Robby the Robot + Altair-4 Transporter

«©NCSX» Japanese manufacturer X-Plus released the Robby the Robot & Altair-4 Transporter set last month and the cartons finally arrived yesterday afternoon. Robby first appeared in the 1956 Forbidden Planet movie and went on to star in assorted sci-fi movies and three episodes of the Twilight Zone television show.

The Robby toy measures 18cm tall and fits inside the included Altair-4 Transporter which measures 28cm long. A retro style cardboard container serves to evoke memories of the roaring 50s when black and white photography was the rage. The set is limited to 1000 pieces at a price of ¥15800 or US$155 from NCS.

All preorders have shipped as of yesterday but demand has depleted all of our inventory and stock is not available for new orders. If we're able to source any supply from distribution partners willing to share, we'll update accordingly but it's unlikely at this point due to the 1000 unit production count for this product.

Ikkitousen 1/10 Scale Sonsaku Hakufu

NCS didn't think much of the Yamato SIFEX Sonsaku Hakufu figure or the Musashiya 1/5 scale Sonsaku figure. Yamato didn't do the heroine justice by stuffing her into a garish yellow sweater and sculpting Sonsaku in a lean-back pose that made her look like a red-headed zombie with a lack of motor control. In the case of the Musashiya sculpt, her posture was horrible and ridiculously gratuitous. One leg lifted up towards the heavens while her dainties are bared for the entire world to view? No thanks. Subtle innuendo = good. Outright sexploitation = bad. To make things worse, Musashiya rendered Sonsaku's face with eyes that appeared crossed. Needless to say but we'll say it anyway, NCS didn't stock either figure.

After those earlier missteps, manufacturer Wave appears to have captured the verve and spirit of Sonsaku with a new 1/10 scale PVC figure where the battling heroine winks, wears a red China dress, and crouches. Sonsaku bares a lot of leg and thigh but in a tasteful manner. A girl tends to keep her dignity when her legs aren't 180° apart. A green bead bracelet rings her right wrist while matching beads keep her hair neat and tidy. All preorders will ship today and new orders are welcome at US$39 per.

PS3: Remaining Preorders Shipping Today

«©NCSX» PS3 preorder confirmations and new orders placed with NCS on November 12 before 11:33AM EST are shipping today. Tracking details will be posted on your order history on either shop after 6:00PM EST. NCS is currently accepting new orders for both 20GB and 60GB models to ship on Thursday or Friday of this week. (Note: our new shop processes transactions automatically and you will be billed at checkout):

Order a Japanese 20GB Playstation 3 at US$879 + shipping
Order a Japanese 60GB Playstation 3 at US$989 + shipping

PCB Inventory In Japan

Orders and inquiries are welcome by contacting support@ncsxshop.com. Some cabs and prize machines are currently in use or leased out to venues but may be shipped upon purchase or request. All stock is used but in working order and very good cosmetic condition. Due to the size of cabs and prize machines, NCS will only ship with sea freight which requires 6-8 weeks in transit time.
Maker	Title	QTY	F.O.B. JAPAN
ARCADE PCB
Konami	BEATMANIA SD FINAL Ver.	1	JPY108,000
Konami	DDR 8th EXTREME	1	JPY680,000
Konami	DDR 8th EXTREME PCB KIT (PCB, SIGNBOARD)	1	JPY130,000
Konami	DDR SOLO 2000	1	JPY170,000
Konami	EVIL NIGHT SD	1	JPY130,000
Konami	KEYBOARD MANIA 3rd Mix	1	JPY130,000
Konami	POLICE 911 Ver 2.0	1	JPY200,000
Konami	POP'N MUSIC 4	1	JPY210,000
Namco	FINAL FURLONG	1	JPY190,000
Namco	GUNBULLET	4	JPY98,000
Namco	GUNBULLET PCB KIT (PCB, GUN, SIGNBOARD)	2	JPY70,000
Namco	SUZUKA 8HOURS SD	1	JPY145,000
Namco	TIME CRISIS SD	2	JPY98,000
Namco	TIME CRISIS SD PCB KIT (MAIN PCB + GUN)	1	JPY60,000
Namco	MARIO KART GP (2units set)	1	JPY1,880,000
Sega	AIR RESCUE	1	JPY190,000
Sega	HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2 SD	1	JPY210,000
Sega	LUPIN THE 3RD THE SHOOTING SD	1	JPY210,000
Sega	OUTRUNNERS	1	JPY170,000
Sega	RAD RALLY	1	JPY155,000
Sega	SEGA RALLY 2 TWIN	1	JPY680,000
Taito	OPERATION TIGER SD	1	JPY180,000
Taito	SIDE BY SIDE 2	2	JPY180,000
CABINET
Sammy	ATOMISWAVE SD	18	JPY150,000
Sega	BLAST CITY	2	JPY158,000
Sega	NEW VERSUS CITY	2	JPY208,000
Sega	VERSUS CITY	5	JPY68,000
Taito	EGRET 2	7	JPY55,000
PRIZE
Kato	FANCY LIFTER	1	JPY98,000
Kato	DOUBLE GETTER MINI	3	JPY130,000
Namco	SWEET LAND 2	1	JPY130,000
NMK	WANGAN PATROL	1	JPY78,000
SNK	NEO MINI	1	JPY150,000

FACT: Chuck Norris Prefers PS3

Playstation 3 Restock The second meager supply of Japanese Playstation 3 consoles will arrive earlier than expected and all remaining backorders will ship on Thursday of this week. Once we deplete the upcoming allocation, we will update our shop listings to reflect the next restock dates. Based on information from Japanese suppliers, NCS expects spotty supplies of consoles for the next couple of weeks.

USA Playstation 3 Update After yesterday's Japanese PS3 website update, NCS received a flurry of emails concerning the availability of USA PS3 consoles. We'll rehash yesterday's USA PS3 posting here: Please note that allocations of USA Wii and PS3 hardware are still unknown at this point but we should receive news in the next couple of days. NCS expects widespread shortages and subsequent pandemonium towards the end of the week. Body armor, a helmet, and a makeshift weapon of some sort might be useful if you're planning on camping out... Gamestop's announcement yesterday afternoon about receiving even fewer PS3 consoles than originally expected makes matters worse as the launch draws closer. In light of the news, NCS is not optimistic about the quantity of USA PS3 consoles we'll receive on launch day. Nevertheless, we have everyone's email addresses on file and we'll send out an update on Friday morning once the numbers are known.

More USA Playstation 3 Games The following USA releases are scheduled to arrive later today. We'll test them and re-confirm that they work on Japanese PS3 consoles just to make sure: NBA 2K7, NHL 2K7, RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN, RIDGE RACER 7, GUNDAM: MOBILE SUIT CROSSFIRE, UNTOLD LEGENDS: DARK KINGDOM.

PS3 Japan Launch

Playstation 3 - Big in Japan Part II
Monday Update: 11:58AM EST
On Saturday, anxious Japanese citizens braved the November chill and the throngs of fellow citizens as queues formed in front of shops such as Bic Camera, Seibu, Gamers, and Softmap. A few of our customers in Japan wrote to NCS over the weekend to report their success (or lack thereof) in obtaining a PS3 console. Prospective customers who waited in front of well known stores with very long queues were largely turned away while wily buyers who waited in front of lesser known shops with smaller crowds were able to buy the PS3. Some stores implemented a lottery system with lucky winners allowed the chance to pay up for a PS3. Repeat: allowed.

Lines in Japan
Akiba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gkS3lRXtRA
Kawasaki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBEXkKqudZk
Shinjuku
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wsmtfg9uWtY
Osaka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a2ruHzlSFM

Press Coverage in Yurakucho
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20061111/bic.htm
http://ascii24.com/news/i/topi/article/2006/11/11/665779-000.html
http://akiba.ascii24.com/akiba/news/2006/11/11/665780-000.html

NCS Receives Partial Shipment
The first batch of confirmed PS3 preorders will ship out today but the remainder will ship tomorrow when the bulk of our stock arrives. As long as you confirmed or placed your preorder with us before Sunday at 11:33AM EST, your order will ship tomorrow. If your order is shipping today, you will receive an email before 1:00PM EST with tracking details. NCS is currently accepting new orders for both 20GB and 60GB models to ship on Friday of this week or Monday of next week (Note: our new shop processes transactions automatically and you will be billed at checkout):
Order a Japanese 20GB Playstation 3 at US$879 + shipping
Order a Japanese 60GB Playstation 3 at US$989 + shipping

Super Shiny Shiny²
Sony's stock photos of the PS3 don't convey how shiny the console is when it catches the light. Remember Padmé's glittering golden starship in Star Wars Episode 2? It's like that. Position the PS3 on a well lit table and be blinded by the bling. We're waiting for Flavor Flav to tie a chain around the PS3 and hang it from his neck while wearing a Viking helmet because that's what time it is. The membrane buttons on the console are also slick.

Region-Free Confirmation
NCS was able to test the USA versions of Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Tony Hawk's Project 8 on the Japanese PS3 and we confirm that both games boot and play perfectly. Kudos to Sony for doing away with region locks. With only five Japanese PS3 games available at launch, the availability of incoming USA PS3 games in the next few days will be a welcome addition to the fledgling software library. Please note however that PS1 and PS2 games are region-coded - USA PS1 and USA PS2 games are not recognized by a Japanese PS3 and will not boot.

PS3 Supply Situation
Sony plans on shipping 100,000 PS3 consoles in Japan every week after the launch. That should reassure buyers of ready availability for Japanese PS3 consoles up until the big holiday. NCS will update our website if there are any price changes in the next couple of weeks.

No Exploding PS3s Reported
Of the 58 Japanese customers who wrote in to NCS over the weekend, none reported glitches or errors with their new consoles. This is in stark contrast to the PS2 launch where we started receiving emails and reports of problems within hours of the launch in Japan. Many also remarked on the polished interface and the smooth sliding disc ejection. A cursory check with a few of our suppliers in Japan who sold a few hundred units locally was also satisfactory - no defects or returns yet.

Firmware Update
NCS customers: Please update your Japanese PS3 firmware with v1.10 upon receiving the console. The download is linked below and is a little under 100MB: http://djp01.ps3.update.playstation....b/PS3UPDAT.PUP

Playstation Network Online
The PS3 network lit up and went live over the weekend and gamers may chat with fellow Playstation devotees, check out rankings for games, view demos, and download Playstation games. That's right, a total of ten PS1 games are available for download at JPY2000 each. The titles "in stock" at the moment are:

» Arc the Lad
» Biohazard: Director's Cut Edition
» Bishi Bashi Special
» Jumping Flash!
» Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 1
» Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 2
» Hot Shots Golf 2
» Mr. Driller
» Silent Bomber (in our opinion, the best game of the lot)
» Tekken 2

Closing Comments
The launch line-up of Japanese PS3 software was meager but that proved to be no deterrent to buyers. The Playstation brand continues to be a strong selling point for Japanese consumers and we suspect USA consumers as well when the console launches here later in the week. That loyalty may assure Sony of a third term as the reigning industry juggernaut as a new generation transitions into place. Every new hardware launch carries a mix of excitement, trepidation, and fears of shortages. We've witnessed them all since the days of the Super Famicom and watched a few botched launches. That said, the PS3 debut has been one of the smoothest in our experience despite the onerous price hikes from suppliers. We've had fast deliveries and only a smidgeon of hemming and hawing from overseas distributors concerning inventory allotments. We're looking forward to a similarly smooth Wii launch in Japan on December 2.

Links of Interest
Watch Impress dissected a PS3 console (note the PS2 chip onboard)
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/1111/ps3.htm

Watch Impress swapped a HDD, You can too (Must be ATA 2.5" form factor)
http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006/1111/ps3.htm

NNN News Report on the PS3 (May be traumatic for some viewers)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cjx6MlWZ2LE

Early adopters may peruse the USA PS3 manual in English
http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/index.html

200 Mannin no KanKen: Tokoton Kanji Nou

Read a Japanese passage and use your Japanese kana to Chinese character (kanji) translation skills to decipher portions of the text that are highlighted with a red line. Similar to the aspect change in Nintendo's Brain Trainer, players rotate the Nintendo DS 90˚ counterclockwise and hold the handheld like a book. Handwritten answers are scribbled on the touch screen and automatically entered once the writing stops. The character recognition is good and even if your chicken scratches aren't perfect, a selection of relevant and related characters will appear so that you can tap on the one you meant to write. The Mannin no Kanken software offers 7000 questions for Japanese kanji learners to hone their abilities.

My Otome HIME aka Mai-Kinoto HIME

Travel to the Windbloom Kingdom and join the cast of My Otome in fast-paced 3D battles that take place in mid-air ala Psychic Force. However, My Otome HIME is not a true fighting game in the classic sense of the genre. When NCS thinks of fighting, we imagine a free-flowing game where punches, kicks, and guards flow in direct control from the player. Not so in My Otome where the movements of the fighters are stuttered and not free flowing although the attacks spool out in fluid succession.

For example, when poised on a battle field, the girls only have a set number of positions where they may move on screen. In a close combat situation where two opponents are face to face, there are exactly five cardinal positions to move the fighter - high, level, low, and towards the left or right to evade and strategize. Level refers to being face to face with the opponent. There is no true freedom of movement but the stutter-step action seems to work if you're the kind of fighting game fan who enjoys fast, chaotic, and constrained action. Although the fighters have limited range of movement, they can ignite attacks and special blows in quick motion and pound out HP draining combos. «NCS Game Notes»