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Treasure talks more Bangai-O Spirits
"Hardcore action awesomeness." That's how Treasure rep Arthur sums up Bangai-O Spirits (2:28), and we're struggling to concoct a more befitting description. The lucky blighters at Gamespot's "On the Spot" show got a chance to chat to Arthur (and his colleague Kaori) about the game, which launches later this year in the States. The first few minutes are dedicated to chatting about and showing off some of the now-familiar shooting action and the level editor, while the second half deals with the game's amazing Sound Load system. Arthur admits that this idea "took a lot of explaining to Nintendo," but then demonstrates how easy it is to share files (5:20) -- simply holding two DSes closely to one another does the trick. This idea still seems like witchcraft to us, but we absolutely love it. Arthur also confirmed that there was no official U.S. database planned to host Bangai-O sound files (9:05). Not that this should bother you -- after all, there's at least one other (really accessible) way to share your masterpiece of a level. %Gallery-16997% [Via press release]
Play Bangai-O and Naruto at this week's Anime Expo
Want to get your hands on Bangai-O Spirits before its August release? Then head on over to California and go to this year's Anime Expo. Not only will you get to play this gem of a game, but the entire DS Fanboy staff will envy you for your hands-on Bangai-O experience. Another DS game that will be playable is, of course, Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2. Would you really expect the orange-clad Ninja not to make an appearance? So, if you plan to stop by the Expo, make sure to check out D3 Publisher's booth (901) for some fun times on the DS. Gallery: Bangai-O Spirits Gallery: Naruto: Path of the Ninja 2
Daily Bangai-O Spirits videos are a welcome trend
Let us make our position on this subject absolutely clear: any website that wants to post new videos of Bangai-O Spirits between now and the game's August 12 release has our blessing. For that matter, we'll be happy watching playthroughs of new stages long after the game is out. The video above, from IGN, is especially awesome, featuring numerous enormous scatter bomb shots in a level devoid of anything but missile-firing enemies (which feed the scatter bombs).The two videos after the break feature the game's gentle first level and a bizarre gimmick level in which the player hits soccer balls with the bat weapon as they fall from a chute, pinball-style. There certainly appears to be enough variety in the level designs. %Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O videos lift our spirits
These English-language gameplay videos of Bangai-O Spirits give us a look at a few of the game's weapons -- the yellow Shield "weapon" there seems like a good choice for obvious reasons (including the number of bullets on screen and their tendency to blow you up upon impact). The "Mix" icon in the weapon selection screen (which can now be read) indicates that the two chosen EX weapons can combine into a new scatter bomb attack. Amusingly, within the first few seconds, we see the demo player fail a level. That's the mark of a hardcore game! The video after the break shows off two of Spirits' more labyrinthine levels, as well as the awesome bullet-destroying "Sword" attack. We cannot express how thrilled we are that the release date is approaching. There hasn't been a DS game yet to match the few minutes of demo time we've had!%Gallery-16997%
Kindred Bangai-O Spirits
Bangai-O Spirits is packed with amazing features -- the level editor, the Sound Load system, the shooting of stuff. But as if that weren't enough, it also has co-op. It's local, and limited to two players, both of whom require their own cartridge, but everyone should probably have their own Bangai-O Spirits anyway. You can be joined by another shooty robot in any stage in Free Play -- which means any stage. This includes stages you've created yourself or transferred via Sound Load. IGN's Daemon Hatfield reports a lot of slowdown, especially in multiplayer, but slowdown in Bangai-O games is inevitable given the nature of the super attacks, and may even be part of the design. %Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O contest winners available for download
At the end of May, Treasure announced the winners of their Bangai-O Spirits stage contest. The 1st place winner, MKLL, received a 50,000 yen prepaid debit card, a soundtrack CD, and a Bangai-O Spirits t-shirt (which we'd like to see) for the "Tokimeki Doukasen" stage. The 2nd place winner, NeoGAF's Sp0rsk, won a Wii in addition to the soundtrack and shirt. All the contest-winning stages are now available for download and play via Sound Load.That means that we won a bunch of downloadable stages that we're going to grab now and hang onto just in case they work in the U.S. version of the game. We wouldn't be surprised if these contest-winning stages made it onto the cartridge anyway!
