<?xml version="1.0"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd">
<channel>
<title>Joystiq</title>
<link>http://www.joystiq.com</link>
<description>Joystiq</description>
<image>
<url>http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif</url>
<title>Joystiq</title>
<link>http://www.joystiq.com</link>
</image>
<language>en-us</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.</copyright>
<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Kumatanchi wallpaper plus a bit of backstory]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/news/" rel="tag">News</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/imports/" rel="tag">Imports</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.dmpl.co.jp/kumatan/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="middle" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/06/kumatanchi060508.jpg" /></a><br /></div>
The site for Vanillaware and Dimple's bizarre zookeeping game <em>Kumatanchi</em> has opened, though it currently offers absolutely nothing other than guest wallpaper. Eventually, it'll have an introduction to both the game system and the setting, and ... probably more wallpaper.<br /><br />Last week, Zepy of Canned Dogs <a href="http://zepy.momotato.com/2008/05/29/kumatanchi/">uncovered</a> the reason that Vanillaware, best known for sidescrolling RPGs like <em>Odin Sphere</em> and <em>Princess Crown</em> would veer off into a game about little girls with animal ears, and it's pretty interesting. One of their staff artists makes amateur <em>doujin</em> games, like <em><a href="http://www.ashinaga.sakura.ne.jp/ha_house.html">Habanero-tan House</a></em> (which looks like <em>Kumatanchi</em> with plant-girls)<em>,</em> in his spare time with a group called <a href="http://www.ashinaga.sakura.ne.jp/">Ashinaga Ojisan</a>. Somehow, Vanillaware decided to work with the group on a DS game. <br /><br />It's not uncommon for an amateur-made game to become a console release -- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melty_Blood"><em>Melty Blood</em></a> comes to mind, as does ABA Games' <em>TUMIKI Fighters</em>. But since this is being done professionally in collaboration with Vanillaware, <em>Kumatanchi</em> isn't <em>exactly</em> a <em>doujin </em>game.<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/">Kumatanchi wallpaper plus a bit of backstory</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.dmpl.co.jp/kumatan/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/1216445/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/kumatanchi-wallpaper-plus-a-bit-of-backstory/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dimple</category><category>kumatanchi</category><category>simulation</category><category>vanillaware</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[JC Fletcher]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mitewa Ikenai: creepy photography both in and about the game]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/screens/" rel="tag">Screens</a></p><a href="http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1215058_1124.html"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/05/mitewa051308.jpg"  alt="" /></a><em>Famitsu</em> has posted some new screens of <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/"><em>Mitewa Ikenai</em></a> (<em>Don't Look), </em>the horror game about investigating photographs to look for ghosts. They look really weird, basically -- due in part to the mosaic blur on everyone's face, and due in part to the, uh, creepy ghost stuff happening in the photos.<br /><br />While you can search for supernatural events in the game's photos, you'll have very little trouble identifying super-<em>skeezy</em> events in the rest of the <em>Famitsu</em> article's pictures. Somehow -- perhaps because of the photography theme -- it made sense for Dimple to promote this game by having former AV idol <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_Natsume">Nana Natsume</a> come to the <em>Famitsu </em>offices and take pictures in which the magazine's editors pretend to sexually harass her. The video at the end, of Natsume praying at a shrine, is clean.<br /><br /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/">Mitewa Ikenai: creepy photography both in and about the game</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 13 May 2008 11:45:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1215058_1124.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/1194098/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/13/mitewa-ikenai-creepy-photography-both-in-and-about-the-game/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dimple</category><category>horror</category><category>miteha-ikenai</category><category>mitewa-ikenai</category><category>nana-natsume</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[JC Fletcher]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 13 May 2008 11:45:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mitewa Ikenai: More horror for the DS]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/news/" rel="tag">News</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/screens/" rel="tag">Screens</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/imports/" rel="tag">Imports</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.dmpl.co.jp/miteha_ikenai/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/03/080324-dsf-miteha02-0.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /></div>
<br />Still looking for a DS game to scare you out of your wits? <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/29/the-nightmare-after-christmas-joshikousei-nigeru-trailer/">Joshikousei Nigeru</a></em> and its undead schoolgirls didn't do the trick? How about the creepy audio message in <em><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/09/18/creepy-jam-sessions-audio-clarified-un-creepified/">Jam Sessions</a></em>? <em>Mitewa Ikenai</em> (<em>You Mustn't Look</em>), <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/Dimple">Dimple's</a> latest, could be the horror title you've been waiting for!<br /><br />Due for release in Japan this summer, <em>Mitewa Ikenai</em> haunts you with two different modes -- one in which you examine photographs to spot paranormal inconsistencies, and an adventure game in which you investigate a home terrorized by an evil supernatural being.