Aqua Drop - Import Preorder

Back in the day, toy stores sold self-contained handheld maze games where a metal ball was moved from point A to point B. The toys were cheap, easy to break, and good enough to keep the attention of the kids while mom did the laundry or burned the roast.

Bandai's aqua drop follows the gist of those old handheld games but instead of relying on a metal sphere, drops of water are used and maneuvered through a maze. The maze inside the aqua drop is made of a specially treated surface which causes water to bead and roll like a ball instead of dispersing into a mini puddle. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late July 2008 at US$18.00 from NCS.

Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Collection - Import Preorder

Better known as Galaxy Fraulein Yuna stateside, Ginga Ojousama Densetsu was a big deal in the 90s but the franchise has since faded from the mainstream. Unlike the everlasting phenomenon known as Evangelion, Yuna is an example of a once popular property that was once pervasive but its endurance petered out eventually. Hudson won't have any of that however. They don't care that Yuna is a fading memory. They're going to gather together three Ginga Ojousama Densetsu games from the PC-Engine, stamp them onto a single UMD, and sell it for the budget price of JPY2800. The games included in the collection are:

» Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna (original release: Oct 23, 1992)
» Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna II (original release: Jun 20, 1995)
» Ginga Fukei Densetsu: Sapphire (original release: Nov 24, 1995)

The first two games are interactive adventures which feature Yuna and her coterie of allies and friends. NCS is most interested in the third game, Sapphire, however since it's one of the best vertical shooters from the days of the PC-Engine. If you can find it in Japan, Sapphire can command a price of US$500 per copy but we're guessing that lofty price will take a hit once the PSP Ginga collection ships to market. Each of the three games is a direct port with no enhancements and a special Yuna illustrations gallery is also included on the UMD for fans of art and sketches. Preorders are welcome to ship on July 31, 2008 at JPY2800 or US$30.90 from NCS.

Uki Uki Chocobo - Delayed Again, Ships in June 2008?

When Square Enix announced preorders for the Uki Uki Chocobo earlier this year, NCS assumed that it would be a cinch to produce and ship the toys on time. After all, rubber duckies are common and the manufacturing process to produce them is out there and accessible.

Chocobo's pointy feathers must be causing a snag because Rubber Chocky has been delayed once again to "late June" from an original ship date of April and the revised date of May. We'll continue to track the progress of Uki Uki Chocobo and post another update once a confirmed ship date is announced. Preorders are still welcome at US$13.50 each.

Kingdom Hearts Formation Arts 2 - Reproduction Preorder

Fans who missed out on the first production of Square's Kingdom Hearts Formation Arts Vol. 2 toys will get another chance this summer. The six characters featured in the set as follows: Cloud, Kairi, Goofy, Oogie Boogie, Ansem, and Jafar. Each figure measures approximately 10cm tall and includes a base and an accessory or two inside each box. For example, Goofy's toy includes the main figure and a little spire for him to cling to while Ansem's figure is the most elaborate of the six and includes a Xehanort's Heartless figure and Ansem's Shadow Guardian which are both mounted on a pedestal.

Each factory sealed case of 8 toys contains a complete set of 6 color figures and 2 gray (monotone) figures. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late August at US$80.90 per factory box.

Japanese Import Outlook - Arrivals on Wed-Thurs

NDS	13-Sai no Hallo Work DS	DWorks
	Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness	Square
	Mugen no Frontier: Super Robot Taisen OG Saga	Banpresto
	Zombie Shiki - English of the Dead	Sega
PS2	BeatMania IIDX 14 Gold	Konami
	Fuuun Super Combo – SNK Best	SNK
	Garou Densetsu Battle Archive 1 – SNK Best	SNK
	Garou Densetsu Battle Archive 2 – SNK Best	SNK
	King of Fighters NESTS Collection – SNK Best	SNK
	Mana Khemia 2	Gust
	Mana Khemia 2 Limited Edition	Gust
	Togainu no Chi: True Blood	Kadokawa
	Togainu no Chi: True Blood DX Pack	Kadokawa	X
PS3	Battle Fantasia	Arc Sys
PSP	Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball Portable 3	Konami
	Valhalla Knights 2	Marvelous
X360	Battle Fantasia	Arc Sys
Wii	Family Trainer	Bandai

USA Release Outlook - Arrivals on Tues-Thurs

NDS	Super Dodgeball Brawlers	Aksys
	Kung-Fu Panda DS	Activision
	Looney Tunes: Cartoon Conductor	Eidos
PS2	Kung-Fu Panda	Activision
PS3	Kung-Fu Panda	Activision
	Enemy Territory: Quake Wars	Activision
Wii	Death Jr: Root of Evil	Eidos
	Emergency Heroes	Ubisoft
	Kung-Fu Panda	Activision
	Monkey King: The Legend Begins	Tommo
X360	Enemy Territory: Quake Wars	Activision
	Kung-Fu Panda	Activision
	Lost Planet Extreme Condition: Colonies Ed.	Capcom
Note to international customers Supplies of the USA version of Wii Fit are still spotty but we'll update everyone on our contact list if we're able to stock them this week. Pricing is currently set at US$115. In Japan, there's literally tons of Wii Fit bundles available for sale. We get offers from Japanese vendors every week begging us to buy stock but unless Nintendo recalls and retrofits those bundles for USA consumption, we're confident prices for Japanese Wii Fits will go into a death spiral.

For Gamecube/W-ii (Black Pad) - Clearance

A third party Gamecube pad that's called "For Gamecube/W-ii" that we imported from Asia. The product features listed on the box are:

» Analog controller with vibration feature
» Eight completely analog action buttons
» Analog sticks with rubber coating
» Different colors available (for our sale, we only have black pads)

The buttons are springy and in our opinion, the d-pad on this particular pad feels better than the cross-pad on the official Gamecube pad.

Sale Offering: NCS' inventory of For Gamecube/W-ii pads is new, boxed, and in mint condition. Pricing is set at US$19.90 per unit which includes free shipping by USPS Media Mail within the U.S. Larger Photos