There’s no shortage of Nintendo 3DS games in the U.S. that feature StreetPass functionality. (The total currently stands at 33.) But the great fun it provides has left many gamers hungry for more. So what games might feed that hunger? How about a new Monster Hunster or Professor Layton installment? Or perhaps another entry in the Dragon Quest or Gundam franchises? There are several games with great StreetPass features that remain exclusive to Japan. Perhaps a few will reach U.S. shores this year…
Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle
The newest installment in the critically acclaimed series, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle led the Nintendo 3DS launch lineup in Japan. Players use StreetPass to exchange data about their play style, such as time spent on various puzzles. Of all the games on this list, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle is likeliest to see U.S. release. Look for it to hit stores before year’s end.
Monster Hunter 3G
A game atop many localization wish lists, Monster Hunter 3G also boasts some robust StreetPass functionality. Not only can Guild Cards documenting play time, quests cleared and related data be exchanged, but other Hunters you meet will appear within the game. For a fee, you can ask these Hunters to complete for you any quest they’ve done, giving you that quest’s reward. Rumors of this Monster Hunter Tri remake’s release outside Japan abound, so watch for confirmation.
Slime Morimori Dragon Quest 3: Daikaizoku to Shippodan
Roughly translated as Dragon Quest Heroes 3: The Great Pirate Ship, this game follows Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime for the original Nintendo DS. (The Nintendo DS game was the sequel to a Game Boy Advance game never brought to U.S. shores. How this numbering discrepancy might be resolved is anybody’s guess.) Details of the game’s StreetPass features are scarce, but Square Enix has long supported Tag Mode and StreetPass with solid offerings. A release of this title outside Japan might happen this calendar year.
Gundam: The 3D Battle
There’s not nearly as much love for Gundam outside Japan as there is inside the country. But maybe the Mobile Suits can find a new home on the Nintendo 3DS. Gundam: The 3D Battle uses StreetPass to facilitate Mobile Suit and pilot swapping between players. Newly acquired Mobile Suits then appear as enemies within the game. Localization might be a long shot, but as Nintendo of America once said about Xenoblade Chronicles, “never say never.”
Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun Special
Known as Renegade in English markets, Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun Special is a 25th anniversary version of the game. This prequel to River City Ransom features a StreetPass mode with one-on-one card battles. It’s unclear whether the functionality is comparable to the StreetPass battles in Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition or something else entirely. While the game would provide a great throwback to the tough-as-nails gaming era, chances of it seeing release in the U.S. are low.
Other titles with StreetPass functionality that remain exclusive to Japan include baseball game Pro Yakyuu Spirits 2011, the unbelievably quirky Bikkuriman Kanjuku Haoh: Sanmi Douran Sensouki, outdoorsman adventure Fish On, pet sim Mameshiba, and soccer games Inazuma Eleven Go: Dark and Inazuma Eleven Go: Shine. As fun as these releases would be to play, their collective chances for U.S. localization are lower than the odds of getting a StreetPass tag in Alaska.
