Affiliate disclosure: This guide contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
The NEC PC-98 dominated Japanese computing for over a decade, and its game library is deep, stylish, and full of history. It was the birthplace of the Touhou series and home to some of the finest pixel art of its era. Much of the catalog never left Japan, so emulation is the main way to experience it today. It runs through cores like Neko Project, which is light enough for most handhelds. Many games lean on the keyboard, so a device with good button mapping or a touchscreen helps a lot.
We frame all of this around games you already own and want to preserve.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Shooters and Action
Touhou: The Highly Responsive to Prayers (PC-98) — The first game in the legendary Touhou series. A mix of Breakout and shooting with real charm. A piece of history.
Touhou: Story of Eastern Wonderland (PC-98) — The first proper Touhou shooter, and where the bullet-hell style began. Fast and beautiful.
Touhou: Lotus Land Story (PC-98) — Many fans' favorite of the PC-98 Touhou games. Gorgeous patterns and great music.
Rusty (PC-98) — A Castlevania-inspired action-platformer with striking art. A cult favorite.
Steel Gun Nyan (PC-98) — A charming, fast side-scrolling shooter. A fun, lighter pick.
Role-Playing and Strategy
Rance series (PC-98) — A long-running, influential RPG and strategy franchise. Note it contains mature content, so choose entries carefully.
Emerald Dragon (PC-98) — A beloved story-driven action RPG with lovely art. A high point of the platform.
Farland Story (PC-98) — A classic tactical RPG series with deep, satisfying battles. Great for long sessions.
Silver Ghost (PC-98) — An early real-time tactics game from Kure Software Koubou. Ahead of its time.
First Queen (PC-98) — A hybrid strategy and action game with large-scale battles. Unusual and ambitious.
Simulation and Adventure
Princess Maker 2 (PC-98) — The famous raising simulation where you guide a daughter to adulthood. Warm, deep, and endlessly replayable.
A-Train (PC-98) — A detailed rail and city simulation. A calm, absorbing builder.
Policenauts (PC-98) — Hideo Kojima's cinematic adventure with a gripping story. A landmark visual novel.
EVE Burst Error (PC-98) — An acclaimed detective adventure with a branching two-protagonist structure. A cult classic.
Dragon Knight series (PC-98) — An early dungeon-crawling RPG line. Choose entries carefully, as later ones include adult content.
A Note on PC-98 Content and Controls
The PC-98 has a huge library, and part of it is adult-oriented. This list sticks to the games known for their design, art, and history. Stick to the titles and series by name and you will find a rich catalog of shooters, RPGs, and simulations. On the control side, many games expect a keyboard, so a device with flexible mapping or a touchscreen makes them far more comfortable to play.
Best Handhelds for PC-98 Games
You want good control mapping, and a touchscreen helps with the keyboard-driven games.
An Android device like the
is the sweet spot, with a touchscreen for key mapping and plenty of power. For the smoothest experience and a desktop-style setup, the handles the PC-98 with ease. On a budget, the runs the shooters and joystick-friendly games well.Related Guides
- Best PC-88 Games for Handhelds — the PC-98's predecessor and JRPG cradle
- Best X68000 Games for Handhelds — Sharp's arcade-perfect rival
- Best MS-DOS Games for Handhelds — the Western PC library
- Best Shmups for Handhelds — more bullet-hell picks
Related reading
GuideGuideGuide