5 Amazing Japanese Games Never Released in the US

While video games were invented in the United States, the technology really took off in Japan. This was especially true in the 1970s and ‘80s, when Japanese developers such as Sega, Namco, Konami, Nintendo, and many others released exceptional titles. Over the years, Japan has continued to create some of the industry’s best games, and while many come to the Western World, not all do. Thousands of excellent Japanese video games remain confined to the island nation. We looked through them and selected five of the best that were never officially released in the U.S., and arranged them in no particular order.

1) Senjō no Varukyuria 3: Unrecorded Chronicles

Senjō no Varukyuria 3: Unrecorded Chronicles, better known as Valkyria Chronicles III, was released in 2011 for the PlayStation Portable. The tactical role-playing game is the third in the series and features similar gameplay to its two predecessors. Its story runs concurrently with Valkyria Chronicles and centers on a black-ops penal military unit serving Gallia during the Second European War. The game did well in Japan, leading to an OVA and a manga adaptation, but it wasn’t released outside the country. Its sequel, Valkyria Chronicles 4, was released in the States, and a fan-made patch translated Senjō no Varukyuria 3 into English for those who owned the Japanese version.

2) Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner is an RPG and the first entry in the Devil Summoner franchise, though it fits within the larger Megami Tensei franchise. It was released on the Sega Saturn in 1995 and the PSP a decade later, but neither version was made available outside of Japan. The game plays like a noir detective story, but with supernatural, demonic elements thrown into the mix. It also features multiple gameplay types, including turn-based battles, first-person navigation, and more. The game was a hit upon release, spawning a franchise that led to a TV series and several sequels, but it never made it to the States.

3) Front Mission 5: Scars Of The War

Front Mission 5: Scars Of The War is a tactical RPG from Square Enix that was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005. The game is the fifth main entry in the Front Mission series and follows a serialized storyline that bears similarities to several of its predecessors. The game was not released outside Japan, but a fan-made English-language patch was released in 2009, so anyone with a Japanese disk can play it in English if they want. It’s absolutely worth it, as the game is exceptionally well made, though you might be a little out of your depth, as jumping into the 5th mission (9th title overall) will be confusing.

4) Tobal 2

Back in 1997, Square made a fighting game for the PlayStation called Tobal 2, a sequel to Tobal no. 1, also published by Square. The fighting game came loaded with a massive roster of 200 playable characters, which was absolutely incredible in 1997, as that number was unheard of at the time. It was also not something players could experience in the United States. It’s unclear why the game wasn’t released in the West. Still, the likely culprit was competition, as both Tekken and Mortal Kombat dominated the landscape at the time, making a new IP’s successful entry into the marketplace unlikely.

5) Policenauts

Policenauts is a graphic adventure game that was written and directed by none other than Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid fame. It was initially released in 1994 for the NEC PC-9821, then ported to the 3DO, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn. The game is set in the mid-21st century, where an astronaut-turned-detective investigates the murder of his ex-wife. It’s a brilliant game that was planned for an English release, but it was ultimately canceled. A fan translation was made in 2009, so some in the West have experienced Policenauts, but it has sadly not been officially licensed outside Japan, leaving the Western player community small.

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