I love the Megaten franchise, these games are just about perfect for my particular sensibilities, and so given some time to kill I decided to research the history of the series in order to answer a specific question. I had a gut feeling a while ago that multiple rereleases and Persona games were diluting the Megaten brand, and wanted to confirm that Megaten as a series was managed judiciously in the past. Boy was I wrong as fuck!

I had an idea that Megaten was expansive, but Jesus, I had no clue of the sheer quantity of ports, remakes and rereleases Atlus had churned out over the years, to say nothing of the downright random/obscure games or previously unheard of entries in other subseries. Here are some fun facts that I’m sure some of you guys knew, but were news to me:

-There have been seven Last Bible retail game releases, including two games for the Game Gear (???!)
-The original Persona was ported to Windows in 1999.
-The Devil Children series includes a puzzle game, and an adaptation of the Devil Children collectible card game.
-Atlus developed a free browser-based Persona RPG called Persona Ain Soph that seems to have been derived from another browser-based game (Persona 3: The Night Before)
-Megami Tensei for the PC88 was actually a completely different game from the original Famicom Megami Tensei.

Anyways enough buildup, here’s the list. My sources were the amazing oft-cited Hardcore Gaming 101 article on the Megaten series, this excellent Wikipedia list, and another list I found in a Gamefaqs post whose origin I can’t seem to track down properly.

In order to keep my sanity, I limited the list to retail real life store releases only. That means the free browser RPGs, Virtual Console, PSN, iOS and eShop ports, and the Majin Tensei ports to i-revo on PC (which I think is some sort of Japanese browser based rental service?) don’t count. This means I also didn’t include the many many mobile Megaten games, although I will post my partially complete list below in another section and ask for help filling it out.

So here it is! All the Japanese Megaten games:

1987
Megami Tensei (Famicom)
Megami Tensei (PC88)
Megami Tensei (MSX)
Megami Tensei (Sharp X1)
Megami Tensei (Fujitsu FM77AV)

1990
Megami Tensei II (Famicom)

1992
Shin Megami Tensei (SF)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GB)

1993
Shin Megami Tensei (PC Engine)
Last Bible II (GB)

1994
Shin Megami Tensei (Sega CD)
Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei (SF)
Majin Tensei (SF)
Shin Megami Tensei II (SF)
Shin Megami Tensei If… (SF)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (Game Gear)

1995
Majin Tensei II: Spiral Nemesis (SF)
Jack Bros. (VB)
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner (Saturn)
Another Bible (GB)
Last Bible III (SF)
Last Bible Special (Game Gear)

1996
Devil Summoner Devil Dictionary (Saturn)
Persona (PS1)

1997
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (Saturn)
Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku (PC98)
Majin Tensei: Ronde (Saturn)
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Devil Dictionary (Saturn)

1998
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (PS1)
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Devil Dictionary (PS1)

1999
Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku (Windows PC)
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PS1)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GBC)
Last Bible II (GBC)
Persona (Windows)

2000
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PS1)
Devil Children: Red Book (GBC)
Devil Children: Black Book (GBC)

2001
Shin Megami Tensei (PS1)
Devil Children: Card Summoner (GBC)
Devil Children: White Book (GBC)

2002
Shin Megami Tensei II (PS1)
Shin Megami Tensei If…(PS1)
Devil Children: Red/Black Book (PS1)
Devil Children: Book of Light (GBA)
Devil Children: Book of Darkness (GBA)
Shin Megami Tensei Nine (Xbox)

2003
Shin Megami Tensei (GBA)
Shin Megami Tensei II (GBA)
Shin Megami Tensei III (PS2)
Devil Children: Puzzle de Call! (GBA)
Devil Children: Book of Fire (GBA)
Devil Children: Book of Ice (GBA)

2004
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne Maniacs (PS2)
Digital Devil Saga (PS2)
Devil Children: Messiah Riser (GBA)

2005
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner (PSP)
Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2)

2006
Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army (PS2)
Persona 3 (PS2)

2007
Persona 3 FES (PS2)

2008
Shin Megami Tensei III Raidou Edition (PS2)
Persona 4 (PS2)
Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (PS2)
Shin Megami Tensei Online: Imagine (Windows PC)

2009
Devil Survivor (DS)
Persona (PSP)
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS)
Persona 3 Portable (PSP)

2011
Persona 2 Portable: Innocent Sin (PSP)
Devil Survivor 2 (DS)
Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS)

2012
Persona 4 Arena (Arcades)
Persona 2 Portable: Eternal Punishment (PSP)
Persona 4 Golden (Vita)
Persona 4 Arena (PS3/360)
Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)

So all told, we have 77 individual Megaten retail releases between 1987 and 2012. If you remove the encyclopedia software and direct ports (or ports with extremely minimal changes), there are 62 Megaten games. And If you remove remakes, enhanced ports and rereleases, there are still 47 retail Megaten games.

