It looks like Nintendo just can’t lose. Famitsu reported Enterbrain’s DSi LL sales figures for its first two days in stores today. 103,524 DSi LLs were sold between November 21-22, 2009, the systems first two days in Japan. In case you’re scratching your head, the DSi XL is billed as the DSi LL in Japan.

As Andriasang points out, the DSi LL launch wasn’t as impressive as the DSi launch. 170,770 DSis were sold in its first two days on sale in Japan. So the DSi was almost twice as popular. Still, 103,524 units is a pretty respectable number.

As you may recall, Enterbrain reported that 28,725 PSPgos were sold the day the system launched in Japan (November 1, 2009). Even if you decide to be generous and double that in hopes that it sold around 57,000 units in its first two days, that still can’t compare to the DSi LLs first two days on the market.

I guess this means that some gamers really are willing to haul around a larger portable gaming system if it means bigger screens. I’ve gotta admit, I do like the larger, pen-style stylus it comes with. And the wine red color is quite attractive.

Read [Famitsu (Japanese)] Via [Andriasang] Also Read [Gamertell]

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Good news importers, Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 comes out November 26, 2009. The Xbox 360 game Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 is not only Cave’s latest bullet hell shoot ‘em up and sequel to Mushihime-sama, it’s also region-free. That means that you can play it, no matter what region your Xbox 360 is.

It’s also notable for another important reason. As Cave told Kotaku, the company made Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 region-free to test the waters, so to speak. If there’s a large import response to the game, then it could mean more Cave region-free games and North American versions of previous Cave shooters like Espgaluda II or Death Smiles. Siliconera helpfully pointed out that the menus are in English, which makes importing even easier.

The Xbox 360 version includes the 1.5 version of Mushihimesama Futari, as well as all previous versions. The game follows the story of the search for a lost prince named Aki, who went into Reco’s forest to stop monstrous insects from preying on his people. Aki never returned, and now his brother Palm goes to find out what happened.

Aside from the standard $68 version of the game, there was also a slightly more expensive limited edition version that came with an Xbox 360 faceplate and a comemorative phone card. But good luck finding one of those. They’re sold out practically everywhere. If you have the extra cash though, the Mushihimesama Futari Ver 1.5 Hori arcade stick is still available at online stores for around $159.

Read [Siliconera] Also Read [Kotaku] Site [Cave (Japanese)] Product Page [Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Maybe those Japanese dating simulation games are dangerous after all. Konami’s Love Plus DS dating sim has seen unprecedented popularity and creepy devotion since it launched, and it’s only getting worse. An unidentified man has married his copy of the game.

On November 22, 2009, a man went to Guam. Once he arrived, he married Nene Anegasaki, one of the three possible virtual girlfriend characters in Love Plus. Since then, the man has announced a wedding reception in Japan, no word yet on when that will take place, and NicoNico Douga showed the video of the wedding ceremony.

I know, I’m thinking “publicity stunt” too. But part of me is shuddering and thinking this whole affair is real. After all, some people bought multiple copies of Love Plus to get all the preorder items, and others take their DS and Love Plus girlfriends on real dates.

Love Plus is a dating simulation released by Konami on September 3, 2009. It’s rated Cero C, for ages 15 and older. It is unique as it is a real-time dating simulation, meaning that each day something different can happen. There are only three chaseable girls, Nene, Rinko Kobayakawa and Manaka Takane. If you play every day, the girl you decide to go after will eventually become your girlfriend.

Read [Gizmodo.jp (Japanese)] Via [Tiny Cartridge] Also Read [Siliconera]

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The January 2010 issue of Japanese gaming magazine B’s Log is sure to bring big smiles to fans of Konami’s popular dating simulation game Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side (TMGS).

Gracing the cover of this month’s current issue was one of the new characters coupled with the official title of the new addition scheduled for a tentative 2010 release on the Nintendo DS.

Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 3rd Story takes place seven years after the events of the first TMGS game at Habataki Gakuen. This new chapter in the series promises new locations, gameplay, delectable date-ables (of course) and even a new main character sporting a new hairstyle and school uniform. The main character will still have a sidekick who serves as a barometer for your crushes’ affection as well as important statistics, but no additional details have been released yet.

So far, only 3 character have been introduced: Ruka Sakurai, Arashi Fujiyama, and Tamao Konno.

Here are some stats and a short description for each of these fine young men:

Ruka Sakurai

• Birthdate: July 7
• Astrological Sign: Cancer
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 178cm
• Weight: 64kg

A first year high school student at Habataki Gakuen, he has a friendly atmosphere which has won him popularity among the girls of the school. However, sometimes, he’s also capable of having a sharp tongue. He often seems aloof and sometimes wears an expression of loneliness.

Arashi Fujiyama

• Birthdate: September 8
• Astrological Sign: Virgo
• Blood Type: AB
• Height: 177cm
• Weight: 70kg

Arashi is a first year student at Habataki Gakuen and described as an honest and good young Japanese who whenever he has free time, can be found practicing Judo. When you speak with him, you can’t help but feel fresh and lively.

Tamao Konno

• Birthdate: January 19
• Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 181cm
• Weight: 65kg

Tamao is the younger brother of Tamami Konno (one of the main character’s rivals/friends from the first TMGS), and is the bookworm of the bunch. Unlike the main character, he’s a second year high school student and is also the student council president. He’s described as a reliable person who’s peaceful smile rarely ever fades.

Site [Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side] Read [Gamertell] And [Gamertell]

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Title: DC-IE Import Enabler for Dreamcast
Price: $19.99
Rating: 10/10
Manufacturer: Two Thumbs Technologies
Pros: Well made. Includes list of import Dreamcast games. Works.
Cons: Box is DVD size, not CD size like other Dreamcast games. Hard to find.
Overall: If you don’t want to, or can’t, make your own boot disk, it is a great alternative. No website.

Moments after purchasing my Dreamcast at Goodwill, I began plotting which games I would import first. The Dreamcast had an adequate number of games released in North America, but there were more Japanese and European releases that were begging to be played.

Unfortunately, none of the boot disk programs seemed to work for me. I purchased 700mb, CD-Rs, tried burning a Utopia disk but found it was a futile endeavor. Even though my Dreamcast was one of the kinds that could read boot disks, I couldn’t get ones I made to work.

Thankfully, I happened upon the Dreamcast DC-IE Import Enabler at a local game store. $19.99 later, I was the proud owner of an unofficial boot disk that would hopefully work.

An orange and white disk in an oversized orange and white box.

The DC-IE packaging is very clear and straightforward. It proclaims that the user can turn a U.S. Dreamcast to a region-free console with the single disk. The back of the case offers a partial list of import games that could be played, and the inside cover provides an even longer list of games that you can play now that you own the disk. It’s pretty comprehensive, mentioning obscure titles like Dancing Blade, Sakura Kinamoto Haagumi Mail and Sentimental Graffiti 2. Surprisingly, it doesn’t mention Shenmue 2.

The insert on the left side provides clear instructions. Put the DC-IE when the system is off, turn the system on, remove the disk when the onscreen instructions say to do so, insert the game you want to play and finally press start. The only downside is the molding that holds the CD in place makes it difficult to read the line of instructions that says to remove the DC-IE and replace it with the game you wish to play, but since those instructions appear on the screen when you have it in your Dreamcast, it isn’t a big issue.

The only downside to the packaging is the size. While normal Dreamcast games are in cases that are the same size as a standard CD case, the DC-IE comes in case the size of a DVD box. It’s awkward when it comes to storage.

Pop it in, pop it out, pop in the import game.

I had three Japanese Dreamcast games to test with the DC-IE, Samba de Amigo, Princess Maker Collection and For Symphony: With All One’s Heart. I reasoned that if it worked three times with these three Japanese games, then I would know for sure if the DC-IE was a good product. The copies of Samba de Amigo and Princess Maker Collection were used, and the copy of For Symphony was new.

I decided to try Samba de Amigo first, since I had bought it from a game store and seen that it had worked on the system there. I popped in the DC-IE, and after a moment the DC-IE screen popped, stating that the DC-IE disk was in my Dreamcast and that I should pop it out and replace it with the import game. I did so and pressed start. Samba de Amigo immediately booted up and I had no trouble playing.

I did the same thing for both Princess Maker Collection and For Symphony. My Dreamcast had no problem booting the games, as long as I first used the DC-IE.

A great way to expand your Dreamcast’s horizon’s - provided you can find it.

The Dreamcast DC-IE Import Enabler is just a great product. It does exactly what it promises, and allows your Dreamcast to play games from other regions without any fuss or invasive system modding. The packaging may be a bit large and it can be difficult to find, but other than that it’s definitely worth picking up. Especially if you’ve had problems trying to burn your own boot disk.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables recommends import DS games in its first 2009 gift guide.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last weekImportant Importables provided an overview of the Shin Megami Tensei series.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Last week, Famitsu revealed that the next issue would reveal new information on the Lufia series of games, called Estpolis in Japan. This week, as promised, the November 19, 2009 issue of Famitsu revealed pretty much everything you’d need to know about Square Enix’s Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods.

First of all, it’s a DS game. So much for thoughts of an epic console RPG. It’ll be out February 25, 2010 in Japan, but a North American release hasn’t been confirmed or denied yet. Neverland, who created most of the original Lufia games and is well known for the recent Rune Factory series, is once again the developer, as Famitsu hinted at in its original article. Neverland is also making it an action RPG this time around, so it’ll be more like the Legend of Zelda or Ys games. Previous entries in the series were all turn-based. There’s also going to be some voice acting added in as well. I’m thinking that’ll be handled like it was in Final Fantasy IV DS, only appearing at pivotal moments.

1Up is also the first to report that Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods is a reimagining of the SNES game Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals. Good choice, as that was probably one of the strongest and best entries in the series. I wonder if that means the woman appearing in the Famitsu scan on the right is Selan?

A North American release hasn’t been announced yet, but I’m pretty sure we’ll see it. Every other Lufia game has been translated, localized and brought to North America so far. Let’s just be patient and see what Square Enix announces at E3 2010.

Image Source: Wii @ Everyday.

Read [NeoGAF] Via [GoNintendo] Also Read [1Up] Also Read [Wii @ Everyday] Also Read [Aussie-Nintendo] Also Read [Siliconera] Also Read [Gamertell]

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When people think of the Shin Megami Tensei series started by Atlus, they probably first think of the PlayStation versions of Revelations: Persona or Persona 2 as the start of the series. It isn’t their fault, really. After all, for people in North America, that was probably their first encounter with Shin Megami Tensei.

However, the series has been along for much longer than that. It all began with Megami Tensei, which eventually underwent a slight title change and became Shin Megami Tensei. There are entries in the series going back as far as the Famicom, and in Japan the series considered as mainstream as Final Fantasy. Unfortunately, people outside of Japan will never get the opportunity to play through the older entries, unless there’s some sort of port or remake, which is unlikely due to the age of some of the older entries.

Today in Important Importables, we’ll look back at the surprisingly long history of the Shin Megami Tensei games, taking a brief overview of all of the entries in the series. Please bear in mind though, that more recent entries will probably have more detailed descriptions than the older ones.

Megami Tensei / Shin Megami Tensei

While all of the Shin Megami Tensei series and its offshoots tend to get tagged with the Shin Megami Tensei moniker in North America, in Japan only the main series and the miscellaneous offshoots are branded with it.

The earliest games were first person dungeon crawlers and, of course, had the trademark demon partnering system that has appeared in some shape or form in all Shin Megami Tensei games. They also tend to take into account player’s choices to shape the course of the game, take place in either modern times or the future and often have a plot that involves saving the world.

The first Megami Tensei games were made by Namco, and not Atlus. Atlus took over the series with Shin Megami Tensei. Also Shin Megami Tensei: If… is the predecessor to the Persona spinoff series.

These are the main Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei games that have been released:

• Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (Famicom)
• Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II (Famicom)
• Shin Megami Tensei (Super Famicom, Sega CD, PlayStation, GBA)
• Shin Megami Tensei II (Super Famicom, PlayStation, GBA)
• Shin Megami Tensei: If… (Super Famicom, PlayStation) Note: It is the predecessor to the Persona series.
• Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne (PS2) Note: It was the first entry in the Shin Megami Tensei line released in North America and had Devil May Cry‘s Dante cameo appearance.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS) Note: A US release has just been confirmed.

Persona

The Persona is probably the Shin Megami Tensei branch best known outside of Japan. There have been five entries in this series, and while they the originals featured the first person dungeon crawling and demon negotiation, the series has progressed to focus on high schoolers who suddenly develop the ability to use Personas, who resemble many of the demons from the other games, to save the world.

North America has actually seen releases of all the Persona games so far, with the exception of one, Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Given the popularity of the franchise, perhaps we’ll one day see that game in English as well.

These are the Persona games that have been released:

• Revelations: Persona/Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (PlayStation, PSP)
• Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PlayStation) Note: This is the only Persona game to never receive an English release.
• Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PlayStation)
• Persona 3 (PS2, PSP)
• Persona 4 (PS2)

Devil Summoner

The Devil Summoner Shin Megami Tensei spinoff series has seen a North American release as well, but hasn’t achieved the same level of fame. It technically began life as an official part of the main Shin Megami Tensei series, but then developed into its own spin-off series.

The Devil Summoner games all share some common themes - they’re set in modern, or close to modern, Japan and typically follow the adventures of a main detective protagonist with the ability to summon and talk to demons, who’s investigating some kind of dire misuse of demons. The first two games didn’t get released outside of Japan, and the second two games did.

These are the Devil Summoner games that have been released:

• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner (Sega Saturn, PSP)
• Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (Sega Saturn, PlayStation)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army (PS2) Note: This was the first Devil Summoner game to be released in English.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (PS2)

Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible

The Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible series are the most distantly related to the other games in the Shin Megami Tensei family. They are RPGs, but typically take place in a fantasy setting, have players recruiting and fusing monsters instead of demons and are created for a wider audience that includes children. Basically, they’re toned down versions of the main series of games.

Here’s a list of all the Last Bible games released.

• Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible/Revelations: The Demon Slayer (Game Boy, GBC, Game Gear) Note: It is the only Last Bible game that was released in English.
• Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (Game Boy, GBC)
• Another Bible (Game Boy)
• Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible III (Super Famicom)
• Last Bible Special (Game Gear)

Majin Tensei

This Japan-only Shin Megami Tensei series spin-off is basically a look at what would happen if Fire Emblem combined with Shin Megami Tensei. It’s a strategic RPG that involves the player hiring, fusing and battling with demons instead of typical strategic RPG units. None of the games ever received an English-language release, but both recently had PC versions released.

There are the Majin Tensei games available:

• Majin Tensei (Super Famicom, Windows PC)
• Majin Tensei: Spiral Nemesis (Super Famicom, Windows PC)

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children

Similar to the Last Bible series, Devil Children is another all ages spin-off of Shin Megami Tensei. The main entries in the series are very similar to Pokemon and Digimon, revolving around heroes and heroines who are half human, half demon and recruit, raise and battle monsters. Also, like Digimon and Pokemon, there are multiple variations of the same game.

The series is so popular in Japan that inspired two anime and two manga series.

Here are the Devil Children games you can find:

• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children Black Book, White Book and Red Book (GBC, PlayStation)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children Light Book and Dark Book/DemiKids: Light and Dark (GBA) Note: This is the only entry in the Devil Children series to be released in English.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children: Puzzle de Call! (GBA) Note: Unlike the other Devil Children games, this is a puzzle game.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children Fire Book and Ice Book (GBA)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children: Messiah Riser (GBA) Note: This entry is a strategic RPG.

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

The Digital Devil Saga games are RPGs like the majority of Shin Megami Tensei games, but this spin-off series has some unique hallmarks. Characters transform into a demon form, rather than being able to have demons fight at their side and be fused. The game also takes place far in the future, after the apocolyse, and focuses on the battle among tribes fighting to try and reach Nirvana.

There are two Digital Devil Saga games available, and both received US releases:

• Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (PS2)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2)

Miscellaneous spin-offs

There have been many Shin Megami Tensei spin-offs, but most of them have ended up as one-shot deals and didn’t spawn a series like Persona or Devil Summoner. Since they don’t really fit into the other three categories all that well, it’s easier to just place them here. Most are RPGs of some sort, like the Shin Megami Tensei staples, but occasionally there will be one that slips into another genre, like strategic RPG or action.

These are the rest of the Shin Megami Tensei games that have been released:

• Jack Bros. no Meiro de Hiho/Jack Bros. (Virtual Boy)
• Shin Megami Tensei: NINE (Xbox)
• Megami Tensei Online Imagine/Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine (Windows PC)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (DS)

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables reviews the DC-IE Import Enabler for the Dreamcast.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last weekImportant Importables listed 100 interesting games you can only play if you import in honor of its 100th column.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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After years of waiting, a new Lufia game is on the way! Famitsu has revealed that Square Enix is working on Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods for a yet undisclosed system. Don’t let the whole Estpolis thing throw you, in Japan the Lufia series goes by Estpolis. Lufia & the Fortress of Doom and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals were called Estpolis Denki and Estpolis Denki II there.

Almost all of the previous Lufia games, except for Lufia: The Ruins of Lore, were developed by Neverland and published by Taito. Square Enix, Taito’s new owners, will be publishing Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods and since Famitsu says the original development team is back, that probably means Neverland is on the job as well.

And, that’s it for now. The official reveal of Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods will be in the November 19, 2009 issue of Famitsu. What a tease. Now we have to wait a week to learn what console it will appear on and when it will be released.

This is such fantastic news. The Super Nintendo Lufia games, Lufia & the Fortress of Doom and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, were classic RPGs and among the best releases for that system. Even the Game Boy Color game Lufia: The Legend Returns wasn’t too bad. I liked it. The Game Boy Advance entry, Lufia: The Ruins of Lore, disappointed me though.

Odds are, we’ll see Estpolis: The Lands Cursed by the Gods in North America. Every entry in the Lufia series, except for the cell phone game, has been released in North America. I’m hoping it will appear on the DS, PSP or Wii.

Read [Famitsu (Japanese)] Via [Andriasang] Also Read [Joystiq]

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Good news for fans of the Nintendo and Cing adventure game / visual novel Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - a sequel is on the way. A Japanese blog has leaked the news that Last Window: Mayonaka no Yakusoku, Last Window: Midnight Promise in English, is going to be released in Japan on January 14, 2010. Based on the informational image provided, it looks like it’s going to carry a Cero B (Ages 12+) rating.

Specific facts on Last Window haven’t been released, so we don’t know anything about the story or how it relates to Hotel Dusk. What we do know is that it will follow Hotel Dusk star Kyle Hyde as he conducts some kind of investigation in Los Angeles, California in the 1980’s. Since Hotel Dusk took place near Los Angeles in 1979, I think it’d be safe to think it’s a direct sequel to the first game.

A price is mentioned on the bottom of the informational image as well, but it’s nearly impossible to read. It could be ¥4,340, or ¥6,360. I just can’t tell. I’m going to guess ¥4,840, since that seems about right for a DS game.

So far a worldwide release hasn’t been announced, but it wouldn’t be unlikely. Hotel Dusk was pretty popular in North America and I’m sure Nintendo would want to continue a successful series.

Read [Sinobi (Japanese)] Via [NeoGAF] Also Read [Tiny Cartridge] Also Read [Siliconera]

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Nintendo has a history of offering exclusive games as Club Nintendo rewards, but until now they’ve only been DS games. The latest Club Nintendo Japan reward is the 50 point WiiWare game Wii de Ultrahand. It’s based on the 1966 Nintendo Ultra Hand toy.

The original Ultra Hand plastic toy came with three balls and stands to place the balls on. It made cameo appearances in Wario: Master of Disguise (DS) and Mario Power Tennis (GameCube, Wii).

Wii de Ultra Hand, on the other hand, involves grabbing meat in place of balls. The Wii remote and nunchuk serve as the two handles for the virtual Ultra Hand, and players move the handles in and out to grab meat off a grill before it burns and place it on a plate. You can play it alone or with a single friend.

The 50 points does not, unfortunately, get you a replica Ultra Hand. It only gives you a code to download the WiiWare game. It would have been a nice little extra if it did!

There’s no telling whether this will see a release outside of Japan or not. Nintendo is trying to establish the Club Nintendo promotions outside of Japan though, and the first Club Nintendo Game & Watch DS game was a reward in North America. Also, Wii de Ultra Hand probably wouldn’t be too difficult to translate and localize for worldwide audiences.

Read [andriasang.com] Site [Club Nintendo Japan]

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Good news for fans of the Arc System Works fighter BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger that Aksys so thoughtfully brought to North America - its spreading to another system. BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is being ported to the PSP as BlazBlue Portable. Arc Systems Works recently announced the new project and Famitsu confirms it.

BlazBlue Portable‘s going to be as similar to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger as possible, going by 1Up‘s report. All the characters from BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger will be there and there’ll be ad-hoc wireless multiplayer. The only new addition is Legion Mode, which has your fighter conquering a map by taking part in fights against other characters. Sounds like another good reason to play the game.

BlazBlue Portable‘s just been announced in Japan, so there’s no word yet on any other potential additions. Pretty much all we know is it’s a port and it’ll be out February 25, 2010. A worldwide release hasn’t been announced yet, but given the success of BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger it seems likely.

Read [1Up] Also Read [Siliconera]

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AtlusNet.jp updated recently with many new details about Persona 3 Portable, the PSP port/remake of Persona 3, which came out November 1, 2009. The most obvious and talked about addition is the ability to play as a heroine rather than the hero Minato from Persona 3. You can switch off playing as the hero and heroine in each playthrough, but still retain all of your character levels and items. The heroine also isn’t just a carbon copy of the hero, as her arcana card is revealed to be XXII (The World), but she still retains his ability to use almost every kind of weapon.

The other details in the news update offer a few new hints about the Persona 3 Portable Social Links. For example, there’s no need to worry if you’re not spending enough time around your Social Link friends. Even if you ignore them for a long time, the Social Link will not decay. If you make the wrong choices during events though, they still will. The update also confirms that Akihiko, Theodore and Shinji are Social Links for the heroine and it sounds like the dating feature is intact. Other new Social Links include Saori Hasegawa replacing Maya as “The Hermit” link and Rio Iwasaki replacing Kazushi Miyamoto as “The Chariot” link. Another notable detail is Rio is friends with Kenji Tomochika, the Magician Social Link for the male character. It is still unknown if Kenji will remain the Magician Social Link for the female character, or if Junpei will replace him.

There was also information released about the UMD and download releases. It looks like there’s a bit of a price difference, as according to the article the UMD version is ¥6,276 (~$69.73) and the download version is ¥5,040 (~$56). Both versions of the game will also have a 255mb Data Installation option. However, this option is only recommended to Persona 3 Portable UMD owners to make the game run faster.

Still no North American release announcement yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear something from Atlus soon. After all, we’ve seen localizations of pretty much every Persona game so far.

Read [AtlusNet.jp (Japanese)]

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Hey everyone! This is a momentous day for Important Importables. Today marks the 100th column. Who’d have thought, right?

Anyways, to celebrate today, I’m listing my 100 all time favorite games that you can only get by importing. These are titles that aren’t available in North America, and you have to import from either Japan or Europe if you want to play them.

Remember, this isn’t a comprehensive list and is based on my personal picks. It’s a general guide to some great games you should be aware of. It’s also a bit biased in terms of systems, because it was formed based on games that I’ve either played or taken an interest in over the years. So, since I’ve imported quite a few DS games and that’s one of my favorite systems, there’ll naturally be more DS games represented.

If there’s a great import game you know that isn’t on the list and should be, tell the world in the comments. Also remember, many consoles have region protection! If you have a Game Boy, Game Boy Color, DS, PSP or PS3 you should be region-free, and if you have a Dreamcast you can buy or make a special boot-disk which makes your console region-free.

Dreamcast

• Bomber HehHe: It’s a puzzle game with some action elements. The goal is to place bombs to take down buildings.
• Capcom vs SNK 2: A fighting game, of course. The first one did get a US release, but this one didn’t.
• Cosmic Smash: It’s sort of like Arkanoid/Alleyway, in that you have to destroy blocks. Except you’re playing as a human trying to smash them with a ball, and racing against the clock.
• DUX: A side scrolling shoot-em-up (the Dreamcast was known for them) that has the distinction of being one of the most recent DC releases. It came out in 2009.
• Last Hope: Pink Bullets: Again, one of the more recent DC releases and shoot-em-up. It’s an updated and adjusted version of the Neo Geo game Last Hope.
• Napple Tale: Arisia in Daydream: A platformer where a girl named Arisia is tasked with returning the lost seasons to Napple Town.
• Pop’n Music: A fun, bright and colorful music game.
• Princess Maker Collection: You get Princess Maker 2 and Princess Maker 3 in one game.
• Rainbow Cotton: A shoot-em-up (cute-em-up) that’s the first 3D entry in the Cotton series.
• Puyo Pop Fever: It was the last Sonic Team DC game, but was never released outside of Japan.
• Any Sakura Taisen game: They’re all fun blends of visual novel, strategic rpg and dating sim games.
• Shenmue II: Only Europe and Japan got the sequel to Shenmue. I recommend importing the European version, since it’ll be in English.
• Shinseiki Evangelion: Ayanami Rei Ikusei Keikaku: Think Princess Maker, only with Rei Ayanami from Evangelion as the potential princess. Its also available on the DS, PC and PS2.
• Wind and Water: Puzzle Battles: A recent Dreamcast puzzle release.

DS

• 100 Classic Book Collection: Basically an e-reader program with 100 classic books built in and an additional 10 that can be downloaded. It’s available in Europe, but not North America.
• Arabian’s Lost: An otome/RPG where the main character is an Arabian princess of a land filled with thieves, gamblers, assassins and crooks who must earn 10 million in 30 days to keep from being trapped in an arranged marriage. Its also available for the PS2.
• A.S.H.: Archaic Sealed Heat: A strategic RPG from Nintendo that was supposed to come to North America, but never did.
• Daigasso Band Brothers / Daigasso Band Bros. DX: A music game where you play songs using the DS face buttons. You can also create your own songs in both games and download songs in the sequel.
• Dokidoki Majo Shinpan!: A somewhat-perverted game which has gained fame and notoriety for the fact that players touch girls on the touch screen to determine if they’re witches.
• Freshly-Picked Tingle’s Rosy Rupeeland: An RPG starring Tingle from the Legend of Zelda series and revolves around his quest to get money and get to Rupeeland. It received a Japanese and European release, but never appeared in North America.
• Game & Watch Collection 2: A Japanese Club Nintendo promotion that includes the Game & Watch titles Parachute and Octopus.
• Game Center CX: Arino no Chousenjou 2: The sequel to Retro Game Challenge. Since the first game wasn’t a huge seller in North America, we probably will never see an English version of the sequel.
• Hirameki Action: Chibikko Wagyan no Daiki na Bouken: This is a side-scrolling action game where players guide a little dinosaur with a mighty roar through levels.
• Idolm@ster: Dearly Stars: The first Idolm@ster game where players act as the idols instead of a faceless producer. It’s also the first game in the series with a male idol (though he’s in disguise as a girl).
• Itadaki Street DS: A monopoly-esque board game from Square Enix starring characters from Super Mario and Dragon Quest. It also has Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support so you can play online.
• Jump Ultimate Stars: A Smash Bros style fighting game with 300 characters from 41 Shonen Jump mangas. Unfortunately, it’ll never get a worldwide release due to licensing issues.
• Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten: A Japanese-English dictionary that’s perfect for people studying Japanese. A few Game&Watch games are also hidden in it.
• Katekyoo Hitman Reborn DS Flame Rumble X: Mirai Chou-Bakuhatsu!!: A 2D fighting game starring the characters from the manga/anime Katekyoo Hitman Reborn.
• Ketsui Death Label: An impressive shoot-em-up from Cave.
• Love Plus: A Japanese dating sim that’s gained a massive following in a short period of time. It takes place in real time and players are actually able to date, then marry, one of three girls they choose.
• Meccha! Taiko no Tatsujin DS: 7-tsu no Shima no Daibouken: A Taiko no Tatsujin drum game that even has an adventure/story mode.
• NANA: Live Staff Daiboshuu! Shoshinsha Kangei: A life sim based on the Nana manga/anime/movie where the player can make a life in Tokyo and try to get a job with one of the two bands from the series.
• Ochaken no Daibouken: An adorable and enjoyable platformer starring the Ochaken dog and Ochaneko cat characters.
• Otometeki Koi Kakumei Love Revo DS!!: A hilarious and occasionally touching otome simulation where the main character is a fat girl trying to lose weight so she can get a boyfriend.
• Any Ouendan game: They’re like the Elite Beat Agents game, only better.
• Sigma Harmonics: A Square Enix adventure RPG where players must time travel to prevent murders and preserve the present.
• Slide Adventure: Mag Kid: An action/puzzle game where players attach a peripheral and slide the DS around to make the main character, Mag Kid, move.
• Soma Bringer: A gorgeous action RPG from Nintendo that may never get a worldwide release.
• Tales of Innocence: A good DS entry in the Tales of series that Namco Bandai never released outside of Japan.
• Tales of Hearts: Again, another good DS Tales of entry. It’s available in two versions - one with CG cutscenes and one with animated ones.
• Tokimeki Memorial Girl’s Side 1st Love and 2nd Season: These two DS games are otome life sims where players guide a girl through high school and hopefully help her find a boyfriend.
• Vampire Knight DS: A DS otome simulation with visual novel elements that is based on the Vampire Knight manga/anime.
• Xenosaga I + II: A DS adaptation of the first two Xenosaga games.

GameCube

• Doshin the Giant: a god/life simulation where players determine how Doshin interacts with island natives. It was available in Japan and Europe.
• Kururin Squash: An action/puzzle game where players must navigate through mazes.

GBA

• Any bit Generations game: They’re a nice variety of stylish, simple puzzle and action games.
• Densetsu no Starfy: The first game in the Legendary Starfy series.
• Densetsu no Starfy 3: The last Starfy GBA game and the first where Starpy is a major character.
• Fire Emblem: Fuuin no Tsurugi: The only GBA Fire Emblem game not released in English. It’s the first GBA Fire Emblem, but the sequel to the Fire Emblem GBA game released in North America.
• Genso Suikoden: Card Stories: Suikoden II with card battles.
• Mother + Mother 2: The original Mother and Mother 2/Earthbound in one cartridge.
• Mother 3: The RPG Earthbound sequel. It’s main character, Lucas, appeared in Smash Bros Brawl.
• Rhythm Tengoku: A music game and the prequel to Rhythm Heaven.
• Super Mario Ball: A Super Mario pinball game.
• Tales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 2: A Tales of mash-up action-RPG. It’s mainly about fetch quests and quick missions.
• Tomato Adventure: An adorable Nintendo RPG designed for beginners. It has some elements found in the Mario & Luigi RPGs.

PC

• Any and every Touhou game ever released: They’re fantastic shoot-em-up (cute-em-up) games.

PS2

• beatmania IIDX 16 Empress: A fantastic music and rhythm game.
• Bleach: Blade Battles 2nd: A fighting game with the Bleach characters.
• Espgaluda: A Cave shooter that’s a prequel to ESP Ra.De..
• Fate/stay Night: Realta Nua: An all ages version of the popular visual novel Fate/stay night.
• GuitarFreaks & DrumMania Masterpiece Gold: The original guitar and drum music video game. This is one of the best entries in the series.
• Melty Blood: Actress Again: A fighting game starring characters from the visual novel Tsukihime.
• Namco x Capcom: An RPG with action and strategic elements that has characters Namco and Capcom games making cameos as either allies or opponents.
• Nana: A life simulation game based on the Nana anime/manga where the player moves to Tokyo and gets to interact with characters from the series.
• Tales of Destiny Director’s Cut: A PS2 remake of the PS1 classic Tales of Destiny, with additional content.
• Tales of Symphonia: A PS2 port of the GameCube game with additional content.
• Tian Xing: Sword of Destiny: A hack-and-slash game Devil May Cry fans would love.

