Bandai Namco explains why Retro Game Challenge 1 + 2 Replay won't be localized

If you want to buy Retro Game Challenge 1 + 2 Replay for the Switch, you can do so right now…but only through the Japanese eShop. If you were holding out hope that the title would end up getting localized, Bandai Namco has unfortunately put the final nail in that coffin.

In Japan, the Retro Game Challenge line of games is known as Game Center CX, sharing the same name of the TV show it’s based on. The first game in the series, which debuted on the Nintendo DS, did get localized as Retro Game Challenge, but the two titles that followed never made their way outside of Japan. That makes it less surprising that Retro Game Challenge 1 + 2 Replay for Switch won’t get localized, but it’s nonetheless disappointing.

In a Famitsu feature with members of the Retro Game Challenge 1 + 2 Replay dev team, it was stated that there simply isn’t much of an audience for the game outside of Japan. Again, this is likely due to the TV show not officially airing stateside. Along with that, the devs also pointed to challenging localization elements like graphics that would have to be altered, and design aspects that don’t exactly translated to other regions 1:1.