English-Friendly EXCLUSIVE PC Engine Games

[jlued686]

Okay, so I'm sure this topic has probably been discussed before, most recently in this thread: https://www.pcengine-fx.com/forums/index.php?topic=9308.0

However, I'd like to get recommendations for English-friendly PC Engine games that were ONLY released in Japan. HuCard or CD/SCD/ACD.

I'm always looking for good PC Engine games. What are the best ones that were NOT released in the US and are good for non-Japanese speakers/readers?

[Arkhan Asylum]

Puyo Puyo CD
Genji Tsushin Agedama
Gomola Speed
Skweek

None of these require any Japanese skills at all.   3 of them are puzzley games (Gomola Speed is like Snake, but good).
Genji is a platformer/scrolleyshootemupthingy

Then there is Efera and Jiliora, which is female Ys clone.  You can smash around through it without reading the text I guess.  It's pretty straight forward.

Rabio Lepus, a pretend cute-em-up that's actually a giant pain in the ass that I can't stop playing once I start.

Nexzr, a kick ass vertical shooter.

Marchen Maze: It's an arcade port.  Alice in Wonderland on drugs basically.  It plays a bit like Legend of Valkyrie, which is goddamn awesome.


Hows that?

[SignOfZeta]

That's a huge list, IMO. Basically all the shooters, for starters. Almost all the sports and F1 games.

I guess it depends on what you consider "friendly". If it has a lot of cut scenes with Japanese language, but is otherwise just a standard platformer (ie: Future Boy Conan) does that constitute "friendly". For some people I know it doesn't. Any presence of Japanese text/spoken word causes them to have nightmares.

[jlued686]

I guess what I had in mind are games that I can play to completion without an FAQ. Minimal menus and text. Something like platformers, action games, shmups, etc.

Thanks guys!

[BigusSchmuck]

Wizardry games, if you like dungeon crawlers that is. Wizardry IV is still my fav btw and by far the hardest one.

[Arkhan Asylum]

Wizardry games, if you like dungeon crawlers that is. Wizardry IV is still my fav btw and by far the hardest one.

Are these really English friendly though? 

It helps to be able to read the names of your equipment and onscreen clues... :-/  Otherwise you're basically just doofing around blindly in the dungeons, hoping you get through alright.

Return of Werdna (IV) was notoriously hard.  Definitely.  Especially the effing Cosmic Cube.

[BigusSchmuck]

Are these really English friendly though?

It helps to be able to read the names of your equipment and onscreen clues... :-/  Otherwise you're basically just doofing around blindly in the dungeons, hoping you get through alright.

Return of Werdna (IV) was notoriously hard.  Definitely.  Especially the effing Cosmic Cube.

Um yeah, I would say 90% english with the 10% being error messages (at least with wizardry 1-4). I believe Wizardry 4 was never released on any other consoles and not remade like the duo version. Yes Return of Werdna is pretty freaking hard, but its slightly easier now that your monsters gain levels vs the pc version where it isn't present.

[Arkhan Asylum]

oh wow, I could have sworn they were Japanese heavy.  I played at least one iteration of Wizardry that had Japanese text.  maybe it was on the NES, or one of the computers.

the problem with Wizardry though is if you are looking for quick/easygoing, you're boned. 

[spenoza]

the problem with Wizardry though is if you are looking for quick/easygoing, you're boned. 

He spake truth! Wizardry is about getting lucky enough to survive past the first couple character levels until you can finally hold your own. The story isn't really worth speaking of, either. It's about kill or be killed, and that's about it.

[BigusSchmuck]

oh wow, I could have sworn they were Japanese heavy.  I played at least one iteration of Wizardry that had Japanese text.  maybe it was on the NES, or one of the computers.

the problem with Wizardry though is if you are looking for quick/easygoing, you're boned. 

I really recommend giving at least the 4th one a shot (heck you can get it on ebay for around $15 dollars these days ), much much better than the original pc version. I believe the wizardry game that had heavy japanese text were the ones that were released in Japan only. If I had a complaint against the wizardry games for the duo is this: they take all our system memory up with just 1 save, a pc engine memory card is a must in that case. As soon as I get my duo back, I'm off to kill some goody little two shoes! ^^

[Arkhan Asylum]

Oh, I've beaten every Wizardry in existence for DOS.  Return of Werdna and Heart of the Maelstrom are my favorite ones.

I never gave the PCE ones much time.  I have them, but never really bothered since I already pummeled the DOS ones.  I should try them soon though.

[jlued686]

Grabbed Genji Tsushin Agedama and Maerchen Maze. Any others?

[nat]

Jim Power. The entire game is in English (was developed in Europe, yet released in Japan, oddly enough).

[Arkhan Asylum]

Grabbed Genji Tsushin Agedama and Maerchen Maze. Any others?

You grabbed Genji, so you don't need anything else.  I <3 that game.

You could also get Coryoon!

and Legend of Valkyrie.

[PunkCryborg]

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego is completely in English.

[jlued686]

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but I'm always looking for more English-friendly/Japan-exclusives. Any more suggestions?

[mouldie]

As has been said, most shooters and platform games. As you're looking for specific recommendations one that's popped into my head is Bloody Wolf!

[jlued686]

Specific examples would be nice. And Bloody Wolf is not a Japanese exclusive.

[Bardoly]

oh wow, I could have sworn they were Japanese heavy.  I played at least one iteration of Wizardry that had Japanese text.  maybe it was on the NES, or one of the computers.

the problem with Wizardry though is if you are looking for quick/easygoing, you're boned. 

I really recommend giving at least the 4th one a shot (heck you can get it on ebay for around $15 dollars these days ), much much better than the original pc version. I believe the wizardry game that had heavy japanese text were the ones that were released in Japan only. If I had a complaint against the wizardry games for the duo is this: they take all our system memory up with just 1 save, a pc engine memory card is a must in that case. As soon as I get my duo back, I'm off to kill some goody little two shoes! ^^

Not to derail this thread, but how many saves can a Duo hold?  Do some saves take up more space than others?  What is a PC Engine Memory card?  This is the first time that I've ever heard of such an animal.

Thanks in advance.

[Sadler]

Not to derail this thread, but how many saves can a Duo hold?  Do some saves take up more space than others?

Yeah, it depends on the game. Some games take up basically the entire save space. There's a neato doc somewhere that lists the save file sizes of various games, but I have no idea where it is.

What is a PC Engine Memory card?  This is the first time that I've ever heard of such an animal.

Thanks in advance.

Tennokoe Bank!  Cheap too! You can probably find them cheaper, I think I paid about $5 for mine.

[NecroPhile]

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread, but I'm always looking for more English-friendly/Japan-exclusives. Any more suggestions?

Black Tiger's list from the linked thread hits most of the games I'd recommend, but I'd add Bazaru de Gozaru, Gotzendiener, Conan, Golden Axe (so you can say it sucks with authority), Star Mobile, any great shewty (Sapphire, Nexzr, etc.), and translated games like Bubblegum Crash, Maison Ikkoku, Lady Sword, and Son Son II if you've got a flashcart.

There's a neato doc somewhere that lists the save file sizes of various games, but I have no idea where it is.

Clicky! 

[Sadler]

There's a neato doc somewhere that lists the save file sizes of various games, but I have no idea where it is.

Clicky! 

Awesome, thanks!

[Bardoly]

There's a neato doc somewhere that lists the save file sizes of various games, but I have no idea where it is.

Clicky! 

Awesome, thanks!

^^This.

[BigusSchmuck]

Specific examples would be nice. And Bloody Wolf is not a Japanese exclusive.

Lemmings? Populous? Those aren't really pc engine exclusives (unless you count the super cdrom version of populous) but they are 99% in english.

[CrackTiger]

Specific examples would be nice. And Bloody Wolf is not a Japanese exclusive.

Lemmings? Populous? Those aren't really pc engine exclusives (unless you count the super cdrom version of populous) but they are 99% in english.

The OP was looking for PCE games that were only released in Japan. In other words, nothing that was released for Turbo. So stuff like the Neo Geo ports would count.

[VestCunt]

Populous is great. It's totally playable in English, but I had difficultly learning what all of the commands did without a manual because I'd never played the game before. A SNES manual was very helpful.

[Digi.k]

Populous is great. It's totally playable in English, but I had difficultly learning what all of the commands did without a manual because I'd never played the game before. A SNES manual was very helpful.

This.  It's not really exclusive unless you buy the CD-rom version.  But there are some differences to warrant a purchase such as the introduction and that creepy "heart" beating that plays during the game

[soop]

Was Puzznic released on the TG16?  Because Puzznic fucking rocks.  I want to play it right now.

[Digi.k]

Was Puzznic released on the TG16?  Because Puzznic fucking rocks.  I want to play it right now.

yup it is pretty cool too.

[Digi.k]

Marchen Maze: It's an arcade port.  Alice in Wonderland on drugs basically.  It plays a bit like Legend of Valkyrie, which is goddamn awesome.


Hows that?

I wonder why Namco left out the isometric viewpoint on the pc engine version..?

[esteban]

jlued686, get Spin Pair.

You will not thank me. But there's something* about this stupid game that keeps me coming back.


*It's called idiocy.

[burn_654]

Bomberman '94! Arguably one of the best in the series imo! (unless you have the means to play Saturn Bomberman )

Momotarou Katsugeki is a fun little platformer with some rpg elements. Gameplay is easy to pick up, items/story are in japanese. It would be best served with a faq. I'm working on hacking it actually
I need some help with editing the vram writes/reads...

[VestCunt]

Black Tiger already listed everything in the previous topic.

For multiplayers, I'm a big fan of Faceball, Bonanza Brothers and Galaxy Deka Gayvan.

I love the PCE racing/driving library: Outrun, Power Drift, SCI, and Motoroader II. Racing Tamashii is good, but try before you buy. Road Spirits sucks.

Battle Ace is under-appreciated on the SGX.

Psychic Storm is my favorite sleeper shooter.

Götzendiener, Magicoal, and Brandish are the closest I can come to RPG's without language skills. I tried Wizardry III-IV and while the menus and play mechanics are in English, not being able to read the dungeon warnings and interaction sucks.

[BigusSchmuck]

Specific examples would be nice. And Bloody Wolf is not a Japanese exclusive.

Lemmings? Populous? Those aren't really pc engine exclusives (unless you count the super cdrom version of populous) but they are 99% in english.

The OP was looking for PCE games that were only released in Japan. In other words, nothing that was released for Turbo. So stuff like the Neo Geo ports would count.

Those were only released in Japan, they weren't released on the Turbo at all. However, they were released on other consoles. And the version of Populous The Promised Lands on the SuperCD, was never released anywhere except on the PC Engine.
Edit: Oh wait, it was released on the Amiga, but the Promised lands had changed all the sprites and levels to like Bomberman stuff and PC Engine related things. So I imagine the Amiga version had its own special lands.

[esteban]

Psychic Storm is my favorite sleeper shooter.

I dig the soundtrack. Is there an option to increase the difficulty? Psychic Storm is nice but far too easy...

...so I keep listening to the soundtrack.

_{► /Psychic_Storm/Track_05.mp3}

_{► /Psychic_Storm/Track_08.mp3}

_{► /Psychic_Storm/Track_15.mp3}

_{► /Psychic_Storm/Track_16.mp3}

_{► /Psychic_Storm/Track_19.mp3}

Lots of great songs I didn't include (yet!)