SD Gundam Eiyuuden Musha Densetsu

OK, this was my first Wonderswan mistake. I was caught up in the buzz of Wonderswan (my own manufactured buzz, admittedly) and was desperate to get a game to see it working, so made an impulse purchase.

I got SD Gundam Eiyuuden Musha Densetsu from an ebayer and it came today. Uh oh, pure RPG! This is a text heavy game that makes no sense to me at all. It's nice to see the system in operation at last though. The graphics are pleasant enough although honestly I found it a little hard to see the screen and needed good light and a good angle.

The game seems to have two modes/roles you can take: there's a selection screen at startup which start the game in different places. You wander about and encounter warriors and then a battle commences. You make a few selections and then watch the figh take place and see energy level depleted but have no control over the battle itself.

As I said in an earlier post, there are a lot of RPG games for the Wonderswan, and with my Japanese being a little rusty, I don't think I'm going to get too far with this one. Pictures below.

Wonderswan.co.uk Site News

I've put a link to Play Asia in the right hand side bar, as they are great suppliers of Japanese video games generally, but more specifically, because they have a great selection of Wondersan consoles and games.

As I said before, ebay is often the best place to get Wonderswan consoles and games. If you have an interesting auction up, or have seen one, please feel free to email me and I'll try my hardest to give it a special mention on the blog.

Wonderswan Emulators

I'm patiently waiting for the arrival of my first game for my Wonderswan. It's been suggested to me that I should just get an emulator and download the games to play them.

I could do that but for me the fun is in getting games and playing them on the system itself so I am resisting the temptation to dabble with emulators at all.

If, however, you want to check out Wonderswan emulators, check this page out. My friend, Miss PSX, was also telling me that there is a Wonderswan emulator for the Sony PSP.

eBay is your friend

If you are looking to buy a Wonderswan console or games, you will find that one of the best resources you can use is eBay.

For that reason, I've embedded some eBay.co.uk search results in the right hand column so visitors to this blog can always keep up to date with Wonderswan related items for sale.

List of Wonderswan Games

Over the coming weeks, I hope to be trying out as many Wonderswan games as I can. One problem will be that because this system was only released in Japan, and many of the games have a bias towards RPG, I may be limited in my selection.

I will be browsing eBay mostly to get hold of games and will post up details as and when I get hold of them.

For now though, I thought it would be useful to post the list of Wonderswan games that Wikipedia has:

0-9

* 326 for WonderSwan



A

* Anchors Field
* Anotherheaven -Memory Of Those Days-
* Arc The Lad -Kishin Fukkatsu-
* Armored Unit



B

* Bakusou Dekotora Densetsu for WonderSwan
* Battle Spirit Digimon Frontier
* Beatmania for WonderSwan
* Blue Wing Blitz
* Buffers Evolution



C

* Card Captor Sakura -Sakura To Fushigina Crow Card-
* Chaos Gear
* Chocobo No Fushigina Dungeon for WonderSwan
* Chou Aniki -Otoko No Tamafuda-
* Chou Jikuu Yousai Macross -True Love Song-
* Clazy Climber
* Clock Tower for WonderSwan



D

* Dark Eyes -Battle Gate-
* Densha de go!
* Densha de go! 2
* Dicing Knight.
* Digimon Adventure -Anode Tamer-
* Digimon Adventure -Cathode Tamer-
* Digimon Adventure 02 Tag Tamers
* Digimon Adventure 02 D1 Tamers
* Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit
* Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit Ver.1.5
* Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer
* Digimon Tamers: Digimon Medley
* Digital Monster Card Game Ver.WonderSwan
* Digital Monster D Project
* Digital Monster Ver.WonderSwan
* Digital Partner
* Dokodemo Hamster
* Dokodemo Hamster 3: Odekake Saffron
* Dragon Ball
* D's Garage Koubo Game Tane O Maku Tori



E

* Engacho! for WonderSwan



F

* Fever Sankyo Koushiki Pachinko Simulation
* Final Fantasy
* Final Fantasy II
* Final Fantasy IV
* Final Lap Special
* Fire Prores Ring for WonderSwan
* Fishing Freaks Bass Rise for WonderSwan
* Flash Koibito Kun
* From TV Animation One Piece -Chopper No Daibouken-
* From TV Animation One Piece Grand Battle Swan Colosseum
* From TV Animation One Piece -Mezase Kaizokuou!-
* From TV Animation One Piece -Niji No Shima Densetsu-
* From TV Animation One Piece -Treasure Wars-
* From TV Animation One Piece: Treasure Wars 2 Buggy Land e Youkoso
* Front Mission



