Enjoy an anime sports day with swimming, cycling, running events all presented in a high school setting with lead role going to Akari chan. The game takes place over the whole school term with plenty of distractions to keep players interested.
Tactical battle simulation full of truly super robots utilising the Gundam and Votoms licenses. Players choose their moves and the heaving hulks of metal play out the moves in dramatic fashion with some sleek, retro avatars of the human pilots. Must have for mecha heads.
Beautifully drawn tactical RPG with metal hulks taking on mecha robots. Attains a real high graphical standard on the SFC. Switches to a boxing style perspective aswell as the isometric strategic part with player avatar.
A plethora of zany mini games based on the various Bikkuriman characters. Not the most cerebral title, but plenty of frolics on offer if party game complations float your gaming boat.
Genki would rather not be running around after the horses, chicken and sheep everyday in this farm management game. Still the prospect of golden eggs helped Genki out of bed at the break of dawn. Freedom to visit others in town. Miyamoto san would be proud. Highly original.
Plenty of Konami polish in this Winning Eleven version of horse racing. Yet players have to put in the hard yards training to get anywhere close to the winners enclosure.
Digital comic adventure requiring knowledge of Japanese writing or good luck to be able to progress. Lots of anime babes to converse with and good voice acting. One for the Japanese dating scholars?
Beautifully illustrated in a more pencil drawn style to reflect the artist protagonist as he goes about his craft drawing an old friend who becomes a bit closer.
Special title capturing the hopes and mainly fears of a late twenty something stuck in a cycle of not wishing to work too hard in a part time position but suffering the lack of financial stability that results in. The ever pressing fear of pregnant girlfriends and the alluring yet foreboding Catherine prey heavily on our protagonists mind as the character interaction plays out with a wealth of mini games. One such involves shifting platforms to climb to the top of the tower and success in these is linked to progress in the special game.
The airplane sim is not a genre with many releases on any console format, so Airline Pilot provides welcome relief for all to enjoy the freedom of flight. Just watch for the turbulance in the thermals…
Based on the card trading game, players use tactics to expand their world and keeping a good hand in reserve is critical to progress in this fine swansong that oozes atmosphere.
Further evidence of Japanese skills in making spooky psychological software comes courtesy of Human who were busy terrifying gamers well before Capcom’s zombie onslaughts. Graphic murders involving scissors lead you to think you’re next as you point and click light puzzle elements away towards revealing the murderer’s true identity. Occasional appearances of the scissorman will put a chill down your spine and quick thinking is needed to evade his advances. A panic meter can be used if fully charged to escape temporarily however this can only be used three times before becoming exhausted. In game items can be used as weapons, but once used they can’t be restored to the gaming world so quick thinking is a must.
Coming with J Pop soundtrack with lyrics as sweet as the in game anime characters comes the gorgeously animated Comic Party. Playing your cards with care ensures the game engine doesn’t come back to bite you.
Romp around the town RPG invigorated by colourful characters and some suitably gruff and impossibly falsetto voice acting from ladies in stilettos. The games setting allows plenty of plots shifts which keep things fresh, if a little unexplained. Good use of cut scenes and voices in the early CD format fashion.
A cracking title in which you get to become a master crane operator through the various stages and challenges including pulling out fish as in the child’s toy fishing game. There is also an expert course to graduate aswell as the grind of work mode where going about your duties is strangely gratifying. Only in Japan, but well worth a spin. Known as Crane Master ni Narou in Japan. See also Shovel Master and Machine master in the Kenki Ippai series.
A cracking title in which you get to become a master crane operator through the various stages and challenges including pulling out fish as in the child’s toy fishing game. There is also an expert course to graduate aswell as the grind of work mode where going about your duties is strangely gratifying. Only in Japan, but well worth a spin. Known as Crane Master ni Narou in Japan. See also Shovel Master and Machine master in the Kenki Ippai series.
Fantasy themed card trading sequel to the Saturn version improving on the gameplay, as well as the graphics as you’d expect, with some very tidy effects.
Sequel to the popular Super Famicom version, this handheld update takes a card-based combat approach. Great characters in the Hudson mould. Subtitled The Miracle of The Zone.
Deep and involving strategy battle game in a similar vein to Masters of Monsters. Demands dedication from the player, but rewards well with sparkling Sega polish on the massive gaming engine. Plenty of characters to select and being able to shape them adds to the attraction. A sprawling epic.