Holidays are a worldwide deal — and so are Kotaku gift guides. Here it is, your window into the world with games that you can import. Some of them have full English language support. Some do not. We tried to make a note where possible to help shoppers out. Also, some of these titles will work on all consoles, while others will not. Sticky stuff, so do carefully check things out before importing. Getting a region locked game you can't play is like getting a lump of coal, but better. At least the game will have an instructional manual you can flip through. The categories are broken down into Bargains, Essentials and Hardware. Those interested in the "Things To Buy For Bashcraft" category, feel free to email.Bargains:
Gears of War 2 (Asia Version - Region Free) Price: US$42.18 Rating: Mature It's already being called Game of the Year by some. Instead of paying full price for Gears of War 2, pick up a new copy of the region free Asia region version. Title has full English support.
Aquanaut's Holiday: Hidden Memories (English/Chinese Version - Region Free) Price: $49.90 Rating: Everyone Hidden Memories is the latest in the entry in Aquanaut's Holiday series. Players take the role of an underwater explorer and dive into the depths of deep blue. Currently, the game does not have a Western release slated, but the "English/Chinese version" has localized language options. Better yet, it's cheaper than the Japanese original.
Fable II (Asia Version - Region Free) Price: $38.33 Rating: Mature One of this year's biggest action RPGs, Fable II lets players chose between being good or evil. You know what's evil? Paying full price for Fable II. You know what's good? Getting the (cheaper) region free Asia version.
Mirror's Edge (Asia Version - Region Free) Price: $48.99 (with free international shipping) Rating: Teen Do you like running? What about jumping? Kicking people? Then first-person-parkour game Mirror's Edge is for you. Hate paying full price for new games? Then get the Asia version.
Hakuna Makata (Afrika) (English/Chinese Version - Region Free) Price: $49.90 Rating: Everyone PS3 exclusive Afrika is out this month in North America, but Sony does not have plans to bring the title to Europe. What does that mean for European PS3 owners who want to take in-game pictures of wild animals? It means they've got to import. The Asia version has full English support and a new title to boot: Hakuna Makata. Makes us want to watch The Lion King. Over and over and over again.
Essentials:
Ketsui Death Label (Region free - Bonus DVD Japanese Region Only) $58.90 Rating: Everyone Ketsui isn't just a shooter, but an environment shooter! Set in the global warming ravaged future, the vertical scrolling shooting game has players join a United Nations elite squad to take down a rouge arms dealer. Akira's port of bullet hell shooter from venerated Japanese arcade dev Cave . Ketsui Death Label offers different skill level modes — some ideal for pick up and play. This special box set includes a Superplay DVD as well.
Ikkitousen: Eloquent Fist [Limited Edition With Original Figure Set] $87.99 Rating: CERO C (15 years old and up) PSP schoolgirl beat 'em up Ikki Tousen: Eloquent Fist offers more than fan service. It offers knuckle sammiches *and* fan service. Based on the popular Ikki Tousen manga/anime, Eloquent Fist is a brawler adventure game mash-up and boasts over 4,000 animated cutscenes to boot. Cutscenes are in Japanese, but the clothes-ripping-off parts should be universal.
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes (Japanese Nintendo Wii Only) Rating: CERO B (12 years old and up) $70.99 Japanese game company Capcom dishes out knuckle sandwiches to Japanese animation studio Tatsunoko in this Wii port of the arcade title Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. Think Marvel vs. Capcom but with Casshern and Yatterman! The title is not likely to get a Western release due to licensing issue, but Capcom USA is working on that. In the meantime, import, import, import.
DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label Extra (Japanese Xbox 360 Only) Rating: Everyone $65.90 The Xbox 360 port features the original arcade version of Cave's manic arcade shooter as well as the "Black Label" version — identifiable by its black title screen. There's also a beginner's mode called "X Mode," which is perfectly for those not quite accustomed to maneuvering through a blanket of projectiles. More extras for DoDonPachi Dai Ou Jou Black Label Extra is online ranking, a replay function so you can watch your own play and a new green outfit wearing character named "Piper."
DJ Max Portable Emotional Sense — Clazziquai Edition [Special Package] $49.90 Rating: Everyone First question: Like DJ Max rhythm games? If yes, continue. Second question: Like Clazziquai? If yes, this is your game. (For those who do not know Clazziquai, check this and this and this. Delights!) The Korean group teamed up with developer Pentavision for this more casual DJ Max title — "casual" is not a pejorative term here. DJ Max is reason enough to own a PSP, and Clazziquai is reason enough to own this title.
Thunder Force VI (Japanese PS2 Only) $59.90 Rating: Everyone No doubt horizontally scrolling shmup Thunder Force VI is one of the PS2's last great swan songs. It's been a little over ten years since Thunder Force V hit the SEGA Saturn and when developer Technosoft was purchased by a pachinko company, it didn't look like we'd ever see another Thunder Force. We here we are! Thunder Force VI was directed by SEGA's Tetsu Okano, best know for Japan only title Segagaga.
Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles (Region Free - Dreamcast) Rating: Everyone $39.99 Would it be Christmas without a new Dreamcast game? Probably. But Costa Rican developer Yuan Works does its best to offer holiday cheer with this DC title. The puzzle game has players match elements to clear blocks from the board. Featuring English and Japanese language support, the Dreamcast release is being handled by European publisher redspotgames.
Hardware:
DISSIDIA: Final Fantasy [20th Anniversary Limited Pack] Rating: CERO C (15 years old and up) $349.90 Unless you are proficient in Japanese (or decent enough at navigating it), the main draw here isn't necessarily the Japanese language fighting game, but the DISSIDIA PSP — and the pretty box it comes in! Included is a copy of the game and a limited (and classy) DISSIDIA PSP-3000.
Hori Classic Controller $29.90 Just in time for all the GameCube games Nintendo is re-releasing for the Wii comes this Classic Controlled. Made by Japanese peripheral maker Hori, the controller features autofire switches for every button on the controller. It's available in three colors: Black, white and light blue.
Nintendo DSi (Region free for DS games, locked for DSi games) $249.00 Nintendo's latest edition to the Nintendo DS line-up brings a 17 percent larger screen and two embedded digital cameras. It's smaller than the DS Lite and is lighter than the Lite, too! While it does not play GBA titles, the portable does have a SD card slot. It does not feature English language support, however. Comes in white and black.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam [PSP Bundle] Rating: Everyone $379.99 (with free international shipping) One of the big, hot popular titles in Japan this fall is Namco Bandai's Gundam vs. Gundam, which brings thirty plus Gundams from various series together in one game. Originally an arcade game, the PSP version includes several bonus mechas. The PSP bundle includes the game and a Gundam vs. Gundam PSP-3000. Game is, like most things in Japan, in Japanese.
Otomedius Gorgeous + Hyper Stick Pro (Japanese Consoles Only) Rating: CERO C (15 years old and up) $389.90 It's always nice to see incredibly pricey game hardware designed specially for one game. Famed Japanese peripheral maker Hori worked with Konami to created this stick designed to recreate the Otomedius arcade experience at home. The Hori hyper stick pro boasts a touch pad just like the original arcade version. The bundle includes the game as well as a set of six tin badges.