5 games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (some might say embarrassingly) failed to play

Here's an admission that should shock almost no one: I bought quite a few games--both old and new--in 2015.

Even less shocking to those of you who've been reading this blog for even a few weeks: I've only played a handful of those pick-ups so far.

I'll spend some time chatting about the ones I've actually spent time with in a post that'll be published in a couple of days. In this one, though, I'll blab about some of the ones I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) ignored.

Clock Tower (WonderSwan)--I was so excited when I finally acquired a WonderSwan system (along with five WonderSwan games) a few months ago. I've been buying WonderSwan games for a number of years now--read about some of them in these previously published posts--but until my black WonderSwan Color arrived on my doorstep in mid-October I was unable to play them. Anyway, you'd think that all of this would've prompted me to cram my freshly obtained Clock Tower cart into the aforementioned portable as soon as possible. After all, I've wanted to experience some version of Human Entertainment's point-and-click horror game for ages. Alas, it's still on the to-do list. As is the case with all of the games mentioned here, though, I'm planning to rectify matters in 2016.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS)--I'll be honest here: I wasn't entirely sure what to think of this turn-based strategy game when Nintendo first unveiled it. Sure, Intelligent Systems' involvement thrilled me, and I also loved that they dared to take the genre in a unique direction with the comic-book setting and steampunk aesthetic on display here. On the flip side, though, I wasn't so enamored with their seeming obsession with garish colors. Still, I pre-ordered a copy as soon as I was able--and then promptly neglected to even open it after it was delivered.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)--True story: I've wanted to play Majora's Mask ever since I conquered the original Nintendo 64 version of Ocarina of Time back in the day. For whatever reason, though, I passed on Majora's Mask when it was released in 2000. Actually, I believe my brother and I owned a copy of it at one point, but I never went through its adventure myself. With that in mind, I happily pre-ordered this 3DS remake-of-sorts and then ... you know how this story ends by now, right?

Taiko no Tatsujin V Version (Vita)--When I first heard that the folks at Bandai Namco were prepping a new Taiko no Tatsujin game for the Vita, I was stoked. I own and love all three of the Taiko titles that were released (in Japan only, sadly) for the DS a few years back, and that affection pushed me to purchase iterations for the PSP and 3DS, too. So, why not add V Version to the pile, too, right? Unfortunately, I didn't give my Vita the attention it deserved in 2015, so this and other releases basically fell by the wayside. Hopefully that won't be the case in the coming year.

Yomawari (Vita)--Of all the unplayed games name-checked in this post, this one bugs me the most. Why? Yomawari is "my cup of tea," as that old saying goes. Specifically, it's cute, it's scary and it's portable. Yet it continues to sit in the same stack as the titles noted above. Admittedly, one reason I've been dragging my feet when it comes to booting up my copy of this Nippon Ichi production is that I'm a bit worried the in-game text will be over my head. Even if that proves true in the end, though, I won't know it for sure until I've actually given Yomawari a try, wouldn't you agree?

With all of that out of the way, what are some of the games--new or old--that you picked up in 2015 but failed to play?

Mystery Chronicle: I Won't Look Back Until I Win is one of many interesting Japanese Vita games I'm currently thinking of buying

Full disclosure: although I fell in love with the Vita the second I pulled my Japanese pink-and-white system from its packaging in early March, I've only played it sparingly in the last couple of months.

I know I'll be calling into action again soon, though, as my pre-ordered-eons-ago copy of Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version, a title that just hit store shelves in Japan, should start making its way across the ocean to our doorstep in a week or two, and once it's in my hand I'm sure it'll keep me busy--and thoroughly entertained--for a good while.

A handful of similarly intriguing Vita titles that'll first, if not only, see the light of day in the Land of the Rising Sun should keep the proverbial ball rolling, with one of the titles in question being a remake of the mobile RPG, Hero Must Die, and another being Nippon Ichi's surprisingly adorable spookathon, Yomawari.



The latter will be released around Halloween, by the way, while the former, which is being made by the same company, Pyramid, that brought the world the three Patapon games that graced the PSP throughout its lifetime, won't hit the streets of Japan (or any other region, I guess) until February of next year.

Between Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version and Yomawari, though, there'll be at least one other import-only (for not, at least) Vita title that's likely to prompt me to pull my system out of storage for a spell.

The Vita game in question is Fushigi no Chronicle: Furikaerimasen Katsu Madewa, which translates to Mystery Chronicle: I Won't Look Back Until I Win in English.



Like the aforementioned Hero Must Die, Mystery Chronicle's roots are in the mobile space. Unlike Hero Must Die, though, Mystery Chronicle is more of an "inspired by" effort than a full-on remake of an earlier release.

Regardless of which version of Mystery Chronicle you play, though, the gameplay is still that of a roguelike that features forced, side-scrolling stages. Don't worry if that leaves a few question marks bobbing around in your head; I'm in the very same boat.

Thankfully, the pair of trailers that can be viewed above do a far better job than I do of shining a light on how this Spike Chunsoft-made game is going to play--and I don't know about you, but I think the action looks pretty awesome. What do all of you think, though; do you think it looks interesting, or something less appealing?

Five games I'm really looking forward to playing between now and the end of 2015

True story: I've been on a bit of a "pre-order tear" for the last couple of weeks due to all of the just-announced games that have been offered up for sale at sites like amiami.com and play-asia.com.

