Thursday, August 09, 2007

Donkey Kong: Jungle Climber

From the Publisher: Get back into the swing of things as Donkey Kong goes vertical. King K. Rool is up to no good again, and it’s up to Donkey Kong to swing into action. Using the same simple control scheme that made the DK: King of Swing Game Boy Advance SP game so accessible and fun to play, players of all skill levels can swing and climb to new heights made possible by the dual screens of Nintendo DS.

Adventure mode features Diddy Kong as a sub-character, and players can look forward to new moves, new items and a bunch of minigames sure to make them go bananas. Not only that, but fun tutorials that ease new players into the game also can be accessed as minigame challenges.

SD Gungam G-Generation Cross Drive

Characters and Gundam robots from a total of eighteen Gundam franchises commingle and clash in the latest SD Gundam G-Generation game from Bandai. Cross Drive boasts a cast of over 500 characters and over 300 mobile suits which fill the 120 missions with drama, action, and battling tactics. The Gundam series that are featured in the game include the original Gundam, Gundam ZZ, Gundam Seed, Gundam W, Gundam 008 Stardust Memory, Gundam Seed X Astray, and many more.

True to the spirit and design of the NDS, Cross Drive is controlled entirely with the touch pen from unit movement to squad formation to triggering attacks. There is no support for the d-pad or the face buttons which is a game play limitation but the sole use of the stylus is acceptable.

SD Gungam G-Generation Cross Drive Bundle

Bandai and Nintendo collaborate on the SD Gundam G-Generation Cross Drive bundle to bring collectors a special limited edition Nintendo DS Lite in regulation-issue white. The top of the NDS is decorated with a red unicorn + lightning bolt logo which originally appeared on Amuro's RX-93 V Gundam (Nu Gundam) shield along with the following text:

RX-93 V Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
Char's Counterattack

In addition to the special NDS Lite unit, a copy of the SD Gundam G-Generation Cross Drive game is included inside the container.

Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters GX Card Almanac

Have you ever wanted to look up a specific Yu-Gi-Oh game card from 1999 to 2006 but didn't want to dig through your collection stored in the attic? Have you ever wanted to gaze upon the striking Gemini Summoner card and read about its spellcasting effects but didn't want to dig it out of its double mylar seal with acid-free backing board? A better way had to be found and Konami found it.

Enter the Yu-Gi-Oh Card Almanac which categorizes over 2600 Yu-Gi-Oh cards by type and attribute. Flip through the majestic collection of cards and marvel at the Yu-gi-Oh universe that Konami created from scratch. In addition to the card catalog, players may tinker with a digital calculator to figure out life points along with die, coin, and turn functions.

Final Fantasy XII Intl: Zodiac Job System

When FFXII was released in Japan on March 16, 2006, we knew it would do well based on built-in expectations alone. The name Final Fantasy tends to guarantee big sales numbers to an ever-hungry audience. Fast forward to October 31, 2006 and stateside players also snapped the game up at a healthy clip. Last but certainly not least, European players were sated with their FFXII fix on February 23, 2007.
After the world was fed the latest installment of FFXII, Square Enix went back to the well and decided that history would repeat itself. An "International" edition of FFXII would be released in Japan at full price with some slight improvements added to the mix.

The International version of Final Fantasy XII features a dozen license board variants which govern the professions that a character may be bequeathed. The voices in the game are from the USA version of FFXII but note that the text and dialogue is in Japanese. For gamers who enjoy a theater-like experience, the action may be viewed in sweet 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. Two bonus items are also included in every copy of the game: A FFXII Archives Booklet and a Final Fantasy 20th Anniversary DVD. The whole shebang is then slotted into a decorative slipcase.

Wild Arms XF + Bonus Chopsticks

In the latest Wild Arms release, Sony eschews the conventions of previous adventures in the series and goes into the realm of turn-based tactical battles. The world of Filgaia beckons once more where a lady knight named Clarissa becomes embroiled in an quest to retake the Elsius Kingdom from an informal ruling body. As the story goes, the King and the eldest Princess of the Elsius Kingdom meet an untimely death and the new controlling body assumes control under questionable circumstances. Clarissa leads the Blanquizel Knights to wrest control of the Kingdom away from the erstwhile Senate.

