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.

Crazy Climber
Crazy Climber
High School Graffiti: Mikie
High School Graffiti: Mikie
Panekit: Infinitive Crafting Toy Case
Panekit: Infinitive Crafting Toy Case
Sasuke vs. Commander
Sasuke vs. Commander
Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special
Idol Janshi Suchie-Pai Special
TwinBee
TwinBee
Devil Kings
Devil Kings
EVE burst error
EVE burst error
Idol Hakken-den
Idol Hakken-den
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Battle Mania Daiginjou
Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School
Nakayama Miho no Tokimeki High School
Photo Kano Kiss
Photo Kano Kiss
Super Gussun Oyoyo
Super Gussun Oyoyo
Make Trax
Make Trax
Bokosuka Wars
Bokosuka Wars
Image Fight
Image Fight
Galaxian3
Galaxian3
Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu
Hokkaido Rensa Satsujin: Okhotsk ni Kiyu
Shin Momotaro Densetsu
Shin Momotaro Densetsu
Gensei Suikoden
Gensei Suikoden
Bakushou!! Jinsei Gekijoh
Bakushou!! Jinsei Gekijoh
Kininkou Maroku Oni
Kininkou Maroku Oni
Suzuka 8 Hours
Suzuka 8 Hours
White Knight Chronicles
White Knight Chronicles
The Sword of Etheria
The Sword of Etheria
Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
Real Sound: Kaze no Regret
Gotcha Force
Gotcha Force
Densha de GO! 64
Densha de GO! 64
Hayarigami Portable: Keishichou Kaii Jiken File
Hayarigami Portable: Keishichou Kaii Jiken File
Gunparade March
Gunparade March
Championship Lode Runner
Championship Lode Runner
Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi
Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi
Xevious
Xevious
Star Cruiser
Star Cruiser
Wagyan Land
Wagyan Land
Dragon Buster
Dragon Buster
Kasei Monogatari
Kasei Monogatari
Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken
Erika to Satoru no Yume Bouken
Sen-Know
Sen-Know
Taiko no Tatsujin DX
Taiko no Tatsujin DX
Summon Night
Summon Night
Phantom of Inferno
Phantom of Inferno
Let's Make a Soccer Team!
Let's Make a Soccer Team!
Flipull: An Exciting Cube Game
Flipull: An Exciting Cube Game
Catrap
Catrap
Dyna Brothers
Dyna Brothers
Ore no Ryouri
Ore no Ryouri
Heiankyo Alien
Heiankyo Alien
Relics
Relics
Mushiking: King of the Beetles
Mushiking: King of the Beetles
Romancing SaGa
Romancing SaGa
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
Ore no Shikabane o Koete Yuke
Doukyuusei: Bangin' Summer
Doukyuusei: Bangin' Summer
Kowloon's Gate
Kowloon's Gate
Densetsu no Starfy
Densetsu no Starfy
Doko Demo Issyo
Doko Demo Issyo
Kaijuu Busters Powered
Kaijuu Busters Powered
Night Striker
Night Striker
Terra Cresta
Terra Cresta
Metal Max
Metal Max
J.B. Harold Murder Club
J.B. Harold Murder Club
Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: Otoko Ippiki Yume Kaidoi
Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu: Otoko Ippiki Yume Kaidoi
Uootoy
Uootoy
Medarot Kabuto Version
Medarot Kabuto Version
Aretha
Aretha
Falsion
Falsion
Hover Attack
Hover Attack
Shikigami no Shiro
Shikigami no Shiro
Super Volley Ball
Super Volley Ball
Kosodate Quiz My Angel
Kosodate Quiz My Angel
LBX: Little Battlers eXperience
LBX: Little Battlers eXperience
Kamui
Kamui
Legend of the River King GB
Legend of the River King GB
Angelique
Angelique
Dinosaur King
Dinosaur King
Kamaitachi no Yoru
Kamaitachi no Yoru
The Legend of Valkyrie
The Legend of Valkyrie
Dezaemon
Dezaemon
Silpheed
Silpheed
Pooyan
Pooyan
Chack'n Pop
Chack'n Pop
Afrika
Afrika
Genpei ToumaDen
Genpei ToumaDen
Rance X: Showdown
Rance X: Showdown
Elminage Original
Elminage Original
Tetris
Tetris
1988 Arcade version, developed by Sega
Super Fire Pro Wrestling X
Super Fire Pro Wrestling X
Sound Novel Machi: Machi
Sound Novel Machi: Machi
Monster Maker: Yami no Ryuukishi
Monster Maker: Yami no Ryuukishi
Tokyo Majin Gakuen: Kenpuu-chou
Tokyo Majin Gakuen: Kenpuu-chou
Strike Bowling
Strike Bowling
Nuts & Milk
Nuts & Milk
The Black Onyx
The Black Onyx
Ruina: Fairy Tale of the Forgotten Ruins
Ruina: Fairy Tale of the Forgotten Ruins
Todo Ryuunosuke Tantei Nikki: Kohaku-iro no Yuigon
Todo Ryuunosuke Tantei Nikki: Kohaku-iro no Yuigon
Mobile Suit Z Gundam: Hot Scramble
Mobile Suit Z Gundam: Hot Scramble
GetsuFumaDen
GetsuFumaDen
Hammerin' Harry
Hammerin' Harry
Stop That Roach!
Stop That Roach!
PoPoLoCrois
PoPoLoCrois

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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