Thursday, June 30, 2011

Xenoblade Chronicles is Europe-only

Xenoblade was released in Japan last summer and NCS described the game thusly:

Two monolithic gods once went to war and a great battle ensued which shook the planet and roiled the heavens. Swords were swung by both sides and massive damage was done whereby both gods died from their wounds. That was a while ago but the dead hulks of both gods still stand on the battlefield facing each other. The eerie goliaths now serve as the "continents" for two races - humans live on one god which was once a living being while sentient machines reside on the other god which was a mechanical monstrosity. As the story in Xenoblade begins, the humans and machines are at odds and a new conflict is in progress.

The game was a Japanese exclusive for about a year but it's making a trip to Europe where Nintendo plans on releasing the game on September 2, 2011. The European localization will be packaged with a crimson Classic Controller Pro. How about North America? Will the Americans get a localization of the game? That's a big "NO" for now as Nintendo stated on their Facebook page:

Nintendo: Thank you for your enthusiasm. We promised an update, so here it is. We never say “never,” but we can confirm that there are no plans to bring these three games to the Americas at this time. Thanks so much for your passion, and for being such great fans!

The other two games that Ninty has no plans on bringing to North America are The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower. Gamers may try importing Xenoblade Chronicles but if your Wii's firmware has been updated recently, the Freeloader (A region-circumvention boot disc from Datel) won't work anymore. One solution is firmware hacking which allows the use of import games from Japan and Europe on the Wii. In the case of Xenoblade Chronicles which will is a PAL-format game, please be advised that not all PAL Wii games can be forced to play on NTSC Wii consoles despite the firmware hacks that are available in the wild.

RRJ-Romain Jerome: Space Invaders shake up the watchmaking world!


Psst !… Don’t spread the news, but they are already among us: since first landing on our planet in 1978, the SPACE INVADERS® have colonised our world to the point of imposing their subliminal image on the collective unconscious of millions of human beings – many of them cured from their youthful game addiction only by the fact of reaching a more mature age…

RJ-Romain Jerome, in connivance with TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is becoming an accomplice of this incursion by agreeing to create two 78-piece limited series in honour of these SPACE INVADERS. Reality at last surpasses fiction.

Manuel Emch, CEO of RJ-Romain Jerome, freely admits to belonging to the generation of former SPACE INVADERS junkies. The game has become a legend for all those who grew up in the 80s, since it was the first « Killer app » for video game consoles installed in gaming arcades. The SPACE INVADERS craze even led to a shortage of 100-yen coins when it was first released in Japan. SPACE INVADERS with its pixelated figures was the first ever « iconic » form of entertainment: thousands of hours of TV programs and hundreds of cultural exhibitions have been devoted to this generational « legend ».

So why a SPACE INVADERS limited series from RJ-Romain Jerome ? One possible response – although the truth doubtless lies elsewhere – is that no other brand could have risked such a daring evocation of this epoch-making video legend. By agreement with TAITO Corporation (TAITO), RJ-Romain Jerome is paying tribute to late-20th century pop culture by launching a double limited-edition of SPACE INVADERS watches, designed like generational totems. By allowing the SPACE INVADERS to proliferate on the dial of these watches, Manuel Emch is proudly proclaiming the brand’s resolutely standout mission within the fine arts of contemporary watchmaking.

Inheriting the highly distinctive case of the Moon Invader series (a round shape within a cambered 46 mm square, with a round front and an almost rectangular back), the SPACE INVADERS have also kept the same steel coalesced with fragments from the Apollo 11 capsule. It is no coincidence that this case is designed like a strongbox, or even like a space vessel capable of travelling great distances, since that kind of vehicle is exactly what is needed to facilitate the SPACE INVADERS colonisation of our daily lives.

The four functional ball-and-socket joints of this rounded squares are cut like the pivoting « feet » of the lunar landing modules of the American lunar missions. These extremely sophisticated components mounted on axles anchored in the case hold the lugs of the rubber straps and enable the watch to adjust to all kinds of wrist sizes.

The RJ security screws (stamped with four cup marks), representing the SPACE INVADERS signature feature, are echoed on the functional movement-locking screw on the case-back. They confirm both the legendary universe and the distinctive RJ design codes.

