Gaming Good Japan Exclusive Games

[IrishMelody]

Are there any Japanese exclusive 3DS games worth playing despite the language barrier? If there are English patches, those are great too but not something I specifically care about

 

[ThoD]

Let's see, Monster Hunter XX (has patch and localization is only for Switch, so no localized version for 3DS, meaning Japan-exclusive) and Monster Hunter Diary. Besides those, 棒人間チャレンジ！ (StickMan Challenge!/Bou ningen charenji!) is VERY addictive, basically a compilation of mini games using the different features of the 3DS like gyro, touch, microphone, etc.. Another REALLY good game is Labyrinth No Kanata (Beyond the Labyrinth, has 100% patch), having a lovely plot twist that may get you hooked (HIGHLY advise against looking up videos and whatnot as it will ruin the surprise, just remember when you start it that it's not what it looks), plus it's one of the BY FAR most beautiful 3DS games (and it's not even an extended memory one!)! Then for just a very casual one, go with Neko Atsume Kitty Collector (relaxing and simple, no patch but VERY simple Japanese). Finally for now, the number series games (they were published from a magazine company or something I think, basically will have something like "series 39" or something in Japanese at the start of the title. Not all of them are good and none have patches, but some of them are really good, especially the horror one (I THINK it was number 39), has a scary old mask as logo and is like an exploration horror VN with some interraction and stuff.

I used to have a HUGE list of stuff I could suggest, but when FreeShop went down I lost it;~;

 

[duwen]

Great suggestions from ThoD.
There are also some physical releases that are a bit different than the digital-only versions we got in the rest of the world... for example, the 3 Sega Archives collection carts are great (if you want 3d 16bit remakes of some of Segas best arcade games) and feature a few extras that were never released in EU/NA eshop. These can also be found as CIA rips of the cart roms.

 

[IrishMelody]

et's see, Monster Hunter XX (has patch and localization is only for Switch, so no localized version for 3DS, meaning Japan-exclusive) and Monster Hunter Diary. Besides those, 棒人間チャレンジ！ (StickMan Challenge!/Bou ningen charenji!) is VERY addictive, basically a compilation of mini games using the different features of the 3DS like gyro, touch, microphone, etc.. Another REALLY good game is Labyrinth No Kanata (Beyond the Labyrinth, has 100% patch), having a lovely plot twist that may get you hooked (HIGHLY advise against looking up videos and whatnot as it will ruin the surprise, just remember when you start it that it's not what it looks), plus it's one of the BY FAR most beautiful 3DS games (and it's not even an extended memory one!)! Then for just a very casual one, go with Neko Atsume Kitty Collector (relaxing and simple, no patch but VERY simple Japanese). Finally for now, the number series games (they were published from a magazine company or something I think, basically will have something like "series 39" or something in Japanese at the start of the title. Not all of them are good and none have patches, but some of them are really good, especially the horror one (I THINK it was number 39), has a scary old mask as logo and is like an exploration horror VN with some interraction and stuff.

I used to have a HUGE list of stuff I could suggest, but when FreeShop went down I lost it;~;

Thank you, ThoD ! This is very useful. I appreciate it. <3

 

[Itzumi]

The Taiko No Tatsujin games are good rhythm games with good song lineups (bonus songs with dlc), but I dont think there were any completed translations, but theres not a very high language barrier unless your playing the story mode.

 

[AmandaRose]

I would highly recommend Dragon Quest Monsters : Joker 3 it has an excellent English patch and is a hugely enjoyable game.

 

[ThoD]

I would highly recommend Dragon Quest Monsters : Joker 3 it has an excellent English patch and is a hugely enjoyable game.

Since you mentioned DQ... The 3DS actually has an MMORPG DQ game, either 10 or 11, can't remember. It's Japan only, but it's literally an MMORPG (you see like another thousand players on the same map and so on as if it was a PC one). Just heads up, base game (tutorial) is free, but past that all is paid so you may not be able to find it, as FreeShop didn't have the whole thing, so very unlikely to find complete dumps.

 

[AmandaRose]

Since you mentioned DQ... The 3DS actually has an MMORPG DQ game, either 10 or 11, can't remember. It's Japan only, but it's literally an MMORPG (you see like another thousand players on the same map and so on as if it was a PC one). Just heads up, base game (tutorial) is free, but past that all is paid so you may not be able to find it, as FreeShop didn't have the whole thing, so very unlikely to find complete dumps.

It's Dragon Quest 10 not sure what you mean about finding the whole thing as the 3ds version of the game is entirely streamed from servers you just need the dragon Quest 10 client app on your 3ds which is only a few mb I think 17mb if memory serves me right.

 

[ThoD]

It's Dragon Quest 10 not sure what you mean about finding the whole thing as the 3ds version of the game is entirely streamed from servers you just need the dragon Quest 10 client app on your 3ds which is only a few mb I think 17mb if memory serves me right.

That's the thing. You get the "client" from the eshop, but then you have to get the rest of the game (it's like another 2GBs of download), then you stream from the servers. It's not all server-side and even if you dump that data, it's server side so you still need to pay. If you load up the base, you will see it asks for purchase of the additional stuff to let you in the proper full game, unless they changed it. What loads up without additional data is just the game intro (first levels).

 

[bjaxx87]

Well, all the DQ games are worth checking out.

Slime MoriMori Dragon Quest 3: Tails Brigade and the Great Pirate Ship
(Feels like a "top down view" Zelda with more looting + tower defense mechanics. It's a lot of fun!)

Theatrhythm Dragon Quest
(If you know Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, you know this one. Just with better music. )

Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D
(HUGE remake of the first DQM game. Really addictive monster collecting RPG - and there's a patch!)

Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Iru to Ruka no Fushigi na Fushigi na Kagi
(Another HUGE remake, this time the (even better) DQM2 - unfortunately no patch.)

Dragon Quest XI: Sugisarishi Toki o Motomete
(The newest entry in the DQ main series which was simultaneously released for PS4. The 3DS version has a few extras to compensate the weaker graphics like switchable graphic styles (3d/16-bit) and bonus dungeons allowing the exploration of the worlds of DQ1-10.)

 

[Zetman]

EX troopers from capcom

 

[Dani Dandelion]

I would highly recommend Dragon Quest Monsters : Joker 3 it has an excellent English patch and is a hugely enjoyable game.

I was gonna recommend the Professional version of this, as it improves basically everything about the base game, plus adds a bunch more post-game, and the ability to skip the old story. Unfortunately, the Pro version doesn't have an English patch, and the language barrier might prevent game completion due to monster breeding and other stuff. I'm a poor judge of language barrier issues, though.