5 Video Games to Never Make it Out of Japan - Part 1

Shining Force 3 - Scenario 2 & 3 - Sega SaturnMany credit guitar and drum games to Guitar
Renowned for its complex yet gripping story,Hero and Rock Band, but it was actually Konami
excellent in-game graphics and simple yetwho started the craze with their arcade releases
addictive gameplay system, Shining Force 3 isof Guitar Freaks in 1998 and Drummania in 1999,
regarded by some to be one of the greatestthe former of which was later ported over to the
RPGs (role-playing game) ever made. Although thePlaystation and Playstation 2 in Japan.
first part, "God Warrior of the Kingdom" (scenarioUsing a plastic guitar which imitates the Fender
1) was released in North America and Europe, theJazzmaster in terms of appearance, players must
second ("Target: Child of God") and third (Bulzomehold down the buttons corresponding to the
Rising") instalments of the Shining Force 3 trilogycoloured bars which appear on the screen, and
were never released outside of Japan. Many putmove the pick lever when the bars hit the yellow
this down to the game being released at the endpicking line. Similar to "Star Power" in Guitar Hero,
of the Saturn's lifespan and the imminent releaseonce a guitar icon is displayed in the Wailing Bonus
of the Sega Dreamcast.column, the player tilts the guitar upright briefly to
Approximate eBay price - between £80-£100achieve extra points whilst playing the notes. The
for the complete trilogy.stuff of true rock stars.
Approximate time playing the game - many,Not content with merely pushing buttons on a toy
many hoursguitar, Konami went one step further by
Rent a Hero No. 1 - Sega Dreamcast & Xboxintroducing Drummania. The drums consist of 5
Taro Yamada lives at home with his parents andpads representing a hi-hat, snare drum, high tom,
sister in an odd mix of mid 90s suburbia andlow tom and cymbal, as well as a foot drum.
Japanese culture. He's asked to order pizza. TheSimilar to Guitar Freaks, players observe the
delivery man brings the pizza but also acoloured notes scroll down the screen and hit the
Rent-A-Hero uniform. Taro puts on the batterydrum when it reaches the yellow line.
powered suit and is taunted by his father wearingAlthough its not entirely clear why Guitar Freaks
a Godzilla-like outfit. Not realising the strength ofwas not released in North America or Europe, the
the suit, Taro knocks his father out. Enter yourreason why Drummania was never produced for
hero - Rent-A-Hero.the American market was because John
Rent-a-Hero-DreamcastThe obscurity ofDevecka, creator of Drumscape, held the US
Rent-A-Hero is evident from the very start ofpatent for "drum simulation games", which has
the game. Throughout this off-beat action-RPGsince been bought by Activistion.
game, you'll encounter a wide range of tasks,Approximate price for both games, guitar and
such as rescuing kittens out of trees to doingdrums - £100-£250
battle with the originally named, Dr. Trouble. ToApproximate price of your friends laughing at you
add to the bizarreness of it all, you're given awhile you lose your dignity - priceless.
set-top box called a "Creamcast" from aSegagaga - Dreamcast
company from "SECA", which alerts you ofReleased on March 2001 in Japan at the end of
superhero jobs now that you're a part-timethe Dreamcast's life, Segagaga is Sega's
superhero.swansong before it exited the hardware industry,
Despite the games American look and feel, thisand is viewed by some as the epitome of what is
"B-Movie" game never came out in North Americamissing from today's videogame market -
or Europe mainly due to it being littered withoriginality.
Japanese related jokes. Rent-A-Hero did makeAt it's heart, Segagaga is an RPG but rather than
minor appearances in North America and Europethe traditional save the world/princess story, your
in Fighting Vipers and Fighters Megamix.challenge is to save Sega from the forces
Approximate eBay price - none listed on eBay atvideogame makers experience in every day life.
time of writingIt's Sega's soliloquy of how things might have
Approximate price to learn Japanese - £1000been before it shocked the world by withdrawing
Dokidoki Majo Shinpan - Nintendo DSthe Dreamcast from production and exiting the
Translated as "Thump-Thump Witch Judgment!" orhardware industry altogether - a "Sega simulation".
"Heart-Pounding Magical Investigation", Doki DokiIt's Sega saying "how would you have done it?".
epitomises the wackiness of JapaneseAs it happens, the concept behind Segagaga is
videogames culture, as well as being incrediblynot far from the truth at the time the game was
daring.released. However, as the Dreamcast was such a
You assume the role of a junior high schoolshort-lived console, it's likely that development for
student, Akuji, how has been asked by an Angelthe game started early, or half way through, it's
to locate a witch that has snuck its way into hislifespan, so it's difficult to tell whether Sega
school. Using the Nintendo DS' stylus and touchactually knew the inevitable was going to happen.
screen, Akuji, or rather more disturbingly, you,The game is thought to have been recalled just
must search suspects' bodies for a "witch mark".after release as Sega decided that DOGMA's
Fitting in perfectly with a Japanese obsession,(Sega's in-game rival thought to be Sony) logo
most of the "suspects" happen to be Japanesewas too similar to the Sony's PSX logo. Even
schoolgirls.now, the DOGMA logo still bares resemblance to
So, in a nutshell, your job is to roam around yourSony's PSX logo, so it can be assumed that Sega
school campus looking for schoolgirls, palpatinghad Sony in mind when developing the game.
each one as you go along for that dastardly witchWhen the company formed in 1951, a
mark. The Japanese instruction manual advisescontingency plan was created called "Project
you to play the game "where no one else canSegagaga". The plan is initiated in 2025 to save
see you". Sound advice, otherwise it could beSega from it's main competitor, DOGMA where
game over.Sega only have 3% of global market share. As
Approximate eBay price - £20-£30part of the Segagaga plan, Sega takes two
Approximate time in jail - 5 to 10 yearsteenagers and puts them in charge of saving the
Guitar Freaks & Drummania - Playstation &company.
Playstation 2Approximate eBay price - £50
Although many don't realise it, the Japanese wereApproximate time looking for a copy - get a
making fools out of themselves in their own livingplane to Japan.
rooms a long time before us Europeans were.