Tag: Japan - Page 46
News The Racing Days Are Over For SEGA’s 3DS eShop Drifter, Initial D: Perfect Shift Online
Tofu delivery doesn’t last forever
Although SEGA's Initial D: Perfect Shift Online never drifted our way in the end, the 3DS eShop title based on the long-running manga series still experienced a solid performance in Japan, with more than 500,000 downloads. SEGA has now announced it will end the services for Initial D Perfect Shift Online at the...
News Sony Hardware Takes Charge of Japanese Charts With Flurry of Releases
Work to do for New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
For over two years the Japanese market has been a fortress for Nintendo, with the 3DS in particular dominating the hardware and software charts. Recent times have brought a dip, however, especially since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D provided a welcome boost in mid-February. In...
News New Nintendo 3DS Exploit Makes Japanese Systems Region-Free
Only supports legitimate cartridge games
There are certainly some gamers in North America that only plan to pick up a New Nintendo 3DS when the smaller model is available, as only two variations of the XL iteration are currently available in the region. That limited release was a contentious decision from Nintendo of America, with the smaller...
Japan Weekly Famitsu Discusses Splatoon Weaponry And Gives Details On Style Savvy 3
Two obscure Japanese games are also reviewed
Once again Famitsu has put out a weekly edition light on Nintendo news. It seems both Japan and Western territories are in a lull of significant Nintendo games. However, this edition did give us a bit more information on Splatoon - which is always welcome - and delved into Girls Mode 3 / Style Savvy 3, if...
News Style Savvy Sequel Lets You Accessorize With Your amiibo Figures
19,000 different types of clothing promised, too
If you're a Style Savvy fan (or New Style Boutique, depending on where you happen to reside) then you'll be glad to hear that Girls Mode 3: Kira Kira Code will soon be out in Japan - on April 16th, 2015 to be exact. In case you've never heard of the name, Girls Mode is the Japanese title for Style...
Say goodbye to Chousoku Henkei Gyrozetter: Albatross no Tsubasa
Multimedia franchises are all the rage in Japan these days. The market for brands which straddle video games, toys and anime is huge, and it's little wonder that companies like Nintendo, Sega and Capcom have all tried to crack this lucrative market. Square Enix is another veteran video...
News Please Don't Hate Japan For Getting More Amazing Sega 3DS Themes
Dreamcast and SG-1000 join the ranks
Japan has a wider selection of 3DS themes then the west - that much is a given. However, the gulf between the haves and have-nots is getting a little irksome now - especially as Sega has just released two more awesome themes for Japanese fans to download. The Dreamcast and SG-1000 themes cost 200 Yen a piece and...
News Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei Is Hitting Japan This July With Limited Edition Goodies In Tow
"Legend Box" contains figures, CDs and an artbook
We recently reported that the classic strategy series Langrisser - known in the west as Warsong - is getting a new entry for the Nintendo 3DS. That title now has a final name - Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei - and a solid release window of
News Etrian Mystery Dungeon Just Misses Top Spot in Japanese Charts as New 3DS LL Climbs to Second
Wii U sales improve a little
After a dominant début for Dragon Quest Heroes in its first week on PS3 and PS4 in Japan, the latest Media Create results bring a new 3DS release into the reckoning, even if it can't seize top-spot; hardware, meanwhile, remains steady for another week. New in the software charts is Etrian Mystery Dungeon, the crossover...
News All Theatrhythm Dragon Quest DLC Set to be Free
Not bad at all
Square Enix continues to pull out the surprises for its fan base, and with the Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Japanese launch date of March 26th almost upon us, the surprises are not waning. Square Enix has delighted Japanese fans with free 3DS HOME themes already, and if you haven't heard today is the release of the Theatrhythm Dragon...
News Sega Is Bringing Imageepoch’s RPG Stella Glow To The Japanese 3DS This June
Official site also launches
Sega has confirmed the release date for Imageepoch's (Luminous Arc) latest RPG Stella Glow in Japan. The game - which was announced last year - is hitting stores on June 4th and will cost 5,990 Yen. Coming from the same team that created Time and Eternity and Last Ranker, Stella Glow has a strong focus on music - the...
News New Nintendo 3DS Undone by Dragon Quest Heroes and PS4 in Japanese Charts
Can't win 'em all
Nintendo's enjoyed plenty of dominance in the Media Create Japanese charts in recent years, but major releases on rival systems have seen it lose out in recent weeks. The big N will no doubt be considering the cost of key franchises being released elsewhere, as Sony enjoys a week on top. To start with software, the major story is...
News Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Demo Coming To Japanese 3DS Next Week
Two epic tracks to sample
Square Enix has revealed that a demo for Theatrhythm Dragon Quest will be hitting the Japanese 3DS eShop next week - March 11th, to be precise. Two songs will be playable in the demo - "Adventure" from Dragon Quest III (field stage) and Dragon Quest V's battle theme. A sequel to Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy and Theatrhythm...
News New amiibo Stock for Villager, Captain Falcon and Little Mac Heading to Japan in May
Reacting to demand
In Nintendo's recent Investor Q & A it was emphasized that, in addition to amiibo cards coming this year, particularly popular figures would have additional manufacturing runs in an attempt to meet demand. Just this week Nintendo of America announced more Marth stock on the way, and now Nintendo has confirmed a few key toys...
News Japanese Xenoblade Chronicles X Video Presentation Coming On Friday
Battles will be the focus
Xenoblade Chronicles X is hitting the Wii U in Japan this April, and to build up a little more hype Nintendo is running a Japanese video broadcast on Friday. The video will focus on the game's battle system, which is shaping up to be even more inventive as the one seen in the Wii original - and its recent New Nintendo 3DS...
News We Have World War II To Thank For This Insanely Detailed Hand-Written Dragon Quest V Guide
Grandson uncovers incredibly in-depth tome
World War II was a pretty dire business, costing the lives of countless millions all over the globe. However, if there's one thing we can thank this catastrophic international conflict for, it's possibly the most awesome fan-written guide to Dragon Quest V ever seen. A fellow in Japan has recently...
News Fresh Bravely Second Details Highlight StreetPass and Base Features
Hopefully the West won't be passed up
Bravely Second is rapidly approaching release in Japan, the long-awaiting sequel to the 3DS Square Enix RPG; due to the success of that first title localisation does seem like a reasonable bet. A relatively popular part of the first title was management of the town Norende - through StreetPass and uploading...
News Take A Glance At The First Screens From Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki
Down by the river
If you were as excited as we were about yesterday's announcement of Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki then the first published images below may be too much for you to handle. Japanese publication Famitsu has now released its first online preview of Arc System Works' new game and from what we can see the images are clearly reminiscent of...
News Club Nintendo in Japan is Full of Delightful Treats
We're a little jealous
With its closure in the coming months, Club Nintendo is heading well into its swansong period. The Stars Catalogue in PAL regions is still a little underwhelming, with desirable items selling out and fairly mediocre recent additions including a Mario hat, while the North American Club Nintendo has some nice physical rewards...
God Eater 2 lifts Sony platforms above Nintendo's portable
It's time for our weekly dose of Media Create charts out of Japan, and this week's results bring a couple of key developments, with Nintendo's rivals benefiting from a major release. In the software stakes The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has enjoyed a reasonable second week in sales,...
News Nintendo Shows Off Mario Party 10, amiibo and Mario vs Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars in Japan
Bowser wearing glasses, that is all...
We're big fans of Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel, for the simple reason that it often publishes relatively long videos of upcoming releases and - more importantly - awesome TV commercials. The latest batch includes a man with glasses transforming into Bowser, still wearing glasses; is that possibly the...
News Series Producer Ichiro Hazama Says Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Will Have About 60 tracks
More will likely be added as DLC
In case you weren't aware, the third instalment in the Theatrhythm series - due out in Japan on 26th March - will be themed around the Dragon Quest series, now that the Final Fantasy franchise has been just about been mined dry between the previous two entries. The rhythm-based music series aims to celebrate beloved...
News Iwata Remains Positive on the Future of the Wii U and 3DS Systems
No plans to overhaul anything just yet
It's no lie that despite the success of amiibo and the 3DS family of systems that Nintendo isn't achieving the profits it has enjoyed for so many years prior. Many fans and non-fans have expressed that due to the lacklustre sale performance of the Wii U Nintendo's role in the gaming industry should change...
News New River City Ransom Game Announced For The Japanese 3DS
Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki is coming in May
It has been revealed in the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu that Arc System Works is creating a follow up to Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zenin Shugo - better known as River City Ransom in North America and Street Gangs in Europe - and it will be released on the Japanese...
News Here's A Sneak Peek At The New Theatrhythm Dragon Quest 3DS Theme
Available as an early purchase bonus in Japan
Square Enix caused quite a stir when it announced that Theatrhythm Dragon Quest is coming to the 3DS, and as the Japanese launch date of March 26th gets ever closer, fans have something else to get excited about - another 3DS theme. Japanese fans will be pleased to know that Square Enix will be...