Needless to say, Atlus’ treatment of Persona is nothing new at all. I mean seriously, check out the hellacious milking Devil Children endured between 2000 and 2003 (ten games!) I also know that some of these games actually weren't published by Atlus (I believe Sega did the Game Gear games, and the original Megami Tensei ports were done by Telenet, am I missing anything else?). Nevertheless, it's quite a list, but the series has been around since 1987 and is doing just fine, so Atlus clearly knows what it's doing.

Also, here’s my partial list of mobile games, I know there are some Last Bible games I’m missing. So any bored enterprising folks who’ve got some names, help a brother out!

Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner: A's TEST Server
Persona Mobile Online
Majin Tensei: Blind Thinker
Shin Megami Tensei: 20XX
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Colosseum 20XX
Shin Megami Tensei: Tokyo Requiem
Megami Tensei
Megami Tensei II
Shin Megami Tensei If: Hazama Chapter
Shin Megami Tensei II Gaiden: Ma to Houkai
Megami Ibunroku Persona: Ikuu no Tou Hen
Megami Tensei QIX: Persona 3
Megami Tensei CHANGING SOUL: Persona 3
Devil Summoner Soul Hackers Intruder
Shin Megami Tensei Pinball: Judgment
Aegis: The First Mission
Persona 2 Tsumi: Lost Memories
Persona 2 Batsu: Infinity Mask
Persona 3 Social
Persona 3 Em
Persona 3 Broken Shadow
Persona 3 Illust Puzzle
Persona 3 Escape
Chaining Soul: Persona 3
Persona 4 Social
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Hunter Zero
Demikids Social
Last Bible Cellphone Games?

In any case, I’m sure I’ve made mistakes in both lists, so for the five of you who care, please let me know if you spot any omissions or errors and I’ll update.

Anyways, hope this was interesting to at least one of you! It was oddly fun for me to research.

Out there somewhere there's a Japanese person who owns every single one of those, probably displayed in mint condition on a shelf.

My mouth is positioned for the SMT milk.

Edit: Wow that sounds wrong..

Ridiculous quality consistency.

Larsen B said:

Ridiculous quality consistency.

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You haven't played the older Megaten games have you?

mjemirzian said:

Out there somewhere there's a Japanese person who owns every single one of those, probably displayed in mint condition on a shelf.

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I have almost all of this stuff, except I gave up on Devil Children after only one game, and I don't have either Game Gear release. And they're not mint. :\ Oh, and no mobile games.

Flying_Phoenix said:

You haven't played the older Megaten games have you?

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I also didn't state whether they were consistently good, bad or average.

Aljosa said:

My mouth is positioned for the SMT milk.

Edit: Wow that sounds wrong..

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From Mara, right?

Good thing Megaten is such a big, beautiful, bountiful breast, because I want more milk.

And?

I say keep 'em comin'

Awesome awesome series, one of my favorite in all of gaming. I'm glad to own quite a few of these. I still have fond memories of buying Persona on a whim back in '98 and trying to figure out all the weird shit as a preteen.

Does anyone know if they've made any progress on the fan translation of If..., Devil Summoner, and Soul Hackers? I've tried to play them, but the original text is way too advanced for me to try and figure out while still enjoying the game.

Larsen B said:

I also didn't state whether they were consistently good, bad or average.

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Saying "ridiculous quality consistency" means that they consistently released quality (I.E. good) products.

I'm sorry if I misunderstood but I'm sure you can understand why.

1994
Shin Megami Tensei (Sega CD)
Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei (SF)
Majin Tensei (SF)
Shin Megami Tensei II (SF)
Shin Megami Tensei If… (SF)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (Game Gear)

Ahh the memories

when they simultaneously announce 6 different versions of smt5 for different platforms or start releasing persona soccer, persona tennis, persona kart, persona golf and so on, we'll talk about milking

The older games were perfectly fine. They've just aged terribly.

Kishgal said:

I have almost all of this stuff, except I gave up on Devil Children after only one game, and I don't have either Game Gear release. And they're not mint. :\ Oh, and no mobile games.

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Cool, have you played Last Bible III? That's a game whose existence shocked me, a full blown Super Famicom RPG in that series, who would have thought?

The second Game Gear Last Bible looks so cool too, the art style is really awesome.

I just started Strange Journey last night. Only had experience with Persona 3/4.

Odious Tea said:

I just started Strange Journey last night. Only had experience with Persona 3/4.

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You're in luck.

They couldn't be more different.

Megaten is one of those series that I delight in playing the retro titles, even if I know fully well I'll never finish any of them.

45 Megaten games in 22 years, at this rate, they'll never get to Megaleven.

TheChillyAcademic said:

You're in luck.

