Once again I've been taken in by sexy box art

I guess I should have called this post "Acquisition #147: Contact (DS)," and you certainly can think of it that way if you so desire, but I decided to go with the header seen above because, well, I think the truth of the matter is more interesting than saying, "Guess what? I just bought the Euro version of Contact!"

As for why I bought the Euro version of this Grasshopper Manufacture-made title: that would be because of its awesome cover art, which can be seen in the first and third photos below.



It could go without saying, I'm sure, that I love the adorable little Mother-esque sprites that populate the front of Contact's Euro packaging. I'm also pretty darn fond of its retro-tastic logo, though, which I think gives off an appealingly '70s vibe.



The cart art (above) isn't bad either, although I'd like it a lot more if it featured fewer logos.



Unfortunately, I have yet to stick this cart into my DS, so I can't tell you if I think the game itself lives up to the promise of its box art.

Have any of you played Contact? If so, what did you think of it?

See also: Previous 'Acquisition #123' posts

12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Inazuma Eleven (DS)

OK, so the title I'm focusing on in today's "12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now" post isn't as thrilling as the one I wrote about yesterday--or at least I don't think it's as thrilling.

Still, it's an import, and a fairly odd one at that (thanks to it being a soccer-based RPG), so at least it's not a total loss.

Would you believe that I've yet to spend much quality time with this pick-up? Yeah, I thought you would--especially given the track record suggested by the majority of my "Acquisition #123" posts.



Actually, I'm kind of amazed it's even been unwrapped, as I honestly don't remember playing it at all since it arrived on my doorstep a number of months ago.

I guess I should have included Inazuma Eleven in one of those silly posts--like "Five games I have to get back to (and hopefully finish) in 2013" or "Five games I have to rip from their shrink-wrap and actually play in 2013"--I published last week, eh?

See also: Previous '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now' posts

I'm not sure what I think of Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise's box art

Although I'm not planning to buy a copy of Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise after it hits the streets of Europe on July 6, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit envious of my European compadres who are planning to pick up a copy of this Wii game (which goes by the name of Minna no Rhythm Tengoku in Japan and Rhythm Heaven Fever in North America).

That's mainly because Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise, unlike Rhythm Heaven Fever, will feature both English and Japanese vocal tracks.

Is Beat the Beat's box art (above) also responsible for me feeling a bit envious of Euro Wii owners? Not really. Although I'd hardly call it ugly, I also wouldn't call it beautiful. (I much prefer Rhythm Heaven Fever's wildly colorful cover illustration, which can be viewed in this previous post.)

What do all of you think? Does Beat the Beat's packaging get you all hot and bothered, or does it leave you feeling limp?

The Great Gaymathon Review #37: Jam with the Band (DS)

Game: Jam with the Band

Genre: Music/Rhythm

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

System: Nintendo DS

Release date: 2010

Before I get to the heart of this little write-up, I have to say that it's a crying shame that the brass at Nintendo decided against releasing this title in North America. Granted, they probably would have sent it to die (i.e., released it without an ounce of promotion) like they did in Europe, but at least I would have been able to pick it up for a decent price. As it is, I spent about $60 on the Japanese version, Daigasso! Band Brothers DX, shortly after it was released in 2008, and another $40 on the UK version. Is the game worth such a sum? In a word: Yes. That's mainly, if not totally, due to the fact that it's a ton of fun--or at least I think it is. Playing it is kind of like playing Dance Dance Revolution with your fingers, as you have to press the DS' buttons and directional pad in time with a particular song's score. (Confused? Watch this video.) Speaking of songs: 50 of them--in a variety of genres and styles (a few examples: Beethoven's "Für Elise," "Material Girl" and a Super Mario medley)--are included on the cart. That's not the end of this title's content, though, as Jam with the Band allows players to create their own compositions that can then be uploaded for others to download and enjoy. It also allows people to play together locally (as opposed to online) or sing songs (à la karaoke) using the system's built-in microphone. All of those options are welcome additions to the overall Jam with the Band package, of course, but the main reason to pick up the game is the basic, play-along-with-a-particular-tune mode--which, in my mind, could/should have served as a blueprint for Nintendo's much-maligned Wii Music title--detailed at the beginning of this review.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

Praise Beckham! Inazuma Eleven will be released on August 26

Unfortunately, the date above refers to when this soccer-themed RPG will be released in the UK, not the US. The brass at Nintendo of America have yet to announce when or even if this DS title, which was developed by the able folks at Level-5, will make its way to the States.

Hey, at least the game--which first hit store shelves in Japan all the way back in 2008 and hit the streets elsewhere in Europe earlier this year--will, at long last, be playable in English, right?



Does Inazuma Eleven's horribly delayed UK launch mean there's still a chance the game will reach our shores eventually, too? I think so--especially since the crew at Level-5 International America (the company's North American branch) recently posted a poll on their Facebook page that asked people to vote for the currently-only-available-in-Japan titles that excite them most.

Inazuma Eleven is one of 10 games named in the poll, with the others being Fantasy Life (3DS), Girl's RPG Cinderelife (3DS), Inazuma Eleven Strikers (Wii), The Little Battlers (PSP), Ninokuni (DS and PS3), Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle (3DS), Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney (3DS) and Time Travelers (3DS).

It appears you can vote (here) just once and for just one game so choose carefully and wisely.

More proof that I'm a pathetic geek

Late last year, I purchased (via eBay) the UK versions of the first two Professor Layton titles.

Why, you ask? Honestly, I prefer the artwork used on the European versions of the games to the artwork used on the American/Japanese versions of the games.

Also, I prefer the clear plastic boxes used to house European DS games to the black boxes used elsewhere in the world.

Thankfully, I picked up both for about the same amount of money I would have spent on their American counterparts.

By the way, if you consider yourself a Layton fan, be sure to check out this awesome piece of fan art from Shitekudasai.

See also: 'Raise your hand if you own games you've yet to play' and 'To open or not to open, that is the question ...' and 'It's show-and-tell time!'