Monday, June 08, 2009

Figma Archetype - New Japanese Import, In Stock

©NCSX» Good Smile Company releases their transparent figma Archetypes which depict what appear to be ideal male and female body types. Some observances:

1) The nimble male specimen is apparently a superhero of some sort based on the pose that GSC has placed him in. The pose indicates an action known as "leaping in place." That's when someone hops upwards without provocation or noteworthy impetus. We've seen it on comic book covers through the years and we've even witnessed it on the streets of NYC.

2) The female specimen is perfectly proportioned and sports a healthy C cup. She's not an hourglass figure with child-rearing hips however. She's more of an athlete than what some (not us) would call a breeder. GSC puts her in a pose that's reminiscent of how a swimsuit model would structure her frame when provoked into posing by a leering photographer.

Please note the figures are only being sold by Good Smile Company on their own website but NCS was able to scrounge up a small quantity for our own customers. Each figure includes a Figma mounting stand as shown in the respective product photos and ships in retail blister packaging.

Black Remote, Nunchuk, Classic Controller Pro - Preorder

©NCSX» Reservations are welcome for glossy black Wii controllers which are shipping on August 1, 2009 in Japan. They'll probably also be released for the USA market sometime later this year but why wait when the Japanese versions are shipping in a scant 2 months? The Classic Controller Pro will also be sold by its lonesome and not part of the M.Hunter 3-tri bundle.

» Black Wii Remote (US$43.90 / JPY3,619 / Jan Code: 4902370517842)
» Black Nunchuk (US$25.90 / JPY1,715 / Jan Code: 4902370517859)
» Black Classic Pro (US$26.90 / JPY1,905 / Jan Code: 4902370517835)
» White Classic Pro (US$26.90 / JPY1,905 / Jan Code: 4902370517828)

Taiseiou (大聖王) - Import Preorder

©NCSX» Xbox 360 is currently the console of choice for Japanese shooters but the Wii gets a few releases from time to time too. The latest shooter from Starfish is embarrassing underwhelming based on what we've seen thus far but at least the game mixes up the action with horizontal stages as well as 3D "Space Harrier-esque" stages. A 2-player option allows for cooperative shooting forays. We'll hold off on condemning the game until we actually go hands-on with it but we're not too hopeful on the final product. With that said and out of the way, preorders are welcome to ship on August 27, 2009 at JPY4700 or US$53.90 from NCS.

Tales of Versus (テイルズ オブ バーサス) - Import Preorder

©NCSX» Familiar faces from the Tales franchise gather together for a 2D fighting game that features 3D special effects and models. The cast of 35 characters include:

» Mao / Tales of Rebirth
» Stahn Aileron / Tales of Destiny
» Cless Alvein / Tales of Phantasia
» Lloyd Irving / Tales of Symphonia
» Colette Brunel / Tales of Symphonia
» Yuri Lowell / Tales of Vesperia
» Luke fon Fabre / Tales of the Abyss
» Luke fon Fabre / Tales of the Abyss
» Shing Meteoryte / Tales of Hearts

The fighting takes place on a 2D plane but special attacks will cause the screen to contort into a 3D perspective for nifty visual theatrics. The default game mode is called "Yggdrasil Mode" where each character goes through a brand new story where he/she meets up with various adversaries and battles them in one-on-one battles. The "Multiplayer Mode" allows up to four players to engage each other wirelessly in a PSP battle royale and the "2D Battle Mode" features super-deformed renditions of the characters in a simplified fighting game. Preorders are welcome to ship on August 6, 2009 at JPY4952 or US$53.90 from NCS.

Famitsu Wave DVD - New Japanese Import, In Stock

©NCSX» The characters from Sega's Mugen Kouro appear on the cover of Famitsu Wave DVD July 2009. The magazine features print and/or video coverage on the following games and events:

» Wii Monster Hunter 3-tri
» PSP Queens Blade
» Wii Arc Rise Fantasia
» PS3 Bayonetta (Also being released for X360)
» PS3 End of Eternity (Also being released for X360)
» PSP Project Diva
» ARC Death Smiles II
» NDS Mugen Kouro
» PSP Idolmaster SP
» Wii Takt of Magic
» PSP
Onoreno Shinzurumichiwo Tatashik

Every copy of the magazine includes a 36-page Monster Hunter G booklet.

