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How do Japanese and American tastes differ?

Anonymous RobotAnonymous Robot Registered User regular
edited September 2007 in Games and Technology
This is something I've been thinking about. Please excuse the vague opening, because I'm not too sure about what I'm talking about, really.

I was thinking about Sonic, and why it continues to be a franchise. I figured that almost all of the new games suck, and nobody really likes the character anymore. Then I wondered if maybe he was still popular in Japan. No, I thought, Japan plays a lot more games and have more discerning tastes.

But do they? In Japan, there is a much broader audience for videogames. Because of this, are low quality games more generally accepted? Is there a "mainstream"? (See top 10 radio hits)

I know that the Japanese like highschool and dating simulators a lot. Why? I wish I knew, and that's partly what this thread is about. How and why the tastes differ.

Americans like FPS (is it the top genre in the States?), but the Japanese generally don't as it gives them motion sickness. Is this because they didn't get a chance to start out with something like Doom and Wolf3D? I don't know.

The Japanese market for RPGs is much larger than the American market, to the point where pretty much any RPG is going to sell like hotcakes.

It seems to me like the American market is more geared to visceral, action-filled games while the Japanese prefer slower-paced games that allow for more strategy. This is all conjecture, though. If anyone has other thoughts to offer, please do help to sate my curiosity.
(Yo Houk how about giving your perspective)

Sigs shouldn't be higher than 80 pixels - Elki.

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Anonymous Robot on
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Posts

  • MorskittarMorskittar Lord Warlock Engineer SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    How quantifiable are those likes and dislikes? Are they based off of sales numbers? Known percentages of the total population who play games?

    Seems like those would be really hard tastes to quantify.

    Morskittar on
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  • ChildrenChildren Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Rape is pretty big over there. Also rice.

    Children on
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  • Anonymous RobotAnonymous Robot Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Morskittar wrote: »
    How quantifiable are those likes and dislikes? Are they based off of sales numbers? Known percentages of the total population who play games?

    Seems like those would be really hard tastes to quantify.

    Like I said, I can really only base them off of things I've heard and my general understanding of the markets.

    I am fairly certain that sales numbers would back my thoughts up, though, and if anyone knows where to find some I will put them in the OP.

    Anonymous Robot on
    Sigs shouldn't be higher than 80 pixels - Elki.

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  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Japanese people: "Tentacle Tentacle Tentacle!"

    American People: "Hookers Hookers Hookers!"

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
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  • gilraingilrain Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Children wrote: »
    Rape is pretty big over there. Also rice.
    To be fair, America has fewer tentacle monsters, so it's not an apples-to-apples comparison.

    gilrain on
  • StriferStrifer Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Children wrote: »
    Rape is pretty big over there. Also rice.

    Well played.

    Strifer on
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  • cooljammer00cooljammer00 Hey Small Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    i dunno, but it changes the box arts for the worse sometimes.

    sometimes, american archetypes dont work there. Like Crash Bandicoot, where they had to close his mouth in Japan cause toothy grins arent liked there.

    cooljammer00 on
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  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    american tastes are better.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    i dunno, but it changes the box arts for the worse sometimes.

    sometimes, american archetypes dont work there. Like Crash Bandicoot, where they had to close his mouth in Japan cause toothy grins arent liked there.

    Ratchet and Clank.
    VideogameBoxart.jpg
    Guess which one is the Japanese box art.

    http://i3.yesasia.com/assets/16/157/p1004615716.jpg

    http://hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com/japanboxes/japanboxes.htm
    A lot of them are better because of the lack of "Main character standing while pointing a gun" while a lot of them are worse for various reasons.

    Couscous on
  • RidleySariaRidleySaria AnaheimRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    i dunno, but it changes the box arts for the worse sometimes.

    sometimes, american archetypes dont work there. Like Crash Bandicoot, where they had to close his mouth in Japan cause toothy grins arent liked there.

    Man, Wario must be the fucking anti-christ over there.
    americans think they're better.

    Fixed.

