More Video Games, Please

Back in the day, I used to dig through the used CD bins at Amoeba Records to look for deals. The funny thing was that there were always tons of LaToya Jackson CD's available. I could understand why people would want to sell these CD's, but why were they buying them in the first place? Were they giving these things away?

There are thousands of CD's available, with hundreds more coming out every few months. A lot of this music is probably not your cup of tea, or is just plain crappy. Just take a look at the used CD bins. For every good band you find, you'll probably find ten LaToya Jacksons. Yet a lot of stuff gets released, because every CD hopes to find its market somewhere.

DVD's are the same way. Not every DVD is going to be a blockbuster or have critical acclaim. A lot of movies get made simply with the hope that they will sell in the direct-to-video market. Did you see Sylvester Stallone in a movie called Eye See You? No? Maybe you caught Wesley Snipes in The Marksman? No? Huh. Go figure.

Here's what I'm getting at: there are a lot of video games produced in Japan. Some are translated and sold in the U.S., but the majority of them do not come over. I know things are driven by market demand and cultural differences, but I think that the video game companies should take a few more chances and release some more varied Japanese games to the U.S. If we can have a flood of product in CD's and DVD's, how about a little more choice with video games? What have they got to lose? Someone is going to buy this stuff. Some people may even like them.

Here's one that will probably never be released in the U.S.: Marilyn Monroe Pachinko. People love Marilyn Monroe, and pachinko machines are the pinball/slot machines of Japan, how can this go wrong? If the price was right, I would buy it.