Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Konami Arcade Collection

Fifteen retro games from the 1980s are collected in one lil' game card for the NDS. An emulator runs the original coin-op code and the games all run at original speed which is somewhat impressive for the NDS. Games are selected from a wheel which scrolls with the tug of the d-pad. Notable classics include: Pooyan, Circus Charlie, Contra, Time Pilot, Scramble, Rush'n Attack, and Gradius.
Additional features include the option to play the games in vertical or horizontal aspect mode and wireless play where players may go head-to-head against another retro gaming fan. The multi-player function allowa two gamers to play with only one copy of the game. Finally, a Jukebox which contains music tracks from the fifteen games plays old time tunes.

Negima! Chou Mahora Taisen

A class trip to a Hot Springs resort goes awry when some of the students go missing due to demonic subterfuge. As teacher and chaperone of the class, Negi Springfield is charged with the task of rescuing the students lest tragedy befall any of them.
Negi Springfield leads squads of female students from Mahora Academy in a tactical strategy game where battles are fought on grid-based maps. The girls may wear various costumes from a roster of over 100 to imbue themselves with magical powers to help during battle. Party members who have an affinity for each other may also cooperate for combo attacks. In addition to the main game, a quiz challenge and assorted mini-games are also included for fans to master.

Yugioh Duel Monsters World '07

From the Publisher: For the first time, the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament series makes its debut on the Nintendo DS™. The official software of the 2007 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Tournament makes worldwide wireless dueling possible utilizing the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. The game will include 1,600 of the latest cards and more cards will be available for download. Create your best deck and prepare for the World Tournament.

Game Features

  • Head to head worldwide dueling via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
  • Voice chat available before you start dueling
  • Each game includes three exclusive trading cards: Spell Striker, Exploder Dragon, Destiny Hero - Disk Commander
  • Rogue Galaxy Director's Cut

    When Rogue Galaxy was localized for the North American market, Sony enhanced the game with an additional planet, updated features, and new dialogue. To reward Japanese fans who've only played the original Rogue Galaxy, Sony takes the USA game, slaps a "Director's Cut" label on top, and releases it at the friendly price of JPY3980.

    New Features
    » Travel to the planet of Alistia to engage new quests and locate special items. Additional character backgrounds may also be gleaned in Alistia.
    » Characters now have over 1000 lines of additional spoken dialogue.
    » New weapons and the ability to enhance their attack power and utility
    » New character costumes to outfit heroes and heroines
    » Updated Insectron Tournament
    » Chain attack system is now more versatile and may be triggered by using orbs that are collected after defeating enemies
    » The original Rogue Galaxy was a single-layer DVD. Director's Cut is dual-layer to accommodate the higher resolution cinemas.
    » Dungeons have been streamlined and updated for speed

    Musou Orochi Treasure Box

    The Treasure Box edition of Musou Orochi includes a set of 77 character puffy pop-ups which represent the main heroes and generals featured in the game. The pop-ups may be displayed in the included black display case. Please note that the regular edition of Musou Orochi will arrive on Friday of this week due to a holiday in Japan last night.
    A purple vortex in the sky is the last thing the heroes of Sangoku Musou and Sengoku Musou witness before being transported into an epic battle royale. A scaly lord named Orochi has split the fabric of time and space which accidentally brings the heroes together and ultimately lays the foundation that seals its doom. Before that happens however, players choose a team from four clans that are selectable at the outset of the game and clash through military campaigns where entire armies are slaughtered.

    Mist of Chaos

    Eight mighty kingdoms hold sway over the land of Ades across two continents. When the clarion call to war sounds off, armies from the different nations marshal their forces into alliances and head to battle. Each empire is headed by a quintet of leaders and generals who interact with their underlings, troops, and each other. The game features over 200 personalities to provide dramatic interplay against the backdrop of war.
    When traveling around the world, a squad of heroes treks from area to area. When battles start, two sides clash but the camera is fairly far off and the details of the action aren't in your face. Magic effects and attacks are animated nicely on the battlefield. For example, if a contingent is running en masse, a hero may ignite a fiery attack spell which glitters on the map for a second. The spell stops everyone for a microsecond before they all drop dead in a somber coordinated fall. The fast-pace battles take place on various types of terrain including normal ground, snow, and forest as the party and armies travel to new campaigns.

    Armored Core 4

    From the Publisher: The fourth game in the Armored Core series rockets onto both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. Armored Core, the mech action game that defined the mech genre is back to take on next-generation platforms! Armored Core 4 reinvigorates the brand by offering an all-new storyline, new environments, and online capability. The 10th anniversary of the acclaimed franchise will be punctuated with a leap to next-generation platforms that will ensure the highest quality in both gameplay and visual performance.


    Game Features
    » Multiplayer functionality allows up to eight players to battle online.
    » Join one of six factions specializing in different aspects of battle.
    » 30 missions played out in detailed futuristic 3D environments.
    » Fly through canyons and rip through cities battling multiple enemies.
    » Deploy "Quick Boost" and "Over Boost" features for precise explosive movement and precision control of AC units.
    » Engage "Primal Armor" the all-new defense shield that adjusts its strength according to specific battle conditions.

    General Updates

    Japan on Holiday
    Suppliers were on holiday last night for Shunbun no Hi (Vernal Equinox Day) and no shipments were dispatched. As such, the remainder of this week's new imports should make it in by Friday of this week.
    Aquapict Once Again
    There was a surge of orders for the Aquapict after a mention in the Wall Street Journal Weekend Edition (March 9, 2007). All remaining backorders for the Aquapict will ship today and new orders are welcome. If we sell out again over the course of the next few days, another batch should be forthcoming within 10 business days.
    After witnessing the rush of orders for a niche import product, we can safely say that print isn't dead... as long as the right audience is reading. Now if we can only convince the WSJ to list some of our old toys in their next Japanese merchandise feature.