Renai games

Renaissance (renai) games, a type of dating simulation game, are a subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes called "otome games", "bishōjo games", "dating sims" or "love sims".

The objective of the game is to date and eventually marry one of several female characters. The games are usually designed to be played by one player, but can also be played with friends. Most of the games follow the same basic pattern: the player is given a choice of characters to date, and the player proceeds through a series of dates with them. In most cases the player must choose between two or three characters. The player's progress through the game is typically interrupted by different minigames.

The first renai game was released in Japan in 1992 for the NEC PC-8801. The first English-language renai game was Sweet Home, released in 1997 for the PC.

Renai games are typically played in Japan, but there is a growing fan-base in the West. In Japan, renai games are typically considered "for girls", but this is not the case in the West. There is a growing number of renai games that are not targeted at a specific gender, and many renai games are now being released in English.

One of the most popular renai game developers is Voltage Inc. Voltage Inc. is a Japanese company that specializes in renai games. has released a number of popular games, including My Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Enchanted in the Moonlight, and Our Two Bedroom Story.