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Hi all,

It's time to vote for your favourite TR theme for February! Getting it up nice and early in case people need to source some games!


Best Girl/Guy
Theme: Games with dating/romance mechanics
Being that February includes Valentines Day, it only seemed right to offer an option for romance. This category covers any games which include mechanics or options to romance another character - something optional, not just a pre-scripted romance as part of the plot. Dating sims are obviously prime options, but there's plenty of other games with these elements, especially RPGs.

Example options:
Love Plus (DS), Sweet Fuse (PSP), Fire Emblem series (various), Mass Effect series (360/PS3), Sakura Wars (Saturn), Tokimeki Memorial series (various), Riviera: The Promise Land (GBA/PSP), Thousand Arms (PS1), Persona 3 & 4 (PS2, PSP, PSVita), Harvest Moon series (various), Dragon Quest V (SFC, DS), Phantasy Star III (MD)


What A Disaster!
Theme: Games featuring natural or man-made disasters (which could happen in real-life)
This one is back from last year for a second run and includes games featuring major disasters. This can include games that involve disaster and survival elements in their core gameplay, or games which use it as a key story element, or both. The disasters in the games have to be disasters that are realistic - e.g. natural or man made disasters such as tornados, earthquakes, sinking ships, plane crashes, volacanic eruptions, nuclear explosions, burning buildings - no alien invasions or zombie outbreaks. However, it doesn’t need to be depicted realistically. The disaster has to feature prominently in gameplay or story - no games with one volcano level like Bonk.

Example games:
Survival Kids (GBC), Lost In Blue (DS), SOS/Septentrion (SNES), Aconcagua (PS1), Disaster Report (PS2), Disaster: Day of Crisis (Wii), Fallout (PC), Ignition Factor (SNES), The Firemen (SNES), Burning Rangers (Saturn), Tornado Outbreak (Wii), Wetrix (N64)


Monochrome Mayhem
Theme: Games on black & white consoles and computers
This option is for taking things back to basic, and playing in black & white. If this option wins we will be playing games on systems which don't support colour - stuff like the original Game Boy, the first Neo Geo Pocket and the Wonderswan. I'll also support obscurities like the Game.com, the Pokemon Mini or Tiger handhelds, or any old home computers that only run in black and white too.

Example games:
Too many to list as this covers the entire original Game Boy library, but lots of options for more obscure games such as Chalvo 55 (GB), Gunpey (WS), Pokemon Tetris (Pokemon Mini) and more.


Costume Change
Theme: Games where you change outfit to change your abilities
This theme covers any game where your abilities are tied to your outfit, and changing your costume results in new powers. Obviously, this includes some classic platformer power ups, but also various games with job systems too. The character must remain the same character throughout - character switching doesnt count. The key thing is that it's the same dude, but different duds.

Example games:
Final Fantasy V (SFC/PS1/GBA), Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2), Final Fantasy Tactics series (various), Tactics Ogre (SNES), Mario series (various), Kirby series (various), Magical Quest starring Mickey Mouse (SNES), Starfy series (GBA/DS), Rayman 3 (GBC/PS2/XBOX), Little Nemo (NES)


Not For YoU.S.A
Theme: Games that got physical releases in Japan and Europe, but not America
Quite often, when discussing retro games, you'll get people from America discussing Japanese exclusives, only to not realise that they're not in fact exclusive to Japan - they actually got an English language release in Europe or Australia too! This category covers games that were released on a system in Japan and Europe but not America - even if they later came out on another system there. There's actually a ton of them!

Example games:
NES: Mr. Gimmick, Ufouria: The Saga, Parodius
MD: Alien Soldier, Mega Man: The Wily Wars
SNES: Terranigma, Heberekes Popoitto, Pop'n Twinbee, Parodius, Whirlo, Super Bomberman 3, Sailor Moon, The Firemen
PS1: Bishi Bashi Special, Crisis Beat, Rapid Reload, Vib-Ribbon
N64: Rakuga Kids
GC: Doshin the Giant
Wii: Another Code R, Disaster: Day of Crisis,
GB: Trip World, Parodius
GBA: Kuru Kuru Kururin
DS: Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, Last Window, Inazuma Eleven, Pokemon Typing Adventure

Voted for Monochrome Mayhem so I can finally start playing some handheld games. I honestly never did aside from the pokemon red, blue, and yellow games when I was a child, and my DS and 3DS (Elite Beat Agents was a highlight of mine for DS).

I'll spend the rest of today doing research for essential handheld games as I wanna catch up on them either way.

I’m down for love...since I desperately need to Finish up PSIII. I’m also in for (or not in for, depending on how you look at it,) Not for USA. Great options all around, however, and I’ll be happy with any of these!

Bumping this in case people haven't seen it.

I put my votes in for Romance and Disasters, because Valentines Day!

Also, because I don't need to buy any new games for those categories, unlike Not for USA. If we get that, maybe I'll replay Ufouria? I could also pick up Gregory Horror Show I guess.

With "Not for YouSA" in the lead, I'm curious to hear some other suggestions besides the ones that AJ has already outlined?

Down to the last day for voting!

Not For YoU.S.A takes the title. Super excited to hear what everyone is going to play, let me know!

As for me, I'm going to see if I can source something new, but I may also playthrough Trip World and U.four.ia The Saga again because I sure do like them.

I've got Parodius, Sailor Moon, and Whirlo so those are some obvious choices. Will try to hit up at least one.

A few more options I thought of/found:

Gregory Horror Show (PS2)
Adventures of Lolo (Game Boy)
Hammerin' Harry: Ghost Building Company (GB)
Pop'n Twinbee (GB)
Konami GB Collection Volumes 1-4 (GBC)
R-Type (GB)
Rod-Land (GB)
Devil World (NES)
Hammerin' Harry (NES)
Mega-Lo-Mania (SNES)
Monkey Puncher (GBC)
Qix Adventure (GBC)
Bomberman 2 (DS)
Bomberman Story (DS)
Jam With The Band/Daigasso Band Brothers DX (DS)
Ys Strategy (DS)
Project Zero 2 (Wii)
Bubble Bobble (SMS)
Super Fantasy Zone (MD)
Turbo Outrun (MD)
Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (MD)
Zero Wing (MD)
Pengo (GG)
Power Strike II (GG)
Darius II (Saturn)
Deep Fear (Saturn)
Discworld (Saturn)
Keio Flying Squadron 2 (Saturn)
Fighting Vipers 2 (DC)
Rez (DC)
Shenmue II (DC)
Fantastic Night Dreams: Cotton (NGPC)
Klonoa Beach Volleyball (PS1)
Poy Poy 2 (PS1)
Sonic Wings Special (PS1)
Hamtaro: Rainbow Rescue (GBA)
Napoleon (GBA)

Theres probably a bunch of PS2 games too but I CBA to dig through that massive list

Make sure to double check these before choosing any - sources can be inconsistent.

Awesome, awesome list, AJ. It really gives me some ideas for next month. Unfortunately, however, Pocket Bomberman needs to drop off it. That was a GBC launch title in NA that I actually played for last year’s “ready to launch” TR!