Brian Ashcraft

Final Fantasy Versus XIII Site Also Opens Today

It’s not just Final Fantasy XIII that is just getting a site with new stuff, but also Final Fantasy Versus XIII — minus the new stuff. The FFVXIII site is barebones — things like it’s release date and rating are still TBA. That screen grab is pretty much it! Still, if you are interested in…

Xbox 360 Helps Japan’s Greatest Sumo Stay Fat

Mongolian-born Asashoryu is sumo’s most successful yokozuna. When not injured or playing soccer in Mongolia, he keeps his 300 pound plus sumo weight by eating chankonabe, sleeping and, apparently, playing Xbox 360. For as much money as Asashoryu makes, we’re glad to see his hasn’t wasted it on, I dunno, a non-crappy TV. How can…

Arcade Mania Now In Second Printing

To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Hellooooo CES Today my editor Cathy Layne passed the word that the arcade book I wrote, Arcade Mania, has gone into its second printing. I was rather flabbergasted as the book’s been available outside Japan since December. And in this cratering economy? It’s beyond flattering that people are spending their…

Once Again, Microsoft Explains Why It Won’t Go Blu-ray

Blu-ray won the format war. One HD game console (the PS3) already uses the format. The other one (the Xbox 360) doesn’t. Microsoft says it plans to keep it that way. We’ve heard this before. Microsoft isn’t going Blu-ray. Still, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division, lays out three years why the…

Lara Croft Sales Aren’t Meeting Eidos Expectations

UK game publisher Eidos says Tomb Raider: Underworld sales are below forecasts. Eidos blames the cratering US economy. We blame the high kicks. According to the BBC, North American game retailers are already selling Tomb Raider: Underworld at a sizable discount — not a bad thing if you want to buy the game, but not…

Pangya Golf Coming To PSP With 1,300 Costumes

PC computer game Pangya is coming to the PSP and bringing a lot of costumes with it — about 1,300 costumes, actually. Like, this bikini outfit. Tecmo previously brought Pangya to the Nintendo Wii. Dubbed Fantasy Golf Pangya Portable, the PSP game allows up to 8 players for multi-play golfing. It’ll be out April 9…

Chuck E. Cheese? Effed Up Violent, “Madness”

Remember when you were a kid, and going to Chuck E. Cheese. Play some Pole Position, a little skeet ball. Back then, it was something Atari founder Nolan Bushnell could be proud of. Now? Now, now it’s not. According to PennLive.com, the amount of violence (among adults!) at Chuck E. Cheese continues to be high.…

Valkyria of the Battlefield Goes Budget Priced

Ask anyone with eyes, they’ll tell you: Valkyria of the Battlefield: Gallian Chronicles looks great. And now, it now only appease your pupils, but also your pockets. On March 5, the PLAYSTATION 3 the Best version hits Japanese retailers for ¥3,330 (US$37). Buy it, your eyes will thank you.

Hilton Makes A PSP Game For Employees, Employees Play It

Hilton Hotels — the PSP game. The Hilton Garden Inn developed an employee training tool called ULTIMATE TEAM PLAY (their caps, not ours.) Here’s a description of the game: ULTIMATE TEAM PLAY puts the player in control of key Hilton Garden Inn hotel roles including front desk, housekeeping, maintenance and food service. As players roam…

Government Agent Leaks Xbox Game Proposal Online

A government agent has accidentally leaked several gigs of personal, business and government files all over the internet, including business papers, possible insider schemes, horrid poems, pictures of ‘girlfriends,’ and an Xbox game proposal. Earlier this month, the Japanese bureaucrat opened several well-known trojans that are often embedded in files found in filesharing programs Winny…

“You Don’t Know How Many Games You Can Complete While You’re Alive”

Popular Japanese idol Shoko Nakagawa has varied tastes: Playing Final Fantasy VII, cosplaying Super Robot Taisen and putting her cat’s head in her mouth. She’s an otaku, but is she an otaku’s otaku? In an interview with Otaku USA‘s Patrick Macias, Nakagawa says she might not be considered an otaku by the hardcore. “I play…

Nintendo Patents Show Wii-mote Originally Designed For GameCube [Update]

A Nintendo patent from March 2006 shows that the company originally intended a Wii-mote style device for the GameCube. A patent drawing shows how the Wii Remote could link with the GC. A Wavebird-like adapter would be attached to the GameCube console, which would interface with the wand remote. There appears to be two separate…

The Ten Biggest Selling Games In Japan For December

Famitsu publisher Enterbrain has crunched data for December sales, and tallied up the ten biggest games in Japan. Wonder what’s number one with a bullet? Sure ya do! Here’s the list for the December 1 to December 28, 2008 sales period: 1. DISSIDIA (PSP) Square Enix Launch: 12/18/2008 December Sales: 660,262 units Total Sales: 660,262…

WiiFit Reminder For New Year’s Fatties

The holidays are all about eating, and Japan is no exception. During the extended holidays in The Land of The Rising Sun, people pig out. Nintendo knows this. Nintendo is no dummy. This ad reminds Japan that during the New Years people gain weight and recommends Wii Fit to those who put on the holiday…

Here Is American Money, Grandma

To: Bashcraft Crecente From: Crecente Bash RE: McGee Every night, we flip on the news — Mrs. Bashcraft listens to it while making dinner. Mini-Bash plays with his toys or makes something, but also tunes in, watches. This afternoon, he decided he wanted to send a letter to Grandma. Better yet, he wanted to send…

This Is A New Prototype Clip

Shape-shifting sandbox title Prototype is ready to morph onto consoles this summer. It’s got superhero strength, stealth and even parkour. Something for the whole family! Check out this new video clip of the game in action. New Prototype video is incredible [VG247]

“How Do I Change The Color Of SoulCalibur Female Underpants?”

This is serious stuff. Very serious. An interoffice Namco conversation regarding changing panty colors for the Dreamcast version of SoulCalibur. No, really. According to the individual who supplied these pages to game site UK:R, “I have deleted the recipient’s name for privacy, but it’s a genuine fax.” So, yeah, go on, read and remember: THIS…

Asia Getting New PSP Colors

What better way to celebrate the New Year than with new PSP colors. Sony Computer Entertainment Asia is doing just that with not one, but two new PSP shades. On January 15, SCE Asia is releasing PSP-3006s in “Radiant Red” and “Vibrant Blue.” Each is priced at $1,380 HKD (US$177). The PSP, Now In “Carnival…

Teacher Robbed At Game Center, Student Information Stolen

Be careful! As an elementary school teacher in her twenties found out, people do steal things at Japanese game centers. And sometimes it’s worse than money. The teacher’s purse contained her class register, and that contained personal information about the students such as their names, personal info and a class photo. She is in charge…

Free Gears of War 2 Flashback Map Pack Now For Sale

That’s Gears of War 2 Flashback Map Pack is now available on Xbox LIVE Markeplace. Remember that? The five maps are 400 Microsoft Points (US$5). Not a bad deal. These maps were supposed to be available for free only to those who purchased the game new at GameStop game retailers. Well, there the formerly free…