PSP Pop'n Music Portable - New Import, In Stock

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Pop'n mascots Mimi and Nyami are back to emcee the latest Pop'n Music release which lands on the Playstation Portable this week. The shirts that the girls are wearing may be seen on the cover of Pop'n Music 11 from the Playstation 2 where they played the part of international treasure hunters. For gamers who are new to the Pop'n Music phenomenon, the gist of the game is this:

A judgment bar sits on the bottom of the screen and colorful notes fall from the sky towards the bar. These notes are called "Mr. Pops" and players must slap the corresponding button for each "Mr. Pop" in order to receive a rating. Hit the proper button as the note massages the judgment bar perfectly and you'll receive a favorable rating ranging from "Fever" to "Good." Miss the bar like some unprepared chump and meet Mr. "Bad." The arcade and PS2 versions of Pop'n Music were played with special controllers which sported colorful buttons that corresponded to the cues on screen. Playstation Portable gamers won't have such an extravagance. What PSP players will use are the face buttons, the four cardinal directions on the rift-pad, and the trigger buttons to hit the nine possible cues in the game. Confusing? Yes. Impossible? No. As with all Bemani games that are played on unconventional platforms, the cue-to-button management takes a little practice but eventually practice does make perfect. Or near-perfect. Or just okay. Konami adds an Adventure Mode where Mimi or Nyami travel on a tiled world map which is reminiscent of a board game. The tracklist contains 80 songs including "Always" by Shoichiro Hirata feat. RayZY, "Psychology" from SENAX and "together 4ever" by Sota Fujimori feat. yoshiko.

PS2 BeatMania IIDX 16 Empress Konamistyle - All GONE

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» Preorders for the three different Konamistyle versions of Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress are shipping today. Please note that Konamistyle versions of games are not packaged in special containers or holders. We receive separate cardboard boxes which hold the different bonus items and NCS assembles the components of the bundle together. The most popular preorder bundle was the Complete Edition which includes the following items:

» PS2 Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best (2 DVDs)
» Beatmania IIDX CS Collection-GOLD, DJ TROOPERS, EMPRESS OST
» Beatmania IIDX Visual Emotions Vol. 8 DVD
» Ryu☆ "starmine" Limited Edition First Album (SKU: LC1799-1801)
» Beatmania IIDX Spin-off Drama ROOTS26 S[suite] Vol.1 (SKU: LC1704)
» Beatmania IIDX Storage case
» Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress poster
» Set of 7 Empress metal pinbadges mounted on cardboard (Bonus)
» Beatmania IIDX Konamistyle cell phone strap (Second Bonus)

Please note that NCS is sold out of all three versions of the BMIIDX 16 Konamistyle bundles but we'll post an update if we're able to restock them.

PS2 BeatMania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best - New Import

NCS Product Synopsis
«©NCSX» We were waiting for it. Maybe we've been waiting for the past couple of years but it eluded us in 2007 and 2008. We're all going to hear it this year however. The Beatmania IIDX PS2 swansong sounds off this week and NCS sheds a tear or three for all the Beatmania memories, the sales, and the fun we've had over the past 9 years.

Konami released Beatmania IIDX 3rd Mix on the PS2 all the way back in November 2000 and we've studiously imported every IIDX game after that along with a few Konamistyle exclusives. The final game in the series for the PS2 is a 2-DVD spectacular that include over 180 songs such as "Jack" by DesQ, "MY FUTURE" from Ping Pong, "Colorful Cookie" courtesy of Lucky Vacuum, and "naughty girl@Queen's Palace" by DJ Mass MAD Izm. The usual game modes such as "Arcade," "Expert," and "Free" are intact along with a "Tutorial Mode" for novices.

The visual theme in Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress is feminine royalty... ergo, Empress. Not a Queen but an Empress which ranks higher than a mere Queen. There's purple, pink, and fuchsia colors to contend with along with sparkling jewels and a whole lot of gloss as well.

