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Promotional Consideration: Arino's Advertising Challenge
With XSEED recently revealing its intentions to localize Game Center CX: Arino's Challenge (U.S. name: Retro Game Challenge) for the North American market, we thought now would be an opportune time to feature an English-translated commercial for the Japanese game. Really, we'll make any excuse to post about this interesting title.A quick rundown of the Game Center CX show and DS game, for those of you who didn't read about the release the first dozen times we posted about it: Game Center CX is a Japanese television series in which comedian Shinya Arino plays popular "retro" games In the Indies Zero-developed DS title, players are sent back in time to the 80s by Arino Players have to complete challenges in eight Famicom-styled games, like Star Prince (Star Soldier clone) and Guadia Quest (Dragon Quest clone) There are a lot of great "meta" touches to the game, too -- a child version of Arino befriends and cheers you on against his older self, you'll have access to instruction manuals and Game Fan Magazine issues with tips and cheat codes, and Arino will even ask you if you're going to the bathroom sometimes when you pause the game.Anyway, jump past the post break for the commercial; we've also included photos from train advertisements and a segment from the show as bonuses!%Gallery-27519%
See what's crawling in Sky Crawlers' skies
One of the most important aspects of a flight-sim game is, of course, what you're piloting. If we're going to take part in virtual flying, we're going to do it in style. That's why we were pleased to see Famitsu post some screens of the airware in Sky Crawlers, a title that we've been keeping our eyes on.The game is just so pretty that this plane looks equally so, whether you like ones with propellers or not. Granted, though, we're not aircraft experts, so we have nothing but the drool coming out of our mouths to judge it by. What about you, flight simulator aficionados? Do these images (more after the break) bring out feelings of woot, or meh? Gallery: Sky Crawlers
Larger than tiny Tales of Hearts screens
Scavenging for screens of rare and awesome DS games in the making is a tedious yet rewarding task. Oftentimes one will be granted a tiny sample of media from an upcoming RPG, while sometimes being rewarded with decent scans from the best game ever. What's the second-best game ever? Tales of Hearts, that's what -- and we have a couple of new screens that fit right around the middle size-wise.Along with the rather colorful display right here, you can check out another dialogue shot after the jump. The Japanese has us scratching our heads stupidly, but the game itself looks good. Tales of Hearts is scheduled for a Q4 2008 release date in Japan, and we want it. In the meantime, check out the empty, pretty official site.
Tiny screens from Tales of Hearts get our blood pumping
We already showed you a snippet of the Shonen Jump scans for Tales of Hearts, but Gamekyo recently added more, this time showing off some enticing (albeit tiny) screens. Like some of you, we're trying not to put our hearts into Tales of Hearts, just because we don't want them broken if the game doesn't get localized. Normally we're localization optimists, but after Namco Bandai decided to work on the Wii's Tales of Symphonia as well as the 360's Tales of Vesperia, but not the DS's Tales of Innocence, we've been a little bitter. We won't even mention our still stinging wounds over Tales of the Tempest, even if it wasn't too well recieved -- except that we just did. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: if any system deserves catering to niche audiences, it's the DS.Rant aside, enjoy the lovely screens! We'll just be out back, crying softly to ourselves.
Tales of Vesperia demo lands on Far East Marketplace
Role-playing fans heed our words! A demo for Tales of Vesperia, the upcoming role-playing game from Namco Bandai, dropped on the Xbox Live Marketplace in Asia and India early this morning. Weighing in at a slim 278 MB, the demo marks the debut of the long standing Tales of series on a Western-made platform. With the full version due later this summer demo for Tales of Vesperia lets gamers sample the action as the warrior Yuri; as he and a group of other whimsically cell-shaded characters navigate Ehmead Hill and battle it out with various creatures in the franchise's popular real-time combat engine. No word on a North American release for the demo but considering the demo is completely in English (including all spoken dialogue) it may find its way Stateside soon.
Mario Super Sluggers in action, biggity baseball bat
Yoshi seems to be pitching the winners in this latest footage from Mario Super Sluggers. The poor batters can't do a thing right, as time after time the fielders rush in to catch the ball and pelt it towards any base at lightning speed. It's like, hello? Why is a baby playing baseball?It's nine minutes of Sluggers action, and includes character selection and menu screens, which are all pretty straightforward. You might not want to rush out to import the latest Japanese RPG, but Sluggers looks simple enough to enjoy right off the ... bat? Haw haw, haw.Put on your importing hat if you want this right away, because it's out now in Japan and it won't be hitting the stores in North America until August.%Gallery-24326%[Via GoNintendo]
Screens, scans, and details on Sky Crawlers take flight
Some scans and info from Famitsu reveal more about the ever-so-delicious Sky Crawlers, an upcoming flight-sim game for the Wii. The developers (you know, the Ace Combat team) boast about how pretty this title is, and we can't help but believe them. As for the story, it centers around a pilot in an elite fighting unit, as well as young girl named Orishina Maumi who has recently joined the squad. Playing off of that, the subtitle for the game is Innocent Aces.Details about the controls were also revealed, with the Nunchuk being used as a joystick and the Wiimote being used for throttling (and, we gather, shooting). If you're an ace with the controls, you'll also be able to pull off acrobatic maneuvers. The last important aspect in the scans worth mentioning is that Sky Crawlers will involve squad management, which is a nice feature when it comes to flight sims.Oh, Japan, how we envy you. Let's hope this one gets localized -- Namco Bandai isn't one to normally give us Westerners the shaft. In the meantime, hit up our updated gallery below for a handful of new screens.%Gallery-18921%[Via NeoGAF]
A limited deal on a limited DS Lite
The SD Gundam G Generation Cross Drive limited-edition DS Lite was released in Japan on August 9 of last year. It's one of the coolest LE Lites released, with its simple, clean design, featuring the logo found on Amuro Ray's RX-93 v Gundam. And now, for as long as there are units left, it's available to U.S. audiences -- at a reasonable price, which is somewhat of a novelty for one of these systems!Retailer NCSX is clearing out their supply of Cross Drive Lites for $158.90. Sure, it's $30 more than a normal DS Lite, but it's a better expression of Gundam fandom (fandam?) than actually buying a Gundam game.
