Upcoming Niche Japanese Imports

[abe]

An interesting new rhythm game for the PS Vita has been announced. Miracle Girls Festival is extremely similar to and uses the same engine as Hatsune Miku's rhythm series, Project DIVA. The game will feature female characters from various anime serieseses, including Yuru Yuri. It is being developed by Sega and is planned to see a release in Japan next winter.

Here's a screenshot to give you an idea of what it will look like.

[abe]

A pretty big announcement came from Square Enix today (and it actually wasn't an April Fools' joke). Dragon Quest Heroes II has been announced for release for the PS3, PS3, and PS Vita in Japan. It's surprising considering how recently the first game released.

In other news, Rhythm Heaven: The Best+ has been announced for the 3DS. It will contain new and old rhythm minigames from the series.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden (3DS) now has a release date of June 11th for Japan. I'll post the trailer below. I'm not too sure what to think of the assist characters, but it's super cool that the game will come with a download code for the original Super Famicom version of Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2.

[soera]

A pretty big announcement came from Square Enix today (and it actually wasn't an April Fools' joke). Dragon Quest Heroes II has been announced for release for the PS3, PS4, and PS Vita in Japan. It's surprising considering how recently the first game released.

This is crazy news! Crazy good.

[abe]

I didn't really have anything better to do, so I've given the OP a thorough update. I've updated some release dates, added images, trailers, etc. I've also added some games that I've missed/forgotten to add for whatever reason. For instance, the 3DS chibi-ified port of Atelier Rorona has been delayed back until June.

A couple of the things I've added (and haven't mentioned recently):

-Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness (Xbone) - May 28th
-Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi (PS4 & 3) - July 23rd

[bloodybaron]

It's crazy how much better these japanese game line ups look then what we usually get to see.  Walk into a gamestop and you get to see madden, fifa, call of duty, battlefield, and oh wow the millionth final fantasy :p

[abe]

I've updated the OP again with some more new info.

-Corpse Party: Blood Covered Repeated Fear (3DS) is a port of the PSP remake of the original game. Not too much will be changed from the PSP version, but some extra story content made by the developers of the original game will be added. A limited edition for the game will also be available with similar contents to the PSP version's limited edition (a soundtrack and an artbook thing). Hopefully this will eventually be released over here some way or another. The game will release in Japan this July 30th.

-Utawarerumono has been announced for the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. The game will be a sequel to the original visual novel which released in Japan on the PC, and eventually the PS2 and PSP. It will be published by Aquaplus, the same publisher responsible for the Tears to Tiara franchise and many other visual novels. The game is due to be released in Japan on September 24th of this year.

[argyle]

I feel like this is a shoe-in to get a NA release, but since nothing's been announced yet...

Star Ocean 5 has been announced for PS3 & PS4:

http://gematsu.com/2015/04/star-ocean-5-announced-for-ps4-ps3

[abe]

Updated the OP a little. Added Star Ocean V: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4 & PS3) and Taiko Drum Master: V Version (PS Vita).

In other news, a leak has been released on The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival, which is what is to be revealed by NIS's new countdown website: http://nippon1.jp/consumer/new_title/. No other details have been leaked yet, but with NIS's recent decision leave the PS3 behind and to move to the PS4 and PS Vita, it's pretty safe to say it will release for one of Sony's newest systems. Seeing as the PS3 version released in North America, this will probably eventually see a localization after its release in Japan. I still need to play the original, I keep getting distracted by other things.

Info and image retrieved from: http://gematsu.com/2015/04/the-witch-hundred-knight-revival-leaked

[argyle]

Updated the OP a little. Added Star Ocean V: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4 & PS3) and Taiko Drum Master: V Version (PS Vita).

In other news, a leak has been released on The Witch and the Hundred Knight Revival, which is what is to be revealed by NIS's new countdown website: http://nippon1.jp/consumer/new_title/. No other details have been leaked yet, but with NIS's recent decision leave the PS3 behind and to move to the PS4 and PS Vita, it's pretty safe to say it will release for one of Sony's newest systems. Seeing as the PS3 version released in North America, this will probably eventually see a localization after its release in Japan. I still need to play the original, I keep getting distracted by other things.

Info and image retrieved from: http://gematsu.com/2015/04/the-witch-hundred-knight-revival-leaked

Heard about this this morning - curious to hear what system it's for & what the changes/improvements are. I haven't played the original yet either tho.

[abe]

Some minor news today, nothing huge.

Makaishin Trillion (PS Vita) has been delayed to July from its previous release date of some time this May.

More in-depth news on Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force (PS4) is due out tomorrow from Compile Heart.

