Import Games - Show them off

[OptOut | 8,889]

Figured I'd show off my Pokermerns today, seeing as I finally added a Pikachu N64 to my collection this week:

[fcgamer | 4,732]

That Pikachu N64 looks great!

[DaddyMulk | 64]

I have plenty  more the share at some point, but right now, this thread needs some Mega Drive love. 

[leonemesis | 44]

When I was a kid I used to dislike japanese  games because kanji always looked cryptic to me, but growing up I ended up liking it more and more to the point I decided to study the language, so nowadays I can enjoy a lot of titles I normally wouldn´t have access to. To be honest I´m far from good at it, I´d consider my level to be intermediate at best, I can understand trivial conversations but still struggle with more elaborate conversations, so still have a long ways to go.

 

Anyway, given the context above, a good part of my collection are imports, not only japanese but european as well. This is also happened because when I started collecting seriously back in 2009, I would usually see a CE or special edition released in a certain region but not elsewhere. If I were to stick to US games exclusively, I´d miss out. Specially when it comes to my Megaten collection.

I don´t have a picture of all the imports, but I used to take pictures of everything I picked up, so I figured I´d post a few interesting ones. Some of them have US games along, so ignore those.

 

 

 

These two above are good examples of region exclusives, Goty version of Bloodborne in english only came out in Europe. The only version of Last of Us Remastered  with a proper slipcase and seal for the steelbook is this german one.

[Tanooki | 4,940]

Well they came today, well the one on the left at least.

One was new and I opened it which was fun to do being the first on that shooter.  The other was used, gently, not a spot on the disc.  You got Radirgy Generic and Hudson Selection Vol 4 Takahashi Meijin no Boukenjima (which unlike Bonk and Star Soldier from this series is more like a prequel of sorts so it's unique.)  Both came from the US thankfully, and was less than the usual ebay rate too which was great.  Sad to think, the imports we once considered expensive now are less than a good bit of the top quality domestic GC games which is sick.

[BortLicensePlate | 652]

I believe these are all my imports, just a handful of Super Famicom games

 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,014]

These are all the lowly imports I have.

[OptOut | 8,889]

Picked up some SFC online this week:

Probably some of you guys would be sick if you heard what I paid for these!

[Brickman | 3,996]

10 minutes ago, OptOut said:

Picked up some SFC online this week:

Probably some of you guys would be sick if you heard what I paid for these!

Shhhh. Let me build up my Famicom and Super Famicom collection first. Don’t need people making these games expensive too (although some have been climbing a bit).

[Tanooki | 4,940]

I feel almost sad seeing all those wonderful SFC games as they pop up.  I really do miss what I had on that.  I just would have to get over the mental block of owning a SD2SNES and having to just resort to cart only annoyingly.

So much I'm seeing in these images I used to enjoy on a regular basis.  As good as we had it compared to the NES/FC era as more did come over, we really did get still burned on some excellent gems.

 

Imports just feel like a better to good idea to me now.  With the 2020 and worse now into 2021 behavior around stuff, imports are stupidly becoming again the cheaper option.  I'm also now using yahoo japan auctions through an online broker if my test purchase I have coming sometime soon works out around shipping charges/fees and all that.

[Brickman | 3,996]

4 hours ago, Tanooki said:

Imports just feel like a better to good idea to me now.  With the 2020 and worse now into 2021 behavior around stuff, imports are stupidly becoming again the cheaper option.  I'm also now using yahoo japan auctions through an online broker if my test purchase I have coming sometime soon works out around shipping charges/fees and all that.

I prefer imports too. These are the reasons I collect Japanese over English.

1) Cheaper 

2) Better box art most of the time

3) There is no emotional attachment for me to the Australian box art or re creating a game store. I am attached to the game play, so as long as it isn’t text heavy it doesn’t matter which version it is to me.

4) A lot of 8-32 bit isn’t text heavy so you don’t need to know Japanese. For the games that are I do buy PAL/NTSC.

5) So many games that never got an English release. One day I hope to collect PC Engine. I have a list of at least 200 games I want and I think the US got maybe 20 of those.

[Tanooki | 4,940]

12 minutes ago, Shmup said:

I prefer imports too. These are the reasons I collect Japanese over English.

1) Cheaper 

2) Better box art most of the time

3) There is no emotional attachment for me to the Australian box art or re creating a game store. I am attached to the game play, so as long as it isn’t text heavy it doesn’t matter which version it is to me.

4) A lot of 8-32 bit isn’t text heavy so you don’t need to know Japanese. For the games that are I do buy PAL/NTSC.

5) So many games that never got an English release. One day I hope to collect PC Engine. I have a list of at least 200 games I want and I think the US got maybe 20 of those.

