Princess Maker: Legend of Another World

They grow up so fast.

Game Data:

  • Review Date: June 26, 2021
  • Release Date: October 27, 1995
  • Platform: SNES
  • Publisher: Gainax
  • Developer: Gainax
  • Genre: Simulation

Anecdotes: These Japan exclusives clearly have a different feel and flavor to them. The games range in quality from utter crap like Lum’s Wedding Bell to pure awesomeness like Sailor Moon R. The biggest pattern I’ve seen, though, is that Japan was much more accepting and into female characters than North America. Princess Maker doesn’t technically have a playable female in it, but because half the game will just have daughter on screen standing in her bedroom, she might as well be the lead.

Description: The game is a straight up simulation of raising a daughter. As her father, players make decisions on how to raise her by scheduling time for school, work, and leisure. The daughter starts the game on her tenth birthday. The game takes her through eight important years of her life.

Positives:

  • There are tons of possible ways the daughter can turn out, and it seems like they really nailed some of the nuances of raising a daughter. Although players will fill in her personality, her physical description is very detailed, even if she was a bit light when I played.

Negatives:

  • The game is entirely in Japanese and it’s very text heavy. There are also few animations to show what’s happening. Because the Katakana in this game is really just English words with Japanese characters, I can decode it rather easily. Anyone that understands Japanese will likely do better than I did.

Screenshots:

Hey, I get to name her! As readers can clearly see, I named her Amanda.
Amanda is 4’10” and 71 pounds. I better feed her.
I don’t understand most of this, but here’s what I did get: below her birthdate, it says Capricorn. The third to fifth lines on the right say Bust, Waist, and Hip. Why those measurements are necessary, I don’t know.
Amanda is happy and I send her to school. This may be the last time she’s happy.
Leon wants to play with some tarot cards? His HP in 665. Amanda’s is 15. We all know how this ends.
I hit a bunch of random buttons and this happened. I’m not sure what “Medinia” is, though.
That’s my daughter botching a shampoo job. I’m so proud of her!
Yeah, I suck at this. Amanda doesn’t look happy. Amanda is 13 and doesn’t even weigh 100 pounds. I’m 1,170 gold in the hole. I should expect DCFS to come get her any minute. And, no, I don’t have any real kids, but if I did, I would be much more serious about raising her.

Final Opinion: Players that don’t understand Japanese should skip this. Those that do understand should give it a try.

Grade: C

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