Joystiq

Resident Evil 6 getting Japanese voiceover as DLC

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:00:00 EST

Capcom is working on DLC for Resident Evil 6 featuring Japanese voiceovers for its audience in the country, Siliconera translates from Famitsu. Resident Evil 6, like many other Capcom games, has English voiceovers only, even in the Japanese version.

Not that the game has suffered in Japan for a lack of native voice acting - Resident Evil 6 for PS3 is Japan's No. 5 game of 2012, selling 828,000 copies nationally last year. Capcom shipped 3.7 million copies of Resident Evil 6 worldwide in the first half of fiscal 2013, nicely padding its overall revenue for the period, though it wasn't even close to hitting our personal "best of 2012" list.

Resident Evil 6 getting Japanese voiceover as DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Assault the Cheating Boyfriend! Caught You Red-Handed' hits Japan's 3DS eShop next week

Jessica Conditt — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:15:00 EST

Japanese 3DS game Assault the Cheating Boyfriend! Caught You Red-Handed has one of the most straight-forward yet adorable names we've ever seen. Unfortunately it doesn't work very well as an acronym, and if it's shortened to just the first word it sounds like a new Ace Combat game, so we'll just call it Red-Handed to save time.

Red-Handed puts players in the role of a suspicious girlfriend as she digs around her boyfriend's house to find evidence that he's cheating on her. The game is 2D, but one 3DS-specific perk allows players to shake the controller when the enraged girlfriend confronts her boyfriend, causing her to throw all the evidence she's collected at him, the alleged scumbag. There are four boyfriends to choose from in Red-Handed.

Red-Handed hits the 3DS eShop in Japan next week for $3. There's no word on a localized version, but there is hope.

'Assault the Cheating Boyfriend! Caught You Red-Handed' hits Japan's 3DS eShop next week originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ghostlight looking to bring JRPGs from console to PC

Mike Schramm — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST

Ghostlight is a UK publisher that's known for its adaptations of Japanese games (specifically JRPGs). Last week it asked readers of its official blog if there was any interest in seeing Ghostlight bring some JRPGs from Japanese consoles to PC. The interest was apparently high, because this week's blog post says Ghostlight is planning on doing exactly that.

There aren't a lot of details yet, but Ghostlight says talks are underway, and while the original plans were to just release these games digitally, fan response has got the company thinking about boxed copies of these translated games as well.

Ghostlight looking to bring JRPGs from console to PC originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NIS will teach you how to read Japanese with iOS 'Character Chowdown' app

JC Fletcher — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:30:00 EST

NIS America and developer Yummy Yummy Tummy have partnered for an educational game that seems particularly well-suited for NISA fans: Character Chowdown, designed to teach the Japanese kana and kanji writing systems.

Naturally, as you and the "Nommon" monsters learn Japanese characters (with the game automatically learning and focusing on ones you're having trouble with), you'll see cameos from the Disgaea series, including some heroes available as eventual DLC.

Character Chowdown's developer Yummy Yummy Tummy is run by Spencer, editor of Siliconera. Siliconera has experimented with Japanese learning games before, with the Flash games Dinosaurs and Hiragana and Dinosaurs and Katakana.

NIS will teach you how to read Japanese with iOS 'Character Chowdown' app originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Jul 2012 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asura's Wrath reaction no surprise to Matsuyama, dot Hack for NA needs more fan support

Mike Schramm — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

CyberConnect2's president Hiroshi Matsuyama was signing autographs at Wondercon in Anaheim, CA this past weekend, and he kindly took a break from showing off his latest game - Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations - to chat with us about how his other games are doing.

And by "other games" we of course mean the one with the god destroyer: Asura's Wrath. Despite both critical acclaim and a strong sales start, Matsuyama is still cautious about the new IP. "It's only been a month since it's been out," Matsuyama told Joystiq through a translator. He said that he expected both positive and negative reactions, and that's what he got. "Obviously, it was a challenge to create something new. And when you try to do that, obviously the people that get it will enjoy it. But for people where the game doesn't fit their expectations, they're not going to jump up as much."

We also checked in on both the dot Hack title in progress as well as a possible sequel to Solatorobo, but for both of those, Matsuyama says he needs more support from North American publishers. For dot Hack specifically, "as long as we can get more requests from the fans, there's a possibility." But he there are other factors in play as well. "It's not that people don't know about it," he said. "But I think it's more than Namco Bandai Games America is not interested in the typical JRPGs and that's why they're not looking to pick it up."

