Tiny Cartridge

Mooninites invade a Nintendo DSi, armed with a boombox. I...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:44:00 -0500

Mooninites invade a Nintendo DSi, armed with a boombox. I usually advise against attaching stickers onto your handheld, especially after seeing Daphaknee’s irreparable DS, but Thretris’ personalized Matte Blue system looks slick — even if the Mooninites are so 2002.

Unfortunately, this suffer the common defect of appearing upside down when you flip the lid open. The stickers look vinyl, though, so it’s easily fixable with some rearranging.

Buy: U.S. Nintendo DSi (White, Pink, Black and Blue)

Import: Japanese Nintendo DSi (White, Black, Pink, Red, Lime Green, Metallic Blue)

[Via Thretris]

Inazuma Eleven anime, subtitled first episode. Spanish...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:35:00 -0500

Inazuma Eleven anime, subtitled first episode. Spanish distributor Arait Multimedia announced it’s secured broadcasting rights for this program, an anime adaptation of Level-5’s RPG/soccer games, across Europe and parts of Africa. The company sees “big potential” in the license — perhaps that potential will finally turn into a Western localization for the DS releases?

Akihiro Hino, Level-5’s CEO, claims the program could begin airing when the FIFA 2010 World Cup kicks off, adding that an announcement for the (first?) game’s European release will come “when the time is right”, according to a report from Cubed3’s Adam Riley.

I doubt these anime/game localization plans will extend to the States, considering the U.S.’s unappreciation for soccer, but I don’t care! I’ve wanted to play the first game since it originally released in Japan in August 2008, and I’ll gladly import this when/if it hits Europe with an English translation. I hear it’s quite good!

Oh, and Hino also says he wants to bring over all of Level-5’s Atamania titles, such as the Sloane and McHale games. Yes! Just according to keikaku*.

Import: Inazuma Eleven

[Via NeoGAF]

*Keikaku means plan.

Mallet Legend controller for Genesis by Realtec. This...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Mallet Legend controller for Genesis by Realtec. This nine-button controller was designed for the unlicensed game Mallet Legend’s Whac-a-Critter. The game is abundant enough on eBay, but the controller is decidedly not, which is why eBay seller cmskls is charging five hundred damn dollars for this one.

It kind of looks like both the princess and the hero on the box are embarrassed that he’s brought a mallet. “You couldn’t find a sword or something?” Or perhaps that his battle uniform consists of a polo shirt and shorts with a cape thrown on.

The bear is just sleepy.

[Via GameSniped]

Yujin’s Phantasy Star Zero gashapon figures. Did you...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:27:00 -0500

Yujin’s Phantasy Star Zero gashapon figures. Did you remember that this game comes out in the States next week? No? I don’t blame you; other than a community event Sega held at its San Francisco HQ last week, I’ve hardly seen press for the cooperative action RPG.

I know JC has an import copy of Phantasy Star Zero, and I plan to pick it up, too (players from different regions can play with each other) — maybe if you buy the game, you’ll run into one of us online.

BradyGames published a Phantasy Star Zero strategy guide for the U.S., and it lists codes to access unique items (spear/shield from Valkyrie Chronicles’ Selvaria, Puyo Puyo soul) from an in-game vending machine. Apparently, there are several items missing that were in the Japanese version, like Hatsune Miku’s Leek, the Warp Pipe bazooka, and Samus’ arm cannon. This doesn’t mean they aren’t in the game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Sega cut them during the localization process.

You can also use a code to grab a Nintendo Power item, which I presume replaced the Dengeki item.

Preorder: Phantasy Star Zero ($33.99)

[Via ebay auctions. xshinox]

New yellow outfit for Cave Story’s Quote, designed by...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:32:08 -0500

New yellow outfit for Cave Story’s Quote, designed by original developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya (click for a larger, less blurry image). Nicalis debuted this bright look with its new Cave Story Twitter account. When a fan asked if the WiiWare remake gives the character unlockable outfits/palette swaps, Nicalis responded, “Maybe ;) .”

I still prefer the game’s original, less detailed sprite shown on the left — and thankfully the remake allows you to play with the original graphics and music — but who knows, maybe someone out there is dying for an option to make Cave Story’s hero dress like Ali G.

Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode ending. I got curious about just...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode ending. I got curious about just who made this stilted, kind of wonderful game, so I watched the credits, then looked up some of the names of the people involved. It turns out that ANGELA, Shoichi Yoshikawa, and Nao Kuramoto all worked together on other games, including the Bonk series starting with 3.

It also turns out, according to this GDRI interview, that they’re all the same person! “Nao Kuramoto is my pen name,” Yoshikawa said. “I’ve been using this name for a long time when I write lyrics and scenarios. ‘Angela’ is also a pen name of mine. I used it when I was working as the director on a project, doing the work I would normally use both names for. In other words, it’s three names for one person.”

While Golgo 13 was made for Seibu Lease, Yoshikawa would go on to work for A.I., which co-developed Bonk 3, along with Bonk games for Super Famicom and Game Boy. All of these games were collaborations between various small developers and publishers, suggesting that the kind of outsourcing done by developers like Platinum and Mistwalker is nothing new.

A.I. also worked on a Bonk game for N64, which ended up being Bomberman Hero!

Noby Noby Boy bento by Anna the Red. He’s made of sushi!...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Noby Noby Boy bento by Anna the Red. He’s made of sushi! How great is that?

I can’t help but think that Keita Takahashi, being a Noby Noby sushi creator himself, would approve.

I heard Kaiju Busters is butt

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:20:00 -0500

I was ecstatic when I learned about Namco Bandai’s Kaiju Busters, a Monster Hunter clone for DS featuring famous Japanese monsters like Gomora. When I discovered you played as an officer from Ultraman’s Science Patrol, my eyes widened and my bowtie spun at a speed that lifted me off my chair several inches.

Unfortunately, one of my informants on the street — yes, I’m kind of old school, relying on small-time dealers and other shady characters for my import gaming news instead of just trawling message boards — recently whispered in my ear that he tried out Kaiju Busters at the recent Tokyo Game Show and found it disappointing.

I grabbed him by the collar and threw him up against the wall, threatening to send him up north if he was jivin’ me. He swore up and down the intel was good, and said the controls were unsatisfactory and the monsters teleported around the screen in a way that didn’t seem intentional.

I tried to convince myself that he must have played an early, buggy build at TGS, but when I closed my eyes and tried to sleep later that night, I couldn’t forget the words he used to describe the game: Kaiju Buttsters.

And that’s why this new Japanese trailer didn’t excite me as much as it should have:

This clip has it all: hoverboards, giant robots, dudes in orange suits and ties, a pistol with an eye at the end of the barrel, and Dino-Tank. It has everything! Well, except a time machine I could use to prevent myself from ever finding out Kaiju Busters might be terrible. If only…

I had a great life once — a big house, a hot wife, and a decent-paying job blogging about the video games… Then someone had to tell me Kaiju Busters, a game I probably wasn’t even planning to import, might not turn out as fun as I thought it would. I still haven’t recovered.

Preorder: Kaiju Busters

[Via Siliconera]

New trailer for Brandish 2: The Motherfucking Planet Buster. If...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:50:00 -0500

New trailer for Brandish 2: The Motherfucking Planet Buster. If this trailer, featuring the motivational power of random hockey clips and Ravi Drums, doesn’t get you totally pumped about an unofficially-translated Falcom RPG, then either you didn’t watch it or you are a bitch and are wisely staying away.

See also: The first trailer.

As promised, Shiren the Wanderer 3’s boxart remains intact...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:36:00 -0500

As promised, Shiren the Wanderer 3’s boxart remains intact for its North American release next Spring, though Atlus did use a questionable Papyrus knockoff for “The Wanderer”. I showed JC the new cover, and he responded, “Looks like Shiren: The Crocodile Hunter”.

The new packaging art also uses a lame gradient effect on the logo — the original gradient was much more attractive. What’s up with Atlus and its terrible logo gradients lately, anyway? Here’s SMT: Strange Journey’s U.S. box:

Did Atlus travel back in time and hire a new artist fresh from the 1994 U.S. anime industry?

Back to Shiren the Wanderer 3, you might have heard that publisher Spike is porting the roguelike to PSP with six new dungeons and balance changes. I hope Atlus will include those additions with the Wii verson’s U.S. localization!

Preorder: Shiren the Wanderer Wii ($39.99)

Buy: Shiren the Wanderer DS ($13.99!!!)

[Via Grandjedi6]

Possible US design for a Mega Man E-tank energy drink. It...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:45:00 -0500

Possible US design for a Mega Man E-tank energy drink. It totally doesn’t look like an E-tank at all, but if the beverage is the same, I’ll get to find out what a drink that used to come in a can that looked like a thing from a video game tastes like.

There’s been no official announcement; this listing just showed up at AAA distribution with a December 31 release date and a price of $72 per 24-pack.

I guess we’ll find out soon how serious I ever was about wanting to try this stuff. Back when it was a totally inaccessible Japan-only item, it was not at all, but the circumstances may warrant an upgrade to kinda.

[Via Protodude]

Zelda’s Secret Trailer (The Legend of Zelda: Spirit...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:52:00 -0500

Zelda’s Secret Trailer (The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks). So, that’s why you can control the Phantom Guardians this time around. Lots of new puzzle possibilities!

Preorder: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Dec. 7)

River City Ransom keychain by Donna “The Arcade...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 -0500

River City Ransom keychain by Donna “The Arcade Artist” Pike, commemorating one of the most memorable moments of the game: the time some asshole hit you in the face.

Reflection releasing mid-November

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:48:00 -0500

Reflection, Konami’s Chronos Twins-esque puzzle-platformer, will hit North America’s DSiWare service in mid-November for 800 Nintendo Points.

The downloadable title was initially developed by a student team from University of Southern California, and attracted attention from major publishers earlier this year when it took home IGF Mobile’s Next Great Mobile Game award — the only DS game to win a category at the event.

I spent time with Reflection earlier this year, and even in its rough, unfinished state, I found the game’s concept (playing two platformers simultaneously while navigating obstacles on both screens) engaging. My only serious concern with the project was its unappealing art, but it appears as if Intrinsic Games addressed that issue without telling anyone (see above image).

Reflection’s story, taken from the game’s product blurb:

“In Reflection, players take on the role of an adventurer named Kirra who is tasked with retrieving a magical mirror that has been inadvertently broken, unleashing a shattered reality, including Kirra’s character, into two parts. Players will be challenged as they explore various locations including forests and temples and solve puzzles by using both characters in tandem in order to find and reassemble the mirror and restore reality.”

And just in case you’ve never seen Reflection, here’s some old, washed out footage of the game from GDC 2009:

Buy: U.S. Nintendo DSi (White, Pink, Black and Blue)

Import: Japanese Nintendo DSi (White, Black, Pink, Red, Lime Green, Metallic Blue)

[Via GameRaw]

Final Fantasy XI Piyo Piyo Hina Chocobo, available from NCSX for...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:00 -0500

Final Fantasy XI Piyo Piyo Hina Chocobo, available from NCSX for $20.90. I’ve never been accused of paying too much attention to Final Fantasy XI, but if I knew it had this much potential for adorability, I might have.

I totally held one of these little guys at TGS, so I can attest to the heart-melting cuteness of this chirping toy.

See also: Lovely Chocobo DS accessories

English Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey screenshots and art,...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:27:24 -0500

English Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey screenshots and art, released with Atlus’s announcement that it will publish the game in North America in spring 2010.

I’m not going to lie; I only posted these because I found it hilarious that Atlus named its hero Shabadoo (no relation to Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabadoo) when capturing the screenshots. Also, the guy with the buffalo head and teal pants seemed worth sharing.

Cover for Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon soundtrack...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:57:00 -0500

Cover for Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon soundtrack (not the Japanese preorder bonus disc).

Fragile Dreams, in case you didn’t get the memo, is the new U.S. title for this Namco Bandai RPG. I always forget how beautiful the Wii game’s blue-and-purple tinted visuals are until someone reminds me with a video, “Hey, remember this game? Yeah, it still looks gorgeous.”

The soundtrack also betrays that the game has more going for it than just its exceptional graphics and lonely setting. I’m not familiar with composer Riei Saito (sound designer at tri-Crescendo), but she masterfully matched Fragile Dreams’ music with its abandoned world.

“Hikari” (Fragile Dreams theme) by Aoi Teshima:

“To All People” and “The Girl With Silver Hair”:

Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (and its new awful logo) will ship in the States in early 2010.

Preorder: Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon

[Via Zelda Power, GoNintendo]

Baraduke, stage 46 through the ending. Magweasel has an awesome...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Baraduke, stage 46 through the ending. Magweasel has an awesome writeup of this somewhat forgotten Namco arcade game, which was recently released (along with its sequel) on Virtual Console in Japan.

This game introduces KISSY, who is notable for being the mother of Mr. Driller’s Susumu Hori. Magweasel’s Kevin Gifford notes that KISSY and TAKKY were nicknames for the programmer and designer (I totally didn’t know that!)

If you don’t have access to a Japanese Wii or an arcade machine, the other legal way to get at Baraduke is on the PlayStation’s Namco Museum Vol. 5 disc, from back when Namco Museum was good. I never made much progress in this game — both because it’s hard and because I spend way more of my Namco Museum Vol. 5 time playing Metro-Cross. No idea why.

Gifford notes that the aesthetic, the orange suit, and the ending all evoke Metroid, which Nintendo released a year later. I’m not going to accuse Nintendo of anything, but I’m sure some inspiration happened there, which is neat.

Suggest a Raroo Fun System game, win a real game!

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:30:00 -0500

Suggest a Raroo Fun System game, win a real game!:

We’ve all enjoyed the Raroo Fun System’s launch lineup, including Galaxy Intruders 2, Hungry Walter, and Roger Passes Geometry: An Adventure In Math. Now, you can be responsible for pitching your very own Raroo Fun System game in this GameSetWatch contest!

Until 11:59 pm PST on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, comment on the contest post with a Raroo Fun System game idea (title, concept, and a bit of selling) and you could win a copy of either Jump! or Swap! by Big Bang Mini/Nervous Brickdown developers Arkedo for Xbox 360 (the Raroo Fun System can’t do downloadable games, so this is an appropriate substitute).

Princess Zelda cosplayer at Youmacon 2009, captured by Michael...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:15:00 -0500

Princess Zelda cosplayer at Youmacon 2009, captured by Michael Carian. Compare the two shots with this image and marvel at the power of proper lighting and a talented photographer; the outfit’s cheap material and accessories are almost convincing in Carian’s samples.

This reminds me that the packaging art for The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is so much better in Europe — I love the princess’s ghostly appearance atop the train:

The U.S. boxart has none of that.

Preorder: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

See also: There Will Be Brawl’s Lakitu

[Via Michael Carian]