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99 Tears Vs. 96 Tears
Remember that time you spent fifteen minutes on all fours on the kitchen floor, violently bawling your eyes out over the final, bitter departure of a loved one, or the sudden death of your dog in a road accident? Good times, right? Well, 99 no Namida (Tears of 99) will be aiming to replicate those surges of emotion throughout Japan from tomorrow, when the sob-inducing game gets released. It's intended to be for your own health, apparently.In case you somehow doubted the game's efficacy in making you blubber through one of its 200 short stories, Namco Bandai has attempted to scientifically prove just how much inner turmoil the title can generate. The pie charts above came about after the company conducted a survey of 500 people to highlight the effectiveness of 99 no Namida.And this is where it gets a bit obscure. We know that the white areas in the pie charts represent people who didn't cry, and the dark blue indicates those who cried heavily. We also know that the right chart depicts the proportion of people who cried while playing 99 no Namida, while the left chart displays how many cried when ... well, we're not actually sure, but the headline does reference 1960s rock and roll band Question Mark & The Mysterians and their song "96 Tears." Man, beats us.Whatever the first chart represents, the central message remains the same: 99 no Namida will make the majority of players cry big, salty tears. Now weep your sad selves into our gallery for six new shots.%Gallery-15389%
Slew of SNK titles, along with Dig Dug, get rated by ESRB
Fans of SNK and the Virtual Console, you'll be happy you're reading this post today. A couple of titles, Fatal Fury 2 and Art of Fighting 2 both popped up on the ESRB website with Wii listings, as well as Samurai Shodown and Samurai Shodown 2. Not only that, but classic title Dig Dug also popped up. Now that's what we need! Some new, non-shooter titles on the Virtual Console are a welcome addition to the Wii's catalog.[Via Codename Revolution]
Buy an actual stadium instead
We're no strangers to collectable NES junk and completely bonkers auctions, but learning about this piece of Nintendo history makes us glance, ever-so-slightly, to our own boxes of dusty cartridges in the hopes that we might one day become millionaires after a forgotten NES relic turns out to be a gold mine.Stadium Events is apparently the single rarest "officially released" NES cartridge in history. Why? Well, it was first introduced to the USA by Bandai, and the game made use of the Power Pad (formerly known as Family Fun Fitness). Nintendo subsequently purchased the rights to the Power Pad, wanting a piece of the hot sporting action. After the purchase, Nintendo renamed the actual game itself to World Class Track Meet, and copies of Stadium Events were pulled from the shelves. Hence, they are now rarer than a lion's steak dinner.While the history of such a probably awful game is mind-numbingly complex, Stadium Events goes on existing as a rare collectible. And guess what? You can bid on it here, costing you only a couple ... thousand dollars. Not to worry, the seller is offering a discount on the $7.95 shipping cost if you buy multiple rare games from his collection. Thrifty buyers take note of this saving.For reference, a sealed copy of the game sold in 2006 for this much.
Collection of strange and obscure Famicom peripherals, controllers
It's astounding that, despite all the eBay auctions we've followed and Nintendo oddities we've researched, there are still so many Famicom accessories out there that we've never seen, much less heard of. Thankfully, an obsessive Japanese collector has put up a page documenting these rare controllers and peripherals, like Hori RF adapters and Disk System cleaning sprays. Check out the Hyper Shot Zapper-clone pictured above -- can you believe that Bandai made a submachine gun for the Famicom? Jump past the post break for more Famicom odds and ends.
DragonBall Z: Burst Limit video pummels your eyes
The majority of you will enjoy this DragonBall Z: Burst Limit video for what it does have: a heavy helping of awesome. Some of you will continue to be turned off by the graphical style. A few of you will make tired jokes about power levels. One of you will type "first" as your comment. It will be deleted. What are we talking about? We aren't sure because our minds were melted by what will probably be the best-looking and has been the most promising DBZ title to date. Enjoy!
What's the deal with Beautiful Katamari?
