How does one acquire them? A little information about me first: For various reasons, I like to collect Japanese-region games. So while I realise that some Japanese mobile phone games were translated and localised for non-Japanese audiences (e.g. Final Fantasy IV: The After), I am still only interested in the original Japanese versions (i.e. with Japanese text). Mobile games that are exclusive to Japan (e.g. Final Fantasy Legends: Warriors of Light and Darkness) of course, need not be mentioned as a counter-point (I also want them). Basically, "buy/download the local English versions" is not a valid option for me. In order to acquire these games, it would appear that I would need a Japanese mobile phone. If I was to import a Japanese phone, which would be the best in general for my purposes? That's assuming of course that I can access the Japanese networks in order to download the games. Since I don't actually reside in Japan, I assume I can't. Note that I don't know anything about Japanese mobile phones, their networks nor anything else related to that subject. A quick browse of the Square-Enix website reveals Apple iPhone compatibility which may be a better alternative due to it being more "in use" widely and thus, hopefully more standardised. However. the problem of accessing Japanese networks remains and not all games (especially older ones) are compatible. Looking at the Square-Enix webpage above, I assume that's multiple networks, based on those icons to the right. Of course, other issues exist like me not actually needing a new phone and the fact that iPhones are pretty expensive but that's irrelevant (to this thread). Having said that, I would like a new phone... Another possible method that may eliminate the regional obstacles is "dumping". or the process of transferring data from one medium (e.g. cartridge, mobile phone) to another (usually PC). Technical and legal implications may apply to this method however. Anyway, if you have anything to add to this topic, please throw out what you have. To get an idea of the sort of things I'm after, here is my undoubtedly incomplete "Want" list so far. Everything listed below, I would like to collect and own. If you know of any more Japanese mobile phone games that you think I might be interested in, please make some suggestions or direct me to a website that has a convenient list. Since I'm interested in multiple game franchises from multiple companies, the information available is a bit fragmented. I am even interested in re-releases, just to see what changes they have made. For example, Seiken Densetsu on the iPhone has its gameplay interface changed a bit (since it's a touch pad) and cosmetic changes were also made on the "Ring System" menu with character portraits, etc... Anyway, it's about time I get to the list: Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII ビフォアクライシス -ファイナルファンタジーVII - Breath of Fire: Ryuu no Tsuri-shi ブレス オブ ファイア 竜の釣り師 Capcom Girl no Mind Puzzle カプコンギャルのマインドパズル Chaos Rings ケイオスリングス Chocobo de Mobile チョコボ de モバイル Chocobo Panic チョコボパニック Chocobo to Crystal no Tou チョコボとクリスタルの塔 Chokkan! Rockman 直感! ロックマン Choube! Rockman 跳べ! ロックマン Chrono Trigger クロノ・トリガー Code Age Brawls コードエイジブロウルズ Crystal Defenders: Vanguard Storm クリスタル・ディフェンダーズ ヴァンガード・ストーム Crystal Guardians クリスタルガーディアンズ Densetsu no Ogre Battle 伝説のオウガバトル Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode -Final Fantasy VII- ダージュ オブ ケルベロス - ファイナルファンタジー VII- ロスト エピソード Dragon Quest - Mobile ドラゴンクエスト モバイル Dragon Quest Battle Road - Mobile ドラゴンクエストバトルロードMOBILE Dragon Quest III: Soshite Densetsu e… ドラゴンクエストIII そして伝説へ… Dragon Quest Monsters ドラゴンクエストモンスターズ Dragon Quest Monsters - Mobile ドラゴンクエストモンスターズMOBILE Dragon Quest Monsters Wanted! ドラゴンクエスト モンスターズ WANTED! Dragon Quest Monsters: Battle Road Victory Special Movie ドラゴンクエスト モンスターバトルロードビクトリー スペシャルムービー Dragon Quest: Fushigi no Dungeon - Mobile ドラゴンクエスト 不思議のダンジョンMOBILE Dragon Quest: Motto Fushigi no Dungeon - Mobile ドラゴンクエスト もっと不思議のダンジョンMOBILE Estpolis Denki DX: Inishie no Denki Doukutsu エストポリス伝記 DX いにしえの洞窟 Final