Reccomendations for a "newb" getting into imports?

[scorch56]

Seems like in my console collecting forays.. I'm getting more and more capabilities to play imports (Whether it be modded consoles, convertors or just plain 'ol import consoles).

I like RPGs and mainly.. BIG giant robots (genre doesn't matter).

Having played most of the Front Mission imports (I actually found them fairly easy to follow.. even without translation guides) I decided to buy Wachenroder for the Saturn awhile back and am enjoying it as an RPG; with the help of a translation guide.

I am not in any way familiar with Japanese.. so I need games that are easy to pick up and play.. or have good online translation guides associated with them.

My next two purchases intend to be Blue Almanac (GENS; I've heard several people on the board reccomend it and it sounds like fun) and Frame Gride (DC; because it's a mecha fighting game and a manual translation DOES exist).

Can anyone else reccomend anything? Keeping in mind my preferences?

How hard is it to learn to play the Super Famicon Super Robot Wars titles.. because they are mainly strategy games from what I hear? Or the other Sega Saturn Gundam and Gun Griffon titles?

When it came to the Front Mission titles.. it wasn't important to be able to follow the story because the games are really just a series of strategy battles strung together; but I'd be lost playing Wachenroder if there wasn't such a thorough and complete manual translation and walkthrough for it.

Thanks to all for your time and attention.

[Iron Draggon]

I just got Assault Suit Leynos 2 for Saturn and Assault Suit Valken 2 for PSX, I'll let you know how they are as soon as I get a chance to play them awhile.

Wachenroder sounds interesting, can you provide any more information on it?

I've never played any of the Front Mission games yet, but always wanted to. I was gonna import the two SNES installments a long time ago, when they first came out, but never got around to it. I guess I shouldn't have waited.

I've been looking at the two Gun Griffon games for Saturn, but I'm unsure if there's any difference between those two and the American version of Gun Griffon? Is that just a translated version of the first game, or a translation of both games combined onto one disk? Is there any difference between the Japanese version and the American version, besides the language? I'm just wondering if I should go ahead and import both games, or just the sequel?

I've never played any Gundam or Macross games, because there's just too many of them to choose from, and if I buy one, I'll have to have them all.

I don't know enough about any import mech games on the MegaDrive to offer any advice, but I would love to know which ones are available for it.

Ditto for the DC, I have no idea what's available, but would love to know.

On the Saturn, I've heard that Cyberbots is really good, and you can't go wrong with Capcom, so I'd love to own it someday but I understand that it's very expensive now. It seems that all the RAM cart cames are very expensive now, especially those from Capcom & SNK, of course. That goes without saying, so it'll be a long time before I can ever get any of those, I'm afraid.

Also on the Saturn, I'd really love to own Hyper Duel. I've been wanting that one for years, and tried to import it as soon as it came out, but it was always either sold out or none of the importers I knew of at the time could get it. Now it's hyper-rare and hyper-expensive, so still no Hyper Duel for me yet!

I'm only just now getting into PSX imports, so I don't really know of any for that system, other than the one that I'm anxiously awaiting in the mail, but I hear that it's very similar to Front Mission, so you'll probably wanna get it too.

I'm not really a total mech head, or a giant robot pilot, although it sure does look like it in this post, but I do enjoy that sort of game, so just letting you know. That may change by the time I start getting really into ASL2 & ASV2 though, so we'll see. I just heard so many good things about them that I had to give them a try. I can't read a word of Japanese either, but I've also heard that these two games don't really require it, although it would be very helpful if I could, because they both contain a shitload of Japanese dialogue.

That's all for now, so welcome to the scene! I've been getting pretty active here lately, especially in this forum, so I'll try to help whenever I can. As you can see from my signature, I'm on an import binge right now, so it's great to see this forum picking up a bit, and especially nice to welcome a newcomer!

[dj898]

Also on the Saturn, I'd really love to own Hyper Duel. I've been wanting that one for years, and tried to import it as soon as it came out, but it was always either sold out or none of the importers I knew of at the time could get it. Now it's hyper-rare and hyper-expensive, so still no Hyper Duel for me yet!

i have Hyper Duel on Saturn and frankly wasn't that impressed with it.
sure i didn't invest much time as time is something I don't have much nowadays... maybe if I give it enough time i would change my mind but...

for GunGriffon only JPN release has the intro movie that is compatible with VCD card so you will see fantastic full screen intro if you have JPN VCD card in your JPN Saturn. As VCD card was never released in US they removed/hide it on US release.

For Gundam I believe Char's Counter Attack on PSX is by far the best action title based on Gundam franchise. Saturn one's simply awful as PSX release. Zeta Gundam on PSX isn't too shabby either but Zeta Gundam on Saturn is mediocre adventure following TV anime series on two separate releases...

