Kuro Matsuri Games

Final Fantasy XIV Beta Key To Be Included in Final Fantasy XIII (sorta)

2009-11-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

Yeah, you read that right!

Reports (mainly leaked scans from Jump Magazine) are showing that a Final Fantasy XIV “Campaign Code” (which really means “Beta Code”) will be included in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy XIII, which will be released December 17th of this year!

source

Japanese Game Source should have access to FFXIII by the end of the year, and we will continue to bring you updates on the both FFXIII and the FFXIV Beta. You can expect a full review by the end of January, so be sure to check back regularly.

If you’re interested in getting Final Fantasy XIII, and getting into the Final Fantasy XIV Beta, then you can buy Final Fantasy XIII now to enjoy the next upcoming Final Fantasy titles.

Update: The "campaign code" is a code that allows you to sign up for the beta, but it doesn't guarantee you'll get in. It's a pass that allows you to apply. Better than nothing, I suppose, but not all that great. It does still come with the free item when the full game comes out, though!

Have fun playing! -Kuro Matsuri

Japanese Game Source is now open!

2009-10-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Kuro Matsuri Games has moved to Japanese Game Source. All of the content worth keeping from this site will be moved over, but all of the content here will still stay here. But, any new updates will be done there.

Japanese Video Game Console: Wonderswan Color

2009-10-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

The Wonderswan Color was released by Bandai in Japan only at the end of December 2000. Bandai made several consoles that never made it out of Japan, including the predecessor to the Wonderswan Color, simply called the Wonderswan.

The Wonderswan Color was better than the Gameboy Color in many ways, but it was not quite as good as the Gameboy Advance. It did have one edge over the original GBA, though, and that's battery life. The Wonderswan Color could last up to 20 hours on a single AA battery, which is pretty impressive. It also debuted at a particularly low price, around $60 new. Thanks to the low price and it's one year lead on the GBA, it was ALMOST a threat to Nintendo!

But, the Wonderswan Color was somewhat lacking in games when compared to the Nintendo handhelds. It had a few excellent games, especially since Square Enix agreed to remake Final Fantasy I, II, III, and IV for the system. It did manage to exceed a total of 100 games, including, but not limited to, RockMan (MegaMan here in the states), Guilty Gear, Super Robot Wars, and Gundam games. So, in short, it's not the best library, but it certainly isn't bad. And that's before factoring in the backwards compatibility with the original Wonderswan!

Of course, since the console was only released in one region, region protection isn't an issue. Then again, you still have to import everything you play on it since none of it was released here.

Now, the console is more of a collector's item since most of the games were later ported to the GBA or other systems, but just to further entice the collector in you, there were a few limited release Wonderswan Color packages. There was the Final Fantasy I Limited Edition Box Set and the Final Fantasy II Limited Edition Box Set, compliments of Square Enix, provided that you are willing to pay the premium for it. Still, the console by itself is an interesting collector's item that can still be enjoyed for a pretty low price. It may even turn some heads if you play it out in public!

Play-Asia options:
Buy WonderSwan Color Console - Pearl Pink at Play-Asia.com (currently in stock)
Buy Wonderswan Color Console and Games at Play-Asia.com (for the others that might be in stock later)

Amazon options:

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Play Asia Current Deals 10/11/2009

2009-10-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

Pretty much the best place to get import games at this point. The second best option is National Console Support, but they honestly tend to be a little more expensive and they very rarely have sales like Play Asia does. So, this particular post is just to highlight a few sales going on at Play Asia right now.

Play Asia has the Soldner X Collector's Edition Box Set for PC for an excellent price. $9.90 plus shipping and handling. That makes it about the same price as downloading the game on your home console, but you get a nice limited edition physical copy instead. Not to mention that the game is honestly a lot of fun, so go buy Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer [Limited Edition] (PC CD-ROM) at Play-Asia.com =P

You'll have to import Final Fantasy XIII if you don't like the English voice acting or if you want Final Fantasy XIII before it comes out Spring of next year, assuming it's on time since GameStop seems to think that it won't be released until late June... not that GameStop is always accurate either... and here's your chance to get it for slightly cheaper than you would have otherwise. The game's price in Japan is over $90, but Play Asia is willing to sell it to those who preorder for $90, which will bump up to $95 right before the game gets released. So, if you were going to get it anyway, go ahead and preorder Final Fantasy XIII so you can save yourself $5.

