The 10 Best Console Games that Never Made it to America

If you’ve ever impatiently waited for a video game release in America, you may be aware that a large portion of the games we play here originate in Japan. Oftentimes, Japan gets these games first and American audiences have to wait months or years to get our hands on them. Even worse, some of the best games made for consoles never make it to America at all.

Sometimes, U.S. releases are announced, then called off. Other times, a game is so culturally-specific to Japan, an American release seems impossible.

Yet, there is hope for some games on the horizon. Keep reading to discover the 10 best console games that never made it to America — and which two are finally seeing a U.S. release. Fingers crossed.

1. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner is the first in what became a long and popular series globally. The series that spawned the Persona line of games is popular both domestically and abroad. This makes it all the more surprising that its origin never made it to an American audience. Despite being re-released on the PlayStation Portable in 2005 and talks of an American localization coming out in 2006, Atlus has confirmed there are no current plans to do so.

2. Fatal Frame 4

Fatal Frame is the series that taught a generation of gamers to be afraid of their cameras. When the fourth game of the franchise was announced for a Wii release, it seemed like a natural fit. The Wii’s motion capability really adds a new level of horror to the game — and that’s exactly why it never made it to America. Nintendo heavily marketed the Wii as a family-friendly console. So, Nintendo didn’t feel comfortable releasing anything on it that fit into the horror genre.