Famitsu Wave DVD [May 2007]

The May 2007 issue of Famitsu Wave DVD features print and video coverage of the following Japanese products and import software:

» ARC Sangokushi Taisen
» TCG Monster Hunter Trading Card Game
» NDS Gyakuten Saiban 4
» PSP Final Fantasy Tactics Shishi Sensou
» NDS Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings
» PS2 Persona 3 Fes
» PS2 Hokuto no Ken
» PS2 Wrestle Kingdom 2
» X360 Saints Row
» NDS Machigai Museum 2

... and the usual assortment of general interest features, game challenges, sit-down chats, and Famitsu-flavored tomfoolery. «more»

Naruto Shippuuden Narutimett Accel

Naruto grows as time passes and the Shippuuden animation series follows the events in Naruto's life two years after the story in the original series. Naruto left Konoha Village to train under the tutelage of Jiraiya but returns after 2.5 years. Older, taller, and somewhat wiser, Naruto reunites with Sakura and Kakashi to form a new Team 7. The trio embarks on new adventures against the Akatsuki and endeavors to find Sasuke. New characters introduced in the Shippuuden animation include Sai and Yamato.

At the outset of the Master Mode (Story) game, Jiraiya and Naruto are traveling and training when they reach a village in need of help. The first area in town that Naruto explores is a cavern with tall rocky columns inside which require a lot of jumping and double jumping to navigate. Other modes include Versus Mode, Training Mode, and a Gallery which contains movies, music, and character cards. The Versus Mode allows 1P vs 2P or 1P vs COM where players choose a hero from four rosters of fighters. The first roster features Series 1 versions of characters such as the young, orange-suited Naruto while the second roster stars Shippuuden characters such as the older, taller, and black/orange-suited Naruto. «more»

Pro Baseball Spirits 4

The first baseball game for the Japanese Playstation 3 continues the popular Pro Baseball Spirits franchise from Konami which features all 12 Japanese professional teams, their respective stadiums, and a control scheme that will be familiar to anyone who's ever played a Jikkyou Powerful Pro Yakyu (Baseball) game.

When batting, the outline of a bat may be moved around to meet an incoming ball. When pitching to a batter, a pitch selector pops up followed by a targeting cursor which designates the location of the throw. Although the controls are intuitive, gamers who need a little virtual spring training may learn the ropes by going through the 11 exercises in the Tutorial Mode and the 90 lessons in the Trial Mode. Once you've mastered the practice drills, start a Pennant Race where you select a team and play an entire season of games. In addition to a multitude of offline modes such as Spirits, MVP Mode, and the Homerun Competition, players may also compete against each other online to ascertain primacy on the diamond. «more»

General Updates

Split Narutimett Accel Shipments Please note that the remaining shipments of PS2 Naruto Shippuuden Narutimett Accel are expected tomorrow. We'll be able to ship the first half of our preorders today and the remainder will ship tomorrow.

DJ Max Portable 2 Another batch of the regular edition of DJMP2 is scheduled to arrive on Monday of next week. The limited edition Orpheus Pack - Night Black is sold out but we'll update our sites if we are able to locate any more stock.

Transformers MP-05 All preorders will ship tomorrow for the unmodified version of the toy. Suppliers saw that MP-05 shipped in robot form and decided it wasn't worth the hassle or time investment to modify each and every toy with a safety cap. Collectors everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief.

DJ Max Portable 2

There's no sign of Beatmania on the PSP horizon but we don't pine for it anymore. DJ Max Portable filled the portable Bemani DJ void last year and the sequel to the game continues where the first game left off.

DJ Max Portable 2 hews close to the formula of the original game with flashy style, fresh new music, and fan-friendly modes that give appreciation back to the player. Pentavision shows love for their audience by offering three language settings (English, Korean, and Japanese) and includes a music jukebox (two OSTs at the outset but a third OST is unlockable) and a video player which contains 45 videos that are all viewable at the outset.

For new inductees into the DJ Max fold, the game is basically Beatmania with the option of playing the game in 4-button, 5-button, or 6-button configuration. If you're really good, you'll eventually unlock the Professional Mode which adds the use of the L and R trigger buttons for an 8-button experience. One niggle that we might throw out there is the lack of recognizable and licensed songs. It's pretty much a guarantee that most Western audience members have never heard any of the songs on the DJMP2 soundtrack. Regardless of the obscure song selection however, there are some catchy tunes to enjoy and more importantly, hit the cues to. Since the game's onscreen cues and corresponding "hit" buttons are essentially DJ mixes which add to the song, the placement of the cues make sense and add to the overall harmony of the music. «NCS Game Notes»

DJ Max Portable 2 Orpheus Package Silver

The first DJ Max Portable game was available in a regular version and a limited edition. The second DJ Max Portable is offered in three versions - a regular edition, an Orpheus Metallic Silver box, and an Orpheus Night Black box. The Metallic Silver edition includes the following items:

» DJ Max Portable 2 game with variant game cover
» Soundtrack (3 CDs) in a black gatefold binder
» Visual Art Book which spans 64-pages
» Jigsaw puzzle which includes 500-pieces and a frame
» Collection of 18 Visual Post Cards

The Orpheus Metallic Silver edition is limited to only 1000 units and new orders are welcome today at US$175 each. «more»

DJ Max Portable 2 Orpheus Package Black

The first DJ Max Portable game was available in a regular version and a limited edition. The second DJ Max Portable is offered in three versions - a regular edition, an Orpheus Metallic Silver box, and an Orpheus Night Black box. The Night Black edition includes the following items:

» DJ Max Portable 2 game with variant game cover
» Soundtrack (3 CDs) in a black gatefold binder
» Visual Art Book which spans 64-pages
» Jigsaw puzzle which includes 500-pieces and a frame
» Collection of 18 Visual Post Cards

The Orpheus Night Black edition is limited to only 1000 units and new orders are welcome today at US$175 each. «more»

Evangelion Horror Summer

NCS kicked off the Horror Summer product festival a couple of weeks ago with a frightening Toilet Roll. The Horror Summer merchandising wave is just getting started and it's spreading across different franchises. The gals of Evangelion have been bitten by the horror bug and pose with spooks and spirits in a new toy offering from Sega. To enhance the spooky appearance of the toys, the bases that the gals alight upon glow with eerie luminance. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August 2007 at US$7.50 per figure.