It is logical that many people do not associate Xbox with Japanese video games, and much less those that are considered “Retro“. This is due to 2 main reasons: Because this line of consoles is much more recent, so the brand didn’t even exist when all those titles were released. And because Microsoft was possibly the first major player in the video game industry that was not a company originating from Japan. They have struggled for many years to make sure their consoles have more presence within the Japanese market and now, ININ Games came to lend them a hand with this unexpected announcement that will bring 6 classic games to their platform.
Get ready for the “ININvasion” on Xbox!
In case you didn’t know, ININ Games is a company dedicated to repackaging and re-releasing new versions of classic Retro video games that had been lost in time, many of them being titles that had never been officially released outside of Japan. They are quite legitimate and have even managed to license products from big names like Irem, Sunsoft and Taito. The problem is, many of their new releases were only available on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, as both tend to have a larger audience interested in Japanese-made products, while Xbox consoles had been forgotten.
That’s why this announcement was so unexpected but so well received at the same time. Titled the “Xbox ININvasion“, these 6 classic Japanese Retro video games will be coming to Microsoft consoles very soon. If you are interested in learning more about them, the games in question are:
- Irem Collection Vol. 1: A collection of 3 of the most iconic Japanese arcade games: R-Type, Image Fight & Image Fight II.
- Clockwork Aquario: An excellent platform game that had been lost in time for 30 years. With detailed pixel art and an adorable anime art style.
- Ultracore: An action game that had been cancelled until ININ Games brought it back from the dead. Combines in-ship gameplay and third-person gameplay, similar to Contra.
- Panorama Cotton: A title in the “Cute ’em Up” subgenre (Action games starring cute girls, rather than ships) that made a big impact due to its stunning 3D graphics on the Sega Genesis.
- Cotton 100%: Another installment in the same franchise, this is another adorable, more conventional “Cute ’em Up” with 2D graphics.
- Pocky & Rocky Reshrined: The latest installment in this classic series of dynamic and challenging action games, in which you control a nun and a tanuki. It also features local cooperative multiplayer.
ININ Games says their mandate is to “especially act as a cultural bridge between Japan and the West,” and that’s exactly what they’re doing with these new releases: They’re allowing a wider Western audience to experience these classics they may not even have known about. “ININvasion” is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on December 7, so it would make an ideal gift for this holiday season.
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