The start of 2024 through February is a rush of big-name titles and buzzworthy releases. While I hear the happy cries of people who do not have enough time to play them all, some players prefer to finish one title before buying the next to avoid accumulating games. I am one of those people. Players like that sometimes have periods between big releases where they run out of new titles to play, but starting a massive game can create a fear that they will not be able to finish it before their target title launches. At times like these, retro games, which have many titles that can be played quickly, are perfect. And when it comes to hardware with many classic retro games, that is the Famicom! The Famicom 40th Anniversary Campaign began on July 15, 2023, and now that we have reached the halfway point, there are only six months left. It feels like half is already gone, yet half is still to come. The most exciting part of the Famicom 40th Anniversary Campaign is the Famicom National Election, which is held every week with unique themes, and the results for the 27th theme, "Which Game Comes to Mind When You Think of 'Western'?", have been announced!
和風タイトルが多い中、違った「和」の解釈も！「ファミコン国民投票」第26回「和」といえば？結果発表！
A Gathering of Various Westerns! 27th Results Announced!
The results of the 27th Famicom National Election "Which Game Comes to Mind When You Think of 'Western'?" have been announced, and the top 20 are now public on the Famicom 40th Anniversary Campaign site! Following the previous "Japanese" theme, many people likely thought of Western style when they heard "Western," resulting in many titles set in the West or fantasy worlds ranking high. Taking the top spot was Konami's Castlevania with 13.1% of the votes! This was the first entry in the long-running Castlevania series and is famous for its high level of difficulty, even officially calling itself a "horror action game for experts." It featured a gothic horror atmosphere that felt realistic for the time, a nail-biting high difficulty level, and wonderful music, making it a title that feels "Western" in every way—a well-deserved first place! By the way, the later entry Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse ranked 13th, and the spin-off I voted for, Kid Dracula, ranked 77th; since many games in the series ranked, it seems many people think of the Castlevania series when they hear "Western." And just like with the "Japanese" theme, titles that took a slightly slanted approach to "Western" also ranked, with Ide Yosuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong landing at an impressively high 3rd place! That is because of the master’s name, Yosuke, includes “Yo,” which means “western” in Japanese! It is a masterpiece of two-player mahjong that came with a dedicated controller, and it was a title that captured the hearts of the fathers' generation who were not playing Famicom games, as well as being the first contact with mahjong for the children who watched them. The fact that Ide Yosuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong made it all the way to 3rd place is truly worthy of Famicom fans!
#ファミコン国民投票 第27回テーマ結果発表
「洋」といえば？
みなさんに選ばれたトップ10はこちら。第28回テーマ
「中」といえば？
の投票をただいまより受付開始。サイトではトップ20やあなたが投票したタイトルの順位も確認できます。https://t.co/sdHovLdeBx#ファミコン40周年 pic.twitter.com/1R9qhBTSgG
— ファミコン40周年 (@famicom40th) January 25, 2024
Following "Japanese" and "Western"! Voting for "Which Game Comes to Mind When You Think of 'Central/Chinese'?" Has Begun!
That the 27th has ended means the 28th has begun. Voting for the 28th Famicom National Election started on Thursday, January 25, 2024! The theme this time is "Which Game Comes to Mind When You Think of 'Central/Chinese'?"! After "Japanese" and then "Western," it was not hard to imagine that "Central/Chinese" would come next! It is likely that many Chinese-style titles will rank high this time, but "Central/Chinese" also has various ways of being interpreted. If Ide Yosuke Meijin no Jissen Mahjong was acceptable for "Western," then titles with the kanji for "Chu" (Central/Middle/Chinese) in the title will also be acceptable, which seems to broaden the options significantly. Cast your honest vote for the title among the many "Chu" games that is most memorable to you! As always, you can vote from the Famicom National Election page on the campaign site after logging in with your Nintendo Account. Do not worry if you forget a title; candidates will appear if you enter part of the title. The voting period for the 28th Famicom National Election is until 11:59 AM on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, and the results are scheduled to be announced on Thursday, February 1, 2024! It is already February! When asked about "Chu," I could not leave out Ramenman, who has the character "Chu" shining on his forehead, so I voted for Tatakae!! Ramenman: Sakuretsu Chojin 102 Gei! We will never forget Brockenman!
ファミコン国民投票 第28回のテーマは…
「中」といえば？
投票期間は1月31日（水）11:59AMまで。
結果発表は2月1日（木）予定です。#ファミコン40周年https://t.co/sdHovLdeBx pic.twitter.com/FmjS6BTt8I— ファミコン40周年 (@famicom40th) January 25, 2024