Matsuyama said he's not trying to make directly Japanese or Western games, however. "It's most important to be able to see the whole world. Back in the day, a lot of developers and publishers were focused on Japanese games and sent them out to North America. Obviously that's not going to be accepted as much. From our standpoint, we're really looking to create a game that's fun for everybody in the world."

That said, we kindly asked Matsuyama to show us what might be the next evolution of the Asura pose, given that we've seen it twice already so far. But because Matsuyama happened to be in the Namco booth and not the Capcom booth (not to mention that he was dressed up as Naruto anyway), we got the very serene pose above. In other words, the Asura Pose has evolved yet again.

Asura's Wrath reaction no surprise to Matsuyama, dot Hack for NA needs more fan support originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's the Japanese Pokemon Black/White Version 2 box art

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:30:00 EST

Pokemon Black/White Version 2 are slated to hit Japanese DSes this June, with a North American release later this fall. If previous titles are any indication, this Japanese box art should be roughly analogous to what we'll get in our stores, as hungry Pokemaniacs ravage the land of its resources.

Continue reading Here's the Japanese Pokemon Black/White Version 2 box art

Here's the Japanese Pokemon Black/White Version 2 box art originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 Mar 2012 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary shirt is a real treasure, for a limited time

Mike Schramm — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:15:00 EST

You enter the quiet, overgrown cavern by pushing open the heavy stone door with all your might. Inside, sunlight streams through the broken ceiling, and dust that hasn't been disturbed in hundreds of years lazily floats through the air, shaken up by your entrance. The sunbeams land on the summit of a small set of stairs, where an ornate, red and gold chest sits, teasing and waiting for you to open it.

You do. As you crack open the ancient treasury, a small fanfare plays, starting quietly and then opening up into a triumphant series of simple notes, telling you that you have finally done it. The item you pull out of the centuries-old coffer is fine treasure indeed.

It's a shirt, adorned with some kind of legendary logo, a heart container tag, and the number "25" on the back. It's available in five sizes, for a special one-time only printing. Order now, before February 20, 2012, to get it sometime this May. You fold the shirt into your leather pack, and move on through the dungeon -- who knows what fearsome beast you might have to use this on, three different times, to defeat it?

Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary shirt is a real treasure, for a limited time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales

Jordan Mallory — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST

Final Fantasy XIII-2, the latest sequel-sequel from the ~~androgyny~~ JRPG veterans at Square Enix, has closed its first week of sales in the land of the rising sun, with somewhat mixed results. The PS3 version of the title has sold 524,000 units according to Andriasang's translation of Media Create's extremely Japanese sales data, making it the number 1 selling title for the period. This is in stark contrast to the 360 version of the game, which entered the charts at number 48 with a comparatively minuscule 10,000 units sold.

Having the number 1 game in Japan is definitely nothing to be ashamed of, but the accomplishment seems somewhat less impressive when compared to Final Fantasy XIII's combined first-week sales of 1,502,000 copies, nearly three times XIII-2's combined 525,000. Media Create attributes the drop in sales to a drop in interest among Japanese female gamers: 22.2 percent of women surveyed were interested in XIII-2, down nearly ten points from XIII's 31.3 percent Japanese female interest rate.

It's also possible that the interest decline among Japanese women was negligible at best, considering that the game was the best selling release in the country.

FFXIII-2 first week sales roughly a third of FFXIII's first week sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom bringing Japanese indie games west via new partnership

Jordan Mallory — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST

Or should we say "Nyu" partnership: Capcom has inked a deal with Nyu Media, an intermediary localization company that specializes in Japanese indie titles, to bring (guess what) Japanese indie games to North American and European PCs through the usual stable of digital distribution platforms.

The first indie title to be released under Capcom's watchful eye will be Satazius, a "retro chic arcade shooter" from Japanese development studio ASTRO PORT. The shmup will launch on December 20 via Steam, Direct-2-Drive, GamersGate, and "other major digital distribution services" for $5.99 USD.

A quick peek at Nyu Media's site reveals a few more titles currently slated for "early 2012:" Cherry Tree High Comedy Club, Ether Vapor Remaster, Fighting Fairy (working title), eXceed 2nd - Vampire REX and eXceed 3rd - Jade Penetrate Black Package.

Wow. We look forward to a little Japanese absurdity shaking up the western indie-gaming scene.

Continue reading Capcom bringing Japanese indie games west via new partnership

Capcom bringing Japanese indie games west via new partnership originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Mario 3D Land tops Japanese charts

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST

Americans love Mario and friends as much as anyone else, but it really says something about Japan's devotion to their Italian mascot when his new 3DS game manages to outsell both Uncharted 3 and Battlefield 3 by a fairly massive gap.

For the week ending November 6, Super Mario 3D Land sold 343,492 units in Japan, outselling its closest competition by over 200,000 units, earning the No. 1 slot on Media Create's sales charts. Uncharted 3 came in second with 124,989 units sold, and Battlefield 3 slotted in right beneath it at 123,379, scientifically proving that the Tanooki Suit is a powerful psychoactive monetary aphrodisiac.

[Image credit: Nintendo]

Super Mario 3D Land tops Japanese charts originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capcom reveals Ixion Saga, plans limited alpha in Japan next month

Mike Schramm — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:00:00 EST

According to Famitsu, Capcom has announced a new title called Ixion Saga, a PC-only multiplayer combat game where three classes (Strikers, Casters and Blasters) will do battle in eight versus eight online matches. There's also a PvE element, so players will be able to form "unions" with other players and take on other creatures.

There will be a limited alpha on July 28 in Japan, and the game is due for release there sometime next summer. Capcom has had some success with online titles already, releasing a Monster Hunter MMO in Japan, but this is the first we've heard of an original MMO IP.

Capcom reveals Ixion Saga, plans limited alpha in Japan next month originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two DLC packs announced for Disgaea 4 in Japan

Mike Schramm — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

Most North American players haven't even seen one mission of Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten yet, as it's set to come out in the States this September. But the game came out in Japan last February, and now Nippon Ichi has announced two different downloadable scenarios coming this August and October. The first is called "The Tyrant Valdorez," and will follow that character (along with his new playable moves) through a story with follower Fenrich. And the second is "Fuuka & Desco's Chapter Begins," focusing on the side story of those two characters.

Fuuka and Desco's story will also be available either in add-on disc form, along with a collectible Desco figurine, in a special edition Disgaea 4 collection with the full game, or simply as a downloadable content pack. Note that both of these DLC packs are only announced for Japan at this point -- it's unknown whether they'll see the light of day here in the US yet.

Two DLC packs announced for Disgaea 4 in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers receiving fan translation

Mike Schramm — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is a game originally released back in 1997 for the Sega Saturn in Japan. It was a sequel to Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner, itself a game within the same Megami Tensei universe inhabited by the Persona series. Publisher Atlus has tried a few times to bring the title to the states, but Sony hasn't yet allowed it, so a group of fans calling itself "Devil Hackers" is working on a fan-made translation of the title, playable on the PSP.

You can watch a "teaser trailer" of the translation after the break -- but someone needs to translate the word "teaser" for the Devil Hackers, because it's thirteen minutes long. Assuming things work themselves out, fans interested in playing the game in English should get their chance soon.

Continue reading Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers receiving fan translation

Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers receiving fan translation originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Level-5 files trademark for 'Akihabara Black Market'

Mike Schramm — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST

Level-5 has filed a trademark for both the titles "Black Market" and "Akihabara Black Market," which could mean that the developer of Dark Cloud and Professor Layton might be working on a new game based in the shadier parts of Japan's real-life Akihabara "Electric Town" district, well known as a haven for gadgeteers and fanboys.

Level-5 also filed a (probably unrelated) trademark for something called "Cyberanimals." These could be the titles the company is working on with Capcom, and/or they could represent projects planned for the 3DS next year. We'll have to wait and see.

Level-5 files trademark for 'Akihabara Black Market' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Disgaea Infinite trailer makes as much sense as the other Disgaea games

Mike Schramm — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:16:00 EST

That Disgaea Infinite trailer that snuck out in Japanese a little while back has now been officially released and translated into almost-English and, while it's a little harsh to call the series "the ultimate grind-fest" (unless fans want to wear that title as a badge of honor), this weird little adaptation that turns the strategy RPG into a "visual novel" adventure game still looks interesting.

Last we heard, this one was due out for the PSP in May, but this trailer actually says June of 2010. We checked in with NIS America, and they informed us that the game is due out on June 8th of this year. Look for it as a downloadable title on PSN then.

Disgaea Infinite trailer makes as much sense as the other Disgaea games originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlazBlue: Battle x Battle out this week on Japan's DSiWare store

Mike Schramm — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

Like many fighting game fans, you really enjoyed BlazBlue last year, but you had this irking feeling that the game would be just perfect if the characters were only a little more ... kawaii. Good news! Your wish has come true. Arc System Works says that its DSiWare version of the acclaimed fighter is ready to go. BlazBlue: Battle x Battle, which features big-headed cutesie versions of the full game's fighters battling it out Power Stone-style, will be available on the DSi's downloadable store this Wednesday.

