East Defeats West: Why Japanese Games Appeal to Me Most

For quite some time, I have been a fan of playing Eastern, primarily Japanese software. Sure, I could have simply titled this piece "I Like Japanese Games Best. Here's Why", but that lacked proper punch, so to speak. We writing types have to say creative... or something. Anyway, there's a plethora of reasons as to why Western gaming has all but lost me, but at the same time I think it's important to define what I mean by the terms "Western gaming/games" and "Japanese gaming/games."

With regard to Western gaming, I mean the so-called AAA publishers and developers, folks like EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Naughty Dog, Epic Games, and so forth. I don't throw in indies in there, as the name suggests, they're independent and all over the world. Japanese gaming is your companies like Nintendo, Square Enix, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Koei Tecmo, among many others.

For a fun gaming experience, I enjoy both console as well as handheld gaming. I'm not talking about mobile gaming, which I don't have much experience with, nor do I have much ire for either. I'm referring to dedicated handheld gaming like what is found on the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. For big Western publishers and developers, it seems their focus is either go big (AAA console gaming) or go mobile. They don't generally bother with handheld devices, and they haven't for a good while. The PSP was an abnormality of sorts, and even then, it promised a console-like experience on the go. It doesn't take too much thought to understand why AAA Western publishers jumped to that system.

Upcoming PS4 game The Order: 1886

This is in contrast with Japanese studios who still develop on three tiers essentially-- high, middle, and low. High being AAA games, and low being mobile games. What's the middle? Those are the projects from the pre-seventh generation era where middle-of-the-road-budgeted games were much more common on consoles. Now we see them mostly on portable devices. It's important to note that indies are an entirely different beast, and technically the title of this editorial could very well be "East Defeats Most of the West: Why Japanese Games and Indies Appeal to Me Most." Indies are pretty much picking up the slack that big Western third-parties used to take on, those middle-of-the-road budget games.

Furthermore, one of my biggest pet peeves with gaming from the major studios and developers in the West is how the term "video game" is almost like a bad pair of words. Many seem downright ashamed to be making games at all, so they call them something else, like "interactive experiences" or some other pretentious term.

Call of Duty: Ghosts (Multi)

A large issue is that many Western studios don't really come off as folks who want to make games in the first place. They seem to prefer to make movies. However, we already have a medium that focuses on film experiences. It's called Hollywood.

A point of contention I have here is that a lot of Western studios want to compete with Hollywood. They simply want to turn gaming into as big a monster as Hollywood. However, I think it's a mistake to do so. If you really want to make Hollywood-like experiences, then go make movies. Of course, you'll probably become laughed out of the business, as most video game stories make stuff like Showgirls look like The Prince of Tides in comparison.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)

Regardless, I'm of the opinion that stories very much have a place in gaming. However, it's important to tell those stories in a way that only our medium can do. It's so easy to just follow the formula Hollywood has created, throw an hour of cinematics into your game, break it up with "gameplay", and then call it a game. It takes much more skill to take the same story and implement it into the gaming experience in a way that Hollywood would never be able to imagine.

There's plenty to like with Japanese games over the West, but that isn't to say that the West is behind or doing poorly. The West is simply, by and large, heading in a direction with gaming that does not appeal to me. That's all. Is it a bad direction? That's without a doubt subjective. Once in a while I do enjoy playing an open-world game, a shooter, a racing game, or whatnot, but I tend to like the what Japanese developers and publishers are putting out much more often. Whether they possess more charm, more polish, less masculine white males as protagonists, and less Hollywood-wannabes, the games from Japan are what I tend to lean towards more in my modern gaming.

21 More Fantastic Gaming Commercials

Are you ready for more gaming advertisements? SuperPhillip Central has more than you can shake a 30 second TV spot at. This time we're back with 21 more gaming commercials that will fill you with nostalgia, impress you with their production values, or just make you go "wow" in general. These chosen commercials are some of gaming's best, so we hope that you are as entertained by these ads as we were.

