Tachikoma Yellow Soft Vinyl Figure

Tachikoma are usually painted blue and speak with squeaky voices. However, in episode 12 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, two color variants were shown: A silver-painted Tachikoma which was eventually destroyed and a yellow-painted model which was also wrecked in an all-out assault against the Umibozu.
Fewture Model has started preorders for a Tachikoma Yellow soft-vinyl figure which is scheduled to ship in May 2007. The toy measures 24cm in height and looks resplendent with its golden hue and bumblebee-themed stripes on its legs. The Tachikoma is posable and may be arranged in different positions that show off its versatility and combat readiness. Pricing is set at JPY6500 or US$65 from NCS. Preorders are welcome to ship in mid-late May.

Xenosaga Legend Episode 2

Preorders are welcome for the second series of Xenosaga Legend trading figures which ship in mid-late June 2007. The product solicitation mentions that 5 figures are featured in the set (+2 secrets) and each factory sealed box contains 8 randomly-packaged figures. Pricing is set at JPY700 per figure or US$65 per factory sealed box of eight from NCS.

General Updates

Virtua Fighter 5 HG Stick Update A batch of fixed HG joysticks are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday of next week and all preorders will ship from that first shipment. We may have surplus stock for new orders and if so, we'll contact customers who have inquired about availability by Wednesday afternoon. Please note that pricing was hiked to US$109 and we've asked customers to re-confirm their preorders by email request earlier this week. If you have a Hotmail or Yahoo email account and didn't receive our message, please check the Trash folder if your spam settings are set to a high filtration level.

Next Week Looks a little slow. We'll do good numbers with PS2 Garouden Break Blow: Fist or Twist but there's nothing else import-wise that looks viable for the domestic market. We'll list some sale items next week and an interesting Gameboy cartridge that we found in storage.

Karous

Prior to Milestone's announcement of "Karous" for the coin-op market, the word "Karous" did not exist in Japan. Mutter "Karous" in Shijuku and no one will respond or make a move. In the USA, there's a word "Carouse" which means a drunken stupor but that's about it. Karous is a bastardization of the word "Karasu" which means a type of "Crow." First Impressions: When NCS checked out Karous last year, we figured that Milestone had a Rajirugi Contruction Kit somewhere on the premises. Visually, the game is similar to that earlier effort but the game has enough wrinkles to distinguish itself somewhat. The control scheme looks like this: Joystick: Movement A-Button: Shoot B-Button: Slash sword C-Button: Special Attack Press "A" and bullets will burst forward. Stop shooting and a shield appears which blocks oncoming fire. To attack with a swishing sword, «more»

Yoshi's Island DS

From the Publisher: A mysterious floating island has suddenly appeared over peaceful Yoshi's Island. Soon after its arrival, a gaggle of kids vanishes from the island school. Thankfully, Baby Mario, Baby Peach and Baby Donkey Kong manage to avoid being kidnapped. Now, Yoshi and the three young superstars must set out on a wild and colorful quest to rescue the kids and investigate the ominous island hovering overhead. Return to the colorful wilds of Yoshi's Island in a new platforming adventure for Nintendo DS. Features: Saddle up for adventure. This time, Baby Mario, Baby Donkey Kong and Baby Peach are along for the ride - and each one gives Yoshi access to unique powers while they cling to his back. Baby Mario gives Yoshi speed, Baby Wario gives him magnetism for picking up coins, and so on.

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»

Kenka Banchou 2: Full Throttle

In the original Kenka Banchou game from 2005, a pompadour-wearing hero named Yasuo battled rival hoodlums for renown and established a bad-ass repute at the expense of society at large. Despite Yasuo's thuggish leanings, he wasn't above helping grannies and other citizens with mundane tasks and errands. Yasuo exhibited a deep and resonant duality in that way. Spike went on to sell 157,000 copies of the game without much of an advertising budget or any name recognition. Fast forward two years and Yasuo's still around but no longer the hero. A young buck named Tomoya has entered the world and must earn his own badge of yankii honor. By using the mighty menchi beam to initiate encounters and fists to beat down packs of ruffians, the new protagonist slowly gains street cred, repute, and the adoration of lowly gangsters throughout the hood. Even though Yasuo sort of looked like Fonzie, he never had a motorcycle in the original game. Tomoya gets one immediately during the introductory training session of the game where certain actions are completed. When the game proper starts, Tomoya may pedal around on a bicycle but he'll eventually graduate to the throaty rumbles of his own motorcycle and raise hell by tearing through the streets. «more»

Monster World Complete Collection

Wonder Boy was a blonde caveman-like hero who wore diapers and rushed across jungles on bare feet. Despite being in the jungle, Wonder Boy was able to find skateboards inside eggs and ride like the wind. From humble beginnings in 1986, the Wonder Boy franchise went on to spawn five more games which captured the hearts of gamers the world over. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Wonder Boy, Sega collects all six titles and throws in scans of the instruction manuals, illustrations, and a BGM sound test for every game. In addition to the original versions of the games, console variants (if applicable) are also included. The original version of Wonderboy is most prolific with a total of five variants to check out and enjoy including the System 1 arcade original and four home versions. The games in the collection and their years of release are: Wonder Boy 1986, Wonder Boy in Monster Land 1987 Wonder Boy III Monster Lair 1988, Monster World II 1992 Monster World III 1989, Monster World IV 1994 Two of the games (coin-op versions) feature a Super Play mode. «more»