Battlefields are made up of hexagonal grids which overlay the landscape and govern the range of movement for every character. Before a conflict begins, players will be able to view the terrain and objectives which allow for equipping the party properly before going into battle. When two battle groups face off, each character's turn is determined by his or her RES (reaction value) ranking. Characters with high RES can theoretically move twice in every "round" if the other characters have a low RES. Each attack and magical blast is shown with fluid animation snippets.

Wild Arms XF supports connectivity with the PS2 Wild Arms Vth Vanguard game where the PSP is connected to its big brother via USB cable. Once linked, a number of special events, items, and six boss characters are made available in the WAXF for added enjoyment. All preorders will include a bonus pair of chopsticks, courtesy of Sony.

Aizu Project Mai Shiranui 1/7 Scale

Five years from now, we'll sit in our rocking chairs and reminisce about the summer of 2007. While rocking and smoking tobacco from whalebone pipes, the conversation will focus on how two highly desired Mai Shiranui toys came to market within a month of each other. Yep, the summer of 2007 was when two dueling renditions of the buxom woman-warrior both vied for the fancy of the fan base.

Whereas the Kinu Nishimura is based on the Capcom vs SNK 2 version of Mai with a slightly more rounded and open face, big beautiful eyes, and highly accentuated body proportions, the Aizu Project 19.50" tall sculpt by Shiragami Yakayuki is inspired by the Mai from the classic Garou Densetsu games. This is the Mai we grew up with - playful, wild, and sexy. Her face is sharp and thin, the body is bodacious, and the color scheme is traditional. The pose in the Aizu Project version is highly kinetic and is perhaps overly gratuitous. Edit: Painfully gratuitous.
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Juicy Honey Special Edition Mieko Arai

After the success of the Juicy Honey Maria Ozawa Special set, Mint follows up with another Juicy Honey Special Edition which features Mieko Arai of JAV fame. Although Mieko debuted at a more mature age (33 years old) than most of her JAV contemporaries, she's gained a devoted fan base nonetheless. Some Important Stats: DOB: Oct 18, 1972 / Height: 5' 3" / Measurements: 35-24-35 / Blood Type: O / Astrological Sign: Libra.

The Mieko Arai Special Edition features 72 basic cards and special cards such as Autographed Cards, Message Cards, Jersey Cards, Photo Cards, and the super-exclusive DNA card if you ever want to clone Mieko.

NCS supplies the Juicy Honey SE Mieko Arai set in factory cases of 12 packs per box. Each pack contains 7 cards inside for a total of 84 cards per factory case. According to the original preorder solicitation, every factory case contains one or two special autograph or memorabilia cards.

SIFEX Onee Chanbara 1/6 Scale Aya

When NCS first played the original Onee Chanbara game (Simple 2000 Series Vol. 61) in 2004, we were astounded. Other than Lara Croft, women warriors were rare in the testosterone-fueled arenas of action games. But there she was, decked out in an outfit that barely covered her attributes. In addition to being nearly naked, Aya swung a sword into zombie flesh with the abandon of a banshee. Every stroke lopped off limbs and sent splashes of blood into the air. The zombies were simply no match for a wild woman with bad taste in clothes. Indulge us because it bears repeating - we were astounded.

Japanese manufacturer Yamato celebrates the Onee Chanbara game with a 29cm (11.41") tall fixed-pose figure which is mounted on a circular disc. Shunji Hagii of Studio Saru Bunshitsu Kasetsujyo provides the sculpt where Aya leans back slightly and lifts a hand to the brim of her hat as if bidding a zombie goodbye. The feather boa that normally slings around Aya's shoulders is gone but we'd recognize that cowboy hat and tacky flower-decorated ensemble anywhere. Pricing is set at JPY6800 or US$65 + shipping from NCS.

Perfect Piece Yellow Tachikoma

Tachikoma generally garners love whenever a new toy is released. Megahouse tests the level of affection in the marketplace with a another 1/20 scale Tachikoma which measures roughly 13cm tall and is crafted from ABS plastic. Instead of the blue patina that was painted onto the original Perfect Piece Tachikoma, the upcoming variant is colored a deep yellow color. Tachikoma are usually painted blue and speak with squeaky voices. However, in episode 12 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, two color variants were shown: A silver-painted Tachikoma which was eventually destroyed and a yellow-painted model which was also wrecked in an all-out assault against the Umibozu.
Features on the Tachikoma include rolling wheels under the legs, properly formed gun turrets, a pod which opens up to unveil the winsome Motoko Kusanagi inside, and pincers that are molded to look like the pincers we know and love from GITS.