Operation Rainfall

[Azure-Tranquility]

I don't think there's ever been a Mario game that wasen't at least localized for the US and Japan.(Although Super Sluggers hasen't been released in EU yet... a shame)

[Koopaul]

Yeah but that's just a baseball game. No one in Europe is going to be that upset about it. You can't compare Xenoblade to Sluggers.

[Kriven]

Mario & Wario was never released outside of Japan.

I don't feel entitled at all. I don't even really care about the games being campaigned. I just hate how everyone seems to have this attitude like people voicing their desire for regional releases (or for any change, for that matter) are tantrum throwing children. The fact that people just sit there and go "welp" is a largely concerning mentality.

I also don't understand why people feel the need to put down individuals who are campaigning for a release outside of the native country. Nobody is up in arms demanding that Nintendo "release the game or else." It's really a very civil protest and request, and it isn't causing anybody harm at all. If they generate enough company interest, they get their game, if they don't, nobody is going to care in two weeks. Since there aren't any real changes here, I don't see why it should matter that fans are asking for a little more.

[Yawackhary]

Usually when a game doesn't get released in a region it is because of either costs (whether it is translation, marketing, license rights if it is a TV Show/film/book/anime/manga or publishing rights costs) or that it didn't suit the market like a full of colour cute looking game in America or a over the top violent American style game in Japan. Another reason could be reviews in one region might put off a publisher at another region to release the game. While it is disappointing that some games weren't released in your region, there are usually realistic reasons why they aren't released. Besides the option to import has always been available (the 90s in the UK were quite big on importing with small and even a couple of larger stores advertising imported games and systems such as the PC Engine that weren't officially released in Europe to the point of big magazines reviewing import games, they seem to have died down after the Dreamcast) if you are desperate.

As for these three games, looking at their profiles of the companies shows that many of their games are either Japanese only or handled by smaller publishers (Majesco, D3 Publisher, Atlus) or with Ganbarion (makers of Pandora's Tower) focus on anime based titles. In fact the only game that was released outside Japan by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo so far is Disaster: Day of Crisis and even then got mixed reviews in Europe (also apparently it had a bit of a dodgy development cycle to the point of being almost cancelled according to one review). I'll predict at best case scenario (the other scenario is that they won't get released which is understandable) that at least one or two of the three games of Operation Rainfall would be released in America most likely by smaller niche publishers who understand that market a bit more, not by Nintendo of America who would rather focus on a Mario/Pokemon/Zelda title (the possible reason why Nintendo of Europe is translating and publishing them is due to not as many niche publishers in Europe that would be interested). I can actually see Xseed Games publishing The Last Story in America due to that its parent company was involved of the development of the game, whether it happens or not remains to be seen.

Going back to unreleased games in a region, there are a few examples that I can think of top of my head that Europe didn't get while Japan/America got that were considered big titles such as the original releases of Final Fantasy 1, 4 and 6, the SNES version of Chrono Trigger (it was released on the DS), Mega Man 6, Ninja Gaiden "Shadow Warriors" 3, Super Mario RPG (it was released on the Virtual Console though) and the Mega Man collections. At least some games had plasuable reasons why it weren't released (for Super Mario RPG it would have been released when the N64 came out and not many RPGs were released on the SNES in Europe most likely due to localisation costs for the others, for the Mega Man collections Nintendo published the first 5 NES games and Mega Man X in Europe so Capcom might had to deal with Nintendo for rights even though ironically the first collection was made in the UK). The other way around seems to be rarer in the past, game publishers with Japanese roots (American publishers generally published games in both America and Europe, sometimes Japan as well) didn't really care and also unaware about Europe when they see Japan and America as the big markets and any sales outside them two regions were a bonus, the oddity being Sega releasing Master System games exclusively for Europe/Brazil that weren't ported to the Game Gear for the US/Japan (Battle Out Run, Bonanza Bros, Gain Ground, Buggy Run, Running Battle, Cyber Shinobi, Basketball Nightmare, Ninja Gaiden to name a few). The other exception were systems that weren't released in the US and Japan such as the ZX Spectrum and the Amstrad CPC so only European publishers and developers could work on it. Nowadays it is a bit of a different story due to publishers and developers are more aware of a global market and there are more publishers that can release niche products such as Rising Star Games and 505Games in Europe or XSeed, Majesco, NIS and Atlus in the US.