They couldn't be more different.

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So I hear. I got sick of Pokemon. Game fucking cheats! And has stupid difficulty spikes that require more grinding than I have patience for. But, that's beside the point.

Made it through the intro and just got the Pixie. I should probably track down the official thread.

Aljosa said:

My mouth is positioned for the SMT milk.

Edit: Wow that sounds wrong..

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Pretty sure SMT milk would make you orgasm just from tasting it.

Volcynika said:

From Mara, right?

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Only if it taste good.

cory said:

45 Megaten games in 22 years, at this rate, they'll never get to Megaleven.

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Going back to nine was hard enough

Odious Tea said:

So I hear. I got sick of Pokemon. Game fucking cheats! And has stupid difficulty spikes that require more grinding than I have patience for. But, that's beside the point.

Made it through the intro and just got the Pixie. I should probably track down the official thread.

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You are, once again, in luck.

SJ is likely one of the better JRPGs released in the past, dunno, 3 years that isn't a SMT (or spin off) title. Have you played Devil Survivor?

thetrin said:

Megaten is one of those series that I delight in playing the retro titles, even if I know fully well I'll never finish any of them.

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Indeed, the old games had a unique qualities that other games on their respective consoles were missing. How many other SNES games start with going to get groceries for your mom, seeing a guy get ripped to shreds by a demon on the way, going back to find a Demon Summoning program, later coming back home to ?

However, the unpleasant difficulty (It definitely jumps up after the first major boss), and the standard pitfalls associated with first-person dungeons from that time (same-y looking hallways, a nearly-useless map that's inconvenient to bring up), means that it's quite a challenge to get through.

Oh, I guess I should say what Megaten games I actually have. I own all of the ones that were released in America except for the following:

Jack Bros.
Revelations: Demon Slayer
Demikids (either version)
Persona 2

Man I can't believe I passed on Persona 2 back in the day, I'd kill for a reasonably priced copy. Uh, if anyone's interested in a trade, I think the only game I've got that's probably equivalent in value is Lunar:Silver Star Story complete (comes with all the goodies in great condition). So if anyone has a copy of Persona 2 you'll never play and wanna trade, shoot me a PM I guess!

Zero-Crescent said:

Indeed, the old games had a unique qualities that other games on their respective consoles were missing. How many other SNES games start with going to get groceries for your mom, seeing a guy get ripped to shreds by a demon on the way, going back to find a Demon Summoning program, later coming back home to

Spoiler

find that your Mom was killed and replaced by a demon impostor, and deciding to fuse your beloved dog with a demon

?

However, the unpleasant difficulty (It definitely jumps up after the first major boss), and the standard pitfalls associated with first-person dungeons from that time (same-y looking hallways, a nearly-useless map that's inconvenient to bring up), means that it's quite a challenge to get through.

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Let's not forget that SMT2 has you playing as
It's still difficult, though it at least fixed the problems SMT1 had with its mapping, level design, and clunky menus.

Volcynika said:

From Mara, right?

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From Tiamat lolololol

randomkid said:

Oh, I guess I should say what Megaten games I actually have. I own all of the ones that were released in America except for the following:

Jack Bros.
Revelations: Demon Slayer
Demikids (either version)
Persona 2

Man I can't believe I passed on Persona 2 back in the day, I'd kill for a reasonably priced copy. Uh, if anyone's interested in a trade, I think the only game I've got that's probably equivalent in value is Lunar:Silver Star Story complete (comes with all the goodies in great condition). So if anyone has a copy of Persona 2 you'll never play and wanna trade, shoot me a PM I guess!

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Wow, I had no idea price surged up again, even with the recent reprint.

The extraordinary success of the various Persona remake/ports for PSP basically ensures that there will be a PSP version of IS/EP eventually. It's been about a year since the JP version of Persona PSP, so we might be getting news somewhat soon, especially with EO3 launched.

Aljosa said:

My mouth is positioned for the SMT milk.

Edit: Wow that sounds wrong..

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:lol

That's an amazing quantity yet they still feel so niche here.

Persona is not a Megami Tensei game. That title is only on the non-Japanese version of the games.

MoogPaul said:

Persona is not a Megami Tensei game. That title is only on the non-Japanese version of the games.

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Well, Persona is not a Shin Megami Tensei game. It is a part of the Megami Tensei series umbrella, however. Lots of other games on the list are similar.

Yaweee said:

Wow, I had no idea price surged up again, even with the recent reprint.

The extraordinary success of the various Persona remake/ports for PSP basically ensures that there will be a PSP version of IS/EP eventually. It's been about a year since the JP version of Persona PSP, so we might be getting news somewhat soon, especially with EO3 launched.

