Wednesday, September 09, 2009

PS3 Final Fantasy XIII - Japanese Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» The release of each and every Final Fantasy game in the past decade has been a major event in Japan with exhaustive media coverage, sales that are uncompromisingly strong, and legions of players who either love or hate the game. Sometimes it's fashionable to hate a game just because of the hype and the slavish adoration surrounding it. Most recently, we've watched the gradual build-up for Final Fantasy XIII over the past few months as characters were revealed, storylines previewed, and screenshots unveiled in bite-sized amounts. The culmination of all that previewing and waiting reaches the Japanese market on December 17, 2009 when Square Enix releases the latest game in the storied franchise for the Playstation 3 at a hefty JPY9240 or US$100.74 as of this morning's exchange rate.

Final Fantasy XIII follows the adventures of a soldier named "Lightning," who's been described by designer
Tetsuya Nomura as the girl version of Cloud Strife (feathered hair, delicate features, androgynous) and "Sazh Katzroy" who sort of looks like Denzel Washington (if Denzel had a massive afro) who's accompanied by a pet baby Chocobo. A baby Chocobo who makes its nest in Sazh's accommodating and presumably comfy afro. Preorders for the regular edition of FFXIII are welcome to ship on December 17, 2009. Please note that NCS will open up preorders for Final Fantasy XIII Elixirs and a special Final Fantasy XIII PS3 bundle as we get closer to the Tokyo Game Show. BLJM-67005 / ファイナルファンタジーXIII

Wii Sengoku Muso 3 - Japanese Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Koei has started preorders for three editions of Sengoku Musou 3 which is scheduled to ship on the Wii this winter. The three versions are:

» Sengoku Musou 3 Regular Edition
Koei debuts their latest Sengoku-era hack and slashing action game on the Wii which introduces new play mechanics, new military commanders, and scenarios which are based on battles from Japanese history such as the Battle of Okehazama where Nobunaga bested Imagawa Yoshimoto. All preorders will ship with a bonus 2010 calendar in 1:1 ratio,.

» Sengoku Musou 3 + Limited Edition Classic Controller Pro
Koei and Nintendo collaborate to produce a limited edition black Classic Controller which is imprinted with the Sengoku Musou 3 logo on the lower left and wavy golden designs on the upper left and lower right portion of the pad. The waves appear to be flowing strands of hair in our eyes.

» Sengoku Musou 3 Treasure Box
A big bundle of goodies including the aforementioned limited edition Classic Controller Pro are packed in the Sengoku Musou 3 Treasure Box as follows: A painting and illustrations booklet, a Sengoku Musou Original Soundtrack, and a miniature toy figure.

Preorders for all three versions of the game are welcome to ship on November 19, 2009.

Wii Tsumi to Batsu Uchu no Koukeisha - Japanese Import Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Nintendo's celebrating the ninth anniversary of Sin and Punishment with a sequel that's shipping on the Wii in November. S&P was an N64 game developed by Treasure which was an on-rails shooting action game where the protagonists did their shooting while running on land and flying through the air. The sequel takes place in a dystopian future where Earth has been wrecked and devastated so the heroes have to plan their escape from the ruined planet. Sin and Punishment 2 hews to the same type of game as the original where players control a heroine named Kachi or a hero known as Isa. The heroes flit around the foreground and shoot at installations, enemies, and objects in the background and the mid-ground. When an enemy wanders into the foreground, Kachi or Isa can swing a sword to destroy it. The Nunchuk is used to maneuver the hero around while the Wii Remote controls a targeting reticule that spots enemies for destruction. Preorders are welcome to ship on October 29, 2009 at JPY6800 or US$70.90 from NCS.

TOYS Portrait of Pirates Monkey D. Luffy "Strong Edition" Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» Luffy leads the "Straw Hat Pirates" with a managerial style that's carefree and generally full of frivolity. Despite Luffy's clownish appearance and demeanor however, he's a young man that's full of determination and the means to reach his goals. The previous One Piece Portrait of Pirates Luffy figure was sort of clownish. Megahouse's new Luffy figure is a little more serious. Gone is the goofy smile from the original POP Luffy which has been replaced by Luffy looking gritty. He's also dressed in purple and black colored garb which is reminiscent of the somber Dracule Mihawk's ensemble. Luffy's also wearing a cape like Dracule and a massive firearm is included to ensure that everyone knows that this is the "Strong Edition" of Luffy. Not the supposedly weak edition of yesteryear.

Preorders for the
Portrait of Pirates Monkey D. Luffy "Strong Edition" are welcome to ship in mid-late December 2009 at JPY5985 or US$73.90 from NCS. Due to the size of the Luffy figure, NCS recommends only shipping by UPS Ground within the continental United States.

TOYS Namco Classics Pac-Man Card Case - Japanese Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» The Japanese have a unique tradition when exchanging business cards (which are called meishi) that shows respect and honor where the card is held and examined almost like a sacred object. We've witnessed solemn ceremonies in offices where the exchange of cards prior to conducting formal business were ritualistic, serious, and slightly amusing. Namco strives to break the business card tradition with unconventional business card holders which are designed with Pac-Man themes. Instead of a solemn exchange of cards, maybe the Pac-Man card holders will lighten things up a tad. Two cases are on offer:

» Pac-Man Card Case (Table Type) - The front of the case features the full Pac-Man game screen and two side panels.
» Pac-Man Card Case (Game Type) - The front of the case shows a game of Pac-Man in progress but the screen is tilted slightly askew.

Preorders are welcome to ship in late November 2009 at JPY980 ($13.90).