Fantasy - Mobile ファイナルファンタジー モバイル Final Fantasy II - Mobile ファイナルファンタジーII Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street - Mobile ファイナルファンタジー in いただきストリート MOBILE Final Fantasy IV ファイナルファンタジーIV Final Fantasy IV: The After - Tsuki no Kikan ファイナルファンタジーIV THE AFTER -月の帰還- Final Fantasy Legends: Hikari to Yami no Senshi ファイナルファンタジー レジェンズ 光と闇の戦士 Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children - Larger-than-Life Gallery ファイナルファンタジーVII Advent Children - Larger-than-Life Gallery Final Fantasy XIII - Larger-than-Life Gallery ファイナルファンタジーXIII Larger-than-Life Gallery Front Mission - Mobile フロントミッション モバイル Front Mission 2089 フロントミッション 2089 Front Mission 2089-II フロントミッション 2089-II Ganso Hanjuku Eiyuu 元祖 半熟英雄 Hoshizora no Nakama-tachi 星空の仲間たち Itadaki Street Mobile いただきストリート MOBILE Kingdom Hearts - Mobile キングダム ハーツ モバイル Kingdom Hearts Coded キングダム ハーツ コーデッド Knights of Crystal ナイツオブクリスタル Kobun ga Tobun? コブンが飛ぶん? Kobun Tokei コブン時計 Kumitate Kobun 組み立てコブン Makai Toushi SaGa 魔界塔士 サ・ガ Musashiden II Episode Zero 武蔵伝II EPISODE ZERO Oshioki Kobun おしおきコブン Rockman Bug Sweeper ロックマン バグスイーパー Rockman DASH Golf ロックマンDASH ゴルフ Rockman DASH: 5tsu no Shima no Daibouken! ロックマンDASH 5つの島の大冒険! Rockman EXE Legend of Network ロックマン エグゼ レジェンド オブ ネットワーク Rockman EXE Phantom of Network ロックマン エグゼ ファントム オブ ネットワーク Rockman GP ロックマンGP Rockman Panic Fire ロックマン パニックファイア Rockman Pinball ロックマン ピンボール Rockman Slot ロックマン スロット Rockman Space Rescue / Rocket Christmas ロックマン スペースレスキュー / ロケットクリスマス Rockman Tennis ロックマン テニス Romancing SaGa ロマンシング サガ Romancing SaGa 2 ロマンシング サガ2 Seiken Densetsu 2 聖剣伝説2 Seiken Densetsu: Final Fantasy Gaiden 聖剣伝説 -ファイナルファンタジー外伝- Seiken Densetsu: Friends of Mana 聖剣伝説 FRIENDS of MANA Sigma Harmonics Coda シグマ ハーモニクス コーダ Song Summoner: Utawarenu Senshi no Senritsu ソングサマナー 歌われぬ戦士の旋律 Song Summoner: Utawarenu Senshi no Senritsu Kanzenban ソングサマナー 歌われぬ戦士の旋律 完全版 Square Enix Melody Full スクウェア・エニックス メロディフル Square Enix Melody Full Plus スクウェア・エニックス メロディ-Plus- Star Ocean: Blue Sphere スターオーシャン ブルースフィア Tactics Ogre: Unmei no Wa - Special Promotion Application タクティクスオウガ 運命の輪 スペシャルプロモーションアプリ Tales of Breaker テイルズオブブレイカー Tales of Commons テイルズオブコモンズ Tales of Mobile: Craymel Check Tales of Mobile: Craymel Lab Tales of Mobile: Groovy Arche Tales of Mobile: Klondike Tales of Mobile: Reversi Tales of Mobile: Scramble Land Tales of Mobile: Tales of Quiz Tales of Mobile: Tales of Wonder Casino Tales of Mobile: Whis Battle Tales of Tactics テイルズオブタクティクス Tales of the Abyss: Mieu no Daibouken Tales of the Abyss: Mieu no Fonic Gojiten Tales of the Abyss: Mieu no Jikkenshitsu? Tales of the World: Material Dungeon Tales of Wahrheit テイルズオブヴァールハイト Tobal M トバルM Voice Fantasy ボイスファンタジー Finally, since I assume that the subject of this thread is pretty niche (or at least, my requirements are) and the people with the knowledge to help probably even more sparse, I made multiple threads on multiple forums with the intention of scraping together what knowledge I can manage to receive. Apologies in advance if my actions (posting same threads on multiple forums) offends your sensibilities.
Unless they've already been dumped, the preservation of Japanese mobile games pre-smartphones is a difficult prospect. The services that offered these games don't exist anymore, and I think that because of this you can't access games bought through them.
Indeed quite unfortunate. The completionist/OCD in me bristles at the thought of never acquiring these apps. Surprised Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII hasn't been ported yet though, considering it's FFVII.
Here's one I found: https://www.production-ig.co.jp/works/dead-leaves/goods/game.html Mobile video game released on DoCoMo November 2006. Based on an anime OVA called Dead Leaves. Japanese mobile games are the real lost video games of recent times. It's not like they were unreleased but who the hell in Japan collects or preserves old mobile phones containing obscure games that can somehow transfer the data so that it is somewhat playable? Impossible. Good thing they are probably crappy.
