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Professor Layton and the Figurine of Want
Gamers certainly aren't strangers to memorabilia, doubly so for figurines, but this Professor Layton statue from NCSX has one thing going for it those others don't: you can actually afford it. We're used to seeing those high-dollar Samus statues and Capcom's ridiculously-priced (and ridiculously nice!) Street Fighter series, so when we caught wind of this $30 Professor Layton companion, we knew we had to post it up. So ... yeah, that's what this is. What? You were expecting more? OK, here's a riddle: What's 120 words, loves you and thinks you're the sexiest person on the planet? Head past the break for the answer! [Via Go Nintendo]
Preorders open for Japanese Wii Music
Whatever you may think about Wii Music -- and we've heard what pretty much everyone on the Internet thinks about Wii Music, thank you -- there's no denying that it's an important, high-profile release. It's Nintendo's next big Shigeru Miyamoto game, and it's one of the cornerstones of Nintendo's whole Wii strategy. So the opportunity to buy a copy is noteworthy.Importer NCSX has opened preorders for the Japanese release of Wii Music. For people capable of playing Japanese games, the chance to make irritating puppy noises to the tune of "Yankee Doodle" could present itself just a couple of days after the October 16 release date. %Gallery-27713%
White GameCube controller available for preorder
Even though our initial reveal of Nintendo's new white GameCube controller resulted in a consensus among the commenters that only a Bluetooth Waveird with rumble and the ability to make only the most deliciously golden toast would be satisfactory, we're certain that somebody is interested in the controller that Nintendo has offered here in the real world.For those people, NCSX brings good news: they've started taking preorders on the new version of the GameCube controller, with its Wii-white color and longer cord, at a price of $24.90. The controllers should ship out at the end of this month, just in time to be pretty late for Brawl!
New screenshots, Koppa stand preorders for Shiren 3
Ever the pessimists, we're having a hard time convincing ourselves that Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer 3 will ever make it stateside. Yes, we thought the same about the Shiren game that just hit the DS when localization rumors materialized, but we doubt that sales for the niche title impressed Sega, compelling the publisher into adding the Wii sequel to its North America release schedule.So, until monkeys fly out our butt someone announces a localization deal for Shiren 3, the only way you'll play this revamp of the revered roguelike is an expensive import -- provided that it's compatible with Freeloader. If you're shelling out the big bucks, why not grab the Koppa Wii remote stand, too? NCSX has the stands available to gamers who put down their $65 (plus shipping and handling) for an early preorder. Though Shiren 3 isn't due until June 5th, the import shop has a limited amount of stands, so reserve soon!Those of you who've played the DS remake of the SNES game -- all four of you -- and aren't sure if Shiren 3's additions are enough to warrant a purchase, make sure you check out the new boss characters in the Famitsu link below!Read - Preorder Furai no Shiren 3 at NCSXRead - New Furai no Shiren 3 screenshots
Smash shortage threatens Japan
In what must be the biggest threat to Japan since Godzilla, reports are coming in that retailers might not be able to meet demand for Super Smash Bros. Brawl come January 31st. According to Canned Dogs, Lepton (a games retailer in Japan) bemoans that the store is only getting 154 copies of the game from Nintendo. That's not even close to meeting the 800 preorders that the retailer has received, let alone walk-ins. Lepton is even paying over retail price to get Brawl from other sources (meaning they'll lose money by selling the game), so that the store can honor more of its preorders. Because the entire country seems to be facing shortages, though, Lepton has only been able to come by 100 extra units, even at inflated prices. The initial Brawl shipment for Japan is reputed to be only 300,000-400,000 copies, which is not much for a popular title in a country with 5 million Wii gamers. Import retailer NCSX is also reporting a small supply, and has stopped taking preorders as a result.Does this mean we'll see riots in Japan on the eve of February, incited by frustrated gamers longing to get their hands on the Wii's most anticipated game to date? And, is it possible that North American gamers will face similar shortages when Brawl releases here in March? We can only hope the answer to both of these questions is, "no."[Via Japanator]
CYBER Familator Lite: Faminow available
The CYBER Familator has been described as "... unique ..." , "neat", and "Nomad-sized" by our commenters. And now we'll finally get an opportunity to purchase this critically-acclaimed item. Starting tomorrow, NCSX will offer the DS Lite Famicom adapter for $68. Yes, you could easily load up a bunch of ROMs on a Flash card or whatever, but you shouldn't. Whenever possible, we do enjoy having an option for retrogaming that doesn't involve violating copyright. And anyway, if you're looking at this huge thing in terms of its real-world utility, you kind of missed the point. This item is fully in "wacky contraption" territory.
