Gamecube Player Guide



Hi I am kinda new here, just stumbled across this site less than a week ago and I must say I am very impressed by the accuracy of the rarity guides. Just a couple questions I have .. are the guides updated / maintained on a regular basis? I know guides for the older stuff like atari 2600 don't need as much maintenance because they are pretty much set in stone due to their age. But guides for somewhat relatively young systems like the N64 and Dreamcast might need maintenance on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. I also noticed that the PS1 and PS2 guides are far from complete. I would imagine this is due in part to their much larger gamebase and the fact that they are still relatively young systems? I am also wondering if there is a Gamecube and Xbox 1 rarity guide in the works? These two systems are pretty much 'out the door' especially the Xbox 1 since Gamestop no longer accepts trades. I maintain my own rarity guides for both these systems and would have a lot of insight to add.

Hey everyone! This is a momentous day for Important Importables. Today marks the 100th column. Who’d have thought, right?

Anyways, to celebrate today, I’m listing my 100 all time favorite games that you can only get by importing. These are titles that aren’t available in North America, and you have to import from either Japan or Europe if you want to play them.

Remember, this isn’t a comprehensive list and is based on my personal picks. It’s a general guide to some great games you should be aware of. It’s also a bit biased in terms of systems, because it was formed based on games that I’ve either played or taken an interest in over the years. So, since I’ve imported quite a few DS games and that’s one of my favorite systems, there’ll naturally be more DS games represented.

If there’s a great import game you know that isn’t on the list and should be, tell the world in the comments. Also remember, many consoles have region protection! If you have a Game Boy, Game Boy Color, DS, PSP or PS3 you should be region-free, and if you have a Dreamcast you can buy or make a special boot-disk which makes your console region-free.

Dreamcast

  • Bomber HehHe: It’s a puzzle game with some action elements. The goal is to place bombs to take down buildings.
  • Capcom vs SNK 2: A fighting game, of course. The first one did get a US release, but this one didn’t.
  • Cosmic Smash: It’s sort of like Arkanoid/Alleyway, in that you have to destroy blocks. Except you’re playing as a human trying to smash them with a ball, and racing against the clock.
  • DUX: A side scrolling shoot-em-up (the Dreamcast was known for them) that has the distinction of being one of the most recent DC releases. It came out in 2009.
  • Last Hope: Pink Bullets: Again, one of the more recent DC releases and shoot-em-up. It’s an updated and adjusted version of the Neo Geo game Last Hope.
  • Napple Tale: Arisia in Daydream: A platformer where a girl named Arisia is tasked with returning the lost seasons to Napple Town.
  • Pop’n Music: A fun, bright and colorful music game.
  • Princess Maker Collection: You get Princess Maker 2 and Princess Maker 3 in one game.
  • Rainbow Cotton: A shoot-em-up (cute-em-up) that’s the first 3D entry in the Cotton series.
  • Puyo Pop Fever: It was the last Sonic Team DC game, but was never released outside of Japan.
  • Any Sakura Taisen game: They’re all fun blends of visual novel, strategic rpg and dating sim games.
  • Shenmue II: Only Europe and Japan got the sequel to Shenmue. I recommend importing the European version, since it’ll be in English.
  • Shinseiki Evangelion: Ayanami Rei Ikusei Keikaku: Think Princess Maker, only with Rei Ayanami from Evangelion as the potential princess. Its also available on the DS, PC and PS2.
  • Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles: A recent Dreamcast puzzle release.

