JPN-developed, US/PAL-only Games - Let's make a list!

Those games always seemed really odd to me. Despite being developed by a Japanese companies that traditionally sell their games in Japan before anywhere else, some of those companies' games were exclusively sold in the US and Europe or even just either of those.

Let's make a list of those games. And please make sure the game was really DEVELOPED by a Japanese company and not just published in the US!
Metal Warriors for example, while being very similar to Capcom's Assault Suit Valken, had been developed by LucasArts and was merely published by Konami in North America.

I need a short break from my studies, so I have no intention in compiling a complete list by myself to start this thread. Instead, let's just start with a couple of games I just thought of in the following format:

Developer
Name (System) - Region where it was released

====================================================================================

Capcom
Strider (NES) US

Compile
Power Strike II (SMS) Europe

Dimps
One Piece (GBA) USA

Horisoft
Run Saber (SNES) USA, Europe

Hudson
Ninja Five-O / Ninja Cop (GBA) USA, Europe

Intelligent Systems
Metal Combat Falcon's Revenge (SNES) US, Europe

Konami
Base Wars (NES) USA
Contra Force (NES) - USA
Snake's Revenge (NES) US, Europe
Sunset Riders (SNES/MD) - USA, Europe
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters (NES) USA, Europe

Namco
Rolling Thunder 3 (MD) - USA

Nintendo
Tetris (NES) US, Europe

Sega
Ninja Gaiden (SMS) Europe

 

Here's one for the list

Horisoft
Run Saber (SNES) USA, Europe

 

Sunset Riders was originally an arcade game, released in Japan.

Run Saber was developed by Horisoft. Atlus were the publisher.

 

Konami
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighters (NES) USA, Europe
Base Wars (NES) USA

Dimps
One Piece (GBA) USA

Hudson
Ninja Five-O (GBA) USA, Europe

 

Thanks for correcting me fixed

 

No worries!

It's probably even harder to count all platforms, of course, as some games (e.g. Sunset Riders and Turtles Tournament Fighters) were released in Japan on other formats.

Interesting list, really!

 

Nintendo
Tetris (NES) US, Europe

Intelligent Systems
Metal Combat Falcon's Revenge (SNES) US, Europe

Konami
Contra Force (NES) US
Snake's Revenge (NES) US, Europe

Capcom
Strider (NES) US

Sega
Ninja Gaiden (SMS) Europe

Compile
Power Strike II (SMS) Europe

Yup I don't feel up to collections or licensed games either. You'd get things like Power Rangers and Super Mario Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World.

 

Rolling Thunder's concept is hilarious, I played a lot on the arcade version and I remember those KKK-like ennemies wearing bright colors just like spiderman and green lantern! It is a good game but super hard...

 

SNES Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Fighting Edition I believe missed Japan but was for the US and maybe Europe/PAL regions. I believe it was developed in Japan. A game that may use a similar or the same engine I've heard is the Japan only Gundam Wing fighting game.

 

I think so. Japan had just two I'm aware of. 1st SNES game (out of four), and inexplicably Power Rangers Pinball.

 

Your Right it was "Gundam Wing Endless Duel" for the Super Famicom and then the overseas version becomes "Power Rangers Fighting Edition" instead which is a huge shame imho!

 

Yes, but I did not plan to include arcade versions. Maybe I should have added that.:/

List has been updated.

 

Intelligent Systems
Advance Wars Days of Ruin (DS) USA, Europe

Noise
Go Go Cosmo Cops (DS) Europe

Opera House
Cloud Master (SMS) USA, Europe

Konami
Biker Mice From Mars (SNES) USA, Europe

Nintendo
Startropics (NES) USA, Europe
Startropics 2 (NES) USA

Apparently so, I don't know much. Our game released some 6 months earlier.

 

I believe both the Felix the Cat games (NES and GB) were developed by Hudson Japan and published over in the US by Hudson USA.

So,
Hudson Japan
Felix the Cat (Game Boy), USA
Felix the Cat (NES), USA

 

Oh, also:

Konami
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure (Sega Genesis), USA, EU

 

Pretty much a good rule is if there was an American cartoon that did not air in Japan and a Japanese developer made a game, that game most likely was not released in Japan. It makes sense since native Japanese would not understand the references.

Another good one:
Konami
Animaniacs

I feel games like these are too easy to add. You're probably looking for more titles which make you have a double-take.

What?! Japanese gamers didn't get Ninja Five-O?

 

Tiny Toons was an american cartoon and that came out in Japan and so did Animaniacs. So I guess your idea isn't full proof.

Ninja Five-O is complete crap so no loss there to Japanese gamers

 

I don't know what you mean by becomes. I think the engine for the game (fighting 1 on 1) was reused, but the characters don't play the same as far as I recall, and in general the setup is different. The graphics and music are all different. All they did was reuse the engine which was smart. Also the MMPR Fighting Edition came out first. It is a shame we didn't get the Gundam Wing game, but I don't think GW was a big deal over here in 1996, and it was later in the SNES's life span.

 

I beg you pardon??? Complete crap?? I played Ninja Cop/Five-O quite a bit and I think it's a gameplay masterpiece on the GBA. Amazing graphics and good sound as well. Reviews at the time were all around 85%. It's a GREAT loss to Japanese gamers...

 

Ninja Cop? Oh yes, that is a good game. When I read Ninja five O I thought he meant that shitty SNES game. I only know the GBA game as Ninja Cop.