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Pikachu is really, really excited to charge your Nintendo DSi
The last time we plugged in our Nintendo DSi to recharge it all we got as thanks was a little light. It turned on, the electrons flowed, and we continued our humble existence. Just think how much more exciting that menial act could have been if only we had this sucker. Hori's Pikachu charger accepts a DSi or DSi XL into its faux-poké ball slot and, presumably, jumps up and down excitedly as lightning bolts dance from its maniacal little fingertips to juice up your dead cell. Or, maybe it just pulls power from an AC adapter and sends it through the connector. Either way, it's certainly more exciting than most other simple charging stands we've seen but, at 3,981 yen (just shy of $50), it's also rather more expensive. %Gallery-100562%
PS3 Hori Fighting Stick 3 on sale today at Amazon
Want a pretty good PS3 arcade stick for a very good price? Amazon is selling the Hori Fighting Stick 3 for $30 today as its Deal of the Day. It might not be suitable for, say, EVO, but if you're a casual fighting game player, this is a nice option.
Hori's mesmerizing PS3 Slim LCD dock now available for import
Love at first sight may be debatable, but we had a feeling we'd be into Hori's PS3 Slim LCD dock just as soon as we laid eyes on it. A few months after first appearing overseas, the simplistic device -- which mounts an 11.6-inch LCD atop your PlayStation 3 Slim console -- is ready to be imported into these great States of America. Play-Asia is coming through in the clutch once more, offering the gizmo to those situated far, far from the Land of the Rising Sun for $259.90. It's in stock and ready to ship within 24 hours, so we'd get it on it if you were planning to get on it. Just sayin'. [Thanks, Craig]
Hori's Twin Stick EX controller returns for Virtual-On Force
For Hori, the release of Virtual-On Force is another excuse to sell its expensive Twin Stick EX controller. The peripheral company is producing another run of the ¥30,000 ($344) Twin Stick EX, now bearing the Virtual-On Force logo and targeted at a winter release to coincide with that game. The current iteration of the stick is being sold only through preorders on Hori's website between now and July 20, but we suspect a small number will find their way to importers, for those of you who started saving up the last time these sticks were announced and have only now managed to get enough money together.
A massive controller for massively multiplayer PS3 games
Peripherals maker Hori is getting ready for Final Fantasy XIV on PS3, and getting ready to upsize your PS3 controlling experience. The company had this "PS3 MMO Controller" on display at its E3 booth, featuring a rather insane-looking tabletop left-hand thing, and a keyboard with PS3 analog stick and face buttons attached. We say Hori is getting ready for FFXIV, but it's not ready yet. This controller was a "concept model" only, with no information about a release date or price.
Ridiculous Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory controller gives Steel Battalion fans new hope
If you're a lover of unnecessarily large and comically styled controllers, chances are you've been a bit depressed lately with all this Sony Move and Microsoft Natal talk, tech that could do away with fancy add-ons altogether. But Hori, at least, is continuing to follow the righteous path of giant peripherals with this bodacious add-on for Square Enix's Wii port of Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory, an arcade game with a name long enough to be worthy of such a mighty gamepad. Sadly, this collectible card game really only requires three buttons: a big red one, a big blue one, and the sword, which is simply pushed downward to activate special attacks. It pales in comparison to the two control sticks, three pedals, and 40 buttons of Steel Battalion, but sometimes it's the visual impact that really counts.
Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory has a monstrous controller
Let us lay it out for you: in 2008, Square Enix released Dragon Quest Swords for Wii, a game based entirely around using the Wii Remote to simulate a sword. It used the normal Wii Remote/Nunchuk setup. Now, Square Enix is preparing a Wii port of Dragon Quest Monsters Battle Road Victory, an arcade game based on collectible cards. For that, peripheral company Hori is producing a controller shaped like a sword. The optional controller, first shown off on VJump magazine's staff blog, features an exact replica of the arcade machine's layout, including two giant buttons and a replica sword hilt, which players push down to activate special attacks. The controller will retail for ¥12,800 ($137) and will be out in Japan this summer. Keep an eye on your favorite import retailer if you've been waiting for a controller with part of a sword sticking out of it. [Via Andriasang]
Hori makes LCD screen for portable PS3 experience
If you're looking to take your god-slaying, tiny planet-creating, Blu-ray-watching console on the go, but lack the fungible assets required to purchase one of Ben Heck's laptops, Japanese electronics manufacturer Hori may have another solution for you. The company recently unveiled the HP3-87 LCD dock, a Sony-licensed peripheral which attaches a slick 1,366 x 768 pixel screen and stereo speakers to your PS3 Slim. The device, which is also compatible with the successful Torne DVR peripheral, will come out in Japan on May 27 for ¥26,040 ($276). We haven't heard anything about plans for an international release -- not that we'd be psyched to plop a burning hot PS3 on our lap during our morning commute.
PS3 meets Hori LCD dock, good things happen
Hori is a company that's no stranger to strapping LCDs to consoles and calling them portable, but for some reason we're quite smitten with its latest monitor docking station. The HP3-87 doesn't stray too far from the formula -- it adds an 11.6-inch screen to a wraparound structure for your PS3, with stereo speakers, two headphone jacks, and composite or component input options. With a resolution of 1,366 x 768, it's well suited to handling the 16:9 signal coming out of the do-everything console, although its 500:1 contrast ratio, 7ms response time, and 200 nits of brightness are perhaps a tiny step behind the times. On the other hand, it's compatible with the Japan-only Torne DTV adapter and it's officially licensed by Sony itself, so it can't be too bad, right? All you Tokyo-ites will have until May 27 to decide, when the HP3-87 goes on sale for ¥26,040 ($276). International release plans are not yet disclosed, but if you really need the portability, you could always grab a PS3 laptop from your local online auction house. Which option will be more useful (less useless?) we leave up to you to decide.
Hori Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX has a name to match its size, price
Shoulder buttons? Never heard of 'em. Give us all our buttons in a nice rainbow-shaped array and a big stick for our southpaw and leave us well enough alone. Hori, the company behind the most righteous Tekken 6 arcade controller, is back with a Street Fighter-inspired effort for the true enthusiasts out there. This new deck is a direct copy of the Sanwa arcade cabinets housing Street Fight IV, meaning you can finally take your epic fighting skills home without fearing the misshapen things other people call controllers. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX will be shipping by the end of March, and you can hit the Joystiq link below to find out how to import one for yourself.
New Hori arcade sticks are large
Hori has finally revealed details about the mysterious giant arcade stick it had on display at Tokyo Game Show. The Real Arcade Pro Premium VLX series will be released in Japan this March in Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, for ¥30,000 ($330) -- a price that ensures that it's for fighting game nerds only. But what do said nerds get for their money, besides obvious proof that they've spent a lot? An enormous controller patterned after the control panel in Taito's Vewlix arcade cabinet -- the cabinet used for Street Fighter IV machines. It comes equipped with arcade-standard Sanwa buttons and joystick, and features a flip-up panel for wiring access and extra button storage (in case you want to remove some to create an authentic button layout for a particular game). Importer Play-Asia will carry both versions of the VLX, but currently has no pricing information. Expect to pay a lot for shipping, on account of the bigness.
Hori Real Arcade Pro joysticks at a real acceptable price
Today's Amazon Deal of the Day offers would-be World Warriors, Kings of Fighters and, uh, people who play BlazBlue a reduced-price ticket to hardcore fighting game certification. The Hori Real Arcade Pro EX SE, a high-end arcade stick for Xbox 360, is discounted from its original $139.99 price to $89.99. Still expensive for a controller, true, but less expensive. Though it's not a one-day deal, Amazon is also currently selling the PS3 equivalent, the Real Arcade 23 Pro EX-SA , for the same price. Either stick would be a great gift option -- and the recipient would have a really hard time figuring out what that large, heavy box was all wrapped up.
TGS 2009: The next generation of Real Arcade Pro joysticks
Well, it's time to throw that Real Arcade Pro 3 joystick in the garbage, because it's obsolete and you should be ashamed to own it. At its booth in the Tokyo Game Show shopping area, accessories maker Hori handed out a pamphlet introducing its new Real Arcade Pro V and other joysticks. Few details are included in the pamphlet: we know it weighs 3 kilograms and features a Sanwa JLF joystick and Hori buttons, and that it should be in Japanese stores sometime this winter. The mock-up image even uses Roman numerals for the button labels instead of anything that would identify the platform. In addition, new mid-range sticks for PS3 and 360 are due out this winter for 5,500 and 6,980, respectively -- a price discrepancy that suggests that wireless technology is involved, based on the historical evidence of Rock Band guitars. See all three sticks after the break, along with some gigantic Taito-licensed stick that was on display at the Hori booth.