Note: These commercials are all from the States. Feel free to share commercials from outside the U.S. 

Note 2: To save everyone from lots of loading, the actual videos are linked to as opposed to embedded on this site. Click the name of the ad to get to the video. We apologize ahead of time for YouTube comment sections.

God of War: Ascension (PS3)

A brilliant commercial for a game that just recently released, God of War: Ascension's ad is a dramatic and emotional one showing Kratos losing the ones he loved, his wife and only child. They turn to ash and that ash gets absorbed into Kratos' skin. The song that plays is one that works wonderfully and pulls on the heartstrings.

BioShock Infinite (Multi)

Releasing today, BioShock Infinite's commercial might not have any gameplay to it, something that I don't usually like a commercial not to have. However, this 30 second ad does well with getting the viewer interested in the game. I love the city in the sky setting that Columbia has, and the commercial also shows the protagonist's ability to use his powers to blast enemies away. Here's hoping a commercial with some gameplay gets released like what happened with God of War: Ascension.

Tomb Raider (Multi)

Reboots are sometimes viewed poorly by the gaming public. See Devil May Cry for such an example. However, sometimes reboots work out incredibly well. For that example, we turn to Tomb Raider. Crystal Dynamics really turned out a stellar product with their origin story of Lara Croft. This commercial pushes how Tomb Raider is all about how Ms. Croft came to be and got into her treasure hunting ways.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)

Now this is a game commercial! No filler, all stuff within the game. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception dazzled players with its gorgeous graphics and sensational set pieces, all culminating in the end of the trilogy on the PS3. The games do a fabulous job of weaving story with gameplay, so much that makes you feel like you're playing an Indiana Jones-like adventure.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS3, PSV)

A commercial created with live actors portraying the numerous PlayStation all-stars, the ad for Sony's answer to Super Smash Bros. shows off characters Nathan Drake, Cole MacGrath, Kratos, and a CG Sackboy dueling on a dark and dilapidated alley. No worries if you're getting creamed currently, Kratos, as your human partner and you have apparently been through worse.

inFamous (PS3)

Seamlessly switching between comic panels and gameplay from the actual game, this inFamous commercial is an excellent example of how to weave art and gameplay together to a fantastic effect. inFamous is a great game and this commercial more than shows why many PlayStation 3 owners claim it is one of the best exclusives for the system.

Killzone 3 (PS3)

The Kevin Butler PlayStation 3 campaign was a terrific one. It featured a fictional Sony executive presenting the various games being advertised. This particular ad is all about Killzone 3, a game that many stated was PlayStation's answer to Halo. This ad, like the others, does great at showing off gameplay while displaying a fine level of humor. Cleanup aisle you, indeed.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (PS3)

This second Kevin Butler PS3 campaign ad is all about one of my favorite games for Sony's third home console, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time. While that game was one of the last truly great Ratchet & Clank games, one can only imagine how cool it really would be to have the franchise's trademark weaponry in the real world. Just don't let that shady organization have them before I do.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PS2)

One of those commercials that feels like it comes straight out of 90's Sony, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus's ad shows investigators doing what they best... investigating... a stolen item in a vault. What they come across is a hole burrowed none other than a wild raccoon. The real Sly Cooper is much more civil, a sharp dresser, and always knows just what to say at a given moment. Meanwhile, a wild raccoon will just go through your garbage and make a mess of things. Sly Cooper: 1, Wild raccoon: 0.

Mirror's Edge (Multi)

Another gameplay-empty ad that shows enough to intrigue its viewers to interest them into trying out the game, Mirror's Edge's commercial shows Faith participating in the types of gameplay that players will find themselves engaging in if they picked up the game. Mirror's Edge was a wonderful experience, and it's a shame that there's no hint of a sequel coming from EA's direction.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)

Nintendo has a habit of putting their characters into the real world for their commercials and to interesting results. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon released this past Sunday, and its ad features a boy investigating his dark home. Picking up his own version of the Poltergust 3000, he comes across a room full of ghosts. What makes this commercial special is how elements of the game get put into reality, and like I said, the results are quite interesting.

