Uh oh, a Kudo-tan encountered (PlayStation 2)

(tags Little Busters, PlayStation 2, Kudo-tan)

Uh oh, a Kudo-tan encountered:

Finding a common game:

Batted a single:

See you next time, on the PlayStation 2:

Hm, I also need to learn using my own vocabulary notes.

Last PS2... Jak and Daxter The Lost Frontier

(tags PlayStation 2, Jak, PlayStation Portable)

The reason I'm sitting in front of this computer and blogging right now is that stupendous news came out and I need to link to it. Well, stupendous to me anyway. Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier for PS2 and PSP. W00t! (Thanks Joystiq and Kotaku).

Now I must be behind the curve because some commenters on the blog complained that Naughty Dog's and Playstation 2's signature series hasn't yet graced the PlayStation 3. You know, welcome to 2007? I don't really mind though. It seems that Naughty Dog is preoccupied with the new IP that is Uncharted. That's another Naughty Dog series I wanna sink my teeth into. And the voice actor for the lead is the same guy as the "protagonist" in Prince of Persia 2008. (why haven't I blogged about PoP, that is my favorite 2008 game...)

I know that my 4th Playstation 2, which is US region, is just waiting for me to play something, something like Jak X Combat Driving, hahaha. I'm ready to buy Jak's last outing, so bring it.

Cute cheap figures: Doki Majo 2 Maho, Kimorebi Sakura

(tags game, figure, Doki-Majo, gal game, figure, PlayStation 2, Dual Screen)

Recently Sofmap dumped a full truckload of Doki Doki Majo Shinpan 2 (どきどき魔女神判2) at a price of 2980 yen instead of 9980 yen. The only thing I wanted was the included "Maho" figure, so:

Actually, I got mine at 2480 yen in Sofmap Kobe, woot. I've been looking to picking up this figure ever since Gamers Nipponbashi was selling it for 3980 yen, which was still too steep. I don't intend on playing the game though.

On the left is "Sakura" from the gal-game turned PlayStation 2 Kimorebi no Namiki-michi: Utsuri kawaru kisetu no naka de (木漏れ日の並木道～移り変わる季節の中で～). I haven't played it yet. "Sakura" is the main character's daughter. Also the main character is a widower, which makes the scenario seem quite sad.

No tate for you: Gigawing Generations

(tags game, shmup, PlayStation 2, failure)

A first release cover for the PS2 version of GigaWing Generations surfaced recently for about 2500 yen, so I took it home. I know from previous outings that GigaWing 1 and 2 were vertical scrolling with landscape orientation. I also know from the last time I saw GWG in the arcade that it was vertical scrolling with portrait orientation (tate). However, this port lacks the tate. Combined with the small screen I was playing it on, and my recent bout with sickness, I wasn't feeling the good gaming vibe.

Welcome the big numbers. I didn't pay attention to the music, despite the memory that GW2 had some pretty epic score.

Resume purchasing: Kimi Kiss, EDF, TCs

(tags game, PlayStation 2, gal game, Kimi Kiss, Xbox 360, action, Earth Defense Force, telephone card)

I couldn't stop purchasing a game before Idolm@ster Live For You. I'm sorry. :-/ :-)

Friday rolled around and I was like omg Kimi Kiss (キミキス), okay, yeah I want it but I'm not in a PS2 mood. But then I somehow went back to Sofmap Kobe again because I couldn't resist the telephone card. The set was only 4000 yen (3500 yen without TC), and I've been meaning to get it ever since it came out (2006?!). I didn't know it also came with a DVD-ROM which collects various radio shows and some software. On Friday there were 3 TC-sets, but on Saturday I nabbed the last TC-set. Bah.

I suppose I was enthralled by the currently running anime, which I give five star ratings on each episode. It's the only torrented anime I'm watching live now besides Hayate no Gotoku. I am apprehensive though because the game is a different thing, right? Also I've also been reading some of the manga in Champion Red Ichigo semi-monthly magazine, and the manga there ranges from meh to greatest. I skipped one of the stories because it was too close to the anime, though.

I hooked up my PlayStation 2 previously for Street Fighter 3 Third Strike, but I've got guys in FFTA to level up, so...

And today was the release of Burnout Paradise (with announcer Ryu, who is pretty entertaining actually) and Space Invaders Extreme, but I resisted! Yeah me! Except, Earth Defense Forces 3 was sitting there used at around 2000 yen with the original cover, um. One Xbox 360 pal recommended it, and I know he digs action, so this can't be a bad purchase. I do want him to sell me his copy of the English (Asia region?) Burnout Paradise. How can I pursuade him. Oh wait, I need to play Im@s L4U first.

Also every 21st of the month, the Gamers point exchange Di Gi Charat/Koge Donbo telephone card comes out, so I picked it up. Somehow zettai ryoiki doesn't work with Dijiko, but the red iris scheme is looking better and better because of the red wine fashion.

Cold reminder, Idolmaster point cards

(tags character goods, Idolmaster, game, PlayStation 2, Street Fighter, Xbox 360, Yuiko Tokumi)

I did another out and about session in Nipponbashi Den Den Town this weekend. I hate it when I am reminded that I spend too much money on character goods. Too much money. TOO MUCH MONEY. (echo echo echo...) Uh oh this is starting to sound like a whiny post. :-/

I am now considering not going to Den Den Town for the month of February. I would save on travel money that way. But sometimes Den Den Town has the cheap stuff. Also the shop prices adjust my expectations when doing online auctions. Ugh online auctions.

(picture thanks Inside Games JP)

Let's see, the only entertainment thing I planned to buy in February was Idolm@ster Live For You but that's coming in the mail. Today I saw the pre-order for the two Idolm@ster branded Xbox Live Point cards, shown above. I've never seen any XBL Point cards with a design before. You know I'm a card collector, e.g. a telephone card collector. I'm used to 1000 yen prices. But 5000 yen retail is steep. Then there's the question of whether to use the code on the card or not. My feeling says yes, idiot, use the stuff you buy. I'll see if they have a pre-order at my local shop.

Actually today I wanted so much to pick up Burnout: Paradise at Den Den Town but my go-to store doesn't have it yet. I could have instead bought the new Wipeout PSP or the new Contra DS or Bioshock or whatever games not yet in my region... Then I reminded myself, I have Jak Combat Racing for the PS2-US. Break that out now.

Okay today was somewhat thrifty, I think. I got Street Fighter III Third Strike for the PS2 for 1580 yen and Project Sylpheed for the Xbox 360 for 1480 yen. Original covers on both of those too, great. Unfortunately they are dented (ケースイタミ) but even though I don't see where. And I got (another) Yuiko Tokumi illustration 2008 calendar. (I haven't posted about my Yuiko Tokumi purchasing, have I?)

Finally I bought (not pictured) Yuu Kobayashi's new music single (based on j1m0ne's recommendation) and Miyuki Hashimoto's single for a 2008-01 season anime. Ouch 1200 yen for singles. The disconnect on my purchasing is pretty stupid, huh.

Okay now to enjoy space.

Unstack: Gradius Portable, Loco Roco, Street Fighter Alpha

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, shmup, PlayStation 2, fighting, Xbox 360, racing)

I'm reinforcing the "no" to Patapon by unearthing my stacked games. First off, though, I forgot where I put the PSP stuff so it took much effort. I decided to try out Gradius Portable before getting serious with Loco Roco. I've never played Gradius 1-4 or Gaiden enough to remember what they are. I was hoping that the game I know as Life Force (also known as Salamander) was on it but this is a different series.

So I tried out 2 and 4. Ouch, don't get hit. PSP D-pad sucks, no I suck. What!? Who is selecting my ship upgrade path? Oh "semiauto" setting. Wait, didn't I see this flaming ball stage somewhere before? Uh, that's what I get for jumping in to the series at Gradius V. I cleared some stages but no game clear. 4 seems to be a little easier than 2. I was credit feeding though, because "you (I) need more practice".

