Japanese gaming magazine and common source of advertisements disguised as reviews Weekly Famitsu recently asked readers to name their most memorable games, organized by console. This looks to have mostly stuck to original releases, with few exceptions. When reading this, keep in mind that the question was most memorable game, not necessarily best or favorite, and all of these things will mean different things to different people anyway.
As well, note that the sample size was only 2,921 readers. This is not "Japan's most memorable games," but rather the most memorable games of Famitsu readers ambitious enough to fill out a survey about it. They were allowed to pass on voting if they only had a few memorable games per system or didn't play anything on a certain system, which you'll see reflected in the vote numbers.
Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom)
10. Kirby’s Adventure – 60 votes
9. Final Fantasy III – 69 votes
8. Mother – 72 votes
7. Mario Bros. – 108 votes
6. The Legend of Zelda – 120 votes
5. Dragon Quest II – 186 votes
4. Dragon Quest IV – 228 votes
3. Super Mario Bros. 3 – 279 votes
2. Dragon Quest III – 528 votes
1. Super Mario Bros. – 552 votes
PC Engine
10. Galaxy Fräulein Yuna – 44 votes
9. Snatcher – 48 votes
8. Bikkuriman World – 49 votes
7. Bonk’s Adventure – 72 votes
6. Ys III: Wanderers from Ys – 90 votes
5. Jaseiken Necromancer – 108 votes
4. Tokimeki Memorial – 126 votes
3. Ys I & II 168 – votes
2. R-Type I 249 – votes
1. Tengai Makyo II: Manjimaru – 432 votes
Mega Drive (Genesis)
10. Outrun – 45 votes
9. Altered Beast – 57 votes
8. Powerball – 75 votes
7. Landstalker – 84 votes
6. Ghosts 'n' Goblins – 93 votes
5. Gunstar Heroes – 105 votes
4. Streets of Rage – 123 votes
3. Puyo Puyo – 168 votes
2. Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention – 201 votes
1. Sonic the Hedgehog – 371 votes
Game Boy
10. Pokémon Yellow – 123 votes
9. Super Mario Land – 141 votes
8. Final Fantasy Adventure – 165 votes
7. Dragon Quest Monsters – 171 votes
6. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 189 votes
5. Final Fantasy Legend II (Which was really a SaGa game) – 216 votes
4. The Final Fantasy Legend (Which was really a SaGa game) – 243 votes
3. Pokémon Gold and Silver – 273 votes
2. Tetris – 405 votes
1. Pokémon Red and Green – 1176 votes
Super Nintendo (Super Famicom)
10. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together – 144 votes
9. Chrono Trigger – 158 votes
8. Kirby Super Star – 159 votes
7. Super Mario RPG – 165 votes
6. Final Fantasy IV – 168 votes
5. Final Fantasy VI – 192 votes
4. Street Fighter II – 201 votes
3. Final Fantasy V – 216 votes
2. Dragon Quest V – 267 votes
1. Super Mario World – 445 votes
Saturn
10. Super Robot Wars F – 60 votes
9. Guardian Heroes – 72 votes
8. Mobile Suit Gundam: Gihren’s Ambition – 78 votes
7. Nights – 93 votes
6. Grandia – 105 votes
5. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers – 129 votes
4. Sakura Taisen 2 – 147 votes
3. Virtua Fighter – 203 votes
2. Virtua Fighter 2 – 252 votes
1. Sakura Taisen – 361 votes
PlayStation
10. Final Fantasy VIII – 54 votes
9. Harvest Moon: Back to Nature – 81 votes
8. Xenogears – 107 votes
7. SaGa Frontier – 120 votes
6. Doko Demo Issho – 147 votes
5. Ridge Racer – 168 votes
4. Metal Gear Solid – 264 votes
3. Final Fantasy IX – 341 votes
2. Resident Evil – 381 votes
1. Final Fantasy VII – 843 votes
Nintendo 64
10. Pokémon Stadium – 84 votes
9. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards – 96 votes
8. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – 117 votes
7. Donkey Kong – 64 129 votes
6. Shiren the Wanderer 2 – 156 votes
5. Mario Kart 64 – 159 votes
4. GoldenEye 007 – 201 votes
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – 438 votes
2. Super Mario 64 – 527 votes
1. Super Smash Bros. – 550 votes
Dreamcast
10. Soul Calibur – 42 votes
9. Jet Grind Radio – 51 votes
8. Sakura Taisen 4 – 60 votes
7. Sakura Taisen – 72 votes
6. Crazy Taxi – 117 votes
5. Atsumare! Guru Guru Onsen – 144 votes
4. Sonic Adventure – 189 votes
3. Sakura Taisen 3 – 210 votes
2. Shenmue – 211 votes
1. Phantasy Star Online – 241 votes
PlayStation 2
10. Drakengard – 90 votes
9. Ace Combat 5 – 96 votes
8. Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song – 108 votes
7. Shadow Hearts: Covenant – 111 votes
6. Kingdom Hearts – 121 votes
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – 129 votes
4. Yakuza – 177 votes
3. Persona 3 – 229 votes
2. Dragon Quest VIII – 343 votes
1. Final Fantasy X – 631 votes
Game Boy Advance
10. Mega Man Battle Network – 48 votes
9. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror – 72 votes
8. Magical Vacation – 85 votes
7. Pokémon Emerald – 87 votes
6. Mother 3 – 106 votes
5. Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand – 131 votes
4. Golden Sun – 212 votes
3. Fire Emblem – 234 votes
2. Ace Attorney – 358 votes
1. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire – 523 votes
GameCube
10. Luigi's Mansion – 56 votes
9. Resident Evil 4 – 66 votes
8. Animal Crossing – 75 votes
7. Tales of Symphonia – 96 votes
6. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – 120 votes
5. Kirby Air Ride – 126 votes
4. Pikmin – 141 votes
