10 Classic Japanese GameCube Games (That Never Got An American Release) (2024)

The GameCube is one of the most underappreciated consoles of all time. While it didn't sell especially well during its lifespan, the games, on those dinky little discs, are what gave it that extra leverage. Some of its first-party titles are considered among Nintendo fans to be among their favorites to date, featuring such hallowed hits as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.

But what about all the classics that Western consumers never got to play? Are those any good, and is there any way to properly (and legally) check them out? Let's run down some notable GameCube games that are still stuck in Japan.

Updated August 11, 2024 by Bobby Mills: As the years go by, those unassuming GameCube discs ratchet steadily higher and higher in price. It's hard enough getting hold of some of the more common finds, let alone incredibly obscure titles that never left dear ol' Japan. To commemorate the collector community, we thought we'd spruce up our ranking, and add some new games to boot. Enjoy!

12 Radio Allergy

Pop An Antihistamine Before Playing

Originally named 'Radirgy', before someone presumably pointed out what a horrendous portmanteau that is, Radio Allergy has a curious relationship with the West. A full English translation was in the pipeline at one stage, but it was called off after promised release dates were repeatedly missed, and, by 2007, retailers just weren't hot on the idea of stocking GameCube games anymore.

Eventually, it would see a localisation (of a sort) as a small part of the obscurer-than-obscure Ultimate Shooting Collection for Wii – but if you want to play the unaltered original, Japan's your only hope. It's a bonkers little vertical shooter concerning a girl who's allergic to radio waves; and who is, unfortunately, stuck living in a city riddled with them. Can she rescue her father in time to develop a cure? The narrative convention would suggest "yes."

11 One Piece: Treasure Battle

They Left Everything They Made In One Place: Japan

Themed to the iconic swashbuckling anime, One Piece: Treasure Battle is a party game that never sailed its way to American shores. Within the One Piece mythos, it's a unique (ahem) piece of history in that it marks the first 3D videogame based on the show. There have since been several, to put it mildly.

Luffy and co. are on the case to unravel the significance of the 'Treasure Battle', a mysterious athletic and cognitive tournament. You know what that means – minigames up the wazoo, and many genres are covered here, from tower defence to boxing rings to cooperative platforming. It's nothing especially innovative, but it's a treat for One Piece fans, and it's a shame it's landlocked to the Land of the Rising Sun.

10 Ohenro-San

Like Google Maps For Your Gamecube

It made a lot of sense that Ohenro-San was released only in Japan. This peaceful simulation game takes you through the Shikoku region of Japan, stopping at various temples to offer prayers; a tranquil, contemplative journey. The game was very much made with the Japanese population in mind, and for the people who couldn't see these places easily, it was perfect.

It stings especially hard that the West never got this one, because the unique controller tracks your steps, and wasn't ever used for anything else. Imagine if you could see how far you traveled with Olimar, or if you could rack up Rupees for Link on your morning commute!

9 Lupin The 3rd: Lost Treasure By The Sea

The Game's As Lost As The Treasure

Based on the anime film of the same name, Lupin the Third: Lost Treasure by the Sea released in Japan on July 31, 2003. The Lupin the Third franchise has been going on in some form or another since the 1970s, with almost every iteration getting attention from American anime companies. Even Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli worked on Lupin, specifically the classic film The Castle of Cagliostro.

Watching the gameplay, it looks like they simply took footage from the anime and overlaid it with one or two dialogue options. They likely assumed the extensive FMV would be enough of a selling point – it's the most literal interpretation of a 'movie adaptation game.' The actual anime has a dub, so you're not really missing out by not playing this one.

8 Hikaru No Go 3

An American Version Was Evidently A No-Go

Hikaru No Go 3 shares a similar fate with the aforementioned gentleman thief himself. While all chapters are available in English and the anime has a dub, the video games didn't get as much attention. The popularity of this series in Japan is no joke; the manga sold 25 million copies. Given that the entire IP is based off the Japanese game of Go, they decided it was time to tap into the gaming market.

For fans of the series, it's a blast – you get to play as all your favorite, wide-eyed characters, and experience it in 3D to boot. Well, that is if you were born in Japan. Luckily, the rules of Go are pretty universal, and anyone can learn, negating the need to drop your college fund on this obscure release.

7 Zoids Vs. III

With A Title Like That, We Were Robbed

See Also

Most Addictive Open World Racing Games for PC Gamers - Gameranx

This robot battle series has had titles spanning back to the Commodore 64 – which tells you it's been around the block a few hundred times. Released exclusively for the GameCube, Zoids Vs. III specifically offered the improvement of four-player split-screen battles. It's sort of like Godzilla: King of Monsters, except fun for the whole family (and it doesn't require a nuclear accident to set up.)