Last but not least, the most interesting news to me today, Sega has been gauging interest on a console port of the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA arcade game. They've put out a survey (sorry, but I don't have the link to it ) asking players what console they'd like to see it ported to. The options are the PS3, PS4 (), Xbone, WiiU, PC, smartphone (I hope this isn't a popular choice ), and "not applicable" (because apparently there are people who could be bothered to do the survey that don't want to see a port... ). My guess is that Sony's consoles will likely be the most popular options. I'd personally love to see it release for the PS4, and with the way things have been over here for the series lately it's fairly likely that it would get localized. If it doesn't, it's a rhythm game so it's import-friendly anyways. I'm just glad that I'll be able to play the game without having to travel to some arcade in Japan. (as long as it isn't released on a region-locked console)

[argyle]

Some minor news today, nothing huge.

Makaishin Trillion (PS Vita) has been delayed to July from its previous release date of some time this May.

More in-depth news on Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force (PS4) is due out tomorrow from Compile Heart.

Last but not least, the most interesting news to me today, Sega has been gauging interest on a console port of the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA arcade game. They've put out a survey (sorry, but I don't have the link to it ) asking players what console they'd like to see it ported to. The options are the PS3, PS4 (), Xbone, WiiU, PC, smartphone (I hope this isn't a popular choice ), and "not applicable" (because apparently there are people who could be bothered to do the survey that don't want to see a port... ). My guess is that Sony's consoles will likely be the most popular options. I'd personally love to see it release for the PS4, and with the way things have been over here for the series lately it's fairly likely that it would get localized. If it doesn't, it's a rhythm game so it's import-friendly anyways. I'm just glad that I'll be able to play the game without having to travel to some arcade in Japan. (as long as it isn't released on a region-locked console)

If you find the link, post it here. I'm not really into rhythm games like this, but I'll gladly fill out a survey & vote PS4 to help others.

[abe]

Some minor news today, nothing huge.

Makaishin Trillion (PS Vita) has been delayed to July from its previous release date of some time this May.

More in-depth news on Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force (PS4) is due out tomorrow from Compile Heart.

Last but not least, the most interesting news to me today, Sega has been gauging interest on a console port of the Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA arcade game. They've put out a survey (sorry, but I don't have the link to it ) asking players what console they'd like to see it ported to. The options are the PS3, PS4 (), Xbone, WiiU, PC, smartphone (I hope this isn't a popular choice ), and "not applicable" (because apparently there are people who could be bothered to do the survey that don't want to see a port... ). My guess is that Sony's consoles will likely be the most popular options. I'd personally love to see it release for the PS4, and with the way things have been over here for the series lately it's fairly likely that it would get localized. If it doesn't, it's a rhythm game so it's import-friendly anyways. I'm just glad that I'll be able to play the game without having to travel to some arcade in Japan. (as long as it isn't released on a region-locked console)

If you find the link, post it here. I'm not really into rhythm games like this, but I'll gladly fill out a survey & vote PS4 to help others.

Thanks, I will. I've looked around and I can't find it (I'm probably not looking hard enough). I've even checked the arcade game's official Japanese website, which surprisingly has an English version (of the Japanese web page).

[abe]

Soo... IA/VT Colorful got delayed yet again. It was only delayed by a month or so this time, but I'm beginning to wonder if it will release at all or become vaporware.

[abe]

Yet again, I've neglected this thread for a couple months, but I'll try to clean things up and update it properly over the next few days. That aside, here's some recent news.

Criminal Girls 2 has been leaked by Amazon Japan, and is reported to be due out in Japan for a November 26th release. More details are likely to be detailed soon in a Weekly Famitsu issue. It's likely only a PS Vita release.

Dragon Quest Builders has been announced for release on the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. It looks something like a combination of Dragon Quest, Minecraft, and 3D Dot Game Heroes. The game is due for release in Japan this winter.

Steins;Gate 0 has been announced for the PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. The game is a sequel based off of some of the events which took place in the Steins;Gate: Epigraph of the Closed Curve light novel. An anime adaptation is planned already as well. Perhaps if Steins;Gate does well enough over here when it releases in August for the PS3 and Vita, this one will eventually see a localization as well. Steins;Gate 0 will release in Japan on November 19th.

[abe]

News time!

Digimon World: Next Order has been announced for a 2016 release on the PS Vita in Japan. It's a pretty new announcement, so there's not too much info out on it yet.

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 3 has been announced for the 3DS. Not much to say here. It's just going to be more DQM Joker with new features and whatnot.

Net High for the PS Vita has been given a release date of November 26th.