DS

  • 100 Classic Book Collection: Basically an e-reader program with 100 classic books built in and an additional 10 that can be downloaded. It’s available in Europe, but not North America.
  • Arabian’s Lost: An otome/RPG where the main character is an Arabian princess of a land filled with thieves, gamblers, assassins and crooks who must earn 10 million in 30 days to keep from being trapped in an arranged marriage. Its also available for the PS2.
  • A.S.H.: Archaic Sealed Heat: A strategic RPG from Nintendo that was supposed to come to North America, but never did.
  • Daigasso Band Brothers / Daigasso Band Bros. DX: A music game where you play songs using the DS face buttons. You can also create your own songs in both games and download songs in the sequel.
  • Dokidoki Majo Shinpan!: A somewhat-perverted game which has gained fame and notoriety for the fact that players touch girls on the touch screen to determine if they’re witches.
  • Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland: An RPG starring Tingle from the Legend of Zelda series and revolves around his quest to get money and get to Rupeeland. It received a Japanese and European release, but never appeared in North America.
  • Game & Watch Collection 2: A Japanese Club Nintendo promotion that includes the Game & Watch titles Parachute and Octopus.
  • Game Center CX: Arino no Chousenjou 2: The sequel to Retro Game Challenge. Since the first game wasn’t a huge seller in North America, we probably will never see an English version of the sequel.
  • Hirameki Action: Chibikko Wagyan no Daiki na Bouken: This is a side-scrolling action game where players guide a little dinosaur with a mighty roar through levels.
  • Idolm@ster: Dearly Stars: The first Idolm@ster game where players act as the idols instead of a faceless producer. It’s also the first game in the series with a male idol (though he’s in disguise as a girl).
  • Itadaki Street DS: A monopoly-esque board game from Square Enix starring characters from Super Mario and Dragon Quest. It also has Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support so you can play online.
  • Jump Ultimate Stars: A Smash Bros style fighting game with 300 characters from 41 Shonen Jump mangas. Unfortunately, it’ll never get a worldwide release due to licensing issues.
  • Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten: A Japanese-English dictionary that’s perfect for people studying Japanese. A few Game&Watch games are also hidden in it.
  • Katekyoo Hitman Reborn DS Flame Rumble X: Mirai Chou-Bakuhatsu!!: A 2D fighting game starring the characters from the manga/anime Katekyoo Hitman Reborn.
  • Ketsui Death Label: An impressive shoot-em-up from Cave.
  • Love Plus: A Japanese dating sim that’s gained a massive following in a short period of time. It takes place in real time and players are actually able to date, then marry, one of three girls they choose.
  • Meccha! Taiko no Tatsujin DS: 7-tsu no Shima no Daibouken: A Taiko no Tatsujin drum game that even has an adventure/story mode.
  • NANA: Live Staff Daiboshuu! Shoshinsha Kangei: A life sim based on the Nana manga/anime/movie where the player can make a life in Tokyo and try to get a job with one of the two bands from the series.
  • Ochaken no Daibouken: An adorable and enjoyable platformer starring the Ochaken dog and Ochaneko cat characters.
  • Otometeki Koi Kakumei Love Revo DS!!: A hilarious and occasionally touching otome simulation where the main character is a fat girl trying to lose weight so she can get a boyfriend.
  • Any Ouendan game: They’re like the Elite Beat Agents game, only better.
  • Sigma Harmonics: A Square Enix adventure RPG where players must time travel to prevent murders and preserve the present.
  • Slide Adventure: Mag Kid: An action/puzzle game where players attach a peripheral and slide the DS around to make the main character, Mag Kid, move.
  • Soma Bringer: A gorgeous action RPG from Nintendo that may never get a worldwide release.
  • Tales of Innocence: A good DS entry in the Tales of series that Namco Bandai never released outside of Japan.
  • Tales of Hearts: Again, another good DS Tales of entry. It’s available in two versions - one with CG cutscenes and one with animated ones.
  • Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 1st Love and 2nd Season: These two DS games are otome life sims where players guide a girl through high school and hopefully help her find a boyfriend.
  • Vampire Knight DS: A DS otome simulation with visual novel elements that is based on the Vampire Knight manga/anime.
  • Xenosaga I + II: A DS adaptation of the first two Xenosaga games.

GameCube

  • Doshin the Giant: a god/life simulation where players determine how Doshin interacts with island natives. It was available in Japan and Europe.
  • Kururin Squash: An action/puzzle game where players must navigate through mazes.

GBA

  • Any bit Generations game: They’re a nice variety of stylish, simple puzzle and action games.
  • Densetsu no Starfy: The first game in the Legendary Starfy series.
  • Densetsu no Starfy 3: The last Starfy GBA game and the first where Starpy is a major character.
  • Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi: The only GBA Fire Emblem game not released in English. It’s the first GBA Fire Emblem, but the sequel to the Fire Emblem GBA game released in North America.
  • Genso Suikoden: Card Stories: Suikoden II with card battles.
  • Mother + Mother 2: The original Mother and Mother 2/Earthbound in one cartridge.
  • Mother 3: The RPG Earthbound sequel. It’s main character, Lucas, appeared in Smash Bros Brawl.
  • Rhythm Tengoku: A music game and the prequel to Rhythm Heaven.
  • Super Mario Ball: A Super Mario pinball game.
  • Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2: A Tales of mash-up action-RPG. It’s mainly about fetch quests and quick missions.
  • Tomato Adventure: An adorable Nintendo RPG designed for beginners. It has some elements found in the Mario & Luigi RPGs.

PC

  • Any and every Touhou game ever released: They’re fantastic shoot-em-up (cute-em-up) games.

PS2

  • beatmania IIDX 16 Empress: A fantastic music and rhythm game.
  • Bleach: Blade Battles 2nd: A fighting game with the Bleach characters.
  • Espgaluda: A Cave shooter that’s a prequel to ESP Ra.De..
  • Fate/stay Night: Realta Nua: An all ages version of the popular visual novel Fate/stay night.
  • GuitarFreaks & DrumMania Masterpiece Gold: The original guitar and drum music video game. This is one of the best entries in the series.
  • Melty Blood: Actress Again: A fighting game starring characters from the visual novel Tsukihime.
  • Namco x Capcom: An RPG with action and strategic elements that has characters Namco and Capcom games making cameos as either allies or opponents.
  • Nana: A life simulation game based on the Nana anime/manga where the player moves to Tokyo and gets to interact with characters from the series.
  • Tales of Destiny Director’s Cut: A PS2 remake of the PS1 classic Tales of Destiny, with additional content.
  • Tales of Symphonia: A PS2 port of the GameCube game with additional content.
  • Tian Xing: Sword of Destiny: A hack-and-slash game Devil May Cry fans would love.