WonderSwan buyer’s guide: the best games to import

If you want to import Japanese games, the WonderSwan is exactly the sort of thing that may interest you the most. It’s a regional exclusive, but it’s not a huge old computer that you can’t afford. It has franchises you may know, and many games that simply were never ported anywhere else. Oh, and it’s weird and you can carry it around with you to show people that they should talk to you about weird stuff. Read on for our recommendations!

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What do you need to know about SaGa?

It is a great time for fans of Square Enix’s SaGa series! Romancing SaGa 2 was ported to multiple platforms and released worldwide. SaGa: Scarlet Grace was the first new entry in the series in over 11 years when it was released on the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2016. Basically, it feels like it is experiencing a renaissance. Which means it is a good time to review what makes it so special.

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A WonderSwan guide for people without a WonderSwan

The Bandai WonderSwan is exactly the sort of weird that is embraced by importers and ignored by the rest of the games community. It’s the most prominent system to never see a Western release, and its intent to stay in its home territory means it’s full of the types of quirky, insular experiences that fans of Japanese games crave. It’s also rough to get into; without the super-expensive late-life SwanCrystal, the screen’s tough to see, and the library doesn’t exactly shy away from being text-heavy. Thankfully, you can get a better sense of what the system had to offer without even getting your hands on a system, and you can do it in English!

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