Top 5 Most Bizarre Japanese Games
This odd game was released for the original PlayStation and was brought to America by the wonderful people at Titus Software. The game consists of a bunch of odd mini-games that parody popular movies strung together by a crazy story. Some of the movies that are parodied in the mini-games include Indiana Jones, Titanic, Top Gun, and Godzilla. Although the story is quite bizarre, it actually works and is entertaining. Almost all of the mini-games are fun and will have you laughing. Some of my favorite mini-games include dancing at work, snowboarding away from wolves, and trying to avoid getting hit on the freeway when you’re on a stretcher that won’t stop. It has a fun story and creative mini-games worth checking out. The game is fairly tough to find and would probably cost about $20.
4. LocoRoco for Sony PSP (2006)
Even though the game is to be released in the United States next month, LocoRoco is still creating a large buzz on the internet. Essentially you play as an orange blob who goes through levels for the mere purpose of reaching the goal. The game’s art, colors, and music are all very imaginative and really put you in a good mood. The game is rather simple, as you only control the characters by using the L and R buttons, which tilt the screen and make the LocoRoco roll and bounce toward their goal. Despite its simplicity, it’s sure to put a smile on anyone’s face that plays it. The game will be released on September 5th, 2006 in the United States and will sell for $40.
3. Parappa the Rappa for Sony PlayStation (1997)
One of the most famous bizarre Japanese games is Parappa the Rappa, which is probably because it was one of the first crazy Japanese games to hit the American market. The game is solely a music game, where the goal is to hit various buttons on the PlayStation controller at the right time. Timing button hits is the gameplay, but the music, story, and art are all so hilarious that you’ll play the game over and over despite it’s simple gameplay. A spin-off named Um Jammer Lammy and a sequel can be found on the PS1 and PlayStation 2, respectively.The original is rather old but can be easily found for under fifteen dollars on sites such as eBay.
2. Katamari Damacy for Sony PlayStation 2 (2004)
A game that essentially came out of nowhere and won the hearts of critics and gamers alike was Katamari Damacy. The game remains a huge cult hit and won awards for its innovativeness and wonderful soundtrack featuring Japanese artists. The game’s story is crazy, as it deals with the universe needing more stars because the King of the Cosmos accidentally knocked some out. It’s the Prince’s goal to replace these stars with new ones by picking up objects, humans, houses, etc. with his sticky ball. The gameplay’s quite intuitive, as you control the sticky ball as you would a small RC car. You only use the controller’s two analog sticks, but the game is surprisingly fun. The game was originally released at a price of just $20, but you could probably find even cheaper now.
1. WarioWare Inc.: Mega MicroGame$ for Nintendo Game Boy Advance (2003)
Featuring one of Mario’s antagonists, Wario, the game features a story about greed. Wario wants to create a videogame that will rake in the cash and basically you play test the game he made. The game won awards due to its hyperactive, maniac puzzle gameplay that was never seen before and for its “pick up and play” style. Consisting of many mini-games that last no longer then a few seconds, the game forces users to react quickly with either the A button or the directional pad. The game essentially had infinite replay value and many bizarre mini-games with goals like picking a nose or jumping over a shark. The game was a huge hit and has had innovative sequels on the GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. The original game can be purchased for about $20 and any game in the series really is worth checking out.
Although all these games are bizarre, they often have won awards for their innovativeness and creativity. Though these kinds of games aren’t for everyone due to their strangeness, they’re simple enough that anybody could play them. There’s no mature content and these games were just simply designed to be fun, which is just what a game should be.
