Japanese visual novels, also known as "ビジュアルノベル" (bijuaru noberu), have their roots in the 1980s. These early interactive stories were often simple, text-based adventures with minimal graphics. However, as technology advanced, visual novels evolved to incorporate more sophisticated graphics, soundtracks, and gameplay mechanics. Today, the genre has branched out into various sub-genres, including romance, science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

: Primarily Japanese (though English interface patches are often available via community forums).

Kono Ojou-sama is not a visual novel in the traditional sense. It relies heavily on and stat-raising mechanics.

Unlike passive digital novels, titles under this classification generally employ basic simulation mechanics to keep the player engaged over multiple playthroughs: