Brian Ashcraft

Goodbye College Loan, I Hated You!

To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Hooray for me. As of this month, my college loan is finally paid off. They really need to make college more reasonably — especially considering the number of people who do post-grad work. (“They” being “they.”) Can’t imagine what it would be like to pay four years of university plus grad…

Microsoft Won’t Kill New Game Franchises

The economy is in the toilet. The safe thing might be to stick with what’s proven and not venture into virgin territory. Then again, maybe not. Microsoft exec Chris Lewis says his company will “continue to innovate and focus on exciting IP for the future.” Why? “I think all the big, mature companies are thinking…

Sonic Creator Welcomes Your Boring Sonic Questions

Try asking Harrison Ford about Han Solo, and you’ll only get dirty looks. But ask Sonic programmer Yuji Naka (pictured) about working on Sonic the Hedgehog, and he’ll gladly cooperate… …not that Yuji Naka is Harrison Ford or Sonic is Han Solo. Let’s Tap is the first title Naka has created since leaving SEGA and…

Soulja Boy Kisses Maple Story Through The Phone

Rapper Soulja Boy has posted this Maple Story version of his song "Kiss Me Thru The Phone" video on his YouTube. It’s created by xl0vemeh, viralerrific and certainly sporting more sprites than cleavage. Fewer old people kissing, too. There’s ROFLMATION, too. All good things! Thanks AwesomeGamerGirl for the tip!

The Evolution Of Chun-Li’s Face

Like with fellow Street Fighter Ryu and pretty much any character over time, Chun-Li has changed. Japanese website IT Media has traced Chun Li from 1991’s Street Fighter II to today’s Street Fighter IV (and upcoming movie!) as well as all the various SF titles in between to see just how the character has changed…

Star Ocean 4 Differences For Japan And The West

Star Ocean: The Last Hope will be released on February 19th. The following week, a slightly different version will be released in North America. There will be two types of character portraits in the battle scenes — one for each region. One is getting anime faces, and the other is getting CG models. Likewise, the…

No More Xbox Support For Japan

Starting March 3, Microsoft Japan will no longer service first generation original Xbox consoles (not Xbox 360s). This includes Xboxes that are under warranty as well as out-of-warranty consoles. Microsoft Japan, however, is offering an upgrade to those owners with still-under-warranty first generation Xbox consoles in need of repair: Swap that busted console for an…

Translating The “Dead Rising 2” Trailer

Last Friday, viral trailer from Capcom popped up online. Some believe it’s the Dead Rising 2 trailer. By “some,” we mean “all.” Throughout, Japanese quickly flashes on the screen. What does it mean, though? Below is a list of the Japanese that briefly appears in the trailer along with English translations: 1. 完治不可能 = incurable…

Bashcraft Profiled By Dallas Morning News

Ever wonder why I’m in Japan? Or how I got this super duper job? No? Well then, don’t click past the jump. If so, hey, clicky-clack away. A few weeks back, tech journo Victor Godinez from my hometown paper The Dallas Morning News did a profile on me — and I was finally sent the…

And Your Favorite Game Music Is…?

Look! It’s Friday. That means one thing: Tomorrow is Saturday. Oh wait, it means another thing: Time for TELL US DAMMIT. Here’s who it works: We ask a question, you answer it. Simple and no strings attached! This isn’t some marketing survey or whatever. It’s an emotional investment in you. Yes, we’re interested in knowing…

A Week In Comments

Bungie Says Goodbye To Halo 3 Comment by: ShaggE Nominated by: RealitySucks If you listen closely at the night wind, you can hear a faint, delicate sound. That sound is millions of angry 14 year olds screaming “OMG GAI” in unison. The resulting deluge of soundwaves are currently causing an avalanche on a mountain somewhere,…

Country’s President Wonders Why South Korea Can’t Be Nintendo

During a recent visit to South Korea‘s Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the country’s president Lee Myung-bak (pictured) wondered why Korea couldn’t make products like Nintendo. “A lot of our elementary school children have Nintendo game machines,” the president informed senior policymakers, “Why can’t our companies develop products like that?” Nintendo recently announced that the DS…

Good Night Baby Milk Barf And Snoring 5 Year-Old

To: Crecente From: Ashcraft RE: New York Comic Con and Previews Last night was rough. Micro had difficulty sleeping then suddenly barfed milk all over our bed covers. Us being worried about him, we couldn’t sleep and stayed up to make sure he was okay. Then Mini said he couldn’t sleep and wanted to sleep…

The Star Ocean… Escalator

When you think of ways to promote Star Ocean 4, escalators probably don’t jump to mind. For shame, because escalators are great. Even better than escalators? Wallpaper and LCD monitors looping Star Ocean 4. This escalator-LCD-screen-game advertising must be a first — we don’t recall seeing anything like this. This is fantastic. In case you…

Just How Big Is The Hori Real Arcade Pro Stick?

You’ve read our review of the Mad Catz SFIV stick. That stick isn’t sold in Japan, though. Japan gets a different arcade fighting stick entirely. Let’s have a look. Readers Witzbold and Ritchie sent along images of the Hori Real Arcade Pro EX-SE. Previously, we posted about the stick, but these pics give a bigger…

PS3 Exclusive Demon Souls Is Selling Out

From Software’s exclusive PS3 role-playing-game Demon’s Souls isn’t exactly getting stellar reviews. It doesn’t matter. The game is flying off selected Japanese store shelves. According to these photos, the game has sold out at both Yodobashi Cameras in Shinjuku, Bic Camera in Shinjuku, a Sofmap (dunno where!) and a TSUTAYA (ditto!). The game went on…

Golden Brown Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 Earns Best Cross Promotion Of The Year

Toshihiro Nagoshi, designer of Ryu Ga Gotoku 3, is very brown. It’s like he spends all his free time in a tanning salon or something. The game’s latest promotional tie-up should be no surprise: A TANNING SALON. That’s right, Japan’s Tanning Studio Sole appears in game and is also selling special Ryu Ga Gotoku 3…

Dragon Quest IX Brings Internet Shopping

Upcoming DS title Dragon Quest IX has Wi-Fi. A new Weekly Jump scan shows it’ll be used for in-game internet shopping and extra quests. Your internet shopping guide is Roxanne, and she’ll show you merchandise that is updated daily. There are rare items, discount items and even special holiday items available to buy. Square Enix…

College Males Play Violent Video Games, Look At Online Porn

Well, no duh. Journal of Youth and Adolescence is publishing a study that examined gaming and internet use among college undergrads. Hello Captain Obvious! Lead by Laura M. Padilla-Walker, an associate professor at the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, the study surveyed 500 female and 313 male undergraduate college students in the…

Dragon Quest IX Delay Concerns Arise

Square Enix has announced it’ll delay its third-quarter earnings by a week to February 12th due to a delay in “accounting work.” Some fear its less an accounting delay and more a game delay. Square Enix was supposed to announce its Third Quarter results today, February 6th. The company’s revised calendar now shows the results…