Simulation
Here we have all the games in the Simulation Section.
PS2
Simulation
Nintendogs was not the original dog game: Konami had been keeping young pups in line for some time before with the Dogstation arcade machine and this PS2 home version. Don microphone and bark orders to your little puppy to train it up. Progress and you can buy collars and leads to make it the smartest pup in the neighbourhood. Just be sure to put plenty of newspaper down around your PS2.
PSP
Simulation
Slot machine simulator based on the emotional, epic anime full of hard love known as Kyojin no Hoshi (or Star of the Giants.) The story of the anime features young Hoshi as he battles through gruelling training and beatings from his strict father to become a pitcher for the Tokyo Giants. Its unlikely father would have approved of the fruit machine gambling exploits, but a top baseball player must squander their cash on something.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Very pleasant platform romp reminiscent of the Super Famicom in its pomp, apart from the look is souped up to suit the Saturn format and the bosses are cut loose from the second dimension!
Mega CD
Simulation
Dreaded FMV title that is actually quite a laugh if you can savour the flavour of the hammy, cheesy acting. Gameplay involves setting trap to capture crooks within the apartment building. So often its important to be in the right place at the right time. A classic early example of a console CD game.
Mega CD
Simulation
Dreaded FMV title that is actually quite a laugh if you can savour the flavour of the hammy, cheesy acting. Gameplay involves setting trap to capture crooks within the apartment building. So often its important to be in the right place at the right time. A classic early example of a console CD game.
PC Engine FX
Simulation
A fine RPG in its own right with lush gaming world realised in great detail and all important characters of intrest so that players feel a conncetion to them. The certificate comes from the saucy cut scenes with steamy voice acting, but this game stands tall on its own.
Famicom Cart
Simulation
The Datach system looks like it’d be more at home in a back street Hong Kong games dealer sitting as it does on top of the Famicom, plugging into the cart slot. It accepts mini carts with the games on, leaving the top access for data cards that can be scanned in to gain advantage in the many bouts players face. A real collectors unit.
Super Famicom
Simulation
Battle simulation take on the fun and fairly familiar face of DragonBall. Players select their special moves and battle through the healthy number of willing opponents all realised in a very appropriate isometric style. The cut scenes also capture the essence of the anime series.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Horse racing gambling sim. Full Japanese title: Yume Baken 1999 Internet.
XBOX 360
Simulation
The Dream Club is a hostess bar where you can buy the girls drinks, chat, watch them get a bit woozy after too many drinks, enjoy a song and perhaps even treat them to a present or two on a date outside the club? Attentive gamers will flourish as the girls reveal secrets after too many cocktails and that knowledge will help answer tricky queries and win over their heart.
Playstation
Simulation
Minecraft before its time as RPG fans create their own dungeon based role playing game complete with shops and the obligatory monsters.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Be a winner in the game of life as players progress round the board dealing with the many dilemmas life may throw up. Initially players decide their appearance, gender and type of car ina nice nod to personalise the game to the players character. Known in Japanese as the DX Jinsei Game.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Like a Miyazaki anime, ecological disaster stalks this dating sim with a look of Sakura Wars and a feel of Tokimeki Memorial. The games characters are skilled in magical arts, as if the science of romance wasn’t tricky enough.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Town management simulation set during the Edo period with period setting characters sporting the tradition haircuts and a well realised isometric town in which to chat to the townsfolk and chase geisha.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Huge intro as you’d expect from anime experts Pioneer. Makoto must use his mysterious machine to save El Hazard again.
Playstation
Simulation
Pinball sim which takes a one screen approach so its not possible to blame the scrolling for missing the ball. Plenty of bonuses keeping it down the safer far end of the table.
Dreamcast
Simulation
A dating simulation game with a heavy maid influence and third person role playing perspective gaming to differentiate it from the opposition.
Sega Saturn
Simulation
Kenji Endo’s sequel to D certainly has its share of spooky moments onboard the space station with the eerie silence and smooth FMV clips cranking up the tension. A title that heralded the new 32 Bit era.
PS2
Simulation
An excellent example of a console flight sim that steers away from too detail, yet has far more substance than action flight games. The sequel has increased the size of game and reached a pinnacle of graphical excellence with more planes to savour. Import only, but the menu allows you to change the language to English. On par with the finest PC flight sims.
Dreamcast
Simulation
The disks contain a TV drama with the detective charged with piecing together the evidence to solve the mysterious murders occurring. A great language learning tool.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Espion-age-nets involves various spying missions in which you must deploy your team tactfully to complete the mission. Difficult to pigeon hole with action, fighting and puzzle elements making this a stand out title. A clever use of the monitor sees your main character appear on the main screen with three mini update screens around it so you can see how the other team members are fairing and react accordingly. All done with stylised camera angles adding to the Orwellian feel.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Gorgeously animated adventure, playing like an interactive anime with gritty cityscapes and plenty of scrapes in the neon of the big city.
Playstation
Simulation
Interweaves different time zones from the past, present and future very cleverly to make for a seamless anime adventure with tasty cut scenes as seasoned anime veterans may expect with those fine production values overflowing into the game too.
Dreamcast
Simulation
Colourful adventure title with surprising depth to the quest, all very well acted.
PC Engine Super CD ROM
Simulation
Lots of tweaking to the cars to be able to allow the team to savour top spot on the podium in this race simulation from the cult classic team of Laser Soft, an off-shoot of Telenet.
Playstation
Simulation
Drawing deeply on Middle Eastern mythology comes a smooth war simulator which is no Tower of Babylon. Set in ancient Persia with historically sensitive setting and rekindled recently for a Playstation download.
Super Famicom
Simulation
Striking artwork up there with the finest Sega Fantasy. Tactical combat in positioning troops and some lavish cut scenes to the combat to help crank up the tension alongside the triumphant soundtrack. A fine example of the genre.
Famicom Cart
Simulation
Military action as the army must capture enemy territory, but fear not: its arcade roots make this very accessible to pick up and play with hidden tactical depth for the budding field marshals.
PS2
Simulation
Subtitled ‘Radio Contolled Adventure Championship’ involving flying your little helicopter through various missions which is great fun.
Super Famicom
Simulation
Worthy of purchase for the box artwork alone if it weren’t for the well designed mecha waiting their turn to attack each other inside. A lesson in strategy combat titles thats truly absorbing and well worthy of the Squaresoft label. Praise due to the Cybernator creator Toshio Tsuchida’s work on the mecha design.