Mario Tennis Open (3DS)

We're going on a Mario kick for a little bit, so stick with me here. An ordinary game of doubles tennis starts out innocently enough, but soon the colors of the Mushroom Kingdom seep into reality. The court transforms into a mushroom pattern, and the tennis participants have their clothes change into those that one's Mii can wear in Mario Tennis Open.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)

This stop motion animation TV advertisement does a great job thrusting viewers into the colorful world of Paper Mario: Sticker Star. The voiceover also does an admirable effort in presenting what the game is all about within the brief 30 second time period. Although the final product, the game, did not reach the same heights as previous entries in the Paper Mario series, Sticker Star still was a load of fun.

Super Paper Mario (Wii)

Part of Nintendo's excellent "Wii would like to play" campaign (much better than their Wii U campaign, but what isn't better than that?), the Super Paper Mario commercial shows a grand amount of gameplay, and Super Paper Mario's gimmick, the perspective shift between 2D and 3D. Both are shown prominently throughout the ad, and the gimmick is even shown in the room the players are standing in with the camera shift.

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii)

Mario and Sonic's third Olympic outing saw them heading to the Summer Games in London. Before that, however, they needed to rub elbows with English royalty. Methinks that chili dogs are not on a traditional royal dinner menu. However, when you have Sonic in your company, you bet they should be. For the Mario version of this ad, click this link.

Mario Golf (GBC)

This is a cute and short ad that shows the hand of Mario trying to situate an indigo Game Boy Color on a golf tee. After a second try, he winds up his shot and sends the handheld system flying, bouncing across the screen. The commentary by Mario is adorable, and that alone sold me on the game back as a younger version of myself so many years ago.

Mario Tennis (GBC)

Let's continue the Mario sports theme we have going on here. Poor Donkey Kong just cannot defeat Mario, whether it's when he kidnaps Pauline or in this example when they're playing tennis atop a lime green Game Boy Color. Unlike Mario Golf, I missed out completely on Mario Tennis. I'm hoping that the game soon arrives on the Nintendo 3DS eShop sometime soon so I can rectify that.

Animal Crossing: Wild World (DS)

Looks like the kids are back to visit the animals. That is exactly what Animal Crossing: Wild World is all about. The game indeed does continue on whether you're there or not. The DS version introduced Wi-Fi play, so up to four people could play together in a host's town, digging up fossils, planting and watering flowers, as well as talking with the animal denizens. I eagerly await for not only Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but what Nintendo's advertising department will do for the game.

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Here we have a commercial that shows the struggle of Little Mac, a fighter defeated by King Hippo, and looking for comeuppance. Thankfully he has the help of Doc Louis to coach and train him to be the fiercest fighter around. No Glass Joe or Mr. Dream will stand in his way now. A commercial filled with quotable lines and immense levels of humor, Punch-Out!! is one of Nintendo's greatest ads. Check it out and see what I mean. Note: It's even better if you have nostalgia for the NES classic.

Wario World (GCN)

A politician mentioning that greed is good while sweating like a hog? I'd make a joke about a particular political party, but I don't want to upset a part of SPC's audience. Regardless, what else do you expect to have a speech be about when you have Wario feeding you the lines? (And stealing from your pocket in the process.)

Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)

If shows like Deadliest Catch do nothing for you, then I'm with you. Who needs to hunt sharks, whales, and whatever else lies beneath the deep blue sea when you have gigantic monsters to topple over? This mention of the Monster Hunter Tri ad is perfect timing for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, an expansion to the original game, available for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Forget the sharks and bring on the Royal Ludroths!

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If this dose of commercial carnage wasn't enough for you, why not check out the other three segments devoted to gaming commercials?

21 Fantastic Gaming Commercials
21 Terrific Gaming Commercials 
19 More Terrific Gaming Commercials