A Famicom Revival
This quite possibly might be the biggest announcement for the Nintendo Wii since Super Mario Galaxy. Capcom has decided to release a brand new Rockman game for the Nintendo Wii. So what makes this Rockman game so special compared to the scores of Rockman games that have been released to date? It's being released as a Wii-ware title in classic 8-bit glory. Continue reading for screens.
Square & Namco Announce A Slew Of New RPG's
Gen X'ers frequenty reflect upon the 16-bit era as the Golden Age of videogames. These fond memories can typically be attributed to the excellent line up of RPG's gracing the Super Nintendo - Final Fantasy III, Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, just to name a few. Wait...did someone say Chrono Trigger.
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Sony Games Division To Be Profitable
Even the most die hard Sony fanboy has to admit that the PS3 has had its ups and downs. After all, it's not a good sign when a company releases more firmware updates for their console than games. But Sony appears to be turning a corner. The PSP is the best selling videogame console in Japan for 2008; MGS 4 has sold 3 million copies; and the price Blu-Ray technology is coming down.
Thanks in part to these developments, despite all its tribulations, Sony is set to achieve something that has eluded the Xbox division since inception - profitablity.
Hell Hath Frozen Over
All you sinners out there better pack an overcoat, some mittens and maybe an extra pair of socks, because all signs point to hell having frozen over. First, the PSP has consistently outsold the NDS in Japan since February '08. Then, thanks primarily to Kojima's MGS4, the PS3 managed to outsell the Wii for a week in Japan. Now, Square Enix has chosen the Xbox 360 as its preferred console for the release of three new RPG's.
Eternal damnation is a long time. Pack wisely!
Metal Gear Solid 4 Hits Japan - Big Sales Follow
Sony fanboys are an easy bunch to pick out of a crowd of gamers. Any discussion about the PS3's poor, poor sales, and up until now you were sure to hear a voice from the crowd proclaim, "Just wait until Metal Gear Solid 4 comes out." Well it's out. And in Japan at least, it's the best selling PS3 title at launch to date. But that doesn't necessarily mean much, now does it...or does it?
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Rhythm Tengoku Gold DS Announced
Awesome news for rhythm gaming fans! Rhythm Tengoku Gold DS, the sequel to the GBA hit has just been announced in Japan and is launching July 31, 2008. If you played the GBA version, then you must pick up the sequel. If you never played the first then you should grab them both. They are beat matching perfection.
Hit the jump for a couple videos from the original GBA version.
Smokin' Hot Titles Announced For PS3 & Wii
Let's face it, while a few good games have been realeased for the Wii and even fewer for the PS3, exciting new release announcements have been few and far between. And no, the requisite sequels like Smash, Mario Kart, GTA IV and Guitar Hero III don't count. Both consoles have been on the market for over a year now, so it's about damn time that we get games like this.......
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Readers Pick Top Games of 2007
Famitsu's famous panel of reviewers subject themselves to the scrutiny of the readership every week. Sometimes the readers agree with the Cross Review team. Other times, they don't.
Continue reading for the top rated games of 2007 as determined by the readers of Famitsu. You might be surprised as to which game came out on top. The password is origami.
New SF IV Character Revealed
Today, Capcom revealed the second new playable character for its highly anticipated arcade fighting game Street Fighter IV. His name is Abel. That brings the playable character total to ten.
Continue reading for the complete list of playable fighters and screenshots of Abel in action.
Super Smash Brothers Brawl Sells 1 Million Copies!
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is so far the fastest selling Wii game in Japan! Famitsu is reporting that the game has sold just over 1 million copies, faster than any Wii game before it. Hit the jump for a more info.
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Sexbox 3600 Core System and Wiin Remote Launch in Japan
Because in today's competitive gaming marketplace, launching a console at just one price point does not make for good economics, Microchinko has announced the latest addition to their lineup: The Core. Pics after the jump.
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Super Smash Bros. Brawl Sells 820K!
The first week (4 days after release) of sales data for Super Smash Bros. Brawl in Japan are in! Selling 820,000 copies in its first week, SSBB is on its way to crossing that first million mark. It was an interesting week in Japan with Devil May Cry 4 releasing on the same day as SSBB, the sales numbers for the week show a new trend for Japanese gamers. Hit the jump for a full report.
Street Fighter IV Blowout: World Warriors Revealed
Getting sick of seeing the same old Ryu and Ken Street Fighter IV screenshots? The latest issue of Famitsu has the cure for the itch - character art and ingame models of all of the original eight world warriors, including the single announced newcomer, Crimson Viper. Hit the jump for more pics and character art, and hope that your browser has the resolution to handle Chun Li's thighs.
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News Flash: SSBB Sold Out!
Early reports from Japan indicate that Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Wii has sold out in Japan. Initial launch day sales figures estimate the number of units sold at 500,000 copies. Considering the worldwide popularity of the Wii and the legendary awesomeness that is Smash Bros., it's probably safe to predict that Brawl will go on to become the #1 selling game of this generation of home consoles.
Tecmo and Nintendo Announce Collaboration
In Japan, Tecmo held its annual press conference during which the company announced its plans for 2008. By far and away, Tecmo's biggest announcement involved the big N and yet another Playstation franchise moving to the Wii...
Hint: It's not Tecmo Super Bowl...although that might be even more awesome.
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Captain Falcon Confirmed
As Japanese gamers get their hands on advanced copies of Smash Bros. Brawl, videos of the game have begun to infiltrate YouTube. In addition to the intro that we reported on earlier, someone has posted a video of Marth's Subspace Emissary stage. At the very end of the video you can catch a glimpse of the character select screen, and guess who's there!
Brawl Receives Perfect Score: 40/40
Famitsu has decided to pour a little salt into the wounds of American gamers anxious to get their hands on Smash Bros. Brawl. Famitsu has given the highly anticipated fighter a perfect score making the wait until March 9th all the more painful.
LE Monster Hunter PSP Announced
In coordination with the March 27th launch of the highly anticipated Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, Capcom has announced the release of a limited edition brown PSP. Continue reading for pictures and details on this Japan exclusive limited edition console.
New Taiko Game Announced
Famitsu is reporting that Bandai Namco Games is planning a 2008 release for a second Taiko no Tatsujin game titled Meccha! Taiko no Tatsujin DS Nanatsu no Shima no Daibouken. What is it with Japanese rhythm games having ridiculously long titles?
Continue reading for screen shots from the game.
Introducing The SEXBOX 3600 From Microchinco
We've got a new contender in the console wars. Purveyor of adult goods, Lammtarra Epixis of Akihabara, is selling the ultimate in home entertainment, the SEXBOX 3600. For less than $40, this slick white and green package comes with...
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The Good And The Bad From Sony
Sony made two recent announcements about its products. One involved the discontinuation of a struggling console model, while the other announcement involved the expansion of the Blume Series. (If you even know what Sony's Blume series is, you are the hardest of hardcore).
Top 10 Nintendo Related Stories Of 2007?
In its latest issue, Famitsu reports on the top ten stories concerning Nintendo as ranked by gamers and retailers. What news story came out on top? Continue reading to find out.
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The Famitsu Standouts of 2007
2007 is coming to a close, so Famitsu surveyed gamers and retailers alike to find out what impressed them the most. Given the publisher's dominance in the Japanese market, It probably won't surprise you to learn that the kanji of the year is the "nin" from Nintendo.
Continue reading to find out what impressed the Japanese retailers and gamers the most in 2007.
Umiharakawase Portable Dated, Official Website Open
The Umiharakawase Portable official website is now open for your perusing. Fans of the legendary classic import series, who have waited far too long for another dose of their favorite rubber ring action, will be pleased to hear that a launch date for early Spring 2008 (March 19) has been set. The PSP version is a remake of Umiharakawase Shun released in 1997 on the PS1(Japan only) but will feature new maps and new illustrations by the original series artist Toshinobu Kondou.
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Lots To Love About Final Fantasy
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Final Fantasy series, Famitsu asked its readers to vote for their favorites in a wide array of Final Fantasy related categories. Continue reading after the jump to learn what the Japanese love about Final Fantasy.
Dragon Quest IV DS: 360,000 on Release Day in Japan
Dragon Quest IV DS is selling like seaweed natto hot cakes in Japan. According to Shinobi-san, over 360,000 copies were sold the first day - roughly 70% of the initial print run. Although, this isn’t quite the level of Dragon Quest Joker DS’s launch day sales, 420,000 units, it’s pretty impressive for a remake title previously released on the PS1 in 2001 and of course the Famicom back in 1990.
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Release Date Extravaganza: Part 1
With all the good games coming out just before the holidays, it can be difficult to track the release dates and decide what games to purchase and what to hold out for. Thankfully, Famitsu just posted all of the release dates for games planned for release in Japan through the first quarter of 2008. The list is long, so we've split it in half. First up is NDS, PSP and PS2.
Release Date Extravaganza: Part 2
With all the good games coming out just before the holidays, it can be difficult to track the release dates and decide what games to purchase and what to hold out for. Thankfully, Famitsu just posted all of the release dates for games planned for release in Japan through the first quarter of 2008. The list is long, so we've split it in half. The second half features the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360.
The Family Series Revival: (#1) Wii Family Ski
In the Famicom days, The Family Series was synonymous with the name Namco.
Family Stadium, Family Circuit, Family Jockey, Family Tennis, Family Mahjong, Family Boxing and Family Pinball. Continue reading for Pink Godzilla's translation of a Japanese blogger's thoughts on the revival of The Family Series.
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Collector Alert - Wine no Hajimekata DS
On November 15, 2007, Wine no Hajimekata DS will hit store shelves in Japan. And with it Square Enix is about to make ever adult gamer's wildest dreams come true with the release of 1000 limited edition Wine no Hajimekata DS Box Sets. What intoxicating wonders could be packaged inside? Continue reading to find out.
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Limited Edition Red PSP Slim Announced in Japan
Since it's release September 20, the Slim PSP has been in hot pursuit of the DS in the sales charts, even notching a 3 week run at the top. Things are heating up in Japan! In preparation for its high noon hand held Holiday showdown with the DS, Sony is beefing up its Slim PSP lineup with yet another color: Deep Red.
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Rockman To Turn Legal Drinking Age
The legal drinking age in Japan is 20. What does that have to do with video games? On December 17, 2007, Rockman, or Mega Man as he's known outside of Japan, will be celebrating his 20th birthday. You know what that means. Paaaaaaaaaar-teh-ay!
Continue reading after the fold for all the details including 8 reasons why you must attend this event!
Tokyo Game Show Round Up
Along with 193,040 videogame enthusiasts, Pink Godzilla was in attendance at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show. Famitsu asked attendees to answer their rather lengthy questionairres and exactly 1000 (or .5 percent) actually stopped gawking at the booth girls long enough to answer Famitsu's questions.
Continue reading to learn the results.
Japanese Analysts Pick Hottest Holiday Releases
In the most recent issue of Famitsu, videogame analysts Sakurai-san and Murakami-san picked what they believed to be the most anticipated releases for each console this holiday shopping season. Famitsu also asked retailers for their opinion as well.
Continue reading to learn about which games you should be asking Santa for this year.
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Nippon Buroggu: The Guitar Hero Boat Lands in Japan (Finally)
Read along for a Japanese blogger's perspective on the upcoming release of Guitar Hero III, the first game in the series to be released in Japan. The number of bundles being shipped to retailers in Japan is shockingly low. Baby steps.... we thinks.
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Limited Edition Biohazard Bundle Announced
Capcom just released details on a limited edtion Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles bundle called the Expert Package. In addition to the highly anticipated game for the Wii, the limited edition Expert Package includes....
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Famitsu's PSP Roundup
To celebrate the anniversary of the release of the PSP, a recent issue of Famitsu included a multi-page spread of all things PSP. Continue reading for a list of the best selling PSP games along with all sorts of interesting PSP stats and reports.
Hundreds Of Reasons To Buy A Japanese Wii
While Pink Godzilla is certainly disappointed in Nintendo's decision not to make the Wii region free, there is a very good reason to plunk down about $300 and purhase a Japanese Wii. In fact there are hundreds of reasons. The Virtual Console game lineup available for download is determined by the region of your console. Connect a Japanese Wii to the internet and a whole new world of Japanese retro gaming opens up right before your eyes.
Continue reading for a complete list of all the Japanese Virtual Console games currently available.
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Retro Gaming Legends Share Their Thoughts
At the Third Digital Games Research Association International Conference in Tokyo, two gods of gaming participated in a panel about the History of the Japanese Gaming Industry. Mr. Iwatani, god of yellow pie-shaped dot munchers who navigate mazes infested with ghosts and Mr. Uemura, god of 8-bit graphics and midi tracks, were these deities.
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Very Bad News For Sony
N64, Gamecube and Xbox fans certainly recall the days of seemingly endless announcements of highly anticipated games becoming Sony exclusives. The shoe seems to be on the other foot these days. First, Dragon Quest IX, Japan's most popular franchise, became a NDS exclusive with no plans for a PS3 version in the works. Then games like Devil May Cry 4, originally announced to be PS3 exclusive, will see a Xbox 360 release. Now, in what has to be one of the most shocking announcements in Japan.....
Fall 2007 Nintendo Japan Conference Round Up
From the hallowed halls of Nintendo Japan HQ, Mario and Co held the Fall 2007 Nintendo Conference.
Highlights Include:
>Smash Brothers Brawl delayed until late January 2008.
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Tokyo Game Show Video Round Up
Many of you out there did not have the opportunity to take in all the sights, sounds and...smells of the Tokyo Game Show. Have no fear because the kind folks at Famitsu have brought the TGS to you! Famitsu has collected all of their videos of the Tokyo Game Show and neatly organized them here for all to see.
Kingdom Hearts For PSP & DS Announced
Famitsu is reporting the announcement of two new Kingdom Hearts games - Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the NDS and Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep for the PSP. Neither game has a release date yet, but these are sure to be two of the most anticipated games for the NDS and PSP. Given SquareEnix's propsensity for limited edition handheld systems, having looked into their crystal ball, the PG Elders predict a limited edition Kingdom Hearts NDS and PSP in the works.
Continue reading for screenshots of the games.
Halo3 Selling Well in Japan, Relatively
Not too shabby for a 360 title in Japan. Total sales of Halo 3 on the first day were 45,000 copies, roughly 70% of the nationwide retail stock, setting a new single day launch record for a 360 game in Japan this year. The limited edition set is already sold out in most shops.
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TGS07: Mario and Sonic AND Pink Godzilla at the Olympic Games
Mario and Sonic AND Pink Godzilla?! at the Olympics. Could it really be? Very few know just how close this was to being a reality. If only Pinky G had brought his 'P game' at the Olympic Ping Pong trials.... Tune in after the jump for TGS trailer footage of this highly anticipated Wii/DS title as Pinky G laments of what might have been.
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PS3 Sees Bump In Sales
It's not all doom and gloom for Sony in the land of the rising sun. Thanks in part to the release of Koei's Bladestorm, the PS3 received a bump in sales for the last week in August. For the first time in five weeks the PS3 finished fourth in software sales. The bad news? The PS3 knocked off Sony's own PSP to take the four spot. Even worse news? Continue reading to find out.
New NDS Shooter Announced
A week after we noted a possible resurgence in 2D gaming, ESP announces a new shooter for the NDS in Japan. This is a welcome announcement considering the dearth of shooters on Nintendo's handheld since the release of the excellent Nanostray. What game is coming and when? Continue reading to find out!
Reader Reviews: Best of 2007
In every issue of Famitsu, the editor's post a section called User's Eye right after the new game reviews section. The User's Eye is essentially a summary of the collective opinions of Famitsu subscribers consisting of two components - an average score and list of popular comments, both good and bad. In the most recent issue of Famitsu, the editors listed the top 50 games of 2007 according to the User's Eye reviews. Continue reading for the Best of 2007 (according to Famitsu readers).
Taito Announces Legend Of Kage 2 For NDS
One of Elder Matsu's personal retro favorites is set for its first true sequel more than 20 years after its original release. That's right. Taito has just announced Legend of Kage 2, the sequel to the arcade and NES classic of the same name, which can now be played on the Wii's Virtual Console. This ninja action title is set for a February 2008 release.
Continue reading for screen shots and character art from the game.
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Best Selling Games of 2007 Announced
Every one knows that the Nintendo DS has been dominating the sales charts in Japan ever since the release of the DS Lite. Strong hardware sales, however, don't necessarily translate into dominant software sales. Case in point, in Japan the #1 selling game of 2007 is not for the NDS but a PSP exclusive.
What is it? Continue reading to find out!
Namco Spreads The Love
If you are a fan of Namco's Tales series and you're one of those gamers who must play every single game in the series, then Namco's about to make you broke as the next four Tales games are set for release on four different systems. Perhaps as yet another early sign of Armageddon for the PS3 in Japan, none of the four games are slated for release on the PS3...it's as if Namco Bandai Games has decided to ignore the PS3's existence.
Playstation Award Winners Announced
With the new E3 and the Playstation Premiere event in Japan, their has been a lot of gaming news in the last few days. Lost amongst all the furor over the new slimline PSP and software announcements was Sony's announcement of the Playstation Awards 2007. Only one title walked away with the platinum...
Japan Gaming News Week In Review
After months of silence from the land of Segata Sanshiro, there was a barrage of exciting Japanese gaming news this past week. The biggest announcements included the downloadable content for Ouendan 2, the commencement of open beta testing for Monster Hunter Frontier Online, and yet another limited edition NDS.
Gun Accessory Coming To Wii
Miyabix, a third-party accessory maker, has beaten Nintendo to the punch and is set to release a gun accessory that incorporates both the Wii-mote and the nunchuk into its design. It's called Gun Hazard for Wii and is set for release in Japan. The good - the control scheme forces you to hold the accessory like a shotgun, which is perfect for playing Resident Evil on the Wii. The bad - the steep $25 retail price for a piece of plastic.
Continue reading for official Gun Hazard pics.
Yet Another DS Lite Color Announced
Just last week, Nintendo announced the release of two new DS Lite colors - Metallic Rose and Gloss Silver. Now to celebrate the relocation of its Tokyo Pokemon Center, Nintendo is set to release a radio-active yellow Pikachu DS Lite.
Continue reading for pictures and info on how to get your own yellow DS Lite.
Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Box Set Announced
Believe it or not, the Metal Gear series turns 20 this year. To commemorate this milestone, on July 26th Konami will be releasing a limited edition box set that includes six games from the series.
Continue reading to find out which games made the cut.
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Ouendan 2 FTW: 70,000 Copies in First Week
In its first week, Ouendan 2 sold over 70,000 copies across Japan. That may not seem like a lot but compared to the meager 10,000 copies the original sold in its first week back in July of 2005, it's quite a jump.
And to think that Ouendan 2 almost never came to be...
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Nippon Buroggu: Are Hard Core Japanese 360 Gamers Dooming the 360?
Despite moderate efforts by online Japanese gaming blogs such as Shinobi no Enmachou (Shinobi Blacklist) to promote XBOX 360 in Japan, the mainstream Japanese gamer has yet to embrace the 360. Shinobi’s take is that Japanese 360 fans are essentially hurting themselves. How could that be?
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The Wii's Got Soul
Despite the fact that Soulcalibur II (thanks in large part to the one who wears white tights with the green tunic) sold more units on the Gamecube than on the PS2, Namco stunningly snubbed Nintendo's purple box by making Soulcalibur III a PS2 exclusive.
Is Namco ready to make amends and return some Soul to the big N?
Ouendan 2 Official Website is Live
Ouendan 2’s Official Website is live now. Check it out here! You can also see several stages in action here. Remember to turn those speakers down to avoid uncontrollable excitement.
OUENDAN DAI-SEI-KOU!