The Princess Maker series of game is so popular in Asia that it’s not only developed a devoted fanbase, but also encouraged other publishers to make similar games. Ranshima Monogatari Rare Land Story: Shoujo no Yakujou is one of those games. It was originally a Chinese PC Princess Maker-style simulation, but Arc System Works decided it would work quite well on the PSP and thus ported it to the system. The result is a game that complements Princess Maker, but also adds its own unique twists to the character raising genre…

Title: Princess Maker 5 PortablePrice: $48.90System(s): PSPRelease Date: 9/23/08Publisher (Developer): CyberFront (CyberFront)ESRB Rating: N/A, Cero C (15+)Pros: New take on the series, micro-manage every hour of the daughter’s day, get to choose to be a father or mother and new classes, jobs and endings.Cons: Not import friendly, over-complicated and longtime fans may be disappointed by the change in atmosphere/setting.Overall Score: 7/10

The Princess Maker series may not have found a way overseas, but it is certainly thriving in Japan. One of the most recent releases was Princess Maker 5 Portable, a PSP port of the latest entry in the series. Princess Maker 5 Portable is a decidedly different look at child raising, and while it is an enjoyable simulation, some fans of the series may be turned off by the new direction. If you were a huge fan of Princess Maker 2 and 4, then you may want to steer clear of Princess Maker 5 Portable.

Let me say right now that if you have no knowledge of Japanese and don’t recognize hirigana, katakana and kanji, you should turn back and buy Princess Maker 4 Portable. Princess Maker 5 Portable is definitely not import-friendly, and those with little knowledge of the series or language will quickly find themselves floundering in this game. Guessing your way through isn’t an option…

Princess Maker 4 has turned into quite a popular entry in the famous Princess Maker series. Maybe its because of the cute visuals (by Tenhiro Naoto), perhaps its the nostalgia factor (its reminiscent of Princess Maker 2) or it could be because its just a quality game.

Whatever it is that has made Princess Maker 4 such a hit, can also make it quite a difficult decision for importers. With four different versions of the game available on four different platforms, it can be tough deciding which one is worth purchasing.

That’s where this guide comes in. Since all four versions of Princess Maker 4 are essentially the same game at the core, this guide is designed to highlight the best and worst features of each edition. So if you’re interested in the title, now that the DS version has just come out, you can determine which one is right for you…