With Macross I think PC Engine release was and is the best yet. Forgot the title but there's couple of release on PSX and Saturn but they are mediocre at best except the flight sim/action on PSX - can't remember the title.

On DC front there are quite few to choose from. Zeon Vs Renpou DX is the arcade port and it's quite good. Same goes to Side Story 0079 although it's dame too short. With JPN release there's bonus disc called premium disc which basically allows you to fight against Amuro and his RX-78-2 under simulated battle. You can find US release of SS0079 although it's much rare hence more expensive.

With robot you can't overlooked Virtual On series. Both Saturn and DC get their respective release and they are quite faithful to the arcade titles. Word of warning: You WILL need twinstick to get the most out of Virtual On.

For VS fighting with Gundam the best from my experience are Battle Master 2 and its predecessor.

cheers

[soniko_karuto]

gear senshi dendo for the psx is fairly good, it mixes mechs in 2d and 1v1 fights on 3d.

[scorch56]

ID.. Wachenroder has nothing to do with Mecha (as far as I've seen so far); it falls into my other category of loves.. RPGs. Released for the Saturn in Japan.. reviewers have described it as a "Gothic Steampunk RPG" (Ya' know.. dark, dirty world gone mad in a technological society type thing.). I've ONLY started playing it.. but I do admit.. so far I love it. It's kind of depressing though.. very dark. Reminds me of FF VII.. a little.

World exploration is done in an isometric view.. but battles take place in 3D (Kinda' ugly on the Saturn). The backdrop graphics are beautiful though. Go to Game FAQs and look it up. Some guy THOROUGHLY translated the manual.. then also wrote a three part guide/walkthrough for it. I couldn't play it otherwise. I hate playing RPGs and not knowing what's going on in all those conversations.

Front Mission 2 (PSX) was a lot easier altogether.. like I said.. mostly a strategy/RPG. Although I wished I could have gathered a bit of the story (there is one there) it wasn't as important and I mainly played for the battle sequences.

I have the domestic releases of Gun Griffon for the Saturn and Gundam SS 0079 for the DC. As I understand it the second GG Saturn release in Japan is another game we didn't get stateside.

I really want the other Japanese GG release as well as the Gundam Saturn games; and yes.. I want Cyberbots as well.. but like you.. can't afford it. I already have the two domestic releases of Virtual On for the saturn & DC and I have a set of twinsticks.

I find Game FAQs to be a great source for some translated manuals or simple walkthroughs for imported games (If they're popular ones). There is a PSX version of Super Robot Wars Alpha that has a guide up as well.. and it sounds like fun; as would be the earlier Super Famicon releases.. I'd imagine.

I've played a burned copy of Frame Gride for the DC.. so I gotta' get a real version of that (Can also find it on Game FAQs).

Who knows anything about Blue Almanac (MegaDrive) RPG? Someone on this board mentions it often.. but I can't find any guide on Game FAQS; but from what I've seen of it so far.. it looks fairly easy to pick up.

[Bighab]

I too am a big fan of strategy games with big ole Mechs The Super Robot Wars series on the SFC are fairly easy to play. The menu's are easy to figure out. MOVE/ATTACK ect. It takes a little trial and error to figure out what each mechs attack does what.
I have the Gundam Side story games on the saturn. They are cockpit view action games. Very easy to play. They are also compatable with twinsticks.
Blue Almanac from what I hear is really language intensive and hard to play. I'd recommend Langrisser 2 megadrive. The menu/game setup is almost identical to Warsong on the Genesis

[Iron Draggon]

SIGH... Langrisser/Warsong... Why on earth did we only get Langrisser 1? I waited and waited and waited for Warsong 2, but it never came. Much less with 3 & 4 & 5 in tow. Talk about a travesty! Was it only because Treco, the licensee for Langrisser here in the US, went belly up? I'm still pissed about it. If I had known then what I know now, I would've had all the Langrissers by now already, but instead it's just save save save for those deluxe box sets! And of course, hoping for a complete compilation on a next-gen system too. That reminds me, I need to add it to our "you wish" thread here. I forgot it.

[maxlords]

BTW...I don't recommend Blue Almanac for the non-English speaker. I had it for a while and was dying to play thru it...but it's extremely heavy text. It's basically like playing Phantasy Star 2 with no way to tell what to do next....depressing.

[Iron Draggon]

I read your post in another thread here. So, Blue Almanac = Star Odyssey? The long lost bastard child of Phantasy Star that almost made it to the US? What the hell happened to it? I was looking all over the place for that game!