Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Konami's new service has a fake girlfriend email you about her day]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/konamis-new-service-has-a-fake-girlfriend-email-you-about-her-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/konamis-new-service-has-a-fake-girlfriend-email-you-about-her-d/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/konamis-new-service-has-a-fake-girlfriend-email-you-about-her-d/#comments

Konami's dating sim, Love Plus, is a hit in Japan, allowing players to have girlfriends without the hassle of actually having a girlfriend. The next installment, New Love Plus, launches for 3DS in Japan tomorrow and offers more ways to bring virtual girlfriends into real-life experiences, Siliconera reports.

Love Plus Tools, which allows players to import their previous Love Plus data into New Love Plus, will offer compatibility with AR cards that Konami will release every Monday. Users can take life-sized photos of their girlfriends and print them out on size A3 or A4 paper (16.5 x 11.7 in or 11.7 x 8.3 in, respectively).

New Love Plus will also introduce Girlfriend Mail, wherein players will receive email from their in-game girlfriends, accessible via PC and smartphone. Girlfriend Mail will cost 315 yen ($4) per month, but Konami is offering it for free until March. Owners will also be able to link their game data with Girlfriend Mail, so emails will include their pet names, and on birthdays or anniversaries players will get "special mail." Whatever that means.

JoystiqKonami's new service has a fake girlfriend email you about her day originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsdating-simJapanKonamilove-plusmobilenew-love-plusnintendopcvirtual-girlfriendTue, 14 Feb 2012 01:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Bishojo game White Album coming to PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/27/bishojo-game-white-album-coming-to-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/27/bishojo-game-white-album-coming-to-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/27/bishojo-game-white-album-coming-to-ps3/#commentsFiled under:

What the heck is a Bish?jo game, you ask? It is a "Japanese video game centered around interactions with attractive anime girls." In the latest issue of Dengeki Daioh magazine, it was announced an anime adaptation of the 1998 erotic dating-sim White Album will be released along with a PS3 game based on this version. The original game was unusual for a dating-sim because the main character already has a girlfriend. A scan of the magazine can be found here.

Considering the abundance of such games in the PS2 era, we are not surprised this genre is starting to take off on the PS3. In a way, it shows that the PS3 has reached a wider audience and is becoming more mainstream in Japan.

JoystiqBishojo game White Album coming to PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animedating-simjapanwhite-albumFri, 27 Jun 2008 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fighting monsters and dating boys in Hiiro no Kakera]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/fighting-monsters-and-dating-boys-in-hiiro-no-kakera/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/fighting-monsters-and-dating-boys-in-hiiro-no-kakera/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/02/fighting-monsters-and-dating-boys-in-hiiro-no-kakera/#commentsFiled under: ,

Once again, blogger Jenni Lada proves to be our ultimate source for Japanese otome games (i.e., dating games for girls). The latest otome on her DS pallet was Hiiro no Kakera, which debuted in Japan a little less than two weeks ago.

What makes this title stand out from some of the others in its genre is its fantastical plot. The heroine is a girl named Tamaki, who starts seeing monsters in her small, mountain town. With her sacred sword and the help of six studly (and eligible) bachelors, Tamaki must defeat the monsters and save her village from destruction. A little dating on the side couldn't hurt, though, could it? In fact, that sounds like a good gig to us.

Hiiro no Kakara was actually a PS2 title first, but voice-acting and other content were added for the DS version. The game also boasts some nice artwork and imagery, making it a visual novel of sorts. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of kanji in this otome, so unless you can read kanji well, you'll probably be in for a struggle. Should you be determined to give it a try anyway, Siliconera has a handy guide for starting up your game. If you're looking for an easier otome to get through, though, Lada recommends trying Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 2nd Season.

JoystiqFighting monsters and dating boys in Hiiro no Kakera originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dating-simhiiro-no-kakeraidea-factoryotomeMon, 02 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DS chooses Boys Over Flowers]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/ds-chooses-boys-over-flowers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/ds-chooses-boys-over-flowers/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/29/ds-chooses-boys-over-flowers/#commentsFiled under: ,

If Japanese dating sims are usually on your radar, you'll be glad to know that Konami is releasing another interesting title in the genre this July, based on Hana Yori Dango. Known as Boys Over Flowers in North America, the manga is so popular that it was adapted into an anime, multiple live-action TV series, a singing group (known as F4), an anime movie, and a live-action movie (to be released this summer).

