Friday, January 29, 2010

MAG Weekly Famitsu Vol. 1104 - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The February 11, 2010 issue of Weekly Famitsu includes coverage on the following games and/or events in the Japanese market
» Preview for X360 Monster Hunter Frontier which checks out monsters and new features in the 360 version of the game.
» Famitsu reviews PSP God Eater (9/9/8/8), PSP Pop'n Music Portable (7/8/8/8), and PSP Misshitsu no Sacrifice (5/6/5/5).
» On pages 62-63, Famitsu examines the hips of a few female heroines including Bayonetta, Lara Croft, and Sheva Alomar. Important work.
» End of Eternity 12-page play-guide.
» This week's PICK UP FOOD section features donuts and pastries from Mister Donut, Krispy Kreme, Cafe de Crie, Tully's Coffee and a little joint called "Starbacks Cofee."
» A 2-page Ryu Ga Gotoku 4 article which introduces the cage-fight portion of the game where brawlers meet and dole out punches.
» Every copy of Famitsu Wave #1104 includes a 123-page booklet which compiles every NDS and PSP game released in 2009.

PSP Furai no Shiren 3 Karakuri Yashiki - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Chunsoft's Fushigi no Dungeon (Mystery Dungeon) series has been around for a long time. The basic game engine has served as the foundation for a number of dungeon exploration games including Sega's Dramatic Dungeon Sakura Taisen and Pokemon Dungeon.

The latest release in the canonical series of Fushigi no Dungeon games features the familiar dungeon spelunking formula where movement is stutter-step and in sync with everything else in the game world. For example, when you make a move, any monsters in the room also make a move in time to every step you take. Every move you make. They're watching you. The dungeons contain 240 different monsters including big wasps, flower-like beasties, Pokemon look-alikes, and 30 bosses to contend against. New to the action is a network function where players may go online for cooperative dungeon running.

Shiren the Wanderer and his pet ermine "Koppa" return for another adventure in olde Japan. At the outset of the game, they wander into a town and have a drink at a bar. Shiren hears a story about a "Sleeping Princess" in Karakuri Mansion and resolves to investigate. Afterwards, a rendered introductory sequence plays which features the cast of the game and Koppa. The game proper starts in a town while lilting music plays in the background. Shiren walks around and is shadowed by his pet rodent. Walk to the east and he'll eventually spot four girls who are bouncing balls on the game in perfect sync. An old lady watches them play a couple of feet away in an idyllic scene that might be reminiscent of everyday life.

PSP Idolmaster SP [Best] - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The girls of Idolmaster are making a move from the Xbox 360 to the Playstation Portable where they'll sing, dance, and perform like troopers are apt to do despite the different venue. Namco has the temerity to release three versions of the game as follows:

» Idolmaster SP: Missing Moon
• Azusa Miura
• Chihaya Kisaragi
• Ritsuko Akizuki
» Idolmaster SP: Perfect Sun
• Haruka Amami
• Makoto Kikuchi
• Yayoi Takatsuki
» Idolmaster SP: Wandering Star
• Ami and Mami Futami
• Iori Minase
• Yukiho Hagiwara


Each version of the game feature a different assortment of performers such as Kikuchi Makoto (Sun), Iori Manase (Star), and Chihaya Kisaragi (Moon). Note that Miki Hoshii is in all three versions of the game as a competitor with newcomers Hibiki Ganaha and Takane Shijyo. Each version of the game features a distinctive jacket.

PSP Tales of Destiny 2 [Best] - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» A millennia before the events of the Tales of Destiny games, a comet crashed into the world and blasted dust and debris up into the sky which obscured the light and energy from the sun. A dark winter set in and the people toiled under the harsh cold. What the comet took away however, it also gave back in a roundabout way. The people found a mighty power source known as Lens in the remnants of the impact. By using Lens, they were able to build a floating city called Dycroft. The denizens of Dycroft eventually lorded over the surface dwellers with a weapon known as the Belcrant. However, the creators of the Belcrant eventually sided with the surface dwellers and rebelled against their former masters. While on the ground, the scientists created weapons known as Swordians which were living swords which helped the surface people topple Dycroft.

