Left in Japan 4 + Twin Famicom Review - Game Sack

Episode 71 - More goodies from Japan that we never got to enjoy abroad in their time without importing. And a look at the Twin Famicom system by Sharp!
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www.gamesack.net

[@GaryPhelpsII]

The gag about the loading time got funnier as it went along.

[@VBshredder]

Regardless of any cultural differences, I'm sure a few these systems were thrown out of japanese windows after seeing that.

[@DasAntiNaziBroetchen]

Watch in 0.5x speed for ultimate hilarity.

[@DasAntiNaziBroetchen]

@@VBshredder Lots of Japanese windows have grates on them.

[@VBshredder]

@@DasAntiNaziBroetchen Of course! This is the kind of rage that lasts long enough to grab your tools, unbolt said grate, and still be mad enough to chuck it out.

[@A-Monkman]

hahahahaha that ending was great :D

[@djcactus]

The text in castlevania 2 being in Japanese make no difference considering the English text was warbling nonsense anyway

[@PikaLink91]

In Zelda, the microphone is only used to kill Pols Voice (Rabbit Heads), in some of the dungeons. What I find cool, is that that function came back for Phantom Hourglass on the DS.

[@hdofu]

the mic is used in the legend of zelda to kill digdoggers and pols voice

[@ouka6686]

Man, I'd love it if you guys could review the Sharp x68000. But that system goes for thousands and the games are even more rare. But it's such a cool system to even just talk about.

[@GameSack]

We did! We have an entire video dedicated to the X68000!

[@ouka6686]

Oh man! I feel stupid now because I couldn't find it. Good work and I'm glad you guys are doing this series. It makes showing stuff I grew up with a lot easier.

[@retrogaminginsanity7585]

not even close to all games in japan and wii u is complete shit

[@valgalder]

The Simon's Quest loading part had me rolling... as usual, great episode!

[@HipsterBlackMetalOfficial]

Oh man Castlevanina 2 with screen loading time AND the day to night transition

[@GiordanDiodato]

Hipster Black Metal at least it has a save feature.

[@garfiduper5822]

Giordan Diodato The Famicom Disc System version is all-round not as good. The save feature isn't even that big of a deal as the cartridge version has a password system.

[@GiordanDiodato]

Garfi Duper yeah an extremely long ass password.

[@garfiduper5822]

Giordan Diodato Still, much more appealing than the load times.

[@retrogaminginsanity7585]

yah but u know how long passwords were for it dipshit extremly long and no its not moreapealing than load times long password is worse and there more sound channels on famicom than nes o so do ur research befiore u talk shit on famicom :P

[@nights1515]

"we're running out" meanwhile.... Left in Japan 9

[@yourpoodlebobthefish]

Just got my twin famicom the other day. These load times are amazing. Way of the future i tell ya

[@kaksikymmenta3]

What loading time? I grew up with a C64 Datasette.

[@SapphireDensetsu]

I remember some strange dream I had where I saw Left in Japan 5. All I can remember is that the scripting is top notch, it was really humorous, and iS: internal section for the PS1.

[@JimPlaysGames]

Oh man the ending is hilarious. No spoilers :D I seriously love your show. It's always really well produced and entertaining. The sound effects for the console action is brilliant. It can't be said enough, you have the best retro games review channel I've seen.

[@BocaRetroGames]

Tks for another great episode! I stopped playing games when I was 15 (just turned 29 yesterday), but after watching you guys, I'm buying all that old Retro consoles all over again! Greetings from Brazil!

[@TheManofDew]

Actually laughed out loud at the twist ending. 😃👍 You guys make great content...which sounds oddly dirty.

[@MordecaiWalfish]

Do Re Mi Fantasy has more than just a passing resemblance to Bubble Bobble. The character looks like one of the kids you turn in to at the end of the game, its got the bubble mechanic, and candy is a powerup, just like it was in Bubble Bobble.

