It ain't over until the fat Pithecanthropus Computerurus sings

More than 20 years after it was introduced in Japan, the PC Engine is still going strong--in the minds of its many fans.

Case in point: The inaugural issue of PC Engine Gamer, an online magazine that hit the Interwebs yesterday.

The 18-page publication (check it out here), produced by the folks behind the PC Engine Software Bible site, features reviews of Bikkuriman World and The Kung Fu, a top 10 list, tips and tricks and more.

(Via gamesetwatch.com)

'I battle monsters in a fur poncho'

Will Seth Green help Nintendo of America sell a few million copies of Dragon Quest IX? We'll find out soon enough, as the game hits store shelves in the States on Sunday.

In the meantime, enjoy the latest TV ad starring the Buffy the Vampire Killer actor:



See also: 'Is this one of the multiplayer options in Dragon Quest IX?'

Is this one of the multiplayer options in Dragon Quest IX?

In three short days, the latest entry in the Dragon Quest series will be unleashed upon the American public.

Although said game--full title: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies--features a slew of multiplayer options, I kind of doubt the, er, "activity" depicted in the following NSFW-ish image is among them.

Buy: Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Let's play: 'Which box art is better?' (Metroid: Other M edition)

Truth be told, I probably won't buy Metroid: Other M when it's released (in North America) on Aug. 31. Sure, it looks good--much better than the three Metroid Prime titles, in my humble opinion--but it still doesn't appeal to me. Of course, I've played just two Metroid games in my entire life--the NES original and its SNES sequel.

Still, my overall lack of interest in Metroid: Other M shouldn't preclude (you and) me from playing a little game of "which box art is better?" should it?

The North American box art is on the left, while what is presumed to be the Japanese box art (some believe it's just a sleeve) is on the right.



I don't know about you, but I much prefer the possible/probable Japanese cover. It's simple, yet striking--always a good combination. The North American cover, on the other hand, looks like a fan-made creation to my eyes.

See also: 'Let's play: Which box art is better? (Dragon Quest IX edition)'

You know, I think I need a new mouse pad ...

Etsy.com seller 8-Bit Memory has added a slew of NES mouse pads to its shop. My favorite design so far is the following:



I like this Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!-inspired pad, too.

Check out 8-Bit Memory's other NES mouse pads here.

Once again I wish I owned an iPhone

Full disclosure: My husband and I will be two of the last people in the modern world to own a cellphone. Or, at least, that's how it sometimes feels.

We have our reasons for living cellphone-free, of course, but I won't bore you by listing them here.

Anyway, all that said, I want a cellphone. In particular, I want an iPhone. Not just so I can call (and be called by) family and friends whenever and wherever, but so I can buy and play games like Doodle Jump, Trism and Tumbledrop.

Oh, and Magnetic Shaving Derby.



This Nyarlu Labs-developed title, which began life as a DS homebrew release (here's a video of it), calls on players to pull (and sometimes push) a razor blade across a crudely realized face using an old-fashioned horseshoe magnet.

By the way, the game's delightfully effervescent soundtrack can be downloaded (free-of-charge) here.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

'Kyou wa dayoubi desu'

The sentence above means "today is Tuesday" is Japanese, by the way.

I learned that while traveling over the weekend. Specifically, I learned it while "playing" My Japanese Coach, a DS game developed and published by Ubisoft, as the hubs and I flew from Seattle to Oskaloosa, Kansas and home again over the weekend.

Now, I realize My Japanese Coach probably isn't the most comprehensive option available to folks trying to learn this particular language, but it certainly seems (so far, at least) to be an acceptable introduction to it.

Anyway, I'm having a blast at the moment and I'm looking forward to learning more of this language in the coming weeks, months and even years--assuming I stick with it, of course.

Buy: My Japanese Coach