https://gamekataban.com/blog/ A blog for overseas collectors hunting down Japanese retro games — shop guides, import how-tos, and the stories behind the titles. en Mon, 07 Sep 2026 06:33:30 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-07-surging-aura-fan-translation.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-07-surging-aura-fan-translation.html A complete English and Korean fan translation patch for Sega's long-unlocalized Mega Drive RPG Surging Aura launched July 28, 2026. Here's the game's story and where to find an original cartridge. Mon, 07 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-06-ghosts-n-goblins-famicom-guide.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-06-ghosts-n-goblins-famicom-guide.html Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins reached the Famicom on June 13, 1986, ported by Micronics and widely considered harder than the arcade original. What the cartridge is, and the product code (CAP-MK) that finds it. Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-06-terra-cresta-40th-anniversary.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-06-terra-cresta-40th-anniversary.html Terra Cresta hit the Famicom on September 27, 1986 — forty years ago this month. Most Western fans know only the 1990 NES port. Here's what the original cartridge has, and the product code (NBF-TC) that finds it. Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-05-chou-aniki-baka-ge.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-05-chou-aniki-baka-ge.html Chou Aniki (1992) is Japan's definitive "baka-ge" — a deliberately absurd cult classic. Here's its story, and three more cult classics cut from the same cloth, with product codes to find real copies. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-04-cybernetic-attack-final-mission-remake.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-04-cybernetic-attack-final-mission-remake.html Winning Entertainment Group has announced a full remake of 1990's Final Mission (S.C.A.T. in the West), developed by TENGO PROJECT and playable at Tokyo Game Show 2026. Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-sugimura-noboru-scenario-legend.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-sugimura-noboru-scenario-legend.html Before Capcom's biggest September releases, meet the TV screenwriter whose rewrite of Resident Evil 2 and studio Flagship reshaped how game stories get told. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-street-fighter-development-history-1.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-street-fighter-development-history-1.html Before Street Fighter II, there was a doodle at a dull meeting, a bug that made fireballs nearly impossible to throw, and a warehouse of unsold cabinets. Part 1 of a five-part series on how the 1987 arcade original was made. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-street-fighter-arcade-origins.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-street-fighter-arcade-origins.html The original 1987 Street Fighter arcade game had pressure-sensitive punch pads that hurt players' hands. Its replacement six-button layout, and Ryu's name, still shape the series today. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-fire-emblem-gba-trilogy.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-02-fire-emblem-gba-trilogy.html The Binding Blade, The Blazing Blade and The Sacred Stones — the three Game Boy Advance Fire Emblem games, why the West got the middle one first, and the product codes for finding Japanese cartridges today. Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-01-ganbare-goemon-import-guide.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-09-01-ganbare-goemon-import-guide.html Konami's Ganbare Goemon ran to roughly thirty games and barely half a dozen left Japan. What the name means, which entries stayed Japanese, and the product codes for finding the cartridges today. Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-31-onimusha-warlords-buying-guide.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-31-onimusha-warlords-buying-guide.html Onimusha: Warlords launched Capcom's samurai-action series on the PlayStation 2 in 2001. Here's the product code, what to check on a listing, and where to buy the Japanese original. Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-dodonpachi-legacy-collection.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-dodonpachi-legacy-collection.html CAVE's bullet-hell classic got a new Steam release on August 27. Here are the four original Japanese releases the DoDonPachi series is built on, with product codes. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-mgs-master-collection-vol2-originals.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-mgs-master-collection-vol2-originals.html Master Collection Vol. 2 landed August 27 with MGS4, Peace Walker, and Ghost Babel. Here's where to find the original Japanese releases of all three, with product codes. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-akihabara-deep-cuts-route.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-28-akihabara-deep-cuts-route.html Two specialist Akihabara shops for retro PC hardware, arcade boards, and cartridge piles — BEEP Akihabara and the Retro Game Camp Dungeon Store, both a short walk beyond the routes in Parts 1 and 2. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-27-news-persona-4-revival.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-27-news-persona-4-revival.html Persona 4 Revival launches February 18, 2027 on PS5, Xbox, and PC. Atlus revealed a new story trailer at Gamescom 2026 — find the games that started it all. Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-news-megaman-dual-override.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-news-megaman-dual-override.html Capcom announced Mega Man: Dual Override for 2027, with both Mega Man and Proto Man playable. Here's what was revealed, and where the series started on the Famicom in 1987. Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-news-console-archives-bubble-bobble.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-news-console-archives-bubble-bobble.html HAMSTER's Console Archives series brings BUBBLE BOBBLE to Switch 2 and PS5. The 1987 Famicom original was a Disk System release, not a cartridge — here's what that means for collectors. Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-glossary-cib.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-26-glossary-cib.html CIB (Complete In Box) means the game, case, and manual are all present. Here's what to check before buying, and how it maps to Japanese listing terms. Wed, 26 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-25-news-terranigma-remake.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-25-news-terranigma-remake.html The 1995 Enix/Quintet classic Terranigma (Tenchi Souzou) is coming back in 2027 on modern platforms. Here's what was announced, and where to find the original Super Famicom release. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-25-news-jajamaru-hyakki-yakouden.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-25-news-jajamaru-hyakki-yakouden.html City Connection has announced Jajamaru no Hyakki Yakouden, a new dungeon-crawling action game in the 40-year-old Ninja JaJaMaru-kun series. Here's what was revealed, and where to find the original 1985 Famicom game. Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-23-akihabara-chain-store-crawl.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-23-akihabara-chain-store-crawl.html Suruga-ya, Hard Off, Book-Off and Lashinbang all sell used games in Akihabara — but they stock, price and close at completely different hours. Here's which door to walk through. Sun, 23 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-22-aliens-fireteam-elite-2-jp-data.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-22-aliens-fireteam-elite-2-jp-data.html Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 releases August 25, 2026. Here's what Japan's game database actually holds from the games that came before it — and why the closest thing you can buy isn't officially Aliens. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-22-glossary-junk.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-22-glossary-junk.html In Japanese used game shops, "Junk" (ジャンク) doesn't mean broken — it means "sold as-is, no guarantee." Here's what that really means before you buy. Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-21-golden-axe-anime-jp-data.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-21-golden-axe-anime-jp-data.html Paramount+ drops the Golden Axe anime on September 16. Here is what the five original Japanese releases actually are, which versions never left Japan, and the product codes to search them by. Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-18-fire-emblem-famicom-super-famicom-origins.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-18-fire-emblem-famicom-super-famicom-origins.html Before Awakening, before Three Houses — discover the five Famicom and Super Famicom games that started Fire Emblem, and how to import them from Japan. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-18-akihabara-chuo-dori-retro-row.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-18-akihabara-chuo-dori-retro-row.html The core Akihabara retro game walk along Chuo-dori — four legendary shops, one straight line, no Japanese required. Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900 https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-11-how-to-buy-japanese-retro-games-without-japanese.html https://gamekataban.com/blog/2026-08-11-how-to-buy-japanese-retro-games-without-japanese.html A step-by-step guide to finding, identifying, and buying used Japanese retro games online — no Japanese literacy required. Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0900