Sony's Happiness Controller Game Elevates The Joy

Thanks to GamePro for its preview of Sony's forthcoming Japanese PlayStation 2 game, Happiness Controller. The preview explains: "The goal of Happiness Controller is to make 100 people that you control happy", and details: "Some of the types of people you need to make happy include... Happily married businessman, whose company is about to go bankrupt... A child whose father is a slob, and whose mother comes home late at night drunk... Bar club hostess, who gets paid to listen to rich Japanese businessmen talk." However, the preview ends: "Given the very Japanese nature of the 100 characters, if a North American release is planned it would likely have different characters."

I don't think I'd enjoy this

[DarkkOne]

But I'm sure alot of the sims players probably would... And dammit, we need to support strange japanese games when/if the make it to the US. Because there's some damn good ones that have come out and NOT made it to the US on the assumption "we wouldn't get it."

i wouldnt get *that*

[imr]

that [gamepro.com]

Re:i wouldnt get *that*

[Pluvius]

I always thought that this [syberpunk.com] was weird, personally.

Rob

Re:i wouldnt get *that*

[bugbread]

What's the deal with that game, anyway? I see it come up from time to time, often erroneously attributed to Japan, but it's definitely not a Japanese game. Korean? Anyone know?

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[account_deleted]

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Re:What the hell is wrong with those people?

[Anonymous Coward]

not all japanese products have the words "joy" "happy" and "golden" in them....
I mean, come on now, lets take for example my favorite japanese toy..

http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=god- je sus.jpg&category=Toys&date=2002-10-16

Re:

[account_deleted]

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Re:What the hell is wrong with those people?

[bugbread]

Way to RTA. The game is called "Koufuku Sousakan". Unless one of those words is some hyperadvanced English that I've never heard of, I have no idea what your comment is in reference to.

As to why the game is called "Happiness Controller" in English: once again, RTA. It's a game about controlling happiness. I don't see a whole lot of randomness in the naming.

Re:What the hell is wrong with those people?

[fatgraham]

Yeah, I prefer "e-company" "i-company" "company-corp" "companysoft" "company dot com"

them crazy asians!

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[account_deleted]

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Re:What the hell is wrong with those people?

[Anonymous Coward]

One word: Daikatana.

(Hint: it's not a real Japanese word.)

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[account_deleted]

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Re:Bad Translation?

[shadowcabbit]

I'm going to get the god damned not funny anymore [gamegirladvance.com] Rez Trance Vibrator joke out of the way RIGHT NOW.

Re:Bad Translation?

[Soul-Burn666]

Oh wow! that truly is innovative!!!!
If I had a PS2 and a girlfriend, I would have most certainly get that ;)

If I know my japanese videogames

[Lord Bitman]

and, I think I do...
No matter what you try, the only way to make anyone happy is going to involve lots of dominating sex.

Re:I thought this might be a product for geek grrl

[superpulpsicle]

It sure gives a new meaning to the word "joystick".

Re:I thought this might be a product for geek grrl

[ScarletEmerald]

Something like Rez [gamegirladvance.com]?

official american jobs thread

[MORTAR_COMBAT!]

what would the 100 americans be doing that needed to have their 'happiness controlled'?

public high school english teacher with rowdy students
president of music company struggling with business model
day-trader whose dot-com bubble has come and gone
porn star who just turned 40

etc...

Re:official american jobs thread

[AKnightCowboy]

what would the 100 americans be doing that needed to have their 'happiness controlled'?

Happy Golden Joy Fun Election Day 2004!! Vote for Bush san to beat evil Democrats to reveal the secret power!! What is sekret power? Use happiness controller find out!

Re:official american jobs thread

[bugbread]

Methinks you're confusing weird Japanese phrasing with weird Chinese phrasing. Random appearances of "Happy" "Joy" "Golden" and "Double" seem to be some sort of staples of poorly translated Chinese, not Japanese. The "Happiness" in this game's title actually makes sense, if you read the article.

Besides which, Bush supports the war, ergo, Japanese don't support Bush.

Happiness Controller...

[Lord Kano]

I guess something is wrong with me, visions of a controller with a mouth just ran through my mind.

LK

To make JP-US conversion easier...

[UltimaL337Star]

"Some of the types of people you need to make happy include... Happily married businessman, whose company is about to go bankrupt... A child whose father is a slob, and whose mother comes home late at night drunk... Bar club hostess, who gets paid to listen to rich Japanese businessmen talk" The other 90% of the population will consist of teenagers.