Japanese video games are some of the most popular in the world, but there is a huge collection that most will never know. Many amazing titles remain locked away in Japan and will never see a wider release. ZenMarket may however be the key to unlocking these elusive Japanese retro games.
You might think these Japanese retro games are niche if they never made it outside Japan, but with titles from famous creators such as Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid fame and huge anime franchises like Sailor Moon, there are absolutely games of interest even to the casual collector.
While new items are a rarity when it comes to retro games, Japanese ones do have a reputation for being in very good condition, which is great both for playing and displaying them.
This article will highlight a few interesting items that can be found on ZenMarket.
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Shin Megami Tensei IF
Considered by many as the spiritual start of the world-famous Persona series, Shin Megami Tensei: If was developed as a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series, instead taking place in a high school setting where the events of Shin Megami Tensei never happened.
Shin Megami Tensei on Mercari
Originally released on the Super Nintendo, this JRPG has since been ported to several platforms, but never made its way outside of Japan. This would certainly be an interesting title to add to the collection of any fan of Persona.
Cowboy Bebop: Tsuioku no Serenade
Cowboy Bebop is an incredibly well-known older manga and anime series. It even has a live-action spin-off. For those who can't get enough of this series, Cowboy Bebop: Tsuioku no Serenade has an original story giving you another chance to spend time with the bounty hunter and friends.
カウボーイビバップ 追憶の夜曲
As a bonus, this beat 'em up game is fairly easy to play even without much Japanese knowledge. If you search around, you can even find subtitles for the cutscenes on YouTube. The used market for PlayStation 2 games in Japan seems particularly great too, with tons of titles often selling for only a few hundred yen each.
AIRRADE
AIR was such a well-known visual novel that it had its own anime, multiple ports, and quite a lot of unofficial doujin works. One of the best of these is AIRRADE.
AIRRADE on Mercari
AIRRADE by Studio SiestA is a doujin shoot 'em up where you can control the heroines from AIR as they fly through the air and shoot down incredibly cute enemies based on the series. Despite being a doujin work, it stands up against many professional releases and is a real challenge to beat. Fans of KEY or shoot 'em ups would certainly enjoy it and there are plenty more doujin works to explore too.
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Policenauts
Most people are surprised to find that Hideo Kojima worked as the director and scenario writer for a visual novel when he's much more known for action titles. Perhaps it's not too surprising with his interest in film though.
Policenauts follows a protagonist who wakes up from cryostasis and finds himself working as a detective, trying to solve a murder. As well as being rated highly, it's an interesting collector's item to fans of the director and those who want to experience the earlier visual novels available.
Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Another Story
There are plenty of Japan-only Sailor Moon games that you might want to pick up, but perhaps the best of them all is Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story.
Bishoujou Senshi Sailor Moon Another Story on Mercari
This Super Nintendo JRPG takes you through an original story featuring all the characters you know and love. Along for the ride are the new antagonists, the Oppositio Guardians, who are each similar to one of the Inner Sailor Guardians. It has a great story where all of the main cast gets their own moment to shine and a fun link technique mechanic that shakes up that classic turn-based combat.
Conlusion
Whether you're a collector of Japanese retro games or just a fan of certain series, ZenMarket has a lot to explore. Whether it's the famously Japan-exclusive Mother 3, a classic anime tie-in like Ranma ½: Hard Battle, or something much more obscure like Kanoso, there's a good chance that you can find it here and get it shipped to you with ease.
A gamer since the days of DOS who has spent time living in Japan and South Korea. Thomas Knight has been interested in Japan most of his life due to having an early interest sparked through anime and gaming. After working for a number of other channels and outlets, he went on to create NookGaming.com which focuses on Japanese gaming, including niches such as visual novels and JRPGs.
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