PSP

• Audition Portable: A portable version of the PC MMO. The gameplay is similar to the Bust-a-Groove games.
• Any Bleach Heat the Soul game: Great PSP fighters starring Bleach characters.
• Breath of Fire III: A PSP port. It was released in Europe, so you can import it and play it in English.
• Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy in Itadaki Street Portable: A PSP port of a PS2 game with extra characters. It’s a monopoly-esque board game with characters from Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy.
• Hatsune Miku Project Diva: A Sega music game starring the Vocaloid Miku Hatsune that lets you import your own .mp3s and create your own songs and music videos.
• Idolmaster SP: Available in three versions, Perfect Sun, Missing Moon and Wandering Star, it was the first portable version of Idolm@ster.
• La Corda d’Oro: A PSP port of the PS2 and PC otome/simulation where players attempt to become a great violin player and win competitions while also making friends or possibly finding a boyfriend.
• Macross Ultimate Frontier: An action game that lets players fight pretty much every battle in the Macross anime series.
• Maplus: Portable Navi and GPS Receiver: turns your PSP into a GPS.
• Parodius Portable: A port of the side-scrolling shooter.
• Persona 3 Portable: A port of the PS2 game Persona 3 with a second storyline where the main character is a girl. It’ll probably get a US release, but for now it’s Japan-only.
• Princess Crown: A port of the VanillaWare Saturn game that’s the spiritual successor and prequel to Odin Sphere.
• Princess Maker 4 Portable: A port of a Princess Maker game that’s very similar to the cult classic Princess Maker 2.
• Suikoden I + II: The PS1 games on one UMD.
• Tales of Eternia: A port of Tales of Eternia/Tales of Destiny II. It’s available in English in Europe.
• Tales of Rebirth: A port of the PS2 Tales of game that never made it outside of Japan. It isn’t available in English.
• Tales of VS.: A fighting game featuring characters from the Tales of games.
• Twinbee Portable: A port of the classic shoot-em-up.
• Ys VII: The latest entry in the Ys action-RPG series. It may see a US release, but for now it’s Japan-only.

SNES

• Der Langrisser: A strategic RPG with multiple endings based on decisions the player makes.
• Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu: The fourth Fire Emblem game and regarded as one of the best. It introduced the romance/relationship element into the series and is multigenerational - if two characters get together in the first part, their child will appear in the second.
• Live a Live: A Square Enix RPG with seven storylines that unexpectedly all end up being connected.
• Sailor Moon: Another Story: An RPG inspired by Sailor Moon with an original storyline that has become a cult classic and is unexpectedly spectacular.
• Seiken Densetsu 3: An entry in the Square Enix Mana series that was never released outside of Japan.

Wii

• 428: Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de / 428: In a Blockaded Shibuya: A highly acclaimed visual novel. It’s been ported to the PS3 and PSP.
• Captain Rainbow: It’s an action/adventure game from Nintendo where a character named Nick, aka Captain Rainbow, goes around helping people on Mimin Island trying to either grant his wish or the wishes of islanders. It features many little known or forgotten Nintendo characters.
• Disaster: Day of Crisis: An action/adventure game released only in Australia, Europe and Japan. Players help Raymond Bryce, who works for the government, survive and save people during natural disasters and stop a terrorist group called SURGE. It will likely never receive a US release.
• Sukeban Shachou Rena: A mini-game collection featuring cats working at Cat Queen, Inc. Your goal is to start out as an entry level cat. You work your way up to the head of the company and earn respect of the CEO, Nekopunch mascot Rena.
• Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: The Taiko drum game series comes to the Wii.
• Zero:Tsukihami no Kamen / Fatal Frame IV: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse: The fourth entry in the Fatal Frame series.

Xbox 360

• Idolm@ster: The original Idolm@ster game, where players help an idol, or group of idols, become a success.
• Death Smiles: A new Cave shoot-em-up with a gothic theme.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables takes a one-week break, but will return November 13, 2009 to talk about Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensei series.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last weekImportant Importables looked at six Japanese gadgets that exist only to be adorable.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Platinum Games and Sega’s Bayonetta isn’t due out in North America until January 5, 2010. Thankfully, PS3 owners don’t have to wait that long. If they have a credit card or a paypal account, they can hop online to the Japanese import video game store of their choice and order a copy of the Japanese version that comes out October 29, 2009.

Siliconera is reporting that, while the instruction manual is in Japanese, the game is completely translated. There’s even English voice acting! The PS3 version of Bayonetta received a 38 out of 40 in Famitsu, by the way, which means that a potentially great game could be waiting for you. Since the PS3 is region-free, the Japanese game will work with any PS3 console.

The only thing is, you will be paying a premium price for the right to own Bayonetta early. If you wait until January for the US release, it will cost you $59.99. Here’s what it’ll cost to import a Japanese copy right now from some of the most dependable online sites:

• $79.90 at Play-Asia
• $80.90 at NCSX Shop
• $84.90 at RenChi.com
• $84.99 at YesAsia
• $85.00 at HimeyaShop
• ￥7,880 (~$86.45) at Amazon.co.jp (Note: Amazon.co.jp won’t ship games to addresses outside of Japan.)

This could make a fantastic Christmas or holiday gift for your favorite PS3 owner. But bear in mind, it’s rated Cero D, which means it’s appropriate for players ages 17 and up.

Read [Siliconera] Via [Joystiq] Also Read [Kotaku]

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Square Enix has once again shown that it is ready and willing to port its mobile games to handhelds and consoles. The latest example is Kuni Yaburete Sanga Ari, also known as Hills and Rivers Remain. Previously, it was only available on cell phones, the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Now, Square Enix has announced that the game will be released on the Japanese DSiWare store this week on October 28, 2009.

Kuni Yaburete Sanga Ari / Hills and Rivers Remain is a real-time strategy game where players guide Alan and his associates as they seek to protect and acquire as many towns as possible. The problem is, the towns are constantly in danger of being assaulted and taken by enemy forces. So, players have to protect the towns they have while also trying to gain new ones and push back an invading menace.

The 800 Nintendo Point game is going to be similar to the iPhone/iPod Touch and mobile releases, in that the story is the same and there will still be story and free play modes. It is unknown if there will be additional maps released like there was for the cell phone release. DSi-exclusive additions include a stylus control scheme, four player multiplayer and multiplayer maps.

Siliconera pointed out on September 14, 2009 that Square Enix trademarked the English name (Hills and Rivers Remain) on September 8, 2009 for video game software. You can see for yourself by searching for the title in the Trademark Electronic Search System. I’d guess that the trademark filed applies to potential North American iPhone/iPod Touch releases, and not the DSiWare and mobile release. A North American release hasn’t been announced yet, but it is likely. After all, Dragon Quest Wars received a worldwide release.

Seriously Square Enix, consider bringing Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII to the DSi. This DSi port of Kuni Yaburete Sanga Ari / Hills and Rivers Remain shows the company isn’t adverse to such a move. So let’s see that port happen. And then, let’s see that port get a worldwide release.

Read [Andriasang] Via [Joystiq] Also Read [Tiny Cartridge] Also Read [Siliconera] Site [Kuni Yaburete Sanga Ari / Hills and Rivers Remain (Japanese)] Site [Nintendo (Japanese)]

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One of the best things about Japan are the unexpected gadgets that find life there. You know what I’m talking about, the cute, tiny things whose sole reason for existance seems to be that they’re utterly adorable. These kinds of treats typically don’t fufill any necessary need, but they do make our lives a bit brighter.

Thankfully, you don’t have to live in Japan to have access to these items. Many online retailers stock some of the cute and unusual gems, so you can own one no matter where you live. And even if you don’t really feel like spending money on one of these charming items, it’s always fun to window shop.

The USB Robot Owl

It’s an owl. An adorable, tiny, owl that is powered by being plugged into a USB slot on your computer or game system. Once plugged in, it sits there and stares it you. Occasionally it will tilt its head, as if it’s judging you to see if you are truly worthy of owning its cute self. It comes in four colors - white, brown, gray and pink. Thanks to fellow Gamertell writer Lucy (who’s fortunate enough to actually own one) for the heads up on this sweetheart. The image you see at the right is a picture of her USB owl that she took.

Available at ThinkGeek for $19.99

Robo-Q Tiny R/C Robot

They’re remote controlled little robots, only much, much, much smaller. Think about the size of a child’s pinky. You get a little robot, its remote control and its toy soccer ball. You can then control the robot yourself with the controller, or let it run on its own, chasing after the ball. It’s batteries are rechargeable, which makes things easier. There are two different styles of robot, future or retro, and each style comes in two different colors.

Available at ThinkGeek for $39.99

Edamame, Bubble Wrap and Beer/Soda Can Pull Keychains

There are few things so simple, fun and satisfying than popping bubble wrap, pushing soybeans out of their casing or pulling the opener of a can. And yet, these are all fleeting pleasures. One you perform the action, it’s all over. That’s where these keychains come in! The Electronic Popping Bubble Wrap feels and sounds like popping bubbles, the Edamame soybean pod feels like popping out beans and the Electronic Beer/Soda Can Pull feels and sounds like opening an aluminum can of soda or beer.

Available at Strapya World, The beer can pull is $8.68, the edamame is $6.92 and the bubble wrap is either $8.57 or $5.33, depending on the model you choose.

Sega Toys Almost Living Cutest Twitter Chick

What’s the perfect gift for someone who can’t have a pet in their apartment and loves adorable things? A robotic chick! This toy is the size of a real chick and looks a lot like one too. It’s covered in soft yellow or blue fur. It will peep and flap its little wings. How cute is that? If you prefer, Sega Toys also makes Robotic Rabbits and Yume Hamsters.

Available at Strapya World for $28.02

Nohohon Zoku Hinatabokko Pochama

Nohohon Zoku are fairly well known, solar powered bobble heads created by Tomy and sold mainly in Japan. One of the latest designs is the pokemon Piplup, the water starter pokemon in Pokemon Diamond/Pearl. The Piplup sits happily on a tree stump, and if you place the solar panel in direct light, its head will glide back and forth. I don’t actually own this exact Nohohon, but I have a similar one with a lucky cat design that moves its head and paw. It’s sort of soothing to watch, like a lava lamp.

Available at Play-Asia for $9.90

Pecha Kucha Ku Cha

With a Pecha Kucha Ku Cha, you’ll never be lonely. It’s a brightly colored, wide-eyed, electronic bear sitting in a chair. It recognizes your voice and is happy to engage in small talk with you. It’ll greet you, tell you the time and even tells you what your horoscope looks like for the day. It’s available in four varieties/color schemes - a blue bear in a yellow chair, a yellow bear in a green chair, a pink bear in a blue chair and a brown bear in a pink chair.

Available at Japan Trend Shop for $67.00

Important Importables is coming up on its 100th column! If you have any suggestions as to what you’d like to see the 100th column cover, let me know in the comments!

COMING NEXT WEEK: It’s Important Importables 100th column!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables talked about the Haruhi Suzumiya phenomenon.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

One of the most popular icons and characters in Japan is a brown haired girl with yellow ribbons in her hair named Haruhi Suzumiya. People mimic the opening dance from her anime, dress up like her, collect toys that look like her character, read about her and even play video games where she is the star.

Thanks to companies like Bandai Entertainment, Little Brown Books and Yen Press, people in North America can start to read and watch Haruhi Suzumiya’s adventures. However, no video game publisher has taken a chance on her eclectic games.

Before we look at five video game adventures, lets take a brief look at what Haruhism is all about.

Who’s Haruhi Suzumiya?

Haruhi Suzumiya’s the star of a series of light novels, manga volumes, anime, movie and video games. The series began in June, 2003 with the light novel The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Pay close attention to the title, because it’s the start of a trend. All the Haruhi Suzumiya media are titled in a similar manner. Two manga series followed shortly after in the spring of 2004 and winter of 2005. The anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya ran in 2006, and was expanded and rerun in 2009.  Another manga series began in 2007.

Right now, the new run of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is going on with additional episodes, there’s a new spin-off manga called The Vanishing of Yuki-chan Nagato and a movie, The Vanishment of Haruhi Suzumiya is being prepared for a 2010 release.

Haruhi Suzumiya is an etcentric high school girl with an interest in the extraordinary. In order to find these strange phenomena, like espers, aliens, robots and the like, she creates a school club called the Spreading Excitement All Over the World with the Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade, or SOS Brigade. She convinces/badgers/drags her classmate Kyon, the only person she talks to, into joining. Three other people, Yuki Nagato, Mikuru Asahina and Itsuki Koizumi, also end up joining as well. It turns out that the three other people didn’t join because they’re interested in the supernatural.

Instead, Yuki, Mikuru and Itsuki join because they are supernatural. Apparently, Haruhi somehow holds, or developed, the ability to change reality at her will, and the three of them have been sent by different organizations to monitor her and sort-of keep her in check. So, out of everyone, Kyon’s the only normal person. He also tends to be narrator for the events.

So, each form of media deals with a new adventure that Haruhi and the SOS Brigade gets into. Currently, the following Haruhi Suzumiya media is available in English in the U.S.:

• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: Complete Collection DVDs of the anime series.
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya manga volumes 1-4 by Nagaru Tanigawa.
• Haruhi Suzumiya Yearkbook: A Guide to the Many Moods of Haruhi Suzumiya fanbook by Kazuhisa Fujie
• The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya, the first two volumes in the original light novel series by Nagaru Tanigawa.

The video games of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Not surprisingly, the success of the Haruhi Suzumiya series has spawned a number of video games. Here’s a brief overview of what’s available, in chronological order. Keep in mind, the games all contain quite a bit of fanservice.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku aka The Promise of Haruhi Suzumiya (PSP)
This is essentially a visual novel/adventure game with occasional mini-games thrown in. This game follows the part of the light novel/manga/anime where the SOS Brigade is creating The Adventures of Mikuru Asahina. It’s the only Haruhi Suzumiya video game to not have an original storyline. Mainly it’s a visual novel, but there are some mini-games. Warning to importers: Text heavy!

Suzumiya Haruhi no Tomadoi aka The Perplexity of Haruhi Suzumiya (PS2)
This is essentially a visual novel/adventure game with occasional mini-games thrown in. Haruhi wants to make a video game, and gets the SOS Brigade involved. There are quite a few different games you can make, like an RPG, card game or Princess Maker clone. Warning to importers: Text heavy! Also, the PS2 isn’t region-free, so this only works on Japanese PS2s.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekidou aka The Excitement of Haruhi Suzumiya (Wii)
Dance along with Haruhi Suzumiya and the SOS Brigade. Haruhi’s found a flier for the dance competition, and has decided that she and the SOS Brigade are entering. There are Story and Free Play Modes. Remember, the Wii isn’t region-free so don’t buy it unless you have a Japanese Wii.

Suzumiya no Heiretsu aka The Parallel of Haruhi Suzumiya (Wii)
Yet another visual novel adventure game. Haruhi’s won a cruise trip, and she’s bringing the SOS Brigade with her. Once they set sail, a number of improbable and unusual adventures take place. Warning to importers: Text heavy! Also, like I mentioned before, the Wii isn’t region-free.

Suzumiya Haruhi no Chokuretsu aka The Series of Haruhi Suzumiya (DS)
This is an adventure game, along the lines of Lux Pain or Phoenix Wright. Haruhi, Kyou and the SOS Brigade use the summer to investigate the school’s seven, unexplained mysteries. Warning to importers: Text heavy!

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables looks at five Japanese gadgets which exist for no other reason than to be absurdly adorable.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables suggested 35 video games you could play on Hello Kitty’s 35th anniversary.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

About a year ago, Gamertell’s Important Importables talked about Japanese mascots who’ve gotten their own video games. One of the mascots was Domo, the Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) network mascot - a big brown, friendly monster whose mouth is perpetually open and says only, “Domo.” Last year, Domo was the Halloween mascot for Target stores. This year, he’s working for 7-Eleven.

The 7-Eleven and Domo collaboration is going to last from October 1, 2009 until approximately November 12, 2009. To make it easier, let’s just say you have until the second week of November to stop by your local 7-Eleven if you want to see Domo or pick up some Domo related goodies. You may only just be noticing the promotion now though - my local 7-Eleven only started stocking the Domo items this past Monday.

Here’s what you can expect to see if you stop by 7-Eleven while the promotion is running. There are going to be lots of Domo display items. Domo’s going to appear on all kinds of coffee and slurpee cups, and there will be special, limited drinks in honor of Domo. There will be little accessories, figurines, collectable straws, the Domo Volume 1 dvd with all of his collected cartoons, volumes of the Domo: The Manga graphic novel and 7-Eleven gift cards with Domo appearing on them. Not all stores may go so far with the Domo love, so if you’re looking for a particular treat be prepared to look in several stores.

The promotion also extends to the internet. If you stop by the Slurpee website, you can watch three Domo webisodes showing his reactions to slurpees, enter to win a stuffed Domo and discover his official slurpee flavor - Fuji Frost Fanta Apple. Well, technically only two of the webisodes are online right now. The third episode will be online October 19, 2009.

No video games though, sadly. You’ll either have to import the Japanese GBA game Domo-kun no Fushigi Terebi or content yourself with the Domo Dance browser-based game at Domo Nation.

Read [Geekadelphia] Also Read [Marketing Daily] Also Read [Gamertell] Site [Slurpee] Site [Domo Nation]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

On November 1, 2009, Hello Kitty celebrates her 35th birthday. Funny, she doesn’t look that old. It’s also her twin sister Mimmy’s birthday too, but she’s not the famous one so nobody really cares about her. She’s just part of the entourage.