It looks, erm, interesting. Unfortunately, even if you were waiting to see a 2D franchise go 3D with hideously deformed versions of its characters, Battle x Battle is only available in Japan for now, so you'll either have to have a DSi from that region, or you'll have to wait until Aksys decides to release it here. If it keeps that 500 DSi point price, it might be worth a try.

BlazBlue: Battle x Battle out this week on Japan's DSiWare store originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Police suspect suicide in death of Japanese voice actor

Mike Schramm — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:15:00 EST

Japanese voice actor Daisuke Gōri (real name: Yoshio Nagahori) passed away under somewhat bizarre circumstances in Tokyo this weekend -- he was found lying on his stomach in the streets of Nakano ward, bleeding from the wrist, with both a sharp weapon and his will lying nearby. Police are investigating the death as a suicide, though they haven't confirmed that ruling yet.

Gōri had an extensive resume as a voice actor in both animation and video games, and is probably known best as the Japanese voices for both Tekken's Heihachi Mishima and Dead or Alive's Bass Armstrong. In Japan, he was renowned for doing voices for the Dragon Ball Z and Kinnikuman series. He was 57.

[Via Kotaku]

Police suspect suicide in death of Japanese voice actor originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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God of War III gets a Japanese release date

Mike Schramm — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST

We've known that God of War III would be arriving on the Playstation 3 in March for a while now, but Sony has blessed Japan with an actual date: March 26, 2010. There's no official date for the rest of the world yet, but we'll let you know when we see one.

The good news is that it's possible the game could come out earlier in the US, being as it's a title developed right here between the shining seas. But either way, that demo will have to tide you over for a couple more months.

God of War III gets a Japanese release date originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIII sales plunge in Japan

Mike Schramm — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST

According to unofficial sales numbers from Japan, Final Fantasy XIII has fallen down to number four on the sales list over there, after a very big million-plus release day and a record-breaking first week. But otaku take heart: even though sales of the game dropped over a million units in the second week, this wasn't unexpected.

Final Fantasy games always tend to take a dip after the "day one purchase" audience gets their copies. The last iteration of the series took a 1.5 million unit hit in week two. But even with the lower sales, about 200,000 copies were traded for the appropriate cost in yen, which indicates Square Enix is likely still on track to meet or exceed its six million target worldwide. That's a lot of chocobos.

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIII

[Via Kotaku]

Final Fantasy XIII sales plunge in Japan originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan summons one more Final Fantasy XIII trailer

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:15:00 EST

Square Enix has released yet another Japanese language trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, likely the last one before the game hits retail stores across the Pacific. This five minute video features a lot of recycled footage from earlier trailers, but attentive fans will notice the reveal of new characters (villains, perhaps?).

The highlights of this lengthy preview are the franchise's trademark over-the-top summons -- made even more spectacular and grandiose for this generation's first numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series. Of course, Square Enix fans would have it no other way.

[Thanks, Brandon S.!]

Gallery: Final Fantasy XIII

Japan summons one more Final Fantasy XIII trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Taking care of a child: Four minutes of Heavy Rain footage

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

It's not every day that Quantic Dream's Guillaume de Fondaumiere decides to show off four minutes of gameplay from the developer's upcoming PS3 adventure Heavy Rain. This video, shot for Japanese audiences, goes into great detail about Ethan -- the character of focus in the last trailer for the game. [Spoiler Alert!] After a car accident kills one of his sons, you'll take control of Ethan as he deals with his grief and takes care of his other child.

"I obviously need to take care of my son. There is nothing that I have to do. This is really a free choice scene. If I want, I can just sit down or do nothing, or not take care of my son," Fondaumiere explains. Whether or not you choose to be a deadbeat dad, you'll have to deal with the repercussions. "Actions in Heavy Rain always have consequences. You can see consequences of your actions in two, three scenes after they occur. Some other consequences can be dramatic and completely change the story."

Taking care of a child: Four minutes of Heavy Rain footage originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Xbox 360 version of FFXIII may be monolingual

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:00:00 EST

As far as we can tell, there are two types of people who care about whether the North American version of Final Fantasy XIII has a Japanese voice track (in addition to an English one) -- RPG-loving hipsters who strive for complete, unwavering authenticity in everything they say and do, and ... well, people who speak Japanese and live in America, we suppose. Unfortunately for both these groups, it seems the Japanese voice track might only appear in the PS3 version of the highly anticipated Squeenidos title.