Now that I think about it, I haven't seen those Moai heads yet. Isn't this Moai head/halo bullet game(s)?

Then I hooked up my PlayStation 2 to some power to play Street Fighter Alpha. Oh, this looks great! I have one of those clamshell monitors for the PS2 with the widescreen aspect ratio. Wide makes it feel like the arcade, but too bad the screen is only 7 inches diagonal. But the best part is that there seems to be no loading times, apart from the game selection screen. Thank you Capcom, thank you. I'm going to have to track down the other Street Fighter for PS2 games like 3 Third Strike and Hyper-Fighting. I would really like to see X-Men: Children of The Atom with no load times, though.

SFA 1 (also known as Street Fighter Zero) must be my favorite Street Fighter, because Guy has those fun moves and they do meaningful damage. Ah, this Logicool pad is servicable but unsatisfying. I need a 6 button D-pad or I need to break out my HRAP (Hori Real Action Pro arcade stick). Laziness wins out.

Though I like SFA 1, credit feeding against Vega (M. Bison) got tedious. "Psycho Crusher"... "nurui wa" I played some SFA 3 but I'm not familiar with it at all. There was a "Dramatic Battle" option which I tried for the first time today. Oh, 2 on 1 huh, not much of a fair fight but die die die Vega. :-)

And as far as Xbox is concerned, there was some Burnout news eariler this month but since my region is Japan I couldn't download the new demo. Bah, I wasn't in a racing mood anyway. PGR 4 for 3000 yen? "No".

Idolm@ster DLC sale 2 ends tomorrow though. Grudgingly "yes". :-/

Dead or Alive 4 hunt, Hisashiburi Osaka, Kureha digitized

(tags Osaka, purchase, character goods, telephone card, game, Xbox 360, anime, seiyuu, PlayStation 2, Kasimasi, Ikaruga)

Last post was a real bummer. How to get back to my dreamland? Goods!

On Saturday I headed to Tennouji and Nipponbashi Den Den Town for some Xbox 360 game scoping and telephone card hunting. I haven't been there since middle September because I spent 5_0000+ yen on an Xbox 360 last month, so the change of season makes the area look different. I didn't know how the Osaka tower looked at night, but it was so so. Anyways, the obligatory goods picture:

My goal was to get Dead or Alive 4 for less than 2200 yen, with original cover. The Platinum Collection covers irritate me and the DoA4 Platinum Collection edition comes out on 11/1 so maybe there are old copies lingering somewhere. Unfortunately I only scoped a 2900 yen one at A-Too, that crazy price used game shop that also carries a good selection of foreign console games. I let it pass (I got that telephone card there as a consolation prize). I could have snatched up a foreign edition BioShock with embossed case, but I don't need it yet at 7000 yen. One interesting find at another shop: a Panzer Dragoon (?) Xbox 1 console going for a little less than 3_0000 yen. No box?!? Oh please.

My buy threshold was 2000 yen for other games. I found Gears of War english-only edition for 1880 yen and Bullet Witch original cover for the same. At the northern Super Potato (?) I could have picked up Trusty Bell and Ridge Racer 6 for about 1900 yen each, but I figured enough was enough. BTW, at the same store, the Dead or Alive 4 arcade stick for the Xbox 360 was selling 12800 yen used! Why? Why!? It reminded me that I don't want to play Ikaruga on the Xbox controller. I'm not so hot on a joystick, though.

A semi-serious goal was to get the various Street Fighter on PS2 re-releases. The highest priority is on the Street Fighter Alpha collection. I had some fun times playing Guy on SF Alpha 1, but he wasn't the same on Alpha 2. Anyways, this game disc never got "Collection"-ed so its still 4500 yen new. Then again why should I bother since I already have the Windows PC port. I notice that there are no used copies of these SF games (!?!), but plenty of SNK fighters to be had.

