English Friendly Foreign Games

[GrouchoGlasses]

Collecting retro in North America sees much higher prices on games than their Japanese or PAL counterparts. Is there a comprehensive list of good/popular games that have either English text or very little and not contextually important text in foreign languages?

Like most collectors here, English is my primary and only language. I want to know what games I can appreciate (i.e. understand) from different regions of the world--mainly Japan. This means a primary use of English text.

I'm interested in SNES and Genesis, but NES would be good to know too. Games like M.U.S.H.A. and Little Samson--Very expensive NTSC, but much cheaper Japanese versions.

*EDIT*
While this Youtube video glances over some key games, this is the type of advice I'm seeking from the Racketboy community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjmwE-fHd0Q
(There is an annotation to skip the intro)

Here is his list in text format

SFC/SNES

PLATFORMERS
Super Metroid (Cheaper than US release)
Castlevania IV (Cheaper than US release)
Hagane (much cheaper than the US release)
Rockman series (ditto)
Rockman & Forte (Mega Man & Bass)
TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventure (released in EU as Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventures)
Hamelin no Violin Tamaki (Violinist of Hameln)
Deae Tonosama Appare Ichiban
DoReMi Fantasy: Milon no Dokidoki Daibouken
Go! Go! Ackman series
Majuu Ou
Hyper Iria
Super Back to the Future II

FIGHTING
Shin Kidō Senki Gundam Wing: Endless Duel

BEAT-EM-UP
Shounen Ninja Sasuke
Ghost Chaser Densei (known in arcades as Denjinmakai)

SHOOT-EM-UP
Parodiusu Da! Shinwa kara Owarai (released in EU as Parodius: Non-Sense Fantasy)
Pop'n TwinBee
Rendering Ranger R2

RACING
Battle Racers

PUZZLE
Super Bomberman series
Super Tetris 3

Genesis/Mega Drive

Xbox

ACTION
Metal Wolf Chaos

[cha cha]

Metal Wolf Chaos.

A JPN only Xbox game, made about America, featuring the American president using a hidden powersuit hidden beneath the Whitehouse to take back the country from the ruthless Vice President who staged a military coup.

completely dubbed in english (some great engrish thrown in for good measure). The menu's have basic japanese and mixed english. Easy to navigate.

[soul_hacker]

The Castlevania SFC games are way cheaper than their US SNES counterparts.

Also, Cotton 100% is just as good as Cotton on TG16 and a small fraction of the price.

Super Metroid on SFC has an option to have everything in english as well.

[Betagam7]

Sorry to piggyback but I'd also be very interested to hear of similar titles for Wonderswan, a a system I've found problematic finding games for.

As for SNES games, I've been playing the second Goemon game quite a lot lately and although it has Japanese text its very easy to figure out, especially if you're familiar with the first title through its western translation.

The only vaguely tricky thing is knowing which option to save with. But an FAQ clears that up pretty easily.

[Exhuminator]

Here is a Japanese SFC game I recommend importing:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uchuu_Race:_Astro_Go!_Go!
Screenshot: http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/571037-uch ... -go/images

Fun mode 7 style futuristic racer, was slated for a USA release but didn't pan out as these things go.

And for a great SFC platformer, look no further than:


http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/umihara/umihara.htm

As far as Wonderswan goes, this one's alright with me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicing_Knight_Period
http://www.gamefaqs.com/wsc/920960-dici ... iod/images
http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=dicingknight

And I guess this is the holy grail for Wonderswan:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/wsc/929129-judg ... ion/images

[Betagam7]

Here is a Japanese SFC game I recommend importing:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uchuu_Race:_Astro_Go!_Go!
Screenshot: http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/571037-uch ... -go/images

Fun mode 7 style futuristic racer, was slated for a USA release but didn't pan out as these things go.

And for a great SFC platformer, look no further than:


http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/umihara/umihara.htm

As far as Wonderswan goes, this one's alright with me:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicing_Knight_Period
http://www.gamefaqs.com/wsc/920960-dici ... iod/images
http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=dicingknight

And I guess this is the holy grail for Wonderswan:

http://www.gamefaqs.com/wsc/929129-judg ... ion/images

Thanks, but both those games are rather hideously expensive. I did actually purchase Silversword on my first trip to Japan but it was as a favour for another forum user so I don't own it myself.

I was wondering more about cheaper Swan titles that can be more easily be picked up.

[ExedExes]

For SFC, I found that Jaki Crush (3rd game in the Crush Pinball series by Naxat Soft) was English friendly, with English menus and very little Japanese elsewhere.

I also have DDR 2nd Mix for the Dreamcast, with menus completely in English and any Japanese text is limited to certain areas that won't affect gameplay.

[Jagosaurus]

Saturn:
House of the Dead

ENG friendly & much cheaper

[Kelekin]

For Wonderswan - the Hong Kong release of Digimon:Anode/Cathode Tamer is in English.

I'd say the beatmania IIDX games are fairly English friendly, being rhythm and all.