Eight North American and Japanese Vita games I'm planning to buy (and play) later in 2016 or as soon as possible in 2017

The recent unveiling of the Switch did more than prompt me to contemplate all the things I may or may not be able to do with Nintendo's next console after I get my hands on one next March.

It also prompted me to contemplate all the non-Switch games I'm planning to pick up between now and then--and perhaps even after.

As the headline above hopefully makes clear, this post focuses on the many Japanese and North American Vita titles that I'm aiming to buy (and obviously play) later in 2016 or at some point in 2017.

A follow-up post that'll be published in a couple of days will cover the Vita games I'm considering buying during the same period of time, while a later post will tackle the slew of North American and Japanese 3DS games that are likely to land on my doorstep in the coming six months or so.



2064: Read Only Memories--It's kind of weird (some might say sad) that I'm starting this list with a port that may never see the light of day, isn't it? After all, developer MidBoss "indefinitely delayed" the Vita version of this LGBTQ-inclusive cyberpunk adventure a couple of months ago. Still, I'm holding out hope it'll eventually be released, as I'm desperate to play it and I really don't want to have to do it using my MacBook.



Crypt of the NecroDancer--I salivated over this game from the time it was first announced to the time it hit the Vita early in 2016. (It was a messy year or two, I admit.) So why have I dragged my feet in terms of buying it? Because I've barely turned on my Vita or played any of its games this year, that's why. That's not a rip on Sony's second handheld or its catalog of titles, by the way; the fact is I've simply been too busy and too stressed out this year to play more than the occasional 3DS or retro game. Thankfully, things will be much different next year--hell, they may be much different in a few days--so don't be surprised if I start chatting about this curious mash-up of the rhythm and roguelike genres sooner rather than later.



Dragon Quest Builders--Of all the "definitely buying later this year or early next" games discussed in this post, this Minecraft clone is the one I want the most. The main reason for that, I've got to sheepishly admit, is that it looks amazing. I especially love how Square Enix's artists have translated Akira Toriyama's character designs into 3D. On top of its delicious visuals, though, Dragon Quest Builders also seems like a ton of fun.



The Longest 5 Minutes--I already have the Japanese version of this weird Nippon Ichi title (known as World's Longest 5 Minutes on that side of the pond), which is one part RPG and one part visual novel. Oh, and let's not forget the two parts gorgeous 8-bit-esque graphics. Still, I'm thinking of double-dipping (NIS America announced in August it's prepping an English release for sometime in 2017), as I doubt the text in the Japanese original will make much sense to me anytime soon.



Princess wa Kane no Mouja--If the name to the left has you scratching your head, how about The Princess is Money-Hungry? The latter is the former loosely translated into English. For more information on it, check out these posts I published about it in August. Anyway, don't expect me to pre-order Princess wa Kane no Mouja or even pick it up shortly after it hits the streets in Japan late next month. Not only won't I have the time or attention span for it until early 2017, but I'd like to give NIS America a chance to announce a Western release before biting the bullet. (Of course, I may purchase a boxed Japanese copy regardless, as I have a feeling a North American version will be digital-only.)



New Danganronpa V3--Surely NIS America will bring this latest entry in Spike Chunsoft's series of horror-tinged visual novels to Western shores, right? Assuming that's the case, I'll definitely add it to my surprisingly extensive collection of Vita games as soon as is possible--despite the fact that I've yet to finish the first Danganronpa or even start the second.



Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate--Although I placed a pre-order for this portable roguelike as soon as I was able to do so a few months ago, I canceled it just before release when I realized I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon. I've seen so many positive tweets about it since then, though, that now I'm kicking myself for passing on it. So, the current plan is to convince someone in my life to buy it for me as a birthday or Christmas present. If that doesn't pan out, I'll buy it for myself.



VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action--What do we have here? Yes, another in-limbo Vita port of an indie PC game I'm absolutely itching to play. And this one's supposedly getting a (limited, I'm guessing) physical release, which is making the wait seem even more interminable. I guess the good news here is I think the VA-11 HALL-A Vita port is more likely to happen than the 2064: Read Only Memories Vita port, so at least I'll probably get to play one of these curiosities before the end of 2017.

Are any of you also looking to purchase one or more of these Japanese or North American Vita games in the coming months? If so, which ones?

If you've already played some of these titles, by the way, please let me (and others) know what you thought of them in the comments section below.

6 Vita games I'm looking forward to playing in 2016

Along with the handful of Vita games mentioned in my recent pair of "5 games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) failed to play" posts, I'm also looking forward to spending time with the following titles between now and the end of this year:

Airship Q--A Terraria clone made by a Japanese indie developer and filled with feline characters? Put me down for at least one copy, and maybe two. Seriously, though, what's not to like about such a scenario? OK, so the language barrier could prove to be a problem if I go with the physical Japanese release (which is the current plan). I'm willing to risk it, though, for the fabulous box art and actual, I-can-sell-it-down-the-road-if-I-want-to-do-so cartridge.

Alone With You--This upcoming digital offering captured my attention for two reasons when its release was announced a few months back. One is that it brings to mind some of the great PC games I enjoyed whenI was younger. Another is that it includes a romance element--which I pretty much always consider to be a welcome addition to any title that's caught my eye.