Guess who's in Mario Super Sluggers
Sports nuts and Nintendo fans alike are probably anticipating the release of Mario Super Sluggers, which hits the streets of Japan on the 19th of this month. Mario won't be the only one slugging, though. You can expect his usual posse of Luigi, Bowser, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, and Wario to join in on the fun.Yet, you might be wondering who else is coming to play ball. Thanks to some tiny screens from the game's exposition mode (as well as perusing our gallery and other media), we can get an idea of a few playable characters. Unfortunately, the screens are so small that it's difficult to make out everyone.For the spoiler sensitive types, we've posted the pictures and dropped some names after the break. %Gallery-24326%
Tales of a new trailer for Dawn of the New World [update]
There's no doubt that Wii-owning RPG gamers are thirsting for Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, an oasis in a barren desert filled with only ... well, Opoona (as far as traditional Japanese RPGs go, at least). That's why we're really looking forward to Namco Bandai's Tales effort for the Wii, and hope that it can fill the gaping holes in our gamer hearts. Fortunately, everything we've seen on the title so far both looks and sounds enticing. Take, for example, this latest trailer.This three-minute video is packed with gameplay, cinematics, character introductions, action, drama, romance, and anything else you can think of. The only catch is that it's in Japanese, so unless you understand crazy talk, you probably won't know what's being said. (Note: The video stops short at the end because the last ten seconds got cut off.)Japan will be getting the game next month, but those of us waiting for North American localization can expect it in September.[Update: Trailer replaced with a version that doesn't cut off at the end.]%Gallery-5354%[Via Destructoid]
Namco Bandai throws Dragon Ball onto the DS
Recent V-Jump scans reveal that a Dragon Ball game is in the works for the DS. While we don't have many details on the game, it's going to be an action/adventure title that delves into the background of the Dragon Ball saga. We also know that the controls will be similar to those in The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, as the player will use the stylus to perform actions and lead Goku around the screen. From what we saw in the tiny scan screens, the game looks to be shaping up pretty nicely. We've never been too into Dragon Ball ourselves, but if we were, we'd be over 9,000 kinds of excited right now.
Pre-order Naruto Heroes 2, get bonus figurine
If you're planning to pick up Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 on its June 24 release in North America, then make sure you put down a pre-order ahead of time. Why do that? Well, don't you want to snag for yourself a free figurine? You could be eligible to win one of these six figurines pictured above. There is one catch though; you'll have to do slightly more than just pre-order.To get your figurine you'll have to register as a member of Hokage's Room -- the official Naruto website. Then you'll have to join a special "pre-order mission." If you've pre-ordered on GameStop's online store you could also win one out of ten Naruto PSP skins in addition to a guaranteed figurine. This all sounds a little too much like a hassle, if you ask us. Anyway, if you're really interested make sure you check out the full details over at Hokage's Room.