[@i-am-goonie]

I had never heard of Wai Wai World before, but I LOVE that idea! And having a playable Goonie is always a plus. 🙂

[@Bigdog302V8]

Dracula X for the PC Engine super CD Rocks,still one of my favorites in the Castlevania series. it is also a shame the Arcade card for the PC Engine CD or Duo was not released here and there is a few great games on it,Sapphire and the SNK conversion fighting games and Kabuki Itouryodan are some great games. the SNK Arcade card conversions flat blow away the Genesis and Super NES versions! there is some videos on the Arcade Card games here on KZbin. I played the Arcade card games on my Turbo CD with a Arcade Card Pro and a Japanese to USA converter.

[@Shorai_3]

In The Hyrule Fantasy: Zelda no Densetsu the Famicom microphone was used to kill the enemy called the Pols Voice. According to both the Japanese and English manuals, the Pols Voice can't stand loud noises. So if the microphone picked up a loud noise all Pols Voice on the room would die instantly. I've been told that blowing into the microphone gives the same effect.

[@Rogueofmv]

The Famicom Disk System, its FM sound chip, and its disks were patented here in the US. They never made it to domestic production, and we ended up with passwords and battery backups in the end instead. Many speculate that it was meant to be an attachment that would utilize the unused underside expansion slot on the NES.

[@gooniesneversaydie8350]

Hey Game Sack, guy from the future here, you in fact did do a Left In Japan 5. In fact, I think you’ve done 11 of them now. Thx

[@Godsgood111]

It's pretty cool to see a left in Japan episode featuring a console. Also that Konami crossover game is a great idea, it's a shame we never got it here.

[@nickolasecker9596]

I bought A Sharp twin Famicom because of this video, I had no idea that this thing existed prior to watching, but I took one look at it and decided this was a must. Famicom Disk System games have the best instruction manuals I have ever seen, especially the original Zelda, Castlevania and Metroid games.

[@abra95lz]

this video series has been great, and that all chapters have a great production and a great retro game review

[@HiroPlaysGames]

I'm impressed with just about every aspect of this episode. EXCELLENT work, guys! :)

[@kamiboy]

Best episode yet. Saw lots of cool looking games that I had never heard of before, very informative.

[@henrydave6603]

At the time this post was left, there is 7 "left in Japan" episodes now lol Shows you guys keep finding awesome games :)

[@Tommylop1982]

I liked the throw away your instant loading Castlevania cartridge joke, and is it just me but I do believe we got a better sounding version of "bloody tears" in the American version.

[@MrDrop442]

the Mic use on zelda is for the Orange muse head looking things that jump around. when you tell into the Mic they all die. cinnemascre showed it in one of their Monday play videos.

[@yoteca]

great episode, that baby really is a bio miracle...there are so many awesome titles that never saw release outside of japan.thanks for making that mini series.it really opened my eyes to some hidden gems ! big up from Bulgaria

[@OR2891]

Another great episode guys. I really do enjoy your shows that feature import games. Wai Wai World looks insanely fun.

[@Raven_Enforcer]

The Famicon 2nd player controller with an intercom for Zelda is for Pols Voices and Digs. It works, but you have to either have it close to your mouth, or yell

[@recorderdude]

Hoorah! Someone finally mentions Gekibo! It's my favorite game for the TG16. There's an english translation of the story, which is actually dark. While in photo school, the parents of the character (named David Goldman) die in a plane crash. He almost drops out in despair, but the Dean of Students (old guy) offers to let him pass if he takes certain pictures. The game gets REALLY crazy and challenging in later levels. There was also a sequel on the PS2 to it called Gekibo 2 - check it out!

[@scenepointnazi]

The speaker is used in Zelda to kill the Pol's Voice in dungeons. The rabbit head looking things. In the US instruction booklet it said they "hated loud sounds", something the American audience would never get.

