Get a grip (grapple?): Umihara Kawase

(tags game, Dual Screen, Umihara Kawase, PlayStation Portable)

My right thumb hurts from pressing buttons too hard. It's a death grip on my grapple button, since one miscalculated release will have my avatar plummeting to a watery doom.

Umihara Kawase (海腹川背). I've only recently discovered this old gaming franchise. The demo game station showing the PS1 version at a retro game store captured me for about 20 minutes. I saw the PSP version at my price threshold of 2000 yens and decided to jump in.

UK is a Bionic Commando with no forgiveness. Basically a fantasy platform game, UK asks me to traverse ledges with nothing more than my fine-tuned swinging control. Yes, abilities are not unlocked. It all depends on my skill. The heroine, Umihara Kawase, has this strong yet elastic grappling hook made of red-white twine and fish hook. It is a source of constant frustration and delight. It feels so... analog. It feels like there's a physics engine in there.

The fishing cuisine theme pervades the levels and the enemies. The title of the game is a play on a Japanese cuisine preparatory phrase, "Ocean fish are fatty in stomach while river fish are fatty (tallow) in the back." (海の魚は腹に、川の魚は背に脂がのっている) Or so the manual claims. My well-read Japanese tutor never heard of that phrase though.

Enemies are these strange walking fish. Most of them are one touch, one kill. But the worst ones aren't the ones that kill me right away. They will hit me into an uncontrollable stun for a few seconds. This game plays with my mind. Will I fall off the ledge or not?

But the best enemy is the environment itself. UK doesn't give me any help or hold my hand. There is a technique to swing up to a higher ledge. At first I thought it was impossible. But after dropping the broken PSP version and coming to terms with the game physics on the higher quality DS port, I am executing the technique with a high success rate. When I can hit this technique on the first try, in a fluid motion, I feel like I'm in control. However, when I mistime the release, I have to wait and re-fine-tune my swinging motion to propel me in the right direction.

This reminds me about the difference in forgiveness. I was playing Bionic Commando on my Xbox 360 and one of the regular techniques to propel myself forward is to jump off a platform from behind and grapple. It's a sweet maneuver full of kick-ass, right? BC makes this feel totally safe and dependable. I try this move in UK and I sweat bullets. I never seem to get it to work. Despite the millisecond-timed reflexes this game requires, I feel like it is fair. Well at least the early levels.

Which brings me to my pained thumb. Some of the stunts sequences require me to reenact Tarzan with no safety net. I am deathly afraid of falling, or even more so of repeating the same ground over and over again. I hope my DS can take the strain.

The DS version (海腹川背・旬 セカンドエディション 完全版) was released at the end of last month, which might explain why that game shop was demoing the older versions. Though I picked up the PSP version and tried to deal with the pain, I heard through the Internet that it was a broken port. I wasn't convinced until I played the DS version though. Another reason I picked up the DS version was that it came with a telephone card (at Sofmap Saurus). Silly me. Still this latest release sacrifices none of the difficulty, while at the same time modernizes the rewards with illustration gallery and soundtrack unlocks. The demo recording feature is also intact but not UI enhanced like the PSP version. The game comes with a port of the original Super Famicom version, the PlayStation 1 version, and a new DS path mode based on the PS1 version. The PS1 ports have the 3d like scrolling effects and more environmental art (like giant soy sauce bottles?!), but the SF ports's grappling hook physics feel crispier. Also the PS1 based modes seemed to have all the minor enhancements like practice mode with success/miss counts and continues (!?) while the SF port doesn't even let me assign diagonal grappling to the top buttons. None of the gameplay seems itself seems to be affected or cheapened, but I don't really know since I haven't played the 90s versions.

I really want to keep playing this game despite the difficulty. I do wish though there was more easy levels. The difficulty just ramps up too fast.

Let me put my two cents about the heroine, Umihara Kawase. She appears in gameplay as some school aged girl (because her backpack looks like a randoseru) with no fear of heights (no fall damage). However the insert graphics make her out to be some 20 year old with sex-sells breast size and anime girly eyes. There's basically no story and no dialogue so I don't really understand why she has to become Indiana Jones/Pitfall Harry/The Last Starfighter/Ikaruga. Finally at the game over screen I see her in pajamas watching TV relaxing after a hot shower or something. Well?

Finally, the music is soothing and relaxing. I mistimed my grapple and fell in the water but the music just keeps me calm. It's all my fault.

Games like this remind me that the DS still has credible action games.

More Heart: ToHeart2, and other game pickups

(tags ToHeart, game, PlayStation Portable, Wipeout, Xbox 360, XBLA, Kimi no Yuusha, Dual Screen, PlayStation 3)

Just wanna say that I'm starting ToHeart 2 now, PSP version. I'm kinda annoyed it has the same music (but remixed) from ToHeart 1. 40 minutes.

Also I finished ToHeart 1, completely. Every picture unlocked, music mode, massage mode (Hocchan giving massages! well at least verbally). I think the best part was the unlocking of the shooting game. The last hidden scenario was not very interesting at all. Probably 25 hours.

I picked up Wipeout Pulse (asia version!) at Sofmap Nipponbashi South, after waiting for A-Too to drop the game's price (playing chicken with a shop just doesn't work). I felt like it was impossible for the first level, then I passed it and now I'm just sailing. 2 hours.

I even tried to get into my DS. I still have Kimi no Yuusha stuck in there. The last extra boss is really hard though. I cannot beat him, so I give up. 55+ hours.

I want to start playing Final Fantasy Tactics A for DS that I picked up a couple of weeks back during that Play-Asia and Visa card sale. 0 hours.

Man, this is starting to be a potpourri post.

Yeah, I also got some Xbox games like Ace Combat 6 and Bionic Commando for under 2500 yen, each. Nice (but used). I was playing the latter and I really like it the swing thing. It feels like Crackdown and you know I love games like Crackdown. It's the open environment jump-to-collect-them-all feeling. 7 hours.

Did I mention I picked up my first PS3 game? Motor Storm for like 1000 yen. I also saw the Atelier no Rorona limited edition (with laser etched crystal "objet") dropping in used priced down to 7500 yen, but that's still steep. The well-regarded Demon's Souls (US English edition) almost made it into my virtual shopping cart but well, I don't have a PS3 yet.

Um what else. I am not playing any PC games. Still waiting for StarCraft II to come out then I will make my last ever game PC. Oh I bought a ton of DRM free PC games from GoG's first anniversary sale including Duke Nukem 3d, but get this, I have not downloaded the bulk of them yet. WTF. I am still hoping they pick up Sinistar: Unleashed.

Uh, I am still scoping the Xbox Live Deal of the Week, and I recently bought yet another clear-3-colors game and the Sudoku clone. Hey, only 400 XBL points, each. You say the next deal is a cartoony golf game? 400 points? I'm there dood.

Can't win against Ayaka-ojousama (ToHeart 1 PSP)

(tags game, ToHeart, PlayStation Portable)

Instead of playing new galge, I'm still hacking on ToHeart on the PSP. It's just so convenient to relive my old PS1 memories through this portable machine.

I thought the Iincho/Hoshina scenario was my favorite, but it turns out the Ayaka Kurusugawa scenario is the more interesting story. It's too bad I have to finish the Aoi and Serika scenarios first to unlock it. Also, Serika and Ayaka are voiced by the same seiyuu, not just because they are sisters, but because Serika has so few voiced lines. It would be a shame to have another seiyuu for this essentially mute heroine. It's even worst because the seiyuu, Junko Iwao (岩男潤子 of Tomoyo from Card Captor Sakura fame), has such a lively, attractive voice. To hide this voice behind an unlock is a crime. However the Ayaka scenario does make up for it by being so positive and uplifting.

I've finished Hoshina, Akari, Kotone, Remi, Multi, Serika, Aoi, Ayaka. Now I only have Shiho and that ahoge musume. I think the Shino scenario is another tear jerker but I like her outgoing personality, so I'm looking forward to it.

Wanting Raystorm HD

(tags game, Xbox 360, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, RayStorm, shmup)

Raystorm. I feel all nostalgic about this shmup because I used to play in the Japanese arcades back during my exchange program. Now it's in HD and on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Wanting.

