Monday, April 30, 2007

Famitsu Wave DVD [June 07]

The June 2007 issue of Famitsu Wave DVD contains magazine and video coverage of the following import games and events:

» PS3 Devil May Cry 4
» PS2/Wii Sengoku Basara 2 Heroes
» PS2 Shining Wind
» X360 Saints Row
» PS2 Odin Sphere
» X360 Riot Act
» NDS Gyakuten Saiban 4
» PS2 Kenka Banchou 2
» NDS Sengoku Taisen DS
» Coverage of the GO3 (Game On Australia) Show

.... and the usual assortment of game challenges, general interest features, interviews, and other Famitsu Crew content.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Anime Tipo

Holidays are festive occasions full of frivolity and fun. There's office parties, lots of drinking, and general cheer. To brighten up your holidays even more, snap on the Anime Tipo projector from Tomy and shine some holiday-oriented LED animations on the ceiling or a wall of your home, shanty, or shelter. Six types of animations are available but only three have been disclosed thus far as follows:

»» A single firework soars into the blackness of space and explodes in a radiating pattern that's sure to dazzle onlookers.
»» A bird flies in from the left to the right while water moves a seesaw-like mechanism up and down. May be used to signal the arrival of Spring.
»» A big Christmas tree with lights that blink ebulliently.

Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late September 2007.

Hearing Theater

If you're the type of person who has to count imaginary sheep in order to fall asleep, Tomy has an alternative for you. Feast your eyes on the Hearing Theater which beams a serene scene onto the ceiling of your bedroom. Four animated images may be selected as follows:

» Daytime Ocean Surface Scene
»
Night Ocean Surface Scene
» Beach Scene where waves gently lap at the shore before receding
» Daytime Tree Scene where the wind ruffles the leaves


In addition to the soothing light show, users may plug a music player into the Hearing Theater to listen to some equally soothing tunes. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007.

CAUL Helibot

Tomy has started preorders for the CAUL (Car Action Unit's Line) Helibot which features a suited human figure that can go airborne like a hummingbird. The figure is tethered to a backpack which sprouts a main rotor for vertical lift and a tail rotor for horizontal thrust. A remote control that's shaped like a standard joypad is used to send 2.4Ghz signals to maneuver the Helibot. The figure may look like it's holding skis but those thin beams are actually load balancers to keep the figure at an even keel when flying through the air. The Helibot measures (W) 200 x (H) 15.60 x (D) 120cm and clocks in at 12 grams. The figure can fly for approximately 5 minutes on a full battery charge and the operating range is 30 meters.

Golden Week Holiday

As mentioned last week, most of our suppliers located in Japan will observe the Golden Week holiday which started last night They'll work on May 1 and 2 to clear out export orders but then go on vacation again on May 3 through May 6. Because of the holiday, we only expect restock shipments this week and no new releases are scheduled.

We've sold out of the Japanese NDS Lite units over the weekend but another batch is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week. Restock of the PSP DJ Max Portable 2 regular edition, PS2 DDR SuperNOVA, and PS3 Gundam Musou will arrive on Tuesday.

Domestic Release Outlook

NDS Shrek the 3rd Activision

Spiderman 3 Activision
PS3 Spiderman 3 Activision
PSP Legend of the Dragon G.Factory

Ultimate Board Game Collection Capcom

Winx Club: Join the Club Eidos
Wii Legend of the Dragon G.Factory

Spiderman 3 Activision
X360 Spiderman 3 Activision

Friday, April 27, 2007

Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings Sky Pirates Edition

All preorders for the FFXII Revenant Wings bundle will ship today at the price of US$289. We were hoping for a price drop this week but it doesn't look like it's forthcoming based on information from our suppliers in Japan and Hong Kong as of last night. NCS imported a small buffer of the bundles for today and we can accept new orders to ship this afternoon.
The
Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings Sky Pirates Bundle includes a copy of the FFXII Revenant Wings game and a white NDS Lite unit with an imprint of the FFXII Revenant Wings logo and the four main heroes from the game. Both items are packaged in a shiny cardboard container. «more»