[@Wyrdwad]

Don't know if you still check comments on your older videos, but I recently discovered a game you guys might want to consider for a future Left in Japan episode: "Undeadline" for the Mega Drive. I've been playing the original MSX2 version of it, and it's absolutely fantastic -- it's a horror-themed shmup where you control a person rather than a ship, and the sheer number of weapons, weapon power-ups and special items is just insane. You also get to pick one of three characters to play, each of which plays differently AND can be leveled-up along the way by finding and rescuing fairies AND has his/her own unique ending if you manage to beat every stage. The stages can even be played in any order you want, save for the last one. The game was ported from the MSX2 to the X68000 and then the Mega Drive, and to my knowledge, those are the only three versions that exist. The X68000 version seems really faithful to the MSX2 version I've been playing, but with better graphics and less slowdown and flickering, unsurprisingly -- as well as a couple new levels. But the Mega Drive version... man, they changed a LOT in that one. The levels are all redesigned, the music is all new, and from the looks of it, the game is way harder with the addition of minibosses and a much smaller health bar. I don't know how much I'd like that, but the MSX2 version is easily one of the best games I've played on the system to date (despite all of its technical issues), and the game just OOZES atmosphere -- it's like playing the overhead Contra stages, but with a Castlevania mood and Castlevania music. So I'd love to give the Mega Drive version a try sometime, and I think you guys would really love it too -- it seems right up your alley. Just be prepared for one insanely hard game, because the MSX2 version is already hard enough (on easy mode!), and the Mega Drive version looks like it's WAY harder!

[@GameSack]

I think we'd need PAL versions of consoles so that we could show the speed difference in unoptimized games. I'd also like to show the increased border in said games. Fortunately I can record PAL stuff, I just don't have the consoles. I have a few PAL games but they run at full 60Hz NTSC speed and act like any other NTSC game.

[@BhChicagoTVStationhistoriesand]

I wanted to write a nice, complimentary post for the show here and thought this video would be a good place to do it. First, you should know I’m really not a dam of many of these gaming KZbin channels at all but this one is extremely well done. Some incredibly interesting topics in some of these episodes and spotlight on some publishers not many give credit to but should. The format and layout work very well. Also, I’ve seen so many try sarcasm in these videos and fall flat on their asses but in the episodes I’ve seen it comes across well. As for the individual games presented in this episode, I strongly recommend the Konami Wai Wai World games if you can get a hold of them. They sure as hell do some interesting things not really done before at the time! I had a tough time with Wai Wai World 1 so I didn’t get terribly far in it. Wai Wai World 2 was a total different story! Controls and plays great! I can’t remember if I finished it, if not finished I got really damn far in. The music is honestly bitchin’, using the more advanced Konami sound chip. If you’re interested in both but only have time for one of them, play through KWW 2. I’m dumbfounded at least 2 never came West, it really should’ve. It’s one of the best late Famicom/NES games for sure! I really hope maybe they’ll get it on the NES/Famicom Switch App because folks really shouldn’t pass on it. Anyway, great work! For me to praise this show says a lot with my disdain for most of the gaming KZbin shows and personalities.

[@TheZombiePimpernel]

Thanks for the section on Umihara Kawase! I played a ROM years ago, having no idea what it was (since it was Left In JapanTM) and I was blown away. A very cool game, one they should really have brought to the US.

[@doom4067]

In Zelda you can shout into the microphone to kill the pols voice. That enemy is impervious to arrows in the Japanese version.

[@necrom99]

One of the major differences in the Kid Icarus for the FDS is that in the final Medusa stage; you have to continuously press the jump button to fly. This was removed for the NSTC version. Thank goodness. Firing and flying at the same time...sheesh!

[@souio]

Uncensored topless Dave better be a special feature on your DVD!

[@x7heDeviLx]

11:24 smuggling hams In those jeans boys got some cake

[@ZPEntertainment]

I love the Twin Famicom. I don't have one, unfortunately, but everytime I see and play one is a great experience: such a great combination of technologies! Great video, guys! :D

[@RichardCraig]

Geez, I never know what to expect at the end of your shows... hilarious!