In honor of Hello Kitty’s 35th, Important Importables has put together a list of 35 video and board games with Hello Kitty themes or where Hello Kitty is the star. This way, if there’s a game that looks or sounds interesting, you have enough time to get the games before the first. There are games for US and Japanese systems, old and new, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding something to suit you. In fact, there are two free computer games on our list, and some very affordable iPhone/iPod Touch titles.

Without any further ado, here’s Important Importables Hello Kitty game list!

35 Games to Play in Honor of Hello Kitty’s 35th Birthday:

1. Hello Kitty no Hanabatake (NES): NES systems weren’t region free, so don’t import unless you own a Famicom.
2. Hello Kitty World (NES): Again, NES units weren’t region free.
3. Hello Kitty Yume no Kuni no Daibouken (Playdia): If you’re one of the few who actually owns a Playdia, there’s a Hello Kitty game for kids out there to play on it.
4. Hello Kitty Asobi no Mochabako (3DO): Likewise, if you’re a fan of old systems and Japanese games, there’s a 3DO Hello Kitty game waiting for your time and attention.
5. Hello Kitty’s Cube Frenzy (PS1): It’s sort of a puzzle, action game where you have to create chains of similarly colored cubes and also have Hello Kitty walk on all cubes on the field.
6. Hello Kitty’s Cube Frenzy (GBC): Don’t have a PS1, don’t worry! The preceding puzzle game had a Game Boy Color adaptation as well. Be forewarned, the PS1 version is much better than the GBC one.
7. Hello Kitty: Lovely Fruit Park (Dreamcast): Sega released a puzzle game starring Hello Kitty for the Dreamcast in 1999. It’s a Japan exclusive, but if you have the right boot disk you can play it on your Dreamcast.
8. Hello Kitty no Magical Block (Dreamcast): It’s a puzzle game from Sega with a Hello Kitty theme released in 2000. Again, this is a Japan exclusive.
9. Hello Kitty no Waku Waku Quiz (Dreamcast): Another Japanese Hello Kitty game from Sega that was also released in 2000. This time, it’s a quiz game where you answer various trivia questions to succeed.
10. Hello Kitty no Onnaru Mail (Dreamcast): One more Japanese Dreamcast Hello Kitty game! Well, application. It’s a combination email program and web browser, starring Hello Kitty. Hurray!
11. Hello Kitty Bowling (PS1): Spend the day bowling with Hello Kitty. This was a Japan exclusive, and due to region locking isn’t playable on US PlayStations.

12. Hello Kitty Collection: Miracle Fashion Maker (GBA): Help make Hello Kitty even more stylish by designing new cloths and playing dress up.
13. Hello Kitty to Dear Daniel no Dream Adventure (GBC): Platformers are always fun. This portable one sends Hello Kitty on an adventure to reunite with her boyfriend, Dear Daniel. Once again, region-free means anyone can enjoy this action-packed adventure.
14. Hello Kitty no Happy House (GBC): If you’re looking to relax with an older system, get out your Game Boy Color and pop in this Japan exclusive.
15. Hello Kitty Boogie Woogie! (cell phone): This is an older game, so your cell phone may not be able to get and play it. It’s a dancing game where you use the keypad to make Hello Kitty dance to a few songs.
16. Hello Kitty: Dream Carnival (PC): You could always pick up an this carnival themed action game starring Hello Kitty for your PC.
17. Hello Kitty: Cutie World (PC): Or, you could always play some casual puzzle games, like Mah-Jong or matching, with Hello Kitty.
18. Hello Kitty: Happy Party Pals (GBA): Hello Kitty wants to throw parties for her Sanrio friends, but she needs your help! You have to deliver invitations, organize the event and make sure everything goes well for her.
19. Hello Kitty: Bubblegum Girlfriends (PC): Another collection of Hello Kitty themed, casual mini-games for your computer.
20. Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue (GC): You can always pull out your GameCube, or your Wii, and take off with Hello Kitty as she skates off to rescue her friends.
21. Hello Kitty Daily (DS): Need help organizing your life? Pick up Aspyr’s Hello Kitty themed day planner.
22. Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams (DS): Hello Kitty has moved to the city. You can help her make friends with other Sanrio characters and hopefully, one day, move into the penthouse of her dreams.

23. Hello Kitty no Panda Sport Stadium (DS): What’s cuter than Hello Kitty? Hello Kitty dressed as a panda! This is a Japanese-exclusive sports game that lets Hello Kitty participate in a variety of sports events. The DS is region-free, so you can enjoy this game no matter where you live.
24. Hello Kitty Parachute Paradise (iPhone/iPod Touch): For $4.99, you can play an action/puzzle game where you guide Hello Kitty on a parachute jump.
25. Hello Kitty Camera (iPhone/iPod Touch): Add a little extra cuteness to your pictures with this $2.99 program.
26. iHelloKitty Tokyo (iPhone/iPod Touch): Hello Kitty loves to dress up, and you can help her do so in this $2.99 application.
27. Hello Kitty Online (PC): Its in the closed beta phase right now, but Aeria Games is bringing the free Hello Kitty MMO to the states. You may not be able to play immediately, but you can sign up and wait for the betas!
28. Hello Kitty’s Sunny Day http://www.sanrio.com/fun_and_games/arcade (Browser-based): You could always sample Sanrio’s free, online action game starring Hello Kitty as she tries to keep it from raining.
29. Happy Party with Hello Kitty & Friends (DS): The latest Hello Kitty release just came out in Europe, so if you’re in Europe and reading this, you can celebrate Hello Kitty’s birthday with a party on your DS!
30. Hello Kitty Flip ‘n’ Match (board game): Improve your memory and beat your friends with the help of Hello Kitty.
31. Hello Kitty Chess Game (board game): Of course, Hello Kitty is queen and Dear Daniel is king.
32. Which Hello Kitty Are You? (board game): Haven’t you always wondered whether you identify more with the classic Hello Kitty or one of the newer iterations (like punk Hello Kitty)?
33. Hello Kitty Toss Across (board game): If you’re not a big fan of Hello Kitty, you may get some enjoyment from tossing beanbags at blocks with her face on them.
34. Hello Kitty Monopoly Junior (board game): With all of the various, special editions of Monopoly, you couldn’t honestly think there wasn’t a Hello Kitty one.
35. Hello Kitty Big Roll Bingo (board game): I can’t help but thing it should be K-I-T-T-Y instead of B-I-N-G-O.

Important Importables is coming up on its 100th column! If you have any suggestions as to what you’d like to see the 100th column cover, let me know in the comments!

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables talks about the Haruhi Suzumiya phenomenon, and the games that go with it.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed the Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World (The World Ends with You) Original Soundtrack.

Read [Gamertell] Site [Sanrio.com] Site [35th Anniversary Hello Kitty Colors (English)] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Title: Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World Original Soundtrack - available on iTunes as The World Ends with You (Original Soundtrack)
Artist: Takeharu Ishimoto and Various Artists
Price: $9.99
Rating: 9/10
Pros: 36 fantastic songs that were in The World Ends with You. Nice mix of instrumentals and vocal tracks. Interesting variety of Japanese pop, rock, electronica and hip hop.
Cons: Doesn’t include international release songs. Only available through iTunes in North America, and you’d have to spend over $20 on an import to get an actual CD. End theme “Lullaby for You” isn’t on it.
Note: iTunes also carries Subarashiki Konosekai + The World Ends With You, an $11.99, 19 track album that includes remixes and the additional four songs in the English release.

Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World Original Soundtrack acts as more than your typical game soundtrack. While there are the pieces that do sound tailored for specific situations in the game, as a whole it seems like it was designed more to bring an entire environment and area to life. The tracks often sound different, yet also sound the same. They share a common theme and attitude. By listening to it in the game or on their own, it provides a sense of ambiance and makes the in-game version of Shibuya come to life.

The world inside Shibuya

The best place to start is with “Twister”. The game’s main theme, “Twister”, in all it’s shapes and forms, helps set the stage for all the rest of the tracks. It’s a flurry of organized confusion. There are unexpected noises, elements and tones in the song, and yet they all fit together. The monotone vocals provide a stable base, and all of the other elements of the song build on this. Whether it’s “Twister” being performed by Sawa, “Twister ~Remix~ by Mai Matsuda, or even “Twister ~Gang-Mix~” by MJR, it’s a delight to hear.

The soundtrack is a joy to have, because it provides an opportunity to hear the full songs. In the The World Ends with You and Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World games, you only hear snippets of the songs with vocals. So, you’ll end up having only a particular line or chorus endlessly repeating in your head. The soundtrack proves that these songs are more than their sound bites. They’re fantastic as a whole and wonderful to listen to. “Game Over,” “Someday,” “Calling,” “Deja Vu,” “オーパーツ (Ooparts)” and “Hybrid” really stood out, as I listened.

The instrumentals by Takeharu Ishimoto are all equally delightful. They’re interesting pieces to hear on their own, which is great, but they truly shine when put together with the vocal tracks. They act as a bridge between pieces, tying everything together to make things work as a common theme. I particularly loved “Underground,” “Fighting for Freedom,” “Noisy Noise” and “Shibuya.”

The only downside is that the lavish end theme, which provides a sweet and relaxing resolution to the rest of the in-game tracks, isn’t present on the soundtrack. If you want the Japanese version, you must hunt down Jyongri’s Lullaby for You single, and if you want the English version you must find her Kissing Me single. Unfortunately, neither of the two singles are available on iTunes, so you’ll have to import or purchase from iTunes Japan.

More than a soundtrack

Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World Original Soundtrack isn’t just a video game soundtrack, it’s also an introduction. Games like Persona 3, Persona 4 and The World Ends with You have provided an opportunity for gamers to listen to music from another country.

It’s an interesting listening experience because it doesn’t sound like other games. It doesn’t provide the typical game instrumental and vocal tracks. There’s an edge there, something unique and individual, which means it worth listening to again and again.

Important Importables is coming up on its 100th column! If you have any suggestions as to what you’d like to see the 100th column cover, let me know in the comments!

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables suggests 35 Hello Kitty games you can play to celebrate Hello Kitty’s 35th anniversary.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Tomato Adventure (GBA).

Product Page [iTunes] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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The Square Enix Tokyo Game Show 2009 website is now online and all set for viewing! So even if you can’t make it to Japan, you can kind of get the same sort of experience. Well, if you can read Japanese you can.

The site is primarily a guide to the show. You can see where Square Enix’s booth is, tell what games are playable at the event, see which games will have footage and videos displayed, see the Square Enix booth layout, read a blog and tell what you thought about Square Enix’s displays. Little icons under each game on the game listing page tell you if it is playable at the event or if game footage is going to be shown.

Let’s look at all the games appearing at TGS 2009 that are listed on the site:

• Four Warriors of Light: Final Fantasy Gaiden (DS)
• Dissidia Final Fantasy: Universal Tuning (PSP)
• Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers (Wii)
• Cross Treasures (DS)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Twilight Maiden (Wii)

• Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
• Star Ocean 4 - The Last Hope - International (PS3)
• Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep (PSP)
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
• Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, Xbox 360)
• Front Mission Evolved (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
• Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi (DS)
• Nier Gestalt (Xbox 360)
• Nier Replicant (PS3)
• Dragon Quest IX: Hoshizora no Mamoribito (DS)
• Thexder Neo (PSP)
• Crystal Defenders (PSP)
• Death By Cube (Xbox 360)
• Gyromancer (PC, Xbox 360)
• 0 day Attack on Earth (Xbox 360)

• Song Summoner: The Unsung Heroes - Encore (iPhone/iPod Touch)
• Hills and Rivers Remain (iPhone/iPod Touch)
• Sliding Heroes (iPhone/iPod Touch)
• Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (Wii)
• Final Fantasy XIV (PC, PS3)
• Final Fantasy XI: Vanadiel Collection 2 (PC, PS2, Xbox 360)
• Lord of Vermilion II (Arcade)
• Dragon Quest: Monster Battle Road II (Arcade)
• Seiken Densetsu 2 (Mobile)
• Final Fantasy IV (Mobile)
• Guin Saga Mobile (Mobile)
• Dragon Quest III (Mobile)
• Dragon Quest Fushigi no Dungeon Mobile (Mobile)
• Kingdom Hearts Coded (Mobile)

Wow! Quite a lineup. Many of the games will have playable demos too, which is awesome. I’m especially impressed by the cell phone games Square Enix has in store for Japan. It’s a shame that those don’t often receive overseas releases. There’s some consolation though - the iPhone and iPod Touch games will likely receive an English release.

If you go to the site, you can see a quick one or two sentence blurb about each game and three or four screenshots. I’d recommend stopping by the blog section as well, to see some neat pictures from TGS 2009.

Read [Examiner.com] Site [Tokyo Game Show 2009 l Square Enix (Japanese)]

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Title: Tomato Adventure
Price: Originally $48.90. It’s now out of print, but Amazon.co.jp has people selling it for as low as ?420.
System(s): GBA
Release Date: January 25, 2002
Publisher (Developer): Nintendo (AlphaDream)
ESRB Rating: N/A
Pros: The Gimmick system offers an interesting way to attack and keep the game interesting. Its bright and colorful with really cute characters. (Even the enemies are adorable.) It’s a good RPG for people just starting to learn Japanese, since it’s all pretty much in hirigana and katakana.
Cons: The story portion may be a bit too simple and unappealing for older players. The music is only so-so.
Overall Score: 8/10

A few years ago, Play-Asia had a massive sale on Game Boy Advance games. I decided to use it as an opportunity to pick up the first entry in the Starfy series, Densetsu no Stafi. While shopping, another game also caught my eye. It was bright and colorful RPG designed with children in mind, so I knew it wouldn’t be too taxing when it came to kanji. Plus, it was $4.90. I bought it on a whim. Little did I know how much I would enjoy Tomato Adventure, that impulse purchase.

The story of a tomato-hating boy that saved his girlfriend and the world.

DeMille hates tomatoes. In most places, this is no big deal, but when you live in a land called the Ketchup Kingdom, it kind of makes you a pariah. DeMille and all the other tomato haters have been banished to a single village called Kobora. The only way to escape is to embrace tomatoes and a tomato-loving lifestyle. DeMille isn’t all that unhappy there though. He has friends and a girlfriend named Pasaran.

King Abira, ruler of the Ketchup Kingdom, kidnaps Pasaran and wants to drain her power of heart so he can turn the entire Ketchup Kingdom and all of its residents into a massive toyland filled with toys. DeMille immediately heads to the Gimmick Palace to rescue her, but learns he can’t even get in unless he beats King Abira’s six super kid minions to get toy parts needed to enter the palace and not only rescue Pasaran, but also save the entire Ketchup Kingdom. DeMille won’t be alone though - he’ll find three friends on his adventure, Aresa, Sofubi and Rereku.

Created for kids, but appropriate for all ages.

Tomato Adventure is reminiscent of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga in terms of presentation. You have characters exploring a big, bright fantasy kingdom. The battles let you use only two character at once. When you attack you use Gimmicks, which require you to push buttons again and perform little mini-games to perform special attacks.

You can also adjust the difficulty of Tomato Adventure by tweaking the Gimmick options. If you want very little challenge, you can make the Gimmicks easy to execute. If you want more of a challenge, you just make them more difficult.

It’s also a great game for people who are just learning Japanese. There’s very little kanji in the game. Plus, it contains all the RPG staples. So as long as you’re familiar with RPG structure, katakana and hirigana, you’ll have no problem playing the game. In time, you’ll even learn to recognize different key words, actions, menu titles and items.

The story is a bit fluffy. It’s cute and endearing, but something most RPG players have seen before. I think that, for most players, the younger you are, the more you’ll get out of the Tomato Adventure storyline. That isn’t to say that it’s bad. It just possesses a lot of common themes and story elements that aren’t going to leave veterans shocked.

A great RPG for beginners or people just learning Japanese.

While Tomato Adventure isn’t going to have the most sophisticated story, it is incredibly adorable and has a neat little system for attacking opponents. The language used is simple to understand, so young children and those just starting to learn Japanese could use this to practice their new language skills. Its also interesting to play it to see how an RPG for children handles issues like segregation, racism, discrimination and tyranny.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables reviews the soundtrack for Subarashiki Kono Sekai ~It’s a Wonderful World~, aka The World Ends with You.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables talked about the Tokyo Game Show.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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It’s the week of the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, which means companies are preparing all of their latest games for the event and making all kinds of juicy announcements concerning what games you’ll be able to see there. Sony is the latest major company to announce some of the PS3, PSP and PSN games and services that will be either debuting or appearing at the event. The initial list isn’t a complete compilation of 60+ games scheduled to appear, but is instead a sampling of some of the biggest and most anticipated games that will definitely be shown off.

