Hello, this is Jonathan from Censored Gaming.
With the Nintendo Switch region-free, many no longer have to wait for a release overseas
to enjoy a game.
There are still some language barriers however, as games such as Dragon Quest Heroes I and
II are Japanese only.
That said, there are also games available in Japan that carry options to play in English,
and the website Michibiku has shared just what can be imported right now with those
options.
So, without further ado, these are the games you can currently import and play on the Switch
in English:
First is Disgaea 5 Complete, a tactical RPG within the Disgaea franchise.
For those unfamiliar with how the series operates, it revolves around mostly demonic characters
yet offers a lot of comedy within its story, but this one is a tad different, offering
a bit more of a serious take with its story.
That’s not to say its humour has been stripped.
And gameplay has endless ways to approach it, from troop making and customization, going
into the world of an item in order to strengthen it, pulling off complicated-looking support
attacks, and far more for an experience that will likely surpass over 100 hours.
This version includes all of the DLC from the game, but offers no new content.
The DLC is composed of scenarios and characters from past Disgaea games, such as Valvatorez
or Laharl.
It will even allow you to use those very characters in your main party after certain conditions
have been met.
As for the Western release, picking up the Japanese version will allow you to pick it
up nearly 3 months early, with the North America release scheduled for May 23rd, and then in
Europe on May 26th.
Next there is Othello, a game where two players compete with one another by placing down disks,
with one player getting white, and the other gets black.
The goal is to convert your opponent’s disks into your color, and the one who has the most
colored disks on the board wins.
It’s a battle of wits as you try to outthink your opponent.
The game of Othello is actually over 40 years old, and it’s single-player mode does support
difficulties ranging from a beginner to all-time players.
It’s especially helpful to new players by giving hints or redoing a move.
And it also supports local multiplayer through the use of detaching the Joy-con.
The game is currently released in Europe, but there is no word on a release for North
America.
Then there is Blaster Master Zero, a modern take on the original NES title, and a digital
download title only.
This one is a side-scroller where you can control your tank and blast apart foes, while
also doing some platforming.
However, the tank cannot do everything, so you can exit it to control the main character.
By using the main character, you can also go into certain areas and have the camera
give a overhead display, moving freely as you gun down some enemies.
It will also add more story, new levels, and new weapons compared the original.
The game is already set to launch in North America and Europe on March 9th, and set to
also arrive on the 3DS as well, but importing this one means you'll be able to get it a
little earlier, just like the next game we'll be discussing, Voez.
Voez is a rhythm action game, already released in Europe, and set to release on March 9th
in North America.
The game uses the touchscreen to touching falling notes in time with the music, with
the song itself determining the overall pace they fall.
It also contains over 100 songs, multiple difficulty settings, and plans to add even
more songs to the game for free.
This game cannot be used on a television however due to the use of the touch screen.
And finally, there are the Arcade Archives: Neo Geo, which has the games separated.
Currently, you can get the following games:
The fighting game King of Fighters ‘98, part of the King of Fighters franchise and
commonly regarded as one of the best in the series.
While there is no story mode, characters considered dead within the series canon do show up here,
allowing for various combinations of matches with up to 51 characters, including alternate
versions of existing fighters.
There’s another 2D fighter known as Waku Waku 7, which never released outside of Japan
until now.
It features a roster of nine characters that control differently from one another.
The camera would also zoom out should fighters try to get some distance from one another.
The shooting adventure game Shock Troopers, which features some stages with different
camera views as you blast your way through standard grunts, to huge machines, to even
other soldiers who serve as bosses and can create tough obstacles using their bullets.
Then there’s Metal Slug 3, a side-scrolling shooting game known for being hard thanks
to its gameplay, limited ammunition, and dying in one hit.
There can also be some chaos on screen too from all of the enemies.
Finally there is World Heroes Perfect, another fighting game that can be compared a bit to
the old Street Fighter games because of the animations and super moves present.
The roster here is smaller than King of Fighters ‘98, sporting about 19 characters.
Though there is a story to the game, along with animated background too.
These titles are already available in Europe, and there is currently no word on a North
American release date.
There are also other Japanese titles with full English support, including Vroom in the
Night Sky and New Frontier Days: Founding Pioneers.
However, they were also Switch launch titles and also already available in North America
and Europe.
In order to import a lot of these titles digitally, you have to change the region of your Switch
and the website Nintendo Life has provided instructions on how to do this.
First, you must create a new Nintendo ID, then fill out the form, and make sure to choose
Japan as the country.
Afterwards, you are given a four digit code to confirm the account.
Next, go into the system settings on your Switch, click add user, and finally click
sign in and link to link the new Japanese region account.
From that point onward, when visiting the shop, it will ask which account will be purchasing
games, thus making sure you can access both the Japanese eshop, along with the North American
or European eshop.
In regards to making purchases though, whilst some users have managed to successfully make
foreign purchases using their credit cards, others have run into issues.
However, if any issues arise, you can always purchase an eShop gift card for the region
of your choice.
The same cards used for the Wii U and 3DS store can be used with the Switch, and these
can be easily purchased from online retailers, such as Play-Asia.com.
Should more news regarding the Nintendo Switch's region free capabilities become available,
we here at Censored Gaming will keep you updated.
Thank you for watching.