[@tetrisdave]

Thanks. It's funny to see how we've evolved over the past, almost 2 years. We're learning as we go.

[@bastardtubeuser]

i get an empathic feeling when loading a gamesack video with no heavy advertising. ive seen hardcore adds on "shows" where men do nothing but show and talk about their shopping lists. cheers gamesack hope you make some bucks, deserve it due to the production quality.

[@MrGregory777]

This was uploaded on my birthday. thanks gamesack

[@isnotsparta]

Ha ha ha. I have that same shirt, guys. Have you noticed that they swapped the positions of the A and B buttons for some reason? Not exactly Nintendo Seal of Quality material.

[@GameSack]

Yes it's pretty weird. Admittedly, that's how the controllers themselves should have been in the first place!

[@Iliek]

+Game Sack The buttons are swapped like that I believe since written Japanese is read from right to left so naturally when they created the controller the letters start on the right.

[@nex1788]

+Iliek Written Japanese is read from left to right, but when the characters are written vertically then read them up to down from right to left. And video game controllers have NOTHING to do with that.

[@Euro-H.E.V.]

I remember that baby game. Way back, my local renting place had it for rent under the name, Baby Mario. XD

[@knartfocker_]

EuroHEV Sneaky false advertising..

[@B33FY2011]

another great episode best retro channel on the internet period

[@settingbros]

You guys make the best internet show on this planet! Everytime a new episode is released you deliver even better than the last time! Please make an episode about my favourite genre: strategy games! Or just do what you want I´m still happy! :D Langrisser 1 and 2, The Hybrid Front, Fire Emblem, Famicom Wars and so on! Amazing music and nice gameplay!

[@diegordi1394]

11:20 The story: David Goldman travels to LA to become the best photographer, but his parents die in a plane crash. When he was going to become a depressed person, the principal gives him 8 tests to graduate in the academy. Found the story in Wikipedia.

[@sven416]

You guys have come a long way since your early videos. Back when GameSack was new I was put off by the wooden acting and forced delivery but now I can't wait for each new episode; You play off each other really well and the show now feels natural and funny. Well done.

[@chikknlipps2058]

The game is called "Mickey no TOKYO DISNEY LAND Daibouken" (Mickey's Tokyo Disney Land Great Adventure) and it looks like stages are based on attractions at Disney Land (which are mostly based on movies, anyways). So, that's why "there are a few .... references to Disney Land", by the way. Yeah, I live in the land of moon-people.

[@Jellycakelap]

The accessory slot was also used for the Hudson JoyCard - I'm no gaming guru, I saw it on GameCenter CX - they use it when Arino can't beat something that needs turbo shooting or what have you. Apparently, the JoyCard defaults the controller to the first player slot using that input. Weird, right?

[@brandex2297]

Great demonstration of why we never got the disc system. There was really no point in the device. A few months after this video posted, Wai Wai World became available in English with a fan patch. www.retrogamenetwork.com/2013/05/28/konami-wai-wai-world-gets-english-translation/ Oh, and finally in 2015 the Umihara Kawase series received and official western release.

[@Captain_Neckbeard]

Great episode. I may download some of these.

[@thepopemichael]

That ending had me rolling on the floor laughing!

[@halloweenzombie]

Its always a good day when i get a new game sack:D thanks for an other great show

[@michaelboffs3340]

Your one of the few who has inspired me and my video reviews.

[@FoxBoy1992]

The ending was wonderful. Thanks for that.

[@MadPanicGaming]

Another great episode. I personally love my Twin Famicom, it's so convenient to have an all in one system. Ushio to Tora, Wonder Project J, and the Doji Donpe games are some pretty cool Super Famicom games that never left Japan. Also, the Magical Taruruuto-kun games on Famicom, S. Famicom, and Megadrive are all really fun, good looking games, and there are the two Famicom Jump games with all the Jump Comics characters in it, really cool.

[@thevoicefromyournightmares]

Thank you. Sure I will. I'm kinda new to it but learn fast. I really feel like doing something like this to share my collection and not only let it lie here as it does now.

