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Delicious new Final Fantasy II images
While reading Destructoid, I came across a reference to new screens for Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition at Famitsu. While we've seen plenty of screens for Final Fantasy I, there haven't been many of II. That's some nice looking 2D up there. I especially like the look of the monster. He looks scarier than a male Sailor Moon cosplayer. Is one of these Final Fantasy titles your favorite or is your fav Final Fantasy still not announced for PSP yet?
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 in the works
A sequel to last year's Pokémon-infused roguelike, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, was announced in the latest issue of Famitsu. The original was received with mixed reviews, but fans of the dungeon-crawling formula welcomed the game with open arms. Both versions (Blue Rescue Team for the DS, Red Rescue Team for the GBA) sold well enough in the states, so we can probably expect to see this follow-up translated for English audiences eventually.Not much else was revealed about Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 2, except that WiFi support is planned. An "enhanced" story and changed format were mentioned, but neither were discussed in detail. The premise for the first game was a bit goofy, featuring a human character transformed into a Pokémon, but it was enjoyable enough to make us hope for a similar scenario with this sequel.[Via NeoGAF]
New Ouendan 2 images appear in Famitsu
French site Jeux France has "plus d'images" (which, we think, means "more images") of potential DS GOTY Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Tamashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan -- aka Ouendan 2. The new scans are taken from the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu and reveal that Ippongi Ryuta (pictured, above left, in determined pose) returns, while a newbie called Saionji Hayato wears an astronaut outfit in at least one space-based level. Ouendan 2 is still on for a 2007 release in Japan, which could translate to a 2008 Westernization. Hit Jeux France for more scanner love. [Image credit: Jeux France / Famitsu]
Deal of the Day: A year of Famitsu for $390
Are you tired of waiting those agonizing minutes or hours for news to get from Famitsu's website to you? Would you rather wait days or weeks? How about at a great financial expense? If you answered "yes" to these questions, then this Amazon.com deal is for you: $390 for a year of Weekly Famitsu, delivered right to you. That comes out to $7.50 an issue, with (thankfully) free shipping!Actually, this deal is not so ridiculous. Well, maybe it is in the "$400 for a magazine" sense, or especially in the "$400 for a magazine you can't read" sense for some of us, but there's a lot of cool content that is not as time-sensitive as news-- screens, Famitsu's trademark "cross reviews", even ads that are usually pretty fun to look at. [Via CAG]
Japanese Famitsu, delivered straight to your door
For only a paltry $390 at amazon.com, you too can get Japan's most venerable video gaming magazine delivered to your home. Sure, the text will look like nothing more than squiggly lines for those of you without Japanese reading ability, but the over-abundance of pretty pictures and fan service should more than appease the most hardcore of gamers. Sure, with the same money, you could almost buy an Xbox 360--but if you're reading Famitsu, chances are you probably don't care.[Via CAG]
Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of Illuminus details
The hopelessly addicted cast of PSO-World got their hands on the latest issue of Famitsu and with it the first solid details on Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of Illuminus. As the sequel to last years online RPG, Sega appears to be tweaking it to address the number one complaint amongst those who played the original PSU. Namely, it wasn't as good as Phantasy Star Online. While it won't bring back the gameplay of the original, Ambition of Illuminus will be adding new weapons and clothing that bring back the style of Phantasy Star Online. Entirely new weapon types will be joining the mix including photon whips and slicers, new stages and even a casino, run by the penguin-esque rappies. Now you Phantasy Star addicts can do your gambling and turn tricks all in the same place!
The mob lines up for Monster Hunter
We knew it was going to be big ... but now you can see the frantic crowds trying to grab a copy of the PSP action game, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd. The crowds were so big, you'd think that another console was launching. See more of the chaos and mayhem over at Famitsu.Of course, will the game meet such incredible fanfare here in the States? Unlikely. But, Japan is where the PSP is struggling the greatest, in comparison to the DS. Certainly, this will give a much-needed boost to our platform over in the land of the rising sun. With US sales toe-to-toe with Nintendo's portable, and this highly successful launch, can anyone really say the PSP is dead?Interested importers can check out Play Asia to join in the madness.[Via Joystiq]
Super Paper Mario makes with the screens
Famitsu has dished out some new screens for Super Paper Mario, showing some of the title's proposed 2-and-3D gameplay. Super Paper Mario is a bit of an oddity though; there's hardly ever any news on it aside from screenshots, despite the title jumping ship on the GameCube and boarding the more comfortable ride of the Wii, as well as featuring (arguably) Nintendo's most popular mascot. This should change come April 9th, however, as the game has been confirmed for release in the states at that time. One little tidbit can be taken from the Famitsu post, however: Peach's umbrella will allow her to access secret areas. Sweet!Images have been embedded past the post break.
New Super Paper Mario Wii screens (in our favorite ratio)
Since its announcement at E3 2006, Super Paper Mario has made a format shift and still managed to keep a suspiciously low profile. It's a game that has been developed in the shadows, with only occasional flashes to give the poor gaming press anything to write about. At last, though, Super Paper Mario is coming out into the open. Nintendo today confirmed an April 19 release for Japan, which means that Super Paper Mario (like the Wii itself) is going to debut in North America. The new 16:9 screens here show how beautiful the game has become and, although Wii Remote functions are yet to be properly explained, Famitsu reports that Peach's umbrella can be used to access secret areas. (Here come the Super Mario Bros. 2 flashbacks.) We're intrigued to see how Super Paper Mario can flit from 2D to 3D at the press of a button and retain some sort of consistency. America can discover on April 9 whether Intelligent Systems' ambitious project has succeeded -- and more importantly, find out whether Bowser ends up marrying Peach. The horror.%Gallery-1722%[Image credit: Famitsu]
Professor Layton event held in Japan
An event held in Japan to celebrate the release of Professor Layton on an unsuspecting public, we wonder exactly what was going on. Machine translation isn't the best, so we're left just staring at a couple of pictures from the event, some of which are rather odd. Take, for example, the post picture to the right. Why in the world is the Professor taking such a careful eye to that OJ? I guess we'll never know ...More pictures have been included past the post break.
Final Fantasy XIII release date confusion (remains confusing)
PlayStation Universe is reporting that Final Fantasy XIII has been confirmed for release in 2008. The news is based on an interview with Tetsuya Nomura (Director of Final Fantasy Versus XIII), which appeared in the January 19 issue of Japan's Famitsu magazine (the cover of which we've photographed here to make Joystiq prettier). Closer inspection of the interview reveals that Nomura simply made the following statement with regard to Versus XIII:"We're planning to have the final in-game graphics prepared at some point during 2007, so please wait for that -- and then we can speak about Versus XIII in more detail."In light of that, a 2007 release for Versus XIII does seem unlikely, we admit, although not impossible. Release timings for Final Fantasy XIII and Agito XIII are not mentioned, though, and in the latest issue of Famitsu (February 9) all three games are still listed as having "unconfirmed" release dates.
Lighting the fuse on Bomberman Land
Bomberman is a game series that has had more releases than Mario. The titles have spanned across nearly every game system ever created. Yet despite these facts, most of the gameplay additions to the series have been ignored in favor of playing the classic multiplayer. And that's okay when the multiplayer gameplay is so perfect. Every gamer should have at least one version of Bomberman on every system they have. I'm pretty sure it's against gamer law to not do so. Luckily for PSP owners who haven't jumped on the Bomberman train, another Bomberman release is coming to Sony's handheld. Bomberman Land Portable has the land split into pieces and Bomberman must put it back together again. Of course if history repeats itself, it's unlikely we'll play the single player version anyway. But maybe this Bomberman will be the first one to actually provide a worthwhile single player experience. No US release date has yet been set, but the Bomberman Land Portable hits Japan in March. To see screens and read more, check out Famitsu.
Famitsu primer for the uninitiated
GameSetWatch's Kevin Gifford published a piece that finally explains what the big deal is with Japanese game magazine Famitsu. Not caring what Famitsu thinks about games is a big faux pas in the industry. Those who dare state publicly they could care less what some random Japanese magazine thinks are shunned in some circles. Most of the time journalists who cite the magazine for being über have never even read it -- but apparently it's respected as the holy grail of game journalism, so in the words of the Beatles, we'll follow their words of wisdom and "let it be."Gifford explains that the multi-editor score card originated with Famitsu and EGM went on to copy it. According to the article, Famitsu's scores actually matter though because they've been said to directly influence sales. The magazine has also not been immune to the shrinking print publishing industry, losing almost 40 percent of its circulation in the last six years. Gifford's piece gives a great rundown of this supposedly venerable magazine. He should have called the article: Everything you always wanted to know about Famitsu* but were afraid to ask pretentious geeks.
FFI & FFII on PSP = most beautiful NES game EVER!