3. Resident Evil – 168 votes
2. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean – 185 votes
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee – 252 votes
Xbox
10. Shikigami no Shiro – 12 votes
9. Shin Megami Tensei: Nine – 19 votes
8. Otogi: Myth of Demons – 20 votes
7. Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller – 24 votes
6. Panzer Dragoon Orta – 31 votes
5. Steel Battalion – 48 votes
4. Ninja Gaiden – 64 votes
3. Dead or Alive 3 – 72 votes
2. Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball – 91 votes
1. Halo – 168 votes
DS
10. Rhythm Heaven – 66 votes
9. Etrian Odyssey – 72 votes
8. New Super Mario Bros. – 90 votes
7. Brain Age – 96 votes
6. Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver – 105 votes
5. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey – 121 votes
4. Animal Crossing: Wild World – 124 votes
3. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl – 144 votes
2. Professor Layton and the Curious Village – 168 votes
1. Dragon Quest IX – 364 votes
PlayStation Portable
10. Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy – 52 votes
9. Gods Eater Burst – 60 votes
8. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky – 66 votes
7. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd – 168 votes
6. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together – 192 votes
5. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd – 216 votes
4. Persona 3 Portable – 241 votes
3. Final Fantasy Type-0 – 242 votes
2. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – 251 votes
1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G – 624 votes
Xbox 360
10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 30 votes
9. Ace Combat 6 – 33 votes
8. Lost Planet – 51 votes
7. Tales of Vesperia – 54 votes
6. Lost Odyssey – 63 votes
5. Fallout 3 – 72 votes
4. Blue Dragon – 76 votes
3. Steins;Gate – 107 votes
2. Gears of War – 141 votes
1. The Idolm@ster – 221 votes
PlayStation 3
10. Super Street Fighter IV – 27 votes
9. Dragon’s Crown – 40 votes
8. Valkyria Chronicles – 40 votes
7. The Last of Us – 47 votes
6. Resident Evil: Revelations Unveiled Edition – 61 votes
5. Uncharted 2 – 72 votes
4. Journey – 96 votes
3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots – 168 votes
2. Final Fantasy XIII – 322 votes
1. Nier – 514 votes
Wii
10. Monster Hunter (tri) – 65 votes
9. Super Mario Bros. Wii – 75 votes
8. Mario Kart Wii – 81 votes
7. The Last Story – 91 votes
6. Wii Sports – 123 votes
5. Super Mario Galaxy – 47 votes
4. Dragon Quest X – 151 votes
3. Wii Fit – 168 votes
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl – 189 votes
1. Xenoblade – 256 votes
3DS
10. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy – 41 votes
9. Project X Zone – 52 votes
8. Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire – 65 votes
7. Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse – 66 votes
6. Monster Hunter 4G – 72 votes
5. Mario Kart 7 – 93 votes
4. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth – 96 votes
3. Fire Emblem Awakening – 186 votes
2. Monster Hunter Generations – 189 votes
1. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – 238 votes
PlayStation Vita
10. Muramasa: The Demon Blade – 58 votes
9. Freedom Wars – 63 votes
8. Tokyo Xanadu – 66 votes
7. God Eater 2 Rage Burst – 72 votes
6. Soul Sacrifice – 75 votes
5. Photo Kano Kiss – 96 votes
4. Dragon Quest Builders – 122 votes
3. Danganronpa 1 & 2 – 141 votes
2. Gravity Rush – 159 votes
1. Persona 4 Golden – 246 votes
Wii U
10. Yoshi’s Woolly World – 27 votes
9. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U – 32 votes
8. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD – 48 votes
7. Mario Kart 8 – 59 votes
6. Super Mario Maker – 72 votes
5. Tokyo Mirage Sessions FE – 89 votes
4. Xenoblade X – 99 votes
3. Bayonetta 2 – 121 votes
2. Dragon Quest X – 168 votes
1. Splatoon – 556 votes
PlayStation 4
10. Dragon Quest Heroes – 48 votes
9. Fallout 4 – 51 votes
8. Final Fantasy XIV – 54 votes
7. Final Fantasy Type-0 HD – 60 votes
6. The Witcher 3 – 62 votes
5. Bloodborne – 90 votes
4. Dragon Quest Builders – 93 votes
3. Yakuza 0 – 96 votes
2. Uncharted 4 – 226 votes
1. Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain – 254 votes
Xbox One
10. Call of Duty: Ghosts – 32 votes
9. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 – 45 votes
8. The Witcher 3 – 54 votes
7. Tom Clancy’s The Division – 60 votes
6. Chaos;Child – 63 votes
5. Dead Rising 3 – 74 votes
4. Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain – 82 votes
3. Rise of the Tomb Raider – 84 votes
2. Halo 5: Guardians – 93 votes
1. Titanfall – 106 votes
Comparing those numbers with sales figures, it seems this poll did manage to get votes from every single Xbox One owner in Japan. So credit Famitsu for having a very broad reach!
So there's the list of games that Famitsu readers' minds go to when thinking about certain systems. For me, it's interesting to see Mother make the Nintendo list, Mother 3 crack the GBA list, but Earthbound (Mother 2, easily the most internationally famous of the trilogy) miss the Super Nintendo list. Strange world we live in.
What about you? What are your most memorable games?
[Via: NeoGAF]
