Last Updated: 2024/10/7
Latest Additions: Everything you see here! It's the 1.0 version of this page, baby!
Given the breadth of historical dating sims and other types of galge that I've covered on various sites over the years, people have asked me to provide a convenient place to looks up games that I've endorsed so they can try these games out for themselves. If you're one of those readers, this page is exactly for you!
These recommendations are organized by first release platform and then by alphabetical order. Genre, developer, and other pertinent details are also included, as well as a very brief summary of each game's mechanics and overall premise. The information listed here is by no means intended to be exhaustive; that's what the rest of my coverage is for! However, it'll hopefully tell you enough about these games to help you determine which ones you want to explore further.
As a general disclaimer, it should be assumed that a moderate amount of Japanese fluency is required to play these games. Think JLPT N3 at minimum, although N2 will put you in a much better position to comfortably understand and appreciate a much wider range of content. Some games may have fan translations, but I cannot vouch for their quality one way or the other. Put bluntly, until many more of these games receive reputable localizations, official or otherwise, the best way to experience this slice of Japanese history is in its native language and these suggestions are therefore based solely on my experiences with those versions.
This page will be periodically updated with new recommendations. For your convenience, you can check the text up top to see which games I most recently added and when. With that, let's get to the galge!
Table of Contents
Love Plus (Japanese: ラブプラス)
Developer: Konami
Platforms: DS, 3DS (See notes.)
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Character Raising Sim
Summary: The confession is just the beginning. Experience a never-ending happily ever after in real-time with one of three girls.
Notes: Four releases total across DS and 3DS. Play New Love Plus+ on 3DS for the most content.
Tokimeki Memorial (Japanese: ときめきメモリアル)
Developer: Konami
Platforms: PCE, PS1, Saturn, PC, SNES, GBC, PSP
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Character Raising Sim
Summary: Try to juggle your stat growth, school schedule, and love life in Konami's genre defining hit.
Notes: Start with any CD-based version and avoid the compromised SNES port at all costs.
Fire Woman Matoigumi (Japanese: ファイアーウーマン纏組)
Developer: HuneX
Platforms: PC-FX, PS1
Genre: Character Raising Sim
Subgenre: Turn-based Fighting
Summary: Spend a school year however you like on an open-world campus. Join clubs, customize your combat style, and romance girls from all walks of life.
Notes: Both versions functionally identical.
Eberouge (Japanese: エーベルージュ)
Developer: Fujitsu
Platforms: PS1
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Character Raising Sim
Summary: Attend the Trifels Magic Academy in elementary and high school, learning spells while getting to know the cast as it grows up.
Notes: Re-released as "Eberouge Special," which features only the high school years. First-timers should play the original.
Fuuraiki (Japanese: 風雨来記)
Developer: FOG
Platforms: PS1, PS2
Genre: Adventure
Subgenre: Photography
Summary: Spend a month photographing the idyllic northern Japanese island of Hokkaido circa 2000 with one of four heroines as you submit articles for a contest.
Notes: PS2 version has higher resolution graphics and more voice acting with a different cast.
Next King (Japanese: ネクストキング)
Developer: AlfaSystem
Platforms: PS1, Saturn
Genre: Board Game
Subgenre: RPG
Summary: Vie to become to the next king of the land by doing whatever it takes to impress a dozen ladies and win their votes in a hilarious send-off of romance games.
Notes: Single and multiplayer modes available.
Refrain Love 2 (Japanese: リフレインラブ2)
Developer: Riverhillsoft
Platforms: PS1, PC
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Adventure
Summary: Take residence in the Scarlet Manor dorm as an incoming university student and get to know your fellow townspeople.
Notes: PC version is rare and offers no visual improvements.
Tokimeki Memorial 2 (Japanese: ときめきメモリアル2)
Developer: Konami
Platforms: PS1
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Character Raising Sim
Summary: An expansive Tokimeki Memorial sequel spanning five discs. Girls now vocalize your character's name via the Emotional Voice System.
Notes: Separate append discs required to generate voices for most girls.
Taisen Renai Simulation: Trifels Mahou Gakuen (Japanese: 対戦恋愛シミュレーション トリフェルズ魔法学園)
Developer: ASCII
Platforms: PS1
Genre: Board Game
Subgenre: Schedule Management
Summary: Compete to earn the most St. Valen's Day chocolates in this charming Eberouge spinoff.
Notes: Single and multiplayer modes available. Best played after experiencing Eberouge.
Amagami (Japanese: アマガミ)
Developer: Enterbrain
Platforms: PS2, PSP, Vita
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Conversation Sim
Summary: Master the art of conversation to win the heart of one of six heroines in time for the school's Founding Festival on Christmas Eve.
Notes: Expanded rerelease available on PS2, PSP, and Vita as Ebikore+ Amagami, most notably featuring a story-driven bonus mahjong mode. Vita port has the most content, but all versions are perfectly acceptable to play.
KimiKiss (Japanese: キミキス)
Developer: Enterbrain
Platforms: PS2
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Conversation Sim
Summary: Learn girls' daily routines and preferred locations across the school campus, then prepare decks with customized conversation topics to be ready to socialize with them in random encounters.
Notes: Rerelease available on PS2 as "Ebikore+ KimiKiss," mainly featuring light quality of life improvements. Canonically takes place after Amagami despite its prior release, though both can be played in isolation.
Tokimeki Memorial 4 (Japanese: ときめきメモリアル4)
Developer: Konami
Platforms: PSP
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Character Raising Sim
Summary: Return to Kirameki High School, home to the original Tokimeki Memorial, 15 years later with an all new cast of characters in Konami's swan song to its mainline series. Unlock dozens of unique perks to not only further customize your character's abilities, but even the events and trajectory of individual runs themselves.
Notes: Mostly a standalone game that requires no prior series experience to play. However, romancing Shiori in the original game is recommended to fully enjoy certain routes.
Sakura Taisen Series (Japanese: サクラ大戦)
Developer: Sega
Platforms: Saturn, Dreamcast, PC, PSP
Genre: Adventure
Subgenre: SRPG
Summary: Command the Imperial Combat Revue as it fights to protect Tokyo.
Notes: Play at least the first two games to experience a contained plot arc.
Fuuraiki 4 (Japanese: 風雨来記4)
Developer: FOG
Platforms: Switch, PS4
Genre: Adventure
Subgenre: Photography
Summary: Take to your motorcycle once again to capture the sights and history of Japan's Gifu Prefecture with your trusty camera. Now featuring 360 degree backgrounds that can be viewed with full freedom in first-person, allowing you to choose exactly which shots to take and feature in your articles for the first time in series history.
Notes: Though it contains references to previous games, it's intended to serve as a standalone sequel and is an easy entry point to recommend for players new to Fuuraiki games.
Dream Club (Japanese: ドリームクラブ)
Developer: Tamsoft
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PSP
Genre: Dating Sim
Subgenre: Schedule Management
Summary: Enter a members-only hostess club open exclusively to those who are pure of heart and befriend its staff members over food, drinks, and maybe even a round or two of karaoke. Get to know one well enough and she may even invite you out for quality time outside of her workplace.
Notes: PS3 "Complete Edition" features the most content out of all three versions.