Tag: Japan - Page 57
News Persona Q Gives 3DS a Boost in Japan, Wii U Takes Second Spot
Mario Kart 8 approaches 400,000 physical retail sales
After a chart topping performance from Mario Kart 8 and Wii U in Japan last week, the latest Media Create results bring the 3DS back to the fore with a major new release. Kicking off with software, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth has arrived at number one in Nintendo's homeland, which...
News Japanese Airline Offering Limited Time Pokémon-Themed Travel Deals
Fly with Pikachu and friends this summer!
All Nippon Airway’s 2014 summer travel campaign is currently inviting Pokémon fanatics and their families to join Pikachu and company on a “one-of-a-kind” journey. Trainers who fly from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport between July 17th and August 3rd — or Okinawa’s...
News Mario Kart 8 and the Wii U Take Top Spots in Japanese Charts
Yo-kai Watch passes one million retail sales
As was the case in Western markets, Mario Kart 8 has arrived in Japan to give the Wii U a lift in performance — it's had a notable impact in the software and hardware Media Create charts. Elsewhere popular Level-5 title Yo-kai Watch has finally gone past one million physical retail sales in these...
News Brain Training / Brain Age Makes DS Début on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Suddenly released for free
Nintendo caused a minor stir earlier this year when it announced DS titles for the Wii U Virtual Console, with the accompanying concept image showing both screens side-by-side on the GamePad; it's an idea that may not suit all games released on the portable, at least not without some alternative formatting. In any case it...
News Treasure Your 3DS Game Saves Forever With This Handy Accessory
Elves not included
Save data doesn't last forever — for example, every time you write to a 3DS cart, you're shortening the lifespan of the cart's save memory. Of course, it's possible to write to a 3DS cart thousands of times over, but for some, the worrying prospect of losing months of progress in Pokémon X & Y is the kind of thing that will...
News Older Wii U Bundles, Including All Black Systems, Discontinued in Japan
White models, 8GB and 32GB, now the main draw
While Nintendo sets off a major Wii U push with the arrival of Mario Kart 8 and with the system likely to enjoy a prominent role at E3 2014, it seems the company is nevertheless making logistical cost-saving decisions to ensure that the systems it does sell are produced as cheaply as possible. Part of...
News 3DS Tops Japanese Hardware Chart as Wii U Secures Home Console Crown
Put away the champagne, the numbers are still low
It's time for the weekly Japanese Media Create results, and they bring a couple of notable headlines this week. We see a boost for Wii U ahead of the 29th May launch — it's a day earlier in Japan — of Mario Kart 8, while Level-5's latest success story keeps on going. The software charts see...
News Japanese Retail Sales Struggle as Just 76 Units Separate PS4 and Wii U
Yo-kai Watch approaches one million retail sales
The Japanese chart results are in from Media Create, and unfortunately they continue the recent trends of poor sales across software and hardware. There are some bright-spots from a Nintendo perspective, though not necessarily radiant enough to lighten up the overall picture. To start with software,...
News Gargoyle's Quest II Swoops Onto the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
3DS or Wii U is fine in the West, really...
So, Gargoyle's Quest II may be on its way to the Virtual Console in the West, perhaps. Up to now we've seen the NES version arrive on the 3DS Virtual Console in Japan, while it's been rated by the Australian Classification Board — it's on the cards, then. This sequel — a prequel in terms of the plot...
Matters of Import Tomodachi Collection
The best of friends?
Tomodachi Collection is more a toy than a game in that very special Nintendo way: your own mad little island full of Miis that you never knew you wanted but you suddenly find yourself unable to live without, and while it may be the five-year-old prequel to the upcoming English language Tomodachi Life, that doesn't mean the...
News Yo-kai Watch and 3DS Continue to Lead the Way in Japan
Sales remain low overall, however
While Nintendo can take heart from its continued lead in the Japanese charts, overall trends in the market remain a concern. The latest Media Create figures are in, and continue recent form of low sales in software and flat levels in hardware. To begin with software, Level-5's Yo-kai Watch continues to impress,...
News Nintendo Confirms Five New Titles for 3DS LL "Recommended Software" Promotion in June
Three Pokémon games, New Leaf again and puzzling dragons...
Not so long ago we told you about the rather neat 3DS LL (XL) "Recommended Software" promotion in Japan, which rewards those that pick up the model with a voucher for a free retail game. This runs until 30th September, but the twist is that the available free games will change every month...
News Square Enix Considering "Overseas" Release of Dragon Quest X
But over which seas?
Locked in Japan since its release in 2012, Square Enix revealed its massively multi-player online RPG Dragon Quest X is under consideration for hitting new shores. A slide from the company's most recent financial report states that "expansion to overseas market is under consideration" for the successful title. It should be...
News The 2014 My Famicase Exhibition Is Packed With Fascinating Flights Of Fictional Famicom Fancy
Too bad none of them are real games
Japanese game store Meteor has been running its "My Famicase" art exhibition for the past few years, and each year the entries go above and beyond our expectations. The idea is that artists create "fake" Famicom cartridge labels which are in keeping with the designs of the '80s and ''90s, but have a modern vibe as...
Weirdness Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Merchandise Includes Electric Guitars and Golf Gear
Turn the nerdy up to 11
The Monster Hunter franchise turns ten this year, and to celebrate Capcom has licensed all sorts of fun (and expensive) MH-themed merchandise in Japan; everything from jewellery to golfing goods to electric guitars. A few highlights: Japanese heavy metal guitar manufacturer ESP has created this gorgeous monster-hunting...
Square Enix's new game shifts 80,523 copies, with 27,914 3DS XL units sold
The Japanese launch of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call allowed the Nintendo 3DS XL to double its weekly sales total, but on the whole the Japanese games market remains stuck in something of a rut, with hardware sales at a five year low in the period between April 14th...
News Get Artistic With Pikachu In 3DS Title Pokémon Art Academy
Brushes at the ready for a June release in Japan
Nintendo has confirmed that Pokémon Art Academy will be hitting Japan on June 19th. 40 lessons will be included, all of which will focus around a famous Pokémon. It will be released as both a retail and digital product and will retail for 3,619 Yen. The 3DS console's 3D screen will not be supported...
News Satoru Iwata Speaks Of The Need To "Redefine" Nintendo's Position In The Entertainment Industry
"Nintendo is a company that can do whatever they want"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata may be under the cosh at the moment thanks to the growing discontent of the company's shareholders, but he has revealed to Japanese site Diamond Online that he feels he is carrying on the will of the late Hiroshi Yamauchi by ensuring that the firm is always...
Weirdness This Monster Hunter Fan Will Keep You Cool On Those Epic Quests
Something for true "fans" of the series
Monster Hunter is pretty big in Japan, in case you hadn't noticed. This is made abundantly clear by the sheer volume of merchandise that is available, and we think we may have found the "coolest" item yet. Ahem. The official Monster Hunter USB fan features a rather burly-looking knight carrying an impressive...
News Shu Takumi and Shintaro Kojima Shed Some Light On The Great Ace Attorney
Meiji-era setting helped developers focus on mystery
Earlier this week, Phoenix Wright fans got a sneak peek at the newest entry to the fan-favourite Ace Attorney franchise. In an interview with Famitsu, series creator Shu Takumi and producer Shintaro Kojima shed some light on the upcoming 3DS title The Great Ace Attorney, and why the development...
News Capcom Unsheathes An Announcement Trailer For The New Ace Attorney Title
A new dawn for the law has arrived
Earlier in the week Famitsu teased the latest instalment in the Ace Attorney series, and the return of creator Shu Takumi as Director. Now Capcom has stepped up with an official announcement trailer to give further testimony on the intriguing Meiji era setting. Confirming suspicions, Dai Gyakuten Saiban -...
Video We Put The Pedal To The Metal In Sega's 3D OutRun
Can M2 keep up their winning streak?
It hardly feels like Japanese 3DS owners have finished with Fantasy Zone, but M2 is back on the eShop and granting gamer wishes once again, this time bringing Yu Suzuki's OutRun into the palms of arcade fans. As we've come to expect this is yet another fantastic port with just the right balance of hardcore...
News Yo-kai Watch Returns to the Japanese Chart Summit as Hardware Sales Dip Again
3DS systems reclaim number one spot
It's been a tough month in the Japanese charts, with few notable winners setting the tills alight. This week continues that trend, though it brings good news for Level-5 and a return to the top for the 3DS systems. On the software side of things it was a quiet week, with new entries to the charts failing to shift...
News Level-5's 3DS RPG Youkai Watch Has Now Sold One Million Copies In Japan
Sales have doubled in the last two months alone
New reports suggest that Level-5's 3DS title Youkai Watch has shipped one million units in Japan. The game launched in July last year, but it wasn't until the transmission of the related anime TV show in January that sales began to spike; in February, Level-5 confirmed that it had delivered 500,000...
News Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Announces Free And Paid-For DLC Tracks
Yuffie joins in too!
The Curtain Call news just keeps coming this week! Not only do we now have a confirmed western release, but in Japan the first wave of additional DLC tracks have been announced — including two tracks that are free for a limited period. The full line up is as follows: Final Fantasy V Battle 2 (BMS) - Free until the 8th of...
News Pokémon Moviegoers in Japan Can Receive Diancie and Darkrai
No word on when the West's moment will shine
The dazzling Rock/Fairy Pokémon Diancie has been known to us for some time now in the West, and while we patiently wait for an opportunity to acquire such a gem for our own copies of Pokémon X & Y, fans in Japan will have an opportunity to receive one while seeing the next Pokémon movie on 19th...
News Vita Overtakes 3DS in Tough Week for Japanese Charts
All hardware sales are down
The Japanese game retail market seems to be in the midst of a rather glum spell, with a brief burst a few weeks ago — which can certainly be attributed in part to a pre-tax increase flurry of sales — making way for trends sliding in the wrong direction. This week also brings an unwelcome weekly loss for the 3DS,...
Matters of Import Ucchannanchan no Honō no Challenger: Denryū Iraira Bō
Down to the wire
The Nintendo 64 is fondly remembered for delivering groundbreaking titles such as Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. However, in amongst the system's relatively small library of games are a few wacky, obscure and out-of-the-ordinary experiences to be had. Sadly, many of us in the West never got to play a...
News Castlevania: Dracula X And Mega Man 5 Hitting The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week
Scream bloody murder
Next week's Japanese Wii U Virtual Console titles have been confirmed, and fans of Konami and Capcom should be pretty pleased with what's on offer. Arguably the most notable release is Castlevania: Dracula X (known as Akumajou Dracula XX in Japan and Castlevania: Vampire's Kiss in Europe), the SNES port of the PC Engine classic...
Video Yo-kai Watch 2 Promotional Trailer And TV Commerical Hit Japan
Double trouble?
We've brought you details on Level-5's Yo-kai Watch 2 just a few days ago, but now we're able to show you some brief footage of the game(s) in action. The first video below is the most useful one, featuring just over a minute of story and battle footage that really shows off the excellent (or mad, depending on your point of view)...
News Nintendo Launches 3DS XL "Recommended Software" Hardware Promotion in Japan
A free game with a 3DS XL purchase
Nintendo has run a number of eShop retail download promotions in the past couple of years to encourage gamers to buy its products. Most of these have focused on the 3DS, with varying schemes in different territories offering free game downloads in return for registering a fixed number of retail titles or hardware...
News Nendoroid Toon Link Figure Slated for August Release
To be released only in Japan, of course
The Nendoroid series — from Good Smile Company — certainly has a group of cool figurines set for 2014. A few months ago the company announced a Luigi figure to cap off the Year of Luigi. Today, the company has announced that it will be releasing a Toon Link Nendoroid statue in August 2014 through the Good...
News Yo-kai Watch 2 Coming to 3DS in Japan with Two Different Versions
Hunting down demon spirits, now in two new flavours
Level-5 has announced this week it will be releasing Yo-kai Watch 2 on 10th July for the 3DS in Japan. A sequel to last year's popular monster-watching title Yo-kai Watch, Yo-kai Watch 2 will hit stores with two different versions — Yo-kai Watch 2: Ganso (Founder), and Yo-kai Watch 2: Honke...
News Mario Party: Island Tour Stays on Top in Japan as Hardware Sales Plummet
Tax increase and quiet week of releases take their toll
It's time for the Media Create Japanese chart results once again, as we see how the retail sector has held up following a 3% increase in sales tax in the country, from 5% to 8%. That may sound trivial, but as has been proven in multiple marketplaces a small percentage change in sales tax can...
Video Second Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Demo Now Available In Japan
Final Fantasy VI and VII get a chance to shine
Excitement has been building recently for Square-Enix' Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call; the company has been teasing us with extra-long video previews as well as the inevitable range of toys. Those
News Subtle Character Design Changes Spotted for North American Version of Azure Striker Gunvolt
Ponytail and midriff mysteriously removed
Keiji Inafune and Inti Creates must think North Americans don't appreciate masculine heroes with luscious locks and bellies showing. NeoGAF user Rockman ZX noticed a subtle difference between the Japanese and North American artwork for Inafune-san's upcoming Mega Man X-style action platformer Azure Striker...
News Dracula Is Cursing The Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Next Week In Castlevania III
Mystic Quest, Gradius and Neutopia also coming along for the ride
Castlevania fans will be pleased to know that NES classic Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse — one of the best entries in the entire lineage — is hitting the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console next week, which means a western release shouldn't be far behind. Originally released in...
News New Taiko Drum Master Game Revealed for 3DS
...in Japan, that is. Alas.
Popular Namco rhythm series Taiko no Tatsujin (known as Taiko: Drum Master in the West) will get a new instalment on 3DS in Japan, as reported by Famitsu. Entitled Taiko Drum Master: Don and Katsu’s Space-Time Great Adventure, the new drumming game will arrive 26th June for ¥4,740 (roughly $46 or £28). It will support...
