, as well as some brief and irritatingly small screens of actual gameplay. Sharp-eyed readers may also spot a quick cameo from Catherine's Vincent Brooks! The trailer closes with...
News Nintendo Dominates Festive Hardware Charts in Japan
Wii U sales increase to over 100,000 units
The most recent Japanese Media Create game charts were revealed on Christmas Day, and will have certainly brought festive cheer to Nintendo HQ. In the last full shopping week before the big day there were major successes for the company in terms of both hardware and software, with the 3DS dominant and the...
Guide Understanding The Basics Of Japanese For Import Gaming Goodness
Prospective import players: We've got you covered
Buying and playing Japanese imports is one of gaming's little adventures. It can be exciting and rewarding, but it's not without its pitfalls — the most obvious of which is the language barrier. While many import games will feature a small amount of English text, most will be impenetrable to those...
Video Bravely Second Teaser Trailer Goes Live
An even bigger tease than presents under the Christmas tree
Square Enix has just released a short teaser trailer for Bravely Second, the sequel to the beautiful 3DS RPG Bravely Default. Like all good teaser videos it reveals absolutely nothing and yet somehow still leaves you gasping for more - the video opens with a fantastic shot of Istantahl...
News Dreamcast Shooter Radirgy Is Coming To The 3DS eShop In Japan
Milestone's blaster is due for release in February
Back in 2005, Japanese developer Milestone Inc. released Radirgy for Sega's NAOMI arcade hardware. This vertically scrolling shooter was subsequently ported to the Sega Dreamcast, and later the Nintendo GameCube and Sony PlayStation 2, where it met with mostly positive reviews. The game is now...
News Persona Q: Shadow of Labyrinth Website Launched
Demons and dungeons coming soon!
The Persona Q: Shadow of Labyrinth website opened today, giving us a touch of artwork and info on the upcoming 3DS dungeon crawler as well as a handy place to view the trailer released last month. At the moment there are a few short character bios for members of the Persona 3 and 4 cast, as well as the all-new...
Video Unlock This Footage Of Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru and Luca's Wonderful Mysterious Keys
Gotta catch 'em all?
We've reported before on Square Enix's upcoming 3DS remake of the Game Boy Colour Dragon Quest Monsters 2, but now we've got some footage to show, too. As you'd expect, much of the video focuses on showing off the enormous G-sized monsters and giving us a quick peek at small portion of the 800+ beasts in the game, but there are...
News Puzzle & Dragons Z Shifts Almost 80% Of Its Initial Shipment With Half A Million Copies Sold
GungHo is hoping for one million units sold
As we reported yesterday, GungHo's smartphone RPG port Puzzle & Dragons Z has sold more than half a million units in its first week on sale in Japan. That's impressive in anyone's book, but we're now hearing reports that the figure accounts for 78% of the initial shipment — which means that more...
Video Watch The Chickens Come Home To Roost In The New 3DS Harvest Moon
It's going to be moo-velous
Due out in Japan on the 27th of February 2014, Bokujou Monogatari: Tsunagaru Shin Tenchi (roughly: Harvest Moon: Connect to the New World") will be the latest entry in the evergreen farming series and the third outing on 3DS. The theme of the game is "connectedness", interacting with other farmers online and via local...
News Sega's Japanese Christmas Present For 3DS Owners Is Puyo Puyo Tsuu
A popping gift
Sega continues to shine with its 3DS retro download offerings, this time it’s the turn of Game Gear puzzle classic Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu, due out on Christmas day in Japan for just 400 Yen. The game — the Mega Drive version of which was also released on the Wii Virtual Console back in 2008 — will include local multiplayer (both...
News Wii U Sales Jump Again as Nintendo Maintains Hardware Dominance in Japan
It's the most wonderful time of the year
After a year of enjoying the triumph of 3DS in Japan while wincing at Wii U sales, it seems both of Nintendo's systems are now showing strong form in Japan. This week's results see another major leap for the Wii U, while the 3DS has an outstanding week along with the highest selling software titles. To start...
News PC Engine And MSX Games Coming To Japanese 3DS And Wii U Virtual Console Services
Retro goodies promised for next week
Nintendo has confirmed that it is expanding both the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console services in Japan to cover additional systems. On the 25th December, PC Genjin (600 Yen) and Parodius (800 Yen) will be hitting the Wii U Virtual Console — titles which originally released on the PC Engine and MSX respectively...
Video Fresh Footage Of 3DS Action RPG Swords & Darkness Emerges From The Shadows
New title from Arc System Works is coming to the 3DS eShop
Arc System Works has released a new trailer for its upcoming 3DS eShop title, Swords & Darkness. A 2D fantasy-themed brawler with RPG elements, the game is set to launch on the Japanese eShop tomorrow. Looking a lot like a Dungeons & Dragons take on River City Ransom, the game will...
Weirdness This Game Combines Hello Kitty With Rhythm Cooking and Arcana Heart
Either awesome, strange or a mix of both?
Quite often games arrive earlier or exclusively in Japan, and those of us elsewhere in the world can only look on with envy or splash the cash on imported systems and games. Occasionally these Japan-only games are intriguing primarily due to the fact that they're peculiar — Hello Kitty & Apron of...
News Shift Into Fifth With These New Screenshots Of Initial D On 3DS
New info as well
Open-road racing, manga-inspired visuals, wage battles – it’s all there according to fresh translations and screenshots for Sega’s free-to-play Initial D Perfect Shift Online. As previously reported, this new title is headed to the 3DS and will allow wannabe delivery drivers to experience the thrill of high speed mountain...