Three services are definitely going to be shown off at the PlayStation booth. You can test firsthand Home, of course. The PSP PlayStation Store comic delivery service is also going to be ready for people to come up and start reading. The PlayStation Store video delivery service is also going to be shown off as well.

Let’s look at the games that will be appearing:

PlayStation 3 Releases:

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Bayonetta
• Dragon Ball Raging Blast
• FIFA 10
• Final Fantasy XIII
• Front Mission Evolved
• God of War III
• Gran Turismo 5
• Heavy Rain
• inFamous
• Lost Planet 2
• Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
• Quantum Theory
• Ratchet & Clank Future 2
• Shin Sangoku Musou MultiRaid Special
• Tekken 6
• Uncharted 2
• World Soccer Winning Eleven 2010

PS3 PlayStation Network Releases:

• Angel Senki
• Fat Princess
• Gravity Crush
• Hustler King
• Pixel Junk Shooter

PlayStation Portable Releases:

• Bleach: Soul Carnival 2
• Gran Turismo
• God Eater
• Jak & Daxter: Elf to Itachi no Daibouken
• Jigenkai Rouka
• Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
• LittleBigPlanet
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker
• Minna no Sukkiri
• Minna no Tennis Portable
• MotorStorm Raging Ice
• Persona 3 Portable
• Phantasy Star Portable 2
• Senjou no Valkyria 2: Gallia Ouritsu Shikan Gakkou
• Shin Sangoku Musou 5 Special
• Undead Knights

PSP PlayStation Network Releases:

• Disgaea Infinite
• Crystal Defenders
• LocoRoco Midnight Carnival
• Play X Catalogue
• Thexder Neo
• X-Radar Portable

If you’re going to find yourself in Chiba, Japan this weekend, then make sure you stop by Makuhari Messe on either September 26 or 27, 2009, when the event is open to the public. Sony’s booth is in Hall 5 at 5-C1, near Sega, Namco Bandai and D3 Publisher, Konami, Square Enix and Microsoft’s booths.

Read [PlayStation.com (Japan)] Also Read [The Magic Box] Also Read [G4]

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In North America, E3 is the king of video game trade shows. In Japan, it’s all about the Tokyo Game Show. Held every fall, the Tokyo Game Show is the place to see the latest and most anticipated video games in Japan.

The 2009 Tokyo Game Show spans four days next week. The first two days of the event, September 24 and 25, are business days, where it’s press and industry members only. September 26 and 27 are the days to watch - those are the ways where anyone can come in and explore.

To help everyone get ready for this major event, Important Importables has put together a smattering of information on the history of the Tokyo Game Show and helpful things to know about the 2009 Tokyo Game Show.

The history behind the Tokyo Game Show:

The Tokyo Game Show is a fairly recent exposition and convention, with the first one being held back in 1996. From 1997 to 2001, it was a biannual event. There would be a show every spring and fall, showcasing new products in such. In 2002, the Tokyo Game Show was changed to a yearly event, with a presentation every fall.

The Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, Japan is the standard location for the event, and it tends to take place either in September or October. Starting in 2007, the Tokyo Game Show has become a four day in a row event, with the first two days exclusive for press and industry members and the second two days open to everyone.

Each year, the Tokyo Game Show seems to get bigger and more impressive. The hallmark for this year’s Tokyo Game Show is the fact that, for the first time, there is an Advanced Mobile & PC section that looks at games for those cell phones and computers. Also, like the 2008 Tokyo Game Show, the event will run using green energy.

Foreshadowing and preparing for the 2009 Tokyo Game Show:

Since the Tokyo Game Show is only a week away, a lot of companies are starting to announce what games will be showing up or debuting at the event, and also letting people know what kinds of events they can expect to see. There is already a preliminary tally of how many exhibitors and games will be displayed - initial reports from the Tokyo Game Show detailed information report state that 55 exhibitors and 493 games were registered to appear.

Sense of Wonder Night is one of those events. It happens Friday, September 25, and offers attendees a chance to see games that are out of the ordinary. It showcases new ideas and gameplay concepts from around the world that haven’t been seen before. This year 10 titles are being shown off, six from Japan, one from Australia, one from Sweden and two from the United States.

There will also be the requisite Game Science Museum. This year it is set up in three halls, with each hall having a different focus. One is focusing on Feudal warlords, showing off games, armor and information on samurai. Another looks at the structure of modern consoles and the other is an exhibit for children that shows how game character models and graphics have advanced and changed over the years.

Many game companies will also be holding specific events for the show to supplement the official Tokyo Game Show staples. For example, Siliconera has already mentioned that D3 Publisher is holding a Dream C Club event September 26, 2009, where people can see the voice actresses who provide the speaking and singing voices for the hostesses in the game. Expect to see a lot of similar announcements on Japanese gaming sites and blogs announcing similar promotions from other companies.

The best thing to do is check out the Tokyo Game Show 2009 website. Under the Attendee Info header, you can see all of the exhibitors that will be attending the event, check out the TGS Forum for additional information and see a map that shows the layout of the event. There’s an English option, so no need to worry about language barriers. If you’re in Japan and want to attend, it’ll cost 1,200 yen this year per day. Children get in for free.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables reviews the GBA game Tomato Adventure.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables was all about the Idolm@ster, in honor of the forthcoming release of Idolm@ster Dearly Stars.

Read [Tokyo Game Show 2009]  Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Japan is a country that specializes in niches and otome (games directed at female gamers) games are no exception. Since otome games are such a common commodity among the female population of gamers, there’s even a magazine wholly dedicated to it called Dengeki Girl’s Style.

Dengeki Girl’s Style finds it roots with Dengeki PlayStation, a monthly Japanese gaming magazine published by ASCII Media Works. Initially introduced as Dengeki PlayStation Girl’s Style on December 4, 2003, the title was later changed to its current form in the early part of 2007. While this magazine is chock full of everything and anything an avid otome-gamer might want, it unfortunately sees only a bimonthly release.

Sold at 740 to 830 yen (approx. US$8 to $9), certain issues of Girl’s Style even include exclusive packaged goodies of the current flavor of the month game in the form of such paraphernalia including phone straps, card files, calendars, and bookmarks. This month’s issue (September 21, 2009) made females weak in the knees with art from Idea Factory’s Hakuouki Portable for the Sony PSP lavishing the cover and included an exclusive Hakuouki long strap featuring one of the game’s forlorn heroes in a vulnerable pose.

Dengeki Girl’s Style brings its readers information on otome games of all media including MS Windows, consoles, handhelds and even cell phones. The cell phone games, especially, will make American cell phone owners green with envy thanks to the sluggish pace when it comes to US cell phone technology. It’s also worth mentioning that this magazine includes comprehensive special reports on popular game specific merchandise available in Japan.

The September 2009 issue features a 2-page spread on Hakuouki goods, for example, that includes pictures of every single item as well as prices. The magazine almost always features exclusive interviews with the seiyuu (Japanese voice actors) who bring life to the handsome bishounen (Japanese term for handsome or pretty boy) characters of popular otome games as well as round-about information on otome conventions and events.

Each month, Dengeki Girl’s Style features an exclusive cover with art created specifically for the magazine by the original artist of the game that’s chosen. Not only that, the pick of the month also gets a whopping 10+ pages worth of coverage that includes anything from the character artist’s comments on his/her designs, walkthroughs, related events, and special side-stories just to name a few.

I highly suggest trying to nab a copy of Dengeki Girl’s Style because if you’re a die-hard otome fan, you will definitely not be disappointed with this magazine’s contents. It keeps you abreast on all the hot new dating simulation games amidst beautifully illustrated visuals.

Unfortunately, finding this magazine outside of Japan poses an extremely difficult challenge since most import sites (such as PlayAsia, NCSX, JBOX) don’t carry it. However, if you’re lucky enough to live near a Kinokuniya bookstore, then I’d suggest that is your best outlet for obtaining this elusive publication. Of course, curious cats and interested readers can always take the now savvy green approach and check out the official website.

Since the website is completely in Japanese, it may be a bit of a doozy for those who aren’t familiar with the language. Here’s a hint though: Most of the clickable links show English equivalents at the bottom of your internet browser if you merely roll your mouse over them, so it’s best to be attentive. Or, you could get creative and simply utilize one of the many free text translation sites like Yahoo’s Babel Fish to do all the hard work for you.

Site [Dengeki Girl’s Style] Read [Gamertell]

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One of Namco Bandai’s most popular series in Japan is a game that will most likely never see a release outside of the country. I’m talking about Idolm@ster, a game which casts players as producers and tasks them with discovering and creating the next singing sensation.

The reason it will likely remained trapped in Japan is simple. The Idolm@ster games feature voice acting by a number of different actresses who not only speak the lines for their characters, but also sing every single song available in the game. Games can feature over 10 songs, and typically have 9-10 idols to choose.

In honor of The Idolm@ster Dearly Stars, the first DS game in the series and the first entry in the Idolm@ster 2nd Vision series, Important Importables’ is devoted to the series today.

Idolm@ster in the home and arcade.

Idolm@ster will, by the end of September 2009, be available on the Xbox 360, PSP and DS. It’s also available in Japanese arcades, but chances are if you’re reading this, you’re living outside of Japan. While the games star singing idols, they’re not really music games. Instead, they’re more akin to pet simulation games. You are raising idols, trying to make them successful within a set period of time. You do so by completing mini-games which boost their visual appeal, vocal abilities or dance skill.

The Idolm@ster began as an arcade game in 2005. There were only 10 songs initially available. It also introduced the world to the 9 idols who would become Idolm@ster fixtures: Haruka, Iori, Chihaya, Yukiho, Makoto, Yayoi, Azusa, Ritsuko and Ami & Mami. No, I didn’t miscount. Ami & Mami are a set of twins, and perform as one idol rather than separate characters. Players get a Producer Card to record their stats and an Idol Card for each idol character they choose to manage. You pay to play, going in one week intervals of your idol’s career. The goal is to make her famous within a set amount of time. You also register your phone with the game, and will receive notices from the idols you’re managing.

The Idolm@ster is the first console entry in the series, and was released on the Xbox 360 in 2007. It’s pretty similar to the Idolm@ster arcade game, though it does possess graphical improvements and introduces the idol Miki. It also boosts the song count to 16. You can also purchase DLC for the game. The sequel, The Idolm@ster: Live For You! as released a year later in 2008, and it is more of a standard music/rhythm game. Instead of managing every aspect of the idols’ lives and helping them find success, you’re focusing on managing their performances and concerts.

After that, the PSP Idolm@ster SP games were released in the beginning of 2009. They’re very similar to the arcade version and first XBox 360 games. There are three versions, Perfect Sun, Wandering Star and Missing Moon. The gameplay is the same in all three games, you pick one idol and raise her to be the best. However, each game has only three idols in it and one rival character idol. It has a large tracklist of songs, plus allows players to download additional songs and outfit items as DLC.

The latest game is The Idolm@ster Dearly Stars, which debuts September 17, 2009. It will be a DS game with DSi enhanced capabilities which will allow players to scan barcodes with the DSi’s camera to unlock items. It stars three all new idols, Ai, Eri and Ryo and will differ from preceeding games as the player is no longer a producer. Instead, the player is the idol he/she chose at the beginning of the game. It’s caused quite a bit of a stir due to the backstory of the three characters available. Ai’s the daughter of an idol who got pregnant with Ai when she was 15, Eri is a former hikikomori (shut-in) computer idol and Ryo is a boy who’s posing as a girl.

Don’t forget the Idolm@ster anime!

The Idolm@ster series is so popular that has also inspired an anime in Japan. The anime series then spawned a manga and two light novels. The series doesn’t exactly follow the course of any of the games, though. Instead, it takes characters and elements from the game series and uses them in an entirely new storyline that’s slightly reminiscent of the Sakura Taisen series.

Idolmaster: Xenoglossia‘s main stars are Haruka, Iori and Yukiho, though all the Idolm@ster girls appear. The three all audtion to try and become famous and popular singing idols. They quickly learn that the agency they’ve signed with isn’t just in the entertainment industry. It’s also a secret agency that uses giant mech robots called IDOLs to protect and save the Earth. The company recruits idols to pilot the IDOLs. The pilots are then called Idolmasters. Big surprise, huh?

Apparently, in the anime’s world the moon was destroyed over 100 years ago and the pieces are dropping down to earth. The IDOLs are used to destroy the fragments before they hit the Earth and cause destruction.

Idolm@ster Recommendations:

The Idolm@ster is a Japanese series, so some familiarity with the Japanese written language is a must. If you only know katakana and hirigana, you should do fine. Idols’ relationships are built through promotion events, where you have to talk with your selected idol and make the correct dialogue choices to make her happy and give her good memories that she can use to pass auditions. Most of the Idolm@ster games also include a lyrics mini-game class which is used to help boost vocal attributes. Luckily, the games typically have two options for boosting vocal prowess so you don’t have to worry about the lyrics mini-game.

The Idolm@ster: Live For You is a great start for Xbox 360 owners. Its focus is on the concerts and auditions, so if your Japanese is poor, or if you don’t even know much at all, you can still enjoy it.

If your skills are a tad better, then the original Idolm@ster or one of the Idolm@ster SP games may be a better choice. Both are standard Idolm@ster games, where you focus on making select idols famous. As someone who’s played Idolm@ster SP: Perfect Sun and guided two idols to success (Makoto and Yayoi), I’d strongly recommend beginners pick up one of the versions of the PSP game.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables talks about the Tokyo Game Show.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables talked all about Famitsu.

Read [Wired] Site [Famitsu] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

There’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel for Final Fantasy fans who’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Final Fantasy XIII. Even better, it’ll be out on the PS3 this year. The Japanese debut is December 17, 2009, and it was announced at the Final Fantasy XIII event at Odaiba’s National Museum of Science and Innovation. As you may, or may not, recall, the game was first announced way back at E3 2006. It’s expensive though - the price is 8800 yen, about $94.73.

Final Fantasy XIII‘s rating was also revealed at the event. It’ll be Cero B in Japan, meaning it’s deemed appropriate for players ages 12 and up. This is a bit unusual, as Final Fantasy games typically receive a Cero A all ages rating in Japan, even when the ESRB rates the English language equivalent Everyone 10+ or higher. Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XI and the international version of Final Fantasy XII all received Cero B ratings as well.

The Xbox 360 version still doesn’t have a definite release date, other than sometime in 2010.

Since the PS3 is region-free, you can always import if you’re desperate for the game. However, this news pretty much guarantees that the game will see a 2010 release date. That is, baring any misfortunate circumstances.

Read [1Up] Via [Joystiq] Also Read [Siliconera]

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Anyone who’s a serious fan of video games and a frequent reader of video game related blogs or magazines undoubtedly knows the name Famitsu. While it is a Japan-exclusive publication, the magazine is known as one of the premiere in its field. A sort of Holy Grail for those searching for the most comprehensive and pertinent information on future video games about to debut in Japan.

After all, what’s a video game sensation in Japan today is likely to be the next biggest hit in North America or Europe a few months, or perhaps even a few years, later. It behooves more serious gamers to at least stay appraised of Famitsu‘s latest features. And, if by some miracle a game happens to get a perfect 40/40 review in Famitsu, gamers around the world should take note.

This week’s Important Importables is all about Famitsu. By the end of this article, you’ll know how the magazine got it’s start, what spin-offs are available, the meaning of a 40/40 review (as well as the few games to be rewarded with it) and where to find your own copy.

Famitsu‘s somewhat humble beginnings.

The first issue of Famitsu was published June 1, 1986. It wasn’t called that back then though, instead it carried the name Famicom Tsuushin. In 1983, Nintendo has launched the Famicom in Japan, which everyone else probably will better recognize as the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the most popular video game system at the time, and Famicom Tsuushin was entirely devoted to covering it and it’s games.

As the industry grew and developed, so did the magazine. When more systems grew in popularity, the magazine became Famitsu, and began offering extensive coverage of all games and systems. Spin-off magazines were also developed and released, offering a concentrated focus on a single company or platform. For example, there are currently four Famitsu spin-off magazines you can purchase: Famitsu PS which focuses on Sony’s consoles, Famitsu Wii+DS for the DS and Wii, Famitsu Xbox for Microsoft consoles and the Famitsu Wave DVD magazine that comes with a DVD filled with game videos and trailers.

The ever influential Famitsu score.