Unfortunately, only some of the Zoids games are available in English, and Vs. is not one of them. Unless you're willing to emulate them, they're tough to get your hands on. The most recent title, Zoids Wild: King of Beasts, offers no indication whatever of coming to the States. If not understanding Japanese doesn't bother you, though, the Nintendo Switch is region-free, so fill your boots.

6 Doshin the Giant

You'll Need A Lot Of Dosh To Play It

Have you ever wanted to play as a giant yellow creature, in the role of God? Smiling, lurching around, without an existential care in the world? Doshin the Giant satisfies that wish, you overly-specific dreamers. In the game, you emanate seismic waves to make sure your subjects stay happy, and this in turn makes Doshin happy. What was that Obi-Wan Kenobi once said about symbiont circles?

If you want to make Doshin an evil tyrant, however, you can; he gains the power, then, to destroy. It's a balanced give and take experience that leaves the decision to you, the player. The game received a PAL release (which technically violates our rules, but come on, how could we not mention this?), but nothing for America. A benevolent god Doshin is not.

5 Homeland

And It's Stuck In Its Homeland

Homeland is a large videogame by GameCube standards, being printed on a rare double-layer disc. It is the only non-Phantasy Star Online title on the system that uses online capabilities – well, 'online' by early 2000s standards, anyway – and you can play with up to 36 players. While it can be beaten in single-player mode, strength in numbers is truly the name of the game here.

The gameplay's an eclectic mix of cozy life-sim and RPG, with a principal feature being the ability to hold hands with your allies for strength. D'aww. Despite Phantasy Star Online having servers in North America, Homeland did not, so we'll never know what it's like interacting with people from all walks of life in this candy-coloured landscape.

4 Nintendo Puzzle Collection

Like Mario Party With Less Of A Budget

There's not much to this Mario outing that would cause a faff in the localisation process, which makes one wonder why it's trapped in the East. All the games included – Yoshi's Cookie, Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack overseas), and Dr. Mario 64 – were all released in North America on earlier consoles. Some critics even raised this in their reviews at the time; it should have been a simple port job.

A demo at E3 2003 was the last thing seen of it before it disappeared. It's not as if the included games can't be played elsewhere, but a collection with updated music and graphics would have been a nice collector's item for puzzle game fans, and a reliable fave to slap on the TV at parties.

3 GiFTPiA

Hope You Weren't Planning On Giving It As A Gift

An interesting little project, GiFTPiA (one letter off from 'GiFToPiA,' lads) also had a proper localisation planned. The trailer played at E3 2003, showing off a blatantly Animal Crossing-esque camera angle and aesthetic. It had the minds of Kenshi Nishi and Keita Eto behind it, who may be best remembered for the critically acclaimed Chrono Trigger.

So, when the announcement came that it would not be released in America, a good number of folks were confused. While we may never see the likes of this game on Western shores, its developmental company, Skip Ltd., went on to create Chibi-Robo, which did release for GameCube in English, and has since gone on to have several sequels. Though the less said about Zip-Lash, the better.

2 Kururin Squash!

Hulk Smash VS Kururin Squash

This amusing puzzle game is part of the larger Kururin series, in which you must avoid the walls at all costs, lest you meet an unfortunate end. The main character is cute, giving off the impression of easy difficulty, but don't be taken in by such trickery – the gameplay is a lot harder than it looks. The game garnered the status of Player's Choice and Greatest Hits with its respective PlayStation versions.

The Helirin, a spinning device you control in the game, has made appearances in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Other than that, the little bird has yet to find his footing here. Pyoro would have to move over, and he doesn't like to share his roost.

1 Donkey Konga 3

Third Time's Not The Charm For DK

Topping our list is the most peculiar case of them all: Donkey Konga 3. Both prior Donkey Konga games are available in the U.S., albeit with different tracklists to appeal to that market. You have tunes from the likes of Smash Mouth, Devo, and R.E.M., i.e. making it the most 2000s thing to ever 2000s. In Japan, that's not the case – they had tracks from the openings of anime and popular J-Pop groups.

Only one year after the release of Donkey Konga 2 did Japan receive the third in 2005. Considering the one-year discrepancy between North American and Japanese releases, that gives us a whole year of music to choose from, such as popular albums by the Gorillaz or Arctic Monkeys. By 2006, however, the GameCube was past its prime, and the DS/Wii era had begun, which likely played a pivotal role in the decision not to bring this game overseas. Poor DK!