If you would like to search for a few deals on your own, feel free to head over to Play-Asia.com and see what they have! ^_^

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show 2009 PSP Games

2009-09-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

The PSP got more love than anybody else this year, and it shows!

While I saw no more than 5 noteworthy new games on other platforms, I counted a total of 12 for the PSP! So, let's get down to it:

Valkyria Chronicles 2

The sequel to the PS3 title, Sega thought it would be better to put it on the PSP. Perhaps the third will be on the PS3 again? I'm not sure. Still, despite being on a significantly weaker platform, the graphics still look pretty nice.

Video Games | Valkyria Chronicles 2 | TGS 09: Floor Trailer (Cam) HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

The Last Ranker

Yet another new RPG, The Last Ranker finds itself on the PSP. It has the graphics to be great, but does it have the story? I suppose we'll have to find out and see.

Naruto Shippuden: Narutimate Accel 3

Naruto comes back to the PSP, and everybody loves Naruto! Well, you would think so based on the number of games he has, at least. Still, this impressive-looking-at-least-on-the-surface title might be something worth playing.

Minna No Tennis

Japanese for Everyone's Tennis, will this game live up to it's name? Not everybody likes tennis, especially in video game form, so it's hard to say.

.hack//Link

A new entry in the LOOOOONG .hack series. If you've been keeping up with it, you'll probably want this one, too, as the story does seem fairly epic. However, if you haven't been keeping up with them, this one might be too little too late.

Echochrono (or Echoshift)

It seems as though this game can't decide what it wants to be called. At it's announcement, it was called Echochrono, but a couple days later it was changed to Echoshift. Well, either way, it's the successor to Echochrome, a unique puzzle game that challenged your perception of space. This puzzle title chooses to challenge your perception of time instead with intriguing results.

Dynasty Warriors 6

There's not really much to say about Dynasty Warriors... more of the same, but it's on the PSP this time. Good for some, boring for others. Which category do you fall into?

Disgaea Infinite

Another humorous entry in the Disgaea series appears on the PSP, and flan seems to be a central theme for some reason... Well, it seems to me that this is one of those games that you'll either love or hate.

Darius Burst

A futuristic space shooter for the PSP... because you can never have too many futuristic space shooters. Classic gaming demands this to be true!

Danball Senki

Is it an anime? Is it a video game? I can't tell anymore, but it appears that every little kid now has miniature robots they can fight with. Challenge the other kids to a mini remote controlled fight so that you may have all of the glory!

Crystal Defenders

Final Fantasy Crystal Defenders has been available on the PS3 for some time, but now you'll be able to play it on your PSP as well! Hey, it's a fun tower defense game, so why not?

Angel Senki

An MMO on a PSP? Really? Well, that's what it claims... though it seems that it's also available on the PS3 via PSN. So, a PS3 title? A PSP title? Or both? I'll have to keep an eye on this one and let you know later.

Well, that sums up the new stuff from TGS this year.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show 2009 PS3 Games

2009-09-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the big 3 this year!

The DS, the PS3, and the PSP seemed to get all of the attention, with a heavy focus on the PSP, to be honest. But, here are some great new PS3 titles to look forward to.

Yakuza 4 (Ryu ga Gotoku 4)

Called Yakuza in the USA and Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan, the 3rd one hasn't even made it to our shores yet, but the 4th one was recently announced for Japan at TGS this year. Thus the reason for importing. Who knows, though there are supposedly plans to release 3 on PSN, we may never get 3 or 4 in the states.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope: International

The international version of Star Ocean: The Last Hope has been announced as a PS3 exclusive, surprisingly coming straight to the US shores, unlike previous Square Enix International Versions (Final Fantasy VII International and Final Fantasy XII International, I'm talking about you). In fact, you can even pre-order it!

Resonance of Fate (End of Eternity)

Called Resonance of Fate in the US and End of Eternity in Japan, this ambitious RPG was actually announced a few months before TGS, but they released a nice new trailer for it at TGS. It's time to meet all of the characters, and they do look pretty! (also available on Xbox 360)

Nier Replicant

The PS3 exclusive version of Square Enix's new IP, Nier. With a decidedly avant-garde style to it, it looks like an exciting title. Let's see what else Square Enix does with it, especially since there is both a PS3 exclusive version and an Xbox 360 exclusive version.