In Hana Yori Dango the main character is Tsukushi, a working-class girl attending a school full of rich kids. The most elite of the elite is a group known as the "Flower" Four (F4), who make it a hobby to harass other students. In the manga (and show), Tsukushi stands up for herself against the group, which causes the F4 leader to fall for her.

In the DS game based on the franchise, called Hana Yori Dango -Koi Seyo Otome!-, you take control of a new girl that essentially fulfills the same role as Tsukushi. Whether or not she finds romance with one of the F4 crew depends on how you play the virtual dating game, which includes stylus-controlled hand-holding and other kinds of mini games.

This title comes out in the Far East on July 10th, so all you gals (and guys!) who don't mind navigating through Japanese text to land yourselves a virtual man, mark that date.

[Via GamerTell]

JoystiqDS chooses Boys Over Flowers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boys-over-flowersdating-simhana-yori-dangohana-yori-dango-koi-seyo-otomejapankoi-seyo-otomesimTue, 29 Apr 2008 09:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Love Revo: Losing weight is hard even in video games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/love-revo-losing-weight-is-hard-even-in-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/love-revo-losing-weight-is-hard-even-in-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/12/love-revo-losing-weight-is-hard-even-in-video-games/#commentsFiled under:



We've been immensely interested in Otometeki Koi Kakumei: Love Revo ever since we caught wind of the DS game, but we hadn't seen any in-depth impressions of the dating sim until now. While it's a port of a 2006 PS2 game with very little added content, it has a unique concept: you play as a 200-lb, doltish girl looking to shed some pounds and smarten herself up to meet the standards of seven possible bachelors. Interestingly, there's also, uh, a somewhat incestual possible ending.

Gamer Tell's Jenni Lada has a few curious notes on those unattached boys from her Love Revo playthrough: Souta, a blue-haired buck in the grade below your character's, has the lowest weight-loss requirement, and he'll date you once you've worked yourself down to 165 lbs. Perhaps the developers are implying that his youth and romantic inexperience have kept his standards lower than matured gentlemen? Because of his relatively accepting nature, Jenni found herself thinking of him as "a better person than the other male bachelors." Take notes, guys!

You would expect Toru, your character's childhood friend and a similarly overweight individual, to be more understanding of your obesity, but not so! You have to slim down to 143 lbs before he gazes at you with hearts floating around his head. Toru's willing to take you under his husky wing, however, if your reading stat is only at 60; Souta must place higher importance on brains than looks, as his reading stat requirement is 65.

To lose weight and build up your stats, you have to efficiently balance your activities, food intake, work, money, and stress. Despite her best efforts, Jenni found that balance too challenging to achieve, and her game ended with a "mean, thin girl" mocking her character. Determined to win herself a man, she used an Action Replay cheat code to rake in unlimited cash. Pockets full, she had no trouble gaining kind-hearted Souta's affection.

So, is it easier to lose weight when you're rich? And is it easier to shack up with someone when you have money?

JoystiqLove Revo: Losing weight is hard even in video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-replaydatingdating-simgungho-worksincestlove-revonec-interchannelotometeki-koi-kakumeiportsimweightSat, 12 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hayate the Combat Butler returns to the DS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/hayate-the-combat-butler-returns-to-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/hayate-the-combat-butler-returns-to-the-ds/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/hayate-the-combat-butler-returns-to-the-ds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A few days ago, another dating sim hit Japanese shelves, making us wonder just how many of these types of games Japan gets in any given month. Like many, this one is based on a Japanese manga (which was later developed into an anime and video game) called Hayate the Combat Butler.

The first video game based on the manga came out last summer. Hayate no Gotoku! Ojousama Produce Daisakusen Boku Iro ni Somare! just recently released, though, and comes in two different versions. The main difference in the two versions is the setting, as one takes place at a rich girl named Nagi's school, while the other takes place at her mansion home.

