Toradora Portable!

[Minori]

I would certainly purchase it. I think games like this would be popular for those of us who feel that the main character "chose" the wrong lover. It would be like creating an alternate ending for the anime series. As some of you have pointed out, though, NISA will likely observe how the anime sells. If it does exceptionally well, I could see them localizing it here.

[Warlord Kentax]

I have already bought the game off of play-asia.com, I've been playing it off and on for about 8 months now. It is a very ingenious game, very non-standard for the way most visual novels work. This also means that it is very hard to play without a translation. I'm going to be learning a whole bunch more Japanese next school year so hopefully this will make it a lot easier to play. I would definitely buy an English version of this, even if it had a 50 USD pricetag.

[stealth20k]

Dont hold your breath

[Daverost]

Dont hold your breath

Thanks, Captain Negativity <.<

[Louis6507]

Well, I'd like to show my support and request this release. If nothing more than for the fact that I missed out on the Japanese premium edition release which is now going for almost $500!!!!!! ヽ(｀Д´)ﾉ

Anyway...I do have the inferior package release, and the game is nice with it's design and animation in my opinion. I've only been studying Japanese about 18 months now, and can understand enough of it thanks to the voice recordings. Either way, because this is in my top 3 animes of all time, I'll be buying everything that comes out.

So, mark me down as someone who'll buy both a menial edition to play, and an inimitable limited design for collecting. (Konata had it right...you always have to buy multiple copies of the good stuff. ^_~ One to loan out. One to use/play/read/watch. And, one to collect.)

[Louis6507]

Sorry. Shameless bump. I refuse to let this idea die. ^_~

Come on NISA! ^_^

[zaitcev]

Dont hold your breath

Thanks, Captain Negativity <.<

He's right though. Traditionally VNs do very poorly in NA market. I heard that the sales of Lux-Pain were disastrous. Of course Lux-Pain is so-so at best, and Toradora is an unusually good, but persuading the buying masses is an entirely different matter. So if you want to play Toradora Portable, buy the Japanese release.

Speaking of Japanese, as far as VNs go, TDP is unusually easy to play for players with rudimentary Japanese, because 1. protagonist is voiced, and 2. there are no timed choices (as in e.g. Idolm@ster SP). Moreover, the dialog can be repeated as needed by pressing square. So, I simply looked up all the missing words phonetically in my Wordtank, without knowing much of any kanji. A good thing too, because Taiga is given to using most obscure vocabulary.

-- Pete
http://ani-nouto.animeblogger.net/toradora_portable/

[Louis6507]

Dont hold your breath

Thanks, Captain Negativity <.<

He's right though. Traditionally VNs do very poorly in NA market. I heard that the sales of Lux-Pain were disastrous. Of course Lux-Pain is so-so at best, and Toradora is an unusually good, but persuading the buying masses is an entirely different matter. So if you want to play Toradora Portable, buy the Japanese release.

Speaking of Japanese, as far as VNs go, TDP is unusually easy to play for players with rudimentary Japanese, because 1. protagonist is voiced, and 2. there are no timed choices (as in e.g. Idolm@ster SP). Moreover, the dialog can be repeated as needed by pressing square. So, I simply looked up all the missing words phonetically in my Wordtank, without knowing much of any kanji. A good thing too, because Taiga is given to using most obscure vocabulary.

-- Pete
http://ani-nouto.animeblogger.net/toradora_portable/

Thank you for the link to the walk through. ^_^

Sadly, the points you make are very valid. I'm still going to keep my fingers crossed though. Hopefully The anime will blow up in popularity and really help NIS flourish, so they make a dub and release a blu-ray as well...leading to a certain little PSP game we're wanting. ^_~

[manasteel88]

Dont hold your breath

Thanks, Captain Negativity <.<

He's right though. Traditionally VNs do very poorly in NA market. I heard that the sales of Lux-Pain were disastrous. Of course Lux-Pain is so-so at best, and Toradora is an unusually good, but persuading the buying masses is an entirely different matter. So if you want to play Toradora Portable, buy the Japanese release.

Speaking of Japanese, as far as VNs go, TDP is unusually easy to play for players with rudimentary Japanese, because 1. protagonist is voiced, and 2. there are no timed choices (as in e.g. Idolm@ster SP). Moreover, the dialog can be repeated as needed by pressing square. So, I simply looked up all the missing words phonetically in my Wordtank, without knowing much of any kanji. A good thing too, because Taiga is given to using most obscure vocabulary.

-- Pete
http://ani-nouto.animeblogger.net/toradora_portable/

The reviews for Lux-Pain were awful averaging at 48 on metacritic. To use that in a comparison of Visual Novels would be like saying Darkest of Days not selling well showcases a decline in shooters in America. The real point is to analyze the Phoenix Wright series which has done well here along with how Disgaea Infinite is doing. Analyzing those two properties should show how receptive Americans are to VNs.