G

* Ganso Ja Jajamaru Kun
* Gekitou! Clush Gear Turbo -Gear Champion League-
* Gensou Maden Saiyuuki Retribution -Hi No Ataru Tokoro De-
* Glocal Hexcite
* Golden Axe
* Gomokunarabe & Reversi Touryuumon
* Gorakuou Tango!
* Gransta Chronicle
* Guilty Gear Petit
* Guilty Gear Petit 2
* Gunpey
* Gunpey EX



H

* Hanafuda Shiyouyo
* Hanjuku Hero -Aa, Sekai Yo Hanjuku Nare-
* Harobots
* Hataraku Chocobo
* Hunter X Hunter GI
* Hunter X Hunter -Ishi o Tsugu Mono-
* Hunter X Hunter -Michibikareshi Mono-
* Hunter X Hunter -Sorezore No Ketsui-



I

* Inu Yasha -Fuuun Emaki-
* Inu Yasha -Kagome No Sengoku Nikki-
* Inu Yasha -Kagome No Yume Nikki-



J

* Judgement Silversword -Rebirth Edition-



K

* Kakutou Ryouri Densetsu : Bistro Recipe -Wonder Battle Hen-
* Kappa Games : Chou Denki Card Battle "Youfu Makai" Kikuchi Hideyuki
* Keiba Yosou Shien Soft : Yosou Shinkaron
* Kidou Senshi Gundam Giren No Yabou Tokubetsu Hen Aoki Hoshi No Hasha
* Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed
* Kidou Senshi Gundam Vol.1 -Side 7-
* Kidou Senshi Gundam Vol.2 -Jaburo-
* Kinniku Man II-sei -Choujin Seisenshi-
* Kiss Yori... -Seaside Serenade-
* Klonoa: Moonlight Museum
* Kosodate Quiz Dokodemo My Angel
* Kurupara



L

* Last Alive
* Last Stand
* Langrisser Millennium -The Last Century-
* Lime Rider Kerorikan



M

* Magical Drop for WonderSwan
* Marie & Elie -Futari No Atelier-
* Marjong Touryuumon
* Makaimura for WonderSwan
* Makaitoushi SaGa
* Medarot Perfect Edition (Kabuto Version)
* Medarot Perfect Edition (Kuwagata Version)
* Meitantei Conan -Majutsushi No Chousenjou-
* Meitantei Conan -Nishi No Meitantei Saidai No Kiki !?-
* Meitantei Conan -Yuugure No Oujo-
* Memories Off Festa
* Mikeneko Holmes: Ghost Panic
* Mingle Magnet
* Metakomi Therapy: Nee Kiite!
* Mobile Suit Gundam MSVS
* Moero !! Pro Yakyuu Rookies
* Morita Shougi for WonderSwan
* Mr. Driller



N

* Namco Super Wars
* Namco Wonder Classic
* Naruto: Konoha Ninpouchou
* Nazooh Pocket
* Nice On
* Nobunaga No Yabou for WonderSwan



O

* One Piece Treasure Wars 2
* Ouchan No Oekaki Logic



P

* Pocket No Naka No Draemon
* Pro Mahjong Kiwame for WonderSwan
* Puzzle Bobble



R

* Raku Jongg
* Road Runner for WonderSwan
* Rockman & Forte -Mirai Kara No Chousensha-
* Rockman EXE N1 Battle
* Rockman EXE WS
* Romancing SaGa
* RUN=DIM -Rerurn To Earth-
* Ring Infinity



S

* Saint Seiya Ougon Densetsu Hen Perfect Edition
* Sangokushi for WonderSwan
* Sangokushi II for WonderSwan
* Senkaiden -TV Animation Senkaiden Houshin Engi Yori-
* Senkaiden Ni -TV Animation Senkaiden Houshin Engi Yori-
* Sennou Millennium
* SD Gundam: Eiyuuden Kishi Densetsu
* SD Gundam: Eiyuuden Musha Densetsu
* SD Gundam: Emotional Jam
* SD Gundam: Gashapon Senki -Episode One-
* SD Gundam: G Generation Gather Beat
* SD Gundam: G Generation Gather Beat 2
* SD Gundam: G Generation Monoeye Gundams
* SD Gundam: Operation U.C.
* Shaman King -Asu e No Ishi-
* Shanghai Pocket
* Shin Nihon Prores Ring Toukonretsuden
* Shinseiki Evangelion: Shito Ikusei
* Shougi Touryuumon
* Side Pocket for WonderSwan
* Slither Link
* Sorobangu
* Sotsugyou for WonderSwan
* Space Invaders
* Star Hearts -Hoshi To Daichi No Shisha-
* Soccor Yarou! -Challenge The World-
* Super Robot Taisen Compact
* Super Robot Taisen Compact for WonderSwanColor
* Super Robot Taisen Compact 2 Dai1bu: Chijou Hadou Hen
* Super Robot Taisen Compact 2 Dai2bu: Uchuu Gekishin Hen
* Super Robot Taisen Compact 2 Dai3bu: Ginga Kessen Hen
* Super Robot Taisen Compact 3