I guess I could see that on #3, and you're right on #4 too.  #1+2+5 100% agreement.  For a time the imports started getting nasty when peak stupid hit the NES, SNES and TG stuff as the Japanese caught on to westerners filching their media cheap so they got into a contest to charge the most.  But with the garbage of 2020 and it worsening now on other stuff this year, they're cheaper again for now at least.  And you're right, we got burned.  I was mad 20 years ago when Reg-tard didn't allow the already english translated Doshin to come to the states and I tried to find a way for years to run it, when I finally could, I couldn't locate the game.  It was just dumb luck years ago it showed up in town at one store with a pre-formatted for PAL memory card too for all of $20, and half across town I located the disc needed too so I went and got that for the same.  It was a happy moment why I remember the expense as it was far nastier online.

 

I'm getting impatient, hoping my japanese broker service notifies me what to pay them for shipping as I want my import gameboy bundle.  There are 2 heavy hitters in there ebay trolls get nasty over.  Second to that some fun stuff we missed out on too I'll hold onto.  The rest, mostly stuff I can't read, it'll end up on ebay and here cheap, in case someone just wants them as I don't care to store stuff I can't read or care to play.

[Tanooki | 4,940]

In another thread which I was the only reply to @frostmilk here, they asked about what was a good way to get stuff shipped from Japan.  I had been tipped off over on AtariAge asking about a specific Neo Geo related Gameboy game you just can't get on ebay at all to a package on Yahoo Japan auctions that had it.  To use them,  you need a broker.  I did some (contradictory) fast but thorough research about it asking a few and googling like crazy.  I came across Zenmarket.  They were listed as the most fair on shipping charges, especially the fee they charge as a broker, and in handling/care of packages.  They're also primarily about speed too, but the only thing you can't use is a dirt cheap shipping service (sub $10-15 USD.)  They use DHL, Fedex, UPS and others that can get you the package in like 3-4 days.

PRocess is pretty simple.  You want to bid (or buy immediately) you use paypal or whatever to dump X into the account and click the button.  Once it's over(auction) and/or just paid for, then the Japanese owner send it to them.  You pay for that shipping price exactly, then you pay the price of the shipping company of your choice they allow and that's it.  They only charge a personalized 300yen fee to use them as a middleman.

I've got a package of 25 Gameboy games as what I wanted was in a lot, the huge nudge for me to do this was also a GB game from Japan I've wanted back in my hands for over a decade ebay scum try and charge like $80+ for, never once do they ever sell.  Between the two, what I do have in it, even with the shipping, I did ok, and despite quite a few being of no interest or unplayable to me, there are some other fine titles the US didn't get I'd love to play I've dabbled with as a ROM in the past.

So in the end the package was 12800yen ($121.69).  Internal shipping to them from old owner was 980yen.  My charge using DHL 3-4days was 2896yen.  Total dual shipping charges and insurance 2896yen ($36.85)

 

Once the stuff arrives if they get it shipped out before the end of the day over there, maybe I'll have it Friday/Saturday and I'll have to clean it up as needed and flash the goods since it's the import thread.

[Tanooki | 4,940]

I got it in the mail on Friday and spent a good chunk of the day, cleaning, polishing, double cleaning in some stubborn cases all those 25 games off zenmarket.  Truth be told it has some really fine games in there I'm quite impressed with, but also a lot that either I can't deal with over language, or I just didn't get into.  I'm fine with that, there were just 2 games I wanted in there and the rest would be gravy or stuff to sell back off domestically to chip away at the $150~ expense of it all.

Those two were Miracle Adventure of Esparks and the neo-geo arcade conversion of Money Idol Exchanger!  They ended up being the cleanest games in the bundle thankfully and needed a minimal wipe down for my sanitary needs(long before current times.)  Also plan to keep Hero Shuugou! Pinball party, Lunar Lander, Zoids, and F-1  Boy.  I put them on the bottom row of the image.  I'm slightly tempted to keep that R-Type but I never was a huge fan.

The rest of them, that next row up from the bottom other than that baseball game, they have some real value thankfully to chip away at the cost.  Nemesis 2(aka Gradius Interstellar Assault) I already have on GBC in color on a UK import cart and I've got G&W Gallery 2 too.  Basically I'm going to just sell those top 2 rows(plus baseball) in bundles of 2-4 games cheap to dig out.  The Little Master row, each will be 2 packs to move since they're all sequels/related.

Very happy with zenmarket they did a fantastic job on their inspection, packing and securing of the package too.  I will use them again.

Row 1: Dungeon Land, Oni 4, Yuu Yuu Hakusho 4, Radar Mission, Motocross Maniacs, and Ultima (runes of virtue)
Row 2: Little Master 1+2, Tenjin Kaisen 1+2(Mercenary Force1+2), and 2 Kunio games (Crash n the Boys/World Cup Soccer)
Row 3: Nemesis2, Selection2(Sword of Hope2), Saint Paradise, R-Type, G&W Gallery 2, Tetris DX, Power Pro Kun Pocket

[YOURTURN | 1,256]

On 2/7/2021 at 11:56 AM, Shmup said:

I prefer imports too. These are the reasons I collect Japanese over English.