I'm not sure how Toradora would do especially since a retail version of the anime isn't out yet. Once more people learn of the property they may pick it up. It could also flop horribly. Thus we see the problem of trying to analyze markets.

[vampko]

I'm all for more visual-novels to come over here. Those are probably part of the reason the PSP does so well in Japan. Considering how many get released over there.

[Louis6507]

I agree. I think PSP sales are hurt by companies not porting over VN's. Let's be honest, any portable gaming system (including my beloved PSP) will NEVER match the processing or graphics of these latest and upcoming consoles. Yet, US marketing companies seem to think people will keep purchasing titles that they could very well play on their at home, massive, and now 3D TVs.....

Just look at the games that are popular on PSP (Little Big..., Papatoon..., etc...). These are games that pretty much are unmatched on any console. This, for lack of better term, forces people to purchase a PSP just to enjoy these unique games.

Honestly, PSP's and VN games sell very well in Japan. It's profitable enough for even small scale sales and distribution. So, just imagine if it was on a larger scale! Anime may be a niche market in the US...but it certainly is NOT a small one.

Even with the years that have passed since Toradora Portable came out in Japan...It STILL consistently sells for about $80 usd for th regular version and $200+ usd for the collector's edition. And...those are in Japanese, being sold in America! The market is there. If American anime collectors are willing to pay that much for a non-English title...An English title could sell for $100+/$250+ respectively.

I'm not saying NISA should manufacture a billion copies of the game. Maybe do a limited collector's edition of 300 units. At $200 each...I'd hardly believe they couldn't turn a profit, even if they only sold those 300 units. Then, once those sell...any further productions of standard editions at around $100 will sell. Again, I'm not talking about millions of copies. But, games that sell millions of copies cost more to make, and cost less.

AND, all of this is even ignoring the fact that many North American Anime are imported back to Japan, and purchased by collectors there as well.

Furthermore, companies like NISA should work harder to attend or at least have a small booth at more mid-sized, East Coast conventions. There were Toradora! bootlegs for sale at last year's Orlando conventions, and I'm sure there'll be more this year. I'm against bootleggers (obviously), but I don't blame them too much...when official versions aren't even available for sale! -_- MegaCon and AFO might not be as large as ComicCon...but, because of logistics (who can afford in this economy to take a Vegas vacation just for a convention?)...they're missing a lot of potential customers.

[Phoenix_Apollo]

I'm sorry, but I'm not paying $300 for a localized release of anything (especially new). That's just not worth it. It's why I don't buy all of these music games with all of these instruments that sell for over $100. It's not worth it. I'd honestly rather NISA not localize it if it's going to be like that. I'd rather something much more affordable or to at the very least be given my $300 worth, and by that I mean a plethora of extras. And by extras, I mean more than Starcraft II and Arc the Lad Collection combined.

[Louis6507]

If they go the way of a $200+ option, they'd just have to make sure it is a limited release. Meaning, they only produce maybe 200 copies and that's it forever. Then they could sell regular editions for $50-$100, which is very reasonable for a niche game.

That's what happened with the Japanese version of Toradora Portable! Collector's Edition. I won't post links, but search for it on the popular auction site. You'll see there's one listing only, that started out with 6 available (now only 3 left) all USED and their buy it now price is $199 (free shipping&handling). The seller's located in Japan, and the only parts they will NOT guarantee quality of are the paperboard PSP holder and exterior box. But, all "extra items" are included.

If NISA does this, and let's say numbers the boxes...they'll sell. Hell if NIS's giclee things sell for $300 each...a numbered, limited edition game for PSP will sell. Even if only 25 people buy them all, to dominate the used/convention/online market.

Hell, the person selling them on the auction site is probably clearing a $100usd profit off of each one sold.

The problem really comes from Toradora Portable! having "full spoken audio." So, there's no way they'll port the game until they have the English speaking cast for the DVD. That's my thinking. ...and I'm very glad for that full spoken audio. ^_^ Without that, I'd never understand enough of it to play. Between that and the walk-troughs I have, I can still enjoy my $140 Japanese only version I own. ^_~

PPS: Then again, I'm a little crazy for Toradora! I even have bumper stickers on my car. lol

[kazriko]

I've heard very good things about this from friends who have imported it. I know it's a long shot, but it's one I'd buy if it came out.

I finished Disgaea Infinite and really enjoyed it.

[Phoenix_Apollo]

Funny how I said I wouldn't pay $300 for a game. I take that back. I would pay it, but only if I really wanted it.

Anyway, if that's how NISA has to do it to get it done, that's fine with me.