Localizations, Please!

Don't you hate it when you're personally hyping up a game, and it never crosses over to the West or gets released in your region? Boy, do I do! That's what the focus of today's feature is all about-- those games that have stayed in Japan for one of a million reasons and never hit North American, European, or Australian soil.

The Last Story (Wii)

Final Fantasy creator, Hironobu Sakaguchi's latest work hits Japan like a typhoon on the 27th of this month. No word on a Western release has been given, but Mr. Sakaguchi himself stated that he would love to get this game into the hands of as many people as possible. One could ascertain that this means that his intent is to get the game localized for Western audiences. This nontraditional RPG has some of the most impressive Wii visuals to date, a deep character customization system, and if Sakaguchi still has it in him, a heart-tugging story.



Xenoblade (Wii)


When Nintendo purchased Monolithsoft, the makers of the Xenosaga trilogy as well as Baten Kaitos, it seemed like Nintendo's consoles would have a bounty of RPGs on them. Not so much for Western fans. The wide expanses of Xenoblade are just begging to be explored by more than the Japanese. The battles taking place on the various dungeons and fields are just making gamers salivate. Now why isn't this game being localized, and if I read "Nintendo doesn't care about the core after making three Mario games, a Donkey Kong Country game, a sequel to their worst selling game of all time just for the core in Sin & Punishment" I will kill someone.

Tales of Graces (Wii)/Tales of Graces F (PS3)


Namco-Bandai doesn't mind sending garbage to Western gamers in the form of Pac-man Party and other poorly-constructed titles, but they seem very tepid about sending out another Tales game. This is even after Tales of Vesperia sold respectively on the Xbox 360. You know, the shooter box and RROD box. It appears that yet another Tales game will not be released over here in the West in Tales of Graces, and it's a darned shame. The visuals are bright and cheery, the score is amazing, and the battles are as addicting as ever.

Disaster: Day of Crisis (Wii)


This title was nixed by the president of NOA himself, Reggie Fils-Amie. I have no quarrels with the man, but this title would have filled a hole in the 2008 holiday lineup for Wii. Disaster: Day of Crisis takes place in a city on the brink of armageddon with shooting, driving, and saving innocent bystanders. The game makes fine use of the Wii remote, and in a startling case, this game actually WAS released in Europe. The only territory the game did not see the light of was in North America. It's a shame, too, as European readers of SPC have stated they enjoy the heck out of the game.

Mother 3 (GBA)


I just want Mother fans to finally shut up about localizing this game. I have no interest in it whatsoever. If you're so desperate, just download the ROM and translation patch. If you like legal activities, then import the game, learn Japanese, and enjoy. Harsh, yes, but the incessant whining for this game is deafening! My ears are still ringing for heaven's sake! Of course, we, North American gamers, were teased with Lucas in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Lucas is, of course, the hero of the third Mother game.

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Do you have a game for any system that hasn't been localized as of yet? It doesn't have to be strictly for a Nintendo system that mine unintentionally was. Raise your voice (but not that crappy Hilary Duff movie), and let your opinion be known in the comments section.