Umihara Kawase Portable - New Import, Restock Soon

Originally released on the Super Famicom back in 1994, Umihara Kawase is a platform action game where a little girl swings around the levels with the use of a rubbery grappling hook. A Playstation sequel made it to market in 1997 and fourteen years after Umihara's debut, Marvelous ships a PSP version of the game which adds new levels and an illustrations gallery. New modes include a Practice Mode to test your skills and a Replay Theater Mode to watch your performance after a level has been completed.

Umihara begins her travels on the lower-right corner of the game screen. By pressing the "SQUARE" or "O" button, a hook is shot out and tethered to platforms which then allows Ms Kawase to gain air, leap from ledge to ledge, and even perform actions reminiscent of a vine swinging muscle man. The "TRIANGLE" and "X" buttons make Umihara jump but it's only a little jump that's primarily used in conjunction with her grappling swings.

To provide adversity, enemy goldfish, lizards and other animals normally found in water mindlessly walk back and forth on platforms but the real challenge is gauging the lift and distance of each swing to reach nearby platforms. Umihara Kawase never sold big numbers in Japan but the original designers likely never targeted the game at a wide audience. The controls are quirky until you discover the hook's tension system and the feats that it allows Umihara to accomplish. Only then will players marvel at the intelligent design that went into the game and sing its praises...

Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G - New Import, Restock Soon

Return to Pokke Village and slake your bloodthirsty nature once again by killing monsters, going on monster killing quests, and chopping up carcasses for meat. That's good virtual eatin' especially when the concept of virtual hunger and realistic stomach growling noises are part and parcel of the Monster Hunter game world.
MHP2G is a action-adventure game where players take control of a hunter who receives missions from the Guild. By fulfilling the missions, payment is earned which may then be used to buy better equipment. With better equipment, tougher tasks may be accomplished to earn even more coin. It's a vicious cycle of capital investment and monster hunting.

Features in Monster HP2G include:
» The ability to transfer data from Monster Hunter Portable - players will retain Felyne cooks, weaponry, armor, guild card data, and items.
» Three types of Felyne fighters may be hired as traveling companions. They'll also fight monsters alongside the player and provide support.
» A new area dubbed the Rain Forest with a unique mix of monsters.
» G-Class quests which feature G-rank monsters.
» Chunks of MHP2G game code (up to 1 GB) may be copied to memory stick and stored locally to improve loading times.
» New monsters including the Yamashikami, the fearsome Narugakaruga, Queen Vespoid, and the Green Congalala.
» Updated and new weapons to use which feature elemental effects

Raiden Fighters Aces- New Import, In Stock

Taito snubs the Playstation 2 and ships Raiden Fighters Aces for the Xbox 360 instead. The compilation features three vertical coin-op shooters as follows:

» Raiden Fighters
» Raiden Fighters 2: Operation Hell Dive
» Raiden Fighters Jet

For the uninitiated, Raiden Fighters is the natural progression of the classic Raiden series with new ships, powerful upgradeable weaponry, and the ability to use the mighty Judge Spear from the Viper Phase 1 game.

The first printing of Raiden Fighters Aces will include a bonus "The Onslaught: Raiden Fighters Special Edition" Master Play DVD which captures the deft skills of a gamer who blows through the Raiden Fighters games with perfect precision and expert maneuvers.

Please note Japanese Xbox 360 games will not boot on USA or European Xbox 360 consoles due to the region-lockout.

Tales of the World LE Items - Clearance

The Tales of the World game and blue PSP handheld have been sold but we still have a bunch of limited edition bundle items as follows:

» Stylish Tales of the World PSP carrying pouch and hand strap
» Tales of the World cloth which features game cover artwork
» Official Sony 32MB Memory Stick Duo w/ Magic Gate technology

Sale Offering - The three Tales of the World LE items are new and still sealed in their original wrappers. Pricing is set at US$38.90 per bundle which includes free shipping by USPS Media Mail within the U.S. Photos.

Metal Gear Solid 4 Premium Pack - Preorder

Suppliers in Japan started preorders for the MGS4 games last week but it was only last night that they started accepting reservations for the MGS4 Premium Pack which includes a special "Hagane" or steel-tinted version of the Playstation 3 40GB console and a matching Dual Shock 3 controller. The Premium Pack bundle includes the following items:

» PS3 Hagane 40GB Console (Note: multi-voltage 100V to 240V)
» Metal Gear Solid 4 Special Edition Game (two-disc set)
» PS3 Hagane Dual Shock 3 Controller
» Bonus MGS4 "Making Of" Blu-Ray Bonus Disc

The top side of each Hagane console is imprinted with the following text:
"Metal Gear Solid 4 Limited Edition" which is located below the Playstation 3 mark on the top of the unit.

Konamistyle is already sold out of the bundles but NCS is able to guarantee preorders that are submitted today. Based solely on the three preorder offers we've received thus far, vendors will be charging a premium for the bundle. The official retail price in Japan is set at JPY51,800 but NCS will be charging US$689 for the bundle. Since we're fairly certain that the U.S. dollar will hold up against both the Japanese Yen and the Euro for the remainder of the year, we don't expect any price volatility based on currency fluctuations.

Preorders are welcome to ship on June 12, 2008. Reservations for the MGS4 Special Edition game and Regular Edition game are also welcome.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 Kiryu Kazuma Lighting Figure - Preorder

Kiryu Kazuma isn't a messianic comic book hero nor is he a super-powered wunderkind out to save the world. He's just muscle. A battle-hardened Yakuza street enforcer who's tactics are brutal. NCS wouldn't go so far as to ascribe the title of "anti-hero" to Kiryu since he has redeeming qualities and a heart of gold when the occasion calls. Maybe we'll coin the term "semi-hero."

Kiryu's broad shoulders have carried three commercially successful games for the House of Sega but toys have been lacking. That changes this summer when Sega Toys releases the Ryu Ga Gotoku 2 Kiryu Kazuma Lighting Figure which features a shirtless gangster who stands on a lit pedestal. The lighting is for dramatic effect. Three weapons are included with the figure for a menacing effect. Preorders ship in late July 2008.

Transformers Binaltech BT-21 Arcee - Preorder

There was a lull with the Binaltech series but Takara/Tomy renews their BT dedication with two new toys which ship on July 17, 2008.

Binaltech BT-21 is based on Binaltech BT-12 which was originally released in 2005 but the roof, steering wheel, and spoiler are new. The pink and feminine robot is none other than Arcee who transforms into a Honda S2000 Hardtop with platinum on pink color scheme. Preorders are welcome to ship in late July 2008.

Transformers Binaltech BT-22 Convoy - Preorder

There was a lull with the Binaltech series but Takara/Tomy renews their BT dedication with two new toys which ship on July 17, 2008.

Binaltech BT-22 which features Convoy looks thicker than normal but that's probably because he has to transform into a muscular Dodge SRT10. Please note the photo to the right is a prototype image and the final product will be colored red. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late July 2008 at JPY5000 or US$53.90.