PS2 Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress Konamistyle - Preorder

NCS Game Synopsis
«©NCSX» We were waiting for it. Maybe we've been waiting for the past couple of years but it eluded us in 2007 and 2008. We're all going to hear it this year however. The Beatmania IIDX PS2 swansong will be sounding off soon and NCS is going to shed a tear or three for all the Beatmania memories, the sales, and the fun we've had over the past 9 years.

Konami released Beatmania IIDX 3rd Mix on the PS2 all the way back in November 2000 and we've studiously imported every IIDX game after that along with a few Konamistyle exclusives. The final game in the series for the PS2 will ship later this year and it's a 2-DVD spectacular that will include over 180 songs such as "Jack" by DesQ, "MY FUTURE" from Ping Pong, "Colorful Cookie" courtesy of Lucky Vacuum, and "naughty girl@Queen's Palace" by DJ Mass MAD Izm. The usual game modes such as "Arcade," "Expert," and "Free" are intact along with a "Tutorial Mode" for novices.

NCS started preorders for the regular edition of Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress a few weeks ago but we're opening up reservations for three Konamistyle exclusive versions of the game today as follows:

Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress Konamistyle Special Edition
» PS2 Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best (2 DVDs)
» Beatmania IIDX CS Collection-GOLD, DJ TROOPERS, EMPRESS Soundtrack
» An undecided privilege will also be given away (probably a keychain)
Konamistyle Price: JPY9180 (US$129.90)

Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress Konamistyle Special Edition Set
» PS2 Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best (2 DVDs)
» Beatmania IIDX CS Collection-GOLD, DJ TROOPERS, EMPRESS Soundtrack
» Beatmania IIDX Visual Emotions Vol. 8 DVD
» Beatmania IIDX Storage case which holds all three discs
» An undecided privilege will also be given away (probably a keychain)
Konamistyle Price: JPY13170 (US$179.90)

Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress Konamistyle Complete Edition
» PS2 Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best (2 DVDs)
» Beatmania IIDX CS Collection-GOLD, DJ TROOPERS, EMPRESS Soundtrack
» Beatmania IIDX Visual Emotions Vol. 8 DVD
» Ryu☆ "starmine" Limited Edition First Album (SKU: LC1799-1801)
» Beatmania IIDX Spin-off Drama ROOTS26 S[suite] Vol.1 (SKU: LC1704)
» Beatmania IIDX Storage case
» Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress poster
» An undecided privilege will also be given away (probably a keychain)
Konamistyle Price: JPY18800 (US$239.90)

Please note that the special bundles listed above will not be sold through normal sales channels in Japan and the only way for NCS to obtain them will be by buying them on Konamistyle. That means paying retail and attendant taxes along with shipping charges from Japan to the states. Furthermore, please be aware that Konamistyle does not package the limited edition bundles in special containers. When NCS receives them, they're just packaged in normal cardboard boxes and we assemble the limited edition bundles together ourselves and ship them to customers.

We are considering supplying the Visual Emotions DVD and the other items individually as well since they're being sold as single products on Konamistyle. We'll update our shop listings and link accordingly if we decide to import them. Preorders for all three special Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress bundles are expected to ship on or around October 16, 2009.

Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress + Premium Best - JPN Preorder

NCS Preorder Synopsis
«©NCSX» We were waiting for it. Maybe we've been waiting for the past couple of years but it eluded us in 2007 and 2008. We're all going to hear it this year however. The Beatmania IIDX PS2 swansong will be sounding off soon and NCS is going to shed a tear or three for all the Beatmania memories, the sales, and the fun we've had over the past 9 years.

Konami released Beatmania IIDX 3rd Mix on the PS2 all the way back in November 2000 and we've studiously imported every IIDX game after that along with a few Konamistyle exclusives. The final game in the series for the PS2 will ship later this year and it's a 2-DVD spectacular that will include over 180 songs such as "Jack" by DesQ, "MY FUTURE" from Ping Pong, "Colorful Cookie" courtesy of Lucky Vacuum, and "naughty girl@Queen's Palace" by DJ Mass MAD Izm. The usual game modes such as "Arcade," "Expert," and "Free" are intact along with a "Tutorial Mode" for novices.