Crypt of the NecroDancer--I've wanted to play this wonderfully weird digital title, which dares to combine elements of the rhythm and rogulike genres, since the PC version was unveiled a couple of years ago. Because I hate playing games on my Mac (or any computer, for that matter), though, I dragged my feet on buying it. Which is great, as developer Brace Yourself Games revealed this past fall that a Vita version is in the works. Here's hoping it comes out sooner rather than later, as I really want to see if this is the video game equivalent of a Reese's peanut butter cup--an example of a wonderful combo, in my opinion--or if it's more like a Necco Wafer wrapped in a Tootsie Roll.

Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna--The timing of this Square Enix-made game's release (next month--in Japan, at least) is just about perfect, if you ask me. I'm currently working my way through the DS version of the title (Chrono Trigger) that inspired it, and I should wrap up its adventure just before my boxed copy of Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna makes its way across the pond to my welcome mat. Will it live up to its pedigree? I have no idea, but I certainly hope that'll be the case--and then some.

SaGa Scarlet Grace--I've made no secret over the years of the fact that I'm a huge fan of Square's SaGa series. The second GameBoy title is one of my favorite games for that handheld, while SaGa Frontier is among my all-time favorite games for any system. As a result, I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on this latest entry in the series. Fingers crossed Scarlet Grace stays far away from the hideous art style of the PS2 Romancing SaGa remake or the hair-pullingly obtuse gameplay of Unlimited SaGa for the same console.

Zero Time Dilemma--Why am I buying the Vita version of this third entry in the thrilling Zero Escape series instesd of the 3DS iteration? Because I'm going to start playing the second game, Virtue's Last Reward, on Sony's handheld shortly, and I figure I'll want to follow it up by playing its sequel on the same mschine. Also, I have so many 3DS titles at this point that I figure I should show my Vita a bit more love.

Are there any in-the-works Vita games that are causing you to salivate in anticipation of their impending (in 2016) release? If so, let me know about them in the comments section that follows.

The Nichiest Podcast Ever: Take 15

Did you think The Nichiest Podcast Ever was a goner? If so, I'm happy to inform you that you were mistaken--as a new episode is now available for your aural pleasure.

That's not to say this particular "take"--which is The Nichiest Podcast Ever's 15th, if you can believe that--is of the "par for the course" variety. For starters, some exciting news is shared in its first few minutes. I won't spoil that news here, but I will say that it involves the podcaster formerly known as shidoshi.

Other than that, we spend the bulk of this episode chatting about the slew of niche-y games that have been announced since we last found the time to sit down and record together--which was all the way back in May.



Specifically, we talked about: Crypt of the Necrodancer (PS4/Vita), Dragon Quest Builders (PS3/PS4/Vita) Dragon Quest XI (3DS/PS4), Final Fantasy Explorers (3DS), Hatoful Boyfriend (PS4/Vita), Odin Sphere Leifdrasir (PS3/PS4/Vita), Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus (3DS) and Zero Escape 3 (3DS/Vita).

That's just the tip of the iceberg, though, so if the list above sounds at least a smidge appealing to you, you'll probably enjoy the entirety of "Take 15."

Should you take the time to listen to the latest iteration of The Nichiest Podcast Ever, please leave a comment about your experience on radio.morningproject.com. Better yet, leave a question--so we finally can have one or two to answer when we go to record our 16th episode.

See also: previous posts about The Nichiest Podcast Ever

Fabulosity alert: Crypt of the NecroDancer will soon sashay onto the Vita (and PS4)

The Vita is really hitting it out of the park, as the saying goes, lately.

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version just hit Japanese store shelves, and the intriguing "enforced side-scroll RPG" known as Mystery Chronicle: I Won't Look Back Until I Win will follow in that game's footsteps in a couple of weeks.

And then there are the slew of North American Vita titles that will be released between now and the end of the year that also look mighty interesting, including Hatoful Boyfriend (due out on July 21), Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Sept. 29) and the one that's the focus of this blog post: Crypt of the NecroDancer.



Unfortunately, all that's known at the moment is that this much-heralded rhythm-based roguelike, which previously only could be played on a PC, is that it's coming soon.

Here's hoping "soon" means within the next couple of months, because I'm really itching to (finally) experience this sucker. Even if it doesn't hit the PlayStation Store--or whatever Sony calls its digital store these days--until later this year, though, I'll still pay whatever I have to in order to add Crypt of the NecroDancer to my slowly expanding collection of Vita titles.

Are any of you excitedly planning to purchase this game, too?

It's like Crypt of the NecroDancer was made with me in mind

I don't know about you, but a name like Crypt of the NecroDancer doesn't really pique my interest. Tell me said game is rhythm-based roguelike that sports a retro-tastic art style, though, and you've got my attention.

The question is: will the aforementioned title, which is being made by the folks at Brace Yourself Games for both Mac and Windows, wind up being as fun to play as it appears to be in the following trailer?



I'm a little skeptical, I have to admit, but I'm also intrigued enough that I'll likely take the Mac version for a spin shortly after it's released.

The only thing that could keep me from doing that is Crypt of the NecroDancer's $15 price tag--something I'd be far more willing to put up with if it were attached to a console or even handheld release.

(Via penny-arcade.com)