Post by Nester the Lark on Mar 15, 2011 20:06:12 GMT -5
In the Fire Emblem Retrospective thread, I mentioned how Nintendo Power used to occasionally show RPGs that were only released in Japan. Well, since the forum seems to have suddenly died the last couple of days, I thought maybe you guys might enjoy seeing some of those articles.
First, let me frame the time period: It was the mid 90's. The 32-bit generation was just barely getting started, Final Fantasy VII was two years away from release, and RPGs in North America were still very much a hardcore niche genre with a small but dedicated fan base. Nintendo of America perhaps realized it could be more, especially since they were partially responsible for initially carving out that niche a few years earlier when it published Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy itself.
So, in 1995, Nintendo Power began a regular section in the magazine called "Epic Center." It not only covered RPGs, but also simulations and strategy games, probably because they saw those games as having cross appeal. The section catered directly to fans of those types of games, but maybe it was also an attempt to increase their popularity with mainstream players.
Aside from features, news, previews and strategy sections for the games that got released in North America, the section also occasionally contained coverage of games that were only available in Japan. At the time, they seemed like cruel teases, since a lot of the games looked really cool. After all, why show people what they can't have? But perhaps it was an attempt at creating demand so that publishers would consider localizing more of those games for North America. In fact, after Enix initially closed its US office, the magazine encouraged fans to write in with requests for Dragon Quest VI so that they could possibly convince another publisher to bring it over instead. (Obviously it didn't work.)
Anyway, this first feature, called "Epics in Japan," was a six-page spread on various Japan-only RPGs, simulations and strategy games. It appeared in July 1995, volume 74. Games covered include RPG Tsukuru: Super Dante, Wonder Project J, Derby Simulation, Night of the Kamaitachi, Front Mission, Ladystalker, Fever! Fever!, and Super Robot.
Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4 - Page 5 - Page 6
Let me know if you guys enjoy looking at these and if you'd like to see more.
First, let me frame the time period: It was the mid 90's. The 32-bit generation was just barely getting started, Final Fantasy VII was two years away from release, and RPGs in North America were still very much a hardcore niche genre with a small but dedicated fan base. Nintendo of America perhaps realized it could be more, especially since they were partially responsible for initially carving out that niche a few years earlier when it published Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy itself.
So, in 1995, Nintendo Power began a regular section in the magazine called "Epic Center." It not only covered RPGs, but also simulations and strategy games, probably because they saw those games as having cross appeal. The section catered directly to fans of those types of games, but maybe it was also an attempt to increase their popularity with mainstream players.
Aside from features, news, previews and strategy sections for the games that got released in North America, the section also occasionally contained coverage of games that were only available in Japan. At the time, they seemed like cruel teases, since a lot of the games looked really cool. After all, why show people what they can't have? But perhaps it was an attempt at creating demand so that publishers would consider localizing more of those games for North America. In fact, after Enix initially closed its US office, the magazine encouraged fans to write in with requests for Dragon Quest VI so that they could possibly convince another publisher to bring it over instead. (Obviously it didn't work.)
Anyway, this first feature, called "Epics in Japan," was a six-page spread on various Japan-only RPGs, simulations and strategy games. It appeared in July 1995, volume 74. Games covered include RPG Tsukuru: Super Dante, Wonder Project J, Derby Simulation, Night of the Kamaitachi, Front Mission, Ladystalker, Fever! Fever!, and Super Robot.
Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3 - Page 4 - Page 5 - Page 6
Let me know if you guys enjoy looking at these and if you'd like to see more.