Crimson/Black DS coming out... in Japan

As if Japan doesn't have enough colours for their DSes yet, here comes another colour. Well, actually, here comes two colour in one. It's a Crimson / Black DS that is packaged with the Brain Age 2 in the US.

Can't do the same package in Japanese, probably because everyone in Japan already has one both Brain Age game.

Coming out in October 4, priced tag: 16,800 yen, same as every other colour. This is one colour you don't have to wait for. Just go and buy the Brain Age 2 package.

Professor Layton 2 coming out in November

Level-5, the maker of Dragon Quest VIII and more recently, Professor Layton and the Curious Village (coming to US in December), has announced that the next instalment of Professor Layton is coming out in November. Titled (translated) Professor Layton and the Devil's Box, it will feature the continue adventure of our beloved English professor and his sidekick, Luke.

This time, looks like they are off to find a box of some sort. I just can't wait for this to come out. For those who know, I am a Layton fan. I love the game. November can't come fast enough.

I might have said before that Layton would be a good source for Anime material, but seems like Level-5 has different ideas. There is going to be live-action Layton movie. We'll just have to wait and see how it will turn out.

Teaser after the jump.

Source: Famitsu [via Kotaku]

Just you wait, Japanese otakus are going to speak Gundamium with you soon.... in English.

Learning English has always been hard for people in non-English speaking countries. In Japan, the English business is a big business (most of that business goes to Nova, but that's another story). So what's a better way to learn English than to read up on Gundam!

Gundam is a big business in Japan, and English is big business in Japan, too. So I guess it's only natural that the two would go together... someday (like today). There bound to be people who would buy this stuff. But judging from the book's cover, I'm not sure how useful these Gundam would be. "Fighting with Gundam is not always the best solution." Yeah, right. It's the ONLY solution.

Source: Q-Taro

Hold it! US Phoenix Wright gets plushy.

Phoenix Wright 3 might be out in Japan (and many importers' hand), but there might still be some incentive to get the official English release. Those who pre-order the Phoenix Wright 3 will get a pretty plushy doll that you can use to poke the eyes of others instead of using your own finger.

Now if only the plushy comes with the voice recording of "Objection!", "Hold It!" as well, that would be perfect.

Source: Kotaku

Wii sell, and Wii sell fast, like a million in 38 weeks fast.

It's official. Chart Track, an independent sales tracking company for the gaming industry, has reported that Wii is now the officially the fastest selling console in the UK. The Wii took just 38 weeks to sell 1 million units in UK, 11 weeks faster than PS2, and 22 weeks faster than the Xbox 360.

PS3 has no games and expensive, while Xbox 360 is plagued by issues. Nothing bad so far has been said about the console, besides broken TVs. But hey, maybe you shouldn't be playing bowling then.

Source: The Telegraph

Sales Chart JPN: After 9 months into next gen, PS2 is STILL on top

Week 20 August - 26 August 2007

With the PS2 being 'out-dated' by the next generation consoles some 9 months ago, you would have thought that should be the end of the line for the 6 years old console. Not so, according to the Japanese. This week, Sengoku Musou 2 (182,484), by the same maker of the popular Dynasty Warriors series, Koei, tops the sales chart. And yep, it's PlayStation 2 game. It's either the game developers themselves don't have faith in the PS3, or that all their next gen budget is in the Nintendo camp right now. Either way, one can't discount the fact that PS2 still sell around the same number of PS3 every week.

But who would have thought that the Square Enix can't put it off with its latest milking instalment of the Final Fantasy series. The new one, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates only managed 177,845 in its opening week, almost 100,000 less than Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. Did the Japanese got burnt by FFXII or something? Maybe FFIV DS would make a better impression, and maybe Square Enix should stick with remaking and remaking and remaking previous Final Fantasies.

Talking about remakes, 3rd places belong to a DS remake, Phoenix Wright 3 (56,787). It's the DS remake of the GBA version. That promote Phoenix Wright 2 back onto the top 50. Kind of expected that.

I don't know what's with the Japanese, but My Housekeeping Diary is back to 5th place with 23,678. Maybe there's a lot of housekeeping to do on the DS?

PSP managed a game in the top 10 with Dragoneer's Aria (23,617) at 6th. Despite having 4 new games in this week's top 10, it still can't push Wii Sports (18,223) out of the top 10.

Best selling games for each platform (that is on the chart) this week

PS2 - Sengoku Musou 2
DS - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Wii - Mario Party 8
PSP - Dragoneer's Aria
PS3 - Everybody's Golf 5

Number of titles in the top 50 for each platform this week:

DS - 34
PS2 - 6
Wii - 6
PSP - 3
PS3 - 1

Console War VII: Battle for Nippon

Maybe it's a slow week in Japan or something, the DS fell to just 100K this week, and the Wii dropped to 46K. Most have dropped as well, but as usual, Nintendo is still winning. Don't think it will be any different next week, and the week after, and the week after, and the week after...

DSL - 100,430
Wii - 46,283
PSP - 26,089
PS3 - 16,393
PS2 - 15,139
Xbox360 - 2,044

Market share this week

DSL vs PSP
79.38% vs 20.62%

Wii vs PS3 vs XBox 360
71.51% vs 25.33% vs 3.16%

Source: Media Create

Hurry, Sony warehouse is out of 60GB model.

Sony said it. GamePro reported that Sony has run out of 60GB PS3 in their warehouses. The only ones left are those on the shelves at retail stores. If you want a PS3 for just US$499, you better hurry before they run out.

Sony still hasn't decided what to do after the 60GB runs out. Are they going to reduce the price of the 80GB model? Maybe, given that MS has slashed the price for the XBox 360 by US$50. Well, we will just have to wait. Maybe, just maybe you can find one under the Christmas tree this year with a US$499 price tag.

Source: GamePro