The Top 10 Most Bizarre Japanese Games You’ll Never Get to Play

Japan has always played an important role in the video game industry. Ever since video gaming began, Japan has been at the forefront of development. Consoles such as the NES helped revitalize an ailing market while companies like Nintendo and Sega dominated the ’80s and ’90s. Many of the best and most popular franchises launched from Japan. These include classics such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Metal Gear Solid.

However, that doesn’t mean that every game created in Japan is destined to be a hit. The experimental nature of development in Japan means that studios often release weird or downright bizarre games. Unfortunately, a lot of them never see an international launch, meaning only Japanese players ever get to play them. Here are the top 10 most bizarre Japanese games you’ll never get to play.

Ai Cho Aniki

Translated as Super Big Brother, Ai Cho Aniki is a series of Japanese games that have been around since 1992. The franchise is primarily made up of side-scrolling shoot ’em ups. What really makes them stand out, though, is the surreal and wacky imagery.

Levels usually involve a mashup of colors and shapes, with angelic beings shooting everything from lasers to hammers at you. Strangest of all is the fact that practically every character appears to be almost fully naked. It is intentionally camp and tacky and part of a genre known as Baka-ge, literally meaning idiot games.

Takeshi no Chōsenjō

Right from the very outset, it is clear that Takeshi no Chōsenjō is no ordinary game. It actively warns players that they will not be able to finish it using conventional gaming skills. At first glance, it may appear to be little more than an ordinary side-scrolling adventure game from the ’80s.

Dig a little deeper though and it becomes clear this is just a plain strange experience. To advance the wacky plot, players have to get divorced, beat up random shopkeepers, and feud with gangsters. It also involves singing karaoke and shooting down UFOs as well as allowing you to punch anyone you meet.