PSP QIX++ - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The original coin-op version of Qix gobbled up quarters back in 1981 when the competition consisted of Kangaroo, Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man. Fast forward nearly three decades and Qix++ has already been released on Xbox Live Arcade to mediocre reviews but that's not stopping Taito from porting the game over to the PSP.

Qix is a simple block-building game. Players control a diamond-shaped vehicle which draws straight lines in order to create squares and boxes. The aim of the game is to isolate an electrical being called Qix in as small a space as possible by building blocks on the playfield while avoiding the deathly touch of the Qix. The PSP conversion will include all of the downloadable content that's available for the Xbox Live version.

When playing Qix, NCS recommends a tree-building strategy where gamers start by building the trunk of a tree with smallish to medium-sized rectangular shapes. The origin of the trunk can be seeded on the center of the screen or you can even start it on one of the corners. Once the trunk has been established, start working on the branches of the tree which should sprout out in at least four or five separate segments. The goal is to use the tree branch design to trap the Qix and box it into as small an area as possible. By accomplishing this feat, players will score big points and attain the temerity to pat themselves on the back.

Wii Dai Kaiju Battle Ultra Coliseum DX Ultra Senshi - New

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The original Ultraman and nineteen cohorts go to war against each other and an assemblage of 70 mighty monsters that bear names such as King Joe, Dada, Alien Baltan, Garamon and more. Although a game that's titled Dai Kaiju Battle Ultra Coliseum DX Ultra Senshi sounds like it'll be an all-out 3D fighting fest of epic proportions, NCS can assure you that it's not. Sure, there's battling but not in the conventional sense where monsters are controlled directly by the player. In Bandai's Wii interpretation of big movie monster battles, the Remote is wagged feverishly from side to side to perform certain moves which are then followed by other Wii Remote operations to ignite other fighting actions. In this manner then, the game is what NCS would call a flick-action fighting game since the moves are broken up into sequences that require Wii Remote movement before they're triggered. In other words, you won't control the monsters directly but your actions with the Remote decide how the beast under your control behaves and acts on screen.
In addition to the flick-action fighting, Bandai throws in three mini-games which also require Remote waving motion. One of the mini-games features tug-of-war between monsters. That alone is probably worth the price of admission. Or at least 1/4 the price of entry.

Wii Rajirugi NOAH - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» The Naomi coin-op version of Rajirugi Noah was location-tested late 2008 in Japan, released in February 2009, and is making its way to the Wii a year later. Arcade operators have likely recouped their investment on the game already so the Wii conversion won't engender too much ill will from that beleaguered crowd.

Rajirugi aka Radirgy is a Milestone shooter which we didn't think would get a sequel because it was a fairly average game in terms of play mechanics and aesthetics. Rajirugi was apparently profitable for the company since they had enough confidence to release a sequel. The follow-up subtitled "Noah" didn't light a fire amongst the Japanese shmup literati but we're sure it'll grab a few sales on the Wii and possibly make its way to other territories either as a standalone release or as part of a compilation.

In the game, players control a ship that's capable of shooting, shielding, and slashing. The "slashing" is in the form of a little sword which swishes to and fro like a windshield wiper. By shooting and slashing, the ship levels up both offensive functions for improved performance. "Noah" features a simultaneous 2-player option and is viewed in the Yoko (horizontal) aspect which allows enough room for both gamers to maneuver and takes sides. Bosses in "Noah" include a bald-headed homo sapien in yellow pants who performs a spin attack that launches fireballs and an aerial platform that disappears in a puff of clouds when destroyed.

PS3 HEAVY RAIN (ヘビーレイン) - New Import, Restock Soon

From the Publisher
How Far Will You Go To Save Someone You Love? Experience a gripping psychological thriller filled with innumerable twists and turns, where choices and actions can result in dramatic consequences. Spanning four days of mystery and suspense, the hunt is on for a murderer known only as the Origami Killer - named after his macabre calling card of leaving behind folded paper shapes at crime scenes. Four characters, each following their own leads and with their own motives, must...

Key Features
» An evolving thriller in which you shape the story
» Mature content, reflecting a realistic world setting that explores powerful themes
» Stunning graphics, animation and technology support an emotionally driven experience
» Accessible gameplay via intuitive, contextual controls and interface

NEWS Japanese Customs Computer Bottleneck (JCCB)

UPS Shipment Delay
«©NCSX» When shipping "Express" packages from Japan, we tend to hope for quick delivery. Speed is the reason why the going rate for UPS Worldwide Express is what it is compared to a service like EMS which costs about 1/3 less and delivers 3 days later. Yesterday, the following tracking result popped up on all of our UPS shipments from multiple Japanese vendors:

COMPUTER SYSTEM BREAKDOWN-PACKAGE DATA PROCESSING NOT POSSIBLE-NO CONNECTION TO CUSTOMS SYSTEM / DELIVERY RESCHEDULED

Maybe it was an erroneous message so we spoke to a UPS representative and pointed out the error message to him. He'd never seen such a message in his entire life. He sounded like an old dude too. His supervisor who had "seen it all" hadn't seen that message before either. In the two decades that NCS has shipped with UPS, that message has never appeared on any of our packages. Guess it was about time that it did appear and it was great that it happened on the day that some of our biggest shipments of the year were trying to escape from Japan.

We're disappointed. Tonight was supposed to be "Espgaluda II Night NYC." As of right now, it looks more like "Frozen TV Dinner Night 2010." The fare will include greasy Salisbury steak, congealed gravy, and mushy peas. If we're lucky, the dessert brownie will have a rock baked into it.

As of this morning, the shipments are on the way but they're a day late and won't arrive until tomorrow. If there isn't any further botching of shipments, all preorders for Espgaluda II (Regular and Limited Edition) will ship out tomorrow along with preorders for the other new releases including PSP BlazBlue Portable, PSP Kenka Banchou 4, etc.

NEWS General Espgaluda II Updates

X360 Espgaluda II Black Label [RE and LE]- Tomorrow «©NCSX» Our entire allocation of Espgaluda II Black Label has shipped from Tokyo and NCS expects to take delivery tomorrow. All preorders submitted to NCS as of 10:30AM EST today should ship on Wednesday. Please note however that new orders that are placed after 10:30AM (today) may not ship until Thursday due to the volume of orders that we'll be processing, packing, and shipping tomorrow. Our Espgaluda II preorder numbers beat Mushihimesama Futari's numbers by a wide margin. Due to the earlier than expected arrival of Espgaluda II, please be advised that we'll begin processing transactions today so we can alert customers if there are any payment issues and allow customers enough time to make alternate payment arrangements. Note that we cannot accept any shipping changes at this time since all invoices and shipping labels have been printed and are ready to go for efficient dispatch tomorrow.

X360 Espgaluda II Black Label - Region Clarification «©NCSX» We're still receiving inquiries regarding the region status of Espgaluda II. This makes us nervous. To reiterate, the Regular Edition of Espgaluda II is Region-Free and the Limited Edition is Region-Locked.

TOYS Miss Bunny Chibizu MJ FuwaFuwa Plush - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Thumper was a rabbit character who starred in the Bambi movie from roughly 70 years ago. Thumper's betrothed was a bunny named "Miss Bunny" who had a sunflower-colored hide and pink ears. She also had big eyelashes which she batted to catch her man. Thumper and Miss Bunny have probably had a hundred kids since rabbits breed like... rabbits. Sega Toys shows love to Miss Bunny by announcing an "MJ FuwaFuwa" plush which measures 45cm or 17.71" tall and is made of cushiony material which is soft and pliable to the touch. Preorders ship in May 2010.

TOYS Stitch & Bugu MJ FuwaFuwa Plush - Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» No one has ears as large as Cheburashka but Stitch gives him a run for the money with a pair of big velvety ones. In Sega Toys' upcoming Stitch FuwaFuwa plush, the blue-skinned alien creature shows off its big ears, pot belly, and black talons. Stitch is accompanied by a little pal named Bug which peeks out from behind. The version of Stitch that Sega presents is peaceful Stitch. We know this because he isn't baring its fangs for all the world to witness. The Stitch FuwaFuwa plush measures 50cm or 19.68" in height and is fixed pose. Preorders are welcome to ship in May 2010.