1) Cheaper 

2) Better box art most of the time

3) There is no emotional attachment for me to the Australian box art or re creating a game store. I am attached to the game play, so as long as it isn’t text heavy it doesn’t matter which version it is to me.

4) A lot of 8-32 bit isn’t text heavy so you don’t need to know Japanese. For the games that are I do buy PAL/NTSC.

5) So many games that never got an English release. One day I hope to collect PC Engine. I have a list of at least 200 games I want and I think the US got maybe 20 of those.

What you said is similar to my case. Plus...

1) Most of my stuff are Japan exclusives. But Dragon Quest VIII was cheaper compared to its sealed NA counterpart. And Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 is by far cheaper than the European version for sale on eBay.

2) Agreed. The only examples I have where I like the U.S. box art more is Dragon Warrior III for the Gameboy Color. The Japan release has a cute design, but that one makes me want to play it that much more.

3) Same here for different reasons. Outside this forum I had to deal with a lot of selfish arses and condescending dicks. (I worry about being either one to others here.) So I aim for games that remind me why I love JRPGs, etc.

4) I buy digital for my gameplay. Once I finally move to Japan I hope to also own a few older Famicom and Super Famicom titles. That way I can improve my language skills and have something to offer when I have visitors.

5) Good luck with that! After seeing this blog I ended up changing my goals for that series. And with my current goal only being 3 games away, I have no clue where to go from there. (Maybe start the "Niche Collection".)

In all cases I wonder if I will be disqualified from posting here again once I found a way to move to Japan. 

[Tanooki | 4,940]

Yeah on #5 the PC Engine around 2-3 years ago that ship sailed.  The Japanese finally caught on to US scalpers taking their cheap goods to charge TG16 and higher level values so they started charging much the same and ruined the entire thing...card and optical.  The only partial deal you can get anymore is a loose card, and even then those are now like where the whole thing was so short ago and increasing still.  Scum are ruining everything at this rate, just get a flash kit, run an emulator, whatever.

[Tanooki | 4,940]

Well I can't keep this alive forever, but I do have a lifeline

You know where I live I'm sure, not exactly import central.  A nice thanks to Goodwill in all their 'I can not read this crap so sell it cheap' logic.  $2 for each case.  And yeah the GBA games were in bomberman and kirby there.  I looked it up, they're combined worth maybe $50-60 and it all cost me $8.  Everything there despite being closed up are complete, Kirby even had a spare extra bagged up charcoal colored stylus from Nintendo in there too for some reason.

That's Touch Kirby(Kirby Canvas Curse) and even still has the unused pink stylus they got, Bomberman DS, Daigasso! Band Brothers and yeah US Brain Age too.  I used to have Band Bros, really great release those twits skipped the US on, twice, 2nd one got english+UK release as Jam WIth the Band.  It's a really good music game both for playing and also composing too.

[fcgamer | 4,732]

This should be enough evidence that the Venezuelan games aren't official:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265164042310?hash=item3dbd023046:g:OLYAAOSwqvlgowIU

[phart010 | 1,708]

12 hours ago, fcgamer said:

This should be enough evidence that the Venezuelan games aren't official:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265164042310?hash=item3dbd023046:g:OLYAAOSwqvlgowIU

Wow. I don’t know if I want to buy those or if I want to sell off my collection

 

@fcgamer, by the way I translated that Spanish language Venezuelan civil suit that you linked to. Doesn’t give much info unfortunately, looks like Nintendo sued the company and they settled but the charge wasn’t totally clear

Edited May 18, 2021 by phart010

[RoyalT | 161]

Recent Super Famicom additions

[RoyalT | 161]

I used to have a massive JP MD and Mark III collection, but this is all that remains.  A couple of other obscure titles as well..

Edited May 19, 2021 by RoyalT

[RoyalT | 161]

Here is the last of it..

[Sumez | 2,969]

1 hour ago, RoyalT said:

Recent Super Famicom additions

Holy shit, that boxed Majyuuou gotta cost a fortune. It was bad enough when I bought a cart only years ago.

Great games overall, what's the one in the top middle? Don't recognize that one.

Edited May 19, 2021 by Sumez

[Brickman | 3,996]

4 hours ago, Sumez said:

Holy shit, that boxed Majyuuou gotta cost a fortune. It was bad enough when I bought a cart only years ago.

It did get a reprint which is much cheaper. Can’t see the full box so can’t tell if it’s the original or reprint. Although going by the rest of the collection it is probably original.

[Sumez | 2,969]

You gotta know for sure if you paid a crazy fortune for this  

Reprints go for like $60, while the original doesn't sell for less than $1100

Edited May 19, 2021 by Sumez