The visual theme in Beatmania IIDX 16 Empress is feminine royalty... ergo, Empress. Not a Queen but an Empress which ranks higher than a mere Queen. There's purple, pink, and fuchsia colors to contend with along with sparkling jewels and a whole lot of gloss as well.

Preorders are welcome to ship on October 15, 2009 at JPY7980 or US$80.90 from NCS. Please note that NCS intends to import the Konamistyle exclusive editions of Empress but please wait for updates.

Pop'n Music - Japanese Import Preorder

©NCSX» The last Pop'n Music game for the Playstation 2 was released two summers ago in 2007. NCS is fairly certain that Pop'n Music 14 Fever was the series' swansong on the PS2 since the console is ancient and software sales have been dwindling for years. It's unclear however if Konami will make the PS3 the console of choice for canonical Bemani releases but until that's sorted out, a new Pop'n Music is headed home. Not for the Xbox 360 nor the PS3 however. This one's exclusively for the Wii where rhythm-loving gamers will wag the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to hit the onscreen cues. The basic gist of Pop'n Music is pastel-colored Beatmania. Cues rain down the screen and a corresponding button must be slapped when each cue reaches the baseline below.

The Wii rendition of Pop'n Music features a little over 40 songs that are included on the game disc but additional songs may be downloaded for a small fee. That's Konami's way of milking the Bemani faithful just a little bit more after the initial sale. An assemblage of familiar characters and a four-player mode dubbed "Score March" allows party people to play the game together. Preorders for the Japanese Wii import Pop'n Music are welcome to ship on Aug 6, 2009 at JPY5524 or US$59.90 from NCS.

Beatmania IIDX 15 DJ Troopers - New Import, Ships Today

«©NCSX» In the previous Beatmania episode (IIDX 14), the visual theme was sweet, glittering GOLD. The visuals of the fifteenth Beatmania IIDX release are built upon one unifying theme - war. Camouflage-covered dancers and maidens packing heat are only some of the clues that there's a battle or a gang of Bemani militia somewhere.

The Playstation 2 conversion of Beatmania IIDX 15 DJ Troopers features a 90+ track list which includes 9 new CS songs such as "Battle Train -IIDX Edition-" by Sota Fujimori, "Biometrics Warrior" from GUHROOVY fw. NO+CHIN, "Sidechained Threats" by sanodg, and "Beautiful Angel" courtesy of DJ Swan. The arcade song selection features 57 tracks including "JOURNEY TO FANTASTICA (IIDX LIMITED)" by S.S.D.Fantastica feat. Emi with Arata, "Blue Rain" from Dj Taka vs Ryu, and "Sound Of Giallarhorn" by L.E.D.-G. The remaining tracks are scattered in Revivals, Old Songs, and 8 Hidden music tracks (one of which is BRAINSTORM by Hardcore United Tokyo (teranoid & DJ TECHNORCH) that must be unlocked.

Game modes include a Tutorial so newbies can learn how to get into the groove, Standard, Free, and Expert for the elite players in the audience.

Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold Konamistyle Special - In Stock

The special Konamistyle exclusive version of Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold includes the following items in addition to the game software:

» Gold-tinted Beatmania slipcase which holds two DVD cases
» Beatnation Summit: Beatmania IIDX premiumLIVE DVD (2 discs)
» Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold promotional poster

Please note that Konamistyle sells the special edition of their games without an encompassing container to hold all the goodies. We receive the items loose in a shipping box and then we assemble the items ourselves and ship them to our customers.

Few games have gone on to last as long as the Beatmania series but when it's a genre-defining pioneer with a devoted fanbase, maybe it's only fitting that the game endure into perpetuity. Or somewhere close to that. Konami's Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold was released over a year ago in arcades but home consumers finally got the chance to "Make It Money!" with the Playstation 2 conversion of the game. »Photos«

Oha-Studio Dance Dance Revolution - Clearance

Geared towards the pre-teen set, Oha-Studio Dance Dance Revolution mixes a youth oriented collection of songs with familiar DDR gameplay. Music selections include "Happy Go Lucky," by Yamachan, "Candy," from Warujiennu, "Cutie Chaser (Morning Mix)," courtesy of Club Spice, "Make a Jam," by U1, "Brilliant 2B," (NAOKI), "Keep On Movin'," from N.M.R. and six other sprightly metered gems.

