Japanese PS2 Software Lineup

TOKYO - Nothing. That's all that could be said when Sony revealed its future Japanese software for the PlayStation2. Most of us were speechless. A new Biohazard, a new Tekken, a new Ridge Racer, a new Bloody Roar, a new Bust A Groove, a new Jade Cocoon, a new Cool Boarders, a new Armored Core, a new Star Ocean, a new Bomberman.... We could go on and on. Sony and its third parties are taking everything that made the PlayStation a success and giving it a dose of PlayStation2 magic. And then come the original titles - Kessen, Crossfire, Ninja Gaiden, The Bouncer, and so on. Amazing to say the least.

And this is only the Japanese list. We haven't even heard what will be coming from major overseas companies like Acclaim, Electronic Arts, Naughty Dog, Activision, and the multitude of other developers that have signed on to make titles for the next-generation PlayStation. It's scary.

According to Ken Kutaragi, within a half-year of the PlayStation2's launch there will be 128 titles available. For a good idea of what to expect, take a look through this partial list of what's in development from Sony and its Japanese third parties. (Please note that many of these game titles are tentative and will likely change before release.)

Artdink: A-Train 6 (Simulation)

Ascii Corporation:Flower Sun and Rain (Action Adventure)Panic Surfing (Sports Action)

Ask: Billiards Master 2 (Sports)

Asmik:Sidewinder Max (3D Flight Shooting)

Astroll:American Arcade (Pinball, etc.)

Athena:Pro Mahjong Kiwame Next (Table)

Bandai:Mobile Suit Gundam (3D Action)

Capcom: Oni Musha (Adventure)EX3: The Street Fighter (Fighting)A new Biohazard title (Survival Horror)

DaZZ:Lakemasters EX (Bass Fishing)

Ecseco Development:Battle on the Ghat (Car Racing)

Electronic Arts Square:Cross Fire (Action Shooting)

Enix:BBD 2000 (Simulation)Bust A Move 3 (Dance)Exotica (Action EPG)Fighting QTs (TV Game)Sonnette (Love Story)Star Ocean 3 (RPG)

From Software:Armored Core 2 (Action)Eternal Ring (RPG)

Fujimic:Bakuryu 2 (Sports)

Genki:Tamamayu Monogatari 2 (Jade Cocoon 2) (RPG)

Gust: Fly High (Racing)

Hudson Soft:Bloody Roar 3 (3D Fighting)Bomberman 2001 (Puzzle Action)

I4 Corporation: AI Igo 2001 (Board Game)AI Mahjong 2001 (Board Game)AI Shogi 2001 (Board Game)

Idea Factory:Sky Surfer (Sports)

Imagineer:Wild Wild Racing (Racing)

Jorudan:1 on 1 Government (Action)

Kaga Tech:Tetsuman Menkyokaiden (Table)

Koei:Kessen (Real-time Simulation)Mahjong Taikai III (Board)Shin*Sangokumusou (Action)Soldnerschild 2 (Simulation RPG)

Konami:DrumMania (Action)Gradius III & IV (Shooter) Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 7 (Sports)Jikkyou World Soccer 2000 (Sports)Mahjong Yarouze! 2 (Table)

Locus:FX Pilot (Flight Shooting)

M2To:Tuning Car Racing Game (Racing)

Magical Company:Magical Sports Catch Bass Club (Sports)Magical Sports Koshien 2000 (Sports)Magical Sports ProGolfer (Sports)

Mainichi Communications:Todai Shogi Shikenbisha Dojyo (Shogi)

Namco:500GP (Racing)Shin Ridge Racer (Racing)Tekken Tag Tournament (3D Fighting)

Riverhillsoft:World Neverland 3 (Table)

Seta: Ide Yohksuke No Majan Kazoku 2 (Table)Perfect Golf 3 (Sports)

Sony Computer Entertainment:Boku To Maoh (The King and I) (RPG)Dark Cloud (RPG)Den-Sen (Action)Fantavision (Action)Gran Turismo 2000 (Racing)I.Q. Remix (Puzzle)Popolocrois III (Romantic RPG)Splash Dive (Action)

Sony Music Entertainment:L'Arc~en~Ciel (Music)Tenchu 2 (Action)

Spike:WRC (Rally Racing)

Square:The Bouncer (Action Fighting)

Sun Corporation:Shanghai 5 (Puzzle)Street Mahjong Trance Majin 2 (Table)

Sunrise Interactive:Panzer Century G Breaker (Technical Simulation)

T&E Soft:3D Golf (Sports)

Taito Corporation:Go By Train! (Simulation)

Takara:Choro Q HG (Adventure Racing)

Tecmo:Kunia (Ninja Gaiden) (Action)Unison (Action)

Titus:Roadsters Trophy 2000 (Car Racing)Robocop (Action)

Tomy: Baki the Grappler (Action)

UEP Systems: New Cool Boarders (Sports)

Victor Interactive Software:Let's Become a Pilot! (Simulation)

Video System:F-1 (Racing)

VR-1:3D Real Drive (Racing)

Warashi:Soul Surfing (Action)

Xing:Fighting Illusion K-1 Grandprix (Sports)

Yuki Enterprise:Morita Shougi (Table)