Famitsu is not only known for having the absolute latest and most up-to-date information on the latest Japanese games. It’s also known for its reviews. A review in Famitsu has four review editors look at each game. Each reviewer gives the game a score out of 10, and the scores are added up to give the overall score. So you’re getting a balanced look at a game through multiple eyes. The magazine has been around since 1986, and since then only 11 games have received a coveted perfect score. The only thing that has chanced throughout the years is that it is now (slightly) easier for a game to have a chance of receiving a perfect score. There has also been some recent controversy hinting at the idea that companies can buy better scores at the magazine. Nevertheless, receiving a perfect score from Famitsu is still an honor.

Since any discussion of the Famitsu review system wouldn’t be complete without a list of the games which received perfect 40/40 scores from the magazine, here it is:

1. The Legend of Zelda: Orcarina of Time (N64)
2. Soulcalibur (Dreamcast)
3. Vagrant Story (PS1)
4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GC)
5. Nintendogs (DS)
6. Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
7. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
8. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Wii)
9. 428: Fuusasareta Shibuya de (Wii)
10. Dragon Quest IX (DS)
11. Monster Hunter Tri (Wii)

Where can you find Famitsu outside of Japan?

If you’ve got a Japanese bookstore located near you, like Sasuga or Kinokuniya, easiest way to find Famitsu is to stop by the store and pick up the latest issue. If you haven’t then the internet’s your best resource. Play-Asia, JBox, HimeyaShop and NCSX all carry Famitsu. If you’re going for a subscription from one of these sites, it’s going to be pricey, so perhaps just shoot for issues that you know are going to cover games you’re interested in.

Another great, and incredibly cheap, option is to simply stake out the Famitsu website. This may be the best option for people whose Japanese isn’t exactly stellar (like myself), as you can use Google Translate to help navigate and understand what’s being said on the site. Of course the translation isn’t going to be 100% accurate, but it should be enough to help you figure out the general gist of the latest information released on a game. You will be missing out on some reviews and crucial information, but it’s a wonderful way to catch up with the latest Japanese video game news for free. If you’re just checking for the latest scores and you own a Wii or DS, you can always check GoNintendo, which posts the latest review scores for DS and Wii games from Famitsu.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables is all about Idolm@ster.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Ooedo Senryoubako for the PSP.

Read [Wired] Site [Famitsu] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Hot off the press of the latest issue of the Weekly Famitsu (Issue no. 1082, September 10, 2009, pp. 25-33), Square Enix breaks its silence regarding information on the much anticipated Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (KHBBS) for the Playstation Portable. The director of this new chapter in the Kingdom Hearts series, Testuya Nomura, confirmed that KHBBS would indeed be playable at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show and also feature a brand new trailer.

KHBBS is an action role-playing game that serves as a prequel set ten years prior to the first Kingdom Hearts game. Its battle system slightly resembles that of Re:Chain of Memories (Playstation 2) and allows players to customize their “deck” by choosing which techniques and abilities are displayed onscreen.

KHBBS‘s story is split into three separate scenarios, each focusing on one of the three characters’ efforts to locate Master Xehanort. Throughout various points in the game, they will cross paths but, for the duration of the game, each will be venturing alone. The three playable characters are Ventus, Terra and Aqua, each with his/her individual style when it comes to battle.

• Ventus: Known as “Ven”, his strongest aspect is his speed. While he’s a definite shoe-in as a doppelganger for KH2‘s Roxas, the resemblance is only skin deep. He shares an unexplained connection to both Roxas and Sora that has yet to be revealed, and like his predecessors, he too wields a keyblade, albeit without a keychain. Ven is apparently the young, bright-eyed one of the group.
• Terra: Specializing in power, Terra also wields keyblade without a keychain. Apparently, he’s somewhat the leader of the group and represents a brother-type figure to Ventus. As his personality is rather cool, he could be described as the strong and silent type.
• Aqua: The lone female of the bunch, Aqua’s specialty lies with magic. Like her companions, she too wields a keyblade without a keychain. She’s the most serious of the three but worries deeply about her friends when they’re in trouble.

Two new locations were revealed in the article: Castle of Dreams and Deep Space.

The Castle of Dreams world is home to the lovely and enchanting story of Cinderella. Screen shots show Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, Prince Charming, evil Stepmother and stepsisters as well as Lucifer, the demonic fat cat. The resident assistant of this world is Cinderella’s jacket and hat wearing mouse friend, Jaq (Aww, where’s Gus Gus, the chubby mouse?). Apparently, each of the three characters will play an integral and different part to ensure that Cinderella is able to thwart her Stepmother’s evil intentions and be able to live happily ever after with Prince Charming.

Judging from the screens, players will be able to relive certain scenes from the movie including where Cinderella’s Stepmother locks her in her bedroom so that she cannot claim to be the owner of the glass slipper. A shrunken Ven is shown cooperating with Jaq in order to obtain the key that can unlock Cinderella from her bedroom. A battle with Lucifer is also implemented into this world for all of you out there who always wanted to give this pompous cat a piece of your mind.

The Deep Space world is home to Experiment 626, better known as Stitch (from Lilo & Stitch), his creator, Dr. Jumba, Gantu, and Experiment 221 (also known as Sparky). It looks like the main objective of this world is to prevent Stitch from being captured and imprisoned because the screens show characters and Stitch battling together against Gantu as well as an enraged Sparky. However, the events of the story will play out differently depending on whether you choose to experience it with Ventus, Terra, or Aqua.

Kindgom Hearts Birth by Sleep is currently scheduled for a Winter 2009 release in Japan but, while a US release is inevitable, Square Enix hasn’t said anything regarding when it would be released stateside.

Site [Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep]  Photo Gallery [Gamertell]

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Title: Ooedo Senryoubako
Price: $52.90
System(s): PSP
Release Date: February 23, 2006
Publisher (Developer): Taito (Global A)
ESRB Rating: N/A, Cero A (All Ages)
Pros: It can look kind of pretty, sometimes. It has a very unique style and atmosphere. It’s interesting to see just how they make some of the mini-games plausible for that time period.
Cons: Controls are give and take, but for the most part stink. Lots of kanji and text for what’s essentially a mini-game collection. Games can move slowly and haltingly.
Overall Score: 4/10

This week’s review is going to be a bit interesting, since my friend who helps me translate more difficult kanji is out of town. And since Ooedo Senryoubako, a PSP game I found at a local garage sale for $4, has an over-abundance of unfamiliar kanji and I can’t locate my copy of Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten, this review’s going to focus more on the mini-games than the actual story. Fortunately, Ooedo Senryoubako is a mini-game collection set in Japan’s Edo era.

Proof your worth by playing familiar mini-games tweaked to look like they’d appear in Edo.

Ooedo Senryoubako is all about the mini-games. You’re samurai/wannabe gangster guy who has to prove his worth and play through a wide variety of games. They’re all similar to ones we’ve seen in modern games (horse racing, shooter, battles, helicopter flying), only they’re all tweaked to make them plausible for that time period.

The horses are fake and going around a circular track, like a merry-go-round. The flying portion is a kind of man-powered-bike-propeller-contraption being assaulted by sumo wrestlers. I can’t even think of a plausible explanation for the shooting game - fireworks perhaps?

You’ve failed us Taito and Global A.

Where to begin, where to begin. The general presentation of the mini-games feels like a good start. The game places you in what looks like a little fairground or village area. You then visit different locations to play the mini-games. Unfortunately, most aren’t worth looking forward to. For example, winning at many of these mini-games is more about luck than skill. The AI controlled opponents that show up in some games seem to have an unfair advantage. Worst of all, some of the games barely crawl along.

Then there are the controls. The absolutely atrocious controls. In the horse racing game it is difficult to discern the right timing for pressing to make the horse jump. No matter when you press, it seems like you’re either leaping too early or too late. The shooting game is also a bit difficult to control and get accustomed to - it feels like what’s happening on the screen isn’t keeping up with what you’re inputing. The mini-games that involve flying, fighting and puzzle solving aren’t too bad, as long as time isn’t a factor.

The one saving grace of Ooedo Senryoubako is that the games don’t look that bad. They fit with the time period and atmosphere and are unique. I haven’t seen many other PSP games with a similar style or appearance. Sadly, the official website is long gone from the internet, and the only screenshots still available online are tiny thumbnails pictured at Famitsu. You can still get a general impression from them though, despite their size.

I hope the story’s fantastic, because the mini-games can be brutal.

When looking up the game online, trying to find some kind of information or screenshots, I found a Famitsu preview about Ooedo Senryoubako that stated the mini-games were simple, quick and great for commuters. Simple? sure. Quick? sometimes. Great for commuters? I think not. It’s definitely not the best PSP game I’ve ever played, but I’m not sure I’d call it the worst either.

Overall, Ooedo Senryoubako is just disappointing. You may be slightly amused by the constant appearance of hostile sumo wrestlers and whimsical mini-games, but the number of lackadaisical mini-games ones tarnishes the game experience.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables talks about Famitsu.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables talked about the Pokemon Centers in Japan.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Wondering where to stop the next time you’re vacationing in Japan? Perhaps a trip to a Pokemon Center is in order.

Even if you aren’t a fan of the series, which has become one of Nintendo’s most popular handheld franchises, it’s still a place worth checking out, if only for the awe factor.  You’ll see more Pokemon merchandise than you ever imagined, even things you wouldn’t have expected to exist.

This week in Important Importables, we’re going to take a quick peek at these Japan-only locations. Perhaps, after reading, you’ll be interested in stopping by one when you’re in the area.

Where are they?

Unfortunately, the Pokemon Centers are now a Japan exclusive. A Pokemon Center briefly existed in New York for four years, called Pokemon Center New York, but it was changed into Nintendo World in 2005. The Nintendo World store is still open though, and worth checking out if you’re near 10 Rockefeller Plaza.

All of the other Pokemon Centers are located in major cities in Japan. Their locations are as follows:

• Pokemon Center Tokyo: Shiodome-Shiba Rikyuu, 1-2-3 Kaigen, Minato Ward, Tokyo
• Pokemon Center Osaka: Umeda Center Building, 2-4-12 Nakazaki-Nishi, Kita Ward, Osaka City
• Pokemon Center Nagoya: Oasis 21, 1-11-1 Higashi-Sakura, Higashi Ward, Nagoya City
• Pokemon Center Fukuoka: Canal City OPA, 1-2-22 Sumiyoshi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City
• Pokemon Center Yokohama: Landmark Plaza, 2-2-1 Minato-Mirai, Nishi Ward, Yokohama City
• Pokemon Center Sapporo: Sapporo ANA Hotel, West 1-2-9 Kita-3-jou, Chuo Ward, Sapporo City

If you’re going to visit one, consult the Japanese Pokemon Center website first. It has an English language option and offers English language, easy to read maps with directions to each of the six locations. The map above is a sample of what they offer.

Identifying your local Pokemon Center.

It isn’t all that difficult to find a Pokemon Center store. For starters, the store’s name is almost always in English at all locations, so even if you’re unfamiliar with the language, you’ll be able to spot it right away. There will probably also be a pokeball symbol somewhat near the entrance or location.

Each location should also have their Pokemon Center logo proudly displayed. While each one has a slightly different design, all of the have Pikachu and a pokeball prominently featured. There will also be the name of that center surrounding the pokeball and two other pokemon on either side of Pikachu.

Also, in many locations, there will be an arch over the entrance, It will either say Pokemon, or perhaps the actual name of the location, like Pokemon Center Tokyo.

What can you expect to find there.

Have you ever seen a Sanrio Store? Major malls throughout the US still occasionally have them. A Pokemon Center is pretty much the same thing. They might not all have the exact same items in stock, but the general atmosphere is the same. Everything in the store is Pokemon related. There’s candy, clothing, household accessories, stationary, food, plush toys and gachapon. The Japanese Pokemon Center website offers a quick glimpse at some of the products you’ll be able to find in the store.

Perhaps the main draw of the Pokemon Centers are the exclusive, Pokemon Center handheld consoles (GBAs or DSes). One of the most recent rare DS units is the Pikachu Edition DS lite. It was only available through a lottery system at Pokemon Centers, where people would enter in the hopes of having the honor of purchasing the yellow DS seen above that has Pikachu’s face in the bottom right corner of the lid.

Another limited edition DS was the Girantina Edition, which coincided with the release of Pokemon Platinum. It was a pure white DS lite unit, with a Girantina etched in silver onto the lid of the unit. The only people who could enter the raffle to win a chance to purchase this unit were members of the Daisuki Club, which means you had to have a Japanese address. So no visiting foreigners were able to enter to win this unit.

Typically, a limited edition unit is announced and released when a new game debuts. This means that, when the silver and gold DS remakes are released, there’ll likely be a new, limited edition DS as well.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables will review of Ooedo Senryoubako for the PSP.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed the movie Ponyo.

Site [Pokemon (Japanese)] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Famitsu is amazing. Let’s hear a big round of applause for the magazine that revealed that a PSP port of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 is on the way. Not only that, but said port isn’t just your standard port, it looks as though it’s going to additional content that will at least convince female Persona fans to buy it. The protagonist of Persona 3 Portable is going to be female. Or, there’ll be an option to choose a female protagonist. Details are a bit sketchy, but the Famitsu article shows the new female protagonist next to Minato, the PS2 Persona 3 hero, and there are two versions of Orpheus - male and female.

Only a little information has leaked out in the article, and NeoGAF members were kind enough to translate it for all.. For example, all party members can now be manually controlled, like in Persona 4. While the female route will be all new, and include a male Elisabeth counterpart, the male route will also contain additional content. The game is also supposedly the FES version, has five levels of difficulty and has an expanded soundtrack. NeoGAF member duckroll uploaded a scan of the magazine image, which you can see on the right.

The game is out November 1, 2009 in Japan on both UMD and the PlayStation Network. Based on the Persona series track-record, we’ll be seeing an English version as well. Atlus hasn’t failed us yet. The only release we’ve missed in all these years is Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Who knows, with all of these PSP ports, maybe we’ll see a Persona 2 complete edition with Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment bundled together in a single game. Please Atlus?

What a great start to the day. The news definitely made my afternoon. The only thing better is if a PSP port of Persona 4 with a female protagonist was announced as well. That’d be just the motivation I need to finally finish Mitsuo’s dungeon.

Read [NeoGAF] Via [Kombo.com] Also Read [Siliconera] Also Read [Kotaku]

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Title: Ponyo
Release Date: August 14, 2009 (US), July 19, 2008 (Japan)
Rating: “G” for General Audiences.
Length: 1 hour, 41 minutes. (101 minutes)
Pros: Gorgeous visuals. For the most part, the voice acting is fantastic. Great pacing for the story. A nice mix of active and passive scenes. The music and soundtrack is absolutely wonderful.
Cons: Noah Cyrus’ voice (Ponyo) can occasionally be grating and/or annoying.
Overall Score: 9/10

Handdrawn, 2D animation is an endangered art form. Most films are now made with computers and companies have a habit of releasing everything in 3D. Thankfully, Studio Ghibli is still doing things the old fashioned way. The company’s latest film, Ponyo, is among its most beautiful, and is a new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.

A new take on The Little Mermaid.

Brunhilde is a little goldfish who lives under the sea with her father and sisters. All her life, she’s been stuck in and Fujimoto’s submarine, but she wants more out of life. She one day sets out to see what there is outside of the ocean she knows. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go too well and she ends up trapped in a bottle.

She’s then rescued by a young boy named Sosuke. He breaks the bottle trapping her and sets her free. She then licks clean a cut he got saving her, healing it with her magic. He renames her Ponyo and decides to keep her with him and protect her. Ponyo loves her new name and him. However, her father Fujimoto comes to claim her, dragging her home, and the Ponyo and Sosuke are separated.

Ponyo is then determined to not only find a way back to Sosuke, but also find a way to become a human. However, doing so could disrupt the world’s balance.

Ponyo is a reminder of how beautiful 2D animation can be.

Ponyo is the kind of movie you’d have to see twice. The first time, you’d see and appreciate the actual story presented on the screen. The second time, you’re able to focus on the detailed artwork on the screen. In fact, Ponyo sets a new record for Studio Ghibli films - there are 170,000 individual, handdrawn images in the movie.

It also features a wonderful sense of storytelling and pacing. The beginning of the movie is very relaxed, almost leisurely. The audience is able to take this time to get to know and identify with the characters, specifically Ponyo and Sosuke. It then gradually builds in intensity and action, and features a satisfying ending. It never feels rushed, and while there are some fairly intense and dark moments, even those don’t feel threatening. It’s just a trial that must be faced and overcome.