It's been a very long time since we've heard anything about Beautiful Katamari and the Wii. And, seeing as how the game has been out on Xbox 360 for quite some time now, we were done thinking that it would ever grace Nintendo's console. Thanks to select retailers' online shops, however, hope is slowly being restored.Major retail chains Target and Wal-Mart are both listing the game on their respective websites, while Buy.com lists the game with the same price ($29.99), but states it's "temporarily sold out." Even rental service Gamefly has a section up for a Wii and PS3 version of the game.So, what's the deal? Who knows at this point, but the Wal-Mart page points to an August 29th release, so perhaps we'll hear something soon? We're not going to get our hopes up like before, but we'd be lying if we said we didn't want this to happen.[Thanks, Zack!]Read - Wal-Mart listingRead - Target listingRead - Buy.com listingRead - Gamefly listing
Namco reveals National Geographic Panda and Digimon World Championship
Today is a very happy day for us here at DS Fanboy. We had no idea that pandas on see-saws would be making their way to our country. Back when we saw the scans showing the Japanese game, we thought it was much too quirky and original to be released over here. Oh how glad we are to be wrong.So, what is the game, exactly? National Geographic Panda and it will release this fall. The game has you interacting with panda bears at Panda Park. Mistreating the bears will cause them to leave your park, whereas nurturing them and making sure they're having fun means new pandas will come to your park and stay. Sounds great to us!The other game Namco announced in the press release we received is Digimon World Championship. The new game will feature over 200 kinds of Digimon and will feature Wi-Fi support for battling online. Those of you familiar with the Digimon series of games should know what to expect here. No word on a release window for the game.Check out our galleries below for screenshots of both these games.%Gallery-20748%%Gallery-20750%[Via press release]
New Afro Samurai gameplay trailer
A new gameplay trailer for Afro Samurai has arrived by way of the Namco Bandai Editor's Day 08. As far as we're concerned, the trailer spends far too much time showing off the game's locales and characters and not nearly enough time showing Afro hacking his enemies to bits. The trailer is rather stark all around actually, thanks to its exclusion of any sound effects or voices. Most notably absent from the video is Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of Afro. Still, what's there looks pretty enough, and the gameplay looks decent. Keep your eyes peeled and you can see the real time dismemberment engine that was revealed recently. Overall, we're not quite sure what to make of the game yet. Here's hoping future media does a better job of piquing our interest.
GameSpot checks out Afro Samurai, digs it
Afro Samurai (possibly the most descriptive title ever devised) is looking good. GameSpot recently got to take an extended look at the game (based on the anime series of the same name) and came away impressed. The game is complete with all the things that fans of the show have come to expect, namely some of the bloodiest combat you're ever likely to see. The GameSpot preview makes particular note of Afro's ability to cut enemies in two from any point on their bodies. These bisecting maneuvers are dynamic by the way, and not just "canned animations." In other words, every hapless foe you decide to cut in half will will fall apart in a different way. Isn't it great what technology is capable of these days? Hit the "read" link for GameSpot's full preview. Check out the video after the break for an idea of what the TV series is all about (warning: extremely violent).
Soul Calibur IV coming July 29 in regular and 'premium' editions
A tale eternally retold (and resold), the Soul Calibur franchise will be making its Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 debut on July 29th in North America. In case you haven't been staying abreast with the fighting franchise's ample development, Soul Calibur IV sees the character roster expanding in an inverse proportion to the size of Ivy's clothes. At last count, the cast included an undead demon pirate, a Sith lord, an asthmatic S&M fetishist and a little green friend. Oh well, at least Spawn's not in this one.As excited as we are, purchasing the game won't be as easy as simply walking to the store shelf and stuffing it into our trench coats, like we normally do. It seems Namco Bandai has constructed a chicane of decisions for us all: Want to play as Darth Vader right away? Get the PlayStation 3 version. Perhaps you'd prefer Yoda instead? That's the Xbox 360 version. Would you like a comic book, a "tournament kit" and "extra customization content?" Oh, you want the $79.99 Premium Edition ... don't you?
Boxart battle: Emblem of Gundam vs Front Mission 2089
Above, we have the covers for two upcoming strategy titles, Emblem of Gundam and Front Mission 2089. Both series have similar themes -- giant mechas battling it out against an intricate backdrop of political drama -- so it's startling to see the different approaches in their packaging designs.Front Mission 2089 puts more emphasis on its character lineup, masking a lone Wanzer in the mist, and the result is a lusterless jacket that looks as unexciting as the starring crew's listless expressions. Emblem of Gundam's cover has more action to it, giving its mobile suits and story characters even billing. One guy is flying through space with a rapier! Another has a gun! And a massive Gundam oversees the entire scene, jets blasting and fingers positioned like a master pianist preparing his next attack. This is how you design a box!Today's lesson: If you have huge robots, use them. Pilot your mecha past the post break for a better look at the two covers.
Tekken 6 tournament match videos excite and enthrall
Everybody loves watching tournament matches between professional fighting game players. With that in mind, we've got a neat Tekken 6 video for you. If you like seeing King do his thing, or want to see some Lily action, this should get your blood pumping. Watching trailers is one thing, but seeing a duo of pros doing some crazy stuff ... it's a whole different experience. There are other videos to watch, so check them out if you have time.
X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Mr. Driller Online
It's time for another edition of XBLA in Brief, huzzah! This week we take a look at Mr Driller Online. In something of a departure for XBLA in Brief, we actually picked up the full version of the title (what can we say? we like the little guy) and gave it a spin. Unfortunately, before we could even be bothered to knock out this video, we had to make another one detailing Mister Driller Online's horribly broken multiplayer, which is ironic given the game's title. Still, the single player is fun and worth a look for casual gamers and puzzle addicts. Check out the video above and let us know what you think. Don't forget, you can subscribe directly to the new X3F TV feed (or download the single file directly) using the links below.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[M4V] Download the M4V directly.