Well, I could buy it for the PSP but I really don't want to buy Sony points.

I could also play my PS1 version. It's around here somewhere. I'm pretty sure I don't have the PC version.

Every Extend Extra

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Every Extend Extra)

Almost done with Hatsune Miku Project Diva PSP but I tried out Every Extend Extra on the PSP recently. Oh yeah I like this game. Before playing, I thought it was a music game. It turns out its kinda shmupity in that I need to be able to dodge bullets and inert crates while bomb-chaining for power-ups and score.

I was really frustrated with it in the beginning, but after an hour or two I began to see the patterns and the boss movements. Now I can get to the fourth stage. I really like the abstract patterns and how the stage skins change.

The action is few and far between, so its not very good for commute gaming. Gonna keep the UMD at home.

Remote control and evaluating used PSPs

(tags Playstation Portable, hardware)

I got one official remote control for the PSP-2000, called the PSP-S140. I was surprised that this hardware is not compatible across the whole line of PSPs, so I was extra careful perusing the used accessory bins.

Also the remote's buttons are full of fail. The volume controls and the rewind/fast-forward buttons are not discernible by touch. I clipped it to my shirt and mistakenly put my bag strap on top of it, causing the volume to rise. Ripping off headphones, now that's something that never gets old.

And I was foolish enough to try to buy another PSP-2000. You see, my current PSP-2000 is perfect in every way, except for one glaring black dot or dead pixel right in the middle of the screen. Now it doesn't really matter to the game play, but I see it every time the load screen comes on, and it makes me sad. Really sad. It's still a reminder for me how foolish I am to trust Sofmap's description of used hardware. I don't want to keep noticing it, reminding myself to try before buying, and forcing myself to ignore it. Argh, it never ends.

Anyways, the sales associates do not put any effort into showing how imperfect a used PSP is. Obviously its in Sofmap's best interest if I don't notice. But they do allow me to check the condition of the display while it is on. Every time though, I can't believe how inept these sales associates are. They try to show me the item without going to the staging area, instead balancing case keys, batteries, and the PSP in their hands. They blow and/or wipe on the screen with their own hand. They don't seem to know that the sell-back area has cleaning tools. They should know. The last time I asked if I can wipe the display with my own cleaning cloth. They gave me permission, and I was surprised.

So I've evaluated 3 used PSPs already, rejecting them all, I have come to the conclusion that anything below 16800 yen is imperfect, despite the (intentional?) spotless defect reports. I think I will give up.

Those models are all just the "Blume series: Rose Pink" color cases. I have some hope for the next iteration of the PSP (not the PSPgo), since one color coming in autumn is pinkish. I should get a PSP-3000 anyway for comparison.

All thumbs

(tags game, Playstation Portable, Hatsune Miku)

I am still plugging away at Hatsune Miku Project Diva (初音ミク プロジェクトディーヴァ), unlocking costumes. I finally finished the swimsuit costume unlock for Ruka Megurine (巡音ルカ), which requires beating all 32 songs at Normal difficulty/Great rating, or higher, using the regular Ruka costume. There is also another costume unlock which requires the same at Hard/Great. I tried to kill two birds with one stone, by attempting all 32 at Hard difficulty and getting Great ratings, but two songs are infuriatingly out of my grasp at the moment. I also jumped around the song order, so I was somewhat when the game didn't award me the unlock costume. After I re-did a song at Normal/Great, it unlocked. Yeah.

To unlock the other swimsuit costumes for the other four characters, I have to do the same 32 song thing using their regular costumes, respectively. Ah ha ha. I must not do them in Normal difficulty because that only exercises two buttons. Thumb, don't fail me now.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva: miku miku miku miku

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, music, Hatsune Miku)

Oh jeez, I wrote this two weeks back:

I've been playing Hatsune Miku Project Diva (初音ミク プロジェクトディーヴァ) for the PSP on and off, mostly on the bus and train. It's a great little music game with an easy/casual difficulty, reminding me of Pop-N-Tunes/DDR/DJ Max Portable rhythm games but only for my right thumb. I sure wish they used the D-pad too, because the rest of my fingers feel underutilized.

Basically you bask in the glory of Hatsune Miku doujin scene with pre-contributed graphics and music. Sega added a 3d model with some motion-captured dancing and PV frolicking. Very moé-kawaii. There's a lot to unlock, such as costumes (named Modules), and room items, which is for the dollhouse-like mode called Miku's Room. The background loading pictures unlock with time, also the songs need to be unlocked but seem to be a combination of time and level clears. The game gives you hints on how to unlock items, also these hints are unlocked with time, probably.

There are two songs in the middle I have not yet unlocked though. I am wondering what I need to do.

The actual gameplay is pretty rewarding, with simplistic rhythm patterns that match with Miku's voice. The game only asks you to press one button at a time, but the detection is pretty strict. Most music has easy to understand rhythm so even neophytes like me can get high combos, OMG 220+ achieved. The unlockables are easy to uncover, like clear a level 5 times and get a Great score. The placement of the buttons on the screen lead your eyes around, so it's not static like a DDR falling note/rising arrow display. However on Hard difficulty, where they ask you to use all four face buttons (circle, x, square, triangle), sometimes its hard to anticipate which button to press. Only then does the game ask you to start memorizing. One can probably get through Normal difficulty with a couple of plays on reflex alone.

As this is my first time to listen to some Miku music outside of accidental Youtube wandering, I am surprised at the quality of the arrangements. They are so Jpop catchy. I already bought the OST for this game, and I'm now interested in getting other official CDs.

I do have some gripes. Sometimes the screen is so active that there is framerate slowdown. The timing doesn't seem to be affected but its annoying to jump from 30? FPS down to 18? (I don't know the actual numbers). I also mentioned that this seems to be a right thumb only game. My thumb gets tired. I use my cellphone with my left thumb, so give me a break. It would be nice if they could use the D-pad. Perhaps it's a licensing issue. When you press a button during gameplay, the sound is a generic tambourine that is mapped to all keys. Each key should be a different sound like snare drum, etc.

(Back to the present)

I've made much more progress and I'm on the last legs of unlocking the costumes. Unforunately I needed a clue on how to unlock items with "yarikomi?" (「やりこみ？」) written on it. More on that later. One of the good sites for info is the 初音ミク -Project DIVA- まとめwiki. There was a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, called the 初音ミクProject-DIVA-チェックシート.xls for checking off progress. I'm currently using that, but imported into Google Docs. Thanks!

Two clear: Gears of War 2, ToHeart 2 and 1 Hoshina scenario

(tags game, Xbox 360, Gears of War, ToHeart, PlayStation Portable, gal-ge)

Woops I wrote this about two weeks ago:

I finally saw the localized version of Gears of War 2 for the Xbox 360 on the store shelves recently. Before that, I picked up the Chinese/English version of GoW2 for a nice used price of 2000 yen (yes A-Too rocks). I plodded through Normal difficultly with probably less than 30 continues. Yeh, 30 continues. Still, I couldn't believe how fast the single player went by. Then again I played it for one day straight plus this is a sequel. I like how there is now a partial indicator for Achievements. The "Seriously 2.0" Achievement requires killing 100,000 enemies. Going through the normal campaign was about 1000 enemies, and I completed it in a day, so it will take about 100 or more days. Without that partial indicator I would not even consider it. Of course, I rejected it.

And I picked up ToHeart 2 for the PlayStation Portable. I didn't pre-order, so I missed the special first edition. I got the regular edition after bugging the store clerk and holding up the purchase line. It includes ToHeart 1 (finally ported to the PSP) because it was the "W pack". Only after realizing the difference between the SKUs, I came to accept that I didn't need 2 small figurines and a bigger box. Well they weren't cute enough. I was satisfied with getting at least the Gamers tokuten: telephone card, paper fan, and PSP sticker set.

Yes! ToHeart 1! I put that in my PSP and smoked it. I put the ToHeart2 away. I cleared the iincho or 保科智子 Tomoko Hoshina scenario immediately because she's one of my favorite tsundere characters. And Aya Hisakawa is always alright with me. Even though this is the PSP version, it's full voice. Visuals are switchable from original 4:3 ratio and PSP 16:9 pan-and-scan mode. Both look passable. Unfortunately I was feeling nostalgia remorse for some reason. I didn't remember this scenario being so short, just 5 hours from the start. Plus I forgot that the scenario climaxed in bed, literally. (No sex scene of course CERO C but first kiss?!?). I was expecting a less vigorous ending, lol. It's that feeling of reading one's favorite book again and feeling the diminishing returns.

There is no force skip for unread sections, but thankfully I found the fast skip. Also Multi's seiyuu Yui Horie is as recognizable as ever. If I get back to this game, I will probably want to finish the other scenarios in this order: Multi, Remi, Kotone, Shiho, Akari, Kurusugawa-senpai, etc. Running this visual novel game on the PSP-2000 was pretty fast.

Now that I think about it, this is my fourth copy of the game. PS1, PS2, Windows (all ages), and now PSP. Geez.

I put Hatsune Miku Project Diva back in the PSP though because I want to finish that.

dead pixel begone... please?

(tags Playstation Portable, hardware, failure)

I didn't buy my pre-ordered copy of Hatsune Miku (初音ミク －Project DIVA－) yet, but to prepare I bought another PSP. So oh yeah welcome to 2008, but unfortunately the PSP-2000 is used and it has a dead or stuck pixel right in the middle of the screen. It's black when the background is cyan, and invisible when it is lavender-purple. Oh no.

My first two PSPs didn't have any dead pixels, so I was expecting perfection.

Obviously the thing to do is to get knowledge and run the pixel exerciser video. It's been running for 10 minutes, but no change. Let's let the video run overnight. I hope I win.

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.

I wanna watch Spider-Man 3... but can't (won't)

(tags UMD, PlayStation Portable, failure)

I watched Spider-Man 2 on UMD in quick impulsive bites. Oh, it's a super-hero flick. Somehow my current mood makes me expect more high-brow entertainment. Yeah right, I'm playing Trusty Bell now, that's high brow. Huh.

And I popped in Spider-Man 3 on UMB but it required a PSP firmware update to 3.51. Oh.

I wanna watch Spider-Man 2

(tags game, UMD, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Dual Screen)

Just another random "I got more content" post.

I decided to skip getting Hitsuji-kun nara Kiss shite ageru (羊くんならキスしてあげる) the PC turned PSP game which has an outrageous price of 7000 yen plus. The main draw for me was the illustrator Naoto Tenhiro's work. As always, the drawings are cute and kawaii. I'm hoping to get the telephone cards through the auction.

I went out today to Yodobashi Camera. I was in the mood to get the MadCatz Xbox 360 controller, but of course they don't have it. The alternative was the Hori one, but it only comes in Blue. I decided to get a small portable foldable game controller for the PC called the Buffalo BBT-GC01. I decided on that because I wanted a one-handed PC controller, like for viewing web pages and playing visual novels. Using the freeware JoyToKey for Windows, it should be a snap to remap Space, Enter, Page Up, Page Down, Control, etc. The D-Pad isn't so bad. I gave it a whirl on Parsec47 and it was very fun.

I then went down to A-Too Nipponbashi. No Xbox Mad Catz Street Fighter IV controller pads, not even the PS3 ones. So I looked around in the bins for things cheep and picked up Too Human and Alone in the Dark for the Xbox 360, each for about 1500 yen. I wanna play Too Human because I liked the demo, but balked at the price. Alone in the Dark was just a whim, I'm actually scared to play it. (Wussy!) I also picked up the PSP-UMD versions of Spider-Man 2 and 3 and Pirates of the Carribean (2003). There's no PSP firmware restriction on the movies, which is nice. I haven't watched these movies yet, but they were more desirable than the Aliens vs Predator laying alongside.

Last thing I want to mention is that I went to Sofmap Zaurus and the Treasure Box floor is a shadow of its former self. Still there was this one box where I picked up other PSP-UMD movie Hitch, Crazy Taxi for the PSP, Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360, and NanoStray for the DS. The prices were below my cutoff for purchasing, so...

I forgot to mention that I purchased a lot of telephone cards, but no pictures so it didn't happen.

Too much stuff to do.

Just as pricey: Idolm@ster SP DLC

(tags game, Idolm@ster, PlayStation Portable, DLC)

One more day until Idolm@ster hits the PSP scene. I'm only excited for the store-based telephone card extras. Yeah, that's crazy.

I did not exclude the possibility of DLC, but to finally see an official page full of "horse armor" was shocking. (Thanks Gaijin Gamers) WTF, I didn't call it "horse armor" when I bought the similar things before. Anyways, 1000 yen for one dress, which is similar to the prices on the Xbox DLC. I haven't accepted the DRM on the PSP, so I doubt that I will use this DLC any time soon.

Will I see PSP toting McDonalds refugees playing Idolm@ster? I doubt it.

No PSP 2000 in sight (newbie's first response)

(tags PlayStation Portable, hardware, auction)

I can't be bothered to figure out how to install custom firmware on my two PSP 1000s, and yet I want to play the latest games with better hardware (more internal memory?), so I'm trying to find a PSP 2000. Sofmap only has a trickle of used PSP 2000s, and they are gone every time I recheck. Plus it doesn't help that I am finicky about the case color. I want the lavender purple, though Sofmap only seems to get the black ones. I could also go for the Monster Hunter Bronze or Value Pack Bronze (to match my Gold and Silver).

So just today I turned my auction sniping searching prowess onto this area. Whoa boy, this is a different sort of auction. The basics of auction buying, that is to say, bid, win, send money, receive, are pretty much the same. However the sheer volume of action from sellers and bidders makes me think I'm drowning in a ocean. Also, sellers add all sorts of for-pay options, which makes selecting an auction to bid a hassle.

It looks like the keywords for me are CFW (custom firmware), PSP 2000, 新品 (new not used), and LP or ラベンダー パープル (lavender purple).

Punch this: Side scrolling fighting games

(tags game, Dual Screen, PlayStation Portable, side scroll, fighting, Final Fight, Double Dragon, The Warriors)

I found my purple GBA Micro under a mound of dust. Along side it was Final Fight One and Double Dragon, so I took both for a spin again, but this time, on my DS.

Final Fight One is pretty good. I practiced the "3 punch, rest, 3 punch, rest" move with Guy. Turbo attack is fun. I beat the game on Super Hard with minimal effort. 

I turned my attention to Double Dragon. That was pretty hard, until I remembered how to stick and move. Oh, and kicking enemies into the water or spikes is just refreshing. I can't do survival mode though. It takes all my effort to get to 18.

I then remembered I had The Warriors on the PSP so I took that out. Hm, I find it hard to stay interested in this one. It's dark, visibly and morally. I mean I gotta mug NPCs for money so I buy spray to tag up the walls.

Kicking virtual 3D people while they're down is so abhorrent, but I can't stop doing it! If it's 2D, I don't have any qualms. Is there some kind of uncanny valley for fighting?

PSP wants and Hitsuji-kun nara Kisu Shite Ageru

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, hardware, Naoto Tenhiro, illustrator, DLC)

Now I want to spend some time with the PSP. Never mind that I own two firmware-crackable PSP-1000 series, I am searching for a new/used PSP-2000. I missed my chance because I thought they would still be available. The currently available PSP-3000 seems to have a wierd screen, though I haven't seen it in person.

I was checking out the available used hardwares. There wasn't anything available in Osaka Nipponbashi for PSP-2000. Well it was a pretty good week for the PSP, because Square Enix brought out a Final Fantasy product and it seems to have sold half a million in just a couple of days, w00t. I wonder if it's Monster Hunter "Square Enix" version or something. Ahem, yeah. Okay, today I spotted a bunch of PSP-2000 used. None of them are my desired pastel colors so I am still waiting.

Macross Ace Frontier is waiting for me. Also I will be picking up that Idolm@ster PSP series that will be appearing next February (it seems to be delayed). I do want WipeOut Pulse, and my copy is just pulling at my heart strings every time I go to the store.

Finally, I just learned today from reading Gamaga Magazine that a "heartful", Naoto Tenhiro (天広直人) illustrated game will be coming soon for the PSP. It's called Hitsuji-kun nara Kisu Shite Ageru (羊くんならキスしてあげる). The original work has been serialized for some time now in that glossy gal-ge magazine, E2 (Media Works/Softbank).