Take a timeout to ogle Hori's Tekken 6 arcade sticks
At $150 -- including a copy of Tekken 6, mind you -- Hori's upcoming arcade sticks for the fighter's sixth iteration look to be a pretty decent deal for those of you still interested in picking up a fighting stick. Coming straight out of Namco's conference at GamesCom, we were given an opportunity to check out the Tekken 6 arcade stick. Lucky you, we've also snapped a few pics and added them to the gallery you see below. Let the ogling begin!%Gallery-70479%
HORI's revamped TwinStick EX: fit for Virtual On addicts only
We'll admit, that cheap-o Virtual On mod we peeked earlier this year was pretty stellar, but those obsessed with the anime-themed title are likely tired of using a hacked up Xbox 360 gamepad in order to advance from stage to stage. If you've found yourself in that increasingly narrow niche, HORI has a fine piece you should feast your eyes upon. The refreshed TwinStick EX was designed specifically for Microsoft's latest console and to be used specially with Virtual On. The result? A ¥30,000 ($325) joystick that you'll probably never quite justify the purchase of to your significant other. Get your pre-orders in early; we get the feeling these are bound to sell out.[Thanks, Marv]
Hori's Tekken 6 Xbox 360 / PS3 joystick ain't a bad way to burn $150
Got a knack for fighting titles? Have a particular fondness for Tekken? If so, you definitely shouldn't be playing with a stock controller, and that's exactly why Hori has crafted the beauty you're inevitably peering at above. The stick, which will ship as part of a Tekken 6 Wireless Fight Stick Bundle bundle, will be made available soon for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (shown after the break), and according to our pals over at Joystiq, it'll be on sale at a variety of respected retailers for $150. Said MSRP also includes a collectible art book and a pinch of pride, which totally justifies the somewhat steep asking price. Right? Right.
Tekken 6 wireless sticks revealed, priced
View high-resolution: PS3 or Xbox 360 If you haven't spent all your money buying Street Fighter IV controllers, Namco Bandai has a new arcade stick for you to invest in. The official Tekken 6 Wireless Fight Stick Bundle bundles the upcoming game with an art book and a wireless stick made by HORI. The set will be available at various nationwide retailers, and will cost $150 for either the PS3 or Xbox 360 version.In addition to revealing the official arcade stick for the game, Namco Bandai also released 33 new screenshots of the game, showcasing some of the new characters featured in Tekken 6. Our favorite character? Well, there's that decapitated robot girl ...Finally, official details of Penny Arcade's collaboration with Tekken 6 have been revealed. The "Samurai" Pack includes a playable Cardboard Tube Samurai skin for Yoshimitsu and 40 Samurai Battle Banners which can be used to customize the other characters in the game. The DLC pack will be available as a GameStop-exclusive pre-order bonus.%Gallery-66507%%Gallery-66508%
All DS accessories cheap(er) at Amazon
Amazon has stripped 10% from the price of all its gaming accessories in an offer that lasts until January 10th. Okay, so 10% isn't a very significant discount -- especially where already cheap accessories are concerned -- but these are harsh times. And besides, we think $13.49 for one of Hori's splendid Charge Stands is great value. $7.19 for those Star Wars Lightsaber styli isn't too shabby, either -- you could pick up the illuminating versions for $15.29 for covert beneath-the-sheets DS sessions while you were there! Check out more doodads here. Does anything take your fancy?
Hori's Wii Classic Controller: if you're really into autofire
Fans of the old-timey GameCube will rest easier tonight knowing that Hori is now manufacturing its variation of the classic controller, creatively named the "Classic Controller." We've seen other gamepads in this style, but not many that get it as close to the original design as this -- plus it has those insane autofire switches. These bad boys are available in black, white, and blue on December 4th in Japan, and you can pre-order them now for $29.90 over at Play-Asia.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Hori making Cube-style Classic Controller
This month, Hori will release their own take on the Classic Controller, called, shockingly enough, the Hori Classic Controller. The new controller combines the designs of the GameCube and Classic controllers, with the former's general shape, stick layout and shoulder buttons, and the latter's face button layout and Wii-specific extra buttons. It also has individual autofire switches for each button, which make it look scary, like a mini Steel Battalion controller or something.Black and white versions of this controller will be available starting November 27, and a light blue version will follow on December 4. All will cost 2,980 yen ($30.50). Play-Asia is currently taking preorders for $29.90. This looks ideal for people who like the feel of the GameCube controller but hate the scrambled button layout -- or for people who want to artificially boost their performance in the myriad shmups on the VC.