Momotarou Dentetsu DS Tokyo & Japan

The popular Momotetsu series of board games have captured the imagination of Japanese fans for nearly 20 years. Way back in December of 1988, Hudson released the first Momotaro Densetsu on the 8-bit Famicom and the rest is, as they say, history. As is the case in previous Momotetsu games, the goal is the accumulation of capital and property as a player treks through Japan and Tokyo by way of the railroad network. Capital begets capital as the player uses resources judiciously to build an empire from a fledgling pool of yen to a nation-spanning conglomerate. Adversity comes in the form of rivals who are also building their own empires and monsters such as King Bombee, the God of Poverty, and others. The NDS game also features a quiz element and a multiplayer option. «more»

Panel de Pon DS

Rotate the NDS 90° counterclockwise and hold it like an open book. Next, grab the stylus and start poking at the touch screen to shuffle colored blocks from left to right or right to left to create color combinations of at least three blocks in a row or column. A 2-segment cursor is used to highlight blocks to move them around to create color matches and if you're really good, multi-chain combinations. In addition to a single-player game, up to four people may link up wirelessly for a Panel de Pon competition with voice chat functionality (which requires the Earphone Mic). Only one cartridge is required for the 4-player wireless game. Single-player game modes include High Score Attack which enforces a 2-minute time limit, a standard Clear Stage Mode, and a VS mode against the COM. «more»

Negima!? Dream Tactic... Utahime Edition

Whilst exploring the school library, students from class 3-A find an old and mysterious tome. After flipping the volume open, strange rays of light emanate from the pages and the pupils are enchanted and eventually fall asleep. Deep in slumber in the physical world, the girls are trapped in a dreamland and must escape from their predicament by way of tactical battles and interaction. A total of eight missions must be conquered before the gals are free to escape. The first mission is based on the Cinderella fairy tale complete with a stepmother and stepsisters and the second mission is based on Little Red Riding Hood.
Units are moved on a grid-based map to confront enemy units and attacks are triggered by selecting them from a menu. The basic command set is "Movement," "Attack," "Use Item," and something called "Special Technique" which is the use of a skill to heal a character, bolster defenses, or perform a special attack. Negi Springfield can help his students in dreamland by casting magic spells such as "Recovery" which heals his students, "Sneeze" which blows a strong wind against enemies, "Shield" which raises the defensive power of a student, and more.
The Utahime (Diva) version of Negima!? Dream Tactic includes a bonus CD which contains two music tracks. «more»

Negima!? Dream Tactic... Maihime Edition

Whilst exploring the school library, students from class 3-A find an old and mysterious tome. After flipping the volume open, strange rays of light emanate from the pages and the pupils are enchanted and eventually fall asleep. Deep in slumber in the physical world, the girls are trapped in a dreamland and must escape from their predicament by way of tactical battles and interaction. A total of eight missions must be conquered before the gals are free to escape. The first mission is based on the Cinderella fairy tale complete with a stepmother and stepsisters and the second mission is based on Little Red Riding Hood.
Units are moved on a grid-based map to confront enemy units and attacks are triggered by selecting them from a menu. The basic command set is "Movement," "Attack," "Use Item," and something called "Special Technique" which is the use of a skill to heal a character, bolster defenses, or perform a special attack. Negi Springfield can help his students in dreamland by casting magic spells such as "Recovery" which heals his students, "Sneeze" which blows a strong wind against enemies, "Shield" which raises the defensive power of a student, and more.
The Maihime (Dancing Girl) version of Negima!? Dream Tactic includes a bonus Original Drama CD and one Pactio Card. «more»

HDMI Optical Audio Selector

Hori continues their prolific streak of accessories by releasing an HDMI selector box which accepts video from up to four devices and pipes the signal to an HDMI compatible television or monitor. In addition to the HDMI video handling, the box also accepts up to four optical audio inputs. The box design is sleek and the selection of inputs is performed by pressing a soft-touch pushbutton switch on the left side of the unit. A convenient remote control is also included for switching between inputs from a distance. Pricing is set at JPY29,800 or US$259 from NCS. «more»

