The Japanese sure love Shmups on the PSN Store PSP / PS3

[bobbynewmarkiii]

Thanks for that Japhei, I totally hope they realise that folks love SHMUPS and give us (or even just the Japanese) something brand new and bullet hell on bluray - would be totally awesome, and region free!

[GSZX1337]

It seems like a rant that Japan is hogging all the good shmups.

Thanks for the English to English translation.

It's all thanks to Steven Colbert's English to English Dictionary.

Quoted for truthiness.

[Breetai]

Thunder Force V is on there? I'm totally downloading that!

BTW, Japhei, the reason why the top 10 are all shoot 'em ups is because you are looking at the top 10 shoot 'em ups category!!!.

No my friend

That is from the Front page

Yes, it is from the shoot 'em up category. They are currently featuring it on the front page. It is NOT the overall top 10 downloaded games. I can read the Japanese here.

[the7k]

Yeah, every now and then, the Japanese store will do a specialized "Top 10 (insert genre)" deal. Last time I checked it (about a month ago or so), it was "Top 10 RPGs", with the list clearly being dominated by Final Fantasy entries and other obvious choices.

[elvis]

I guess these aren't available in the States of course.

Sony are sticking with the region-locking of PS1 and PS2 games due to licensing reasons.

It's highly unlikely we'll see them offer Japanese-only titles here. Those that did see western releases are probably not considered worthy by some suit at SCEA/SCEE.

I wish they'd take a leaf out of Nintendo's book, and consider going cross-region with older titles. See the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console "Hanabi" festivals, and the once-obscure Japanese games that get western releases.

[Breetai]

Yeah, every now and then, the Japanese store will do a specialized "Top 10 (insert genre)" deal. Last time I checked it (about a month ago or so), it was "Top 10 RPGs", with the list clearly being dominated by Final Fantasy entries and other obvious choices.

That's exactly what it is. It's just the regular rotation of PSN promotions that they do in every region.

[Breetai]

Well, I took advantage of these awesome prices.

I picked up Thunder Force V, G-Darius, Shienryu, Einhander and Soldier Blade. Yay!

[shallowgamer]

I guess these aren't available in the States of course.

It's highly unlikely we'll see them offer Japanese-only titles here. Those that did see western releases are probably not considered worthy by some suit at SCEA/SCEE.

You got it. Remember Metal slug 3? Sony didn't think it was worthy of a PS2 release. So MS welcomed it with open arms.

[wip3outguy7]

I was on the Playstation store in Japan and was browsing the top 10. I noticed it was pretty much filled with traditional Arcade type shmups. I also see the total lack of them released for the PS3 in japan and wonder why there are no retail releases. Is sony keepinng 2d games off ps3? Is Microsoft paying off the companies to release shmups on their console now numbering 13 Released or officially announced as of right now for retail.

I had to re-read your post several times and I'm still not sure what point you're trying to make. Are you trying to say that Shmups are very popular on the Playstation Japan store but there have not been any new retail releases of shmups in awhile? If so, you should go back and correct your post since it's very unclear what you're trying to point out.

The way I read it is that you're contradicting yourself by saying that shmups are in the top 10 list in Japan Playstation store but there have been no releases.

I think that's exactly what he's trying to say. SHMUPs are extremely popular on the Playstation store but there are no big "new" releases for the system where as the Xbox 360 (a system no one owns in Japan) is getting all of the newly released titles from CAVE, etc. So is MS buying the rights to all the new SHMUPs in hopes it will win over the Japanese public? Or is Sony blocking 2D style games like they did in the PS1 days?

Example: Death Smiles would sell 2 times more units in Japan if it were to come to PS3.

I have a feeling the problem here is Sony and their warped decision to block games that don't show off the technical aspects of the PS3 (unless they are old titles already released on the PS1, of course).

[jfrost]

What's also curious about there being no shmups on the PS3 is that, while Cave seems to be fighting against Microsoft licensing to release their games without region restrictions, they'd have a much easier time dealing with Sony.