Also, it seems to have a PC browser only game, available from an online game distributor Playing Drama, since 2007/04 (appearing in serialized form). Looking at this page, I bet the PSP version is only a port of this web/PC game. Ah hahah.... I just realized that I won't touch this web/PC game version, because it requires an online connection. To make matters worse, this online service will end 2009/03/31 and there's nothing written about purchased DLC. This means it will evaporate into nothingness!!! Hahaha DLC Death strikes again! Time to salvage the free background graphics and other stuffs, since that's what I care about.

Actually, the seiyuu seem to be a good lineup, including Saeko Chiba (千葉紗子) and Ryoko Shintani (新谷良子). The PSP version will have the same seiyuu, so I look forward to hearing them. Also it seems to use a vertical screen orientation, which is pretty novel. Finally, there will be a telephone card omake for different shops. I hate this kinda of exclusivity, but I'm used to jumping through (expensive) hoops for Tenhiro stuff. Hahah.

Idolm@ster SP inbound

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Idolmaster, pre-order)

It was news to me, but the Sofmap-only special 3 card telephone card set omake for the upcoming Idolm@ster SP for the PSP will come with its own backing picture frame and one more telephone card. (link is one month old)

Excellent. When I saw that my Sofmap Kobe printed out the actual picture, I grabbed the pre-order ticket without any hesitation.

I'm out 1_5000 yen. ;-)

WTB Macross Ace Frontier PSP

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Macross, shooting, flight)

Acutally I want to buy that Macross Ace Frontier game for the PSP, but I'm waiting for two things. One is that I want to buy a new PSP so I can still keep my crackable PSP. However, all the PSP-2000s are gone, in preparation for the PSP-3000. Another thing is I'm waiting for a trusted online friend who like mecha more than moe to review it. I'm not sure if he finally got a PSP though.

I see that the infamous Famitsu cross review give it 8, 9, 9, 7 (issue 1035, 2008/10/17). No wonder Gamers Kobe had no stock left on a Friday night.

Shiren Adventuring and other fantasies

(tags game, Dual Screen, PlayStation Portable, Shiren)
(originally written: 2008-06-24 22:24)

I commented on Sub's Shiren's Mysterious Dungeon win. SMD is an Rogue-alike that puts forces you to consider gambling, as in gambling your life. Anyways his post made me want to get the English version of this DS game. Okay, the Japanese version is 2500 yen now bargain binned, but I rather play these inventory-heavy games in English. Play Asia sells the one I want for 3500 yen. Hm, no buy. I checked A-Too in Nipponbashi, and there was nothing. They are surprisingly strong with import console games, but not portable games. So anyways, I got the PC Japanese "Internet-enabled" version from 2003, just to get a feel. It was only 500 yen unopened. But I don't really like gaming on my PC anymore. Watch me track down the DS english version again.

Which reminds me, on Saturday I picked up Monster Hunter 2nd and Jeanne D'Arc for 880 yen and 1280 yen respectively. I gave the first MH a shot months ago but the first hour didn't hook me. The recent news about MH2G uplifting PSP hardware sales made me give the series a second chance. So I started evaluating MH2 but it feels so slow. "Now Loading". Everything is slow in this game. I'm sure PSP Lite won't fix all the loading screens. I feel my concentration ebbing, my brain becoming lethargic.

My Rubik's Cube hobby has poisoned my expectations by giving me feeling of completion, every minute.

Some gaming: Burnout Paradise and DJ Max Portable 2

(tags game, Xbox 360, Burnout, Playstation Portable, music, Dual Screen)

This is a summary of the last week or two of my gaming hobbies.

I felt like I finished up with Stranglehold, since I mopped up most of the easy and intermediate difficulty Xbox Achievement Points. "Hard" and "Hard-boiled" difficulty remain untouchable, as well as the 50 point killing spree Achievement. So I will toss the game back on the rack for now. Still I wish that other FPS games had the cover and time-slow system that Stranglehold uses.

I went back to Burnout Paradise. I finally completed all the events yesterday, earning my "Elite License". Of course I only seem to be in it now for the easy Achievement points. Now I all I have to do is get 100% completion, which means setting record scores on all the roads in both Showtime and Time Trial modes. Showtime was fun but now its just tedious work. I surpassed 10 million (dollars worth of damage) on one run, just to see how far I could go. Usually you need about 700,000. I wish though I finished Showtime first. And I wished that I drove around the city in Time Trial mode instead of plain mode. That would have made my clear faster ... maybe.

Today I went to the grand re-opening of the Gamers Nanba, now called Ani-Bro Gamers. It was only recent news to me that Animate (or the parent company of Animate) and Broccoli (owner of Gamers) became the same company. I will write more about today, later, if ever. Anyway, my bud asked me if there were any interesting PSP games recently and I named Echochrome. I also dug through my stash and DJ Max Portable 2 came up. I intend to lend it to him if he's interested, but I played it for a day waiting for the opening of Ani-Bro Gamers. I got a max combo (no miss) on my favorite stage Seoleim again. That felt good. Then I remembered that I am playing it on 4p ("easy mode" four buttons) with easy difficulty. Increasing the buttons is just insane, so I tried normal difficulty. I get cut off with "You need more practice!" a heck of a lot more. Stop interrupting the song I am attempting!!?!? How am I supposed to practice! Normal has some interesting new songs (to me). I wish the developers of this game made a casual mode for the music neophyte.

Finally, since I was in Nipponbashi, I checked out some stuff. On the gaming front, I was going to buy the PlayStation Simple 2000 Series The Taxi 2 since it was only 840 yen used, but I thought about Vice City and how I need to Taxi that one. Also I was going to get some DS games, like Super Mario 64 DS, since the price dropped at one store to 2480 yen and I figure I like easy collection-ing type games. However, thoughts of the imminent completion of Burnout Paradise and the Bioshock I haven't opened, stopped me again.

You'd think my willpower is strengthening, but I bought Valve's The Orange Box for Xbox 360 (Asia version) at A-Too. It was only 2480 yen. I suppose I was seeing easy Achievement points again. Portal! I do have Half-Life 2 on my PC (link to me playing with the physics engine back in 2005), but I got it free with my video card, so no problems there. Plus this soft has HL2: Episode 1 and 2, which I doubt my Project Sugar PC can handle. Well it couldn't handle HL2 or Portal deftly, either. I really like how my Xbox 360 is making me ignore PC games and the PC gaming upgrade treadmill. Thank you Xbox.

Purchase or not? Epic on Steam, Echochrome, Bangai-O Spirits

(tags game, Unreal Tournament, download, PlayStation Portable, Echochrome)

I said I would buy Unreal Tournament on Steam. Well according to Joystiq and Steam's official press release, I may have to follow through. Epic's Unreal series on Steam for about USD 60.00. I think it's pretty convenient. Well I do have all of these games on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM though. And I haven't been playing them in a long while.

But look, the yen is strengthening against the dollar. 99 JPY to 1 USD! Japan is feeling the pinch.

And Echochrome (無限回廊) (PSP) is out today. But I just realized I probably need a new PSP if I want to keep the old ones at their respective firmware versions. Definately I would like to get the lavender color. I'm still not done with Contra though.

But I am not swayed from Bangai-O Spirits. That's coming home with me.

You lose: Lumines, version 3.51

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, failure, firmware, crack)

Thursday is a fine day for used goods, like Lumines.

OMG, iz it ze h4xx0r rUm1n3z?

No.

orz orz orz orz orz orz orz orz orz orz orz :-/

I can't even play the game because it requires the firmware upgrade, so it's pretty much useless. Plus the cover isn't the original, so I am meh.

orz...

Pikachu in World Hobby Fair 2008

(tags convention, Japan, Osaka, game, Pikachu, character goods, Wii, Dual Screen, PlayStation Portable)

Today was the World Hobby Fair 2008 in Osaka. To me it's a mainstream electronic game and toy hobby fair for kids ages 12 and under. These days one must bring a DS and PSP for the special goodies and opportunities, but I didn't bother. I went because I was planning to go to Den Den Town anyway. Plus there were video game demos from top-tier companies major like Nintendo, Sega, Capcom, etc. I know its ultimately a waste of time which is why I didn't go last year, even though I did go two years ago.

OMG hypocritical thoughts: There were far too many kids games about collecting or battling. It's horrifying to think about all this free time wasted on games, especially the fad games. I saw kids with hundreds of cards from those card battle games, toy cars on race tracks, kids/tweens walking around while playing whatever RPG on their DS lite or PSP, etc. Decadently vulgar mass consumerism. I wanted to shout, "Read a m!%'%'-f%)%(% book! And not a manga!" I kept on thinking to myself, man if ever become a father... yeah right. But this is what people will pay for, so the companies will provide. So essentially I was ignoring 95% of the wares being hocked.

Ahem, back to sparkle gazing. :-)

I saw the Star Soldier R download game for the Wii which was great because of my recent shmup mood (thanks Shikigami no Shiro 3 and Omega Five). It seems like it has a slightly tweaked power-up system, but it's definately Star Soldier, for better or worse. It makes me want to play my Gamecube or PSP version. I didn't bother entering the 2 minute high score contest because I already saw a contestant get one million and first place with excellent technique (eg shoot both targets at the same time). If I ever buy a Wii I'll probably get this. Are there any other shmups besides Shikigami no Shiki 3?

Super Smash Bros. for the Wii was up and playable in groups of four, though the demo movies were the same ones from E3 2006. I was surprised to see that it is in a widescreen format, because I always thought the Wii was only 4:3. And I've never played this franchise though, so the details are lost on me. I mean come on, Pikachu had 105% health but 30 seconds later it became 0%? Wut?!? I still want to get the SSB for the Gamecube because it was said to have a interesting collection mode. But I haven't wanted to buy it in the 6 years it has been out, so I don't think I'll ever get it.

Sony had their booth with the newest Ape Escape game. I wanted to play the Patapon demo, but I wasn't in the mood to wait in line. I also saw the refresh of the Taiko no Tatsujin for the DS, "7" something or other, but only in passing. Um what else? Nothing else I can remember, so the rest is not important.

On the non-video game front, I was surprised to see Speed Stacks there. I don't hold it in high regard, sorry to say, but it is indirectly useful for my Rubik's Cube hobby. They were selling the mat and timer for 5040 yen, ouch. I am kicking myself for not asking if the timer hooks up to the 2_0000 yen competition display. Show some courage, big guy. Well, I still don't need it yet.

Regarding anime and manga goods, the only thing that I found interesting was Hayate no Gotoku goods, but I resisted buying even a pencil card. The big A2 non-sale poster/tapestry at the back was a desirable Nagi design, ooh white dress. Okay that's enough.

The Pocket Monsters franchise had a big booth as always. I just had to take this picture of the inflatable playroom and big movie poster. I adore Pikachu but I have no idea about the stories or TV. Pikachu occupies the same area as Hello Kitty in my mind. It's enough just to sit around looking cute and kawaii.

Lastly I took a stroll through the exclusive goods area. I braced myself for the sell out signs because I arrived in the afternoon but all the Pikachu goods I wanted were available. Huh, lucky me. Unlucky wallet. Of course I want to show my haul:

I usually don't buy 3D representations of Pikachu (eg plushie dolls, figurines) but this coin purse was pretty much spot on. The silicone case for the DS lite was new to me, but its not an event exclusive, rather a regular Pokemon Center sale item. Lastly I never say no to pencil cards because they are relatively cheap and light to keep and store. Whoa, I have come to the conclusion that my favorite color must be yellow. :-)

The event was held at the Kyosera Dome Osaka, which I believe is an indoor baseball stadium. After leaving the event, I visted the baseball hobby shop on the first floor. I was surprised to see U.S. merchandise like official Major League Baseball shirts and hats. Even my home town team the San Diego Padres had some decent stuff there. Of course, there were a lot of fan goods of the Japanese dudes who made it big in the U.S. like Ichiro.

WHF has come and gone. At least Pikachu was there for me to keep me interested. :-)

Putting off new game purchases? Mario & Luigi and Wipeout Pure

(tags game, Dual Screen, RPG, PlayStation Portable, racing)

On Thursday and Friday, I tried to see if that PlayStation Portable game Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku (涼宮ハルヒの約束) was up for purchase, but it looks like it totally sold out at all the stores I know. And the inevitable Yahoo Auctions (search phrase:「涼宮ハルヒの約束」) shows a seller's frenzy. I'm not really in the mood for a text adventure which is why I didn't bother to pre-order, but the completist in me is saying that my DVD set needs a companion. (The voices, I hear them.)

I am still trying to put off game purchasing by playing games I have. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time is still slow going because of my need to collect everything. It's... slow. But at least it should be more rewarding that trying to play Final Fantasy Tactics (GBA) or Final Fantasy 1 (PSP). Both of those just sounds like work to me.

And I woke up yesterday, playing WipeOut Pure. I haven't even gold-award cleared the Venom single races (Venom is the second step of five difficulty levels) so I spent some time on it. Sometimes it feels slow but that's only because I am trading paint with the walls. Still it feels pretty smooth when I don't.

My mom said yes to Peggle on the iPod, but I think I'll purchase it when I go back to work early next month. That is, if I don't want to play Rubik's Cube on the bus, which is unlikely.

Hard to start and stop: Loco Roco and Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Dual Screen)

I spent some free time last night trying to get into Loco Roco. Yes its cute to me and I like the visual and audio art. But I just can't seem to like the gameplay. Perhaps I'm irritated by the way it neatly summarizes that I haven't fulfilled every objective in a level. When I press "Jump" I want to be able to control, how high. I'm going to keep on slogging through this but this will be a work-alike game? I'm still in World 1 btw.

Then I woke up this morning and resumed my Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time for the DS. By resume I mean I put it down a long time ago (a year? no, more than a year) after a total in-game time of 3 hours. I put 5 more hours into it today. I must like the game to play it non-stop like that, or is it that the objectives are visible and known? In any case, after I logoff, I'm going to continue the quest.

A reflex-based RPG, yes thank you. I mean no thank you, can't I just over-level and let my stats mow down the enemies?

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". :-/

Component to VGA upcan converter: Made for PSP lite?

(tags PlayStation Portable, hardware, video)

PSP Gadgetz pointed out the "PSP-2000 VGA BOX 2198P", which is a Component to VGA video converter. The output is 1600 by 1200 (SXGA) D-Sub connector and the input is Component. Sounds great, since I'm still in the "analog" video world (VGA connector, 4:3 based monitors).

Some "new" games: Touhou and The Warriors

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, Windows, shmup, beat-em-up)

I was bored going home Friday night so I made a quick stop into Tora no Ana. Hey I was in the neighborhood to pick up the Koge Donbo telephone card for 30 Gamers in-store points. I saw that Team Shanghai Alice's return to regular vertical shmups, Touhou Fuujinroku Mountain of Faith (東方風神録　～ Mountain of Faith) finally hit the stores, and though I wasn't planning on buying it, here I am already wanting to end this post to play it again.

(BTW, Melon Books had a meter-tall swiveled, stacked tower of the Touhou game cases. Store displays FTW.)

But unfortunately I was restless so when I retired from the computer last night, I started to play The Warriors for the PSP in bed. Wow I am impressed, even though I have to suppress the comparison to a GTA game. I must say I am uncomfortable when the NPCs tell me to steal this or beat this up or mug that, but when actually seeing it (in game) and doing it myself, I have no qualms. Its crazy. Perhaps breaking polygonal glass and ganking floating items or joint-locking a mark or kicking downed bodies to see the blood squirt out just doesn't seem real to me. I am visually desensitized.

Pink and lavender left-overs: PlayStation Portable "slim"

(tags PlayStation Portable, ECsite, purchase)

Today was the general release of the PlayStation Portable PSP-2000, the one I like to call "slim". Though I wanted to get one, I didn't bother. To tell you the truth, money is tight, because its Xbox 360 time! All colors except rose pink and lavender purple were sold out at my favorite shop. The tuner was also available.

Missing lines

(tags PlayStation Portable, ECsite, game)

Instead of trying to buy that Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Limited Edition PSP "lite" pack, I went to work (ha ha). So I missed The Lines (thanks Geemaga Blog).