Japanese preorder bonus dawns for Tales of Symphonia
Adding to the ever-growing list of "cool stuff Japan gets that we don't," Bandai Namco is offering a sweet preorder bonus with Tales of Symphonia. The RPG, which releases in Japan in late June, will come with a Dramatic DVD for gamers that preorder the title. The DVD will include original animated scenes that add to the game's story, which sounds like a pretty nice extra to us.We're sure the DVD will never see the light of day outside of Japan (officially), so the rest of us will just have to be content to look at screens and pretend that's dramatic. Some new screens might help you with such a task, so just click on the "Read" link below (or the picture above) to check them out.%Gallery-5354%[Via Gemaga]
Ba-dum! Taiko No Tatsujin Clay Anime
We already knew Taiko no Tatsujin's characters are pretty darn cute from playing the games, but this clay anime series, officially produced by Namco, makes sure we'll never forget it. Though it's supposed to be a show for children -- it originally aired on Japan's Kids Station channel, if that's any indication -- we've found ourselves totally drawn into the adventures of Wada Don, Wada Katsu, and their clay friends.A total of 26 episodes were put out over two seasons in 2005-2006, and the first seven are subtitled and available to watch on Youtube. Like the clip above, each Taiko No Tatsujin Clay Anime episode is only four minutes long, so you could feasibly watch the entire collection of translated videos in the time it takes you to watch a single episode of a much less interesting anime.On the topic of Drum Master, Siliconera has an excellent preview and walkthrough of Taiko no Tatsujin: 7 Islands' Adventure, which shipped to stores in Japan just last week. Combine that with these menu translations, and you've got nothing stopping you from importing the rhythm game![Via GameSetWatch]
More details on monsters in Tales of Symphonia
Some of you may not be fond of Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World's fighting-with-monsters scheme, but we think it looks pretty neat. Spencer Yip from Siliconera gives us an even more in-depth look into the system than before, reporting that you can ditch your entire party (with the exception of the main character Emil, of course), for a party full of monsters, like in the screen shown above.After you battle monsters, you'll often have a chance to negotiate with them and have them fight for you. It's not as simple as "catching" them all, though, since some monsters will refuse to join your party if they have a grudge against one of your other allied creatures. Since the game provides 200 different species of monster that you can fight with, which we think this can add a lot of depth to this Tales rendition. As long as you don't become obsessed with collecting them, that is, because then you might as well be playing something else.Drawing more similarities from Pokemon, these monsters also evolve. However, you can cause their evolutions by serving them certain foods, so the cooking system in the game should be pretty interesting. We're not sure yet, though, whether these are true, outward-and-inward evolutions, or just stat alterations (as we reported before).Those of you who are looking forward to this title still have a long wait ahead of you. The RPG is set to hit North America in Q4 of this year. Gallery: Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
PSP Fanboy hands-on: Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2
If you haven't read our other hands-on previews over at PS3 Fanboy, then you wouldn't have known that we were at the NY Comic Con this past weekend. On the PSP side of things we got some quality time in with Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2 which was one of the big draws over at Bandai Namco Games' booth.We of course wanted to try out the all-new Mugenjo story mode, but the demo at Bandai Namco's kiosks didn't have the mode completely ready for play. We did dive into it anyway, and while gameplay wasn't ready, the story was already fully dubbed and can be listened to. The English voice acting was pretty much spot on with those from the anime. One very interesting thing about the voice acting is the option for Japanese audio. If you're an anime elitist who can't stand listening to English dub, this is for you. %Gallery-16526%
Taiko Drum Master DS: 39 Songs' Adventure
Taiko no Tatsujin: 7 Islands' Adventure comes out in Japan -- and ships out to happy importers -- this week. Along with more screenshots, GAME Watch included the full (as far as we know) song list. We thought it might be nice for people interested in the game to know what's in the game, so we translated, or transliterated, the song titles and linked to a video of each one. Except for the Fukoumori theme, which we couldn't find. The game's music falls into six categories: J-Pop, game music, Namco originals, children's songs, classical music, and anime. Well, functionally, they fall into one category: stuff with beats. Check after the break for the list, and please watch some videos so we don't feel like we've wasted our time.
Namco Bandai pops in with more Mugen Puchi Puchi screens
Namco Bandai has unwrapped a release date for Mugen Puchi Puchi Wii, the WiiWare rhythm game based on the toy based on popping bubble wrap: June 24th. No word on a U.S. date yet, though we are crossing our fingers (with bubble wrap between them).Not only will you have the ability to pop bubbles by pointing at them and pressing 1 or 2, you'll be able to smash them en masse with a Wiimote on its side, as if rolling over them with a rolling pin. You'll even be able to use the remote to slash through the bubbles.The game's 40 stages help provide even more variation, from a snowman level to an ikura donburi level in which you pop salmon roe (ewwww), and even the excellently named "Namco Old Games Stage."
Take a sneak peek at Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm website
If you saw the trailer for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm, then you may have seen the link to the official website at the very bottom of the screen. Those of you who were eager enough for more Naruto may have followed the link and noticed that there was nothing but a countdown timer greeting you (seriously, countdown timers are all the rage now). However, if you're reading this right now, that timer has already ran out and you can now access the website. When you arrive at the website, it'll ask you to input a password that comes in the form of a little puzzle. For those of you who are true Naruto fans, you should know the answer. Those who are not and just want to check it out, you can highlight this text if you're stumped: [Tiger Tiger Dragon]. At the site, there are some extra screenshots to gawk at and more information on the game to digest. Head on over there right now.[Thanks Bernardo G.!]
Taiko Drum Master ships 500k
Those of you who pay attention to Japanese sales have probably noticed that week after week, Taiko Drum Master DS sits comfortably in the top thirty. It may not sell absurd quantities (according to Famitsu, usually around 6,000 copies per week as of late), but it can't be argued that the game has legs, especially considering that it debuted nine months ago. In fact, it's the only third-party game for a Nintendo system that shows up on the charts with such consistency. It was only a matter of time, then, before the game hit the 500k landmark. We're glad to see Namco's game doing so well, and hopefully the DS sequel will find similar success.[Via GoNintendo]
