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Korean Crisis “Is Not Starcraft”
Last week, North Korea shelled a South Korean island, sending the peninsula in to “crisis status.” The South fired several test shots in response but, according to the New York Times, the country denied that any hit the North. South Korean defense minister Kim Tae-young was questioned by one politician why the South’s retaliation was…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 29, 2010 -
We Love Cars, Does Japan Still?
“Young Japanese just aren’t as interested in fast cars,” the guy at the Honda dealership says, flipping through a Honda Civic Type R brochure. “They all want eco cars or minivans.” Even if there seems to be a lack of interest in real cars, Japan is still very much keen on virtual ones, with early…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 29, 2010 -
A Visual Guide To Gran Turismo 5
Working windshield wipers come at a premium. Literally. They are available only on the Premium cars. Mario Kart, this ain’t. As players level up, the level of car damage increases as well. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. GT5 has a replay function for the online multiplayer. Not only does GT5 have…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 27, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Gran Turismo 5 Is Premium Class
When I bought a PlayStation 2 my wife told me flat out, “If you are going to get a PS2, you need Gran Turismo.” I knew this, but it underscored the series’ impact. Nearly a decade later little has changed. Gran Turismo 5 is a racing game that brands itself as “the real driving simulator”.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 27, 2010 -
I Guess I Should Drink This
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft Hope you had a good turkey day and ate lotsa, wait for it, turkey. Today is Black Friday, so I’m pretty sure everyone is out shopping, instead of sitting at home or work looking at their computer screen. I’m at home! (Hello everyone!) I have this bottle of Pepsi that I…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
Have Some Music To Share On Your PSP?
Have a PSP? Sony’s latest firmware update adds music sharing support called Music Unlimited, which is powered by a cloud-based digital music service called “Qriocity”. Sharing is good! Firmware 6.35 adds a Qriocity logo to the PS’s XMB. The music service isn’t quite ready to launch, and this update prepares PSP owners for the forthcoming…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
This $100 Dream Club Figure Is A Nightmare
Dream Club, the bar hostess simulator, allows players to virtually get drunk. Whoever sculpted this android girl Airi statue must have been totally blotto. This is a prototype and not the final figure — the final color and shape might vary. Well, they’re going to need to vary a lot, because this Airi is slated…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
Otomedius Excellent Not Excellent Enough For 2010
Konami’s cute-’em-up Otomedius (think Gradius meets boobs) was supposed to be this year in The Land of the Rising Sun. Supposed to be, because it won’t. The game, instead, will be out next spring in Japan on the Xbox 360, reveals Konami. In 2008, Otomedius Gorgeous! was also delayed. Seems Konami has problems getting its…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
Dragon Ball Kamihamihas Arcades
Next February, a new Dragon Ball title will be shooting beams in to arcades across Japan. The game is called Dragon Ball Zenkai Battle Royale. It’s a four player networked game that seems similar to Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team In Dragon Ball, Zenkai, as the Dragon Ball Wiki explains, is a genetic ability…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
Gran Turismo 5 Update To Peel Out This Weekend
The newly released racer is going to get an update shortly that will, as GT5 designer Kazunori Yamauchi tells Eurogamer, “refine the usability of the game to make it a better experience”. The update will hit on November 27 and, as Yamauchi points out, include more regulations for online play like max power and weight…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
NSFW: Another Junk Peripheral
Not “junk” as in “trash”, but “junk” as in “tickle pickles”, “flesh bananas” or “knobgoblins”. You know, dicks! To date, Japan produced at least two big ding dong peripherals: SOM was released in late 2008. It connects to player’s computers via USB and even syncs to “climax scenes” in erotic games. A “piston machine” was…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
There Are 26,000 Kinects In Japanese Homes
Not just, one Japanese home per se, but oodles more. Defying the odds, Xbox Japan turned out impressive Kinect sales figures…impressive for Xbox Japan. While the peripheral sold over a million in its first ten days in the U.S., the motion sensor sold 26,000 in Japan during its first two days. Pretty good! The Xbox…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 26, 2010 -
A Week In Comments
Blizzard Really Wants You To Start Playing World of Warcraft Now Comment by: Phantom_Renegade Nominated by: Andrew Wyatt Like any drug, the first hit is often quite cheap. Well, They Actually Did It Comment by: subterfunk Nominated by: Valeria Heart IT’S OFF LIKE MY WII™ Activision Hasn’t Bailed On Tony Hawk: Shred Yet Comment by:…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
Gran Turismo 5 Races Out In Japan
Yesterday, Gran Turismo 5 went on sale in Japan. And when it hit retailers, there was a line of gamers waiting to pick it up. At the Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara, there was a line of over a hundred gamers waiting to purchase GT5. Last week, Microsoft held its Japan launch for Kinect at the…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
How Are You Spending Thanksgiving?
To: Crecente From: Bashcraft RE: Turkey Day This is how I’m spending mine. Oh, I’ll be posting, too. Stay tuned for our forthcoming GT5 review! What you missed last night PlayStation Boss To Become Sony President? GT5 Online Woes Screw Up Your Singleplayer Games, Too We Might Have A New Black Ops Tomahawk Kill Champ…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
Will Gran Turismo 6 Be On The PS3 Or PS4?
While gamers across the world are finally getting their hands on the oft-delayed Gran Turismo 5, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi and his team are working on the inevitable follow-up Website Eurogamer asked Yamauchi if Gran Turismo 6 will appear on the PlayStation 3 or Sony’s next console. The game designer stated that he “doesn’t know”.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
Why You Don’t Trust Strangers On The Internet
Japanese cops don’t only arrest dudes selling phony hug pillow covers. Sometimes they arrest other types of criminals. Like people trying to scam gamers out of vital information. This week 29-year-old company employee Yu Nishimura and 39-year-old medical claims worker Kaori Tanaka were arrested for violating Japan’s Unauthorized Computer Access Law, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: The UnderGarden Is A Relaxing Dip In The Ocean
I’m almost out of pollen. A nearby creature strums the guitar as I float about. I’ll just hang here for a few more seconds before bringing life to some undersea flowers and restocking on pollen. Right now, I float. Recalling games like Electroplankton and Flower, The UnderGarden is a puzzle platformer in which players explore…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
Pop Stars Move Kinect In Japan
Microsoft doesn’t view Kinect simply as just some peripheral. It’s as important as a console. That’s why the company poured millions into launching Kinect. And as expected, Xbox 360 sales saw a spike in Japan. Xbox 360 sales actually tripled. But that wasn’t big enough for the console to overtake the DSi. Or the DSi…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 25, 2010 -
Black Rock Shooter Ready To Shoot Up The PSP
Lock and load, because popular original video anime Black Rock Shooter is getting a PSP title. Today in Tokyo, developer Imageepoch revealed the game’s debut trailer, which follows the adventures of the Black Rock Shooter, a girl with a glowing eye and a gun that can fire 20 shoots per second. Osaka-based studio Ordet handled…
By Brian Ashcraft Published November 24, 2010
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