The scenario's too long: Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku (PSP)

(tags PlayStation Portable, game, seiyuu)

One picture maybe worth a thousand words, but in the case of the PlayStation Portable game Suzumiya Haruhi no Yakusoku (涼宮ハルヒの約束), it could be mean a thousand pages. In a picture that I'm not going to swipe this time, the scenario booklet for the game was revealed (thanks Akiba Blog). And it's massive, probably 1000 pieces of A4 sized paper. Even Kyon's seiyuu (and one of the guy voices I melt on), Tomokazu Sugita, says "yare yare".

The laugh's on me, though, I'm going to read and listen to it, come 2008-01.

No line for you: PSP "Lite" Crisis Core Pack

(tags hardware, PlayStation Portable, store, pre-order, failure)

Glad I went to the Sofmap Kobe one day early. The Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (クライシス コア -ファイナルファンタジー VII-) 10th anniversary limited edition pack is totally sold out, even by pre-order.

Even if I line up (like last time), there won't any left. I didn't pre-order because I thought I wasn't interested in the game. I suppose I'm more interested in getting a PSP "lite" one week early. I was thinking of heading off to Osaka's Yodobashi Camera and/or Den-Den Town's Sofmap to line up, but I don't really want to.

Oh and I finally saw some plastic mockups of the PSP "lite" color variations. I change my mind, the Lavender Purple is the one I want.

Pastel PSP, 1-seg PSP, Crisis PSP

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation Portable, Japan, collectable)

I am excited about this news (thanks PSP Fanboy for linking to the original press release). Sony will be release 6 different colored PSPs "lite" (PSP-2000) on 2007/09/20 (Thursday).

Rose Pink and Lavender Purple are the fourth and fifth from the left. Both are pastel colors that look wonderful. I can't decide which one I want so maybe I'll get both. :-)

Also Sony will be release the 1-seg digital TV tuner, something I wondered about before. I tried 1-seg before on my computer, but I am not watching it now. Sony has to gall to make this a PSP lite exclusive. I can't use it on my PSP "phat".

Finally, Square-Enix will be releasing a limited edition PSP "lite" for the Final Fantasy VII "Crisis Core" game on 2007/09/13 (Thursday) (thanks PSP Fanboy). Is this also in my sights? I don't know FF 7 and I felt like I got burned buying that Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wings DS Lite bundle and finally it's silver, so I will pass. Though "exclusive" and "limited-edition" always perks my ears up. I am a sucker.

PSP "lite" named as PSP-2001, video output clarified

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation Portable)

The Sony PSP's newest revision is called the PSP-2001, according to the FCC inspection (US). (thanks Engadget) Also the video out functions seem to be clarified, according to the Quick Reference manual:

"Video from games can be output only when the TV in use and the cable connecting it support progressive mode screen display. Also, video may not be able to be output to the TV for some functions other than games."

Gamers will need to get component cables, while video-goers should be able to use either component or composite cables.

A short waste of smile: Sugao no Hohoemi

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, video, UMD, gal-game)

I finished Sugao no Hohoemi. This UMD video is in a word, disappointing. For about 3500 yen, I expected more than 5 hours of content. Yes I bought the game for the visuals and drawing style, and yes it was good for that. But I expected an interesting story. And this one wasn't.

Those who are used to playing those visual novels are used to plots changing on a player's choice of action, but due to the limitations of UMD video, story branches reconverge at the same points. For example, there is a choice between drinking juice or eating ice cream, but the outcome is essentially the same. This also meant that as soon as I got to the last branching menu, I could replay from there and get all of the endings. There were no "flags" as far as I know.

First, some technical gripes: This all-region UMD disc contains 180 minutes of content. Since it is a UMD video, if you press X at any point, the UMD disc stops and you are dumped out the game. It doesn't resume! Next, it's not possible to fast-forward or rewind at all. Most visual novels I'm used let you skip. Finally, I wasn't able to pause or slow the dialogue. I still don't read and listen as fast I should.

But I was surprised there was a password-resume system. The game lets you input a 3 character password t to resume at one of the branching points. And once you clear all of the heroine's stories, you get a completed password which is a picture gallery.

Also the word display was not static, but much more improved than a typical visual novel/gal-game. The graphics enhancing the static display were pretty intense.

I suppose I'm just disappointed the stories ends on a sad note. "That's the good end?" I shook my head.

I think this is just a test release for Jin. There haven't been many DVD-PG like games for the UMD, and perhaps Jin is advertising its visual novel software to other game makers. Perhaps this will start another niche market?

SPOILERS

If you have a terminal condition, wouldn't you want to be a bit selfish and let out your feelings? I suppose not, though, which is one of the parts of this story that makes sense.

If your friend had a terminal condition and she told you to keep it a secret from the mutual guy friend/love interest, would you feel guilty for doing what she said? Okay, yeah. But don't tell me that kissing in the hospital right after the mutual friend died isn't tacky. Granted, its a kiss to keep the two together despite the fact that they haven't been honest to each other.

If a girl carries another girl like a lifeguard carrying a downed (not drowned) swimmer, would you call her an amazon? Heh. Well, that's one warning sign. The other warning signs are that she wears all black and that she doesn't say where she lives.

Maybe I'm just sad because the heroines that I was interested in didn't have a positive ending.

END SPOILERS

Pure Smile: Sugao no Hohoemi

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, video, UMD, gal-game)

I was disappointed because the Lumines is gone. So I got something else at one of the shops I visited: Sugao no Hohoemi (素顔の微笑み), a UMD video love-sim for the PSP.

Notice the rating: 15. It looks like an old CERO rating, but since this is a video, its an age rating. And why 15 and older? One word: porori (ぽろり), which I figured out means topless nudity.

(photo thanks: Senakablog)

Um. I swear I bought it because the drawing style was attractive. I didn't know about the nudity beforehand, really. Hahaa.

The only place that had a telephone card omake was Messe Sanoh, shown above. I missed out, then again, this was just a purchase on a whim.

According to the blog announcements by Senaka Blog and Akiba Blog, it had some store area. And it was sold out at Messe Sanoh only after two days, heh.

This is the entertainment that made me pause on the Harry Potter book. Well, it's 180 minutes of video, according to the cover, so I should be done by next weekend.

Also I still need to finish the Time Traveller's Wife. Actually, I paused reading the book because of HP, but I started reading it again today. I was actually cry-sniffing on the train, it is so moving.

No luck with the Lumines

(tags game, PlayStation Portable)

There were no copies of Lumines in the other stores I know about in the Kobe area, so I gave up. I guess I'll have to wait a year or something until this whole 3.50 firmware downgrade craze dies down.

Failed mission: Lumines does not exist

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, failure, crack)

Although the PSP firmware 3.50 downgrader doesn't work with JP yet, I tried looking for a copy of Lumines around Nipponbashi and Kobe. No luck. Its as if it doesn't exist.

The following online shop and auctions are one week after the announcement:

10000 yen for a domestic JP copy even though the crack is not confirmed for it yet.

Bids reached 3_0000 yen for imported US versions.

And I was in the States just a couple of weeks ago! (sob) Hahahah.

I will visit some more out of the way shops in Kobe tomorrow, I don't expect to find it.

Coming up empty: Lumines and Slitherlink

(tags game, Dual Screen, PlayStation Portable, puzzle, crack)

After the whole hubbub with the PSP demo crack for firmwares 3.10-3.50 on Sunday, I knew I should have gone to Sofmap quickly, but was only able to go today. And of course Lumines is nowhere to be found. Not that it would help, because even though the downgrader was announced, it only works with the EU and US versions.

Slitherlink was nowhere to be found either. I shouldn't buy it now, though, I still need to finish Sudoku 2.

Downgrade a 3.10-3.50 PSP just around the corner?

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation Portable, crack)

A crack seems to have been found for the uncracked PSP firmwares 3.10-3.50 (2007/01 to present). Although no downgrader is yet avaiable, it is inevitable. Now you can pick any hardware of your choosing, instead of just silver, muhahah.

The demo for the crack seems to require Lumines US or EU for right now. Perhaps the JP version will be developed soon. In any case, I need to get my copy of a Lumines soon. It seems other people are thinking the same thing.

Haruhi coming to the PSP

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, anime)

Its about time this book-turned-anime got a game release. But what a surprise, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu (涼宮ハルヒの憂鬱) will be heading for the PSP. (thanks DarkMirage) No PS2 version? No DS version!? Is Bandai Namco trying to make less money?

Frustrated to tears: DJ Max Portable 2

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, rhythm)

A week ago I achieved my goal on DJ Max Portable 2, the max combo (no-miss) of the "Seoleim" stage.

There were other songs to achieve. I kept hacking it on the train and in the bus. I achieved max combos on the level 5 and lower stages. I started developing endurance for longer and longer sequences, which was satisfying. I'm no longer a gibbering puddle of thumbs trying to mow down the bars, at least for the songs I know.

But still it is frustrating. I'm not leveling up fast enough, I'm not getting the songs right fast enough. The gold and experience point levels are not moving up fast enough. I finally unlocked one more song ("Syriana", also featured on this collectable t-shirt) after two weeks of plateaued performance, but there's still 10 more to go, I think.

Perhaps my body just won't cut it for this game. I'm going to put this one on "back burner" for now.

Believing in the PSP: games, movies, advice

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, movie, purchase)

My favorite game device for the moment is the PSP. I've got that DJ Max Portable 2 making me make a scene in the trains and cafes. Yesterday I bought that Tatsujin no Taiko Portable (太鼓の達人ぽーたぶる) used (but this is because I want to make sure I know about it before it comes to the DS). I'm going to head out today to buy the current Famitsu PlayStation Portable magazine (with Final Fantasy Tactics screen wiper but I don't care).

And last night I settled in bed with the UMD version of the movie (2000) Crouching Dragon, Hidden Dragon. I got this UMD and Spirit UMD used at yesterday's Nipponbashi canvassing. Unfortunately I kept confusing this movie with Hero. Yeah, I wanna watch that movie again but I can't find my DVD of it. I did, while searching my room, coincidently find the promotional postcards for the Japanese release of Crouching Dragon, Hidden Dragon, shown below:

Also yesterday evening, some visiting dude wanting to get a PlayStation Portable from the used console case at Sofmap Saurus was having problems being understood by the staff. I was peering at the case myself and he asked me some questions in English. I made sure that he knew about the "cracking" that could be done, and pointed at the firmware version numbers that Sofmap writes for buyer convenience. "Get a PSP with firmware 3.0.3 or lower". He seemed to be in a hurry though, so maybe I should have answered his original question: "Does this come with 1GB Memory Stick?"

I still haven't downgraded my silver PSP, though. I'm sure to get to it when things cool down, ha.

Max combo achieved!

(tags game, music, PlayStation Portable, rhythm)

I finally achieved a Max Combo (No Break) on "Seoleim", that "Level 5" Cute Pop song in DJ Max Portable 2.

Well, this is on Beginner (lax button recognition) and 4 buttons (instead of 5, 6 or 8). But still it feels good to get it done right. And I swear DJ Max is for experts and musicians, not game dilletantes. I got it accomplished at a Nipponbashi McDonalds. They have nice track lighting and seats so I can chill.

The reward for the No Break is a background of the animation accompaning the song. I am going to post it, but it's time for bed.

update: added lower res

Sound miracle: DJ Max 2 Portable collector's edition

(tags game, music, PlayStation Portable, rhythm, import)

This is my new obsession:

No, not the girl in the A1 poster, but the PSP game DJ Max Portable 2. (디제이맥스 포터블2). This is a music game that has you tapping the buttons in time with the music.

As far I'm concerned, this is the system selling game for the PSP. No other game I've played has made me feel as good for buying the PSP. Then again, I'm pretty much a newcomer to music games. Even though I have two Dance Dance Revolution pads and games for the PS1, I never got a chance to use them, and now they're at my sister's place collecting dust. I was enthusiastic in the same way for the more casual Rhythm Tengoku on the GBA. But the PSP has more space for music and variety (47 songs!) and plus it has the fantastic screen to back up the visuals.

I saw the demo video playing on the upscan widescreen and also the PSP upscan unit at Game Hollywood, so I decided to first evaluate the regular version on Saturday. They were running a really cute video, moe anime style with a fun beat (turns out it was for the song "Seoleim", pictured above). After a relaxing bath, I started the game. I slowly but surely came to the conclusion that I would get totally hooked (ハマっちゃいました！), so on Sunday of my Akihabara trip, I decided to get it with the 3 disc soundtrack. But the only way to get it is to get the limited edition for new:

I chose the DJ Max 2 Portable black "Orpheus" Limited Edition (Japan release but not Japan-only). It came with the poster shown above. I chose it over the Silver Limited Edition because there's a portrait inside the same poster gal. Ha ha. The Silver's portrait is the twin girls, which is ok but not as fabulous. Also the Japan-only "Champagne Gold" wasn't anywhere and I wasn't aware of it. The goodies look like this. It was only 2_5000 yen, ha. (Korean Limited Edition was around 1_0000 yen for the same thing, and at GDEX it is about 2_0000 yen, ouch)

But before I got the black case, I saw the predecessor game, DJ Max Portable "Prestige" Limited Edition at one of the Liberty stores. This one comes with a 2 disc soundtrack CD set as well. It wasn't there on Saturday. I decided to get that too, but there was some other guy looking at it for what seemed to be a long time. It was a nerve-wracking minute or two. When he gently put the box back on the premium shelf and shuffled away, I quickly grabbed it up. Only 1_7800 yen at mint used price. It also seems to be that you can play the tracks from the first game on the second game. I'll have to check this out later.

Well, how does it play? Here's a sample user video from the GDC. More to the point, how do I play? Of course, I'm doing "Easy Mode" and "4 buttons for the beginner". I am not even close, although I did get some perfect "max combo" at the level 1 and 2 after practicing non-stop these last few days. I really like the music, well at least most of it, and the videos have high quality anime feel. Like I said, I'm spending most of my time on "Soleim" (a level 5 song) and I'm not going to rest until I perfect that one (because I want to and because it unlocks a downloadable background). Just prepping this blog I finally got under a 5 Break after spending most of yesterday and today at under 15 Break (shown above).

I have to say though at the beginning, I wished there were more beginner songs. But after spending more time with it, I started to warm up to playing fast, or at least faster than what my Sudoku-induced atrophied fingers are used to. So bring on the level 5s and 6s LOL (FYI level 5 is still beginner) Plus I love the feeling from learning something. Also I seem to be able to read that falling bar thing without hesitation now.

Ahh, I need to play this more until my thumbs bleed. Two or three buttons per thumb? Surely you jest.

A tricorder in yoko mode: PSP GPS and Minna no Chizu 2

(tags hardware, PlayStation Portable, GPS)

Last week along side the DS purchase, I bought the PlayStation Portable GPS attachment with the Minna no Chizu 2 (みんなの地図２, or Everybody's Map 2). This is the first GPS I have that I actually use as a mapper. So now I can cart around the PSP as a toy GPS. Yes, it's just a toy for the dabbler.

I already traveled my normal work route and my Nipponbashi / Osaka Den Den Town route from Tennoji through that Tennoji Zoo. The GPS part is functional, but it doesn't mean its reliable. It seems I have to wait a long time (couple of minutes?) for the first synchronization. If I have clear skies and no big buildings around me, it will continue to receive signal and show my current position in signal intervals. This is after learning I need to keep that GPS attachment parallel (not perpendicular) to the ground. There doesn't seem to be a way to add an attenna to it.

There is also another signal method, called PlaceEngine. This is very interesting. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it requires that you turn on your Wi-Fi. It's a service that can be used from your notebook PC, as well. Just with the PlaceEngine (free) service, you can get your position within a couple of meters, when it is accurate. Most of the time it's not, and most of the time there's no signal. I got an accurate signal in downtown Kobe, on occasion. Hm. Am I "warmapping"?

For walking around and looking geeky, I set the signal polling to every 10 seconds, "PlaceEngine then GPS" method. That way I can turn off PE with the hardware switch. There is no such switch for the GPS. This works, because if I get both PE and GPS, and PE is not giving me a good positioning, I want it to use GPS. Since the PSP is not a PC, it doesn't seem to multitask the PE and GPS polling. One alternate method "GPS then PE" seems slower. This doesn't drain my battery as fast as I thought.

