#kitchen panic

there's a new post up at the world's greatest obscure videogames review blog, and today's subject sees you empowered by god to kill bugs! go and read about it~!

Something that just struck me: a lot of Japanese GameBoy game manuals feature cute “bonus” illustrations on their back covers.

To see more of or learn more about these old GameBoy manuals, check out the following links:

Bubble Ghost

Pitman

Noobow

Kitchen Panic

Penguin Land

Moguranya (aka Mole Mania)

bugs ‘n breakfast -

Kitchen Panic, above, is a prime example of a Japanese GameBoy game that I think has been overlooked by Westerners since its release back in 1991.

It’s not the only Japanese GameBoy cartridge that deserves more attention, of course. Four others that come to mind: Banishing Racer, Cave Noire, Nangoku Shounen Papuwa-kun and Peetan.

For more on why I have such a lofty opinion of these five imports, read my latest blog post, “Five more overlooked Japanese GameBoy games you need to play as soon as possible”

Japanese GameBoy instruction manuals seriously were the best.

They weren’t as colorful as your typical Famicom or PC Engine manual, but they were much more to the point, which is a big plus in my book.

Also, most Japanese GameBoy manuals used two-tone or “spot color” printing, which gave them a warm and unique look that, in my mind at least, really stands the test of time. 

The Snow Bros. Jr. manual, above, is a good example. The manuals made for Bubble Bobble, Kitchen Panic and Painter Momopie are a few others. 

Kitchen Panic (PS1)

Download Link

As the title alludes to above, Volume 7, 1998 for Hyper PlayStation Re-Mix is a rare two-disc set. As with the previous volume’s disc, the content lineup is dominated by games released only in Japan, albeit ones that are by and large not particularly famous over there. Notably, B.L.U.E.: Legend of Water makes its second appearance in a row in this magazine’s demo disc in the form of an altogether new demo that takes place during the game’s second chapter. Marukoshi Seikai no Bakuchou: Nihon Rettou, pictured above, is also very worth checking out even if you don’t speak Japanese for its beyond sublime, transcendental FMVs. There’s also the sole game demo occupying the demo disc for Yarudora: Double Cast, the first in a series of PlayStation-exclusive adventure games that are known for being fully animated. For the rest of the content present on these discs, check the full listing below:

Magazine Name: Hyper PlayStation Remix Volume 7, 1998

Disc 1

Playable Demos (Start+Select to exit to main menu): -Choro Q: Marine Q Boat -Kitchen Panic -Mawatte Muucho -B.L.U.E.: Legend of Water -Masumon KIDS -T Kara Hajimaru Monogatari -Dynamite Soccer 98 -Murakoshi Seikai no Bakuchou: Nihon Rettou -Fox Junction -Pro Yakyuu Nettou Puzzle Stadium

Movies: -Real Bout Garou Densetsu Special: Dominated Mind -Rosco McQueen: Firefighter Extreme -Lunar: Silver Star Story -Bounty Sword: Double Edge

Memory Card Data: -Tekken 3 -Armored Core: Project Phantasma -Rebus -Gran Turismo -Ongaku Tsukuuru Kanadeeru 2

Disc 2 -Only contains a demo for Yarudora: Double Cast with the following menu options:     -Double Cast Demo -Kisetsu wo Dakishimete Preview -Sanpa Guitar Demo -Yukiwari no Hana Preview -Controls Explanation

We’ve still got a dozen demo discs to post to post for Hyper PlayStation Re-Mix, so get comfortable because Demoban is going to be all about Japanese magazine demos for a long stretch.