Publisher D3’s Simple series is coming to Japanese PlayStation Vita as the @Simple V series. Only two volumes have been announced so far, both of which appear to be ports.
The first one is @SIMPLE V Series Vol. 1 The Dokodemo Gal Mahjong, a port of their earlier PSP Mahjong game of the same name. On top of a Mahjong game, you can interact with the other players after the Mahjong game is done, all of whom appear to be women. This one is priced at ¥1500.
The second one is @SIMPLE V Series Vol. 2 The Tousou Highway Full Boost: Nagoya-Tokyo Gekisou 4-Jikan. This one is either a port or a remake of volume 68 of the Simple 2000 series that made its home on the PlayStation 2. The title is very similar to this one sans a few additional “adjectives” like Full Boost. It was a racing game with a ludicrous story about a detective who has to get from one end of the Nagoya-Tokyo highway to the other end in under four hours — four actual hours mind you, and none of that virtual hours nonsense. This one will be ¥1800.
If it isn’t evident already, the Simple series is well known for having incredibly insane premises layered on top of fairly basic gameplay. Take volume 95, just one of many, of the Simple 2000 series for example. Where else can one fulfill both their need to massacre masses of zombies and their urge to play doctor all at the same time?
The series has had over 300 releases, starting from the PlayStation One era and peaking in the PlayStation 2 era. The HD generation seems to have put a damper on the series releasing less than a third of what it used to in the previous generation. The series has had a few breakout hits. Onechanbara started life here before breaking off into its own franchise. The same goes for Earth Defense Force.
Both titles will be available in Japan on April 30th. No word yet on whether any of them will be localized.