Explaining the other items: various TCs abound. j1mOne's recommendation of Tiaraway's music made get the Seiyuu Gran-prix TC. I don't know the name of this anime, but a neko-mimi maid, right. The recent anime Kimikiss reminds me of the artwork from that old True Love Story - Summer Days and yet PS2 game, which was great illustrations by itself. Could they be related? Something to research. I wonder if I got that Kasimasi TC already, but it's a scratched reference. Oh yeah, I had fun watching Zettai Shonen (絶対少年) so I couldn't pass up this Quo card.

And still I have Kureha fever so I bought that Shining Wind Fun Disc from Sofmap Saurus Treasure Box. It was a special preorder item, which explains the 1200 yen used price. I bought it for the wallpapers, and I am a bit disappointed that Kureha doesn't smile in any of them. :-/ I found a Kureha telephone card at K-Books where she was smiling... only 8000 yen :-( Still, official artwork on my desktop background rotation, FTW. Pretty much I'm into Shining Wind based on the Tony artwork only. I know nothing about the game.

The cover for the drama CD Vol 1 is nice, rawr. :-) It surprised me that my class A seiyuu Yui Horie (堀江由衣) voices Kureha. The drama CD could be a buy.

On the way home, there was more security guards at the JR Osaka entrances, something like 10 to 15 guys in blue uniforms patrolling. "Osaka Kanjyosen" Halloween Train?

I am definately not going to Nipponbashi next weekend. I decided to get Ace Combat 6, and before that I need to start Idolm@ster. So I'm not going to repeat the Dead or Alive 4 hunt for a couple of weeks. :-)

A little too eager: Shining Wind's Kureha (figure)

(tags figure, game, PlayStation 2, sexy, illustrator)

Remember the "Kureha" figure I mentioned in May? Well, Moeyo reminded me that its coming out this week so I've been making quick stops to the Sofmap.

Um. Guess I didn't read too closely, because it says it will come out on Friday, not today. Duh.

Haruhi hits PS2, of course for the cash cow

(tags game, PlayStation 2, anime)

Yes, of course I'll get this PS2 version of Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱) along side the PSP version. I knew a PSP only release was too good to be true. (thanks Kotaku)

Shining Wind's Kureha (figure) makes CERO B

(tags figure, game, PlayStation 2, sexy, illustrator)

I like that illustrator Tony (nsfw). Recently it seems Tony has been crossing over to all ages illustration, heading up the character design in the Sega PlayStation 2 games Shining Tears and Shining Wind.

One of the characters from Shining Wind, Kureha, will get (pre-built) figure treatment soon. Here is "Kureha", a 1/7 scale figure by Shunji Hagai (?) (萩井俊士) and produced by Max Factory/Good Smile Company. I like this character design, because she has a bow in front, a bow-like sleeve billow, and she's holding a bow. Also, well, zettai ryouiki.

Though I haven't played the game, I am considering purchasing this figure.

I read though that Shining Wind got a CERO B ranking (12 years or older) instead of being all ages (CERO A) because the illustrations are a bit sexualized. Tony, it's all your fault.

Odin Sphere goodies, seiyuu style

(tags seiyuu, game, PlayStation 2)

I have been ignoring Odin Sphere (オーディンスフィア) even though the 2d anime-like side scrolling action seems to be right up my alley. I did pick up the previous game Princess Crown on the PSP to see what the fuss was about, but the PSP presentation didn't sway me.

It turns out that Famitsu did a special interview session with the main voice actors, Ayako Kawasumi (川澄綾子), Susumu Chiba (千葉進歩), Miyuki Sawashiro (沢城みゆき), Mamiko Noto (能登麻美子) (『オーディンスフィア』声優インタビュー＆声優コメント動画を独占配信!! / ファミ通.com). There's a video as well. Finally there's a raffle for 5 autographed copies of the art book. Never hurts to try to enter.