Introduction

We spent three days playing future Japanese PlayStation3 games at September's Tokyo Game Show. Most of the big hitters - mainstream brand names such as Gran Turismo, Devil May Cry and Virtua Fighter - are guaranteed global releases, but some titles are destined to be Japanese market exclusives. Here we test an eclectic mix of the games and genres that American publishers believe you don't care about.

Railfan

Railfan is Sony Japan's latest train driving simulation, and unlike Taito's ageing Densha De GO! series of arcade-based train driving games, Sony opted for photorealism over polygons. Railfan streams high-definition video footage of train journeys spanning the globe from Kyoto to Chicago, leaving the player in control of the train's acceleration and braking - essentially, speeding up or slowing down the rate at which that footage is played back.

It's not much more than an interactive Blu-Ray disc - and is in fact reminiscent of software from the days of Philips' CD-i machine - but railway fans have in Railfan a Gran Turismo of their own at last. And even though Chicago is featured as one of the game's locations, Sony doesn't have any plans to bring Railfan to America.

Slide Show

Wangan Midnight

One of the most popular vehicle-oriented Manga series in Japan finds its new home as a cel-shaded racing game on the PS3. In Wangan Midnight, young Japanese men take tuned sports cars to the Wangan section of Japan's Shutokou expressway for Midnight racing duels. The hook is that you are in control not simply of a machine, but of the game's central character, Akio. Cut scenes relay background stories and character information, exploring Akio's love life and relationships, as well as the consequences of his encounters on the highway.

Of course, there are also motors to tune and car modifications to buy. Wangan Midnight is equal parts Japanese teen drama and street racing game, and the driving, similar to Ridge Racer, is very fast.

Sega Golf Club Featuring Miyazato Family

Golf is hugely popular in Japan, and the prohibitive prices of actually playing real golf tend to add weight to the value of digital golf games. Surprisingly, the colourful Minna no Golf ("Everybody's Golf", as it's known in the West) is one of Sony's global products, yet Sega's niche Golf Club Featuring Miyazato Family (the title is in reference to a trio of professional golfer siblings) is confined to Japan.

The game was originally an arcade release, but this PS3 conversion reconfigures the control system so that you use the SIXAXIS's right analogue stick to control your swing, dragging the stick in a circular movement to replicate an actual stroke; there's no need to tap any buttons. Compared with most traditional golf videogames, Sega Golf Club's gameplay is unusual, and ultimately more capable of sustaining players' interest in the game. Sega Golf Club was a launch title in Japan, but there's no word from Sega of an overseas release.

Mainichi Issho

Mainichi Issho is the next-gen sequel to Sony's Dokodemo Issho ("Together Everywhere") series, but much remains the same. The title of this new version can be rendered in English as "Together Every Day." The game features an iconic white cat named Toro, whom you befriend and direct as he settles into a new neighbourhood. Toro is no ordinary cat, of course - he can speak, he has his own house, and he has adventures.

As Toro's guardian, players watch and interact with his daily activities, finally venturing outside Toro's house to explore a Japanese city. Toro is famous in Japan, but the ambience of Mainichi Issho is best described as "kooky". Perhaps it's because of this kookiness that Sony hasn't dared to let Toro walk outside Japan - though that same quality didn't prevent Nintendo from releasing Animal Crossing worldwide. We'd like to see Mainichi Issho translated for a Western audience; it has unrealized potential.

Mahjong Taikai IV

Koei's latest entry in its Mahjong Taikai ("Mahjong Convention") series is the most advanced mahjong game on any console - for what that's worth. Mahjong Taikai runs in full 1080p, which is novel in itself, and its multiplayer mode features voice chat, although you might find it difficult to communicate with the mostly Japanese players online.

In keeping with developer Koei's penchant for historical war games, the characters engaging in mahjong here are all figures from Japan's military past. It doesn't make any difference to the gameplay, but that niche of mahjong and feudal history enthusiasts will feel right at home. Unfortunately, Mahjong's lack of popularity abroad seals this game's fate in terms of release outside Japan.

How to...

Although you'll see none of these games on the shelves of GAME, it is relatively simple to procure Japanese releases. The easiest route for gamers in Europe is via any of the nation's leading import retailers. Play-Asia is one such outlet.

Another option is eBay, where many Japanese sellers operate specifically to satisfy the niche demand for imported console games. Of course, the usual caveats regarding eBay and online auctions apply here - and there is also the added hurdle of communication with sellers whose English may be unintelligible.

Finally, bear in mind that videogames are not yet multilingual like DVD movies: there will usually be no subtitle/language options in a game imported from Japan. If you research what you're ordering, however, and are prepared to consult a Japanese-English dictionary in times of trouble, by all means make friends with Toro the cat.