[@TheSaskOtaku]

I think a neat game you should check out is Sweet Home on the Famicom. It's pretty fun and it's one of the few games that has a reproduction cart available

[@BruceCantarim]

Bio Miracle is awesome, I played the cart version in a friend's house not too long ago. For the next Left in Japan, I suggest you guys check Samurai Pizza Cats for the Famicon, if you can. 8 bit ninja goodness, you can select multiple characters and switch then on the fly. A shame that the game never saw an US release. Love the show, keep up the good work!

[@TheDeeplyCynical]

The sequal to photograph boy was released in Japan and Europe as Polaroid Pete on the PS2

[@KVGerudo]

wow, 23 minutes just flew by! that means I was interested! keep up the great work guys, loving it.

[@MewtwoGenetic]

Something I love in videogames, is the difference in regions, like censorship or changes from Japan to English

[@thevoicefromyournightmares]

That was exactly what happened to me too when I left that town in Simon's Quest but I was determined to get back out again. I did manage to get past without getting hit by that fireball the 2nd time so I had only 3 loading screens. I am playing on the original Famicom Toploader with the Disk System attached to it.

[@SegaFanatic5188]

Where Metroid uses the Disk System's audio is in Enemy sound effects and the Title Screen Music, the End Credits music, and the Game State and Get Item jingles. Other than that it sounds the same as the NES version.

[@kinmanyuen]

that fishingline game looks cool

[@danusty]

gamesack makes sunday mornings awesomer!

[@NightSprinter]

Mike, Joe, not sure if someone mentioned it yet but a few disk games had different uses of the microphone on the second controller. Kid Icarus used it in the merchant shops (think of it as Up+A on the NES version to attempt to get a discount). Zelda 1 ONLY used it to kill the enemies that looked like cat faces in the dungeons (which the english manual referred to by "hates loud noises").

[@null1023]

The FDS's extra sound channel isn't actually FM [it's actually a custom wave channel], but most games did try to sound that way. It's actually just like like one of the PC-Engine's sound channels. Metroid has a handful of sound effects that use FDS sound, that's it. Wai Wai World really should have come over here, a Konami crossover like that would have been amazing. Also, Mario and Wario seems to be the direct inspiration for Mighty Switch Force, haha. Neato.

[@ProtosMerkabah]

Bahamut Lagoon for Super Famicom, A.C.E.R. on the PS3, Mushihimesama Futari on the 360, Dodonpachi Saidouji on the 360, and Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus on the PS Vita. All the modern ones are region free, and I can see you have a Super Famicom for Bahamut Lagoon.

[@timmer919hep]

Shinovi Versus is going to be released in America some time in the fall I believe...

[@ProtosMerkabah]

timmer919hep I am really happy that's happening. It's definitely the Vita's best Dissidia alternative (if you can get over a few things about the um themes)

[@timmer919hep]

ProtosMerkabah and let's not forget about boobs...

[@brendalynave6997]

Man I'd love it if you guys could review the Sega Genesis But that system goes for thousands and the games are even more rare. But it's such a cool system to even just talk about.

[@brendalynave6997]

Can I Ads heere

[@TenshiCat]

Awesome episode as always, guys! I love the Famicom Disk System, here's some exclusive games for it that I recommend: Otocky, Nazo no Murasamejou, Ai Senshi Nicol, Almana no Kiseki and Meikyuu Jiin Dababa

[@mohammedganai9636]

Howard Philips vetoed Bio Miracle. (The version we got was the eventual cartridge rerelease, which somehow redid the music without the extra sound chip.)

[@ciprianmogosanu7169]

I AM FROM THE FUTURE.Left in Japan 5 was the best episode,things went down at Left in Japan 6

[@419Films]

That was a great episode. And I really enjoy the short segments at the en... OH GOD! MY EYES! :-)

[@thevoicefromyournightmares]

What is funny is that I was thinking about doing a youtube gameshow with my collection by inspiration of you guys and was gonna put that part in my first video with the Disk system and Simon's Quest loading in exactly that town. I have a feeling you read my mind there so now I need to come up with something new along with all other things I had in mind.