In a recent Q&A with IGN, FFXIII producer Yoshinori Kitase explained that without the kind of memory available on Blu-ray, there's simply not enough room on the 360 to implement two vocal tracks. He added, "Are there many people who would like to play with Japanese voices?" Well, gang? Are there?

[Via Kotaku]

Xbox 360 version of FFXIII may be monolingual originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 12 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Square Enix teams with V Jump mag on 'epic' project

Ben Gilbert — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:38:00 EST

Japanese isn't exactly our strong suit here at Joystiq, though one intrepid staffer has the ability to make those crazy shapes interpretable. And he's explained that the teaser for next month's issue of J-mag V Jump has some enticingly vague information about an upcoming collaboration between the magazine and publisher Square Enix.

Out of the six lines of indecipherable glyphs (to our gaijin eyes, at least), he gleaned this gem: "Together with Square Enix, we're producing the next generation epic 'Project V!' Could your ideas become reality!?" For clarity's sake, the snippet isn't referring to that other Project V.

We're not quite sure our ideas will become reality, but we suspect we'll at least find out more about the partnership in next month's issue. (And if you're one of those people with the amazing ability to read Japanese, you'll want to head over to the magazine's website and look out for the symbol you see on the right.)

[Via 1UP]

Square Enix teams with V Jump mag on 'epic' project originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The best thing you'll see today: Japanese Dead Rising Wii trailer

Ross Miller — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo Wii, Video

Oh, dear reader, we don't even know where to begin. In this Japanese trailer for Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop for Wii, a zombie punk band entertains the entire cast of the game, zombies included. Witness flying chainsaws, slap-happy security guards and a very pushy, mic-stealing Frank West. The weirdest part of all? Zombie and Man living together in perfect harmony. Don't say we didn't warn you.

[Via NWF]

The best thing you'll see today: Japanese Dead Rising Wii trailer originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Famitsu: Xbox 360 nails four spots on 'Top Stories in Japan of 2008' list

Xav de Matos — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

You're Famitsu, a popular Japanese video game magazine that speaks directly to the ultra hardcore gamer base of the Far East and you want to know, "What blows Japanese-gamer minds?" The only way to know for sure would be to surgically remove test subject brains and, after years of rigorous studying, come to some generated but ultimately flawed conclusions. Or you could ask them. Asking was our second suggestion.

In a survey conducted by Famitsu to readers and select retailers the magazine asked which stories in 2008 were considered the biggest of the year. Of the top ten, four stories were related to the Xbox 360. According to 1UP, the list breaks down like so:

The simultaneous announcement of Dragon Quest X for Wii and Dragon Quest IX's release date - 12/10/2008
The release of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G and the social phenomenon it caused - 3/27/2008
Square Enix's announcement of three Xbox 360 RPGs (Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant, and Star Ocean: The Last Hope) - 6/10/2008
Sony's discontinuation of the 60 and 20GB model PlayStation 3s (removal of backwards compatibility) - 1/20/2008
The announcement of Tales of Vesperia for Xbox 360 - 2/22/2008
Legal action by 54 game publishers against the importation and sale of Nintendo DS "backup" devices - 7/29/2008
The release of Metal Gear Solid 4 - 6/12/2008
The sub-¥20000 price drop for Xbox 360 - 9/1/2008
The announcement of Final Fantasy XIII for Xbox 360 in America and Europe - 7/15/2008
The several hour wait at Tokyo Game Show to play Monster Hunter 3 tri~ - 10/11/2008

Hey, the Xbox 360 isn't exactly blowing up in Japan but at least we know some folks pay attention. Want more fun (and crazy) facts? According to the same survey Microsoft was named the fourth on a list of top five standout publishers in the region behind top three picks Capcom, Nintendo and Square Enix but ahead of Sony, at number five. Now our minds are blown. Brains in tact.

Famitsu: Xbox 360 nails four spots on 'Top Stories in Japan of 2008' list originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Japanese Coach: Konnichiwa and beyond

Alisha Karabinus — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Features

Just as we did with My French Coach, we're taking a long, hard look at the recent My Japanese Coach -- but with one key difference. This time, instead of just lowly little me, slaving along with some knowledge of French, this time I'm struggling with a language I know very little of, and I'm working with a "partner" who knows quite a bit of Japanese already.

Before tearing into Ubisoft's latest DS language trainer, if asked, I would have struggled to produce ten words in Japanese, and one of those ten would have been in the title of this post (and another would have been sushi). Perhaps that's exaggerating; after all, I did know a bit more than the fact that I prefer nigiri to sashimi, such as the words for red, blue, and green, and words like "please." My Japanese Coach-partner -- also known as my husband -- has always been very good about teaching me words when I ask. I suppose that makes me 1% more knowledgeable about the Japanese language than the average person pulled off the street.