Bangai-O Spirits trailer markets its awesomeness
If you're wondering why the DS Fanboy staff is so wired up for Bangai-O Spirits, you only have to watch this trailer to understand. Packed into a minute of explosive goodness, this video manages to highlight all of the completely sweet features that will be in the game. With so much content and such a deep stage editing/sharing system, you can bet that this Treasure title will be keeping us occupied for a long, long time. Those of us in North America and Europe that are waiting for its localization can expect the game in August. %Gallery-16997%
The sweet sounds of Bangai-O Spirits in Europe this August
European shooter fans (and people who listen to us) will be playing MP3s into their DS Lites along with us this August. D3 Publisher of Europe announced today that they will publish Treasure and ESP's Bangai-O Spirits in Europe. While no actual day was named, the release is planned for August, which is, at least, more specific than "Summer," "Q3," or "Soon." Just save some of your game budget for an August expenditure.We couldn't be happier to see Bangai-O Spirits being released so soon in Europe, because it means that (as long as you guys buy it) we'll have even more players hard at work making us awesome stages.%Gallery-16997%
Bangai-O Spirits: first English screens!
We're pleased to report that being able to read all of the text on the screen in Bangai-O Spirits does not ruin the hype for us. Obviously. We got by just fine on limited Japanese skill during our GDC playthrough, but we are dying for a chance to explore all the options and menus in full. Our gallery is now rife with delightful English screens. Now you can see which weapons are being displayed onscreen!More importantly, now that screens of the English menus are available, we can see that stages in the Edit Mode are divided into categories. "Treasure's Best" must be the new stages we were told would be added between the Japanese and U.S. releases. We find it interesting that the puzzle stages are separated, as well.We're so happy to see progress being made! Get here soon, Bangai-O. %Gallery-16997%[Via press release]
Bangai-O Spirits boxart hits the highlights
The new boxart for the U.S. version of Bangai-O Spirits keeps it fairly simple. You've got your robot, who appears big on the box but is quite small on the screen; there are some projectiles flying off in every direction, and lots of delicious giant fruit. That's the core of Bangai-O, all right. The box could do with some kind of visual representation of the level editor, or perhaps an effusive quote from DS Fanboy. We understand that the omissions were probably done in the interest of keeping it simple. As expected, Amazon has updated the listing for Bangai-O Spirits with the new August 12 release date. So the delay is (not really) official (but really likely). %Gallery-16997%
Bleach: Dark Souls gets Japanese boxart for North America
Those of you who've been anxiously awaiting the follow-up to Bleach: The Blade of Fate, know that the wait is finally over. That's right, folks, we now have the boxart for the game. And even though it shows a surprising similarity to the Japanese boxart, we still love it all the same. Oh, you were waiting to play the game? Dude, it's all about the boxart now, nobody plays games anymore.Horrible attempts at humor aside, this has to be one of the most anticipated DS games right now. A good 2D fighter on the DS that works over Wi-Fi?! You better believe it!%Gallery-17918%[Via press release]
Bangai-O Respite: Possible two-month delay
Normally, the idea of waiting longer for Bangai-O Spirits would totally ruin our day, but to be honest, we were relieved when we saw that Gamestop has changed their release date to August 12th (Amazon still says June 24th). There is just way too much DS stuff coming out in June -- especially for people of a 2D action/shooting persuasion. It's a bad situation not only because it's really expensive to get all the new stuff at once, but because it forces non-crazy people to choose, hurting sales of everything that comes out then. We don't expect Bangai-O Spirits to be a massive hit (though it should be), but we at least want all the DS shooter fans to be able to space it out a bit from Space Invaders Extreme, in order to maximize its sales in that group. %Gallery-16997%
X3F TV -- Points>Life: Perfecting Polarity
Each week, X3F tips gamers to the tricks of the trade of Achievement hording in Points>Life. Every week a new achievement is unlocked to help you continue your unhealthy obsession with the Xbox 360 meta-game.This week marks our first venture into the XBLA points business with a tip that covers the recently released Ikaruga. Well, maybe tip is the wrong word. This week we're showing you the pattern to memorize that will help you get an A grade on the first level of the shoot-em-up.This one isn't easy to get, but watch the tutorial and you should be chaining enemies in no time.Music: "Mercy" by OURS[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.[MP4] Download the MP4 directly.
