NCS is still undecided if we'll be importing a Street Fighter IV kit for the rec room when the game ships later this year. On one hand, we're curious about Capcom's new foray into 2D fighting with the franchise that basically made the company in the late 80s and early 90s. On the other hand, we might be able to convince one of the local operators to buy a kit from us and we'll just pay the admission fee of $0.50 to test the game on their premises. The only downside to that plan is competing against the rabble for a chance to play.
Street Fighter IV is based on the Taito Type-X2 hardware and we're soliciting preorders for the complete pcb kit which includes:
» Type X-2 Hardware and HDD kit
» Cabinet panel artwork (4 decals)
» Versus Communication Kit
» Street Fighter IV Network I.D. Card (25 pieces)
The game utilizes a six-button setup and the VS Kit allows for network-based fighting tournaments.
Preorders for the SFIV kit are welcome to ship on August 20, 2008 directly from Japan to your address via EMS postal service. Pricing is set at US$2590 which includes shipping and insurance. NCS requires a US$880 deposit for this particular item which will be charged upon checkout on our new preorder shop. Thanks.
Doraemon is such a joyful little beast that one can't help but smirk when the fat feline's face pops up on pillows, plushies, clothing, ramen packages, and pretty much everything under the sun.
Despite Doraemon's widespread appeal and related product saturation in Asia and Japan, he still hasn't been exploited enough by his masters. Hori makes sure that the robotic cat gets another dose of merchandising squeezed out of him by way of the Doraemon WakuWaku NDS Lite Accessory Kit.
The rotund joy wonder makes his way to the Nintendo DS in an accessory kit that's all about the love of Doraemon... and his gleeful image. Similar in theme to the Final Fantasy NDS Lite accessory packs, the Doraemon product includes the following items:
» NDS skin which covers the entire NDS Lite unit
» Retractable stylus with the name "Doraemon" printed on the barrel
» Puffy Doraemon sticker strap which may be tethered to a mobile phone
» DS card carrying case which holds three game cards in its cozy confines
Way back in 1998, NCS bought into the whole Y2K disaster scenario and made plans for a post-apocalyptic planet. We explored buying a ranch somewhere in Colorado, stocked up on MREs (Meal Ready to Eat), and obtained firearms. We even explored buying a Honda and loading it up with silver but then Y2K passed with nary a whimper...
The ranch purchase fell through and we got rid of the firearms but we still have boxes upon boxes of MREs. Each packet contains 8 oz of food made of ingredients such as soy protein, glyceryl monostearate, dehydrated onions, textured vegetable protein, and modified food starch. That's good eatin' to be sure. Each entree is packaged in a thin cardboard box which is labeled with the name of the entree inside. We have stacks of Chicken Tetrazzini, Chili and Macaroni, Beef Enchilada in Sauce, and many more. We'll never voluntarily sit down to an MRE dinner but we'll keep them around to remind us of the folly of buying into doomsday projections.
We had a Y2K flashback when manufacturer E-Revolution's preorder offer for Japanese MREs arrived a couple of days ago. Three types of food are available as follows:
» Chicken and Rice / Everyone knows how good chicken and rice from a can tastes so why not stock up before they're all gone?
» Maguro / Translation: Tuna Fish. Advice: Buy Chicken of the Sea for $0.60 per can at the local bodega instead of the US$6.00 that NCS is charging.
» Shrimp Pilaf / A meal of rice, shrimp, and chicken broth that'll leave you hankering for some real food.
We like how there's a tank and a jetfighter on the label of each can to promote the MRE theme. We would have added a battleship on the Maguro label to let people know that tuna hails from the ocean. A little plastic fork is included with each MRE so you can dig right in.
Please note the expiration date of each can is May 2011 so you'll want to eat them before that date. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late May 2008 at US$6.00 per can.
If the parade of Yattaman merchandise continues to march into the market, we might have to declare 2008 as "The Year of Yattaman." Not bad for a property that was pretty much languishing in limbo for nearly two decades until a new animated television series starting airing in January 2008. A live-action Yattaman movie is on tap for 2009 so the adage "When it rains, it pours" is apt here.
Japanese manufacturer System Service joins the queue of opportunists hoping to capitalize on Yattaman by announcing three masks/caps based on the Dorombo villains of the franchise as follows:
» A Boyakki / Lanky and goofy henchman with a wispy mustache
» B Tonzura / A brutish ogre of a man who follows Doronjo's lead
» C Doronjo / Lithe and limber leader of the Dorombo gang
The mask/caps are labeled "free size" so they'll fit over most human noggins whether you're a teenager or a senior. If you're a tyke, we'd advise holding off on a purchase until you're older. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late June 2008 at US$30 per mask.
Surfing on the virtual screen and waiting for the Big Kahuna may be a hopeless task. There's no smell of the sea, no spray of salt, and no threat of losing your skivvies when the waves crash a little too hard. Yet, here it is, a surfing simulator on the PS2. The visuals are vibrant with realistic wave effects and shiny graphics but we're a little leery of the authenticity of the surfing experience when you're in front of a television.
A mini surfboard is included in the game packaging so that gnarly dudes can grind it onto a Dual Shock 2. The bottom of the board features two "suction cups" that you place over the two Dual Shock knobs to simulate the dynamics of finger surfing... The tagline for the game is "Surfroid is surfer of the Legend."
NCS Sale Offering
Pricing per copy of PS2 Surfroid is set at US$23.90 which includes free shipping by USPS Media Mail within the United States. All stock is new but please note the adhesive tape on the top and bottom of the outer plastic retainer that holds the surfboard and game DVD has deteriorated and snapped due to the eight long years in storage. [View Larger photos]