Hustler King

I almost don't want to put this one in here. A pool game? Really? Oh well, pool is still fun... I just don't see how it could beat the real thing, which is generally pretty accessible for most people, at least in the US.

Other PS3 news from TGS!

Gran Turismo 5 has a release date for Japan. It's coming March 2010, assuming that you believe that they won't delay it.

Sony has announced a limited edition Final Fantasy XIII PS3 Slim! Too bad it's pink and white:

Sony's motion controller seems to be set for a Spring 2010 release, and there will be several PS3 titles that will be re-released with motion controller functionality, mainly Resident Evil 5, PAIN, Flower, and Little Big Planet, as well as some all new titles that feature the functionality like Ape Escape, EchoChrome 2, and Tower. We'll see how good it turns out when it's released.

Next up is the behemoth PSP post, which will probably have to wait until tomorrow due to time constraints. School + work + being sick + TGS can suck away your time like nothing else.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show 2009 Wii and Xbox 360

2009-09-29T16:42:00.000-07:00

Wii price cut and new Xbox 360 games

Well, the only real news on the Wii is the price cut. It's dropped down to $199 now, but there were no interesting games announced for the Wii. It's unfortunate because Japan often gets a lot of cool Wii exclusives, but not this year, unfortunately.

So, onto the Xbox 360 games.

Nier Gestalt

Square Enix has decided to do something interesting with Nier. There will be Nier Gestalt for the Xbox 360, and Nier Replicant for the PS3. The main difference seems to be who you play as. For Nier Gestalt, you will be playing as a father trying to save his daughter. The style is very avant garde, and it looks like a very fun game.

Ninety Nine Nights 2

The sequel to Ninety Nine Nights has been announced. I never played the first one, to be honest, but the sequel does look like it has some potential.

Mushihimesama Futari Ver. 1.5

An odd helf-sequel, this danmaku shooter (Japanese for Curtain Fire) is a niche release from Cave for those who just can't get enough of bullets absolutely everywhere. Actually, it's already available for pre-order!

That's actually about it for the Xbox 360. Some good stuff, but since it's Japan, most of the good stuff is for the PSP and PS3, which is coming up soon!

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show 2009 iPhone, Mobile, and PC Games

2009-09-28T18:40:00.001-07:00

2 of Each, Just How Interesting Are They? You Be The Judge

First, let's start off with the iPhone.

Sliding Heroes

In this "Action Strategy" game, you control a small troop of heroes, and you guide them through dungeons by using the tilt functionality of the iPhone. You tilt, the heroes slide, thus Sliding Heroes.

Hills and Rivers Remain

A strategy title with decidedly less action than Sliding Heroes, this one focuses on castle-like junctions that are there for the purpose of defending and attacking. Not bad for the iPhone.

Next, we'll move on to games that appear on other mobile devices, meaning, most likely, they'll never appear in the USA. But, as you might notice, it's probably not too big of a loss.

Kyaba Shoppi

Choose your outfit and becoming the most beautiful girl at the restaurant so creepy guys can stare at you with creepy sparkles in their eye! ... I'm not so sure about this one...

Danball Senki

A somewhat cheezy anime-styled game where you battle tiny robots against other kids' tiny robots. The cutscenes look pretty good for a phone app, but if you're going for looks, you might want to look into the PSP version anyway.

Last, but certainly not least, the PC games.

Crash Time 3

Because crashing is fun when you don't get hurt. This game is all about the crashing, so go out, crash, and crash some more. This one will also be available on PS3, Xbox 360, and the DS (because it makes sense, I swear!)

Gyromancer

Square Enix tries to leverage it's experience with RPG's and expand into puzzle games. This strange combo could very well be strangely compelling, especially since individually, these two genres probably eat up an average gamer's time more than any other genre. Combined, you will have no life at all! Well, only if it really turns out that good.

Next up is Wii and Xbox 360, but they'll have to wait until tomorrow, methinks.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show 2009 DS Games

2009-09-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

DS Games of Interest at TGS 09

These are the DS games that caught my eye. New announcements with debut trailers tend to catch my eye more than anything else, and that's what I would like to bring you today.

