Pason Retro is a regular look back at the early days of PC gaming in Japan, covering everything from specialist computers in the 1980s to the blissful days of Windows XP.
Konami’s Tokimeki Memorial is Resident Evil for Date Sims. After his PC engine debuted on his console in 1994, the game quickly became a million-selling success story, spawning countless silly games. and serious A spin-off at home or in an arcade. The game was quickly remade, demade, and ported to nearly every successful format of its time, including Windows 95. While it’s still not enough to encourage fans to double, triple, or even quadruple his dips, the box includes a shirt-sized iron-on transfer print to sweeten the deal. It was
Merchandise was a big part of the Tokimemo experience and influence in the 90s. The students at Kirameki High School were so popular that his usual array of CDs, key chains, and calling cards wasn’t enough to satisfy the hordes of game enthusiasts. Konami was happy to satisfy their enthusiasm by releasing replica uniforms, cameras, cell phones, life-size character busts, LCD BeatMania games, and many other wallet-busting trinkets. Nothing was outrageous or too expensive for fans of the game.Tokimeki Memorial apparently generated Ten a billion In the first 4 years, sales of products equivalent to Japanese Yen were made.
but why Was it so successful?By the standards of the decade in which it debuted, perhaps Any Ten years — it shouldn’t have been. Even Konami didn’t think it would be a hit at first. To make matters worse, Tokimemo has the highly suggestive or overtly implied language often found in similar games available at the time. There is no visual “reward” either. Here, the modest bathing suit worn on the sunny beach is as exposed as the rest of the characters (except for the optional shower scene, which is detrimental to voyeurism). Even stranger, all students can turn you down.
That’s right: this is a dating sim. Girls don’t have to date you.
It may sound silly, but these non-romantic features are key to Tokimeki Memorial’s enduring popularity. It reflects your own decisions, your own successes and your own area of expertise. It’s the person you choose, even the one you’re happy to be able to finish your studies with friends of. their side. It gives your friendships a more personal angle that other dating sims don’t give you: the girl you met while exercising, someone who noticed your dedication to fashion or your love of books.
In this more relaxed digital relationship, there was a sweet confession of mutual adoration at the end of the game that made it as emotionally and physically intense as the previous interaction, opening up a whole new world of possibilities. not only dates trophies and desirable stereotypes, but also because the relationship with her falls into a category other than “I’m going to make her love me” and “I’m not attracted to her.” There is space for Interactions with you will be more diverse.
Girls join or perhaps play a major role in their favorite school club. Maybe they run into you in the hall when you’re rushing to another place, or they catch you at school and ask if you can go to the amusement park next weekend, or you have to say no to an invitation. No. I’m busy that day (or I’m just not interested in you).
is written as peoplea collection of IF>THEN statements for clicking romantic submissions, not just their likes and dislikes, but their life and personality If you want to spend “more than friends” time with them. Success isn’t about choosing the perfect date spot and the right answer every time, it’s about being on the same wavelength. Better than one wishing you went to the park.
The girl of your dreams doesn’t have to be perfect (covergirl Shiori Fujisaki is sometimes referred to as the last boss in dating sim games). she to her and her friends.
A truly genius move, mastering the game’s systems introduces its own unique set of flaws, largely self-harming. So are you the most popular kid in school? wonderful. But how do you maintain a busy social schedule without failing every test and feeling exhausted? What if you accidentally promise two girls to date on the same day? What do you do when you’re frustrated because you haven’t called three girls in weeks and only have time to call one?
There is no right answer in any situation, and in some cases there is no right answer at all. That freedom is why Tokimemo is still important today.this is your It’s not a visual novel with clear pre-planned routes and binary choices, nor is it a forced teenage romance with someone who just returns the affection of an avatar. The journey you choose is the true prize in this dating sim. That’s when you sang a difficult song to impress the girls at karaoke, unlocked the computer club’s Shmup mini-game, and finally won the sports day race. is not.
Few games dare to make fun of themselves or have the confidence to shrug and carry on if they fail or choose not to do the “right” thing, but Tokimemo ripped the rulebook apart. pass control.
Tokimeki Memorial was seldom matched and definitely not beaten. of A dating sim about 30 years in the future. It’s a shame that Konami has never acknowledged TokiMemo’s existence outside of Japan.I don’t mind that they’ve actually released numerous ports of the game in English. Super Famicom version of the game (given the game’s CD-based origins, it’s essentially a ‘demake’ of the original TokiMemo), finally bringing this important game to a wider audience with minimal fuss.
That’s great news, but there’s even better news: an English translation of the Saturn version, sprinkled with extra scenes and vastly improved artwork, are also working.
It can’t come really quickly.Is there anything better than being able to fall in love for the first time? Twice?