News Curtain Call Brings The Cute With Static Arts Mini Range
Moogle, Chocobo and... Squall?!
With Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call's Japanese release date now mere weeks away Square Enix has started to get the full weight of its formidable merchandising arm behind the game, with this three piece "THEATRHYTHM FINAL FANTASY STATIC ARTS mini" set no doubt the first of many similar figure releases. The...
News Skypeace on 3DS Looks Like a Rival For Bird Mania 3D
Don't stop flying
There is a small but dedicated group of gamers in the Nintendo Life community that particularly enjoys Bird Mania 3D and its superior seasonal sequel Bird Mania Christmas. They're simple, budget priced endless runners — or fliers, to be more accurate — where the only task is to navigate the treacherous route and set a new high...
News 3DS Enjoys a Major Hardware Boost in Japan as Wii U Sales Also Increase
Increase in Japanese sales tax drives extra pre-rise sales
The results for last week's sales in Japan are here thanks to Media Create, and they bring pleasing news of hardware sales increasing for both 3DS and Wii U. It may be a peak before a notable dip, however, as Sales Tax in Japan increased from 5% to 8% in 1st April; many likely rushed ahead...
News Tales of the World: Reve Unitia Announced For 3DS in Japan
Tantalising tactical Tales!
Following on from the Android/iOS game Tales of the World: Tactics Union, the Tales of... team has now turned its attention towards the 3DS with the tongue-twisting Reve Unitia. Details are scarce as the announcement's only just been made in this week's Jump magazine, but from what has been shown it will be another...
Video Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Showcases Almost Thirty Minutes Of Content
Magnificent melodies heading towards 3DS
1st April my be a popular time for companies to come up with creative pranks, but thankfully Square-Enix has gone down a different route and instead gifted us with two videos for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call instead. We have of course looked at the published track lists and
News These Sega 3D Classics T-Shirts Will Be Perfect For The Summer
To be this good takes ages
3DS owners will be aware that Sega is giving the console some retro love at the moment with its superb range of 3D Classics. We've seen the likes of Space Harrier, Shinobi III and Galaxy Force II so far (along with the guilty pleasure that is
News Take a Look and be Jealous of This Beautiful Monster Hunter 4 3DS XL
The stylish handheld was released in Japan yesterday.
Impatient for Monster Hunter 4 to hit Western shelves in its Ultimate guise? Japanese fans have not only been playing Monster Hunter 4 since September 2013, but yesterday they got this stunning 3DS XL (or LL, as it's known in the country) in a colour Nintendo calls "Rajang Gold." Take a look:...
Matters Of Import Steel Empire Is Flying High On Nintendo 3DS
Chocks away!
First released on the Mega Drive over twenty years ago and then remade for the GBA in 2004, Steel Empire is a side-scrolling shoot ‘em up with a distinctive visual twist. Looking like a cross between Jules Verne’s imagination, a Hayao Miyazaki anime and World War I archive footage; Steel Empire’s biplanes, zeppelins and steam...
News Arc System Works Releases Ghostly Visual Novel Adventure On Japanese 3DS eShop
Looks sensationally spooky!
Arc System Works is bringing a ghostly adventure to the 3DS eShop in the form of a mystery visual novel entitled Ghost Detective: Shida’s Ayakashi Case Book – which also translates to "Mononoke Detective" in Japanese. The game’s trailer reveals players will take on the role of ghost detective Shida Mori, who has...
News Yoshinori Satake Lifts Steel Empire's Iron Curtain And Teases Possible Sequel, Burning Steel
Developer talks about steam engines, outer space and Dragon Quest
Over the past few days we’ve been relentlessly tweeting, videoing and generally getting ourselves lost in playing Steel Empire in every format it’s available on. But as enjoyable as the game is, experiencing it in its final form doesn’t give much insight into all the hard work...
Video We've Compared All Three Versions Of Steel Empire So You Don't Have To
Mega Drive, Game Boy Advance or 3DS - which is best?
In case you hadn't noticed from the amount of coverage we've been giving it, steampunk shooter Steel Empire recently launched on the 3DS eShop in Japan. A port of a 1992 Sega Mega Drive / Genesis blaster, the game is possibly best known for its eye-catching visuals, with massive steam-powered...
News Dragon Quest X Reaches One Million Sales In Japan
A slow increase in popularity of the Square Enix MMORPG
The subscription-based Japanese exclusive Dragon Quest X – released on the Wii in 2012 and the Wii U just last year – has today reached a significant milestone. According to Producer Yosuke Saito via Twitter, the Square Enix MMORPG has now sold a total of one million copies. Last April,...