<br /><br />It's like having your own portable episode of <em><a href="http://www.scifi.com/ghosthunters/">Ghost Hunters</a></em>, except you don't have to wait until Wednesday night to watch it! Also, you don't have to suffer some tool insisting that every unexplained sound was a sign of communication from the dead. Ignore the warning and take a look at our <em>You Mustn't Look</em> screenshots in the gallery below.<br /><br /><br />[Via <a href="http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20080324/miteha.htm">Game Watch</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/">Mitewa Ikenai: More horror for the DS</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.dmpl.co.jp/miteha_ikenai/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/1147359/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/24/mitewa-ikenai-more-horror-for-the-ds/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dimple</category><category>horror</category><category>miteha-ikenai</category><category>mitewa-ikenai</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Eric Caoili]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[TV-show-starring, plushie-appearing, and screenshot-posting Marsh]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/fan-stuff/" rel="tag">Fan stuff</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/imports/" rel="tag">Imports</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.dmpl.co.jp/marsh/etc.html"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="middle" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/08/sisters-marsh-0-dsf.jpg" alt="" /></a><br /></div>
<br />Our favorite English-eating creature, Marsh, promoted its <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/">upcoming DS game</a> recently with a week-long series of five-minute TV segments in Japan. Sisters Manami, Kinuyo, and Mikako posed an English problem everyday which Marsh would then try to answer. These interstitials served partly as commercials and partly as educational pieces to help viewers memorize English.<br /><br />We would <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/02/x-com-screenshots-from-the-deep/">sell our souls</a> to have one of those cute Marsh dolls that the sisters are posing with. We could probably make one of our own with a sharpie marker and a bag full of cotton balls, but, as we're sure all of you spoiled kids out there agree, it just wouldn't be the same! Don't look away! You know this to be true.<br /><br />Developer Dimple Entertainment has posted screenshots for the pet-simulation/English-trainer title which you can see in our gallery below. <em>Eigo wo Taberu Fushigi na Ikimono Marsh</em> (<em>Mysterious English-Eating Animal Marsh</em>) hits stores in Japan this September 27th.<br /><br /><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/">TV-show-starring, plushie-appearing, and screenshot-posting Marsh</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:40:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.dmpl.co.jp/marsh/etc.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/956518/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/tv-show-starring-plushie-appearing-and-screenshot-posting-mars/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dimple</category><category>english</category><category>marsh</category><category>microvision</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Eric Caoili]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 06 Aug 2007 10:40:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Marsh: The cutest game you'll ever import]]></title><link>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/</guid><comments>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/category/imports/" rel="tag">Imports</a></p><a href="http://www.dmpl.co.jp/marsh/index.html"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/07/marsh-tell-me-your-name-0-dsf.jpg" alt="" /></a>Maya, 25 years old and a short-haired brunette, works as a waitress at a coffee shop. Single, she lives alone in her apartment, or at least, she <em>used</em> to live alone in her apartment before an adorable, English-eating creature came to stay with her -- that's English <em>words</em>, not English people. Maya named her new roommate Marsh, taking inspiration from its marshmallow color and fluffy consistency.<br /><br /><em>Eigo wo Taberu Fushigi na Ikimono Marsh</em> (<em>Mysterious English-Eating Animal Marsh</em>) plays like a cross between a <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/search/?q=pets">virtual pet simulator</a> and an educational game meant to strengthen <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/25/more-english-training-helps-you-order-a-cheeseburger-right/">English language skills</a>. Using a series of menus to string words together, you can help Maya find out how Marsh is feeling, ask if Marsh wants to help clean the room, or enjoy other interactions with the mallowy critter. <br /><br />Should you decide to import the title when it arrives in Japan this September 27th, you won't have to worry much about any language barriers, as Maya insists on communicating with Marsh in English. We're in love with the artwork we've seen so far for the game, so much so that we're willing to overlook that almost everything seems to have been ported from Microvision's <a href="http://www.joystiq.com/tag/phone">cell phone</a> game. Check past the post break for a three-minute trailer. Doesn't your heart just melt when you see Marsh playing with the toy airplane?<p><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Marsh: The cutest game you'll ever import</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ffffcc;border:1px solid #ffff99;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.joystiq.com"><img src="http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif" alt="Joystiq" style="float:left;padding:0 5px 5px 0;" /></a><a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/">Marsh: The cutest game you'll ever import</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.joystiq.com">Joystiq</a> on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.<br style="clear:both;"></p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.dmpl.co.jp/marsh/index.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/forward/947881/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/24/marsh-the-cutest-game-youll-ever-import/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dimple</category><category>english</category><category>marsh</category><category>microvision</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Eric Caoili]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 24 Jul 2007 18:30:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>