And that fraction means absolutely nothing, I learned, when you sit down to study a language like Japanese with any tool, even My Japanese Coach.

NEXT >>

My Japanese Coach: Konnichiwa and beyond originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Japanese Coach needs a release date coach

Alisha Karabinus — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

It's a little odd when Amazon is the main source of information on a game, and when it comes to My Japanese Coach, nearly all the substantive news has come from the online retailer, from screenshots to release dates. According to Amazon, the training title, which was originally scheduled for September 18, has been delayed to October 14. My Japanese Coach was already previously bumped, but only for a week.

There were some concerns over the game when those first, very early (and very rough, in places) screens appeared, and that, combined with the double delay, makes us wonder if there aren't some fixes in the works for the title. But who knows? It could be something as simple as inauspicious scheduling.

We hope to actually see My Japanese Coach in mid-October.

Gallery: My Japanese Coach

My Japanese Coach needs a release date coach originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese 360 sales return to normalcy

Dustin Burg — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: News, Console wars

After witnessing the oddness that was record breaking Japanese console sales thanks to Tales of Vesperia's release and the subsequent 360 sellout in all of Japan, we actually had a glimmer of hope that the 360 would finally get a foothold in the Japanese market. But, depressingly enough, the record console sales were just that, an oddity. Console sales this past week sorta flat-lined back to their low numbers from the astonishing 25,000 console sales to a sad 7,258, making the 360 Japan's least purchased console last week. It's entirely possible the weak sales are due to the console shortages, but we aren't getting our hopes up. Japan still and will forever hates the 360 ... it's the truth.

[Via Joystiq]

Japanese 360 sales return to normalcy originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Items of Import: Rhythm Tengoku Gold part 2

Sachi Coxon — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: How-tos, Imports, Items of Import

The final gameplay keyword is the one you see above. Possibly the most important mechanic in the game, flicking the stylus across the touchscreen is used so often in most minigames that it must be mentioned here. As I've written in the Japanese, you'll often find different versions of the "flick" verb, depending on the circumstance at hand. Put simply, "hajiku" is "to flick" literally; and "hajiite" is more like a request to flick -- like, "Please flick the stylus" -- and you will often come across this in the genial tutorial.

Here's a handy graphic detailing the three techniques. Number 1 shows "touch," 2 shows "let go" and 3 shows "flick." As can be seen from the flicking image, it's like writing a tick mark quickly. The note for number 3 states: "Flick with a good sense of force. If the flicking distance is short, or there's no momentum, it will not work."

A quick explanation of the other modes present in the game is in order! Apart from the 50-odd minigame challenges, there are two areas where more rhythmic fun can be had. First up is the Medal Corner. Each time you gain a "High Level Medal" in a minigame -- by being a Rhythm God, of course -- you are awarded a medal which can then be used to buy little extras: "endless games" where the goal is to get a high score (or die trying) in simple one-notion minigames; "rhythm toys," and so on.

The second mode is the Coffee House. This is where you can talk to the barista to gain tips, as well as listen to music and read books you've unlocked through accomplishing perfects. This is meant more to be a time to relax and while away the minutes, just as a nice cafe would. Explore these modes at your own leisure, and you'll surely come across hidden gems.

Closing Off

Containing only a handful of Japanese words to learn and navigate, and being one of the most inventive rhythm games on the DS, Rhythm Tengoku Gold is a title any keen importer should consider to be on top of his or her list. Don't let those unusual scribbles scare you away -- dare I say it, but you might as well use this little humble column once in awhile to help you on your way!

<< BACK COMMENT

Items of Import is a weekly column dedicated to titles only out in Japan. With in-depth impressions of games long before localization and knowledgeable language how-tos, it attempts to bridge the gap between the import savvy and import fearing. Come on, now! You, too, can make that giant leap! Yokoso!

Items of Import: Rhythm Tengoku Gold part 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Items of Import: Rhythm Tengoku Gold

Sachi Coxon — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: How-tos, Imports, Items of Import

No one should have to burden themselves with waiting for Rhythm Tengoku Gold to arrive Stateside. Aside from the fact that Nintendo of America still hasn't announced a specific release schedule for the game (we're looking at you also, Jam With The Band), any title with rhythm as the main focus of the gameplay lends itself perfectly for importing.