    RidleySaria on
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  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I think all you have to do is look at american RPGs and J-RPGs. The difference in story, art style, and gameplay is very drastic. Just look at KOTOR or Oblivion versus say Persona or FFX.

    SpikedFreak on
  • TexiKenTexiKen Dammit! That fish really got me!Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    i dunno, but it changes the box arts for the worse sometimes.

    sometimes, american archetypes dont work there. Like Crash Bandicoot, where they had to close his mouth in Japan cause toothy grins arent liked there.

    Man, Wario must be the fucking anti-christ over there.
    americans think they're better.

    Fixed.

    We are, though.

    TexiKen on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    TexiKen wrote: »
    i dunno, but it changes the box arts for the worse sometimes.

    sometimes, american archetypes dont work there. Like Crash Bandicoot, where they had to close his mouth in Japan cause toothy grins arent liked there.

    Man, Wario must be the fucking anti-christ over there.
    americans think they're better.

    Fixed.

    We are, though.

    Thread derailment in T-Minus 10 posts.

    SpikedFreak on
  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Americans like big, beefy, Football playing types.

    Japanese like effeminate, moody types.

    DisruptorX2 on
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  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    More Japanese people than Americans seem to get motion sickness when playing FPS games so there are less FPS games in Japan.

    Couscous on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Americans like big, beefy, Football playing types.

    Japanese like effeminate, moody types.

    The Japanese like the buff, strong, gay guys just as much as the next country.
    Cho_aniki.jpg

    Couscous on
  • DisruptorX2DisruptorX2 Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    titmouse wrote: »
    Americans like big, beefy, Football playing types.

    Japanese like effeminate, moody types.

    The Japanese like the buff, strong, gay guys just as much as the next country.
    Cho_aniki.jpg

    They equate them with homosexuality, while we equate effeminate men with it. Which is interesting.

    Also, Cho Aniki PS2 port? D:

    DisruptorX2 on
    1208768734831.jpg
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    titmouse wrote: »
    More Japanese people than Americans seem to get motion sickness when playing FPS games so there are less FPS games in Japan.

    But is that because they never play them in the first place because they do not enjoy them? So in turn they are not used to the camera and get sick?

    SpikedFreak on
  • The_ScarabThe_Scarab Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Half Life 2 arcade game sums up this thread in one go.

    The_Scarab on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I think all you have to do is look at american RPGs and J-RPGs. The difference in story, art style, and gameplay is very drastic. Just look at KOTOR or Oblivion versus say Persona or FFX.

    But KOTOR, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and all the other BioWare RPGs are Canadian!

    Pancake on
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  • cooljammer00cooljammer00 Hey Small Christmas-Man!Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    ok, i could of sworn I was watching something, maybe an old episode of ICONS, where they were talking about trying to market Crash Bandicoot to Japan, but how there, wacky cartoon mascots with tongues sticking out and big teeth dont work. but they wanted to keep him cute and funny and recognizable. so they just closed his mouth.

    edit: I love how Sudeki for america has a big titty shot, but in Japan it's like a standard anime box.

    cooljammer00 on
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  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Pancake wrote: »
    I think all you have to do is look at american RPGs and J-RPGs. The difference in story, art style, and gameplay is very drastic. Just look at KOTOR or Oblivion versus say Persona or FFX.

    But KOTOR, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and all the other BioWare RPGs are Canadian!

    guess where canada is located

    guess

    i'll bet it's america.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • SpikedFreakSpikedFreak Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Pancake wrote: »
    I think all you have to do is look at american RPGs and J-RPGs. The difference in story, art style, and gameplay is very drastic. Just look at KOTOR or Oblivion versus say Persona or FFX.

    But KOTOR, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and all the other BioWare RPGs are Canadian!

    .... north ... american .. tastes??

    ::run::

    SpikedFreak on
  • tyrannustyrannus i am not fat Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Canada is little america.

    tyrannus on
  • HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    madcat.jpg


    vs

    GUNDAM-2.jpg


    or

    1059700142_ordfighter.jpg

    vs

    QuinlanVos001.jpg

    HyperAquaBlast on
    steam_sig.png
  • tyrannustyrannus i am not fat Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    i'd take the lightsaber ANY DAY.

    tyrannus on
  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    vs

    QuinlanVos001.jpg

    Is he holding the lightsaber backwards?