The game has a Pygmalion/My Fair Lady type of storyline, in which the butler of the house must train Nagi for an Ojousama (lady) contest. You control Hayate the teen butler, and must pick out Nagi's clothes, scout out her opponents, and take her out on dates (to relieve her stress, of course). Ultimately, your goal is to make the bond between Hayate and Nagi as strong as possible.

We're going to bet that this shows up in the Japanese sales charts sometime soon -- any takers? Also, if you're interested, you can check past the break to see the boxarts and some screens.

Continue reading Hayate the Combat Butler returns to the DS

JoystiqHayate the Combat Butler returns to the DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>datingdating-simhayate-no-gotokuhayate-the-combat-butlerjapanmangaojousama-produce-daisakusen-boku-iro-ni-somaresimTue, 18 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Duel Love teaches proper nipple rubbing techniques]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/duel-love-teaches-proper-nipple-rubbing-techniques/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/duel-love-teaches-proper-nipple-rubbing-techniques/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/05/duel-love-teaches-proper-nipple-rubbing-techniques/#commentsFiled under:

When we scrub sweat off of anime men, we like to make sure we do it right. That's why we were glad to see this helpful Duel Love chart, showing us the various moods that a proper sponge scrub can elicit. According to the chart, the boy with the blue-tinted hair really likes that right nipple rubdown, to the point of the game being even more disturbing than it was before.

Somehow, the game manages to get even more risquè, with shower scenes encouraging you to blow away the steam that's hindering the view. You wouldn't want to miss anything, right? (We kid.)

That last bit sounds more like a voyeur-in-training game to us, though. Ut oh, we hope we didn't just give anyone any ideas.

[Via Kotaku]

JoystiqDuel Love teaches proper nipple rubbing techniques originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bandai-namcodating-simduel-lovenamco-bandaisimWed, 05 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Miami Nights hotter in Europe]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/miami-nights-hotter-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/miami-nights-hotter-in-europe/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/17/miami-nights-hotter-in-europe/#commentsFiled under:



"Party in the city where the heat is on
All night on the beach till the break of dawn"

Oh, Will Smith, if only we could believe you and your ridiculous ears. Slated for next February, Miami Nights: Singles in the City is the latest mobile-to-DS port from developer Gameloft (Asphalt Urban GT), advertising itself as a "social simulation game" in which you try to make it big in Magic City as a model, singer, or actor. To our surprise, the DS game's graphics actually look worse than the cellphone version, mostly due to the studio's move from 2D sprites to 3D figures.

Gameloft isn't the only company to blame for making Miami Nights less inviting -- Ubisoft, the title's publisher in both Europe and the states, also did its part to tone down the game's sex appeal, at least for the US. While Miami Nights' European cover features a blonde woman in a bikini, the North American boxart has the same model covered up, now in a low-cut dress.

Is Ubisoft worried about conservative parents revolting over the lubricious image were it to appear on game shelves, right in between Meteos: Disney Magic and My Horse & Me? Or maybe the publisher just doesn't think we're ready for that jelly? Shake your hips past the post break to see the original packaging art and an embedded video of Miami Sound Machine's "1-2-3."

Continue reading Miami Nights hotter in Europe

JoystiqMiami Nights hotter in Europe originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boxartcensordating-simgameloftmiami-nightsmobileportsingles-in-the-cityubisoftMon, 17 Dec 2007 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Train training game not really about trains]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/train-training-game-not-really-about-trains/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/train-training-game-not-really-about-trains/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/train-training-game-not-really-about-trains/#commentsFiled under: ,

This week's awesomely bad DS trailer features Chishiki-Ou Series: Train Master, the game you may remember us referring to oh-so-cleverly as "train training." Alas, we shouldn't be surprised that this Japanese game has seemingly turned into nothing more than a dating sim, and yet, we are.

We're also disappointed. Now, at cocktail parties, we can no longer flaunt our DS knowledge with crowd-pleasing statements like, "There are training games galore. Why, there's even a train training game!" We suppose we can always say, "There are so many dating sim games around, even one based on trains!" Of course, we actually want to keep our friends and not scare them away, so that doesn't work out nearly as well.

JoystiqTrain training game not really about trains originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chishiki-ou-seriesdating-simtrain-mastertrainingtrainsTue, 11 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST