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Stiq Figures, October 28 - November 3: PlayStation 4 edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. I know we keep hyping up the launch of new consoles and that a certain time-traveling Joystiq editor teased us all with details from the future, but you know what? I'm excited! I've had some great times on the 360, PS3 and Wii (and more recently the Wii U), but getting new, promising consoles on the market can feel like a mini holiday. The PlayStation 4 is launching on Friday, November 15 with 19 games, and those that have been using their DualShock 4 controllers elsewhere will finally have access to the library they were built for. Personally, I will undoubtedly be glued to the front window, waiting on Amazon's supposed launch day delivery. I'll probably end up canceling my order for Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, though, in favor of picking it up locally. The last thing I need is a PS4 in my house without anything to play on it. Of course, there's always Resogun ... Hopefully something about the PS4's launch has you excited, and if not, there's always the week after. In the mean time, check out the hardware Japan is buying after the jump! A certain down-but-not-out console that recently threw a party had a surprising pick up.
Stiq Figures, October 21 - 27: My backlog haunts me edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Look at this picture. Look at it! That's just a fraction of what I wish I had the time to play, and I haven't even filled in the PS3-shaped chasm of games that I've missed out on during this generation. So what am I doing with the coming weeks, you ask? I, uh ... might have a PS4 and Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag pre-ordered. Most of these games haven't been started, never mind the hours involved with actually completing RPGs like Final Fantasy 9 and Lost Odyssey, but I've already set myself up to jump into a whole new library! Every purchase I make on Amazon feels like a relapse on a self-control level. As I fetch the involved pouches from the mailbox, I can't help but wonder if I'm just throwing money away by buying things to put them on a shelf. What other use could extra games serve when I'm already buried? If you're anything like me (hello, Steam users), maybe we should peer-pressure each other into finishing what we've already purchased before going on spending sprees for every game we've ever wanted. Unless you've got a master plan to wrap things up before these new consoles hit, in which case you should totally share it with me before I spend grocery money on games. Let's talk backlogs in the comments, right after you check out this week's Japanese hardware sales after the jump!
Stiq Figures, October 14 - 20: Kuribo's shoe edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Powerups can be great and all, but sometimes one of them just runs away with your heart. Super Mario Bros. 3's Super Leaf was way more useful and generally more common, but sometimes I played through five worlds of that game just to use the Kuribo's shoe. Well, okay, I played through two worlds and then used the flutes to bypass that stupid fish. I'm not sure if I just enjoy the near-invincible state that the shoe grants the Bros. or if it's the obscene appearance of the item, but mowing down Goombas and Spinys with an oversized wind-up shoe makes me smile every time. I've been pretty okay with a few of the series' following powerups, too. The Mario series is definitely not the only source of great powerups, though. Contra's Spread Gun is the only reason I ever got past the first level, for example! You should share your favorites with us in the comments, riiight after you check this week's Japanese hardware sales after the jump!
Stiq Figures, October 7 - 13: Favorite pre-order bonuses edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. When pre-order bonuses are done well, they're a great argument to throw down some cash for a game months before its actual release. They help retailers get a general idea of the game quantities they should request, and customers get a sweet trinket related to the game they're anticipating! Seems like a win-win situation to me. The best bonus I ever got for pre-ordering a game I wanted anyway was The Legend of Zelda: Master Quest, a version of Ocarina of Time with completely re-worked dungeons. T-shirts and game cases are great, sure, but Master Quest struck me as the Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels of the Zelda series. The idea of accessible room layouts was thrown out the window in favor of some really bizarre dungeon design, and I remember it taking me quite a while to wrap up the game's quest. I refused to use a guide, though, so I feel that those weeks of confusion make up for my cracking under the pressure of Majora's Mask's last temple. With digital distribution becoming more prevalent, it's safe to assume that tokens for downloadable maps or skins will become the norm for pre-order incentives - tangible goodies seem to exist almost exclusively in the realm of collector's editions now. Be they digital or physical, were there any pre-order bonuses throughout your gaming career that still stick with you as great incentives? Share them with us after you witness the Vita 2000's affect on this week's Japanese hardware sales after the jump!
Stiq Figures, September 30 - October 6: Shapes and colors edition
I love puzzle games. If it involves stacking shapes or colors in a competitive fashion or just plain 'ol geometric obstacles, I'm guaranteed to play the associated cartridge (or in Pushmo's case, data) until my brain compiles thoughts solely out of chain combos. My love for them overpowers the frustration of defeat by cheating AI opponents that magically pull off 8-chain combos whenever I even catch a glimpse of winning. It's about the only genre that I can consistently plateau within in terms of skill without being annoyed by it. Whereas Mortal Kombat Ultimate 3's consistent decision that fun time is over around match three infuriates me, losing to some BS move in games like Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix just means I get to stack up some neat combos again. Do you have any love for puzzlers? Better yet, are there any lesser known games you swear by? Share them in the comments so I can snatch them up on Amazon! After you check the Japanese hardware sales after the break, of course.
Stiq Figures, September 23 - 29: It's my birthday edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Great Sea explorers just experienced an extra birthday when they started their fresh files in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, but it's my actual birthday today, so I think that means I get double presents? I was the kid that had gaming-themed parties for as long as my family allowed me to. Pokemon banners, Pikachu cakes, Yoshis as presents ... a total stranger could have predicted where I'd end up professionally, really. The themed cakes and parties have been replaced with presentable dinners and spirits because I guess I should grow up, but I'll always appreciate my family letting my gaming-themed decoration requests overrun their houses once a year. I also had a homemade Pikachu outfit for a few Halloweens, because my mother's sewing abilities seemingly know no bounds. Were you able to talk your way into any gaming birthday parties as a kid, or have you bucked society's expectations in favor of carrying them out to this day? Maybe you have little ones of your own to pass the gaming-themed celebratory torch to now? Let us know how you celebrate once you check the hardware sales data for Japan after the jump!
Stiq Figures, September 16 - 22: Banjo-Kazooie edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. The collectathon genre can get bogged down in frustrating, mindnumbing chores passed off as gameplay, but never for a second did I get tired of hunting down musical notes and Jinjos in Banjo-Kazooie. Between trying to stop a witch with a knack for rhymes and having a bird in my backpack, I played BK regularly until Super Smash Bros. Melee's instruction booklet consumed my life (I had the game for two weeks before I had a GameCube). Unfortunately, the follow-ups to BK never really worked as well for me as the original effort. I thought Banjo-Tooie's map was a little too big for its own good - instead of feeling encouraged to explore, I felt bored in its winding tunnels and massive rooms. I was excited to see what Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts would do to mix things up ... until I played it, anyway. Still, two sequels that have never really meshed with me haven't altered my fondness for the original. The balance the original BK struck between platforming and adventure felt ideal to me and is easily my favorite platformer from the N64 or PlayStation. It's just a shame the bird and bear haven't been up to much lately. Share your thoughts on the series in the comments, even if you liked the sequels, once you check this week's Japanese hardware sales after the jump!
Stiq Figures, September 9 - 15: Our friends are liars edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. This week's 3DS sales spike might, just might have something to do with the release of Monster Hunter 4. You know what else might have caused a sales spike, if it had a chance to? The "Perfect Dark 2" Gamecube sequel that my friend cooked up and fed me lies about for all of 5th grade. A level editor, customizable guns, four-player co-op... this mythical game would have been huge! Of course, these scoops were always from some gaming magazine he "had at home" or from a relative that "worked at Nintendo." My options were to sensibly dismiss the sequel with everything I ever wanted or to add it to the games I was anticipating, and... well, I still haven't played "Perfect Dark 2." Because it doesn't exist. His additional rumors of "Super Smash Bros. Z," "Diddy Kong Racing 2" and "Jet Force Gemini 2" now serve as bitter reminders for me to never, ever get excited for games until I'm watching a reveal trailer. I know I'm not alone in getting my hopes built up by compulsive liars, though. What imaginary sequel did your jerk friends hype you up for? Did you use the payphone down the street to collect call the Nintendo hotline in an effort to debunk them, or was that just me? What did you do when you realized it was all a lie? Un-bury the hatchet in the comments once you check out this week's Japanese hardware sales after the break!
Stiq Figures, September 2 - 9: Favorite Final Fantasy edition
Final Fantasy is an interesting series. A cohesive effort mostly by name, the series has told tales of a dozen different universes while sharing threads of its origins in most of its games. Phoenix downs and summons like Shiva are almost to be expected, and to a lesser extent, so is an airship-savvy character named Cid. As interesting as these universes are, though, sharing your thoughts with others concerning your favorite moments or, god forbid, your favorite game from the series can result in a surprisingly unreserved debate. For instance, when I say that Final Fantasy 8 is my favorite and that I think Final Fantasy 10-2 had the best battle system the series has ever seen, it feels like I'm essentially covering myself in honey and punting the nearest beehive. A dissenting opinion is expected, but I've never understood the vitrol-coated arguments about why I'm wrong to like the game that I enjoy most. Now that I've confessed my Final Fantasy sins, it's your turn to share your thoughts on the series. What's your favorite Final Fantasy? Are there elements you think a particular entry excels at, like an exceptional soundtrack or a captivating story? Or is there simply one title that ran away with your heart, individual aspects be damned? Share your thoughts with us in the comments once you check out this week's Japanese hardware sales after the break!
Stiq Figures, August 26 - September 1: Gaming in the wild edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Getting the perfect gaming environment set up is nice, but sometimes it's great to play a match of something outside of the house. I have fond memories of swapping Pokemon on the playground, cursing my friends' Mario Kart DS abilities while waiting in line for a console, and sneaking Super Smash Bros. Melee with a small TV into the room next to my high school's study hall. Most recently, I happened across 42 Lounge, a bar in Milwaukee devoted to combining a modern atmosphere with plenty of chances for friends and strangers to game together. After grabbing drinks, a friend and I found an Xbox 360 with Geometry Wars 2 and promptly sat down to burn the following two hours on the game's Pacifism mode. I got flashbacks to my final college dorm room, a closet-sized space that often played host to a dozen people for drunken nights of GW2. We had the high scores and their respective defenders taped next to our TV, and as my swirling eyes glazed over from drinks and the game's flood of neon, I had to resist looking for a hidden spot to tape up our new scores at the bar. What are your favorite memories of gaming outside the house? Did you find an arcade cabinet or an opponent where you least expected to? Did you actually StreetPass with someone somewhere other than a convention? Share it with us in the comments once you check last week's hardware sales in Japan after the jump!
Stiq Figures, August 19 - 25: Favorite convention moments edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. So there's this blip on the gaming industry's radar this weekend, PAX Prime 2013, where some people have announced a spiritual successor to Mega Man, others delivered three-dimensional images of two-dimensional objects, and everyone else is generally having fun. Unfortunately, it seems we have yet to trip into the alternate dimension where Seattle covers the entire globe, so many of us aren't able to join in for the Prime festivities. That's okay, though, because we can just remember our favorite convention events and pretend they're happening right now to make ourselves feel better! For example, the communal wave of euphoria from Zelda fans during the reveal of Twilight Princess was one of my favorite Nintendo E3 moments ever. Gaming conventions are meant to be a celebration of games, and that flooded out cynicism and general snark with a wave of utter excitement. What are some of your favorite moments from gaming conventions? Were you there, were you watching it via a livestream, or were you young enough to read it from the pages of Nintendo Power? Share them with us in the comments once you check out the recent dip in Japanese hardware sales after the jump!
Stiq Figures, August 12 - 18: Gaming career highlights edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. One of the best feelings in gaming is when you pull off something that feels like it should be impossible. Whether your team is down and you single-handedly deliver victory or you annihilate an army of AI-controlled opponents, overcoming impossible odds just feels good. And really, considering the number of times our digital avatars have been spiked, shot or ground up, we deserve to revel in those moments. One of my greatest moments happened in an assault match on Halo 2's Zanzibar map during the only LAN event I've ever attended. My team was a point away from failure and the opponents were in the process of arming their bomb in our base. My team was scattered and disoriented, subscribed to failure. I was lugging a rocket launcher towards the base with seconds on the clock, trudging along because... hell, might as well try, right? As our seemingly imminent doom neared, I entered the base, blindly turned and just fired off a rocket. I scored a direct hit on the trio crowded around the bomb, resetting the counter and giving us a fighting chance. I looked away from our TV long enough to see the death glare I was getting from the guy that used to be arming a bomb. I have pretty much averaged negative k/d ratios in Halo games ever since. You're welcome, everyone fortunate enough to not be on my team. Anyway, share your most glorious moment in gaming with us and check out how the consoles are faring in Japan after the break!
Stiq Figures, August 5 - 11: Canceled games edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. We've been hearing an awful lot about Call of Duty: Ghosts lately, and we can't help but be reminded of the ghosts of past games that never quite made it to store shelves. Starcraft: Ghost only existed as screenshots in gaming magazines and as demos for press events, but our imaginations spent the game's development time speculating on the possibilities and the game's potential. Apparently that potential was enough to amount to the project being placed on indefinite hold, but still, it was glorious while we were able to imagine a third-person Starcraft adventure. Mega Man fans sport the more recent scar on their hearts over the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3, but scores of gamers have at some point felt the burn from hyping themselves up for The Game That Got Away. Share your heartbreak with us in the comments, or just repress everything you've ever felt while reading up on Japanese hardware sales figures after the jump!
Stiq Figures, July 29 - August 4: Mega Man 6 OST edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Mega Man 2 is the regular favorite of the NES Mega Man games, but that tends to lead to some pretty gross oversights. In this instance, we'd like to take a moment to remind everyone that Mega Man 6's soundtrack was pretty freaking great. Whether it was the peppy gallop of Tomahawk Man's theme or Centaur Man's relaxed, scale-based theme accompanied by chimes, every track got us in the mood to blast some evil robots to bits. Switching between Rush suits to punch our way to E-tanks or to just fly over anything remotely threatening was a great way to switch up stage progression, but the boss battles stood as solid extensions of Mega Man's traditional rock-paper-scissor power cycle. Mega Man's modern portfolio of work might be limited to retro sequels and his Super Smash Bros. U appearance for now, but let's not forget that he's been in amazing games other than Mega Man 2, okay?
Stiq Figures, July 22 - 28: Crash Bandicoot is a troll edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Naughty Dog is busy creating cinematic emotional rollercoasters these days, but we're a little nostalgic for its platforming poster child. Collecting fruit and gems with Aku Aku in a repeated quest to stop Doctor Cortex made for a trilogy of games that still holds up pretty well to this day. Crash's advertising campaign was amusingly in line with Sony's trademark snarky attitude toward its competitors, too. As much as it clashed with Crash's in-game timid personality, it served its purpose and drew attention to the franchise. Activision owns the Crash Bandicoot franchise now, however, so it's fairly unlikely we'll see a reboot in the same light as the Playstation trilogy.
Stiq Figures, July 15 - 21: Super Mario Advance 4 Edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. Delving into old gaming commercials reminded of us of the totally bizarre "Who Are You?" advertising campaign Nintendo used during their support of the Game Boy Advance and Gamecube. This commercial for Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3 even wedged itself into movie theaters, reminding us all of that frenzied after-school sprint to the nearest game store on release day. It was never as cinematic when we raced our classmates for the last copies of a game, but at least we didn't all arrive at the store as creepy, partial clones of our favorite protagonists.
Stiq Figures, July 8 - 14: Smash Bros edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. This week on Stiq Figures, we're getting really excited about the next game in the Super Smash Bros. series by watching an old commercial for the first game in the series. While watching it, we're left wondering why we've yet to see a multiplayer fighting game in the same style as Super Smash Bros. that features humans dressed in video game character costumes. Super Cosplay Bros. would be a hit, we're sure of it!
Stiq Figures, July 1 - 7: Dew, Doritos and Xbox One edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. We often like to post ridiculous or otherwise interesting things on Stiq Figures, typically to chuckle at a bygone era of gaming through old commercials. This week, let us collectively facepalm at this photo posted to Flickr in June by Microsoft's Major Nelson, which shows Xbox One-branded, "limited edition" bags of Doritos and cans of Mountain Dew. The flyer in the photo points to the site dewanddoritos.com, which promises an "unprecedented experience" thanks to the partnership of Xbox, Dew and Doritos. We can't begin to imagine what that means, but it will probably be both edgy and bad for you.
Stiq Figures, June 24 - 30: Castlevania music edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. This week on Stiq Figures, we're listening to (and not playing) the entire original soundtrack for Castlevania for NES, thanks to YouTuber JPhands. The Konami-published series has a history of great music, but we're not sure which game had the best music. Did tracks such as "Wicked Child" make the first game stand out the most, or does nothing truly beat "Simon's Theme," the song that kicks off Super Castlevania 4? We can't decide, can you?
Stiq Figures, June 17 - 23: Motivational Pokemon edition
Welcome to Stiq Figures, where the sales data is after the break and the posts don't matter. We won't lie, Pokemon makes regular appearances here on Stiq Figures. This week, we're not fusing the creatures together, or appreciating mustachioed "Gentlemon." Rather, we're getting inspirated by these Pokemon-themed motivational posters. This Imgur album of posters reminded us to get plenty of rest and to keep on dreaming, which is just what we needed to hear.
