N64 Japanese Imports

[Kreegs]

Since I have started getting some, I thought I would make a place to discuss it. Does anyone else have any of these? I have noticed that buying them online sometimes ends up being way cheaper than the NA version. Smash Bros is currently around 20 bucks for Japanese and around 50 bucks for NA! I still want to get some more

I currently own:
-Diddy Kong Racing (one of my favorite 64 titles that I actually bought in Japan!)
-Animal Forest (Animal Crossing for the gamecube in the US, but only released in Japan. I also bought this in Tokyo, but haven't played it much due to it being in Japanese)
-Star Fox 64 (one of my all time favorite titles and it is really fun to play with the characters yelling at you in Japanese)

I ordered:
-F-Zero X (never owned this before, but I have played it. It was way cheaper than buying the US version)
-Super Mario 64 Rumble Pak edition (only released in Japan, this is the same game but works with the Rumble Pak)
-Snowboard Kids (I have never played this, but it gets good reviews. It was also WAY cheaper than buying a used NA copy)

Playing these required one to either mod your N64 (which I did), or mod the game cart using another NA game. Not sure if there is any region locking for the Australians. Pretty sure EU game carts have the same shape as the NA carts. Want to weigh in? Want more information? Is this something you might like to try out?

[Humphries90]

Not owned any, nor any current plans to.But it's a nice random market to collect for. As you said before the language problems can be a major issue regarding enjoyment of some games so you need to choose games well.

Oh, Sin and Punishment is surely on your list?

[Kreegs]

Yes, that is on my list, but it is so expensive!

I don't need to collect a lot, but it is fun to play a game like Star Fox 64 that I know so well. It just feels different, yet the same. If I had to pick 1 version of a game, it would of course be the one in English!

I just sort of stumbled into this when I went to a retro game store in Akihabara. The N64 games were the only things I could really buy and play back in the US, and they were the cheapest. Mario games on the Famicom were super expensive because of the novelty, but I bought an Excitebike Famicom for really cheap because it looked cool. I don't really plan to ever play it, unless I stumble upon a, NES that can play it, or someone that has a Famicom or adaptor.

[Kong Wen]

I wish KeeperBVK were still around. That dude at one time had a collection of almost every NA, EU, and Japanese N64 game.

[Kreegs]

I wish KeeperBVK were still around. That dude at one time had a collection of almost every NA, EU, and Japanese N64 game.

Anything different physically between NA and EU games?

[Kong Wen]

Anything different physically between NA and EU games?

Probably not in most cases, but they had different cover art, boxes, etc. and I think he wanted a copy of everything remotely unique. He's since started selling some of his collection off, but he would be a great font of knowledge.

[Kreegs]

Yeah it would be great to talk with him about it! Why hasn't he joined TONe?

[The Shoemaker]

I think one of the more famous ones is Talent Studio for the N64 DD. Obviously it's pretty rare since the N64 DD was never released outside of Japan! I believe you used a camera to import a picture of yourself into the game to make a character, which you could use to make your own wacky videos. It was Nintendo developed, and I think a lot of the design aspects came from Mario Paint. If you think about it it's kind of like an early version of Mii's and Tomodachi Life.

[Kreegs]

I think one of the more famous ones is Talent Studio for the N64 DD. Obviously it's pretty rare since the N64 DD was never released outside of Japan! I believe you used a camera to import a picture of yourself into the game to make a character, which you could use to make your own wacky videos. It was Nintendo developed, and I think a lot of the design aspects came from Mario Paint. If you think about it it's kind of like an early version of Mii's and Tomodachi Life.

Pretty cool! I love how Totaka's song is in the video!

[pdSlooper]

KeeperBVK's N64 collection is still up at the backloggery. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you stalked it, or said hello even.