Gotta pack lunches for 'em all
Banpresto and pretty much every other Japanese toy company knows the importance of releasing a steady stream of Pokéstuff lest any of us fall out of the series' thrall and stop buying for a while. To keep us thinking about Pokémon all day, they've made a duo of new items designed to keep Pokémon mastery on your mind all day.First is a cute picnic set made up of two square containers, with a stylized Pokémon graphic on the lid. Hey, if every plant and animal in the Pokémon universe is a Pokémon, does that mean that, when Ash and company eat lunch ...Uh, on to the next item! It's totally cute and leads to no horrific revelations! The Pokémon Diamond & Pearl Super DX Onemuri Makura is just a cute pillow in the shape of either a sleepy Piplup or a sleepy Pikachu, wrapped up in a blanket thing.
Final Fantasy IV Trading Arts figurines are cute
We know that when most people think about Final Fantasy IV, they think about great music and an engaging, mature storyline and Active Time Battles and blah blah blah. The character designs, especially those in the new DS remake, completely short-circuit the storytelling with OMG CUTEness. Seriously, these lil' guys are just precious. Look at the adorable little paladin! How huggable. NCSX is taking preorders for these Trading Arts figurines for $39. They come semi-randomly packed in boxes of nine, but each box should contain one complete set of six, along with three duplicates that can be sent to your pals at DS Fanboy.
Imitate Mario without busting your head open
NCSX is selling these plush Mario toys with little sound chips that make item-appropriate noises. The question-mark block makes the familiar "coin" jingle and the mushroom noise, and the Koopa shell plays the 1up tune and the Super Mario Bros. death music.They're just about big enough that you can really feel like you're kicking a shell, or smashing a very soft block with your head. We can imagine these being great gifts for anyone, from an adult Mario fan to an infant you hope to indoctrinate.
Japanese PSN cards on sale ... at a price
Most will find purchasing anything off the Japanese PlayStation Store an impossibility. Without a Japanese address and credit card, users are locked out of purchasing anything from the country's virtual store. With many games releasing earlier in Japan, this comes as a disappointing disadvantage to gaijin hardcore.NCSX is planning on changing that, though. They're offering pre-paid PSN cards for the masses. With these cards, players will be able to buy content off the Japanese store without any qualms. The problem? They're a bit pricey. A 3000 yen card goes for $36.50, a premium of almost $10. The retailer explains: "Our vendors in Japan don't have access to the tickets at wholesale and had to pay retail (from Family Mart, no less) and tacked on their mandatory handling charges to obtain them for us. Think of it as a videogame vigorish that's built into the price."The orders will be delivered digitally, so customers won't have to wait to get their downloads on.[Thanks, J! Via GameBrink]
A very different look at Wiis and projectors
This week's excellent Revolutionary explored the use of projection screens for playing Wii. This item from Yujin, on the other hand, uses a projector to allow you to look at pictures of characters who appear in Wii games. The advantages are obvious: this projector fits on a keychain and comes in packages of eight for only $23. The only setback is that it doesn't do anything but project a single image of a Super Paper Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem, or Wario Ware character.Also in today's NCSX shop update: cheap ($25.90) copies of Escape from Bug Island and Alien Syndrome. For use with actual televisions only, of course.
Europe gets early admission to Rupeeland
We reported that Tingle's Rosey Rupeeland would be released in Europe on the 19th of September. Apparently, Tingle has drawn a really good map from Japan to Nintendo of Europe, because the game is actually coming out on the 13th. Kooloo-limpah!Why are we so excited? Well, you see, many people who live in Europe speak and read English natively, much like we do. Therefore, when Japanese video game companies release a game for European audiences, they feel compelled to include English text. Roleplaying games, like this one, have a lot of text. It really works best for us when text is in a language we read.NCSX is taking preorders for the European release now for $49.90. We'd be breaking pots and cutting grass looking for Rupees, but we remembered that American businesses actually use the dollar, which is acquired through work. Fun fact!
Animal Crossing cups for you and a neighbor
The Animal Crossing merchandising explosion continues. Soon you will be able to outfit your house only with things that bear Tom Nook's smug face.The latest cash-in is this series of Animal Crossing cups. They come in pairs featuring related characters, like the set with Mable and Sable above, and another set with Tom Nook and his roaming counterpart, Crazy Redd. Each cup holds about 10.5 ounces, and each set of 2 costs $8.75 from NCSX.We like the design of these cups. The colors are nice and happy, ensuring that your Sunny Delight (or purple stuff, you rogue) is somewhat sunnier and more delightful.
Mario vs. Palkia in the arena of your imagination
NCSX never fails to encourage us to clutter our rooms and empty our wallets in the name of video game fandom. Today, they started taking preorders for some new Mario and Pokemon toys that we wouldn't mind having on our desks! So we can show them to people, obviously.First are the above Dialga and Palkia soft vinyl figures, which allow you to reenact the boxarts of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. In fact, if you buy these, you can't help but reenact them, because the boxes just feature these characters standing alone. Also available for preorder are two Mario toy lines: a vinyl figure of Mario in either his normal outfit or his Fire Mario finery, and a set of plush toys that make some kind of jingling sound. All of these cost between $20 and $25 and will ship toward the end of the year.
