A little guide to Japanese exclusives on Nintendo Switch Online

There’s a handful of retro games on Nintendo Switch Online that are Japanese exclusive. You can still play these games even if you have your subscription tied to a European or a North American account by creating a new Japanese account and then downloading the Japanese versions of the NSO apps. Here’s a list of all of the Japanese games and how much Japanese you need to know to be able to play them.

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# Famicom

### [Adventures of Lolo 2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Lolo_2)

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** This game was released in North America and Europe as “Adventures of Lolo 2.” The game titled “Adventures of Lolo” in North America and Europe was not released at all in Japan, so in Japan this is simply titled “Adventures of Lolo.”

### [Atlantis no Nazo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantis_no_Nazo)

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** This is a famous *kusoge*, or “shitty game.” Completely unfair and ruthlessly difficult. Not recommended unless you want an extreme challenge.

### Clu Clu Land: Welcome to New Cluclu Land

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** This is an updated version of Clu Clu Land that was released for the Famicom Disk System.

### Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Note:** Title translates to “Downtown Nekketsu March: Super Awesome Field Day”. Part of the Downtown series that includes River City Ransom.

### [Famicom Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famicom_Wars)

* **Japanese required:** Lots of menus
* **Note:** The first game in the “Advance Wars” series.

### [Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Emblem:_Shadow_Dragon_and_the_Blade_of_Light)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The first in the Fire Emblem series, an official translation was released but is no longer available for sale.

### [Joy Mech Fight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Mech_Fight)

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Note:** Where Sukapon from Smash Bros. originates. A vs. fighting game.

### Route-16 Turbo

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** A remake of a 1981 arcade game. Very simple but fun driving maze chase game.

### [Smash Ping Pong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konami%27s_Ping_Pong)

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** Released in Europe previously as Konami’s Ping Pong.

### Tsuppari Oozumou

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Note:** A sumo game that’s very famous in Japan.

### [Yie Ar Kung-Fu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yie_Ar_Kung-Fu)

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Note:** Never officially released in the west but a staple of pirate cartridges and systems.

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# Super Famicom

### [Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Emblem:_Genealogy_of_the_Holy_War)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The fourth game in the Fire Emblem series.

### [Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Emblem:_Mystery_of_the_Emblem)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The third game in the Fire Emblem series.

### [Harvest Moon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_(video_game\))

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The first game in the Harvest Moon series now known as Story of Seasons. Natsume owns the Harvest Moon name and Marvelous owns the games so it’s unlikely this will ever be released in English on NSO. More information on the IP [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_of_Seasons).

### Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Note:** A port of Kirby Star Stacker with a Kirby’s Dream Land 3 theme.

### Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen’in Shūgō

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Notes:** A sequel to Super Dodgeball for NES.

### [Shin Megami Tensei](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_\(video_game\))

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The first game in the Shin Megami Tensei series.

### [Shin Megami Tensei II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_II)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** The second game in the Shin Megami Tensei series.

### [Shin Megami Tensei if…](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_If…)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** A spinoff of the Shin Megami Tensei series, often considered to be a precursor to the Persona series.

### [Sugoi Hebereke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugoi_Hebereke)

* **Japanese required:** Some, mainly just menus
* **Notes:** A top-down vs. fighting game staring the characters from the *Hebereke* game series.

### [Umihara Kawase](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umihara_Kawase#Umihara_Kawase)

* **Japanese required:** None
* **Notes:** The first game in the Umihara Kawase series, a puzzle platformer where you play as a girl with a fishing rod.

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# Nintendo 64

### [Custom Robo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custom_Robo_\(1999_video_game\))

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Notes:** The first game in the Custom Robo series. The game released in the West as Custom Robo is Custom Robo 3.

### [Custom Robo V2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custom_Robo_V2)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Notes:** The second game in the Custom Robo series.

### [Harvest Moon 64](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_Moon_64)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Note:** Natsume owns the Harvest Moon name and Marvelous owns the games so it’s unlikely this will ever be released in English on NSO. More information on the IP [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_of_Seasons).

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# Game Boy

### [Yakuman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuman_\(video_game\))

* **Japanese required:** Game is entirely in Japanese and requires knowledge of Mahjong
* **Notes:** A Game Boy launch title in Japan, play mahjong either against the computer or with other players.

### [Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaeru_no_Tame_ni_Kane_wa_Naru) (Announced, not yet released)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Notes:** A precursor to The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Known as *The Frog For Whom the Bell Tolls*.

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# Game Boy Advance

### [Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Emblem:_The_Binding_Blade) (Announced, not yet released)

* **Japanese required:** Story based, lots of text
* **Notes:** The sixth game in the Fire Emblem series.

by razorbeamz