Games Considered Classics in Japan (But Not Over Here)

Whether poorly received over here, never released or just relatively obscure, these are all games that are held in high regard by Japanese players but not in the West. If you know of any other games that fit this criteria, please drop a comment, and I'll gladly add it. Some games are representatives for entire series.

Star Cruiser
Star Cruiser
Flipull: An Exciting Cube Game
Flipull: An Exciting Cube Game
Devil Kings
Devil Kings
Sanma no Meitantei
Sanma no Meitantei
King's Field
King's Field
EarthBound Beginnings
EarthBound Beginnings
Farland Story
Farland Story
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Cotton: Fantastic Night Dreams
Silpheed
Silpheed
Gods Eater Burst
Gods Eater Burst
LovePlus
LovePlus
Doukyuusei: Bangin' Summer
Doukyuusei: Bangin' Summer
Hayarigami Portable: Keishichou Kaii Jiken File
Hayarigami Portable: Keishichou Kaii Jiken File
Sen-Know
Sen-Know
LBX: Little Battlers eXperience
LBX: Little Battlers eXperience
Densetsu no Starfy
Densetsu no Starfy
Shin Megami Tensei
Shin Megami Tensei
Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg
Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg
Blue Dragon
Blue Dragon
Aquanaut's Holiday
Aquanaut's Holiday
Doshin the Giant
Doshin the Giant
Emerald Dragon
Emerald Dragon
GetsuFumaDen
GetsuFumaDen
Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken
Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken
Fushigi no Dungeon: Torneko no Daibouken
Fushigi no Dungeon: Torneko no Daibouken
Super Robot Wars F
Super Robot Wars F
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II
Kessen II
Kessen II
EVE burst error
EVE burst error
Night Striker
Night Striker
The Legend of Valkyrie
The Legend of Valkyrie
Angelique
Angelique
Dinosaur King
Dinosaur King
Gladiator Begins
Gladiator Begins
Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan
Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan
Relics
Relics
Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Racer
Warsong
Warsong
Inazuma Eleven
Inazuma Eleven
PoPoLoCrois
PoPoLoCrois
Catrap
Catrap
Yo-kai Watch
Yo-kai Watch
Sound Novel Machi: Machi
Sound Novel Machi: Machi
Tetris
Tetris
1988 Arcade version, developed by Sega
Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen
Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen
Clock Tower
Clock Tower
Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi
Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi
To Heart
To Heart
Idol Hakken-den
Idol Hakken-den
Libble Rabble
Libble Rabble
Phantom of Inferno
Phantom of Inferno
Culdcept II
Culdcept II
Kamui
Kamui
Bazaru De Gozaru No Game De Gozaru
Bazaru De Gozaru No Game De Gozaru
Ufouria: The Saga
Ufouria: The Saga
Known in Japan as Hebereke
Metal Max
Metal Max
Pop'n music 9
Pop'n music 9
Tokimeki Memorial
Tokimeki Memorial
J.B. Harold Murder Club
J.B. Harold Murder Club
Kamaitachi no Yoru
Kamaitachi no Yoru
Beatmania
Beatmania
MLB Power Pros
MLB Power Pros
Ever17: The Out of Infinity
Ever17: The Out of Infinity
DoDonPachi
DoDonPachi
Gotcha Force
Gotcha Force
Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy V
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of This World
YU-NO: A Girl Who Chants Love at the Bound of This World
Mr. Gimmick
Mr. Gimmick
Gnosia
Gnosia
Sakura Taisen
Sakura Taisen
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
Shinobido: Way of the Ninja
Shinobido: Way of the Ninja
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Densha de GO! 64
Densha de GO! 64
Doko Demo Issyo
Doko Demo Issyo
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Puyo Puyo Tsuu
Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru
Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru
Racing Lagoon
Racing Lagoon
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Famicom Detective Club: The Two-Case Collection
Famicom Detective Club: The Two-Case Collection
Kowloon High-School Chronicle
Kowloon High-School Chronicle
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan
Buddy Mission: Bond
Buddy Mission: Bond
Dream Master
Dream Master
Dyna Brothers
Dyna Brothers
Gensei Suikoden
Gensei Suikoden
Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu
Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu
Kosodate Quiz My Angel
Kosodate Quiz My Angel
Mujintou Monogatari
Mujintou Monogatari
Prism Court
Prism Court
Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
Satsui no Kaisou: Power Soft Satsujin Jiken
Satsui no Kaisou: Power Soft Satsujin Jiken
Sentimental Graffiti
Sentimental Graffiti
Yuuyu no Quiz de Go! Go!
Yuuyu no Quiz de Go! Go!
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
Taiko no Tatsujin DX
Taiko no Tatsujin DX
Ore no Ryouri
Ore no Ryouri
Kowloon's Gate
Kowloon's Gate
Sin and Punishment
Sin and Punishment
Fushigi no Dungeon: Fuurai no Shiren 2 - Oni Shuurai! Shiren Jou!
Fushigi no Dungeon: Fuurai no Shiren 2 - Oni Shuurai! Shiren Jou!

16 Comments


1 year ago

every game made by ELF
True, I'll throw Yu-No on there for now, and Doukyuusei was added earlier

1 year ago

Live A Live, Tokimeki Memorial and Moon

1 year ago

EVE burst error
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke

1 year ago

There's also Sin & Punishment Star Sucessor, the sequel on the Wii.

Thinking about it now, there's A LOT of jp exclusive Wii Games that fit this list, some of them are being fantranslated in recent years in the homebrew scene, includind Pokémon and Fatal Frame.

1 year ago

Pretty sure Shin Megami Tensei SNES games were one of the top RPGs of their time in terms of popularity in Japan, but didn't even get releases in NA

1 year ago

Man I wish we had more translated Summon Night games so bad

1 year ago

Tengai Makyō aka Far East of Eden

1 year ago

Offhand, I would say Otogirisou. It is considered a genre-defining game as far as sound novels go but lacks even a fan translation. March of the Black Queen also only sold 25k units here but was a lot more successful in Japan.

Also I disagree with a few entries here personally. Xevious, Clock Tower, and Wizardry offhand. Sure they were more popular in Japan but Wizardry is still cited as a highly influential game that sold hundreds of thousands of copies in its native land among various ports. Xevious earned $30m in NA arcades as well as 250k sales on NES in addition to it being in countless Namco collections. Clock Tower was always only a moderate success in Japan and still has quite the loyal cult following in the west to the point of getting romhacks to this day.

Great list overall!

1 year ago

The original version of Persona 1,Megami Ibunroku Persona
Actually and before the release of Persona 5,this was the best selled Megami Tensei game,as well Persona 2 selled well,it was not at the level of Persona 1.
Also,the lot of fanarts denote more the status of this game in Japan,demostrating the beloved that it is.

1 year ago

This comment was deleted

1 year ago

twilight syndrome series

1 year ago

Armored core series

1 year ago

Is "The West" here only counting North America? Inazuma Eleven was kinda big in Europe and South America, aka places where people care about football.

I woukd suggest Yokai Watch and Puyo Puyo too, nice list.
This comment was deleted

11 months ago

og Gagharv games should be on here. at least shiroki majou


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