Eighteen years after the events of Tales of Destiny, a new hero rises to the fore. Born from the union of Stahn Aileron and Rutee Katrea, Kyle Dunamis is a young aspiring hero who is lives with his mother at the outset of the game. One day, Kyle and friends are out and about when they're attacked by slavering bear creatures. Kyle can't take them by himself and just when it looks like the reaper gains new souls, Loni Dunamis rushes in to save the day. Loni is like an older sibling to Kyle but he joined the Order of Atamoni a while ago. He has returned to Cresta in the nick of time. After Kyle and Loni destroy the two creatures, the two return home where Loni has a joyful reunion with Rutee.

PSP Tales of Rebirth [Best] - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» In the land of Karegia, Humans and Beastmen live in harmony. As the story opens up, King Ladras Lindblum is lying on his royal bed when he turns to stare at the sun. In his mind's eye, it's a melting sun which reveals a planetoid underneath. Later that night, Ladras is using his inner Force when something goes awry and blows him backwards. Two handlers named Milhaust and Eugene witness the event and cry out for his majesty. Outside, the kingdom is under siege by scattered streams of Force that shatters windows, immolate some people and electrifies others. A speeding train is derailed and calamity is in the air. Inside the home of Veigue and Claire, the Force is also strong and Veigue finds his right arm under attack. As he writhes in pain, he sees something happen to Claire that makes him scream.
One year later, Veigue sits in a house full of ice shards and Claire is encased in a column of frost when two travelers enter...

Tales of Rebirth
was originally released on the Playstation 2 in 2004 and Namco revives the game on the PSP. New features include:

» Illustration Gallery - Unlock and view artwork featured in the game.
» Exclusive event scenes that were created for the PSP port.
» Character voice chat system where heroes speak to each other and reveal information and back story that might not be obvious.

NEWS AP: Nintendo chief unimpressed with Apple's iPad

«©NCSX» From an AP article released last night:

Iwata also doesn't expect 3D video-gaming to catch on, although he welcomed 3D movies at theaters like James Cameron's hit "Avatar."

Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata is quoted as uttering the following regarding 3D gaming:

"I have doubts whether people will be wearing glasses to play games at home. How is that going to look to other people?"

Players are gesticulating wildly in front of their Wiis and this guy's worried about a pair of 3D glasses? If game designers were mindful about how playing games would look to other people, they would have never created Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Freaks, or the Nintendo Wii for that matter. Swinging at air with a Wii Remote in hand looks real natural, un-clownish, and non-goofy, right? Come to think of it, sitting solo in front of a television while twiddling a joystick looks great to other people too.

How does one impress other people then? Answer: Stop playing video games. Just don't do it. Just sit there and read a book. Reading makes you look smart. If you quote a snippet from the book, you might seem witty too.

NEWS General Updates

Split Shipment
Two import shipments that were supposed to be delivered yesterday were delayed and have been rescheduled for next Monday. Please note that our remaining quantities of NDS Dragon Quest VI and PS3 Ar Tonelico 3 Sekai Shuuen no Hikigane wa Shoujo no Uta ga Hiku are packed in those laggard shipments along with a bunch of restock.
Senjou no Valkyria 2 Bonus
We were able to purchase a batch of Senjou no Valkyria 2 "Document of Gallia" bonus discs from the Japanese aftermarket and we should receive them next week. Once they're in stock, we'll begin bundling them with new orders for SNV2 and also contact customers who purchased the game but didn't receive the bonus. We're now searching for surplus copies of the Ar Tonelico III bonus Visual Books in the aftermarket and we'll post an update if we're able to find them from Japanese vendors willing to share their allocation of the bonus.