News Nintendo Are Releasing Stylish Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Playing Cards In Japan
Japan gets all the good stuff
With Nintendo starting out as a card company, it’s no surprise it still pays respect to its beginnings with regular releases of both classic Japanese hanafuda cards and more commonly known card games here in the west. The latest addition to this long-line is a set of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire playing...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Tops Japanese Charts and Boosts New Nintendo 3DS Sales
The XL is still the model of choice
We already know that The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has been an early success since its launch last week, and we now have strong début sales in Japan to add to the picture; it gave the New Nintendo 3DS hardware a boost, too. The Zelda remake was the comfortable winner in the Media Create software top 20...
News You'd Better Get a Bigger Micro-SDHC Card for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
It's a big 'un
We recently discovered the file size for upcoming Wii U title Xenoblade Chronicles X, which will be a mighty 22.7GB when it reaches Japan on 29th April. Of course we'd expect Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, which is exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS, to be a much more compact affair. It is, but according to
News Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Budoten is Fighting Its Way to Japanese 3DS Systems This Summer
Over 100 fighters to be included
Fans of Japanese culture, including games and TV, are sure to be familiar with Dragon Ball Z, a franchise that's been relatively common on Nintendo hardware since the days of the original Famicom. Though not all modern entries make it to Nintendo systems there's still decent support, particularly in the handheld...
Reaction Satoru Iwata Holds Off on Major Announcements as Investors Appear Settled
A comfortable, unremarkable Investor Briefing
As those that follow Nintendo closely know only too well, major announcements and shocks aren't just reserved for E3 and the occasional Nintendo Direct. The company has a habit of dropping major news like it's a minor affair, and in the past couple of years has also reserved some notable news for...
Video Kadokawa Games Showcases Rodea The Sky Soldier Footage and Hands-On Event
Kid Icarus X Sonic
Rodea The Sky Soldier has had a difficult route to release: originally developed by Prope under the leadership of Yuji Naka - a founding father of Sonic the Hedgehog - it was apparently largely complete for the Wii and 3DS, yet publisher Kadokawa Games was largely silent. Prope dropped away and, somewhat surprisingly, Kadokawa...
Weirdness These Nifty 8-bit Super Mario Collectables May Make Canned Coffee Taste Better
Prepare to get wired
Japanese beverage company DyDo has teamed up with Nintendo to make canned coffee even more appealing. Starting on 17th February the drinks manufacturer will be putting a range of 8-bit Super Mario themed collectables on top of their cups. It appears that lucky Japanese customers will be able to collect 8-bit style Mario, Luigi,...
News GBA Classics Sonic Advance And Mega Man & Bass Arrive On The Japanese Wii U eShop Next Week
Two welcomed additions
SEGA and Capcom continue their strong support for Nintendo’s digital eShop platform next week, with the simultaneous release of Sonic Advance and Mega Man & Bass on the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console. Priced at 702 yen each, the 2001 and 2002 Game Boy Advance titles will be unleashed on 18th February. Sonic Advance is...
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery
Today has brought news of yet another RPG title on the way with the newly announced Apprentice Witch and Fluffy Friends (translation via GoNintendo); it's due for release on 23rd April in Japan on the 3DS. The game is published by Nippon Columbia and the first screenshots drew many comparisons to Yo-Kai...
News This Xenoblade Chronicles X Hardware Bundle for Japan is Rather Lovely
Dual-sided sleeve! Art Book! Map! More!
Nintendo has streamed a live presentation of Xenoblade Chronicles X, which brought 24 minutes of footage that showed off the game's world. It also announced some practical details ahead of the Japanese release on 29th April, such as the availability of pre-purchase downloads on the eShop to speed up launch day...
News Yokai Watch Trading Card Game Deals 100 Million Cards In Eight Months
Another success for the franchise
The Pokémon trading card series has been running for years and continues to generate revenue for Game Freak and Nintendo, but it's not the only game of this type that Nintendo has up its sleeve. The recent Level-5 3DS hit Yokai Watch - which has since been followed by Yokai Watch 2 - has its own collectable card...
News Here's What Pokémon Fighter Pokkén Tournament's Arcade Cabinet Looks Like
Fighting in the streets
Bandai Namco's Pokémon-themed one-on-one brawler Pokkén Tournament is getting ever closer to its Japanese release, and the company has now released an image of what the final cabinet will look like. The image shows that a control guide has been placed above the screen - which will prove handy when you forget which button...
