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There Is No Tooth Fairy In Japan
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: The Thing About Little Dogs Another of Mini-Bash’s baby teeth has fallen out. He’s five, and the only kid in his class who’s lost two of his teeth. (I think five is normal? He’s going to be six in a couple months, so he might be a few months older…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Crap Economy Will Affect Microsoft
Times are hard. For you, for me and especially major international corporations like Xbox 360 maker Microsoft. While at a trade show in Barcelona, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer told Reuters, “Revenues in our industry, and in our company, will be affected by the economic conditions.” Will be? What was last January? A lark? To…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Check Out More Valkyria Chronicles Anime Parts
In April, a Valkyria Chronicles anime is hitting Japanese television. We’ve previously taken a look at the character art. It was so good, let’s take another. That’s superhuman Selvaria Bles in anime form above. She’s a loyal servant of prince Maximilian (below). Last, but not least, Isara Gunther — little sister of the game’s hero,…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Hooray For SEGA Bobsledding
Four words: High. Speed. Bobsled. Racing. This March, SEGA’s Joypolis amusement theme park are getting just that. Dubbed Storm-G, this super deluxe cabinet set-up hurls riders at speeds reaching 300km/hr (185mph). Each sled is two-per-person and outfitted with twin joysticks. Pressing the buttons on the sticks causes the sled to rotate 360 degrees and increase…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX Delay Impacts Japanese Game Publishing
It wasn’t only Square Enix‘s stock prices that took a hit when Dragon Quest IX was delayed from March 28 to July 11. Game magazine Famitsu also took a hit. The day following the announcement, Famitsu released an emergency discount promotion for advertising in their magazines. Most likely, Square Enix was planning a slew of…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
GTAIV: The Lost And The Damned Is Out
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost And The Damned is up, ready for download on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. And it’s brought a flaccid penis with it. The 1.78GB download is available via “Featured Downloads”, “All Downloads” and then “Title.” It doesn’t seem to be available in all regions just yet — so sit tight. Thanks…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
The 100 Best Selling Games In Japan Last Year
Enterbrain, publisher of game mag Famitsu, has complied its game software sales data for last year in Japan. Which game was the biggest seller? Which games bombed? All that, and more. (By “more,” we mean those in-between games that did okay. Hooray for them!) Here’s the crunched numbers: 1. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G Sales:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
F.E.A.R. 2 Contest Gets Sweeter
We’re giving away a copy of multi-plat horror shooter FEAR 2: Project Origin. Here’s the contest: Masks are scary, so make a mask. You can make it out mask out of anything – but the key is that you must make it and not buy it. Take a picture of yourself and send it to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete Getting English Version
An English language trailer of upcoming Blu-ray movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete has popped up online. The English language version of FFVIIACC is dated for an April 16 “Limited Worldwide” release. The English version features a new theme song: a reworking of techno tune “Leave” by German artist Fruehbel. Watch the trailer in…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Ridiculously Tanned Game Designer On… Tanning
GAH! That’s Toshihiro Nagoshi, creator of upcoming PS3 exclusive Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, explaining why he enjoys toasting his leathery tanned skin. That’s Nagoshi sitting in a tanning bed in Japan’s Tanning Studio SOLE — which appears in-game. He’s not only promoting his game, but tanning and promoting. The brown game designer was introduced to…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 17, 2009 -
Watch The All-Female Phoenix Wright Musical
This month, all-female-musical troupe Takarazuka Revue will debut its stage version of Phoenix Wright. Here’s a sneak peak. Takarazuka has decided to go with the game’s English language character name, Phoenix Wright, instead of the character’s original Japanese name, Ryuichi Naruhodo. The ace attorney is being played by actress Ranju Tomu. The Revue’s musicals range…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
Bid For Michael Jackson’s Arcade Games [Update]
Back before Michael Jackson was accused of molesting children, before he started losing money and before his face started melting off, the King of Pop enjoyed the simpler things in life. Things like owning a SEGA R360 arcade cabinet. The R360 is an early 1990s air combat sim that rotates 360 degrees. The deluxe cabinet…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
Chocolate From Mommy, Pretty Haircut Lady And Sonic The Hedgehog
To: Crecente From: Bash Last Friday being the day before Valentine’s Day, we asked Mini-Bash if he got any Valentine’s chocolate from any of the little girls in his class. (In Japan, girls give chocolate on Feb. 14. A month later on March 14, boys return the favor.) Mini-Bash had been looking forward to Valentine’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
“I Know I’m Young, But I Plan To Be A Good Dad”
That’s baby faced, 13-year-old father Alfie Patten, 15 year-old mother Chantelle Steadman, and their newborn baby Maisie. During the baby’s first days out of the hospital, Patten and Steadman spent their time caring for the baby and playing Saints Row II. From UK tabloid The Sun: The four-footer — who looks no more than eight…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
What Do Gran Turismo And THE iDOLM@STER Both Have In Common?
They both have remote controlled cars, that’s what. The above RC cars are connected to Namco’s pop singer franchise THE iDOLM@STER and already on Japanese store shelves. They’re both priced at US$49. They’re in boxes. Use your imagination. Sorry! The third car was spotted by Italian site Hobby Media at the Nuremberg Toy Fair. It’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
Street Fighter IV’s Suggestive Content
Upskirts, thongs and erect nipples are nothing new to fighters. No surprises that all are prevalent in Street Fighter IV and neither is the game’s 12-and-up rating in Japan. But here they are. The suggestive content is largely comical and not too far off base from what one would find in a comic book aimed…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
What Games Were Selling April – December 2008?
Square Enix has released sales data for the period beginning April 1, 2008 and ending on December 31, 2008. Let’s see how the new titles and remakes stacked up. Keep in mind that these are not all life-to-date totals, but merely totals for the given period. Life-to-date titles for many of the games released before…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
Is Street Fighter IV Sold Out In Japan? Not Quite…
We’ve heard that Street Fighter IV has sold out in Japan. While we don’t doubt for a New York minute that the game is selling well, but sold out in Japan? Like all of Japan? Over the weekend, website CheapAssGamer did the detective work and discovered that the game is readily available at his local…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
Man Destroys Wii, Threatens To Kill Wife, Burn Down House
Forty-six-year-old Edgar Montalvo of New Britain, Connecticut held his family hostage and threatened to torch his house. It all started with the Nintendo Wii. That, or the heroin. Yeah, probably the heroin. According to his wife, Montalvo got angry at his 14-year-old son for not pausing his Nintendo Wii quick enough when the father asked…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009 -
The Crappy $10,000 Famicom Game
A Famicom cartridge of Kinnikuman Muscle Tag Match: Championship Commemorative Gold Edition has sold for US$10,023 in an online auction. The “Gold” edition of Kinnikuman Muscle Tag Match (M.U.S.C.L.E. in the West) is exceedingly rare — only eight copies of it exist. During the mid-1980s, they were given out as prizes for a Kinnikuman Muscle…
By Brian Ashcraft Published February 16, 2009
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