video games

Art, storytelling and technology

D Akihabara, Tokyo’s “Electric Town,” is a treasure trove for video-game lovers.

It’s impossible to imagine the world of video games without Japan. The country has not only created countless iconic characters, but also revolutionized the way that people play. Companies like Nintendo, Sega, and Sony are household names, and their products are used by millions around the globe. Key to this success has been Japan’s ability to create video games that are the perfect fusion of art, storytelling, and intuitive technology.

Although Japan began introducing arcade games in the late 1970s, the country’s rise truly began in 1983, when a glut of bad games caused the bottom to fall out of the American home console market. That same year, Nintendo’s Family Computer, or Famicom, came out in Japan. Released internationally a couple of years later as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), it not only resurrected console gaming in America with an array of high-quality games, but also ushered in an era of domination by Japanese gaming companies.

D Nintendo consoles continue to be popular around the world.

Innovation is what Japanese gaming does best, such as the Famicom and NES’s eschewal of Atari-style joysticks for dual button controllers with D-pads. Later Nintendo controllers had shoulder buttons, analog thumbsticks, and rumble feedback, all of which are now standard on modern game pads—even those from rivals.

Be More Japan Video Games

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A video gamer’s visit to Japan would not be complete without a trip to Akihabara, Tokyo’s geek mecca, or Den-Den Town, Osaka’s equivalent. Retro shops like Super Potato (found in both Tokyo and Osaka) are a must-stop for classic consoles and games of yore, while the latest releases can be found in big electronics stores.

While Japanese video games have pushed hardware and graphical boundaries, they are not mere technical exercises. Japan has created beloved characters like Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog, and developed games with stories that are genuinely moving, like PlayStation’s Final Fantasy VII. The country has also popularized new ways of playing, such as music games and fitness games, and it has created distinct genres like survival horror (with games such as Resident Evil) and story-heavy Japanese role-playing games (like the Kingdom Hearts franchise).

Be More Japan Video Games

groundbreaking games
pac-man (1980)	Originally called “Puck Man”, Pac-Man was the first game character to capture the public’s imagination, inspiring the top ten hit “Pac-Man Fever”. The game’s Ghost enemies featured incredible AI tech for their day.
street fighter II: the world warrior (1991)	While not the first fighting game, Street Fighter II was a complex, pro-gaming bellwether that inspired players to master the memorable characters.
pokÉmon red and blue (1996)	Released on the Game Boy, the first Pokémon became a global craze. It offered fulfilling gameplay outside the home, laying the foundation for modern smartphone games.
super mario 64 (1996)	This, along with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, featured cutting-edge 3D graphics and gave players a newfound freedom to explore the in-game 3D world instead of confining them to a linear 2D platform.
final fantasy Vii (1997)	Utilising the first PlayStation’s CD-ROM format, this set the bar for role-playing games with cinematic 3D cutscenes, an epic story and beautiful score. It even went on to inspire a feature film.
wii sports (2006)	Nintendo created a worldwide phenomenon with its easy-to-use motion-controllers. The Wii was not a high-powered, high-def console, proving that video game success isn’t just dependent on the best graphics, but on good ideas.