Okamiden

Not actually a new announcement, but Okamiden is an installment in the Okami series, but this one is for the DS. The gameplay for Okami seems almost tailor made for a touchscreen, so I have high hopes for this one.

Ninokuni

Miyazaki is doing games now? Well, sorta. Studio Ghibli has been contracted by Level 5 to provide all of the art for this game, and it looks beautiful!

Montessori Music

I have mixed feelings about this game. On one hand, I love music games... on the other hand, educational games tend to bore me (with very few exceptions). Combine them, and you get Montessori Music, which I will either love or hate.

Ghost Trick

Now, this game looks interesting. I usually enjoy a good puzzle game (which is what this appears to be), and I love the music in this trailer. This one will be one to keep an eye on.

Cross Treasures

Square Enix is arguably the king of the RPG, so when they join forces with someone, it's usually noticed. This time, Square Enix joins forces with V Jump, a magazine that talks about new manga and video games related to manga, to create a new RPG for the DS called Cross Treasures. Looks promising, as most Square Enix RPGs do. Not all SE RPG's actually turn out well, though, so we'll have to see on this one.

iPhone, Mobile, and PC titles are coming up next.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2009 Started Today!

2009-09-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

My Favorite Video Game Expo Started Today...

And due to being sick for the past three days or so, I am bogged down with work... but I will still be scanning all the news coming out of TGS to bring you any exciting information on import titles that I can.

Much like AWA (which I was actually able to attend, unlike TGS, unfortunately), I'll be reporting mainly threw my Twitter account: twitter.com/KuroMatsuriGame, and I will post a large summation post here when the event is over. I expect that this post will be extremely large... so it might be broken into parts, but they will be posted pretty close to each other.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter to get the latest news that I've been able to find! ^_^

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

AWA XV 2009 Follow-up!

2009-09-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

In short, AWA was awesome!

Now for a little more detail. Of course, AWA stands for Anime Weekend Atlanta, so it is focused on anime, not video games. But there are a couple vendors there that sell import video games, and the video game room has a few imports that you can play for free (provided that you are willing to stand in line for a turn).

Probably the best way for me to show off what I have seen at AWA is to show you pictures. There aren't a whole lot of them, but as I said, there wasn't a WHOLE lot of video game stuff... but certainly enough to keep my attention for a little while.

I saw an import console that I have never seen in person before... and it was for sale! Too bad I couldn't afford it ;_;

It's called the Playdia, and it's made by Bandai. Yes, that is a wireless controller. That console was released only in Japan in 1994, 11 years after the Famicom and 4 years after the Super Famicom. Considering that, it's 8 bit graphics were extremely dated, but the wireless controller is impressive! Also, the only publisher who ever made any games for it was Bandai. Nobody else wanted to, which is never a good sign. But what a collector's item! Too bad I didn't have $90 for a useless console. You can buy the Playdia console here if they have it in stock... which, honestly, they usually don't. You could always sign up for automatic email alerts to let you know when they do get one in stock, though.

The seller who had the Playdia also had two games for it.

Buy Dragon Ball Z: Shin Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku: Chikyuu-hen (Playdia) at Play-Asia.com if they have it in stock.

Buy Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S: Quiz Taiketsu! Sailor Power Kesshuu (Playdia) at Play-Asia.com, again, only if they have it in stock... these games and console are really rare.

These two totaled to $90 as well. The seller was willing to offer a cheaper combined price, but seeing as how I couldn't afford one or the other separately, I knew I wouldn't be able to afford a bundle, even if it was discounted.

I did buy one thing from that seller, though! A rare, boxed copy of Mario To Wario (the "To" is pronounced like "Toe" and means "And") that was only released for the Super Famicom in Japan!

It's a puzzle game where you control Wanda (the fairy thing) by mouse, and you guide Mario to safety (and to Luigi) because Wario put a bucket on his head, and Mario just can't get the bucket off by himself! It's a silly premise, yes, but the game is pretty fun, and it's all in English! Very import friendly. You can buy the game without the mouse here or with the mouse here, but, again, they rarely have them in stock.

The same seller (again!) had a pretty nice selection of imported PS1 games.

Buy Games for PSone™ at Play-Asia.com

"Who is this seller?", you might ask. It's Mad-Gear! He's lacking in import games recently due to the higher exchange rate, but he's still got a few golden gems, and it seems he'll occasionally take special requests if he can find the exact game you want.