I only mention this because the afore-mentioned pre-order-athon is fully responsible for the creation of this post.

So, which games am I really looking forward to playing between now and the end of 2015, and which ones have I already pre-ordered? Keep reading to find out.

Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS)--I don't know about you, but I've had quite a change of heart regarding this soon-to-be-released (in Japan, at least) 3DS title. When it was first unveiled, I looked at it in horror due to the fact that it sounded like little more than an embarrassingly limited cash-in. After its brilliant E3 2015 showing, though, I "did a 180," as the saying goes. Now, I'm not only interested in this game, but I've got a copy of the Japanese version, Doubutsu no Mori: Happy Home Designer, pre-ordered along with a couple of packs of the Animal Crossing-branded amiibo cards that will join it on store shelves in late July.

Code: Realize (Vita)--I've considered myself a fan of the otome genre ever since I played through the first Hakuoki game that made its way to the West. (I shared my impressions of that PSP title in this "somewhat gay" review.) Does that mean I'll get a kick out of Code: Realize, which will earn both a digital and physical release sometime this fall courtesy of Aksys Games? Not necessarily, but I certainly hope I'll end up feeling as positive about it as I did about Demon of the Fleeting Blossom. The story "hook" of this Otomate-made game should help matters quite a bit, given that it features a number of famous literary characters as romance options.

Super Mario Maker (Wii U)--Does this mean I'm actually going to get off of my cheap, lazy butt and buy a Wii U before 2015 comes to a close? That's the plan, but your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not that's what will happen. If it does, though, you can thank Super Mario Maker, which I think looks absolutely stunning at this point--and I'm not sure we even know all there is to know about it yet. Speaking of which, if someone at Nintendo were to reveal that Super Mario Bros. 2 (Super Mario Bros. USA in Japan) characters, enemies, items and moves will be appearing in this game, too, I'd go out and buy a Wii U console the very next second.

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version (Vita)--My decision to include this upcoming Vita release on this list shouldn't surprise those of you who previously read this post or this post. Still, I'm mentioning it here because it's easily near the top of the heap in terms of games I desperately want to play in the next six months. Thankfully, I know for certain that I'll be playing it either in late July or in early August, as I pre-ordered it as soon as I was able via the previously discussed amiami.com.

Yo-kai Watch (3DS)--I've wanted to play this Pokemon-esque Level-5 RPG since it first graced Japan with its presence two years ago. Thankfully, Nintendo revealed it will be releasing a localized version of it in North America this holiday season. Will it also bring the series' second and third entries to our shores, potentially in 2016 and 2017? I sure hope so, although I can't say I'm all that confident that's what will come to pass. Oh, well, at least we'll always have this first ghostly adventure.

This isn't the extent of the games I'm looking forward to playing between now and the end of the year, by the way. In fact, I've already started writing a follow-up post in which I declare my love for five more such titles, so look for it to be published sometime next week.

In the meantime, let me know which games, if any, you're chomping at the bit to sink your teeth into at some point during the remainder of 2015.

Feast your eyes on Taiko no Tatsujin V Version's first trailer

Considering it was announced almost a month and a half ago, it's kind of shocking that it took the folks at Bandai Namco until a couple of days ago to release the first trailer for Taiko no Tatsujin V Version.

That's the name of the latest entry in the company's vaunted series of music games, by the way. Oh, and it's about to be released for the Vita--a fact that's made patently obvious about four seconds into the following, three-minute-long clip.



Despite the fact that I pre-ordered this sucker the first day I was allowed to do so at amiami.com, I can't say I'm completely thrilled by what I see here. I mean, it all looks nice enough, but it's also very ... "more of the same," I guess?

At any rate, I'm still looking forward to getting my hands on it--in part because it'll provide my only other physical Vita game (the first Danganronpa) with a bit of company.

See also: 'Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, eh? If it were up to me, it'd be called Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version...'

Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, eh? If it were up to me, it'd be called Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version...

If the headline above is causing you to send a side-eye in my general direction, hopefully the following will help explain things: basically, in the last few months, I've acquired a whole slew of Taiko no Tatsujin games.

Specifically, I've acquired five of them. I started with the initial Taiko no Tatsujin DS title, as some of you may remember, and it so pleased me that I quickly ran out (or ran to various places on the Internet) and bought the second and third Taiko no Tatsujin DS releases as well as the first to hit the 3DS. A month or so later, I added the third PSP iteration, called Taiko no Tatsujin Portable DX, to my ever-growing collection.

Given all of the above, it should come as no surprise to hear that the recent announcement that a Taiko no Tatsujin title was being prepped for the Vita prompted me to bellow with delight.

This particular entry in the long-running series is going to be called Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, of course--which I guess brings us back to my lame-ass header. (After all, in it I'm implying that this Vita cart should be re-named Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version, because it would be my sixth Taiko no Tatsujin game--har har. Don't worry, I'm not planning to give up my day job.)

As for when Taiko no Tatsujin V Version will hit the streets in Japan, how much it'll cost and all that jazz: the game's release date is July 9 and the price tag attached to it at that time will be 5,690 yen. Oh, and according to sources like gematsu.com and neogaf.com, it'll feature 80 songs and an RPG-esque mode called "Donda Quest."

If all of that sounds swell to you, and if you've got a Vita and some cash to blow, you can pre-order this sucker right now via amiami.com for just 5,200 yen (about $44).

See also: my 'A Decade of DS' post about Taiko no Tatsujin DS