[@lmpst7915]

"Running low" and "will there be 5?" Up to 10 currently

[@VanillaFejz]

I have some PS1 recommendations for the next Left in Japan episode :) Panzer Bandit, Gradius Gaiden, Cyber Org, Wolf Fang, Mad Stalker, and Macross: Do You Remember Love (also on the saturn)

[@Apprentice_of_the_Leonine]

VanillaFejz Also LSD: Dream Emulator, although Caddicarus already did that one justice.

[@graphicsontelevision]

Umihara Kawase looks like fun. I've always loved games with good grappling mechanics. This one looks a tad on the slow side, but it looks like good fun, and the walking fish are great! :D Thanks for another great introduction! :)

[@KaskelotenZebbe]

That PC Engine photography game was awesome, I feel like buying a system just for that :P. Nice ending :D.

[@dragonsoftproductions5685]

Hey Guy's I just wanted to tell you that one of your subscribers is turning 16, and I like watching you guys to get recommendations for games.

[@ChazzFunk]

Never seen this system before, very interesting, subscribed and liked!

[@fandenivoldsk]

Great ending to a great episode.

[@maddestmike5791]

The ending made me chuckle. XD

[@JackyP0]

Hahaha the ending, just hilarious!

[@SharmClucas]

All these comments about the mic being for killing poes, but not one that I can see pointing out that you could always save your game in Zelda. I always forget the key combo to bring up the save menu, A B select start or something, I mostly just remember that it's awkward to do all those on the controller. Usually I just die on purpose to get to the menu, but it's not required.

[@TheMinusTee]

I know we give these companies slack for having short cables but you have to remember Japan is a small Island nation so real estate isn't as plentiful as it is here in the west. Most Japanese house holds consists of small rooms.

[@wildsmiley]

One of my favorite Super Famicom games that never came to the U.S. is Magical Drop. There aren't that many puzzle video games that I like, but this one is a blast. You guys should talk about the Magical Drop series sometime. The first two are on the Super Famicom, Saturn, PS1, Wonderswan and apparently Virtual Console. Magical Drop 3 is on the Neo Geo, Neo Geo CD, Saturn, PS1, Game Boy Color and Virtual Console. A fun alternative to always playing Tetris.

[@Code7Unltd]

The Neo-geo version was released as "Chain Reaction" in the United States IIRC.

[@ldrelick]

And with that, I'm finally caught up on my Game Sack backlog! For some cool imports, well most of what I have tend to be import RPGs (which are almost impossible to play through without Japanese knowledge), but hmm: Internal Section (PS1) - a tube shooter by Squaresoft (!) with amazing hi-res kaleidoscopic graphics Ai Senshi Nichol (Famicom) - overhead action platformer by Konami, kinda similar to something like Dino Riki Wrecking Crew 98 (SFC) Napple Tale (DC) Hatsune Miku: Project Diva (PSP)

[@psychmyst]

You guys are awesome! I bet you guys are a blast in real life (you know, away from the computer).

[@VirtualVernon]

In the legend of zelda you can kill Pols Voice the rabbit head by yelling into the mic. You can also kill the 5th castle boss by yelling as well, as there is a hint that says sound hurts him. In the american version you would use the flute

[@retrovideogamejunkie]

the best part of this video 03:27

[@munk109]

I watch this show religiously

[@troy4393]

Load times are way faster than the sega CD. Also, every time it loads, it reads thru the whole disk (about 7 seconds) because it doesn't keep track of where the read/write head is. The only reason that yours takes forever is because you have either a bum drive or poorly written games and the disk drives keeps trying to read them until it does. (or you're faking it)

[@AgentDanielCross]

I think its a broken drive.

[@DomeCandyGames]

Great episode, guys!