Disney did do a wonderful job when casting the English version, with one exception. Personally, I found Noah Cyrus (Ponyo) to be a tad annoying at times, as opposed to endearing, and I preferred Yuria Nara’s take on Ponyo. Frankie Jonas, on the other hand, does a decent job as Sosuke. Of course, Tina Fey (Lisa), Liam Neeson (Fujimoto) and Cate Blanchett (Gran Mamare) all provide wonderful performances, and so do Matt Damon, Betty White, Lily Tomlin and Cloris Leachman in their cameo appearances. Overall, it’s very well-acted.

A tale all ages and cultures can appreciate.

If you enjoyed previous Studio Ghibli movies, like Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away, you’ll fall in love with Ponyo. It’s an endearing adventure. The English language version is well cast, and it’s a joy to watch. I have a feeling that it will also become the most popular of the Studio Ghibli movies released in America, due to the familiar story and breathtaking visuals.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables looks at Japan’s Pokemon Centers.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Nanashi no Game for the DS.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Title: Nanashi no Game
Price: $48.90
System(s): DS
Release Date: July 3, 2008
Publisher (Developer): Square Enix (Square Enix)
ESRB Rating: N/A, Cero C (Ages 15+)
Pros: Interesting how you shift between the RPG and “real world” for assistance and answers, The real world portion looks very realistic. The game world even has fake glitches, a nice touch. The in-game DS unit is really cool. Good ambiance formed by the game’s surroundings and sound.
Cons: Your character moves very slowly. Storyline is incredibly similar to The Ring.
Overall Score: 8/10

While North American and European gamers have been seeing the typical Square Enix fare recently, that is Final Fantasy ports/spin-offs/entries, the perpetuation of existing series like Kingdom Hearts and the occasional new title like The World Ends with You, Japan’s been seeing more unusual items. Nanashi no Game the first entry in a DS horror series from Square Enix, is one of those games.

Since Nanashi no Game‘s sequel, Nanashi no Game: Me, is going to making it’s Japanese debut soon, I figured now would be a good time to borrow and review a friend’s copy of Nanashi no Game.

If you want to live, better learn how to play the game

If you’ve seen the horror movie The Ring, Nanashi no Game’s plot may sound a bit familiar. You’re a student who has stumbled upon the nameless RPG that carries a curse. Everyone who plays it dies within seven days if they can’t beat the game.

The trick is that you don’t really get to play the game, per say. The game is very glitchy and such, since it isn’t an official release. Instead it acts as an assistant of sorts to help you solve real world puzzles and challenges that pop up due to the fact that you chose to play the game. You will play it a bit, but for the most part it’s your aide in attempting to survive.

You’ve decided to team up with your friend to uncover the truth behind all of the nameless game related deaths, try to prevent new fatalities and perhaps break the curse behind the game.

Sufficiently scary and a trifle short.

Nanashi no Game is about two things, ambiance and immersion. Fortunately, it succeeds in both areas. The way the game is presented, where the RPG takes place on one screen in the standard DS mode, and the investigation and “real world” actions take place on both screens and the DS is held like a book. When you bring up your in-game DS menu, you can read mail or play the “game.” The real world aspect looks incredibly vivid and realistic, and the music and noises are quite eerie and often chilling.

There’s also quite an interesting story behind the game. The reasons for the curse is not only horrifying, but also a bit sad. Nanashi no Game’s “villain” is a tragic figure, so you almost feel sad, despite the fact that this villain has cursed everyone behind the game.

One thing to note is that Nanashi no Game is quite short, at least for a Square Enix game. I finished it after playing for about five days, and typically a Square Enix game takes me over a week to complete. Of course, given that it’s an adventure/horror game, the shortness sort fits given the genre. It’d also probably be a bit unbelieveable if it took you more than seven days to defeat a game where you have seven days to beat a game.

There was an aspect I didn’t appreciate, and that is how your character moves through the “real world” in Nanashi no Game. Walking isn’t even an appropriate description. Crawling would be more accurate. A walking pace is achieved by pressing forward on the directional pad and tapping the touch screen at the same time. I’m sure Square Enix did this to try and build up suspense, or make players more panicked as they struggled to escape a ghostly apparition. Sorry, in practice, it doesn’t work like that. It’s only frustrating! Multiple times I’ve had a ghost end my character’s life because I couldn’t move fast enough to get away.

Japanese-speaking DS owners looking for a horror game will be quite pleased.

I’m tempted to call Nanashi no Game a leisurely sort of horror game, if there is such a thing. While there are the occasional heart pounding risks and ghost chase scenes, it’s more about puzzle solving and exploration. One thing’s for sure, it certainly is an unsettling game. Personally, I’m hoping Square Enix decides to surprise North American and European gamers with a localization, now that it’s become a series.

Also, if you’re someone who likes to import games, don’t import Nanashi no Game unless you’re good at reading Japanese. Since my kanji skills are lacking, I often had to call my friend over to assist me in my adventures and translate words I didn’t understand.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables will be a day late next week, running on Saturday with a review of Ponyo, the English language version of Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables looked at games inspired by Sugar Sugar Rune.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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When manga or anime series become popular, they’re almost guaranteed a video game release. When a series is incredibly popular, they’ll spawn multiple games. Since many of these series don’t achieve the same level of recognition outside of Japan, this means that people in other regions of the world will likely never hear about them.

This week, Important Importables is going to look at one of these lesser known series, Sugar Sugar Rune. While Del Rey released all eight volumes of Moyoco Anno’s series in North America, it never reached the same heights of popularity that it achieved in Japan. In Japan though, it managed to inspire three video games on three different platforms.

What’s Sugar Sugar Rune?

Sugar Sugar Rune was a first for mangaka Moyoco Anno. She is best known for mangas written for women, like Happy Mania, Flowers & Bees and Hataraki Man. Sugar Sugar Rune was the first series she created for a younger female audience.

Long ago, witches and wizards separated from the human world and moved to the Magical World. Once there, a rift developed between two factions, ones who followed the Ice Prince Glacé and others who followed Le Royaume. Glacé and his followers were sent into exile and dubbed Ogres.

Le Royaume and the Magical World is led by a queen. At the moment, it’s Queen Candy. However, a contest is being held to determine the next queen. The two candidates are Chocolat Meilleure, daughter of previous queen candidate Cinnamon Meilleure, and Vanilla Mieux, Queen Candy’s daughter. The two young witches are best friends, despite their contrary personalities, and they are sent together to the human world.

Their goal? Collect humans hearts, which are called ecuré in the Magical World and used as both currency and energy. Witches can’t regenerate their own hearts, but humans can. The girl who collects the most hearts will be the next queen.

In the Magical World, outspoken, crude and tomboyish Chocolat was most popular, but in the human world shy, quiet and demure Vanilla gathers the most attention. Chocolat has to challenge her best friend to become the best. To make matters worse, a young Ogre representative named Pierre is attending the same school and trying to influence both girls.

At it’s very core, Sugar Sugar Rune is your typical magical girl series. Especially if you only look at the anime, which follows a “monster of the week” sort of story, focuses mainly on the collecting of hearts and has more of a traditional art style. The manga series is darker and slightly edgier, with a gothic-punk art style and more background on the war between the witches and ogres. The 51 episode anime is geared towards a younger audience, while the eight volume manga seems oriented towards slightly older readers.

Sugar Sugar Rune: Heart Gaippai! Moegi Gakuen

Sugar Sugar Rune: Heart Gaippai! Moegi Gakuen was the first Sugar Sugar Rune game released, and debuted on the Game Boy Advance. It also begins a trend. All of the Sugar Sugar Rune games focus on the heart collecting aspect of the original.

The GBA Sugar Sugar Rune game focuses on Chocolat’s gathering of hearts from classmates at the elementary school Moegi Gakuen. It’s primarily a text based adventure where Chocolat visits various locations from the series, perhaps runs into familiar characters and, if she’s lucky and conversations go well, she earns hearts. There are also a few unrelated mini-games tossed in.

Sugar Sugar Rune: Koimo Osharemo Pick-Up

The second Sugar Sugar Rune game was a PlayStation 2 adventure called Sugar Sugar Rune: Koimo Osharemo Pick-Up, and it is quite similar to the previous GBA release. One of the main differences is you can choose to play as either Chocolat or Vanilla.

When it comes to gameplay, it’s similar to the previous game and otome games like Tokimeki Memorial: Girl’s Side. You dress and prepare Chocolat or Vanilla, using clothes and magical accessories. Then, you attend school to to try and befriend the male students so you can take their hearts and (hopefully) become queen. There’s more of an active element here, since the clothing and accessory choices you make help determine whether certain guys will like you more or less.

Sugar Sugar Rune: Queen Shiken wa Dai Panic

Sugar Sugar Rune: Queen Shiken wa Dai Panic was the last Sugar Sugar Rune game, released in 2006. Unlike the previous games, which were more text based adventures, the DS game was an action/platformer title. Remember the Sega Genesis game Flicky? It’s slightly reminiscent of that. It’s also the only Sugar Sugar Rune game I’ve had the opportunity to play.

In the beginning of the game, players choose whether they want to be Chocolat or Vanilla. Aside from some cosmetic differences, both characters play the same. You must go through a variety of levels, based on locations seen in the anime and manga, to gather hearts. When Chocolat or Vanilla see a boy, they press a button to lure him in. He then will follow her around. The goal is to get a few guys following you around for a decent period of time so their hearts turn pink. Then, you execute a special move that plucks their hearts and gives Chocolat or Vanilla points. The boys then leave. The goal is to get a certain number of points and make it to the end of a level before time runs out.

It isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are dogs roaming the levels that will attack/scare the girls, causing the boys to leave. Also there are other female classmates wandering around, and if you walk past them, they’ll lure one of your admirers away. Plus, Chocolat and Vanilla can only have a certain number of boys follow them.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables reviews Nanashi no Game for the DS.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Vitamin Y.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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Title: Vitamin Y: Super Supplement Minigames with B6 & T6
Price: $44.90
System(s): DS
Release Date: October 30, 2008
Publisher (Developer): D3 Publisher (D3 Publisher)
ESRB Rating: N/A, Cero B for Ages 12+
Pros: All familiar Vitamin X characters return, lots of mini-games, unlock CGs by playing well, mini-games can be quite challenging, plenty of variety, voice acting is even thrown in.
Cons: If you’re not familiar with the series and characters, some mini-games can be quite tricky. Sometimes the touch screen controls aren’t as responsive as they should be. Plentiful Engrish voice acting.
Overall Score: 8/10

The six troublemaker students from class X and Vitamin X are back! Only this time, they and their six teacher advisors are starring in Vitamin Y: Super Supplement Minigames with B6 & T6. That’s where the B6 and T6 in the subtitle come from, it refers to the six stupid (baka) students and the six teachers. Clever, isn’t it?

As Vitamin Y so helpfully states in the subtitle, it’s a minigame collection filled with games that losely pertain to, or star, the characters from the otome game Vitamin X. It also features a story mode which acts as a little otome story. Your success in the chosen character’s mini-games leads to a successful ending.

What’s a school festival without events?

Time for a school festival! All the boys from Class X are participating, and each one has his own section set up with various mini-games. In the Vitamin Y story mode, the female teacher of Class X (the player) chooses to follow one of the six student’s stories, sampling mini-games from each student’s area.

All six students have teamed up with teachers to create a section devoted just to them. Tsubasa Makabe and Ginji Katsuragi run Megane Kingdom, Hajime Kusanagi and Koji Ootori run Lost Nana Sugoro Park, Shun Nanase and Taro Konokage run Starship Visconti, Goro Fumonji and Sho Nikaido run Fairy Popeland, Kiyoharu Sendo and Shojiro Kinugasa run Trick or Scream and Mizuki Madarame and Masaki Sanada run Toge Island.

Filled with weird and fun mini-games that are occasionally difficult to control.

Vitamin Y is a fairly robust minigame collection. There are 26 mini-games in all, with four in each student’s section and two general mini-games involving all students. Each section has two games centered around the student, one game starring the teacher and one general game. If you clear the section by meeting score objectives, you can unlock special CGs.

This is a great game for people who don’t speak Japanese. While the story text and voice acting is all in Japanese, as well as game instructions, the menus, character names and many other sections are in English. Also a few voice actors sneak in English words, particularly Tsubasa’s VA. The pronunciation is off, but it sort of adds to Vitamin Y‘s charm. The mini-games are pretty simple and easy to figure out once you try them, resulting in a pain-free experience.

The only downside is some games are difficult to play, due to either imperfect controls or insufficient Vitamin X knowledge. For example, one of Goro’s Fairy Popeland games requires you to decide if an image shown is male or female. Goro is a boy who dresses as a girl, so his girl outfits and boy outfits have to be separated appropriately. Also a dog, lizard and Shun images appear to throw you off. There’s also a Megane Kingdom whack-a-mole style game that requires you to hit the appropriate characters on the bottom screen that match two images shown on the top screen. Since many characters look a bit alike, this can be quite difficult for those unfamiliar with the series.

If you always wanted to try an otome game, but hate visual novels and simulations, try Vitamin Y!

I only borrowed Vitamin Y from a friend, but after playing it for a few days I’d definitely pick it up if Play-Asia had it on sale for under $20. It’s adorable and often quite funny. For example, there’s one minigame where you have to slap the characters to wake them up. When the teacher Ginji pops up, you get to use a book instead of your hands. The minigames are fun, in general, and pretty atypical compared to other minigame collections. Plus there’s tons of voice acting, which is an unexpected bonus. I’d definitely recommend Vitamin Y to friends.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables looks at games inspired by the anime/manga Sugar Sugar Rune.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables went through the steps one must take to buy from iTunes Japan.

Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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It’s been way too long since I posted an update of the game-related and generally interesting items being offered at Japanese import site J-List and under-18 site J-Box.

To help bring everyone back up to speed, here’s a big bullet-point list of notable items currently offered on the site. Most are DS and PSP games as well as many figures based on various Japanese dating-sim games, so expect some professionally sculpted skin when you click through

• The Tower of Druaga Dots - Remember that Dig Dug dot art toy? Same idea, this time its a set for the classic game, Tower of Druaga . You can make Gilgamesh, Ki and Druaga. ($9.50)
• Cosmode USA - A magazine dedicated to cosplay complete with instruction? Hellz yeah.($18.95)
• Mayonaise Potato Pringles - Oh yeah, for that yummy mayo aftertaste. ($2 each)
• Niko Niko Punch 2 (Face Bento Decoration) - It may sound like an awesome video game but really it stamps nori smiley faces to put on your little wads of sticky rice. I love when food smiles at me as I eat it. ($19.50)
• Kasumi Dead or Alive EX Figure - This is the blue version by Shunya Yamashita which also comes in white. And yes, it is sexy sexy. ($22)
• Marvel Bishoujo Black Widow 1/8 Figure - Another figure by Shunya Yamashita, this one features a Marvel Comics bishouju character. Skin tight leather outfit, red hair and a lot of nooks and crannies.

• Legend of Zelda Hour Glass of Phantom Soundrop - Now when someone says, “Is there something in your pocket or are your pants making noise at me?” You can simply say, “Yes.” This set of six key kchains features Legend of Zelda sound effects. One press and you get a second or two of sound. Simple yet effective.
• Mao 1/7 PVC Figure - *purrrrr* This statue features Mao, the Ninja Quarterbeast from the PS2 role-playing game Shining Tears complete with ears.
• Super Mario Brothers Coin Bank ~ Green 1up - More trippy mushroom goodness, this time to help you store your stash, er, coinage.
• Aya Red Bikini version 1/7 Figure ~ Onei Chanbara vorteX by Alter - Yipieki-yahoo! The site says it all: “This little treasure created by Tamsoft, is the wildly popular “Oneechanbara” (Swordfighting Sisters), that was formerly released on the PS2 as part of the simple 2000 series, features a sexy bikini clad babe trying to hack her way out of a zombie infested locales using her katana (sword). So popular, the game has gone on to spawn five other sequels, all featuring the bikini baring babes using their swords to get them out of tight situations. This delicious figure features Aya, from Onechanbara Vortex complete with her trademark red floral patterned bikini with sword in hand and a sweet cowboy hat perched on top her head.” ($72)
Dragon Quest IX Nintendo DSi Pouch - This is a preorder item and will certainly be worth it for fans ($18).
• Kureha Figure Sit Down - From Sega’s PS2 Shining Wind game, this figure shows Kureha laying on the floor exposing her ginormous, er, sleeves.
• Tamaki Kousaka Seducing Figure - Another proeorder, this one is really just for adults. It’ comes from the ToHeart2 PS2 game that started as a PC visual novel and, as the site describes, it is a “full-on excitement generator.”
• Hanyu Figure by Wave - Another preorder item, this one is based on a mystery PC and PS2 game series, When the Cicadas Cry. Very adorable ($80).
• School Days Parody T-Shirt - “Nice Boat!” - If you are looking for something oscure, get this shirt. People will think you are either bragging, weird or into signage. It’s a parody from an actual event that took place on the last day of an anime based on a dating-sim game. ($17.95) So obscure, even those who get it might not even get it.