Of course, any game you import from Japan has its fair share of unreadable text. From roleplaying games to intense puzzlers, the fear exists that the Japanese language will overwhelm you and make you feel like you wasted precious dollars on an unplayable game. Fear not! For Items of Import is here for you once again -- to guide you through trouble, and to encourage you to start importing.

Rhythm Tengoku Gold was just released last week in Japan. With its catchy Tsunku-produced tunes and zany visuals, the game could be your perfect import choice of the month. Show it to all your FPS-loving gamer friends; show them what those crazy Japanese call games these days. With merely a handful of Japanese to conquer compared to those icky RPGs, you'll be enjoying Rhythm Tengoku in no time. And who's going to help you through it all? Why, look what we have here? -- another edition of Items of Import to share, educate, and encourage you to take that step!

Continue reading Items of Import: Rhythm Tengoku Gold

Items of Import: Rhythm Tengoku Gold originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Screenshot Coaches

Alisha Karabinus — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

We know My Chinese Coach and My Japanese Coach are coming, but we haven't seen much of them ... or anything, really. We didn't need to, though, to get excited about these titles; after all, people have been begging for a Japanese language trainer for a long time, and a Chinese language coach is just neat.

But if you were holding out, just to see what the titles included and whether or not they were set up like Ubisoft's previous language coaches, many of your questions will now be answered. Screenshots have turned up at Amazon, of all places, and while they seem to be pretty early shots -- there are in-game pictures missing -- they do give a good idea of what sort of things are included in the titles.

In other news, they look pretty difficult! As masochistic as we are, we can't wait to try them out.

[Thanks, Feba!]

My Screenshot Coaches originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Items of Import: Let's Enroleplaying Games!

Sachi Coxon — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:05:00 EST

Filed under: How-tos, Imports, Items of Import

After a lot of deliberation, Joe Player finally decided to try importing a game from Japan. It was nerve-wracking, clicking through to an online retailer and perusing the list of unusual titles. With fingers poised above the keyboard, he hesitated -- would his credit card information be safe? Should he choose express post? How long would delivery take?

He was worried -- did he make the right choice? Was his Japanese sufficient to play the game? He'd learned hiragana in classes, and picked up some ninja phrases from fansubbed episodes of Naruto. Would it be enough? He would soon find out.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Items of Import, a new weekly feature that will make you feel a little less worried about your import choices. Sometimes playing a game in Japanese can seem like a daunting task. But make no mistake: Items of Import is here to nurture you, guide you, and teach you the ways of Japanese games. Keep checking this space for your dose of import impressions and language lessons.

COMMENT NEXT >>

Items of Import: Let's Enroleplaying Games! originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese classrooms using Nintendo DS to teach English

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Nintendo DS

We've had many Game Boy Pockets, GBA SPs and other portable devices snatched up by certain agitated educators during our formative years, which is why the recent news of a new program to teach English to Japanese students using the Nintendo DS fills us with unbridled, elderly bitterness. Think of the things our generation of handheld companions could have taught us! Geometry from Tetris! Microbiology from Dr. Mario! Animal husbandry from Pokémon!

To be fair, the program (which was recently examined in a Reuters write-up) requires students at Japan's Joshi Gakuen all-girl junior high school to use special English-instructing software with the handhelds, which are collected at the end of each class to prevent any unsavory Pokédueling during recess. The program is just barely into its one-year trial period, though the school's vice principal is very optimistic -- if only he knew he was actually transforming his pupils into rot-brained, knife-wielding miscreants!

Japanese classrooms using Nintendo DS to teach English originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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English of the Dead teaches Japanese to the living

David Hinkle — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: News, Fan stuff, Imports

As if the English of the Dead game itself wasn't appealing enough, those with a mind to learn the language of the Land of the Rising Fun can make strides with Sega's DS title. It may not be as full-fledged as a product aimed specifically at teaching English-language natives the language of Japanese, but it's surprisingly useful.

You see, there's this mini-game included with the title that has zombies running about, with English words above their heads. You, the backpack-wearing son-of-a-gun, are then presented with three different words in kanji, one of which matches the English word. Pretty neat, huh?

English of the Dead teaches Japanese to the living originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DS doubles up as notebook for Wii kanji trainer

Chris Greenhough — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Imports

Anybody who has attempted to learn how to correctly write kanji will know that the process involves a bewildering number of rules. Memorizing rules is stressful enough, but practicing your kanji skills with a Wii Remote would surely only make the experience more frustrating.