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Yeah I'm hoping for a PSP version too, but I still want to play through a copy of the original PS1 version. Even though I thought the enhanced PSP port of Persona was fantastic, I still missed the original game's music.

I don't think Eternal Punishment ever got a real reprint, Atlus found like a handful of copies that were sold out within a couple of hours about a year ago, many of which showed up on ebay the day after. I understand the allure of collecting since I want a nice copy for myself, but really I just want to play through the game, it won't be sitting on my shelf unplayed collecting dust.

randomkid said:

Yeah I'm hoping for a PSP version too, but I still want to play through a copy of the original PS1 version. Even though I thought the enhanced PSP port of Persona was fantastic, I still missed the original game's music.

I don't think Eternal Punishment ever got a real reprint, Atlus found like a handful of copies that were sold out within a couple of hours about a year ago, many of which showed up on ebay the day after. I understand the allure of collecting since I want a nice copy for myself, but really I just want to play through the game, it won't be sitting on my shelf unplayed collecting dust.

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Don't feel bad about missing the original versions. The IS/EP battle system/interface needs a ton of work, so hopefully that is on top of the remake team's priority list.

Yaweee said:

Wow, I had no idea price surged up again, even with the recent reprint.

The extraordinary success of the various Persona remake/ports for PSP basically ensures that there will be a PSP version of IS/EP eventually. It's been about a year since the JP version of Persona PSP, so we might be getting news somewhat soon, especially with EO3 launched.

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There will never be an English version of Innocent Sin.

Volcynika said:

From Mara, right?

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mara's milkshake undoubtedly brings all the boys to the yard

Demi-Kids were pretty fun games, pretty much Pokemon with demons. I have them both but only played the Dark version.

randomkid said:

Oh, I guess I should say what Megaten games I actually have. I own all of the ones that were released in America except for the following:

Jack Bros.
Revelations: Demon Slayer
Demikids (either version)
Persona 2

Man I can't believe I passed on Persona 2 back in the day, I'd kill for a reasonably priced copy. Uh, if anyone's interested in a trade, I think the only game I've got that's probably equivalent in value is Lunar:Silver Star Story complete (comes with all the goodies in great condition). So if anyone has a copy of Persona 2 you'll never play and wanna trade, shoot me a PM I guess!

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Ha, I'm missing almost exactly the same games, except replace Persona 2 with Devil Survivor.

I wouldn't mind playing SMT1 and 2, 3 was a lot of fun.

Are there any non-RPG tensei games...not willing to lose 100+ hours of my life everytime they release a game

sn00zer said:

Are there any non-RPG tensei games...not willing to lose 100+ hours of my life everytime they release a game

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Jack Bros.

randomkid said:

Oh, I guess I should say what Megaten games I actually have. I own all of the ones that were released in America except for the following:

Jack Bros.
Revelations: Demon Slayer
Demikids (either version)
Persona 2

Man I can't believe I passed on Persona 2 back in the day, I'd kill for a reasonably priced copy. Uh, if anyone's interested in a trade, I think the only game I've got that's probably equivalent in value is Lunar:Silver Star Story complete (comes with all the goodies in great condition). So if anyone has a copy of Persona 2 you'll never play and wanna trade, shoot me a PM I guess!

Click to expand...

Not looking for Lunar, but if you have and want to trade for Tales of Vesperia for PS3, PM me.

Loved Nocturne and P3 FES.

randomkid said:

In any case, I’m sure I’ve made mistakes in both lists, so for the five of you who care, please let me know if you spot any omissions or errors and I’ll update.

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Just a minor addition: Telenet Japan's Megami Tensei was also released for the Sharp X1 and the Fujitsu FM77AV (two Japan-only computers). It looks, sounds and plays pretty much the same as the PC-88 version, though.

sn00zer said:

Are there any non-RPG tensei games...not willing to lose 100+ hours of my life everytime they release a game

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Maken X....kind of.

mjemirzian said:

Out there somewhere there's a Japanese person who owns every single one of those, probably displayed in mint condition on a shelf.

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I have about half of these, displayed in mint condition on a shelf. One day the rest shall be mine.

who is that megaten nine illustrator.. that style reminds me of kite

Yaweee said:

Don't feel bad about missing the original versions. The IS/EP battle system/interface needs a ton of work, so hopefully that is on top of the remake team's priority list.

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IS/EP battle system is fine. All that needs to be done is to implement the EP modifications into IS to speed up the random battles.

Lard said:

There will never be an English version of Innocent Sin.

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Gemini/Tom's english fan-translation was great.

It's pretty cool that i have finished / played most of those games (the good ones at least) with the exception of soul hackers. (really needs a english translation) persona 1 & 2 EP, and the first two SMT games. Need to get around to playing them.

Lard said:

There will never be an English version of Innocent Sin.

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P2P

BELIEVE