Bleach sale: Time to stonewash your DS
Sega may be releasing Bleach: Dark Souls stateside this summer, but that doesn't mean you should pass up on this $18.99 Amazon deal for the original fighter, Bleach: The Blade of Fate. Really, the discounted title shares the same selling points as its sequel: Developed by Treasure Single-cart multiplayer Four-player battles Supports online matches The only advantages Dark Souls seems to have over The Blade of Fate are its new story and its expanded roster of 44 playable characters. Who actually needs that many characters?!%Gallery-12160%[Via CAG]
Full version of indie gem Noitu Love 2: Devolution now available
With a title like Noitu Love 2: Devolution, we're fully aware that it sounds like the kind of inappropriate Japanese dating sim your creepy partner in junior high computers class would oft log on to Newgrounds to play -- but we hope that its unsettling eponym doesn't scare you off from what could be one of the best indie titles of the year. Observe the above trailer, and just try to suppress your glowing nostalgia for cult classics Gunstar Heroes and Mischief Makers.Creator Joakim Sandberg recently made the full version of the game available to purchase on his website for $20 -- but we know that you, our thrifty readers, will download the free, recently extended demo, to see if the Treasure-esque, mouse-controlled action game touches your heart as it touched ours.
Bangai-O stage contest and some backhanded encouragement
If you happen to have a Japanese copy of Bangai-O Spirits, or if, like us, you just like the idea of more free stages being available, then you'll be interested in the Bangai-O Spirits original stage contest being held at the website right now. Well, mostly if you want new stages. With real prizes on the line, like a Wii, a 50,000 yen prepaid debit card, and an iPod nano (not to mention the original t-shirt given away with each prize, which we're dying to see), we're sure it's open to residents of Japan only. Entrants are instructed to submit a replay along with their stages, to show how to get through them. Treasure must expect extreme creativity!As if to boost the confidence of amateur stage designers, the latest set of free stages, from Continue magazine, are way lame -- like "Counter" here. That shouldn't be so hard to beat![From the intro page, click on the white, moving box to access the contest page.]
Treasure working on two Wii games! But ...
In an interview with CNet Japan, Treasure president Masato Maegawa revealed that the company, having finished work on the XBLA version of Ikaruga and the DS Bangai-O Spirits, is working on two new games for Wii. Being in a Treasure state of mind, our first impulse was to SET THE 68000 HEART ON FIRE with excitement.However, our excitement was tempered by the news that these two games, which are designed to make use of motion controls, will be in 3D. Sin and Punishment is great and all, but Treasure's record is spotty at best in 3D games, as anyone who has played Stretch Panic or the merely-good Wario World will tell you. Maybe one of these is the rumored sequel to Sin and Punishment. That would be perfectly okay![Via IGN]
Virtually Overlooked: Astro Boy: Omega Factor
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative. Yeah, there aren't any Game Boy Advance games on the Virtual Console, and there probably won't be any time soon, but that's not important! This column is about games that should be on the Virtual Console, and this game should be everywhere.Treasure is known for producing super-hardcore action games, from frantic run-and-guns like Alien Soldier and Gunstar Heroes to clever shooters like Ikaruga and Radiant Silvergun. Between original releases, they sometimes take on licensed works, seemingly to pay the bills. One of their best games -- and possibly the best game on the GBA -- combines all of these aspects of Treasure's style. It might be slightly strange to say that a licensed game based on a kids' show is one of Treasure's best, but it absolutely is.%Gallery-20301%
Fanswag Weekly: Win Ikaruga for XBLA!
Ah, the sweet taste of free. Granted, it's not always sweet. After all, people give away lots of crappy free stuff. A free coaster, a free button, free Yaris. None of that really seems to satisfy. Free Ikaruga, on the other hand, now that hits the spot. Here's your chance to snag a free download code for Ikaruga (valued at 800 Microsoft Points / $10). Simply do the following. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment with the name of your favorite Treasure-developed game. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person. This entry period ends at 12:00pm EST on Friday, April 11th. We'll randomly select 2 winners at that time (please check your email!). For a list of complete rules, click here. For another chance to win (well, three to be precise), head over to Joystiq.
Joyswag: Win a copy of Ikaruga (XBLA)
Update: Entries are closed. We'll be alerting the winners via e-mail soon, so please keep an eye on your inbox!Treasure's Ikaruga holds a special place in our hearts. If you're like some of us on the Joystiq crew, today's Xbox Live Arcade release will be the third time you pick up this classic shooter. At only 800 Microsoft Points ($10), this HD re-release is quite a bargain -- but, thanks to Microsoft, we're able to give three Joystiq readers a free download of the game. Just follow these rules for your chance to win: To enter this giveaway, leave a comment with the name of your favorite Treasure-developed game You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person This entry period ends at 12pm ET on Friday, April 11th. We'll randomly select 3 winners at that time (please check your email!) For a list of complete rules, click here For another chance to win, be sure to visit Xbox 360 Fanboy.
