MGS Portable Ops Konamistyle Bundle

The Konamistyle Premium Edition of Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops includes the following items which are packaged in an unreasonably large cardboard box that's even bigger than the MGS3 Limited Edition carton:

» Camouflage-colored Playstation Portable unit (PSP-1000CA)
» MGS Portable Ops game with special variant cover (ULJM-05227)
» Pack of three limited edition Metal Gear Solid pins mounted on a placard
» Snakeskin original case “Skin of a Warrior” with dust bag
» Snakeskin original strap “Tail of a Killer” with dust bag
» Serially numbered Certificate of Authenticity (Only 2500 units produced)
» Metal Gear Portal business card

TOYS Light Weapons - Cultural Disparity

In the United States, toy weapons have pretty much been outlawed in the past few years. Someone carrying a plastic gun that's colored gunmetal black is likely to be shot by jittery gangsters or members of law enforcement. The potential of crushing product liability lawsuits have also put a damper on toy weaponry sales.

In Japan, toy weapons are still readily available for purchase and play. Carry a realistic toy gun into Akihabara and hardly anyone will assume it's real. Try the same stunt in the States and you might catch a cap or three. Epoch starts preorders for a set of "Light Weapons" such as knives, stars, and guns. The preorder sheet shows a thug in the background holding both a knife and a sword while looking evil. Due to the improbability of being able to sell these toys in the USA, NCS won't be importing this set.

General Updates

Next Week Preview Most of our Japanese suppliers return from their holiday next week and new software shipments will resume by mid-week. The presales leader is PS2 The Battle of Yu Yu Hakushou: Shitou! Ankoku Bujutsukai 120% followed by NDS Tenohira Gakushuu: Zettai Onkan Training DS.

Springtime in January Temperatures in NYC are 61˚ and balmy. Flowers are blooming and insects are buzzing, both tricked into early activity by the warm weather.

PS3 Real Arcade Pro Joystick 3

Preorders are welcome for Hori's third (canonical, not chronological) Real Arcade Pro Joystick which ships next month for the Playstation 3. Similar to earlier HRAPs, the new stick uses actual arcade buttons and a clicky lollipop-style joystick to give gamers an authentic coin-op experience at home. A heavy duty base completes the package to give the controller a weight of nearly 6 lbs or 2600g.
The RAP3 features the same button arrangement found on the RAP2 with the eight standard buttons (face and trigger) in red and the START and SELECT buttons in a bright yellow patina. The RAP3 does away with the row of slide levers on the upper left corner of the stick which controlled rapid-fire on the RAP2. Hori uses a more elegant solution this time around and adds a "PS" button. The RAP3 connects to the PS3 by way of USB cable and is digital only. Preorders are welcome to ship on February 8, 2007.

PS3 Fighting Stick 3

The release of PS3 Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection on the Playstation Online Store was a welcome surprise last week. The game would have been sweeter if we had a Fighting Stick on hand to play around with but beggars can't be choosers. As the default supplier of gaming accessories for the Japanese marketplace, Hori rushes to the fore with the Fighting Stick 3 which looks a lot like previous sticks in the lineage. Thick, sturdy, and fitted with candy colored buttons, the Fighting Stick 3 is a digital controller which connects to the PS3 by way of USB cable.
The standard face and trigger buttons are located in two rows across the face of the base while the following buttons span the top portion of the stick: TURBO, HOME, L3, R3, SELECT, and START. Three gradations of turbo-fire are available with speeds of 5, 12, and 20 shots per second. Preorders are welcome to ship on or around February 8, 2007.

General Updates

Japanese Suppliers on Extended Holiday Most of our suppliers in Nihon are on vacation until January 8. With nothing new being released this week, we're guessing there wasn't a compelling reason to return quickly from their New Year's holiday. NCS received some restock shipments today and more are expected tomorrow from our alternate suppliers in Hong Kong.

DC Last Hope Update The Dreamcast version of side-scrolling shooter Last Hope is now scheduled to arrive "in the second week of January" due to what is being described by the publisher as production difficulties. Failing the new ship date which is right around the corner, we might be looking forward to further delays.

Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops Konamistyle Bundle One of our suppliers was able to help us with the Konamistyle version of the MGS POPS bundle which includes a leather case and strap versus the hemp versions in the normal version of the Premium Bundle. We might receive them this week and we'll update accordingly upon arrival.

US Postal Service on Extended Holiday

U.S. stock markets and the U.S. Postal Service are closed today in honor of Gerald R. Ford who passed away on December 26, 2006.

Please note that all orders that are shipping by USPS Priority Mail or USPS Express Mail will be dispatched tomorrow once the Postal Service returns to a normal operating schedule. Thanks for your attention.

Animal Crossing Alarm Clock

Throw away your Snoopy or Flintstones alarm clock and replace it with a stylish Animal Crossing timepiece. Choose from three character styles as follows:

» Silver Clock featuring Tanukichi aka Tom Nook
» Yellow Clock emblazoned with the image of Totakeke
» Pink Clock whose face is decorated with the kitty named Bouquet

Each clock measures 8cm or 3.14" in diameter and stubby legs keep it stable on a table or night stand. Two hands tell time while a third hand runs down the seconds. A fourth hand may be set to trigger the alarm. A single AA battery (not included) keeps the clock ticking.

Pricing is set at US$10.50 per clock. If ordered alone, NCS will ship with USPS Priority Mail for a flat-rate of US$5 within the United States.