Eminence records Soulcalibur IV orchestral score
Eminence, a Sydney-based orchestra known mostly for their renditions of popular anime and videogame scores, has been tasked to record the orchestral set pieces for Soulcalibur IV. All in all, Eminence recorded seven music pieces at Trackdown Studios in Sydney, Australia. Eminence's director and concert master, Hiroaki Yura, told IGN that the music they recorded was "mostly the opening, the ending credit, player selection [screen] ... and a little bit of battle music."Junichi Nakatsuru, the composer for Soulcalibur IV, was also on hand to oversee the recording of his masterpieces. He stated that he was conscious about bringing out the game's story through music. Not just the new title's story but the series long tale: "This Soulcalibur IV project itself is basically the result of all the previous Soulcaliburs and I'm taking all the good bits [from those games]... and building on them."With a talented group of musicians working on a passionate composer's work, it's safe to assume we can expect to hear excellent music in the final game. To hear just how good Eminence sounds, have a listen to the clip after the break. The clip showcases music from a game unrelated to Soulcalibur; however, we think you'll be impressed from the mad skills nonetheless.
Virtually Overlooked: Dragon Power
There is no way Dragon Power could have been good. It's a collection of awful components that amounts to more awfulness than the (negative) sum of its repulsive parts. Bandai (strike one, amirite) created a Dragon Ball game in 1986 (i.e. before third parties were really making decent games), and then, for whatever reason, decided to bring it to the American market. The problem, of course, was that in the mid-'80s, nobody in the U.S. had any idea what the hell Dragon Ball was. We had yet to even enter the "$20 for two episodes on a VHS tape" phase of anime fandom, much less the "Dragon Ball on cable" phase. So Bandai did what must have seemed like the logical thing: they didn't release the game hacked out all the recognizable Dragon Ball parts.What was left was a licensed anime game with no license -- and, therefore, no reason to exist.
Hit up the Corner Shop for some fresh screens
Namco Bandai sent out a press release today, letting us know that some fresh screens for Tamagotchi Corner Shop 3 are available. As is our usual process of presenting screens to you, we've dumped them all into our handy gallery below. So be sure to thumb through there if you're interested in the latest entry in the series.%Gallery-12928%
Help name the next Naruto game
Over at the official Naruto fan community, Hokage's Room, Namco Bandai is asking fans of the anime to help them name the new Naruto game for the PS3. The upcoming title is the next in the Ultimate Ninja fighting series and should be coming out later this year.If you're a Naruto fan, this is an excellent way to get involved with your favorite anime -- especially if you're hyped up for the game. Even if you're not a fan, it might be fun to just drop your suggestion; afterall, how many chances do you have to name a game? It might even lead to a career in game-naming. Perhaps. Check out all the details here.[Thanks Daisuke!]
Bandai's Mirai Scope gets Ms. Cleo in your pocket
Not that we'd put any stock in a prognosticator -- digital or otherwise -- but for those looking for a bit of fun, Bandai's Mirai Scope is apt to deliver. Reportedly, this digital fortune teller starts out by dousing you in pixie dust and asking a myriad questions about your personal life. After that, we're told it somehow aligns with galactic bodies and helps you figure out your true purpose in life. Hopefully, it's pretty clear that this thing is marginally more than a novel heap, but hey, what else did you expect for ¥2,980 ($28)?[Via Technabob]
Tamagotchi Connection V5: oh no, now the family's involved
Say it ain't so! As if keeping one Tamagotchi healthy wasn't tiresome enough, now Bandai is out to prove whether or not you could legitimately handle quadruplets. The Tamagotchi Connection V5 maintains the same addictiveness charm found in prior iterations, but also allows humans to focus on "raising multiple characters simultaneously." Supposedly, this will somehow enable kids (um, only kids?) to "experience family values," but we can't envision it doing much more than sucking away even more precious hours of our life. Ready to cave? If so, you can reportedly find these nationwide right now for $14.99, but the "refreshed" edition -- along with the Tamagotchi Pedometer, Tama-watchi, and redesigned Gotchi Gear lineup -- won't be landing until July.
Peachy keen new Tales of Rebirth screens
Seems that Jeux-France has gotten hold of some fascinating new screenshots for the upcoming PSP game Tales of Rebirth. As with most Tales games, it has a great visual flare and the new screens show us some of what appear to be regular magic spells with a large piece of art depicting the character casting the spell. You also get a glimpse at the "Dramatic CD" you'll never see stateside. The game looks great -- we're very pleased they stuck to a 2D sprite mechanic. Those were the better ones anyway.