Wii U hardware sales dip a little further
As per normal on a Wednesday the Media Create charts in Japan have emerged, with this week's results bringing a few new releases and a subtle shift in the hardware battle in Nintendo's homeland. To start with software, Atlus RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker has made its début at...
News New Trailer For 3DS RPG Bravely Second Launches In Japan
Bravely does it
If the wait for Bravely Second is just becoming too much then take a look at the Japanese trailer below to get your daily dose. Square Enix have been drip-feeding its fan base with tantalising titbits over the last few months including Bravely Second screenshots and art work, additional information on Edea Lee's return, the "Undo"...
News Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Misses Out on Topping Japanese Charts at Launch
New 3DS LL continues to top hardware charts
Despite having gorgeous claymation-inspired visuals and lashings of colour, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse only managed to reach the third spot in the Japanese charts, being beaten by Tales of Zestiria on PS3 and The Legend of Legacy on the 3DS. It's a shame given just how charming the game looks, but...
News New Pokkén Tournament Controller and Gameplay Details Emerge
Input fit for a console
Initially teased as a tech demo nearly two years ago and officially announced with a trailer last August, Pokkén Tournament, an arcade fighter featuring playable characters from the Pokémon franchise, has remained a bit of a mystery. Originally thought to be a new Wii U title, it was later revealed that the new fighting...
Video Latest Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call DLC Comes Packed With Fan Service
World Ends With You! Chrono Trigger! Romancing SaGa 3!
Square Enix has kindly launched a trailer covering the new batch of DLC content for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call that will be launched in Japan this week. The most exciting part is that four songs from RPG classics Chrono Trigger and The World Ends With You are arriving, as well as a...
News New 3DS and Nintendo-Exclusive Games Stay On Top in Japanese Charts
Wii U hardware dips back into four figures, however
Though the start of 2015 has been eventful in terms of announcements from Nintendo, it's been typically quiet on the game release front. That's certainly reflected in the latest Media Create charts in Japan, though the status-quo happens to suit Nintendo's 3DS systems rather well. In terms of...
News Yokai Watch Yo-Kai Pad Sells Out in a Blink in Japan
You don't even know what it is, but now you want one
So that Yokai Watch game, right? It's gargantuan in Japan and slowly working its way westward, even bringing its anime along with it. It's enough to make any '90s kid relapse into the Pokéjitters waiting for this franchise to arrive--just what is so amazing about it?! Well, it'll still be a...
News A New Rhythm Heaven Game On Nintendo 3DS Is Music To Our Ears
Will contain 100 mini-games, 70 taken from existing titles
The recent Nintendo Direct broadcast was so packed with content that we can surely be forgiven for missing one or two things from the Japanese event -- one of which is the news that there's going to be a 3DS entry in the popular Rhythm Heaven series. The title is expected to hit Japan this...
News New Nintendo Wii Remotes Come in Bowser and Toad Colours
All Bowser, all the time
Nintendo may, in decades to come, regard the Wii Remote as its greatest controller. While we can argue until the cows come home about the layout of the GameCube controller or the merits of a classic SNES pad, the Wii Remote is a sales phenomenon that has been waved around by hundreds of millions of people. Spanning two...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Hits Japan on 29th April
Localise with haste, Monolith Soft!
Nintendo's various Direct broadcasts had plenty of good news, and some reassurance for Western fans of Xenoblade Chronicles X came in the form of a new trailer that not only showed off extensive footage, but also reiterated a 2015 release date. It's clear why Nintendo is confident, as the title - simply known as...
News Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition Was The Result Of A Speculative Pitch From GungHo Online
3DS puzzle title will feature other famous Nintendo characters
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition was announced recently, and looks to combine the popular mobile (and later 3DS) puzzle franchise with Nintendo's most famous character. Speaking with 4Gamer, developer GungHo Online's Daisuke Yamamoto and Kazuki Morishita have revealed that the...
Coming to Japan this April
Nintendo has announced it will collaborate with Tokyo-based publisher & developer GungHo Online Entertainment to release an exclusive Mario-themed variation of the company's popular mobile hit, Puzzle & Dragons, on the 3DS later this year. The 3DS adaptation, Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, will...
Weirdness Meet The Studybox, The Famicom's Audio Edutainment System
Video games have often been twinned with education to create fun, interactive experiences which both entertain and enlighten, but one of the oldest examples has to be Fukutake Publishing's Studybox, a tape drive peripheral for the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) which ran tape-based games that featured actual recorded audio. Using audio...