    Couscous on
  • FerrusFerrus Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Yes, yes he is.
    I don't find that very "western".

    Ferrus on
    I would like to pause for a moment, to talk about my penis.
    My penis is like a toddler. A toddler—who is a perfectly normal size for his age—on a long road trip to what he thinks is Disney World. My penis is excited because he hasn’t been to Disney World in a long, long time, but remembers a time when he used to go every day. So now the penis toddler is constantly fidgeting, whining “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How about now? Now? How about... now?”
    And Disney World is nowhere in sight.
  • Anonymous RobotAnonymous Robot Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I would be interested to hear why there are different preferences, as we all know the basic ways in which they differ. (lol Japan like animu America don't)

    Anonymous Robot on
    Sigs shouldn't be higher than 80 pixels - Elki.

    photo02-film.jpg
  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    The Madcat is so sexy

    INeedNoSalt on
  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I see a lot of Japanese gamers have some bizarre love for heavy duty grinding in games.

    Magus` on
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    It's funny comparing Mechwarrior to Gundam or Anime mechs in general considering how many designs of mechs they "borrowed" from anime for Mechwarrior/battletech. Not that I don't love the Marauder or whatever other mechs they stole, but I always smile when I watch an Anime and go "Hey that's the such-and-such omnimech from Mechwarrior!"

    -SPI- on
  • subediisubedii Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Magus` wrote: »
    I see a lot of Japanese gamers have some bizarre love for heavy duty grinding in games.

    What the hell is WoW then?

    subedii on
  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    1 game vs. several thousand?

    Just saying, they seem to enjoy a lot of single player games that focus on grinding until you drop. At least in WoW there is back and forth with other people.

    Magus` on
  • MorskittarMorskittar Lord Warlock Engineer SeattleRegistered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Aren't there not-ugly examples of American robot desgin? I'm no huge anime fan, but I'd hate to think that Battletech's walking shoeboxes are representative of American giant robot design.

    Not that I can think of any other examples.

    Morskittar on
    snm_sig.jpg
  • FerrusFerrus Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I would be interested to hear why there are different preferences, as we all know the basic ways in which they differ. (lol Japan like animu America don't)

    Well, the most obvious is the exaggeration of emotions in Japanese games.
    I'm by no means an expert on Japanese culture (God forbid!) but generally, emotions seem to get supressed most of the time and they use games and anime as a sort compensation.

    This seems somewhat childlike to westerners I guess.

    Ferrus on
    I would like to pause for a moment, to talk about my penis.
    My penis is like a toddler. A toddler—who is a perfectly normal size for his age—on a long road trip to what he thinks is Disney World. My penis is excited because he hasn’t been to Disney World in a long, long time, but remembers a time when he used to go every day. So now the penis toddler is constantly fidgeting, whining “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? How about now? Now? How about... now?”
    And Disney World is nowhere in sight.
  • suttbeckssuttbecks Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    I wonder why the japanese get motion sickness from FPSes

    is it because they are infearior? eye shape?

    suttbecks on
  • HyperAquaBlastHyperAquaBlast Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Ferrus wrote: »
    Yes, yes he is.
    I don't find that very "western".

    But he is so dark and brooding. A typical American hero archetype.

    I should have chose Tidus or the other fucker from the new Final Fantasy.

    HyperAquaBlast on
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  • INeedNoSaltINeedNoSalt with blood on my teeth Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Morskittar wrote: »
    Aren't there not-ugly examples of American robot desgin? I'm no huge anime fan, but I'd hate to think that Battletech's walking shoeboxes are representative of American giant robot design.

    Not that I can think of any other examples.

    ? The Mechwarrior mechs are awesome.

    The raven is my personal favorite.

    INeedNoSalt on
  • Magus`Magus` The fun has been DOUBLED! Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    They have no souls.

    Magus` on
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