Import Restock

Japanese NDS Color Variants
All backorders for the Ice Blue NDS Lite and the Enamel Navy NDS Lite will ship today. New orders are welcome to ship this afternoon.
Nodame Cantabile + Bonus Bag
All backorders for NDS Nodame Cantabile will ship this afternoon and every order will include the bonus piano bag. We are sold out again as of this morning but additional restock + bag is expected by next Wednesday.
Week's Restock
NDS FFXII Revenant Wings and Wii One Piece Unlimited Edition redux.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Lise no Atelier Premium Pack

Once upon a time there was a quaint kingdom with cottages and clean streets. In that kingdom lived a red-haired princess and an extravagant king in green robes. One day, the royal treasurer unrolls a parchment and informs the king that the royal family is not only destitute but in debt. Mortified and plunged into a state of angst, the Princess runs away and sleeps in the forest for the night. She continues traveling until she reaches the kingdom of Ordre. Once there, she figures out that the only way to rebuild the family fortune is by learning alchemy and bringing honor back to her kingdom. The Premium Edition of Lise no Atelier includes a bonus lime-colored desktop clock with a figure of Lise's mascot Coron. «more»

General Updates

Delayed Import Shipment
Due to a transit delay last night, the rest of this week's new imports and restock of NDS FFXII Revenant Wings and Wii One Piece Ultimate Adventure will arrive tomorrow. If there is a delivery later today due to some good fortune that somehow shines upon the NCS, we'll update this page accordingly.
Golden Week in Japan
Most of our suppliers located in Japan will observe the Golden Week holiday which starts on April 30. They'll work on May 1 and 2 to clear out export orders but then go on vacation again on May 3 through May 6. Because of the holiday, we only expect restock shipments next week and no new releases are scheduled.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings

It is one year after the conclusion of Final Fantasy XII and Vaan wings through the air in his own sky pirate ship. To his side is Penelo while orphans from Rabanastre serve as crewmembers. Early in the game, Vaan is exploring the Glabados Ruins and looking for a legendary treasure when he meets up with Penelo and then Balthier and Fran.
Revenant Wings is a tactical adventure game which can be controlled entirely with the stylus. To move Vaan, tap on him and then tap on a location on the touch screen. To attack an enemy creature, tap on Vaan and then tap on the creature to initiate hostilities. Instead of switching to an alternate encounter screen, Vaan swings immediately upon reaching the beast and all fighting takes place on the same world screen. «more»

The Dog Island: Artlist Collection

The Dog is a popular toy series in Japan and we've seen "The Dog" rendered into various plushes, keychains, and other trinkets. To capture some more of the consumer dollar, Yukes programs 48 pooches into an action-adventure game where a dog explores a lush island in search of a flower with potent medicinal uses. The game starts off on Dog's home island where the protagonist receives dire news about his brother who needs the healing properties of a special curative flower. The only problem is the flower is only found on a far off island. Luckily, a pirate dog has recently docked at the wharf and he's happy to take Dog on a trip to get him closer to his destination.

Throughout the game, friendly dogs and assorted animals will help your dog hero traverse various obstacles and impediments. For example, to scale higher heights, a giraffe serves as a sort of living crane while hippos and elephants provide platforms to cross rivers and crevices that a mangy dog would not be able to cross otherwise. When traveling from island to island, some dangers may appear such as snakes. To scare one away, the Dog may bark to send it on its way. Movement is controlled entirely through the Wiimote. Press the "B" button and a paw print appears which is a directional pointer which leads the dog to and fro. «more»

One Piece Unlimited Adventure

Luffy and friends are back for an action-packed jaunt where the pirates are caught in a tidal event which dumps them on a lush island. Luffy lands first and creates a small impact crater upon reaching earth again. His first task is to find his comrades to make his party whole again. One Piece Unlimited Adventure features 3D exploration and puzzle solving where barriers on the island must be broken or unlocked before reaching new pathways and areas. Early in the game, Luffy fishes up a blue orb from the depths of the ocean which factors mightily in breaking the barriers.

