JRPG for consoles and PCs’
JRPGs (Japanese Role-playing Games) include many of the elements typical to RPGs (Role-playing Games), such as creating and developing characters, completing various quests, and exploring the game world. JRPG originally described all RPG games produced in Japan, as they had a unique style and content that differed from games from other countries. In early JRPGs players often controlled multiple predetermined characters simultaneously and the games had a stronger focus on linear storytelling. Some feel that the term JRPG describes a certain style of game regardless of where they are made and do not consider all RPGs produced in Japan to fit this definition. JRPG, like RPG, is not a very descriptive genre label, so it is often supplemented with other terms, such as action JRPG or turn-based JRPG. Games like Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and the Soulsborne series can all be classified as JRPGs, despite their differences.
Rhythm games
There were rhythm game machines in hangout spots suitable for young people in the early 2000s in Finland. The most familiar rhythm game for Finns was Dance Dance Revolution (1998–) located in the Tennispalatsi movie theater in Helsinki. Rhythm games are a subgenre of musical games and are often dance or instrument simulation games where the goal is to press buttons in the sequence indicated. When attachable dance mats for home consoles were released, rhythm gaming also moved into homes. Rhythm games have also found their way into many players’ pockets in the form of mobile games.
Mobile games
One of the highest-grossing mobile games of all time is the Japanese physics puzzle game Monster Strike, released in 2013. It combines elements from strategy, role-playing, and multiplayer games. The game has expanded into an anime series and a movie. Idol rhythm games, such as Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage (2020) and the Love Live! series (2013–), have also become very popular. In idol rhythm games, there is a wide range of characters, each with their own traits and story arcs. Many idol rhythm games are gacha games, where the goal is to collect the characters you’re interested in. Gacha games have quickly become a very popular game type, and gacha games constitute almost their own genre.
The term “gacha” comes from Japanese gachapon toy vending machines, where, for a coin, one can “spin” to get a random toy. In Gacha games, players often aim to “spin” for rare characters, and they try their luck by “spinning” as many times as needed to obtain the desired character.
Visual Novels
Visual novel is a game type that originated in Japan. Visual novels often feature a drawn background image with the character, whose dialogue is being displayed, in front of it. The story is mostly told through text, and the background and character images help visualize the events of the plot. The level of interactivity in visual novels varies, with some being akin to reading a book with pictures, while others may include player choices leading to branching storylines. Some visual novel game series, such as Danganronpa (2010–) and Steins;Gate (2009–), have been adapted into anime, manga, plays, and radio dramas.
Card, Board, and Party Games
Card games and collecting trading cards are popular hobbies in Finland. The collecting of Pokémon cards (1996) and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (1999) began decades ago. Smaller but popular Japanese card games in Finland include Force of Will (2012) and Vanguard (2011). Due to Chinese influences, Japanese people have a long history of board games, with the most known classic being shogi, or Japanese chess. In recent years, Japanese game designers and publishers (especially Oink Games) have gained attention in Western countries. Well-known board games in Finland include Iki (2015), focusing on the trading culture of Edo period Japan, and Hanamikoji (2013), set in Kyoto’s geisha district.