Feature Why I Love Import Gaming
Import gaming addict Kerry Brunskill explains the appeal of overseas gaming
I’ve been fascinated by Japanese games for as long as I can remember, going right the way back to faux-Japanese Amiga games like Leander and Apidya II. There's something appealing about Japanese game design and art which can't quite be matched by western titles, and...
News Cast Your Gaze Over These Rare 3DS Models
Open to Flets Hikari customers, or you can go to China
We often hear of limited edition 3DS hardware models available around the world, though many of the best examples are typically reserved for the Japanese market. That's going to be the case once again, though this time around Chinese gamers did get in there first. The two 3DS XL models pictured...
News Wii U Hardware Sales Take a Significant Leap in Japan
A new Dragon Quest X release certainly helps
The Wii U has enjoyed an upward trend of sales in Japan in the last couple of weeks, a welcome respite from troubling figures and disappointing news. This week gives even more cause for optimisim, as Nintendo's home console achieved the sort of numbers we haven't seen since its launch weeks in late 2012;...
News Sega's Free-To-Play Racer Initial D Perfect Shift Online Is Coming To The 3DS
Based in the hit manga and anime series
The latest issue of Famistu magazine has revealed that Sega is bringing the latest in its long line of Initial D games to the 3DS. Based on the long-running manga series — which has been adapted in both anime and live-action forms — Initial D Perfect Shift Online is a free-to-play offering which...
News Keiji Inafune's KAIO: King Of Pirates Isn't Setting Sail Until 2014
Long-delayed 3DS adventure gets another release date
Remember KAIO: King of Pirates, the 3DS title developed by Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune? The last we heard, the game was looking good for a worldwide launch, but the proposed 2012 release date never materialised and the title has been considered MIA since then. However, according to the
News Nothing Would Make XSEED Happier Than Localising GameCenter CX 3, But It Isn't Happening
Retro-themed sequel could remain Japan-only
US publisher XSEED has ruled out localising the third GameCenter CX title, which means that the game could well remain a Japanese exclusive. The same fate befell GameCenter CX: Arino's Challenge 2, which XSEED passed on due to poor sales of Retro Game Challenge, the English version of the first GameCenter...
News Bravely Default Sequel Confirmed for 3DS in Japan
To be called Bravely Second
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy — shortened to Bravely Default in the West — has been a commercial success for Square Enix in its homeland. That's likely contributed to its localisation (along with support from Nintendo) in its follow-up and improved form that's known as Bravely Default: For The Sequel in Japan. As that...
News Wii U Console Sales Climb in Japan as 3DS XL Maintains Dominance
Positive signs
While sales results in North America and Europe are infrequently shared and occasionally vague, it's easy to keep track of Japanese equivalents with the country's weekly charts. The trend has been largely the same for a long time — the 3DS is dominant. Last week brought a slightly underwhelming début for Super Mario 3D World, and...
News Super Mario 3D World Sells 57% of Its Initial Shipment in Japan
Roughly 175,000 copies shipped at launch
Last week we reported that Super Mario 3D World had sold 99,588 copies in its first week in Japan, making it the lowest debut for a 3D Mario platformer, although this does not take into account eShop download sales. The game came in at number 2 in the Japanese charts behind Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy...
News SEGA Working on Second Round of 3D Classics
May come worldwide if the first set sells well
This week saw the arrival of the first two titles in SEGA's range of 3D re-releases on the 3DS eShop, with 3D Space Harrier and 3D Super Hang-On. There are another six games coming in the next three weeks to give retro SEGA fans — and perhaps those trying them for the first time — a taste of...
News New LovePlus Launching With Limited Edition 3DS Consoles Next Spring
Looks lovely
Konami’s popular dating simulator returns next year with a new entry in the series, along with three limited edition 3DS XL designs. New LovePlus+ will feature new story scenarios and locations to visit, and will also be available in a deluxe package. “The Manaka Deluxe” set of New LovePlus+ includes a copy of the game, a 40...
News Nintendo Launches New Wii U Christmas Advertising In Japan
'Tis the season to be jolly
Although Nintendo's advertising in various regions arguably took a while to ramp up, a fresh campaign in Japan appears to tick all the right boxes. It promotes the fun of Wii U with friends and family, as well as some of the exclusive first-party titles on offer this holiday season. The “Atsumareba” advertising...
News Super Mario 3D World Underwhelms on Japanese Chart Début
Wii U hardware sales increase by just 5,000 units
Last week we reported on the continuing dominance of the 3DS XL in Japan, and the hope that the launch of Super Mario 3D World would provide a notable boost to the Wii U hardware sales; unfortunately, that hasn't quite been the case. To start with software, Media Create's charts show that Mario's...
Video This New Puzzle & Dragons Z Trailer Has A Monstrous Amount Of Detail
3DS outing expands dramatically on the popular mobile game
December will see the Japanese release of Puzzle & Dragons Z, the 3DS port of the insanely successful smartphone puzzle / RPG hybrid. Developer GungHo has released another trailer to crank up interest even further, and it contains more details about the game's massive over-world, the...
Video Check Out This Puyo Puyo Tetris Trailer and Dream of Localisation
We may be lucky, right?
A little while ago we told you about Puyo Puyo Tetris, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's a puzzle mashup that dreams are made of courtesy of SEGA, and arrives on Wii U and 3DS in Japan on 6th February 2014. Sadly there's been no hint of localisation yet, though we certainly hold out hope that, at the very least,...
News Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Announced For 3DS
Coming to Japan in June 2014
Persona, the critically acclaimed RPG series, is finally coming to the 3DS. During a recent event in Japan, Atlus revealed details for Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth. The spin-off is set to feature various characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4, as well as being presented in a chibi-like style. With previous...