Luffy may also obtain other tools on the island including a pick axe to dig deep for buried artifacts and shatter rocks which are marked with an "X" scattered around the terrain. To swing the pick axe like a wizened digger, players move the Wiimote in an uninterrupted forward arc - sort of like when you're chopping an apple to slice it into two pieces. General movement is handled through the analog thumbstick on the Nunchuk while the "A" button on the Wiimote attacks enemies. Pressing the "B" button on the Wiimote makes Luffy and friends jump up to higher levels and crags. A character can also commit suicide by standing near the edge of a ravine and jumping into the abyss... «more»

Wii de Yawaraka Atama Juku

Brain games took Japan by storm a couple of years ago thanks to the pioneering efforts of Nintendo's "Nou wo Kitaeru Otona no DS Training" or "Brain Age" as it is known in the USA. As is routine when a new product finds a massive audience, clones and copycats hit the market with alarming speed. Yawaraka Atama Juku is one such clone that was originally released on the Nintendo DS where the software teased young minds with simple brain games. The Wii update is targeted at a general audience from children to teenagers to adults who can all partake of the exercises.

Upon starting the interaction, five categories are presented which test skills such as language comprehension, relative analysis, memory skills, perception, and simple arithmetic. Presented in a colorful and attractive environment, the questions should prove more enticing to young and old minds than a non-interactive book. Exercises are broken up into five main categories as mentioned above. Under the threshold of each category is a subset of four games for a total of 20 brain challenges. Up to 8 players may join in the action and individualized Miis may be used to differentiate players from each other. «more»

Iroha 2 1/5 Scale Coldcast [Completed]

Japanese manufacturer Musashiya has started preorders for a 1/5 scale Iroha 2 cold cast which was sculpted under the watchful eye of producer Ushio Karumagi. Iroha hails from the Samurai Spirits game series and made her first appearance in Samurai Spirits: Tenkaichi Kenkakuten. Ever since her debut, toy manufacturers have sculpted Iroha in a number of renditions.

The new cold cast is fixed-pose and Iroha holds her blades Hourin and Ousai above her head. Iroha is dressed in her regulation-issue black and white uniform. The height of the figure measures 36cm tall and the production is limited to only 200 pieces total. Pricing is set at JPY23,800 or US$229 from NCS. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late July 2007.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings Sky Pirates Bundle

The first offer from suppliers for the FFXII NDS Lite Sky Pirates Bundle was tabled last night and pricing comes in at US$289. Please be advised that if you submit a preorder for this item today, you will lock into that price. We cannot accept cancellations since we will be buying the item for you tonight. There is every possibility that prices may drop in the next few days if more supplies come to market from different distributors.
The bundle includes a copy of FFXII Revenant Wings and a white NDS Lite unit with an imprint of the FFXII Revenant Wings logo and the four heroes from the game.

Saw Prop Size Doll

The SAW movies have terrorized viewers with wicked scenarios and dire situations via three films since 2004. Medicom has decided to fete the SAW series with a prop size doll which measures a little over 3' tall, weighs nearly 8 lbs, and utters three lines from the first film as follows:

"Hello Amanda"
"You don't know me, but I know you"
"I want to play a game"

The doll's color scheme is black, white, and red. The eyes, cheeks, lips, bowtie, handkerchief, and shoes are red against a bone-white face and black suit. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late September 2007.

Chibi Gallery Super DX Cushion

The Chibi Gallery line of toys consists of cute animal characters rendered into keychains, collectible figures, and other merchandise. Banpresto eschews the trinkets and goes with a sofa cushion shaped like a cat. The grinning feline grasps a scaly fish in its paws and the hapless victim looks perturbed that its ultimate destiny is dinner.
The plush measures 46cm or 18.11" in diameter and approximately 2.50cm or 1" thick. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007 at US$20 per cushion.

Horror Summer Skull Mascot

Since our last Horror Summer update, Sega has started preorders for another batch of products but none that we were particularly interested in. We're not into the Skull Mascots either but we're adding them to our stock list just to keep the horror rolling.
The skulls measure a middling 6cm or 2.36" in diameter and glow with an eerie light from within. No, it's not hellfire but an LED light that's powered by a miniature cell battery. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007 at US$3.50 per skull. Three color variants are on offer: a crimson skull, a clear yellow skull, and a transparent white skull.