Sale Offering: NCS' remaining inventory of Oha-Studio Dance Dance Revolution is new, factory sealed, and in mint condition. Pricing is set at US$19.90 per copy which includes free shipping by USPS Media Mail within the U.S. Larger Photos

Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold - New Import, Restock Soon

Few games have gone on to last as long as the Beatmania series but when it's a genre-defining pioneer with a devoted fanbase, maybe it's only fitting that the game endure into perpetuity. Or somewhere close to that. Konami's Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold was released over a year ago in arcades but home consumers will soon get a chance to "Make It Money!"

BMIIDX 14 is all about the bling. Gold. Appropriately enough, there's a highly energetic song dubbed "Gold Rush" by DJ YOSHITAKA-G feat. Michael a la mode where the lines, "Make It Make Money" and the recitation of all the Beatmania game title iterations such as "Shioa Sty!" may be heard. The CS version features roughly 90 songs from the usual suspects such as Sota Fujimori (Andromeda), Kosuke Saito aka kors k, Toshiyuki Kakuta aka L.E.D. and more. New songs include "Golden Cross" by dj REMO-CON vs dj TAKA, "Treasure X Star" from NAOKI & Ryu¤, "Guilt & Love" courtesy of The Plastic Ambition, and "SEQUENCE CAT" by SLEDLAKE (SLAKE & L.E.D.). The standard game modes such as Beginner, Tutorial, Free, Expert, etc make their expected return. New features include selectable difficulty levels for 2-player games and a new points system for unlocking songs.

Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold - Preorder

Few games have gone on to last as long as the Beatmania series but when it's a genre-defining pioneer with a devoted fanbase, maybe it's only fitting that the game endure into perpetuity. Or somewhere close to that. Konami's Beatmania IIDX 14 Gold was released over a year ago in arcades but home consumers will soon get a chance to "Make It Money!"

BMIIDX 14 is all about the bling. Gold. Appropriately enough, there's a highly energetic song dubbed "Gold Rush" by DJ YOSHITAKA-G feat. Michael a la mode where the lines, "Make It Make Money" and the recitation of all the Beatmania game title iterations such as "Shioa Sty!" may be heard. The CS version features roughly 90 songs from the usual suspects such as Sota Fujimori (Andromeda), Kosuke Saito aka kors k, Toshiyuki Kakuta aka L.E.D. and more. The standard game modes such as Beginner, Tutorial, Free, Expert, etc make their expected return. New features include selectable difficulty levels for 2-player games and a new points system for unlocking songs.

Preorders are welcome to ship on May 29, 2008.

Pop'n Music 14 Fever

In the 1980s, a form of music known as Italo Disco hit Japan and became a sensation. NCS recalls Italo Disco becoming pretty big in Hong Kong in the 80s as well but not to the extent that it captured Japan. Notable names in Italo music include Giorgio Moroder (Together in Electric Dreams), Ken Lazlo (Tonight), C.C. Catch (Jump in my Car), and Fockewulf 190 (Body Heat). Listening to a sampling of the songs in PnM 14 this morning such as "1/6 billionth" by NAOKI and "Denki Dance" from Freddy Hotae, we're reminded of the catchy hooks and synth-pop sensibilities of Italo Disco. The mix is diverse however since the song "Craze for You" sounds like something the Ramones would wail and "Let's Go Out" from Ucchies <3 color="#00ffff"> is high energy J-Pop. The song "Akumajo Dracula Medley" spools together classic tunes from the Akumajou games.