Also for the other way round they usually have a smaller print run and even to the point of being released only in a few countries (e.g. Mr Gimmick, Alien Soldier, Disaster: Day of Crisis).

[Dazz]

They never released Suikoden 3 in the UK. However, they released 1, 2, 4, 5, Tactics and the DS game...

Just seems so stupid to me.

[Shawn]

Yeah but that's just a baseball game. No one in Europe is going to be that upset about it. You can't compare Xenoblade to Sluggers.

shut the fuck up. just because it's not in your interests doesnt make it not comparable to something you DO like. sluggers and xenoblade are likely both really good games and theres obviously people who didnt get to play it that are pissed off.

no ones gonna make a game that people DONT WANT TO PLAY.

---

The difference between Xenoblade and Disaster: Day of Crisis is that people actually care. Most games that don't get released in Europe people don't really care about anyway, so I don't expect them to go to these measures. If important games like Mario Galaxy never came out in Europe, I'd expect a petition! Hell I'd see what I could do to help!

the only reason we actually have a petition going is because nintendo of america is consistent with NOT LOCALIZING ANYTHING. NoE still releases a lot of games that we dont get in america, especially in recent years.

[Azure-Tranquility]

Sluggers is a great game surprisingly. Part of what makes it great is the astounding roster of Mario characters you get to use on your team, even obscure choices like King K. Rool and the Kremlings.

Really makes you feel like you're playing as the entire Mario universe in one game and then some.

[Koopaul]

Yeah but that's just a baseball game. No one in Europe is going to be that upset about it. You can't compare Xenoblade to Sluggers.

shut the fuck up. just because it's not in your interests doesnt make it not comparable to something you DO like. sluggers and xenoblade are likely both really good games and theres obviously people who didnt get to play it that are pissed off.

no ones gonna make a game that people DONT WANT TO PLAY.

---

Um I own Sluggers and it was a great game! Actually, I don't care too much for Xenoblade! I probably would like Sluggers more than Xenoblade. But let's look at the facts here: Mario Sluggers is a sequel to character based sports title. Xenoblade is an in-depth action rpg, with beautiful worlds and hours of gameplay.

What I'm saying is, it has nothing to do with tastes. Xenoblade is just a much more involved game. Mario Sluggers is a great game in its own right but is not comparable to truly involved games. It like comparing a comedy movie to a drama movie, they could both be great, but its the drama that people take seriously.

The difference between Xenoblade and Disaster: Day of Crisis is that people actually care. Most games that don't get released in Europe people don't really care about anyway, so I don't expect them to go to these measures. If important games like Mario Galaxy never came out in Europe, I'd expect a petition! Hell I'd see what I could do to help!

the only reason we actually have a petition going is because nintendo of america is consistent with NOT LOCALIZING ANYTHING. NoE still releases a lot of games that we dont get in america, especially in recent years.

NOA always localized everything that really mattered to the fans. That's why there was never a petition until now. Sure there are people who wanted Another Code or Disaster, but for the most part, fans could let that go.

It's when THESE games are not made available, that's when things start up.

Not just ANY game will start petitions. It's games that have a great "need" that do.

[Azure-Tranquility]

Supposedly according to like, a huge group of people large enough to make Xenoblade #1 pre-ordered game on Amazon.com, it's necessary.

[Gwen]

Yeah but that's just a baseball game. No one in Europe is going to be that upset about it. You can't compare Xenoblade to Sluggers.

shut the fuck up. just because it's not in your interests doesnt make it not comparable to something you DO like. sluggers and xenoblade are likely both really good games and theres obviously people who didnt get to play it that are pissed off.

no ones gonna make a game that people DONT WANT TO PLAY.

---

Um I own Sluggers and it was a great game! Actually, I don't care too much for Xenoblade! I probably would like Sluggers more than Xenoblade. But let's look at the facts here: Mario Sluggers is a sequel to character based sports title. Xenoblade is an in-depth action rpg, with beautiful worlds and hours of gameplay.

What I'm saying is, it has nothing to do with tastes. Xenoblade is just a much more involved game. Mario Sluggers is a great game in its own right but is not comparable to truly involved games. It like comparing a comedy movie to a drama movie, they could both be great, but its the drama that people take seriously.