Embodying another tangible token of the space age symbolised by this new SPACE INVADERS collection, a dedicated plate made of Moon SilverRJ– a silver alloy with an extremely low oxidisation rate incorporating moon rocks – appears on the stellar-patterned back of the watch. This engraved plate reproduces the lunar surface, of which the mineral particles interact on an infra-molecular level with the wearer of the watch. The veined pattern and grainy texture also extend along the rubber strap.

The two 78-piece limited series are distinguished by their dial. The latter is composed of three layers of pixelated and shotpeened dies featuring hand-drawn file strokes. The 3.5 mm-sized SPACE INVADERS are lacquered in different colours (« day » version) or coated with Superluminova (« night » version), each individually machined and hand-applied. These invaders are a playful nod that transforms these watches into inspired talking pieces capable of creating ties based on natural affinities between the people wearing them – and who in doing so consciously adopt this humorous and original way of thumbing their noses at classic watchmaking conventions. A new contemporary and generational legend is born…

ABOUT TAITO CORPORATION
TAITO Corporation (TAITO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, TAITO operates core businesses such as game arcade operations, coin-operated game machines, and mobile phone content services. A seminal part of gaming history, TAITO caused a worldwide sensation with its arcade legend, SPACE INVADERS®, and developed such fan favorites as PUZZLE BOBBLE® (BUST-A-MOVE®) and ARKANOID®. Today, TAITO continues to thrill game lovers of all generations by offering both classic and new family-oriented titles on the latest gaming platforms. TAITO delivers a wide range of entertainment experiences with the goal of providing consumers with fresh surprises and new discoveries. More information on TAITO can be found on the Internet at http://www.taito.com/.

ABOUT SPACE INVADERS®
Planned, developed, and released by TAITO Corporation (TAITO), the 1978 arcade game SPACE INVADERS® became an instant global phenomenon. Today, its iconic characters frequently appear both in licensed projects worldwide and as TAITO’s corporate mascots.
TAITO is the exclusive owner of the global intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks, for SPACE INVADERS and its characters, and takes an active role regarding new SPACE INVADERS-related enterprises.

©TAITO CORPORATION 1978, 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 3DS Tales of the Abyss - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Lead heroes Luke fone Fabre and Tear Grants are joined by a supporting cast in a story which ties together ancient prophecies, factions, and the possible re-release of a wafting terror. The battle system is dubbed the Flexible-Range Linear Motion Battle System where the fighters are able to wander the battlefield after blows and magic attacks. The environments in Abyss are interactive - trees may be felled to create bridges to cross bodies of water and rocks may be destroyed to gain passage to other parts of the game world. Mini games in Abyss include kitchen detail where dishes ordered by customers are shuffled out by pressing the proper buttons, a card game, and other games of chance held inside a casino. Early preorders will include a Dramatic CD which is being given away in 50% ratio.

PSP To Heart 2 Dungeon Travelers - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Aquaplus originally released To Heart 2 Dungeon Travelers on the PC in December 2009 as a fan disc. The PSP conversion of the game throws in new characters and full voice acting for added value. 

   Dungeon Travelers is an honest-to-goodness dungeon exploration game which hearkens back to the days of Wizardry, Bard's Tale and Dungeon Master. The perspective of the party is first-person and the dungeon walls scroll by fluidly as the adventurers travel through the labyrinths. Treasure chests may be found and plundered, enemies encountered and fought, and fellow travelers can be met in the dungeons.

 PS3 Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Four new brawlers are joining the SFIV ranks this summer when Capcom releases Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Who are the new combatants?

» Evil Ryu
» Oni
» Yang
» Yun

 
   In addition to the new fighters, Capcom's re-balancing the game, throwing in new costumes, and adding the "Enhanced Endless Battle" mode for player-customized online battles and a new Replay Mode dubbed Elite Channel. Reservations for the PS3 version (on disc) are shipping today at JPY3800 or US$46.90 from NCS.

 X360 Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Four new brawlers are joining the SFIV ranks this summer when Capcom releases Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Who are the new combatants?

» Evil Ryu
» Oni
» Yang
» Yun

 
   In addition to the new fighters, Capcom's re-balancing the game, throwing in new costumes, and adding the "Enhanced Endless Battle" mode for player-customized online battles and a new Replay Mode dubbed Elite Channel. The game features a total of 39 characters and all of the new playable characters are unlocked and playable at the outset including the twin brothers Yun and Yang, Oni, and, Evil Ryu. Reservations for the X360 version (on disc) are shipping today at JPY3800 or US$46.90 from NCS.