Pop'n Music 14 was released in Japanese arcades on May 17, 2006 and the game migrates to the home consoles a little more than a year later. The PS2 conversion features new songs, new characters, and a new mini-game challenge where 14 micro-games are played in quick succession ala Made in Wario. Tried and true game modes such as Taisen Mode, Challenge Mode, and Battle Mode return to mix up the action. «more»

GuitarFreaks & DrumMania Masterpiece Gold

When GuitarFreaks Masterpiece Silver was released, it was only a matter of time before Masterpiece Gold made it to market. Perhaps a Platinum (Hits) version is on tap to keep the metallic theme flowing. The user interface features glimmering gold bling that would do the Trumpster proud. Flip through the screens and marvel at the luster of bullion that catches the eye. Three game modes are featured: Arcade, Free, and the obligatory Training mode in case your strumming and fret handling skills needs a little tuning up. Select Arcade and the options include Beginner, Standard, and Nonstop. A Gallery option on the title screen allows for viewing select pieces of artwork and illustrations. The latest CS version of GuitarFreaks features a total of 76 tracks including "Bobby Sue and Skinny Jim" from Raj Ramayya, "E-MAIL ME!" by Paula Terry, "Get it All" courtesy of Brass Tricks, "Dreams in the night" by Yoshihiko Koezuka, "Heaven Inside" from Stephen McKnight, "Mad Blast" by The Infection, "Out of breath" from Thomas Howard Lichtenstein (unlock), "Orbital Velocity" by Jimmy Weckl (unlock), and many others for a mix of Konami originals, assorted covers, and secret tracks. «more»

Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA

Released last year in arcades and on the USA PS2, the Japanese PS2 version of DDR SuperNOVA finally makes it to market. The game sports a 70+ song list with catchy tracks such as "Centerfold" from Captain Jack, "Golden Sky" by SMILE.dk which has a "Butterfly-esque" hook, "Modern Girl" by Sheena Easton which gets cut off too soon, and "Girl in a Day Dream" by Pandora. There's also a dance mix version of "What a Wonderful World" from Beatbox vs DJ Miko that's hot.

A new diversion in DDR SuperNOVA is the 2-Player Battle Mode where the player challenges the COM or a second player in a side by side competition. As you collect PERFECT and GREAT rankings, a laser from the top of the screen attacks your opponent by blinking out the cue arrows at the top of the screen, speeds up arrows, shuffling arrows around, and causing arrows to stutter-step in tricky ways. The Diet Mode allows players to enter their weight and track caloric expenditure when dancing to songs. For beginners who haven't the foggiest idea of how to play DDR, the Tutorial Mode patiently guides dancers through the basics of stepping, double-stepping, freezing, and step sequencing. «NCS Game Notes»

Beatmania IIDX 12 Happy Sky

Every new Beatmania game is something to be explored and taken in like a book. Some players may digest it over the course of several weeks, savoring the nuances like a hunk of gourmet cheese. Beatmania IIDX 12 features a blue sky motif with a dazzling title screen that opens up to show the heavens above. Once the game starts, remnants of blue skies are occasionally evident in the menus and in the game itself.

The twelfth Beatmania IIDX starts off with 42 songs in Standard Mode but as conditions are met, an additional 46 songs may be unlocked for a total of 88 tracks. Songs that are selectable at the outset of the game including "Endless Summer Story" from DJ Yoshitaka feat. [Japanese Reggae - BPM 095], "EMPTY OF THE SKY" by Akira Yamaoka [E-Rock - BPM 182], "Pink Rose" by Kiyommy + Seiya [Heart BPM 116/146], "Holi"c courtesy of TaQ [Hard Techno - BPM 155], and many more. Songs are categorized into All Music, Happy Sky, and Old Music as primary categories but players may also choose songs that are grouped by Level (1-12), alphabetical order, DJ Level (from AAA to F), and Clear status. Game modes include regulation offerings such as Beginner, Expert, and Free but there's also a Gallery Mode which features 66 pieces of artwork and a customizable Original Course Setting where players pick and choose the music. «NCS Game Notes»

Guitar Freaks V2 & DrumMania V2

Prior to 2006, there was a drought in the world of homeward GuitarFreaks games since 2002. As of today, there's been three new GF games released this year and we're looking forward to a regular schedule of releases henceforth. A total of 68 songs are featured in the game including "Blood And Thunder" from Mastodon, "Metal Queen" by Vanilla Ninja, "Saccharine Smile" per Donots, "Burnt" by Brad Holmes, "Day Dream" courtesy of Mutshiko Izumi, and many more. Gracious tracks from GFDMV3 include "Micro Fin" by Rotten Blotch, "Ring" by Kozo Nakamura, and "Guitar Drive" by Handsome Jet.

