Nice Package! (Dōbutsu Banchō, GameCube)

Before we get to the meat of this post, I'd like to ask you a question: Why do you think I bought the copy of Dōbutsu Banchō (or Doubutsu Banchou) showcased in the photos below? Here are your options:

A) I was a huge fan of the Atlus-published North American version of the game, Cubivore, back in the day

B) I got its title confused with the Japanese title for Nintendo's Animal Crossing series (Dōbutsu no Mori)

C) I liked its cover art

If you went with option "C," go ahead and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.

Actually, go ahead and give your back a little pat, too, if went with option "A." Although I wasn't a huge fan of Cubivore back in the day--how could I have been? I never played it--I definitely knew of the game and the positive word of mouth associated with it.



Add those two components together and you've got a good explanation as to why I purchased the copy of Dōbutsu Banchō seen above and below when I came across it on eBay just over a month ago.

As those snapshots should make clear, this GameCube title's packaging is on point in all respects. OK, so the backside of its outer sleeve (see above) is a bit boring, but the rest of it is so intriguing I'm not too bothered by it.

My favorite part of Dōbutsu Banchō's packaging (or whatever you want to call the game's outer sleeve, case, disc and instruction manual) is its blood-covered disc, by the way.

As for the game's manual, I'm not entirely sure why I failed to take any photos of it. I guess this means I have to whip up another "Manual Stimulation" post as soon as possible--as long as it isn't a complete dud.

With all of that said, have any of you played either Dōbutsu Banchō or Cubivore? If so, what did you think of the experience? Let me and others know in the comments section of this post.

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' posts

I think yesterday's Nintendo Direct sold me on Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. (3DS) and Splatoon (Wii U)

I'm especially enamored with Splatoon, which reminds me of something Sega's geniuses might've concocted back in the day, after encountering the footage below during yesterday's Nintendo Direct.

Honestly, what was shown of this upcoming Wii U title at this year's E3 event didn't impress me much. The following video, though, did just the opposite and even caused a huge grin to spread across my face.



As a result, Splatoon, which is being made by the software-development group at Nintendo of Japan that previously produced Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Nintendo Land, is now on my "Wii U wish list"--despite the fact that I still don't own a Wii U.

Who knows, maybe I'll finally buy one when the luscious-looking Kirby and the Rainbow Curse drops in February? (Which would give me a few months to break in the system before Splatoon hits the streets.)

Yesterday's Nintendo Direct also sold me on Project S.T.E.A.M. for 3DS, which will be hitting both physical and virtual store shelves throughout North America this coming spring (alongside The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, curiously enough).



As was the case with Splatoon, the E3 reveal of Project S.T.E.A.M. left me more than a smidge cold--which is pretty sad when you consider it's being developed by the mad scientists at Intelligent Systems, makers of the Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, Paper Mario and WarioWare franchises.

The trailer (above) shown as part of the most recent Nintendo Direct, though, went a long way toward defrosting me in regard to this tactical title. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say it's now a shoo-in purchase for me, but it's at least a "probable pick-up" at this point.

How about all of you? Did yesterday's Nintendo Direct sell you on Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. or Splatoon or any of the other 3DS or Wii U games that were showcased?

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Paper Mario: Sticker Star edition)

Although there are a number of 3DS games I'm looking forward to getting my grubby hands on next year--the next Animal Crossing, Etrian Odyssey IV and Fire Emblem: Awakening, among them--I'm eagerly awaiting quite a few 2012 releases, too.

Sitting atop the latter list: The latest (and hopefully greatest) chapter in Nintendo's Paper Mario saga.

As many of you likely already know, this 3DS title will be known as Paper Mario: Sticker Star when it's released throughout North America on Nov. 11. Here is the art that will grace the covers of said release:

The game will sport a slightly different name--Paper Mario: Super Seal--when it hits the streets in Japan on Dec. 6, and naturally it'll sport a different piece of box art, too.

Although I'd love to show you the cover art that'll be used on the Euro version of this Intelligent Systems-developed game, which also will be called Paper Mario: Sticker Star and will arrive on store shelves on Dec. 7, Nintendo of Europe has yet to reveal it.

Given that, I guess we'll just have to judge the pair of illustrations showcased above.

Personally, I much prefer the North American cover art to its Japanese counterpart this time around. Granted, the latter option does a much better job of depicting the game's sticker-collecting aspect, but that isn't enough to trump the former's bold use of color.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think of the box art that's been prepared for this portable RPG?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

The best piece of 3DS box art yet? I think so.

Quite a few pieces of 3DS box art have impressed me since the system was launched early last year. Among them: The box art created for Beyond the Labyrinth and Extreme Escape Adventure: Good People Die (aka Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward).

I think the piece of cover art below may have them both beat, to tell you the truth. What game was it created for, you ask? Fire Emblem: Kakusei (aka Fire Emblem: Awakening).

I'm not entirely in love with the game's logo, although I do appreciate its rather understated elegance. The illustration that resides behind said logo, though, is where it's at. I especially love its diagonal focus and movement.

This fabulous piece of cover art will appear on Japanese store shelves on April 19. Here's hoping both the game and the above-mentioned box art (and maybe this bundle, too) make it out of Japan and into other territories sooner than later.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Well, I guess I know what I'll be playing this weekend (and probably next) ...

There are two reasons I've been wanting to play the import-only-until-now GameBoy title, Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru (aka For the Frog the Bell Tolls), for some time: 1) Its protagonist, the Prince of Sable, is tasked with rescuing someone named Princess Tiramisu (she lives in Mille-Feuille Kingdom, by the way) and 2) Its engine was later used to make The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

Well, it seems I can stop wanting and start playing, as someone calling himself RyanBGSTL (catchy name, I know) has just completed an English translation of this Intelligent Systems-developed title. (Download RyanBGSTL's patch at romhacking.net.)

In case you'd like to know a little more about the game before giving it a go, here's a video of its first nine minutes:



(Via tinycartridge.com)