Playing Japanese games on PS2, easy way?

[Colecovision]

This thread got me interested in importing on the PS2 again. I have the Magic Slide, but it's a bit of a PITA and it deters me from wanting to use the few imports I have. So, over the weekend I invested in a Japanese PS2 slim. Not the cheapest thing (over $150 for a nice boxed one), however, seeing that the PS2 is one of the last systems to have many worthwhile, English-friendly imports that you can't play easily on a US console, it will be worth it.

 

I have one too. I bough it for the Sega Ages 2500 serie (Phantasy Star, Fantazy Zone and Wonder Boy collections and other Sega classics) I don't really know what other games are worth it.

 

Oh and I have this:

 

 

 

Scramble & Time Pilot

[Austin]

 

I have one too. I bough it for the Sega Ages 2500 serie (Phantasy Star, Fantazy Zone and Wonder Boy collections and other Sega classics) I don't really know what other games are worth it.

 

Oh and I have this:

 

 

 

Scramble & Time Pilot

 

Ah, nice! Those are the Oretachi packs by Hamster. I actually have the one featuring Haunted Castle/Akumajo Dracula, basically the Castlevania arcade game. There is also one for Aero Fighters and Contra, as well as a lot of earlier '80s releases. These games are really cool because they also come bundled with soundtrack discs in some cases, and feature bonus mini-DVD discs that offer extra video clips and things like that.

 

As far as what else is interesting to import, there are a lot of shmups that weren't released in other regions. Stuff by Cave, for instance, and several of the Psikyo games. There are also other 3D remake games similar to the 3D Ages titles you mentioned, but in the Hudson line of games--so 2.5d remakes of Bonk's Adventure 2, Adventure Island, and Star Soldier. There are other arcade compilations worth checking out as well, for instance, the Taito arcade compilations in Japan saw a lot more games spread out over a handful of collections, more than what we got here in the US.

[Atariboy]

I have the Terra Cresta, Sonic Wings, and Thunder Cross releases from that series.

 

Another nice Japanese import is Sega Rally 2006. Career mode isn't really useful due to the menus being in Japanese and being laid out rather confusingly, but the arcade mode and the bonus disc with a port of the original Sega Rally is one of my favorites.

 

PS2 is even a fun import system for PAL exclusives. A few of my favorites there include Sony's WRC franchise (Only the first saw a North American release, the following four sequels were Euro exclusives), the Strikers 1945 compilation, and Space Invaders Anniversary.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Atariboy

[Austin]

PS2 is even a fun import system for PAL exclusives. A few of my favorites there include Sony's WRC franchise (Only the first saw a North American release, the following four sequels were Euro exclusives), the Strikers 1945 compilation, and Space Invaders Anniversary.

 

Do PAL games display properly on a US TV? I was under the impression there were issues with doing this.

[Atariboy]

I don't know, I play them on a UK backwards compatible PS3 set to HD that I bought used a few years ago for imports. No PAL issues and at least early PS3's like this one were multivoltage and can run off 110 volts just fine, so no power issues as well.

 

I imagine importing an actual PAL PS2 will require a tv that can handle PAL (Or an external upscaler that can) along with a step up converter to feed it 220 volts. Or possibly a domestic power supply can be swapped if it's an earlier slimline model where it wasn't internal if only the power supply itself was different between regions.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Atariboy

[atarilovesyou]

I don't know, I play them on a UK backwards compatible PS3 set to HD that I bought used a few years ago for imports. No PAL issues and at least early PS3's like this one were multivoltage and can run off 110 volts just fine, so no power issues as well.

 

I imagine importing an actual PAL PS2 will require a tv that can handle PAL (Or an external upscaler that can) along with a step up converter to feed it 220 volts. Or possibly a domestic power supply can be swapped if it's an earlier slimline model where it wasn't internal if only the power supply itself was different between regions.

 

Sounds like a lot of work!