Charumera

PlayStation · 2003

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About this game

Charumera is a single-player Japanese video game released for the PlayStation in 1999.

The game can be thought of as a management simulator of sorts, despite the fact that it actually stands on a genre of its own – at least considering the western market, where nothing of the sort comes to mind.

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You essentially take on the role of Uncle Charumera, the noodle mascot of Myojo Foods, as he goes through a city selling his goods (ramen), getting new ingredients and trying to please his customers as much as possible.

Before getting into the game’s mechanics in a more detailed fashion, here’s a bit of interesting trivia: the word “charumera” is actually derived from the Portuguese “charamela”, a type of flute that was brought to Japan around 400 years ago.

This flute has traditionally been used by yatai (ramen mobile food stalls, just like the one used in the game).

So, there is an interesting double pun in the game’s title: it is both referring to the flute used by yatai/Uncle Charumera, and also to the mascot’s name itself.

Right after starting the game, there is an option to name your stall, even though you can leave it at default value.

Afterwards, you’re presented with what could be considered the “cooking” screen, where you can mash up all kinds of different ingredients to create distinct flavours of ramen.

You start with only a select few ingredients, even though new ones can be acquired throughout the game.

After you have your first couple of dishes lined up, it’s time to start selling.

You control Uncle Charumera as he walks through town (from 3pm to 12am) accompanied by his stall, and the namesake flute is used to call upon potential clients.

When you blow the flute, people – either a large crowd or a just a couple - gathers.

The icons above their heads represent their thoughts concerning your dishes (whether they like or dislike it).

It should be noted that their opinions can change over time, so it’s generally not a good idea to stick to one recipe just because

Data by MobyGames.com

About PlayStation

The original PlayStation (1994) brought CD-based gaming and 3D graphics to the mainstream, ending Nintendo's console dominance of the previous two generations. It's now firmly in "retro collecting" territory: original jewel cases with intact manuals command a real premium over disc-only copies, and several RPGs from its later years (when Sony deliberately courted the genre) are among the most expensive commonly-collected games from the era.

Gamevaro tracks Charumera for PlayStation with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.

Adding Charumera to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This PS1 release dates back to 2003.

Market values by condition

NTSC-J

Loose / Item only

€69.87

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Recent sales

Date	Type	Region	Price	Source
2026-07-05	Loose / Item only	NTSC-J	€69.87	eBay US

Rarity & condition

Only a handful of market sales have been tracked for Charumera, suggesting it doesn't trade hands very often — a sign of relative scarcity compared to more common PlayStation titles.

Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Charumera worth?

Charumera for PlayStation is currently worth €69.87 loose. Prices are based on real sales and update regularly on Gamevaro.

Is Charumera rare?

Charumera has only a handful of tracked market sales, suggesting relative scarcity compared to more common PlayStation titles.

What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Charumera?

Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. These are tracked as separate market values because the price gap between them can be significant, especially for older releases.