Japan has been at the forefront of the gaming scene for decades. The country is home to two of the three main console manufacturers, Sony and Nintendo. It’s also where Sega, CapCom, Konami, and Bandai Namco are all based.
Through these Japanese gaming giants, the world has been given an opportunity to explore more of the nation’s culture. Of course, one of the biggest cultural exports to reach the West has been anime, and we’ve seen plenty of anime-themed and inspired video games released in European and North American markets over the years.
However, there is more to Japanese culture than just its famous animated movies and TV shows, including its food, history, and folklore. Many of these other sources of inspiration from Japan have helped developers to create some truly epic titles. Here are some of those video games.
Manga Girls
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Another popular choice among casinos is to create unique titles that are based on different themes. One of these themes is, of course, manga with many such games on the market, including Koi Princess and Sakura Fortune.
Manga Girls is another epic game inspired by this popular form of Japanese comic. It’s a brightly-colored slot game with several manga-style characters as symbols. Naturally, this is complemented by a great soundtrack, eye-catching animations, and exciting bonuses.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore was released in 2015 for the Wii U. It launched initially in Japan with North American, Australian, and European releases following a few months later.
Despite the Wii U’s lack of sales, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore sold well and was actually regarded as one of the best games released on Nintendo’s console. Following this success, the developers released a refreshed version for the Nintendo Switch in early 2020.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is an RPG game that combines both the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem series to create an epic crossover that is still loved by anime fans today.
It’s set in modern-day Tokyo and follows members of a talent agency who are engaged in a battle with creatures from another planet. The story is split into several chapters, though players are divided on whether they like the content or not.
The gameplay, on the other hand, is almost universally loved by anyone who has played it, so it’s worth giving a try if you haven’t already.
Judgement
Released in Japan for the PlayStation 4 in December 2018 and for the rest of the world the following June, Judgement is an action-adventure video game that’s a spin-off from the Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise.
The game puts you in the shoes of Takayuki Yagami, a private investigator who is trying to solve a serial murder case in a Tokyo district. It has two main functions: an investigation mode where your main focus is finding clues to solve crimes, and one that focuses much more on fighting.
To top things off, there’s also a collection of minigames, an element that is becoming far less common in modern video games. These minigames include drone racing, a board game, and several retro arcade titles.
Following on from the success of the original release selling over one million copies shortly after it hit shelves, a remastered version was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X in 2021 and PC in 2022.
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