Phantasy Star Gaiden is a handheld RPG, released only in Japan for the Game Gear in 1992. The game was developed by Japan System Supply and is a short, non-linear spin-off from the main Phantasy Star series. A fan translation patch makes the game playable to non Japanese-speakers.
Tag Archives: Japanese
Phantasy Star Adventure, Game Gear
Released exclusively for the Game Gear – in Japan only – by Sega in 1992, Phantasy Star Adventure is a spin-off from the main Phantasy Star series and is a kind of RPG/adventure controlled with a simple menu system. A fan translation into English makes it playable to non Japanese speakers.
Godzilla: Monsters Attack, Game Gear
Godzilla: Monsters Attack on the Game Gear was only ever released in Japan (as “Gojira: Kaijuu Daishingeki“) in 1995, but a fan translation thankfully makes the game playable to non Japanese speakers. Surprisingly, this is a turn-based strategy game, and not an action game or a beat ’em up.
Gran Turismo 2, PlayStation
The sequel to the hit 1997 racing game, Gran Turismo, Gran Turismo 2 carries on where its predecessor left off, only this time the experience is spread over two separate discs (in this case, CD-ROMs – not DVDs), one containing the “Arcade Mode“, and the other offering the “Gran Turismo Mode“, which is basically “Simulation Mode” from the previous game.
Gran Turismo 2 was again developed by Polyphony Digital, and was first published by Sony in 1999.
Gradius IV, Arcade
The fourth instalment in the Gradius series was released into arcades in 1999, by Konami.
Pengo, Game Gear
Sega‘s classic ice-pushing arcade maze game, Pengo, is well-represented on the Game Gear, with this jolly conversion by Coreland Technology (the original developer of Pengo arcade). It was first released in 1990 in Japan, and 1991 in Europe. It doesn’t look like it had a North American release.
Strider, PC Engine
The PC Engine/Turbografx-16 version of Capcom‘s classic arcade game, Strider, was programmed by Capcom themselves, and first published by NEC Avenue in 1994.
Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge, Super Nintendo
This sequel to Battle Clash was released only in Western regions in 1993 (USA) and 1994 (Europe), for the Super Nintendo. It was developed by the same team at Intelligent Systems who made the first game, and it is called: Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge. It features lightgun-style shooter gameplay and uses the Nintendo Super Scope.
Continue reading Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge, Super Nintendo
Battle Clash, Super Nintendo
A SNES game that uses the Nintendo Super Scope is a rare and welcome thing, so Nintendo‘s 1992 Battle Clash is already onto a winner before the cartridge is even inserted… The weird thing is: this Japanese-made Super Scope game wasn’t even released in Japan (that I can see). Something about the Super Scope not being “as popular” in Japan as it was in the West.
Gradius, PC Engine
The PC Engine version of Konami‘s classic arcade shooter, Gradius (aka Nemesis), is pretty exceptional. It was first released in Japan in 1991.