The interface is taken from the arcade version of GuitarFreaks with sweet and shiny bars, buttons, and sliders. The game is broken up into sections for GuitarFreaksV2, DrumManiaV2, and SessionV2 where up to three gamers may jam together. New entrants to the GuitarFreaks fold may hone their skills in the Training Mode which notches down the difficulty level while hardened axe handlers can test themselves in the Practice Mode. Once assured of your ability, head on over to the Arcade Mode and do your best to hit the cues with precision and dexterity. «NCS Game-Notes»

Pop'n Music 13 Limited Edition

Nyami and Mimi get into a carnival kind of mood by donning jester costumes and hamming it up for the thirteenth Pop 'n Music game. The Konamistyle Limited Edition of Pop'n Music 13 includes the following items in addition to the game:

» Pop'n Music Carnival slipcase
» Pop'n Music e-Amusement Pass pouch
» Sheet of Pop'n Music Carnival decals
» Pop'n Music Carnival poster
» Pop'n Music stencil card
» V-Rare Soundtrack Vol. 15

Photos of the items may be viewed on the following link. Preorders has shipped as of yesterday and new orders are welcome at US$115 per pack.

Guitar Freaks Arcade Style Controller

After a shaky start and a couple of delays, Konami makes good on their Guitar ASC production for the home Bemani consumer. The first batch of Konami's Guitar Freaks Arcade Style Controllers arrived today and early preorders are shipping this afternoon. The remainder of our controllers are scheduled to arrive on Thursday. If your order is shipping today, an email will be sent out by 2PM EST with an order confirmation and UPS tracking details. Shipment tracking will be activated after 8PM EST once the packages are scanned into the distribution hub.

NCS ordered a surplus of the guitars and we have a buffer quantity for new orders. Please note that orders placed today for the Guitar ASC will ship on Thursday when the remainder of our shipments arrive. Due to the large amount of orders for the Guitar, please notify NCS by today if you have a billing or address change as we will begin processing orders on Wednesday. NCS recommends only shipping by UPS Ground if you reside in the USA due to the large carton size for the Guitar ASC.

General Bemani Update

The Konamistyle limited edition of Pop 'n Music 13 is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday of next week and an initial shipment of the PS2 Guitar Freaks Arcade Style Controller should arrive on Monday. The remainder of the ASC controllers are expected to trickle in over the course of the next week since orders and shipments had to be staggered from the Konamistyle website.

As mentioned before, NCS recommends only shipping the Guitar Freaks ASC by UPS Ground within the U.S.A due to the dimensional weight and size of the item. Emails will be sent out to customers when their Guitar ASC ships and we expect to be able to fulfill everyone's order by the end of next week. That is, barring any import shipping and procedural delays. Thanks.

Pop 'n Music 13

Nyami and Mimi get into a carnival kind of mood by donning jester costumes and hamming it up for the thirteenth Pop 'n Music game. Three new mini-games which reflect the circus atmosphere are included which feature flapping/parachuting, the flying Hamanov, and the Synchronized Hamanov. Performing well in the mini-games will unlock songs to flesh out the music library. The CS version of Pop 'n Music 13 features 15 new tunes (9 available at the outset) in the expansive library of 114 tracks. A fair number of songs from Pop 'n Music 12 make the transition to 13 but there's enough variety in the music to keep even the most demanding Bemaniacs happy and perhaps even jolly.

Songs include "Butterfly (Delaction Mix)" by Hime Trance 1, "Jewelry Girl" from Jun, "Infinity Blue" by Reiji Sakurai, and many more. Music from animation, J-pop, and games are included for a diverse jam. Standard modes include Arcade Mode, Enjoyment Mode for beginners, Battle Mode, Expert Mode, and a Super Challenge Mode. Similar to earlier Pop 'n Music games, players may view portraits and animations of the characters featured in the rhythm action and learn a little more about them in a more sedate setting. An internet ranking mode keeps track of the Pop 'n elite.