Ten Good Japanese Handheld Imports

Japan is famous for coming up with unique modes of gameplay for their games. They’ve come up with games where you’re a lawyer, games where the primary goal is to cook, games where you spend all day petting hamsters… the list goes on. They probably won’t turn down a concept no matter how weird it may sound.

If you’re a fan of that unique Japanese sense of gameplay, here’s ten games for handhelds you can import.

Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You – PSP
Quick description – this game is a dating sim. Yep, those games that feature talking heads and a lot of text-based progression. Though uniquely Japanese concepts like the “dating sim” don’t translate well to western audiences the same way as a game like Dance Dance Revolution does, if you’re into the genre, this is the title to import.

Densetsu No Stafi 4 – NDS
Densetsu No Stafi 4 is a side-scrolling platformer that at first glance is very similar to Kirby. Instead of being a pink blob, you’re a glowing undersea starfish. The Cuteness overload will probably melt your teeth. You’ve been warned.

Kururin Paradise – GBA
You’re a spinning stick. No seriously, traverse maze like levels doing their best to avoid obstacles and boundaries by using the direction their stick is spinning in to pass by corners and narrow pathways. Crazy.

Taiko No Tatsujin Portable – PSP
Taiko no Tatsujin is translated as Taiko Drum Master. This game has seen a domestic release in the United States on the PlayStation2; however, it’s difficult to imagine the same game becoming a portable release. Long gone is the famous and bulky Drumcon, replaced by a unique control scheme developed specifically for the PSP. A nice trak to play to here is the Katamari Theme.

Read on for the entire list.

Japan is famous for coming up with unique modes of gameplay for their games. They’ve come up with games where you’re a lawyer, games where the primary goal is to cook, games where you spend all day petting hamsters… the list goes on. They probably won’t turn down a concept no matter how weird it may sound.

If you’re a fan of that unique Japanese sense of gameplay, here’s ten games (for handhelds) you can import.

Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You – PSP
Quick description – this game is a dating sim. Yep, those games that feature talking heads and a lot of text-based progression. Though uniquely Japanese concepts like the “dating sim” don’t translate well to Western audiences the same way as a game like Dance Dance Revolution does, if you’re into the genre, this is the title to import.

Densetsu No Stafi 4 – NDS
Densetsu No Stafi 4 is a side-scrolling platformer that at first glance is very similar to Kirby. Instead of being a pink blob, you’re a glowing undersea starfish. The cuteness overload will probably melt your teeth. You’ve been warned.

Kururin Paradise – GBA
You’re a spinning stick. No seriously, traverse maze like levels doing their best to avoid obstacles and boundaries by using the direction their stick is spinning in to pass by corners and narrow pathways. Crazy.

Taiko No Tatsujin Portable – PSP
Taiko no Tatsujin is translated as Taiko Drum Master. This game has seen a domestic release in the United States on the PlayStation2; however, it’s difficult to imagine the same game becoming a portable release. Long gone is the famous and bulky Drumcon, replaced by a unique control scheme developed specifically for the PSP. A nice track to play to here is the Katamari Theme.

Daigasso! Band Brothers – DS
This isn’t just a simple rhythm game. It has a full fledged music sequencer, and it can allow up to eight players to play off of a single cart, each playing a unique instrument in the creation of a musical masterpiece. “Band Brothers” indeed.

Kessakusen! Ganbare Goemon 1+2 – GBA
Ninja joy.

Mother 3 – GBA
Mother is the Japanese name for the games we in America like to call Earthbound. There’s only been one release in the West so if you want to see the rest of it, go check this.

Bleach: Souten Ni Kakeru Unmei – NDS
2D fighting games are to Japan what first person shooters are to America, and Bleach DS is a fine example of how well the Japanese can deliver. That, and the anime is steadily gaining popularity in the States.

DJ Max Portable – PSP
If early-onset arthritis is one of your nightmares, don’t attempt to master DJ Max Portable. It’s one of the most challenging rhythm games out there, if not the most challenging one.

Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan – NDS
In one particular stage within Ouendan you play as a fat Cleopatra, in another as a man with a sever case of diarrhea … remember what I said about crazy unique gameplay? This game takes stylus use to the next level.  A must.

Of course, there a downside to these ten games. They’re obviously not for everyone. If you just can’t take the creative (some would say weird) style of gameplay, and if a lack of English in menus turns you off, then you’d best steer clear of imports. For all the Japan-o-philes out there, these 10 handheld games are a must-have.