The JRPG Club

March 4, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Available free on the PlayStation Store, the PlayStation Vita version of Phantasy Star Online 2 is technically region-locked.  Because the console itself only supports a single PSN ID at any given time, the downloadable client must be accessed by a Japanese account.  However, SEGA also released a physical copy of PSO2, and users have reported that this version allows them to connect to the game servers regardless of region.  A Japanese SEGA ID is still required, but it can be tied to any PSN account. Continue reading →

February 20, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Yesterday afternoon, expatriate writer Donald Richie passed away in Tokyo at the age of 88. A name that is easily recognized by anyone with a background or interest in Japanese film studies, Richie spent most of his adult life in Japan, becoming a respected critic and cultural analyst. He is credited with exposing Kurosawa Akira to Western audiences, and also wrote extensively on the work of Ozu Yasuhiro. For many years, in addition to publishing his own fiction and non-fiction writings, he reviewed films and books for The Japan Times. Continue reading →

February 14, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

The team behind the upcoming sequel to Ore no Shikabana o Koete Yuke (俺の屍を超えてゆけ) has started a development blog called "The Road to the Sequel." Since its announcement at the Tokyo Game Show last fall, not a single word had been said (until today) about the PlayStation Vita title, which will be the first new "OreShika" (俺屍) game since the original was released for the PlayStation in 1996.  According to their first post, however, the team at Sony Computer Entertainment hopes that regular updates will help to ease any worries that were created by their six months of silence. Continue reading →

February 6, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, a Nintendo 3DS launch title, was rereleased today as Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Plus (レイトン教授と奇跡の仮面プラス). An eShop exclusive, Miracle Mask Plus includes numerous upgrades, such as new animated cutscenes, three save slots, and more puzzles.  Level-5 has also added some features that will make the game more friendly; extra tutorials and hints will make things easier for younger players, and the downloadable content from the original release will be accessible immediately in Plus. Continue reading →

February 5, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Tadoku (多読) is an immersion learning contest that challenges participants to "Read More or Die;" to compete, entrants must read as much as possible in their target language (or languages) over the course of one month. Unfortunately, the first round of Tadoku 2013, which ran from January 1 to January 31, is now over and the winners have been announced. According to the results, the top five finishers all read the equivalent of over 3,000 pages each. Continue reading →

February 4, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Last week, Atelier Meruru: The Apprentice of Arland Plus (メルルのアトリエ Plus ～アーランドの錬金術士3～) was featured on the cover of Dengeki PlayStation, but unfortunately the magazine provided very little new information regarding the upcoming PlayStation Vita title from Gust.  Announced in early January, Meruru Plus is an upgraded port of the original Atelier Meruru game for PlayStation 3.  The new features and gameplay improvements outlined in Dengeki, however, are also presented in detail on the game's official site.  More interesting, therefore, was the interview with series illustrator Kishida Meru, whose comments provide some insight into the possibility of future entries in the "Plus Project." Continue reading →

February 2, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

In the year 20XX, Tokyo has become overrun with grotesque monsters, and to save the city, the Japanese government has created a secret team of soldiers known simply as “X” (エクス) to exterminate them.   You, the player, are a high school student who, after being attacked by a mysterious black knight, discovers his hidden powers and joins X on their mission to rid Tokyo of the 異形 (モンスター) menace. Continue reading →

January 30, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Sony has finally announced international release dates for the upcoming PlayStation Vita title from Inafune Keiji; Soul Sacrifice will arrive in North America on April 30 and is set to launch in Europe the next day.  They further confirmed that the preorder bonuses being distributed in Japan will be available worldwide as well, with one special exception; those that reserve the game in the West will also be given a Japanese voice-over pack, which will later be sold as downloadable content, for free. Continue reading →

January 25, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Next month, members of the Japanese Pokémon fan club (ポケモンだいすきクラブ) will have the chance to purchase a limited edition Nintendo 3DS LL featuring a fire breathing Charizard design that covers both the front and back of the console.  Charizard, who is known as リザードン in Japan, is not the first Pokemon to have his face printed on a 3DS LL, but unlike the bright yellow Pikachu version that was sold in limited numbers last year, this model has a certain classiness to it that is reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary 3DS released in 2011. Continue reading →

January 22, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

The first wave of the Phantasy Star Online 2 beta test invited 50,000 Vita owners to try out the handheld version of the game over a month before its February 28 launch. Over 100,000 people applied to participate, however, leaving many with nothing to do but wait for the official release. Fortunately, SEGA has announced that tonight more invitations will be sent out, although they have not revealed just how many new players will be added to the current pool of testers. Continue reading →

January 17, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

PlayStation Plus is considered by many to be a must-have in Western territories, but in Japan, the lineup of free games has always lagged behind the other regions in both number and quality. In November, for example, when PlayStation Vita support was added to the service, North America and Europe were given four titles, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Jet Set Radio (a new release) and Gravity Rush, whereas Japanese subscribers had to settle for just Sumioni: Demon Arts. The following month, which replaced Sumioni with A-men, was arguably an even bigger disappointment. The January update, however, suggests that SCEJ is finally going to bring their PS Plus offerings up to the impressive standard set in areas outside of Japan. Continue reading →

January 15, 2013 | J.J. Cappa

Last week, PlayStation Vita owners that applied for the closed beta test of Phantasy Star Online 2 were notified if they had been selected to participate, and although the download has been available since then, this afternoon marks the first time that the game will actually become playable.  In addition to the Vita version, the 50,000 lucky testers (who were chosen from a pool of over 100,000 hopeful applicants) will also have access a special PC client for trying out cross-platform connectivity. Continue reading →

December 29, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Famitsu reported yesterday that the final shipment of PlayStation 2 consoles was sent out on December 28, nearly twelve years after the system launched on March 4, 2000.  Selling 150 million units and over one billion games from its massive 10,000 title library, the PlayStation 2 was a worldwide success that continued to do well in Japan and other territories even after its successor, the PlayStation 3, was released.  (In their article, Famitsu cited the official PlayStation 2 website as their source, but it appears as though the press release announcing the system's retirement is no longer available.) Continue reading →

December 20, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Four classic role-playing games from the SEGA Master System and Genesis era arrived on PlayStation 3 consoles yesterday when Phantasy Star Complete Collection was added to the PlayStation 2 Archives.  The game includes faithful ports of all four Phantasy Star titles, which were first released in a SEGA Saturn compilation, then rereleased on the PlayStation 2 in 2008.  Two hidden Game Gear games are also included: Phantasy Star Adventure and Phantasy Star Gaiden. Continue reading →

December 19, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Like many other classic series that were born in the eighties, Final Fantasy is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary this year, and Square Enix will be honoring the event with a massive sale on its catalogue of downloadable games. Between December 25 and January 7, every Final Fantasy title released on the original PlayStation will be half off on the PlayStation Store. Continue reading →

December 17, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

One year ago today, the PlayStation Vita was released in Japan.  The system has had a somewhat rough twelve months at home and abroad, but even in the face of tough competition from the Nintendo 3DS, a strong catalogue of both new and classic titles have established Sony's "next generation portable" as an ideal console for immersion learners to own. Continue reading →

December 12, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Speculation suggests that Tales of Hearts R, the next PlayStation Vita "re-imagination" of a Nintendo DS Tales of game, will be released on March 7 of next year.  Presumably more information will be made available in one of the two gaming magazines that come out tomorrow, but preliminary details suggest that the first printing of Hearts R will include a product code for an extra game called Tales of Hearts R Infinite Evolve (テイルズ オブ ハーツR INFINITE EVOLVE).  Infinite Evolve is believed to be a 2D action RPG. Continue reading →

December 7, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

This month marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Sorcerian, the fifth entry in Nihon Falcom's Dragon Slayer series. First released in 1987, Sorcerian was, like many other Falcom games, originally developed for personal computers and later ported to home consoles. Earlier this year, the game was also brought to iOS devices, but Sorcerian for iOS usually carries a hefty 2500円 pricetag. Fortunately, though, Falcom has made it available free on the App Store through December 20 (the release date of the original game) and anyone that had already purchased the game at full price will receive 2800円 worth of items as compensation. Continue reading →

December 5, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

For over two years, Game no Jikan (ゲームのじかん) hosts Watanabe Kouji, Sato Kayo and Tamura Nagisa discussed video games on Nico Nico Live every Thursday at nine.  Each week, major industry figures appeared to promote their latest work, making the show stand out among other similar programs.  This past September, however, Game no Jikan aired what was thought to be its final episode, but the show will return tomorrow for one last "special" dedicated to the Wii U and some of its launch titles.  The games that will be covered are ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land.

Continue reading →

November 30, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Takahashi Keita, the creative mind behind Noby Noby Boy (のびのびBOY) and the Katamari Damacy (塊魂) series, is working with Adam Saltsman (the maker of Canabalt) to develop a new game that will be sold exclusively through Kickstarter.  The project, about which very few details are available at the moment, is being used to fund a gaming research and development facility called the LA Game Space.  Purchasing the game requires a minimum $5 donation, and is included in all higher tiers as well. Continue reading →

November 29, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Pier Solar, a 16-bit RPG released for the SEGA Genesis in 2010, is planning to make the jump to high definition and (mostly) modern consoles with funding from a successful Kickstarter drive that began earlier this month.  Having now reached their initial $139,000 goal, developer WaterMelon has announced five stretch goals that include additional features, more platforms and, most importantly, Japanese support. Continue reading →

November 28, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Yakuza 5 (龍が如く５ 夢、叶えし者) is rumored to have received a 40/40 "Cross Review" score in this week's issue of Famitsu, joining the ranks of other perfect games such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and the original Soulcalibur.  Due out next month, Yakuza 5 is the ninth entry in a series that has always scored well in Famitsu.  This is the first perfect score for Yakuza, though, and only the twentieth given out by the magazine. Continue reading →

November 20, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Last Friday, Sony announced that their Japanese gaming news "show" Weekly Toro Station (週刊トロ・ステーション) will be coming to an end in March. Hosted by SCEJ mascots Toro and Kuro, Toro Station began as a source for daily PlayStation updates and other news that was viewable on PlayStation 3 consoles with a program called Mainichi Issho (まいにちいしょ). In 2009, however, "broadcasts" were reduced to a weekly schedule and a new application replaced Mainichi Issho on the PS3 and PlayStation Portables. Both will be removed from the PlayStation Store once Weekly Toro Station is discontinued. Continue reading →

November 16, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

The sixth series of Mojibakeru toys will be in stores on December 10 and will include, for the first time, a "renewed" version of a Chinese character that has already been used in an earlier set; the popular tiger figure from the original run of kanji transformers will return with a new look. This is technically not the first repeat for Mojibakeru, as two dragons have been released thus far as well. Each dragon, however, was represented by a unique character (竜 and 龍). Both tigers, on the other hand, will use 虎 (as Bandai has elected not to use 寅). Continue reading →

November 15, 2012 | JJ Cappa

When The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki Evolution (英雄伝説 零の軌跡 Evolution) was released last month, players quickly discovered a bug that froze the game, preventing any progress beyond the first dungeon. Falcom and Kadokawa Games were quick to acknowledge the issue, however, and on November 9 finally revealed that an update was in the works.  Yesterday, they announced that the patch was ready; it will be released tomorrow. Continue reading →

November 14, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

PlayStation Plus is coming to the Vita next week and, as usual, the games being given away to subscribers in North America and Europe put the meager Japanese offering to shame.  Leading the (Western) pack are Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, along with a few other titles that vary by region.  Europe, for example, will get Chronovolt and special discounts on nine first-party games, while Jet Set Radio and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions will go to members in the States.  In comparison, the only PlayStation Vita title being added to the service this month in Japan is Sumioni: Demon Arts. Continue reading →

 November 9, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

These days nearly every media franchise in Japan has gone "social," which (despite the name) usually means being turned into a free-to-play collectible card game that offers very few opportunities to actually interact with other players. Gaming and other aspects of popular culture are not the only source material used to make these titles, however; there are also games about horse racing and professional sports, just to name a few examples.  In September, the Japan Sumo Association announced that they too would be joining the world of social gaming through a partnership with GREE, and the game is expected to launch this month. Continue reading →

October 31, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Thursday is generally the day that new games come out in Japan, but tomorrow Nintendo will also be adding a number of previously released titles to the list of those available as downloads on the Nintendo 3DS.  Most are first-party, including The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time 3D and Super Mario 3D Land, but Bravely Default: Flying Fairy,  the latest RPG from Square Enix, was just announced as a late addition to the schedule today. Continue reading →

October 30, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Magazine scans that began circulating this evening show that Dragon Quest VII (ドラゴンクエストVII エデンの戦士たち) will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS next February.  The announcement was, admittedly, less than surprising, however; this remake has long been expected, as Dragon Quest IV, Dragon Quest V and Dragon Quest VI were all rereleased on the original Nintendo DS.  Fans likewise predicted that Dragon Quest VII would be ported to a handheld console eventually, and will be proven right early next year.  The updated version will include new features, characters and StreetPass support. Continue reading →

October 29, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Last Thursday, Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct broadcast to discuss upcoming Wii U titles, New Super Mario Bros. 2 downloadable content, and the new music service that will soon be available on the 3DS. The biggest surprise, however, was the fifteen minute finale; Nintendo president Iwata Satoru appeared with "Section Chief" Arino in a special edition of Game Center CX. First, the two men exchanged questions about their gaming history, and eventually sat down to a game Balloon Fight, which Iwata had a hand in developing. The entire broadcast, including the Game Center CX portion, is available on Nintendo's website. Continue reading →

October 25, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

When Tales of Innocence was "re-imagined" on the PlayStation Vita as Tales of Innocence R last January, fans immediately began to speculate that there would be future "R" remakes, a rumor fueled by the game's closing credits, which stated "To be continued to Next Re-imagination!"  The clock application that shipped as a pre-order bonus with the game also contributed to the excitement by asking players to choose which game they wanted to see updated next.  Of the two remaining Nintendo DS Tales of games, Hearts seemed like the logical successor to Innocence. , and confirming those suspicions, scans posted by Tokkurin show that Tales of Hearts R is indeed the next Vita remake, and will be out in the spring of next year. Continue reading →

October 24, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

With no definite release dates set for highly anticipated titles like Dragon's Crown and Final Fantasy X HD, after The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki Evolution and Little Battlers eXperience W came out last week it looked like the PlayStation Vita would not be getting another RPG (besides Atelier Totori Plus) for a very long while. Just in time to keep the struggling handheld from falling into a slump, however, the upcoming dungeon RPG that developer Experience has been working on will reportedly be out in January, an announcement that should appear in Famitsu tomorrow. Continue reading →

October 23, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Delays are common in the gaming industry, but it is rare to see a release date pushed back because developers feel (and openly admit) they need extra time to make their game more awesome.  That, however, is exactly what happened to the latest project from Megaman and Dead Rising creator Inafune Keiji, Soul Sacrifice (ソウル・サクリファイス).  At the Tokyo Game Show this past September, it was announced that the upcoming PlayStation Vita title would be delayed from this winter until next spring, with the explicit purpose of making the game better. Now, Sony is putting some of the power in the hands of the people; between now and October 31, a survey is being conducted to find out what it is exactly that gamers want to see in Soul Sacrifice. Continue reading →

October 19, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Although the new version of Anki officially launched in early October, the upgraded iOS client, AnkiMobile, was not yet ready for public release at that time. Today, however, it appears to have finally made it through Apple's certification process and is available for download on the App Store. Those that have already purchased AnkiMobile in the past can upgrade to version 2.0 for free; for new users the price remains a steep, but worthwhile, $25 (the reason for which, the developer has explained, is that selling the iOS application is the only way he directly generates revenue from his work on Anki). Continue reading →

October 18, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Like Ys: Foliage Ocean in Celceta (イース セルセタの樹海) last month, the latest PlayStation Vita game from the Nihon Falcom Corporation seems to be flying off the shelves as well.  Although there have not yet been any reports of brick and mortar retailers selling out, Amazon in Japan was reportedly down to a single unit of The Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki Evolution (英雄伝説 零の軌跡 Evolution) and are now only offering both the regular and limited edition versions of the game from external sellers.  Other online shops are also showing signs of increased demand, having limited to their stock to one per customer.  Presumably, Falcom will send out another shipment of games soon, as they did with Ys, but for the next few days it might be difficult to find a copy of Zero no Kiseki. Continue reading →

October 17, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

The people behind the Brave Yoshihiko series have once again proven that they are determined to reach as wide of an audience as possible this season; for a limited time, the first episode of The Brave "Yoshihiko" and the Evil Spirit's Bell will be streaming online for free.  The list of sites participating in the promotion is extensive, and some are even accessible on smartphones and Japanese keitai.  This is great news for people living out of the country or in an area that does not receive TV Tokyo broadcasts. Continue reading →

October 12, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

The second Brave Yoshihiko series, The Brave "Yoshihiko" and the Key of an Evil Spirit (勇者ヨシヒコと悪霊の鐘) begins just after midnight tonight on TV Tokyo (and other channels will start airing the show next week).  The first season put real actors into the world of a role-playing game, showcasing just how funny the cliches of the genre can be.  Back for a second adventure, Yoshiko, along with his companions Danjo, Murasaki and Merebu, are likely to spend most of the first episode trying to figure out why all their powers and items disappeared after their original journey. Continue reading →

October 11, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

During their Tokyo Game Show press conference, Sony announced that a digital comic reader would come to the PlayStation Vita in the middle of October, and today they delivered on that promise.  Reader, as the program is called, gives Vita owners access to over five hundred of the manga series that are currently available in the Reader Store, and to commemorate the release Sony is giving new users 300 points to spend on books or comics. Continue reading →

October 9, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

After going through an extensive development cycle that spanned over a year and a half, Anki 2 was officially released today.  The list of changes in the latest version is very extensive, with most focusing on improving performance and making study sessions more efficient.  Deck and flashcard organization has also been redesigned, which should be the most noticeable cosmetic change to the program. Continue reading →

October 5, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

The Brave "Yoshihiko" and the Great Satan's Castle (勇者ヨシヒコと魔王の城) has been renewed for a second "series" called 勇者ヨシヒコと悪霊の鍵 (The Brave "Yoshihiko" and the Key of an Evil Spirit).  The new season of the show starts next week, and to celebrate, the entire first adventure will be streaming on a number of video sites for free this weekend.  Participating in the promotion are Video Market, DMM.com, Nico Nico Douga, GyaO! and テレビドガッチ (TV Dogatch).  Hulu Plus subscribers in Japan also have unlimited access to Brave Yoshihiko. Continue reading →

October 4, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Although Nintendo has yet to announce an official start date for regular Wii U reservations, preorders for the limited edition Monster Hunter bundle will begin, and most likely end, this Saturday.  The set includes (for 38850円) a premium Wii U console, a copy of Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) G HD Ver. and one "pro" Wii U controller.  Preorders can be made at most electronics stores in Japan, as well as online, but because this is Monster Hunter expect them to go fast.  Play-Asia.com is still listing reservations for the bundle as opening "soon," though it is very possible that they will start on Saturday or sometime soon thereafter. Continue reading →

October 4, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Japan is often privileged to limited edition systems that never make it West, such as the golden One Piece: Pirate Warriors and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch PlayStation 3 consoles that were released alongside their respective games.  This December two new titles will be the first to adorn the recently redesigned PlayStation hardware, but they too are unlikely to available in any markets outside of Japan. Continue reading →

October 1, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Bandai Namco makes toys and games, but technically they sell candy products as well.  In Japanese grocery stores, the candy aisle is divided up into two sections; there is an area for traditional sweets and another for toys.  These toys are packaged with a small piece of gum or chocolate, which allows them to be sold in supermarkets.  Bandai has an entire division dedicated to creating "candy toy" products, including the popular Mojibakeru (超変換!!もじバケる) series. Continue reading →

September 28, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

This winter, four Square Enix titles will be added to their Ultimate Hits lineup, including Final Fantasy Type-0, two versions of Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep and Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3: Daikaizoku to Shippodan.  Along with new packaging, each game will have its price reduced to 2940円 (which should also apply to the digital version of Final Fantasy Type-0). Continue reading →

September 27, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

This is a big year for the Nihon Falcom Corporation.  Their flagship series, Ys, turned twenty-five in June, and the birthday celebrations hit their peak today with the release of Ys: Foliage Ocean in Celceta (イース セルセタの樹海).  Originally, the fourth entry in the series was developed independently by two outside developers, resulting in two separate Ys IV games, neither of which had been worked on by Falcom themselves.  In honor of the Ys anniversary, however, they finally decided to show gamers their personal take on Adol's adventure in Celceta. Continue reading →

September 26, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

On Monday, Valkyria Chronicles DUEL (戦場のヴァルキュリアDUEL) was finally made available for iOS devices.  Originally scheduled to be released in early August, the app was delayed along with the Android version of DUEL (which was supposed to come out at the end of July, but did not launch until the middle of August).  Like its Android predecessor, the latest mobile version can also be synched with existing player data from the browser-based client. Continue reading →

September 24, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

This evening the first season of Samurai & Dragons will finally come to an end.  Originally intended to be on a 3-month cycle, Samurai & Dragons suffered from server stability issues during its initial release in March, and was taken down until the middle of April.  After a successful relaunch, the developers decided that instead of sticking the their intended schedule, it would be best to extend the season as necessary, eventually deciding on today as the end date. (This was mentioned on an episode ゲームのじかん earlier this year.) Continue reading →

September 20, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Available now on the PlayStation Store, Picotto Knights is the third free-to-play game to be released for the PlayStation Vita in Japan.  An action RPG with the heart of a beat 'em up, the online multiplayer adventure was developed by Game Arts, who previously worked on popular Vita launch title Ragnarok Odyssey.  Taking control of a small (ココロイド) knight, players team up with other Vita owners to complete missions and battle the forces of evil.  There are over one thousand unique character variations to choose from, as well as hundreds of outfits and weapons, allowing for virtually limitless customization. Continue reading →

September 19, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

During a press conference held today on the eve of the Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced that its digital comics service would resume next month on the PlayStation Vita.  At that time, a new touchscreen-compatible comic and manga reader will be released on the PlayStation Store and many popular titles, including Naruto and One Piece, will be available for download. Continue reading →

September 18, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Yet another event is underway in Valkyria Chronicles DUEL (戦場のヴァルキュリアDUEL). Between today and October 1, players have a chance to acquire exclusive cards featuring popular Class G rival Juliana Everhart (ユリアナ) from Valkyria Chronicles 2.  Like the Selvaria event held in August, players must first collect "swimwear tickets" from boss battles, which can then be exchanged for special card packs.  Hiding in those packs are four new rare and super rare cards that, when lined up in order, portray Juliana relaxing on the beach in a bikini.  Lucky gamers who are able to acquire the super rare versions during the next two weeks will also receive "exchange tickets," ten of which can be traded for an additional Juliana card. Continue reading →

September 17, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

While most of the gaming world was speculating about (and then excitedly discussing) the Wii U announcements made during the two Nintendo Direct presentations held on September 13, Level-5 was also busy revealing dates and pricing for its upcoming titles. Why they chose to make such important announcements at a time when all eyes in the industry were on Nintendo remains a mystery, but for anyone that (understandably) missed out on the news, here is the latest information about the Level-5 winter lineup. Continue reading →

September 15, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Play-Asia.com has started taking "reservation list" preorders for Japanese Wii U hardware.  The deluxe bundle, which includes a black console with 32gb of internal storage, as well as two years of premium Nintendo Network service, is being advertised for $529.90 (at current pricing).  The basic set, featuring a white console and 8gb of onboard memory, is expected to cost $449.90 (but that price could potentially increase with demand). Continue reading →

September 14, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

The fourth annual "Final Fantasy Five Four Job Fiesta" raised $3,385 for Child's Play this year, surpassing its initial goal by more than one thousand dollars.  The event, which challenges gamers to play through Final Fantasy V using four randomly selected classes and nothing else, ran from June until the end of August.  In that time, the game was cleared 468 times out of 1238 attempted runs, prompting over one hundred contributors to give to charity.  Those and other statistics are now available on the Let's Playing site. Continue reading →

September 13, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Two free AR applications were released for the PlayStation Vita today. Both appear to have been created specifically for Tokyo Game Show attendees, and will be unusable until players visit specific locations or receive AR cards distributed at the event. Continue reading →

September 12, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Just in time for the release of PSone support on the PlayStation Vita, Capcom has put digital versions of six titles from the Biohazard (Resident Evil in the West) series on sale in the PlayStation Store.  Among the discounted items are the three original PlayStation games, as well as Biohazard Code: Veronica, Biohazard 4, and Biohazard 5: Alternative Edition. Continue reading →

September 11, 2012 | J.J. Cappa

Today the Japanese gaming news site Andriasang announced that it will no longer be updated, due to editor Anoop Gantayat pursuing a new opportunity outside of the gaming industry.  Since 2007, the site had a been a top resource for breaking news about Japanese games in English. Although there are other news outlets that focus on, or at least include, the Japanese gaming industry in their reporting, Andriasang was unmatched in speed and accuracy.  For Japanese learners, the bilingual interface and Japanese-language content created an immersive environment that will be missed. Continue reading →