The PlayStation 1 has gone down as one of the most beloved gaming consoles in history, having a roster of unforgettable games that have made the childhoods of countless people amazing. It is a console that is still loved to this day. Game series such as Crash Bandicoot or Metal Gear Solid are synonymous with the PS1 and have been favorites of many around the world. But what about games that never left the country the PS1 originated from? There are tons of strange games that were never sold in other countries, due to their weirdness, unappealing concept to a different audience, or the likelihood of having poor sales.
In this list, we will take a look at 10 classic PS1 titles that for one reason or another, never got released internationally, and instead remained exclusive in Japan.
10 Tobal 2
Starting this list off with a bang, Tobal 2 is somewhat of a cult classic, even though it was never officially released outside of Japan. Tobal 2 was a fighting game with very fluid animations, decently polished graphics, multiplayer, a Quest Mode, and, get this - a roster of 200 fighters to choose from. Not only that, it was released on the same day that the new version of the PlayStation controller featuring analog sticks came out, making it the first game utilizing the new feature.
Anyone who has ever tried this fighting game, be it gamers from Japan or people who got their hands on an imported copy, universally agree that this game is an absolute gem, and it's a shame it wasn't sold outside Japan due to poor sales of the first game.
9 Ore No Ryouri
A little-known title for most, Ore No Ryouri was a fun restaurant management game that let the player feel the hectic work that an owner of a small restaurant usually experiences while keeping it playful through funny voice-acting and art. The game gave you little time to prepare the orders of the tens of customers that would pour in, be it pouring a beer or preparing ramen. It also utilized the analog sticks of the DualShock controller, something that was quite new at the time.
If the concept seems familiar, it's because this game turned out to be quite influential with its gameplay. Although it was not released outside of Japan, it ended up getting two sequels, with the third game being sold on Steam under the name Cook, Serve, Delicious!
8 Aconcagua
Aconcagua is an adventure/action game released back in 2000 that put the players in a difficult situation - a plane crash on top of a large mountain caused by a terrorist attack. In the game, you had to take control and switch between five of the plane crash survivors, all and get to safety. What's more is that the terrorists in the game send their goons to finish the job, which makes survival even harder. Depending on the player's choices, the game even features multiple endings.
This is a great game for anyone who likes survival adventure games and has been compared to the likes of Resident Evil and Dino Crisis. The major difference here being the character-switching mechanic, and the fact that it plays like a point-and-click.
7 Shaman King: Spirit Of Shamans
Shaman King has had immense success as a manga series, having thousands if not millions of fans worldwide, even though the anime adaptation was a rather short one. Shaman King: Spirit Of Shamans is a 2d fighting game that features the main cast as well as other prominent characters. Interestingly enough, there's an HP system where the health of characters is split up into two separate bars.
It's sad to know that kids outside of Japan that were fans of the franchise didn't get the chance to play this game. However, these days it is possible to try it out in one form or another.
6 Mad Panic Coaster
If you ever felt sleepy and needed an old PS1 game to snap you out of it, Mad Panic Coaster is the game for you. In this intense high-speed cart game, the premise is simple: a doctor who has gone mad has decided to make the best roller coaster in the world, and now you have to ride (and survive) them. The incredibly high-speed gameplay coupled with colorful visuals and a soundtrack consisting of fast thrash metal and punk songs makes this a really unique experience.
Some people who have tried this game claim that in some of the levels the roller coasters go too fast, but to us it just makes it feel all the more exciting, even if we do drive off the edge a couple of times.
5 LSD: Dream Emulator
Although it wasn't popular at all upon release, LSD: Dream Emulator has become somewhat of a cult classic in recent years due to Let's Players unearthing the game and showing it to the masses. It is definitely a unique and strange concept for its time, taking the psychedelic dreams of the creator and turning it into an exploration game. The player must traverse the bizarre landscapes and levels in order to find the right ways to "progress" into the next day.
There are multiple ways of trying this game today, mainly emulators and is definitely a game worth checking out if you're in the search for something very unique and strange.
4 Macross VF-X2
In this 3rd person shooting game, the player takes control of advanced vehicles called Valkyries that can be transformed freely between three different modes during gameplay. The game is very polished, taking mechanics and features that were criticized in the prequel and fixing them, to the point where the company developed a new system for the camera to follow the action in a way that would feel satisfying.
This is one game most of us wish we had during our childhoods since there are few things cooler in a game than jetfighter planes we can fly and then transform into a mecha any time we want.
3 Clock Tower: The First Fear
The Clock Tower has gained the status of a cult classic not only due to its premise revolving around the fact that you're being chased by a person with comically large hedge clippers, but also the atmosphere and occasional cheesiness. Clock Tower: The First Fear is a point-and-click style game in which the player controls a girl who along with her friends, were adopted and find themselves trapped within their new home. The horror starts pouring in as you get ambushed by Scissorman, as well as being attacked by other horrors within the mansion.
As far as old horror games go, this one was really fleshed out, having nine endings, some of which are good while others - not so much. There are fan-translated versions of this game, which is a major plus for anyone who wanted to try this game before.
2 Pepsiman
What's a list on Japan-exclusive PS1 games without the inclusion of the gem that is Pepsiman. Although it was very obviously made for commercial purposes, in recent years the character of Pepsiman became somewhat of a meme himself, which led to this game gaining attention again. Strangely enough, this being a game that advertises an American product, it never came out outside of Japan.
If you can tolerate the insane amount of advertisement in this game and want to try it out as a joke, or if you just really love Pepsi, then look no further.
1 Robbit Mon Dieu
Robbit Mon Dieu is a 3D platformer game in which the player controls Robbit - yes, an amazing name given to a robot rabbit. This is actually the 3rd installment in the Jumping Flash! series, that unfortunately never came out in America or Europe. Interestingly enough, this 3D platformer is also played in first-person and actually makes it work by tilting the camera below Robbits feet to see the platforms beneath.
Even though it generally got slightly lower review scores than the first two games, it is still a shame that we never got to play this game as kids.