Famitsu now has direct-feed grabs of the PSP ports of Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II. Do they grab your attention? While this new "Anniversary Edition" certainly has some shiny new special effects in it, the price alone will determine whether or not I'll grab one off the shelf. Certainly, a brand new Final Fantasy game would be far more grabbing.[Via IGN]
Konami cuts some Wii projects
Konami has decided to cancel a ton of games they were working on for both the PS3 and Wii, according to a report in Famitsu magazine. While we laugh at the loss those PS3 Fanboys have to endure, we quietly sob at the list of axed titles our beloved, and in many ways superior, Wii console was to receive. Among the whole list of cancelled games, the Wii titles include: New Action Adventure Game 2 Role Playing Game Music Simulation Game New Action Adventure Sports Game -- Soccer Sports Game -- Baseball We could all sit here and speculate on what each title was to be, but what's the point? They're dead, never to be seen again. Everyone, bow your head in a moment of silence for our fallen comrades. You will be missed.
Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn rumors
Some nice folks over at GoNintendo have submitted some scans and a rough translation for the upcoming Fire Emblem: Goddess of Dawn for the Wii. Though we follow the FE story about as well as we can save a dying victim using pretend surgical skills (damn you, Trauma Center!), some details might interest those masochists among us: Sothe is Mikaya's younger brother, though they aren't blood-related. The nations of Gallia and Begnion are at war. Lots and lots of war. The game will be divided into discrete portions, and the first will focus on the "Dawn Group". An additional story synopsis can be found after the break. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was one of the unheralded masterpieces on the Cube (we didn't mention it, we know!), and we greatly look forward to the sequel.
Wii sells a cool million in Japan
Like Roman conquerors of old who have returned to the city after taking a foreign territory and assimilating them into the empire, we blow our trumpets to herald this most excellent of occasions. We're happy to report, by way of Famitsu, that the Nintendo Wii has sold an excellent one million consoles in Japan. Since launching on December 2nd in Japan, the console has sold exactly 1,135,671 units. Now that is damn impressive for just over a month of being on the market!
Satoru Iwata: biggest Japanese industry cheese of '06?
The latest issue of Japan's Weekly Famitsu contains gory details of the magazine's annual Japanese industry awards, and it's little surprise that renowned industry savior Satoru Iwata is cited as the figure who made the greatest impact on videogames in 2006. NCL's friendly President (there's a French brand of cheese called Président, you know) received 201 votes to pip Ken Kutaragi, of all people, to the title. What "Big Ken" was even doing in the listings we fail to fathom, but there you have it. And here you have Famitsu's top five Japanese industry cheeses: Satoru Iwata (Nintendo) -- 201 votes Ken Kutaragi (Sony Computer Entertainment) -- 181 votes Hironobu Sakaguchi (Mistwalker) -- 126 votes Shigeru Miyamoto (Nintendo) -- 41 votes Hideo Kojima (Konami) -- 33 votes
Famitsu's top 100 DS games in Japan
Japanese mag Famitsu has compiled, using black magic and voodoo, a list of the top 100 best-selling DS games in Japan. The numbers they use appear to be different from the Media Create numbers we usually use, but one has to wonder how in the world they can claim accuracy down to individual units. We think it has something to do with spirits. Here's the top ten (Japanese sales only, remember), and for the rest, follow the link! 1. More Brain Training (Nintendo) - 3,417,956 sold 2. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo) - 3,351,234 sold 3. Animal Crossing: Wild World (Nintendo) - 3,335,195 sold 4. Pokémon Diamond / Pearl (Nintendo) - 3,060,032 sold 5. Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training (Nintendo) - 2,837,394 sold 6. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo) - 1,626,242 sold 7. English Training (Nintendo) - 1,408,243 sold 8. Nintendogs (Nintendo) - 1,335,185 sold 9. Big Brain Academy (Nintendo) - 1,299,188 sold 10. Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop (Bandai) - 1,110,046 sold
Arithmetic trainer for the mathematically challenged
Japanese folk, both young and old, who lack the foundations of a healthy mathematics knowledge may partake in rigorous exercises allowing one to confront their demons (with impeccable Algebra skills) and, ultimately defeat them with math skills of their own. It's a war where the sevens eat nines (ynuck ynuck) ...With various schools of math being present, the game looks like (and we're going on Google translation here) it takes you through all of math's different problems such as subtraction and division, progressing on to more difficult exercises as the player solves them.
