Feature: Stranded! The Top 25 Games that Won't Come to America Subscribe to this RSS feed
Numbers 15-11!
15- Takeshi's Challenge (NES)
Back in the NES days, it's pretty likely Takeshi's Challenge would have been poorly received stateside. The primarily child-based demographic for the system in the US probably wouldn't have cottoned to the torture-based gameplay, which included holding down a button for four hours straight or attacking the final boss 20,000 times.
Bearing the name of a famous Japanese comedian who proclaimed his hate for videogames, a game like this could potentially find an audience in today's more mature gaming audiences--particularly those into torture. Also, now that games are being more accepted as an art form (shut it, Ebert), the bizarre post-modernism at play in Takeshi's Challenge has more of a chance to be appreciated. Even if we have no idea who the hell this Takeshi guy is.
14- Neon Genesis Evangelion 2 (Playstation 2)
As one of the most popular anime franchises in the US--I think it's been released as at least three separate DVD sets by now--it's pretty surprising that none of the eight games based off of Neon Genesis Evangelion have come to the US. While each of the games have appeal, the one we're clamoring the most for is Neon Genesis Evangelion 2, which uses an action turn-based strategy system to recount the most memorable battles during the show. While there are a few 2.5D Evagelion fighting games that get you into the action a bit faster, the ability to explore Tokyo-3, talk with its citizens, and engage in strategic battles with the angels makes NGE2 the most alluring of the bunch.
13- Mario and Wario (SNES)
Before the company hit it big with the Pokemon franchise, Game Freak created a truly unique adventure-puzzler that never got a shot in the states. Released on the Super Famicom, Mario and Wario was produced entirely in English and used the SNES mouse peripheral.
Given the still-peaking popularity of all things Mario, and the mouse-like capabilities of the Wii Remote, Mario and Wario should book a trip to the Wii's Virtual Console. You know US fans will foot the bill.
12- Oneechambara Vortex (Xbox 360)
Those who love the game play of Devil May Cry, but can't stand the whiny metro-sexual lead Dante will water over this game. Think the same badass hack and slash intensity of DMC, but the lead is a bikini-clad, katana-wielding, ninja-cowgirl name Aya. This game is filled with more hordes of zombies and blood than you can shake a maxi-pad at.
It's likely that this potent mix of sex and blood proved too much for publisher D3 to handle, as the threat of the three-headed censorship Hydra known as Jack-Hillary-Arnold probably scared the company off.
11- Daigasso! Band Brothers (DS)
Before the US went crazy over Guitar Hero, there was a fine music sim for the DS called Daigasso! Band Brothers that allowed fans of the portable to play some pretty sweet tunes. The game was planned for a US release--Nintendo went as far as to rename the game "Jam with the Band" for the states--but this title's world tour has been indefinitely cancelled.
