How To: Identify a Foreign Game

[Chainclaw]

This came up in the IRC, so I'll share my tricks for tracking down foreign games that you can't read the title of.

Look for any identifying features. The easiest will be platform. From there, look for little clues, like a company logo, or even company name in English. If you can play the game, boot it up and try to guess what genre it is (this doesn't always help, you might thing it's an "RPG", but GameFAQs might have it listed as a "Breeding" game). Look for other clues, like a year.

From there, search a couple game databases. Obviously you can use RFG, but GameFAQs and MobyGames can work to a degree.

Here's an example. I picked this game up at a flea market a couple weeks ago. I noticed two key features on the box, the II, signifying it's a sequel of some kind, and the Konami logo. I think I ended up finding it by using the RFG search on "Nintendo NES / Famicom", region Japan, publisher Konami. Then I searched through until I saw a game with the same cover. Games missing covers, I would try a couple other sites with cart art, like GameFAQs

If, after you try all that, you still end up nowhere, take pictures of the cart, and the box or manual if you have them, and then ask around. The IRC is a good place if people are around, you'll get the quickest turn around there.

[Ghost Soldier]

Great advice

[Funk_Buddy]

If you've got the box and there's a barcode that helps too.

[logical123]

This came up in the IRC, so I'll share my tricks for tracking down foreign games that you can't read the title of.

Look for any identifying features. The easiest will be platform. From there, look for little clues, like a company logo, or even company name in English. If you can play the game, boot it up and try to guess what genre it is (this doesn't always help, you might thing it's an "RPG", but GameFAQs might have it listed as a "Breeding" game). Look for other clues, like a year.

From there, search a couple game databases. Obviously you can use RFG, but GameFAQs and MobyGames can work to a degree.

Here's an example. I picked this game up at a flea market a couple weeks ago. I noticed two key features on the box, the II, signifying it's a sequel of some kind, and the Konami logo. I think I ended up finding it by using the RFG search on "Nintendo NES / Famicom", region Japan, publisher Konami. Then I searched through until I saw a game with the same cover. Games missing covers, I would try a couple other sites with cart art, like GameFAQs

If, after you try all that, you still end up nowhere, take pictures of the cart, and the box or manual if you have them, and then ask around. The IRC is a good place if people are around, you'll get the quickest turn around there.

Good times, good times...

You peoples really have to join in on our late night chats. Much is to be learned

[JC]

If you're trying to identify Famicom or Disk System games, best way to do it is Google the product code. Almost all Famicom games had a product code -- not the barcode -- such as Doki Doki Panic, with product code: FCG-DRM. The product code is better than the barcode, because it typically appears on the box, manual and label.

[Haoie]

Frankly, if you play the game, and the language is different, you can probably assume it's foreign.

And if you look at the cart/disc too.

[Sirgin]

You peoples really have to join in on our late night chats. Much is to be learned

I can't though, if I stay to 1-2AM my time, it's only like 6PM in the US, most people aren't already online then