In the video game room, there were a couple of import titles. Most notable was Melty Blood and Beatmania IIDX (shown below)

Buy Beatmania IIDX Gold in standard edition, Konamistyle Special Edition, or Konamistyle Special Edition Complete, once more, none of these are in stock right now. Go figure.

There were also a collection of different card games you could purchase, which is somewhat related to video games... sorta.

Last, but not least (well, probably least to some... but not to me!), video game related cosplay!

Toakaka from BlazBlue

Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII

Jam and Milia Rage (from left to right) from Guilty Gear. They made sure to inform me that they were not wearing all of the costume that they had brought along because it was just getting too uncomfortable... but it still looks pretty good as is!

Auron from Final Fantasy X

From left to right: Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo, all from Earthbound. I actually know the guy cosplaying as Poo!

Well, I think that sums everything up. I'm already looking forward to next year, which I will undoubtedly be covering in my blog and on Twitter once again!

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

note: images now fixed

Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) Starts Tomorrow!

2009-09-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

The Second Biggest Convention In Atlanta Starts Tomorrow

And while that doesn't directly relate to import video games, it does relate indirectly to it. I will be keeping my eye open for any interesting import video game items available there, especially in the dealer's room.

I hope you look forward to the stuff I can find!

My personal AWA coverage will be available on Twitter HERE (feel free to follow my twitter account while you're at it ^_^)

For more information about the convention, visit the AWA Official Website

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Learning Japanese

2009-09-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

How do you go about doing it? Especially on your own?

Well, the best way is a combination of self-teaching, formal classes, and a native Japanese speaker to practice active conversations with. Well, the BEST way is to live in Japan for a while, but the above is the best way without actually leaving your home country.

Many of us do not have access to formal classes or a native Japanese speaker. If you don't have access to these, you'll have to rely on books and imported entertainment (like video games!) to help you learn Japanese.

For grammar, there are plenty of books that will teach you good Japanese grammar. The same is true of vocabulary. Where I had the biggest problem, personally, was learning Kanji, those really complicated pictograph-style characters.

The best book that I have found for teaching Kanji is Remembering the Kanji by Heisig. Well, it's actually a three part series of books. The first book teaches you the meanings of around 2000 Kanji... and you don't even need to know Japanese to learn them. The theory is that it's MUCH easier to remember all of them if you learn the meanings and the pronunciations separately. The second volume then teaches you the pronunciations of the same 2000 Kanji. The third book adds another 1000 less-used Kanji or so and teaches you the meaning and the pronunciations, again, separately.

On top of that, there is one tool that is almost indispensable when practicing your Japanese in video games, and that's an electronic Kanji dictionary. The cheapest way to get one that recognizes handwriting (very important for finding characters you are unfamiliar with!) is to get Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten for the DS. It is sometimes called Kanji DS Dictionary, and it is exactly that, an electronic Kanji dictionary for the DS. It's worth every penny, especially when you consider that dedicated Kanji dictionaries can cost several hundred dollars.

To buy Remembering the Kanji: Volume 1, try HERE
To buy Remembering the Kanji: Volume 2, try HERE
To buy Remembering the Kanji: Volume 3, try HERE
To buy Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten, try HERE

Have fun learning!
-Kuro Matsuri

Import Video Game News: Gundam 30th Anniversary PS3 Slim Bundle

2009-09-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

Gundam 30th Anniversary PS3 Slim

Earlier I had stated that I hoped that Japan gets different colors of the PS3 slim like red, green, blue, purple, or other more interesting colors than black, white, and grey. Really, I hope either the US or Japan get that, but I think it's more likely for Japan.

Well, this is the next best thing. Well, kinda the third best thing since the second best thing would be a PS3 Slim with some sort of customization or something on it. It's a special Gundam 30th Anniversary PS3 Slim Bundle. While the PS3 itself is just a standard PS3 Slim, it comes with a First Print Edition of Mobile Suit Gundam Senki Avant and, of course, special box art. Mobile Suit Gundam Senki Avant is the Japanese equivalent of Dynasty Warriors: Gundam. Some hate it, some love it. I suppose this bundle is for those who love it.

If you're interested in the bundle, try HERE (THIS PRODUCT SELLS OUT QUICKLY!)

If you're interested in just the game, try HERE

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

News: Final Fantasy XIII Japanese Release Date and Price!

2009-09-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

Final Fantasy XIII now has a release date and a price!

Well, it does for Japan, at least.

A YouTube Flash-based ad was discovered that showed the release date, and with some careful URL editing, this exact image was discovered:

So, December 17th is the release date, and it has been confirmed by Square Enix already. When they confirmed it, they also announced the price. 8800 Yen, which translates to about $95... ouch. But there is only a general release date for the US (Spring 2010... at least that's what they're "aiming" for), so if you want the game months before your friends, or you just want it as soon as possible, importing it is the only way to do so.

The good news is that you can preorder the game for a little less than the launch price right now through Play-Asia.com. They have it available for $89.90, a price that will be available until Dec. 12, 2009, at which point the price will go back up to $94.90.

To pre-order Final Fantasy XIII, try HERE

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Import Video Game Review: Keyboardmania

2009-08-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Import Video Game Review: Keyboardmania for the PlayStation 2

I hope you enjoy the review!

If you like the game, and you're interested in buying it, try HERE, but keep in mind that it doesn't come with the controller, which you'll likely have to search eBay for.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Coming Soon: Katamari Damacy Tribute

2009-08-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Import Video Game: Katamari Damacy Tribute for the PS3

As the game title "Everybody Loves Katamari Damacy" points out, everybody loves Katamari Damacy! And here's a new entry in the series to prove it. Katamari Damacy Tribute (called Katamari Forever in the US) is already available in Japan, and it will be available in the US on September 22. What's more, this is a PS3 exclusive, and as such, the Japanese copy can be played on any American PS3! The game is rather import friendly as well, as long as you can understand the pictures that describe the controls and you can figure out what exactly you're trying to roll up (usually everything).

What's different about this one?
1) During at least part of the game, the King of the Cosmos is a robot. I'm really not sure why.
2) There are now power-ups in the game, such as an item that turns your ball into a magnet and draws anything that you can roll up directly to you from a fair distance away. Pretty useful, especially at certain times.
3) You can jump!
4) There also appears to be a 2 player co-op mode, which I believe is a first for the series (unless Beautiful Katamari included it, but I don't think it did).
5) True 1080p graphics! Though, with the admittedly simple style, that's probably not a huge deal.

However, possibly the biggest draw of this new one is the new graphical filters that have been included, allowing you to have everything cel-shaded, normal shaded, wood grain shaded, and more.

Pretty crazy stuff! If you don't have an HD Katamari Damacy yet, it's definitely worth picking one up. And why not have it now instead of a month from now?

To buy Katamari Damacy Tribute (Japanese version) now, try HERE

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Strange Japanese Arcade Games

2009-08-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

Import video games aren't enough, lets look at some strange arcade games too!

(click the image for a closer look)

I'll be talking about 3 strange Japanese arcade games today. One called UFO Fisher, one called Funky Circus, and one called Sub Marine Catcher. Lets start off with UFO Fisher.

(click the image for a closer look)

I bet you recognize the fish in the circular thing at the bottom, don't you? Well, the fishing pole is attached to what would normally be a claw for a claw machine. You have to move the pole directly above the fish and press the button at the right time so that the pole goes all the way down, enters one of the fishes' mouths, so that the mouth closes before the pole comes back up. It's very, very, VERY hard! The reward? Anything you want that's inside the arcade machine!

Now on to Funky Circus. The game itself isn't anything particularly unusual, but what is unusual is the rewards! You win your choice of one of three items, two relatively normal items, or a porn VHS! Really? Really. In order to win something, you have to reach a total of 300 points, and the points for each slot at the bottom change each time you score points, and... and... oh, just watch the video below.

Now, last but certainly not least, Sub Marine Catcher! I've been told that this type of arcade game isn't exclusive to Japan, but it's still pretty rare outside of it. I think if you look closely you can find one in Vegas... maybe... But, anyway, it's a simply claw machine except that you are trying to catch live lobster. Yeah, really. Live lobster. What are you supposed to do with it when you catch it? Carefully take it home and eat it. What was my friend supposed to do if HE caught it? No idea. We were living in dorm rooms and had no way of cooking it... except maybe a microwave, but I truly fear the results of such an experiment...

Since you obviously can't purchase these, the usual purchase links will not be found here today, I'm afraid. If you REALLY want to buy an import game, though, you can search for something interesting here!

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

News: Playstation 3 Slim and price drop!

2009-08-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

The PS3 Slim is REAL! And so is the price drop!

Yeah, I know, everybody and their mothers are talking about it, but it's such exciting news that I can't help it!

The Slim has been announced officially. It's new size? 33% smaller, 36% lighter, and has 34% less power usage. It does have a 120GB HDD, though! It's price? A surprising $299. What's more? If you don't want the slim and you can't wait, the fat PS3 is getting an IMMEDIATE price drop down to $299!

However, what I'm really hoping is that the Japanese release includes some unique colors to provide us importers with some options. I'm practically expecting black, white, and silver as colors pretty early on, but I'm hoping for some more interesting colors like red, blue, or green. I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Interesting Import Video Game #10: Melty Blood: Actress Again

2009-08-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

Import Video Game: Melty Blood: Actress Again for the PlayStation 2

Fast-paced, 2D, crazy comboes, what else could you ask for in a fighting game? Anime characters? Yep, got those too.

Most of the anime-styled fighting games are only available in Japan, meaning that if you want more choices in that genre, you'll have to look for import video games to satisfy your cravings. Melty Blood is one of those Japan only fighting games.

Opening movie:

This is actually the third entry in the series, but it is the only the second to be ported to a console. Each character has 3 different fighting styles that alter their moveset, meaning that while the number of characters is limited to almost 30 (which is a pretty impressive number as-is), there are nearly 90 different choices for fighting once you take into account Full Moon Style, Crescent Moon Style, and Half Moon Style (which represent Power, Speed, and Simplicity, respectively). It also provides many of mechanics that are similar to Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, both of which are really big games in this genre.

Here's a nice example of what the battles themselves are like:

What's more, this comes in either the standard edition, or the First Print Limited Edition for the die-hard collectors out there.

To buy the standard edition, try HERE

To buy the First Print Limited Edition, try HERE

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Interesting Import Video Game #9: Do Don Pachi Daioujou Black Label Extra

2009-08-11T09:12:00.000-07:00

Do Don Pachi Daioujou Black Label Extra for the Xbox 360

Everyone knows about the space shooter genre, sometimes called shoot'em ups. This is one of the extreme ones that exist only in Japan. This game is HARD! And it's supposed to be.

Games like this one have earned a nickname: danmaku. It means "curtain fire". And that's pretty much what happens. Enemy bullets FILL the screen! But, here's the catch, you only die if your cockpit gets hit (so you have a very small hitbox), and if you get completely caught without an escape, you can use a bomb to do lots of damage and make yourself temporarily invincible. Of course, you have a limited number of bombs, so you have to use them only in extreme circumstances. Below is a video of the FINAL BOSS in the game, so this is the hardest that this incredibly hard game gets, and it certainly gives you bragging rights if you beat it!

Now, the Xbox 360 port was released with a number of bugs in it, but there should be a patch available to fix the worst of them. If you simply can't stand the bugs, or don't own an Xbox 360 that can play import games (because this 360 game is completely region locked), you can get the PS2 version that is not quite as up-to-date, but still gives you a very good challenge.

To buy the Xbox 360 version, try HERE

To buy the PS2 version, try HERE

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Interesting Import Video Game #8: Doshin the Giant

2009-08-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

Import Video Game: Doshin the Giant or Kyojin no Doshin for the N64 DD or the Gamecube

Doshin the Giant is somewhat of a special case in the import world. First off, it was originally make for the Nintendo 64 Disc Drive, which was only released in Japan and never made it very far. It was later released for the GameCube with graphical enhancements. Also, the game was translated to English and released in the U.K., but it never made it to American shores, and is therefore an import game for us.

It's an cute, almost enigmatic game in which you play as a giant that can either be good or bad. When he's good, his name is Doshin and he looks like the giant on the cover of the game. During this time, is goal is to win the affection of the villagers that inhabit the randomly generated island. Doing so will make you grow larger for that day. If you get enough love from the villagers, they will build a monument for you, and that is the true goal of the game, to get villagers to build monuments to you.

The catch, though, is that whenever you want, you can switch to the evil Jashin (pictured above). When you're playing as Jashin, your goal is to make all the villagers hate you, which will increase your size for the day. Making them hate you enough will get them to build a monument to how much they hate you.

When you get them to build all the monuments possible, you get sent to a final level in which you get one more monument built before you win the game.

The game moves slowly, but it's meant to be a relaxing game with an interesting twist for the time (the levels are randomly generated, and you play as both a good giant and an evil giant). Keep this in mind as you watch some gameplay footage shown below:

It's almost like it's a zen game or something! Very peaceful.

You can buy the Japanese GameCube version of the game HERE, for the PAL Gamecube version or the extremely rare N64 DD version, I'm afraid you'll have to look on eBay.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Interesting Import Video Game #7: PepsiMan

2009-08-08T06:46:00.001-07:00

Import Video Game: PepsiMan for the PS1

So, did you know that, in Japan, Pepsi has a mascot? And his name is PepsiMan? And he drinks nothing but Pepsi? Ludicrous!

So, in this game, you travel down a set path collecting cans of Pepsi (100 per level) before the time runs out, and at the end of the level there is a Pepsi vending machine that PepsiMan uses for one last can of Pepsi. The moral of the story: in everything you do, you should drink 101 cans of Pepsi. Yeah... you try that... but don't, really.

Gotta love that theme music, though. PEPSIMAAAAAAAAN!

If you'd like to try to pick this one up, try this import video game store. Or eBay, but honestly, this store has the best price between the two at the moment.

DRINK!
-Kuro Matsuri

Interesting Import Video Game #6: Time Leap

2009-08-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

Import Video Game: Time Leap for the Xbox 360

The entire genre of dating sim video games exist almost exclusively as import video games. One such game is Time Leap for the Xbox 360. The main protagonist is male, while almost all other protagonists are female, a very common occurrence for dating sims. You're often enticed to get along with several different girls, and eventually to choose one to have an intimate relationship with... and I'm not referring to sex. Console dating sim games avoid any explicit scenes, which are generally reserved for PC titles.

Still, the core gameplay doesn't change from PC titles to console titles. You interact with a girl, choose responses, and hope that you don't say something stupid, sometimes much like real life. The catch: unlike real life, you can always try again.

This particular dating sim game is the first to use fully animated, well, everything. Older dating sim games usually used static images during almost all interactions, and they tried to use very simple animations (such as shaking or alternating between two or three frames) combined with (admittedly impressive) audio to give the feeling that the events were occurring in real time. This one goes all out and actually fully animates all scenes, giving you the feeling of an anime that you can make decisions in to reach different goals.

As the title of the game implies, time travel is involved. There are two girls (as the image shows), one of which is a girl (named Yuu) that you've loved as a sister for a long time, the other is an older upperclassmen (named Ayumi) and one of the most popular girls in school. You don't seem to know Ayumi very well, but you want to. Well, a younger Ayumi suddenly appears in front of you because of a "Time Leap", and you try to get along with her to win her over. Rather convenient, but what happens with the current version? How does your interactions with past Ayumi effect the current Ayumi? How did this even happen? Well, you have to play to find out.

As a side note, though, Time Leap is well known, perhaps even infamous, for their cute para-para styled dances, which have appeared all over YouTube after being mirrored so that people can attempt to imitate them. Here's such an example:

Play-Asia offers this import video game in their catalog, but looking at their page, there is one important thing to note. This game is region locked and won't work on your stock US or UK Xbox 360.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri

Coming Soon #2: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

2009-08-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for DS

So, this is probably a more well known game, but did you know this game has been available to import for over 2 months? It still has almost 2 months before it's released here. That means that you could have gotten this game 4 months sooner than all your friends, provided that you are willing to pay a little more and play the game in Japanese, which may or may not be a big deal to you. Still, it's very interesting to think about.

For those that haven't seen anything about this game yet, this game takes place in between Kingdom Hearts I and Kingdom Hearts II, just like Chain of Memories did. It could be argued that this happens at the same time as Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

The great part is that it doesn't use the card system that Chain of Memories did, and it's in full 3D. It looks rather impressive for a DS game. The fighting really looks fun.

Not to mention the fact that there is multiplayer in it! This is the first Kingdom Hearts game that allows you to play with friends!

And you can buy Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days right now! Which is honestly pretty crazy.

Have fun playing!
-Kuro Matsuri