Minna no Chizu 2 is more than a GPS/PE enabled map. It is connected to the online user-generated content site PetaMap. You can upload your "My Spots", edit and share them in Web 2.0 fidelity. When you want to put the data back onto your PSP, you just download it as a Guide, kinda like a restaurant guide. Unfortunately, PC integration ends there. You can't download it in format you started with, or make paths or do more fancy stuff.

PetaMap uses Google Maps, which in turn uses Zenrin map data, which is the creator of this PSP software. Zenrin is the big name for map data, and as far as I can tell its accurate. The map data includes icons for convenience stores and gasoline stores, etc.

Also that PlaceEngine requires service data (of course the UMD has some data already). It's a big 15MB file that seems to be updated weekly. One interesting thing is that you can post your position data to PlaceEngine which they will use to correct the data. Since the PSP is a lot smaller than a PC, it should work better for this purpose.

Here's a couple of things I wish it could do:

• Work in an (outdoor) train or bus.
• Automatically record waypoint data like a normal portable GPS does.
• Add a graphical user layer for paths.
• Add/draw my own icons for positions.

Here's a couple of things it does that I think botches it:

• Load times to get to the first map. Ugh, 2 to 3 minutes? Who needs a movie intro?!
• Fade in/out effects for the menus. Ugh, waiting 2 seconds is the crap.
• Loading "My Spots" data is not automatic.
• Favoring measurement method. Sure you have both signals coming in, but which one does the user want to use?

And well, here's what it does good:

• GPS works
• PlaceEngine works in a downtown area
• You can rotate the map freely because everything is a vector.
• Find best path from an arbitrary Start and Goal.

Unfortunately for me, I had to upgrade my PSP firmware to 3.11 to use it.

Well if I ever travel, I'm going to try to use this. There is Tokyo this weekend...

Pieces are falling into place: flash memory for PSP

(tags hardware, PlayStation Portable)

It seems I don't even have to lift a finger anymore, since Sofmap carries all I need. Take for example this MicroSD to Memory Stick Pro DUO adapter. It can be had at many of the Sofmaps I frequent.

Geez, 2GB is literally nothing to sneeze at. It's so tiny!

2GB hits the sweet spot on price. Well the Sony official MSProDuo is about 8000 yen, and this MicroSD is about 5000 yen. The adapter cost 1500 yen so I'm still ahead. (I am not considering throughput, though.) But the biggest MicroSD is currently only 2GB, though it seems 4GB is just around the corner. Also, the PSP cannot use memory cards over 4GB without firmware 2.81. That's no problem for me, since I'm not willing to buy 1_5000+ yen memory yet.

2GB is good for holding and ripping up my UMDs. A UMD is about 1.8GB. Though I'm not downloading ISOs, I do want to speed up my game playing. Comic Party is still on my list of things to do, and it better be quicker this time around.

But why still the official MSProDuo? Ripping needs stable hardware, and plus I don't yet trust MicroSD + adapter right now. But going with MicroSD is beneficial if I get a "flash cart" for my DS. I haven't researched this part so I don't know the benefits.

Now all I need is bronze: PlayStation Portable Silver

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation Portable)

I woke up today and said to myself, "I'm going to downgrade a PlayStation Portable". Here's the first part of the puzzle:

Firmware version 3.01, oh boy. All pixels ok, an imperceptible scratch right in the middle. The filter/film I attached doesn't cover the whole screen, so I'm going to have to buy another. I actually scoped it out last night, but I decided to get it after canvassing Tennoji and Nipponbashi/Den-Den Town. This will be the second PSP I bought at Sofmap Osaka, hm.

I suppose tomorrow morning I'm going to say to myself the same thing, because I'm too tired to do the grueling downgrade tonight.

There are limited edition PlayStation Portables

(tags game, hardware, PlayStation Portable, ECsite)

My new favorite RSS feed, PSP GadgetZ, had an article (Japanese) on the PlayStation Portables available from the PLAYSTATION Signature site. I was ignorant of the special edition PSPs "TSUKIMI" and "KACHOFUGETSU", but they are sold out. Personally I like the TSUKIMI design, because it is black and gold.

Save a princess: Comic Party's Asahi Sakurai (completed)

(tags anime, doujin, gal-game, game, PlayStation Portable)

I did complete the "Asahi" scenario on Wednesday.

Spoiler mode.

I was pretty satisfied with this ending. But it was pretty unrealistic that a seiyuu idol on firing on all cylinders would forget that she's an image machine. She could have both. Nevertheless it was a good ending.

So who is next? I already made a portable cheat sheet for clearing Eimi Ooba and Tachikawa on my iPod's Notes (4KB means 2000 kanji characters) but I'm already taken with the Minna no Chizu 2 + GPS. The other scenarios such as Minami Makimura and cos-player and art-store girl just don't seem interesting enough.

Not this week: Snow Portable

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, gal game, purchase)

I also decided to get the Snow Portable game (thanks Famitsu) today. Unfortunately it was delayed till 2007/05/31. I commented at PSPFanboy:

"Snow Portable seems to be delayed to 2007/05/31 according to the shop I visited. The original PC game was delayed by 3 years... so delays are the norm(?)."

Asahi power: Comic Party's Asahi Sakurai (in progress)

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, gal-game, anime, doujin)

Asahi power! (桜井あさひ)

Two great genres mixed together, idols and figures.

Worship the goddess, my doushi (マイ同志).

I need this voice sample.

And evidently when it comes to images: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Asahi, can you work my doujinshi booth again as an seller (売りっ子)? I need to make a killing on otaku with my high price (price stat: 0) and bad story (story stat: 1).

Downbeat girl: Comic Party's Mizuki (completed)

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, gal-game, anime, doujin)

I finally slogged through the "Mizuki" scenario in Comic Party Portable. Unfortunately she becomes really insecure in the end game. By the time she receives assurances from the guy she's back to her happy chipper self. I didn't like this scenario because she was insecure so long. But that doesn't detract from the fact that she has the best cosplay costume: Peach. Rawr.

When I tried to complete the scenario, I used the artist cap item to boost my doujin drawing speed, but unfortunately that gave me a bad end. I was like WTF. I only had to restart the last month's save and forgo the artist cap and I got the proper ending. Still I only have 95% complete CG but its good enough.

Final Fantasy presentation, gaming later

(tags game, PlayStation Portable, RPG, Final Fantasy)

So I did go out and buy Final Fantasy for the PSP. So much for never playing another menu-fighter RPG without the Gambit system.

I checked up on the language selection and sure enough there was "hiragana", "kanji" and "english", so I passed on the message to GameLife.

The characters are redrawn and the text font looks absolutely beautiful for reading, in both English and Japanese. The FMV looks like it's from another remake, though. It doesn't quite fit the 16:9 screen. The map is flat, doh! I don't expect much from the music and sound. There's the catch-em-all "Bestiary" list that is quick-binded to the square button. And I did quickly try to customize the window colors to match my "champagne gold" (R, G, B order):

Top left: 31, 30, 25 -- Top right: 23, 18, 0
Bottom left: 23, 18, 2 -- Bottom right: 12, 7, 0

I gotta get this started... A whole game post without even playing the game!

But then again I gotta finish Comic Party. And I want to finish reading that bite-sized snack of a book The Indian in the Cupboard. And I watch my premium DVD set of The Girl Who Leap Through Time (時をかける少女). And there's FF12RW for DS next week. It never ends.

Final Fantasy in Japanese?

(tags PlayStation Portable, game, RPG, remake, Japanese)

Games blog at Wired has the screenshot scoop on the Final Fantasy 1 remake coming out for the PSP, uh, tomorrow. The photo shows, for the US version, language options "English", "Japanese Kana" and "Japanese". Dood that's like with kanji for those too slow to read kana. Win is me.

I've played Final Fantasy 1 almost 20 years ago, but I haven't replayed it since then. I skipped the various remakes. Since I've been very satisfied with the whole PSP gaming experience, I had the mind to take up Kohler on the offer to buy the Japanese game to see if it had the English, but I'm sure I can handle the four elements in Japanese, right?