The difference between Xenoblade and Disaster: Day of Crisis is that people actually care. Most games that don't get released in Europe people don't really care about anyway, so I don't expect them to go to these measures. If important games like Mario Galaxy never came out in Europe, I'd expect a petition! Hell I'd see what I could do to help!

the only reason we actually have a petition going is because nintendo of america is consistent with NOT LOCALIZING ANYTHING. NoE still releases a lot of games that we dont get in america, especially in recent years.

NOA always localized everything that really mattered to the fans. That's why there was never a petition until now. Sure there are people who wanted Another Code or Disaster, but for the most part, fans could let that go.

It's when THESE games are not made available, that's when things start up.

Not just ANY game will start petitions. It's games that have a great "need" that do.

I've never heard of these games and really don't give a fuck about them. Quit making it sound like these games are the best thing since ever and quit talking out of your ass. I'm pretty pissed that NMH: Heroes Paradise doesn't get a 360 release anywhere but Japan, but you don't see me calling something that other people want unimportant. You sound like a goddamn prick right now.
EDIT: ANOTHER THING, you fucking state you don't even care for Xenoblade that much. What the fuck are trying to say here. I also didn't really like Galaxy.

[Koopaul]

It seems I have the controversial idea that some games are more ... important than others. Whether I like said game or not I can identify the game's importance.

There are many games I do not like but I understand that a lot of time, effort, and talent was put into it. When you look at a game and can compare it as a work of art, those are the most important games. This is what I believe.

I too would feel for you with No More Heroes, as I see it as a very important game. However, that game is an enhanced port of a game you CAN get for the Wii, so I can't feel too bad.

[Kriven]

^ You seem to fall in the "entitled" category I was accused of being in. Stop talking now. ^

[Garamonde]

Um, why do we keep using the term "important game"? It kind of bugs me. It makes sense but it doesn't at the same time.

I kind of imagined that the "importancy" of a game was about how you personally feel about it. Obviously games like Galaxy have an out of this world fan base and there'd be much outrage if it wasn't released here, whereas, if say a Spyro game wasn't released here (let's try one of the first PlayStation games), there wouldn't be nearly as much disappointment but all those Spyro fans would still feel as though they missed out on an "important" game for Galaxy, because you know, they are dedicated to the series, and obviously they would be outnumbered by the onslaught of Mario fans, which isn't quite fair.

That Bomberman Jetters GameCube game I brought up in the Game Anticipation Thread is very important to me (and it's pretty important to quite a few others actually) and has a special place in my heart like all the other 3D Bomberman franchise games. It really doesn't matter if everyone says it sucks, it was an amazing game (like how Sonic Chronicles was a great game) and I would give up one of my other games I own for them to make another for that series, but nooooo it's obvious that the "majority" of people would say "it's not important or good enough". Just leave it at "game popularity" or something.

I do think Act Zero was a terrible idea myself (and so do most others), but I'm sure that game was important or good to some and I won't criticize them for it. I just don't believe in "importance" as being a classification. A lot of people would say "this game wasn't that important" but a lot of others would say it is. Some people in Japan might think MOTHER 3 wasn't important enough so it didn't make it over here but you can easily see that wasn't the case with the fan translation. Soooo yeah just another one of my random "IMHO speeches". I hope I make sense with what I mean here.

[Gwen]

It seems I have the controversial idea that some games are more ... important than others. Whether I like said game or not I can identify the game's importance.

There are many games I do not like but I understand that a lot of time, effort, and talent was put into it. When you look at a game and can compare it as a work of art, those are the most important games. This is what I believe.

I too would feel for you with No More Heroes, as I see it as a very important game. However, that game is an enhanced port of a game you CAN get for the Wii, so I can't feel too bad.

No they aren't, just because a game can look beautiful, that doesn't mean jack shit on how fun it is or not. Your view on what's deserving is fucked up. Super Sluggers was fun as hell, and I played that for a long time, I'd have been pretty pissed off if it hadn't come to North America. Regarding NMH, imagine how much more playable it'll be, but I can't because I don't have a ps3. Don't get me wrong, I love the Wii version, but the controls get pretty annoying at times.

[Garamonde]

This probably isn't what you meant Koop but some of the best games (Kirby's Adventure, Super Mario Bros., and Bomberman 64 for example) didn't have top-notch graphics. Just throwin' that out there.

I own Super Sluggers and it's a fantastic game. I really don't care what this Xenoblade is (no offense to anyone), and Sluggers had every right to be released here and it was a big hit because it was dang awesome.

My cuz was planning on getting NMH too. It looks like a funny game (especially that certain extra costume).