Elite Banana Motion Plush Toy

Doodle simple facial features on a banana and you have Elite Banana, a recent toy franchise in Japan. Banpresto's Elite Banana Plush toy sits in a sofa and holds a drink. Make some noise and it'll shake and perhaps even do the twist thanks to the sound-activated motor module inside which animates the banana with slight motions. Preorders ship in mid-late August.

Elite Banana Super DX Plush Toy

A banana is a sweet fruit which ships from Mother Nature in its own disposable and biodegradable wrapper. NCS recommends bananas with ice cream in a gastronomical mélange known as a banana split.

An Elite Banana is a sentient piece of fruit with anthropomorphic facial features who enjoys the good life. Elite Banana products sell well in Japan but are unknown in pretty much the rest of the world. To expand the awareness of the majesty that is Elite Banana, NCS starts carrying the product line this summer. Banpresto's EB Super DX plush measures a whopping 75cm or 29.52" in length which is about the size of a small child. The added novelty of the Super DX plush is its removable outer peel which may be stripped down to reveal the fruit within. Preorders are welcome today to ship in mid-late August 2007 at US$49 per plush. Due to the size of this item, NCS recommends only shipping by UPS Ground within the USA.

Elite Banana Air Bubble Keychain

If a moving banana toy or an inordinately large banana plush is too much to take this early in the relationship, Banpresto is also offering Elite Banana keychains which measure a mere 5cm or 1.96" in length. A little banana figure is encased inside a miniature puffy air-packet. Four styles are on offer and preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007.

Transformers MP-06 Skywarp

The sixth toys in the Transformers Masterpiece series is Skywarp. According to the preorder details, the package includes the Skywarp toy, two beam weapons, 4 Sidewinder missiles, a miniature pilot figure, and a dislay base. Photos will be updated once they are available. Preorders are welcome to ship in early September.

Transformers Collection Encore 01-04

Four re-releases of Takara's most popular Transformers Collection toys are on the way to market this summer. They're the most popular TFC toys in the series as follows:

TFC Vol. 1: Convoy
TFC Vol. 2: Soundwave
TFC Vol. 3: Starscream
TFC Vol. 4: Megatron

Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007.

Import Release Outlook

NDS FFXII Revenant Wings leads preorders for the week.
NDS Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings Square

Momotarou Dentetsu DS Tokyo & Japan Hudson

Panel de Pon DS Nintendo
PS2 Negima!? Dream Tactic... Maihime Edition Konami

Negima!? Dream Tactic... Utahime Edition Konami
PSP Minna no Chizu 2 Zenrin
Wii One Piece Unlimited Adventure Banpresto

Wii de Yawaraka Atama Juku Nintendo

Domestic Release Outlook

DVD Little Children New Line

Music and Lyrics Warner
NDS SNK vs Capcom Card Fighters Capcom
PSP Generation of Chaos: Aedis Eclipse NISA

Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Mumbo
Wii Bionicle Heroes Eidos

Friday, April 20, 2007

Gyakuten Saiban 4 Limited Edition

All backorders for the Gyakuten Saiban 4 Limited Edition bundle will ship today and new orders are welcome. The bonuses included inside each pack are as follows:

Gyakuten Saiban Encyclopedia and Data Card
Gyakuten Saiban Douga (History and Image) DVD
Gyakuten Saiban 4 Special Edition Container

NCS will also include the bonus red GS headphones with every order.

Nodame Cantabile + Bonus

Two music students named Shinichi Chiaki and Megumi Noda find themselves involved in a special kind of relationship as chronicled in the Nodame Cantabile manga. Together, the two overcome their own weaknesses and build each other up like two parts creating a whole. Or something like that. We're not interested in the love today however. We're more interested in the radical music rhythm game in NDS Nodame Cantabile which strays from convention and offers challenging stylus-tapping action. Along with the rhythm game which uses classical music for the background songs, a medley of mini-games which test dexterity and memory are also playable for a bit of variety. At the outset of Nodame Cantabile, the protagonist finds himself in a city with spots to tap and visit... «more»