Let me share with you one of my favorite video game categories: NES titles developed in Japan but never released there! This practice still happens today on occasion, but it was much more common in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the NES market dominated the industry.
Let me share with you one of my favorite video game categories: NES titles developed in Japan but never released there! This practice still happens today on occasion, but it was much more common in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the NES market dominated the industry.
Let me share with you one of my favorite video game categories: NES titles developed in Japan but never released there! This practice still happens today on occasion, but it was much more common in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the NES market dominated the industry.
Let me share with you one of my favorite video game categories: NES titles developed in Japan but never released there! This practice still happens today on occasion, but it was much more common in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the NES market dominated the industry.
Let me share with you one of my favorite video game categories: NES titles developed in Japan but never released there! This practice still happens today on occasion, but it was much more common in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when the NES market dominated the industry.
Some of these no-shows are true mysteries. Strider was seemingly made for the Japanese market, and Capcom even backed a manga series and a cassette with the theme song! Yet they only released the game in America. A proto of the Japanese version is out there, if you're interested.
Another puzzler: Monster Party. Promoted in Japanese magazines, it only came out in America (with the movie parodies toned down). A proto is also available. My theory? Bandai didn't want to release a game with horror themes and a kid hero so close to the Tsutomu Miyazaki murders
Some of these expat games were co-productions conceived by the American branches. For example, Ken Lobb designed Low G Man (The Low Gravity Man!) but the Japanese studio KID handled the rest of the development. Too bad it never came out in Japan, possibly with better cover art.
Bandai made several NES games just for North America. Dynowarz (The Destruction of Spondylus!) and Frankenstein were never released in Japan, and it's possible that the unreleased Ultimate Journey, devised by Bandai of America employee Dan MacArthur, would've gone the same way.
Bandai made several NES games just for North America. Dynowarz (The Destruction of Spondylus!) and Frankenstein were never released in Japan, and it's possible that the unreleased Ultimate Journey, devised by Bandai of America employee Dan MacArthur, would've gone the same way.
Bandai made several NES games just for North America. Dynowarz (The Destruction of Spondylus!) and Frankenstein were never released in Japan, and it's possible that the unreleased Ultimate Journey, devised by Bandai of America employee Dan MacArthur, would've gone the same way.
Bandai made several NES games just for North America. Dynowarz (The Destruction of Spondylus!) and Frankenstein were never released in Japan, and it's possible that the unreleased Ultimate Journey, devised by Bandai of America employee Dan MacArthur, would've gone the same way.
Sometimes a license just didn't carry much weight in Japan. Sunsoft's internal Blaster Master team made Fester's Quest, KID made two GI Joe games, and Human made The Adventures of Gilligan's Island (yes, the island itself had adventures). No Japanese releases for any of 'em.
Sometimes a license just didn't carry much weight in Japan. Sunsoft's internal Blaster Master team made Fester's Quest, KID made two GI Joe games, and Human made The Adventures of Gilligan's Island (yes, the island itself had adventures). No Japanese releases for any of 'em.
Sometimes a license just didn't carry much weight in Japan. Sunsoft's internal Blaster Master team made Fester's Quest, KID made two GI Joe games, and Human made The Adventures of Gilligan's Island (yes, the island itself had adventures). No Japanese releases for any of 'em.
Sometimes a license just didn't carry much weight in Japan. Sunsoft's internal Blaster Master team made Fester's Quest, KID made two GI Joe games, and Human made The Adventures of Gilligan's Island (yes, the island itself had adventures). No Japanese releases for any of 'em.
But what was the first NES game made in Japan but not released there? Probably Gumshoe, a light-gun title from the early NES days. Nintendo would make other gun games just for North America, too. Check out To The Earth and Barker Bill's Trick Shooting!
But what was the first NES game made in Japan but not released there? Probably Gumshoe, a light-gun title from the early NES days. Nintendo would make other gun games just for North America, too. Check out To The Earth and Barker Bill's Trick Shooting!
But what was the first NES game made in Japan but not released there? Probably Gumshoe, a light-gun title from the early NES days. Nintendo would make other gun games just for North America, too. Check out To The Earth and Barker Bill's Trick Shooting!
But what was the first NES game made in Japan but not released there? Probably Gumshoe, a light-gun title from the early NES days. Nintendo would make other gun games just for North America, too. Check out To The Earth and Barker Bill's Trick Shooting!
In some cases, an NES game wasn't released in Japan because it was just an overhaul of an existing Japanese game, like Flying Warriors or Power Blade. Puss N' Boots is curious: it looks and sounds just like the Japanese release, but the levels were completely remade for America!
In some cases, an NES game wasn't released in Japan because it was just an overhaul of an existing Japanese game, like Flying Warriors or Power Blade. Puss N' Boots is curious: it looks and sounds just like the Japanese release, but the levels were completely remade for America!
In some cases, an NES game wasn't released in Japan because it was just an overhaul of an existing Japanese game, like Flying Warriors or Power Blade. Puss N' Boots is curious: it looks and sounds just like the Japanese release, but the levels were completely remade for America!
In some cases, an NES game wasn't released in Japan because it was just an overhaul of an existing Japanese game, like Flying Warriors or Power Blade. Puss N' Boots is curious: it looks and sounds just like the Japanese release, but the levels were completely remade for America!
Here's another strange case: the first Casino Kid was a revision of a Famicom game based on the gambling manga $1,000,000 Kid. Sofel liked it so much they made a Casino Kid II for America...but not for Japan. That $1,000,000 Kid license must've had a short shelf life.
Capcom's early Disney titles, Duck Tales and Rescue Rangers, came out in both Japan and America, and so did their sequels. When it came to TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck, however, Capcom didn't bother releasing them in Japan. What gives?
Capcom's early Disney titles, Duck Tales and Rescue Rangers, came out in both Japan and America, and so did their sequels. When it came to TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck, however, Capcom didn't bother releasing them in Japan. What gives?
Capcom's early Disney titles, Duck Tales and Rescue Rangers, came out in both Japan and America, and so did their sequels. When it came to TaleSpin and Darkwing Duck, however, Capcom didn't bother releasing them in Japan. What gives?
Lastly, some rare and collectible late NES releases were exclusive to North America. If you're hoping to buy cheaper Japanese releases of Kick Master or The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, you're out of luck.
Lastly, some rare and collectible late NES releases were exclusive to North America. If you're hoping to buy cheaper Japanese releases of Kick Master or The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, you're out of luck.
Lastly, some rare and collectible late NES releases were exclusive to North America. If you're hoping to buy cheaper Japanese releases of Kick Master or The Flintstones: The Surprise at Dinosaur Peak, you're out of luck.
There's much more to talk about, too! How about licensed Konami games like Rollergames and Mission: Impossible, or the bizarre Japan-excluding release of Capcom's Legendary Wings? Let me know your favorites, and also let me know if I'm wrong about anything!
There's much more to talk about, too! How about licensed Konami games like Rollergames and Mission: Impossible, or the bizarre Japan-excluding release of Capcom's Legendary Wings? Let me know your favorites, and also let me know if I'm wrong about anything!
There's much more to talk about, too! How about licensed Konami games like Rollergames and Mission: Impossible, or the bizarre Japan-excluding release of Capcom's Legendary Wings? Let me know your favorites, and also let me know if I'm wrong about anything!
You can follow @kidfenris.
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