Famitsu PSP + PS3 - New Japanese Import, In Stock

©NCSX» MGS Next serves as the cover subject for the July 2009 issue of Famitsu PSP + PS3 which features coverage on PSP and PS3 wares.

» Hideo Kojima sits down and talks about his upcoming MGS project. The interview isn't hidden by white dots as found in the original Famitsu article. A retrospective of the entire Metal Gear series is also included which looks at every game in the canon. A follow-up article on Kojima's other works checks out Snatcher, Policenauts, and the Zone of Enters games.
» Previews for Soul Calibur Broken Destiny, End of Eternity, Katamari Tribute, Project Diva, Ys I&II Chronicles, and Wanted: Weapons of Fate.
» A look at "Game Creator Schools" which provides contact information and details on six institutions of gamer learning located across Japan.
» A mini catalog of releases on the Playstation Store are presented to readers for their perusal. One upcoming release is a puzzle game called Oruton which features an angel, a monkey, and a playfield of numbers.
» Sega Walker section checks out Miku Hatsune cosplay. Scary.
» Tales of Versus is headed for the PSP on August 6, 2009.

Weekly Famitsu Vol 1070 - Annual Subscriptions Only

©NCSX» The latest issue of Famitsu features coverage on the following games and events in the Japanese marketplace:

» Nifty spread with fancy page folds featuring Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed II which is headed to the PS3 and X360 later this winter.
» Team ICO's Last Guardian looks pretty good but dogs shouldn't have feathers nor chicken legs.
» Famitsu's Reviewers rank NDS
Majo ni Naru (6/6/7/6), NDS Mugen Kouro (9/9/8/8), and PSP Onoreno Shinzurumichiwo Tatashike (9/8/8/9).
» A specially sealed insert inside the magazine titled "NEXT MGS" may be found between pages 72 and 81.
» Detailed Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days guide (pages 122-129).
» Since it's the summertime now, the Pick Up Food section checks out new frozen treats currently available in the Japanese marketplace.
» Preview for PS3 Pro Yakyuu Spirits 6 which ships on July 16, 2009.
» Wii Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Crystal Bearers preview.
» Famitsu checks out The Last Guy from the Playstation Network.

Japanese Import Outlook - Arrivals on Thursday

NDS Majo ni Naru Tryfirst

Mugen Kouro

Sega

PSP

Onoreno Shinzurumichiwo Tatashike

From Soft

Shinseiki Evangelion: Koutetsu no Girlfriend 2nd CyberFront
Wii

Chibi-Robo - Wii de Asobu

Nintendo

Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes - Wii de Asobu

Nintendo

USA Release Outlook - Arrivals on Monday-Wednesday

NDS The Legendary Starfy Nintendo

Lego Battles WB

Miami Law Hudson
PSP Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 EA

Rock Band Unplugged EA

Class of Heroes Atlus
PS3 Virtual Tennis 2009 Sega

Prototype Activision
360 Virtual Tennis 2009 Sega

Prototype Activision
Wii Virtual Tennis 2009 Sega

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 EA

XE-1ST2 Joystick for MegaDrive - Clearance

NCS Sale of the Week Offering: June 08, 2009
Original Release in Japan: June 10, 1991

«©NCSX»
New and factory boxed XE-1ST2 Joystick for the MegaDrive which is, in our opinion, one of the best sticks for the old school systems. We've kept a few of these sticks in our private collection and we have specific models for the PC-Engine, the Famicom, and the MegaDrive.

Today's sale is for the MegaDrive version which is also compatible with the Sega Mark II, Mark III (Master System), FM-Towns, PC-8801, MSX Systems, and the Sharp X68000. The connector is the standard Genesis plug and a little switch on the top of the controller allows gamers to toggle between Sega series consoles and computers. The buttons are mounted on a circular platform which may be rotated 270° into different orientations and the joystick uses 4 or 8-way micro-switches (selectable). The joystick is also small when compared to a gargantuan piece of hardware like the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3. The XE-1ST2 measures a mere 7.80 x 5.40 x 1.5" in dimension and weighs about 2 lbs.

Sale Offering
:
Pricing per XE-1ST2 Joystick is set at US$60.90 each. If you reside in the USA, NCS recommends UPS Ground shipping for the most economical service. International customers are encouraged to select USPS First Class Airmail at a cost of approximately US$25. «Photos»