This meant that IE Institute faced a potential dilemma when developing its Wii-bound kanji trainer, 250 Mannin no Kanken Wii de Tokoton Kanji Nou, yet the developer found a graceful, elegant solution: throw in a spot of DS-Wii connectivity, and let users input kanji characters on the DS's touchscreen, which is perfect for handwriting (as other games have already ably demonstrated). There's been nowhere enough DS-Wii connectivity for our liking, yet this is easily one of the better uses of the feature to date.

DS doubles up as notebook for Wii kanji trainer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Navigating your Japanese copy of Tetris DS

JC Fletcher — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Features, Imports

Tetris DS has become a hard-to-find item, leaving the DS with the distinction of being the only Nintendo handheld (except for the Pokémon Mini stuff) without a ubiquitous Tetris game. And that just feels wrong. The surprising rarity of the Nintendo-nostalgia-themed puzzler has driven prices on eBay way up. In order to clear lines without clearing their bank account, many would-be Tetrists are buying Japanese copies -- including DS Fanboy staffers eager to drop Tetriminoes every Game Night.

It's easy enough to play Tetris DS even without understanding the menus. Just push enough buttons and eventually something will happen. But it's somewhat trickier to engage in multiplayer without being able to read the interface. In order to help anyone stuck in such a situation (and to encourage online Tetris-ing, of course!) we've gone through the menus in a Japanese copy of Tetris DS and translated the screen text.

Click the picture to browse the entire gallery, or you can pick your starting point from the list below. We hope this guide is the I-piece in the prospective Tetris that is your Tetris DS experience!

Navigating your Japanese copy of Tetris DS originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Berlitz language training for kids: yes, it includes Japanese

JC Fletcher — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Screens

There's plenty of DS language training available for kids in Japan, but language software elsewhere seems to be focused on either adults or ... whoever Spanish for Everyone was supposed to be for. Virgin PLAY is taking advantage of this gap by releasing a series of language training games designed for kids, based on Berlitz language training materials. The series also covers the one language that gamers always clamor for in language-learning materials: Japanese.

The first two Mind Your Language games planned for release this summer (in Europe, we believe) include Learn English and Learn Spanish. But Berlitz and developer Spiral House are also working on three more programs to teach French, German, and Japanese, to be released this fall.

Berlitz language training for kids: yes, it includes Japanese originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exercise your Japanese with Wii Fit translation guide

Alisha Karabinus — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fan stuff, Imports

If you happen to be one of the five people (okay, okay, ten) outside of Japan with a Japanese copy of Wii Fit and no idea how to read the language, then you're covered -- Charles Rodmell of NTSC UK has whipped up a handy translation guide for all the clueless importers out there. From syncing your Balance Board to figuring out how to get your yoga on, this guide has it all.

We're not really sure how many people (outside of reviewers) imported Wii Fit, but if you did, we salute you ... and want to know how much you paid in shipping.

[Via GoNintendo]

Exercise your Japanese with Wii Fit translation guide originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calligraphy Training brushes away our doubts

Candace Savino — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: News

You might not remember the footnote mention of a Calligraphy Training (non)game for the DS -- it was two years ago, after all -- but some more news has recently surfaced about the title. Set to release in Japan on March 13th, this training game is aimed at teaching folks how to properly draw Japanese characters.

One of the coolest things about this nongame is that it will ship with a special brush stylus. That alone has us starry-eyed in love with Calligraphy Training, but that's not even all the game has to offer. Apparently, the game has a multiplayer mode that lets up to six players compete over who's calligraphy is the most accurate. We're sure that's a better idea in theory than in practice, but it's still a nice feature.

Game Watch also reports that there's a quest mode included in Calligraphy Training, as you'll be helping a wanderer to perfect 3099 different characters. Not bad for a simple little calligraphy game, Nintendo.

Before you think "neat" and then forget about this game for the rest of time, you can head on over to its official website to watch some video footage, should you feel so inclined.

[Via Modojo]

Calligraphy Training brushes away our doubts originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Super Spoiler Bros. Brawl: Major leaked roster update, videos & more

Kyle Orland — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Retro, Nintendo Wii, Fighting

With Nintendo continuing to trickle out official information about Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it seems a few early copies have leaked into the hands of gamers in advance of the Jan. 31 Japanese release. As such, there has been an absolute flood of credible images, videos and information about the game leaking onto the 'net throughout the day today.

While none of the following information has been confirmed, we're relatively confident in the veracity of everything below (unlike before). We'll continue to update as further credible information becomes available.

WARNING: Read on only if you want significant portions of the game spoiled.

Continue reading Super Spoiler Bros. Brawl: Major leaked roster update, videos & more

Super Spoiler Bros. Brawl: Major leaked roster update, videos & more originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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