UK, January 26, 2009 - Us Europeans have always complained that we get the short end of the stick when it comes to getting games last, and understandably so - Square Enix is due to release Chrono Trigger in the UK next month, a whole 14 years after the game first came out in Japan and the US!
That said, things aren't so bad for the Brits these days. Several publishers have started to pick up niche Japanese titles for release in Britain, such as Koei, which has been making Nippon Ichi and Atlus titles available, or Ubisoft, which picked up WarTech: Senko no Ronde, or even EA, which cottoned on to the success of Katamari Damacy in time to release its sequel. Square Enix, too, is looking to bring its US and UK releases much more in line with most of its forthcoming titles coming out on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time. And next-gen handheld platforms and downloadable content have presented new opportunities for exploiting the games industry's 'long tail' (which is why you won't see Final Fantasy Tactics, or Sin and Punishment in the list that follows, as amazingly brilliant as they both are).
Nevertheless, when it comes the embarrassment of riches that have never been released over here, British gamers could be forgiven for wishing they'd been born in Japan or America. And so here, just to tip you over the edge, is the definitive list of the best games never to be released in Britain.
Publisher: ESP
Developer: Treasure
Original release: 1998
Treasure doesn't make ordinary games. It creates idiosyncratic morsels of pure delight, brimming over with originality and ingenuity, and normally only available in limited numbers. Games like Bangai-O and Gunstar Heroes, which were released in the west, and Radiant Silvergun, which never was. It probably doesn't deserve the astronomical prices it sells for in Akihabara, but it is absolutely one of the best games never to be released in Britain. It's essentially the spiritual predecessor to Ikaruga and if you've played that game, you'll have some sense of the dazzlingly original design: pick the right weapon, chain attacks, level up your ship, and ready yourself for some stunning set-pieces such as stage six's early prototype for Rez's running-man boss.
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Cave
Original release: 1995
Another one for shoot-'em-up fans, the original Donpachi was a coin-op title that also appeared on PlayStation and Saturn, but not in Britain. Released in limited numbers in the US, the title is an onomatopoeic word that mimics the sound of lots of explosions. The series came into its own with DoDonPachi, a couple of years later, thanks to the Get Points System, which rewards players for chaining attacks, but the whole series is a highpoint of danmaku (or 'bullet hell') gaming. A new title, DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu, was unveiled at the Japanese Arcade expo, AOU, earlier this year, but, predictably, there is no word on a British release.
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Original release: 2001
You might have seen Namco's drumming game in arcades (or in Lost in Translation), or on North American consoles, but you won't have seen it on any British console because it was never released - which means British gamers have never been able to enjoy the cathartic satisfaction of hitting things really hard to score rhythmic points in the comfort of their own home. Similarly, the non-release of SEGA's Mini Moni Shakkato Tambourine over here has deprived a generation of gamers the chance to shake their tambourine competitively. Still, at least Samba de Amigo means we got to shake our maracas.
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square
Original release: 1986
It's astonishing to imagine that it took eight games before British gamers finally got their hands on a legitimate copy of Japan's favourite videogame. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King showed us exactly what we'd been missing: lustrously realised, richly imagined worlds and epic quests. Square Enix currently has plans to bring some of the later games in the series to the DS (from the fourth instalment on), but there's still no way of British gamers getting their hands on the earliest games in the series. Sigh.
Send to Friend
Comment
RSS Feeds