• Maryan 1/7 Figure White School Swimsuits ~ Another figure based on the ToHeart2 game series, this time with a skippy, frolicky girl in a swimsuit.
• Japanese T-Shirt - “Tower of Druaga” - Namco’s Tower of Druaga gets the T-shirt treatment. It’s abasic T with a basic logo for a game that may have even been programmed in BASIC.
• Sasara Kusugawa 1/7 Figure School Swimsuits - Oh, those naughty ToHeart2 ladies. Not as much a popular up-skirt view as a down-skirt view. Preorder this one as well ($95).
• Black Aries 1/8 Figure  - Another preorder, this is from the hentai game Makai Tenshi Jiburiru (Jiburiru the Devil Angel). This one has a lot of flow-y costume action and claws of death. ($80)
• When They Cry for DS (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni) - A DS dating-sim game in Japanese. Bone up on your kanji, kids. ($55). Look for others in the series as well (eg When They Cry: Kizuna 3)
• Kirarin Revolution for DS- Just the box art for this DS game will make your eye turn into cotton candy. It bleeds pink. ($62)
• Link Plush ~ Phantom Hourglass - To go with those sound keychains is the Zelda plush. It’s Link, with sword and shield. ‘Nuff said. ($16)
• Code Geass: Lost Colors for PSP - Forty voice actors from the anime are featured in this game you’ve never heard of. ($72)
• Memories Off: Sorekara for PSP - A “super new dating sim” for the PSP that “explores both the joys and bitter sides of love.” Also check out Memories Off 6: T-wave. ($68)
• Neon Genesis Evangelion: Steel Girl Friend for PSP - A dating-sim game by Gainax based on an anime. ($55)

• To Love-Ru Doki Doki! - Whoa! Super close bikini crotch shot box art, Batman! Another dating-sim PSP game based on an anime and manga. ($70)
• Evangelion: Jo for PSP - To mix things up a bit, this dating-sim game has a bunch of combat in it, too. ($75)
• Let’s Play in Japanese (Nihongo de Asobo) for DS - Time to learn some kanji using card games, DS style (or is that DS stylus style?). ($62)
• Macross Ace Frontier for PSP - Now I know it’s been years since you’ve played a Macross game. This one takes you through the entire series. ($70)
• Arcade Mania! - The Turbo-Charged World of Japan’s Game Centers - Holy crap, something to read! From the site: “Arcade Mania! takes you on a turbo-charged tour through a typical Japanese arcade, from the crazy crane games, sticker picture machines, and rhythm games that beckon from the entrance, then on to the fighting games, shooting games, retro games, games of chance, and card-based games you’ll find inside.” ($18.50)
• Dissidia Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary Potion Cosmos - I know, the name makes it sound so great, eh? A potion. And it’s grapefruit flavored! OK, so I love grapefruit but in a potion? Probably not eye-of-newt-y enough for my taste. ($5.50 per can)

Read [Gamertell] Site [J-Box]

EDITOR’S NOTE: J-List feature items not suitable for gamers under the age of 18. As such, we provide links to J-Box, which is suitable for gamers of all ages.

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Statue, figure maker and cool stuff creator Kotobukiya has released its full schedule and lineup of offerings for the 2009 San Diego Comic Con taking place July 23 through 26, 2009 (with a preview night on June 22) at the San Diego Convention Center. The company promises hourly prizes as well as several exclusive items at its booth (#2601).

Some of the company’s announcements and event exclusives include:

• Free Shunya Yamashita poster - An original illustration of Marvel comics heroines has been created by master illustrator Shunya Yamashita
• X-Force Wolverine Fine Art Bust - Limited to 300 piecescs for Wednesday, July 22, 2009 (preview night), 150 for Thursday, July 23 and 50 for Friday July 24. Purchases will be limited to only 2 busts per person,and is priced at only $80
Black Widow Bishoujo Statue - 250 pieces for Wednesday, July 22 (preview night), 150 for Thursday, July 23, 50 for Friday July 24. Purchases will be limited to only 2 per person and priced at only $60.
• $25,000 in prizes
• Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks - To be released in stores in 2010, complete with R2D2 and C3PO glasses and Star Wars logo chopstick holders.
• Live sculpting demonstration - Master sculptor Mr. Junnosuke Abe will perform a live sculpting demonstration beginning on Thursday July 23, 2009, with raw materials. By the end of the show on Sunday (July 26, 2009) he will have the first draft of a brand new sculpture completed. Abe-san’s sculpture will be a full figure rendition of Wolverine as a 1/6th scale Fine Art Statue in his current yellow & blue costume, as designed by Astonishing X-Men’s John Cassaday

Here the big ol’ schedule of events at Kotobukiya’s booth.

THURSDAY JULY 23, 2009

• 11am - TRIVIA CHALLENGE
• Noon - STAR WARS PRESENTATION - Special Guest:  Lucasfilm’s Chris Spitale takes you behind the scenes and a sneak peek at future goods!  Presentation security provided by the 501st Legion.
• 1 pm - EVANGELION PRESENTATION - Special guests:  Funimation’s Adam Sheehan provides EVA 1:0 info, toy line overview, and contests hosted by EVA cosplayers
• 2 pm - DESTROY ALL PODCASTS DX - Live show recording!  Jeremy & Star bring you con updates and Anime reviews
• 3 pm - STAR WARS CHOP SABER DUEL - Compete with lightsaber chopsticks against members of the 501st Legion!
• 4 pm - STAR WARS ACTION NEWS - Live show recording!  Arnie & Marjorie present all the Star Wars collectibles reporting you can handle, including a report on the SW events from the hectic Preview Night.
• 5 pm - *TBD*
• 6 pm - GRAND PRIZE DRAWING: IRON MAN MOVIE: MARK II FINE ART STATUE PROTOTYPE - Drawing conducted by Marvel Bishoujo Cosplay Characters!

FRIDAY EVENTS

• 11am - TRIVIA CHALLENGE - Test your wits and win prizes!  Special Marvel Bishoujo Cosplay Characters in attendance!
• Noon - STATUEFORUM.com Q&A with KOTO - Special Guest: Statue Forum’s Drew “Galactus” Cheskin
• 1 pm - MARVEL PRESENTATION - Behind the scenes and a sneak peek at future goods!  Comic, film, and Bishoujo will be discussed! Special Guest: Marvel’s Jesse Falcon and Marvel Bishoujo Cosplay Characters
• 2 pm - DESTROY ALL PODCASTS DX - Live show recording!  Daily con updates and Anime reviews!
• 3 pm - STAR WARS CHOP SABER DUEL - Compete with lightsaber chopsticks against members of the 501st Legion!
• 4 pm - MAJOR LICENSING ANNOUNCEMENT - The mystery revealed!
• 5 pm - INTRODUCTION TO BUILDING PLASTIC MODEL KITS - Kotobukiya staff members will instruct new kit builders how to get started!
• 6 pm - GRAND PRIZE DRAWING: ROGUE BISHOUJO STATUE PROTOTYPE - Drawing conducted by Marvel Bishoujo Cosplay Characters!

SATURDAY EVENTS

• 11 am - TRIVIA CHALLENGE - Test your wits and win prizes! 
• Noon - KOTO COLLECTORS DOT COM ANNOUNCEMENT - New fan run website announcement, as well as details on how you can win a one-of-a-kind Clone Wars: Anakin Skywalker ARTFX+ Statue Prototype!
• 1 pm - AFI ARTFX OLYMPICS - Special Guest: ActionFigureInsider’s Daniel “Julius Marx” Pickett hosts competitions in ARTFX building. 
• 2 pm - DESTROY ALL PODCASTS DX - Live show recording!  Daily con updates and Anime reviews!
• 3 pm - STAR WARS JUMBO MACHINDER PRESENTATION - Special Guest: Super 7’s Brian Flynn will reveal the genesis of making the Stormtrooper Jumbo Machinder.  Presentation security provided by the 501st Legion.
• 4 pm - STAR WARS CHOP SABER DUEL - Compete with lightsaber chopsticks against members of the 501st Legion!
• 5 pm - COMICS AND COMICS - STANDUP COMEDY HOUR - Fanboy themed comedy with Special Guests: Tom Franck, Asterios Kokkinos, Ed Greer, Jackie Kashian – hosted by Sax Carr.
• 6 pm - GRAND PRIZE DRAWING: STAR WARS COMMANDER REX ARTFX+ STATUE PROTOTYPE - Drawing conducted by the voice of YODA himself:  Tom Kane!  Presentation security provided by the 501st Legion.

SUNDAY EVENTS

• 11 am - TRIVIA CHALLENGE -Test your wits and win prizes! 
• Noon - STAR WARS CHOP SABER DUEL - Compete with lightsaber chopsticks against members of the 501st Legion!
• 1 pm - WOLVERINE SCULPTURE OFFICIAL UNVEILING - Special Guest:  Kotobukiya’s Master Sculptor Junnosuke Abe will be sculpting a new work of art every day of the show, with this being the official unveiling of the finished piece!
• 2 pm - DESTROY ALL PODCASTS DX - Live show recording!  Daily con updates and Anime reviews!
• 3 pm - GRAND PRIZE DRAWING: MARVEL WOLVERINE BROWN COSTUME FINE ART BUST PROTOTYPE - Drawing conducted by Marvel Bishoujo Cosplay Characters!

Site [Comic Con] Read [Kotobukiya USA]

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Many people don’t really rely on CDs anymore. With laptops and mp3 players, many prefer direct downloads of music. Unfortunately, direct downloads of video game soundtracks and Japanese rock or pop music aren’t that prevalent yet. For many people, the best way to go is straight to the source - iTunes Japan.

The Japanese iTunes store has tons of music waiting to be downloaded. Tracks from your favorite video games or obscure Japanese artists. There’s just one catch, you have to have a Japanese iTunes account to access all of it. And, to have a Japanese iTunes account, you must have a Japanese mailing address and a Japanese credit card or iTunes music card. Fortunately, creating an account isn’t a terribly difficult task.

Check your region’s iTunes store first!

A Japanese iTunes account and music card may be unnecessary. The iTunes store is expanding every day, and the music or artist you’re looking for may already be in the system.

If you’re looking for general Japanese pop or rock music, try searching for the artist or group’s name. You never know, it could come up. Or you could always use the iTunes Browse option to take a look at the artists available in the J-Pop, Anime or World music sections.

If you’re searching for video game soundtracks, plug the name of the game into the search box. You could end up finding a Japanese or official soundtrack already on the site. Searching for “Final Fantasy,” “The Black Mages” or “Nobuo Uematsu” brings up numerous results, especially “Nobuo Uematsu.” A random search for “Devil May Cry” brought up the Devil May Cry 4 Original Game Soundtrack. Searching for “Guitar Hero” brings up the iTunes Essentials My Groove Guitar Hero track listing.

Procuring iTunes Japan cards.

There are quite a few options for purchasing iTunes Japan cards, but it’s important to do so through a source or outlet you trust. (You don’t want to pay money to find the code’s already been used on the card!) JList/JBox is the most established and well known online merchant selling the cards. The 1,500 yen card is $21.50 and the 3,000 yen card is $37.95. JList also will either send you the card through the mail or email you a scan of the card’s code, whichever you prefer.

Other small anime or Japanese specialty online stores also offer a similar service. For example, Otaku.com sells the 3,000 yen card for $34.95 and will also email you the code and/or send you the card, based on your preferences. eBay is another source for iTunes Japan cards, but make sure the seller has a high feedback rating and is someone you can trust before buying.

Of course, if you have a friend in Japan who can go out and pick up a card for you, that’s probably the best and easiest solution of all!

Using said cards to acquire iTunes Japan music.

First, you need to shift over to the Japanese iTunes store. It’s a simple process. Scroll down to the My Store selector and choose the very last option. It’s the only one in Kanji, so you’ll have no problem spotting it. You’ll automatically switch to iTunes Japan and be logged out of your iTunes account.

Since the process takes place in English, there’s really no explanation necessary. Just make sure you have the Japanese iTunes card by your side and a Japanese mailing address you can use.

There’s only one thing you may have to worry about, a glitch that is described in the JList iTunes account creation guide. Sometimes the account creation will not offer the “None” option when registering and will demand a credit card. Just click the home button and start over. The second time through the “None” button will appear.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables reviews the DS mini-game collection Vitamin Y.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables discussed video game soundtracks..

Site [Apple.com (Japanese)] Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop] Site [Strapya World]

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If you love video games, there’s a very strong chance that you also adore video game music. While video game soundtracks are starting to appear more often in stores, they still can be quite hard to find, especially if you’re looking for music from a title that isn’t a mainstream game.

The best place to go for soundtracks is straight to the source - Japan. Practically every notable video game release also has a soundtrack release, which means it’s much easier to find the track to the song that just won’t get out of your head.

Is the video game soundtrack authentic?

Since Japanese CDs can often be quite expensive, you’ll also come across quite a few bootlegs. Bootlegs usually easier to discern after the CD’s been opened, but it is also incredibly simple to determine authenticity without actually purchasing and opening the CD.

1. The Price: The price of the CD or CDs should be a giveaway. Typically, a single, authentic Japanese CD will cost around $24. Longer soundtracks, perhaps to an RPG, will easily cost between $32-$51. If the price of the CD(s) you’re buying is between $12-$19, you’re looking at a bootleg.
2. The Artwork: The cover art might not be right. Before making a purchase, double check authentic cover art to see if it matches up.
3. The Location: If you can, see the location where the CD was made. If it says anything other than “Japan,” chances are it isn’t authentic.
4. The Language: If the CD has Chinese on the cover, insert and CD instead of Japanese, it’s a dead giveaway.
5. The Company: This is quite possibly the most important tell. If the company listed on the CD cover isn’t Sony Music, Konami, Square, Pioneer, Avex, Columbia Japan, Toshiba-EMI, Warner Music or an established company, it’s a bootleg. Some bootleg companies include Ever Anime, Miya Records, Smiley Face Records, and Son May (SM).

In case you’re wondering, these bootleg tells also apply to Japanese rock/pop/anime CDs. The CD picture at the right is an Ever Anime bootleg CD of Dir En Grey’s Gauze. As you can tell, the CD itself doesn’t look right, and has the Ever Anime logo on the front along with the code NP-016. The sound quality is also inferior, when compared to an authentic CD from Japan.

Finding authentic soundtracks

If you live near a Japanese bookstore, you should have no problem finding authentic soundtracks. Most Japanese bookstores also include a music section. Kinokuniya, Sanseido Bookstore and Asahiya all have locations in the US, though locations are most often found in California and New York. If you’re near one of the Mitsuwa Marketplace stores, they often include a Japanese bookstore.

Another option is to invest in games that come with a soundtrack. Occasionally, companies will include a soundtrack with a game, as part of a preorder or special edition deal. Lately Atlus has been running a promotion called Atlus Spoils, where standard copies of the games include a soundtrack. Knights in the Nightmare, Luminous Arc 2 and Persona 4  are examples of recent Atlus games with soundtracks included.

If you’re looking to buy online, then it’s best to go with an established store. YesAsia.com, Play-Asia and CDJapan are all reputable retailers.

Video game soundtrack suggestions:

When it comes to picking out video game soundtracks, it’s all pretty much up to personal tastes. The person buying knows exactly what games he or she loves and is the best judge of what soundtrack to buy.

If you’re just getting started building a video game music library and are looking for a few classic soundtrack suggestions, why not consider these:

• Shadow of the Colossus - Grand Music
• Persona 4 Original Soundtrack
• Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack
• 20th Anniversary Rockman 1-6 Rock Arrange Version
• Silent Hill 2 Original Soundtrack
• Nintendo Sound History Series - Zelda the Music
• Katamari Damashii Soundtrack: Katamari Fortissimo Damashii
• Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party Original Soundtrack
• Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy
• Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It’s a Wonderful World Original Soundtrack (aka: The World Ends with You soundtrack)

If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy music, I also recommend checking out the albums from The Black Mages.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Important Importables will teach you how to make purchases from the Japanese iTunes store.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Angel Collection: Mezase! Gakuen no Fashion Leader..

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Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »