Super Robot Wars XO

The original Xbox never reached the critical installed base for Banpresto to consider producing an exclusive Super Robot Wars game for the console. The PS2 currently holds the honor of platform of choice for new SRW development and has been the recipient of the last few games. The Xbox 360 still hasn't reached the critical installed base either... but that won't stop Banpresto from rehashing the Gamecube version of SRW on the console. Although it's not a first run release, the appearance of a Super Robot Wars game on the X360 is something of a coup. It's not on the scale of a Dragon Quest game appearing on the X360 but baby steps generally lead to greater strides...

The GC and X360 version of Super Robot Wars features mechs from six Gundam series' including Zeta Gundam and Char's Counterattack. Other franchises represented are Mazinkaiser, Shin Getter Robo, Metal Armor Dragonar, Zettai Muteki Raijinoh, and others. New mechs in the X360 version include Saikyo Robo Daioja models and a few new robots from the Gundam realm. Improvements in the X360 version of the game consist of updated attack animations, new combination sequences, and an Xbox Live online component.

Bomberman T-Shirts

Bomberman has become iconic in the past couple of decades that its been in the wild. To give fans and gamers a little taste of wearable Bomberman imagery, Hudson by way of Banpresto offers three Bomberman t-shirts which ship in April 2007: A) White t-shirt with an explosive combination in progress that travels the upper length of the tee. B) Green shirt which features an old school maze with grey blocks and Bomberman action C) Black t-shirt with six power-up icons lined up in two rows that span the chest area. Pricing is set at US$16 each; preorders are welcome.

New Super Mario Bros Ofuro de Pon

Bathing is a whole lot of fun when sudsing up with a spherical blob of bath essence that conceals one of six New Super Mario Bros figures inside. To get started, fill up a tub with some warm water and drop the spherical blob into the drink. Watch as it bubbles and boils away with effervescent action. Step right in and wash up, soak yourself, and enjoy the relaxing water. After a few minutes, the bath essence will have bubbled away entirely, leaving only a New Super Mario Bros toy figure which gently floats to the surface. Consider it your prize for taking a bath with Mario. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late April 2007 at US$12 per set of four random figures. Please note that the figures are concealed under bath essence and we're unable to fill requests for particular figures.

Catch the Dots: Lode Runner

When Lode Runner went to Japan in 1984, Hudson handled the Famicom conversion and the company designed a cutesy elf-like hero for the main character. On the adversarial side, helmeted warriors that eventually became known as the legendary Bombermen were in the hunt for the elfin hero. Tomy shows love to Lode Runner with a pair of Catch the Dots toys which each feature a single pegboard and roughly 100 pegs to create recognizable Lode Runner characters in various action poses. Pricing is set at US$9.00 per kit and preorders ship in April 2007.

Jack Bauer Kubrick & 24 Bearbrick

Medicom lauded the 24 television series with a Real Action Heroes figure earlier this year and the adulation continues when May 2007 rolls around. Medicom has started preorders for a Jack Bauer Kubrick figure which measures approximately 6cm tall and hefts a pistol in its right hand. The metallic Bearbrick figure measures 7cm tall and is emblazoned with a digital "24" on its chest. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late May.

Namco Classics Sound Drops

If you came of age during the video game boom that took place in the 80s, the sounds that issue from the Namco Classics Sound Drops will be very familiar. Perhaps they'll even evoke memories of grungy pizza parlors and coin-operated game cabinets dotted with cigarette burns and wads of gum. The games featured in the Sound Drops include Famista, Dig Dug, Pac-Man, Mappy, Xevious, and Galaxian. NCS will supply the Namco Sound Drops in complete sets of 8 at US$20. Preorders ship in March 2007.