JP RETRO GAMES｜Japanese Famicom & Retro Games

Have you ever looked closely at an old Japanese Famicom cartridge?

This one caught my attention immediately.

It is Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo , released for the Japanese Famicom by Bandai.

But there is something unusual about this cartridge.

It says “1985” on the back.

Why 1985?

The game itself is associated with 1986, so this small detail made me want to look back at the history surrounding the game.

The Dragon Ball Era

To understand this game, I wanted to go back to the world of Dragon Ball in the 1980s.

I have an original Weekly Shonen Jump from this era in my collection, and it gives a fascinating glimpse into how Dragon Ball was presented to Japanese readers at the time.

The magazine also contains material related to the Famicom game

Seeing the original magazine next to the actual cartridge makes the game feel very different from simply playing an old ROM or looking at an image online.

These are physical pieces of the same era.

Actually Playing It

Of course, the best way to understand an old game is still to play it.

I connected the cartridge to a real Famicom and played it.

The game is very different from modern Dragon Ball games.

The conversations are short, the action is simple, and the game has that unmistakable feeling of an early Famicom title.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd6x52xSSbx/?stkn=MWJ2cTVxcmM3ejFoaw==

I kept the gameplay footage focused on the action rather than the dialogue.

And yes… eventually, I got a GAME OVER . 😅

So, What Does “1985” Mean?

The most interesting detail for me is the “1985” marking on the cartridge.

Does it mean the game was released in 1985?

Not necessarily.

A date printed or molded into a cartridge can refer to things such as manufacturing, copyright, production, or other internal information. It should not automatically be interpreted as the game’s release date.

That’s why I don’t want to simply call it a “1985 version.”

Instead, I think the small marking is part of the mystery that makes this particular cartridge interesting.

🇯🇵 Japanese Famicom × Dragon Ball × Weekly Shonen Jump

What I like about collecting Japanese retro games is that the cartridge is only one part of the story.

A Famicom cartridge.

An old Weekly Shonen Jump.

The Dragon Ball manga from the same era.

And an actual gameplay session.

When these pieces are put together, you can get a small glimpse of Japanese gaming and manga culture in the 1980s.

This is why I collect Japanese Famicom games.

Not just the games themselves, but the memories, magazines, advertisements and history surrounding them.

Have you ever played Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo?

And what do you think the “1985” marking on this cartridge means?

Let me know what you think.

I will continue sharing Japanese Famicom games, vintage manga and Japanese retro gaming culture from my collection.

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JP RETRO GAMES — Discover Japanese Retro Games from Japan.