T

* Taikyoku Igo Heisei Kiin
* Tanjou -Debut- for WonderSwan
* Tarepanda No Gun Pey
* Tekken Card Challenge
* Terrors
* Terrors 2
* Tetris
* Tetsujin 28gou
* Time Bokan Series: Bokan Densetsu Buta Mo Odaterya Doronboh
* Ton Fuu Sou
* Tokyo Majin Gakuen: Fujo Fuuroku
* Trump Collection -Bottom Up Teki Trump Seikatsu-
* Trump Collection II -Bottom Up Teki Sekai Isshuu No Tabi-
* Turntablist -DJ Battle-



U

* Uchuu Senkan Yamato
* Ultraman: Hikari No Kuni No Shisha
* Umizuri Ni Ikou!
* Uzumaki -Denshi Kaiki Hen
* Uzumaki -Noroi Simulation-
* Trump Collection II -Bottom Up Teki Sekai Isshuu No Tabi-
* Turntablist -DJ Battle-



V

* Vaitz Blade



W

* Wild Card
* With You -Mitsumete Itai-
* Wizardry Scenario1: Kyouou No Shirenjou
* WonderSwan Handy Sonar
* Wonder Stadium
* Wonder Stadium '99
* wuz↑b? Produce Street Dancer



X

* X Card Of Fate
* XI Little



Y

* Yakusoku No Chi Riviera

My new Wonderswan

After a bit of dilly dallying on eBay, trying to catch a bargain, I decided to just go and buy a SwanCrystal from a nearby video game retailer. SwanCrystal was the third Wonderswan incarnation, with a brilliant TFT screen. The one I got was in a Blue/Violet casing, and still in its original box.

Inside the box was the console, wrapped in a plastic bag, a Panasonic AA battery, an instruction manual and a registration card. My Japanese is a little rusty, so the instruction manual made no sense to me, although there was some intriguing screenshots showing some personal information screen where the user can store their details, including their Bloodtype. This thing is practical too! I hope to find out more about this personal information screen sometime soon.

Pictures below show the box and the console.

Don't Panic! Don't Panic!

I put the battery in and gingerly pressed the yellow power button. The power button was a new feature to the CrystalSwan with previous versions using a switch mechanism. I waited for a Gameboy like bell, or a nice reassuring splash screen but all I got was a few lines on the screen that quickly faded away. I pressed it again, same thing happened. Hmm I thought - this battery that came with it must have been several years old, so I tried a new Duracell that I had. Same thing. My heart sunk, as I started to contemplate the possibility that I'd bought a dud. Feeling dejected and like I wanted make the world to go away, I put my CrystalSwan away and resigned myself to taking it back to the shop. But before doing so, a Google search brought heartening results. It seems that without a game cartridge in the system, the behaviour I saw was entirely normal. Rejoice rejoice, all I need now is a game to test my new Wonderswan.

Welcome....

Welcome to my new blog on the Wonderswan games console from Bandai.

Why Wonderswan?

I was reading up one day about the evolution of Nintendo and how important Gunpei Yoko had been in that story. He had been an important factor in the creation of the fantastically successful Game & Watch series, and also the Nintendo Gameboy. Unfortunately he was also the man behind the Virtual Boy - a much derided 3d gaming console that was seen as a flop - which precipitated his departure from Nintendo. He then joined Bandai where he was assigned with the task of coming up with a new handheld console, which was called the Wonderswan. The Wonderswan started life as a mono handheld, and was then followed by a colour edition and then colour with TFT screen called the SwanCrystal. It had reasonable success, allowing Bandai to get an 8% share of the Japanese handheld market, but the system was never released outside of Japan.

Gunpei's story ends in tragedy when he was killed in a road accident aged 56.

The intriguing story of the Wonderswan and its creator is what sparked my interest and made me determined to get one for myself and find out if its any good. This blog will be about the console and games as I buy them and put information up - information which is a little scarce on English Language sites.