You bought Pocket Card Jockey from the 3DS eShop yesterday, right?

Those of who without a 3DS probably are thinking, what, you want all of us to buy it, too?

Actually, I do. Granted, I'd suggest picking up a 3DS system beforehand--you know, so you can actually play it--but once you've taken care of that little detail, yes, I think you should purchase this wonderfully charming and surprisingly deep game.

For the rest of you, if you haven't yet nabbed the Game Freak-made Pocket Card Jockey from the 3DS eShop--publisher Nintendo put it up for sale, carrying a $6.99 price tag, yesterday--what's holding you back?

If it's that you aren't sure you'll enjoy it, well, I can understand that--to a point. After all, it isn't every day that you're presented with a game that dares to combine (golf) solitaire with a horse-racing sim.



That said, a Pocket Card Jockey demo has been available for more than a week now. (I wrote about it here, in case anyone is interested.) It's free and offers 15 plays, which is more than enough to figure out of its strangely addictive gameplay is your cup of tea or not.

And if that's not enough for you? Read this old post of mine. Don't fret that it says it's about a game called Solitiba; that's just Pocket Card Jockey's original Japanese title.

Anyway, in that write-up I blather on a bit about the five things I like best about digital time-waster. (I mean that in the best possible way, naturally.) I barf up some similar statements at the end of this post, by the way--in case you're looking for more encouragement.

If you're not, because Pocket Card Jockey's already taking up space on your 3DS' memory card, please share your impressions of it in the comments section below.

Adorbs Hatoful Boyfriend plush, anyone?

Full disclosure: despite the interest I've shown in the Vita version of Hatoful Boyfriend both here and on The Nichiest Podcast Ever, I've yet to buy the damn game.

I'm going to do my best to buy it before the end of the year, though, so don't judge me too harshly, OK?

Anyway, despite the fact that I'm a horrible person for failing to jump aboard the Hatoful Boyfriend train (yet!), I'm still really interested in it.



Am I interested in it enough to support Erick Scarecrow's "Hatoful Boyfriend Official Plush Project!" on Kickstarter between now and when it wraps up on Dec. 5? I'm not sure.

I mean, the sample plushes that can be seen in the photos included in this post (and in the video featured on the project's Kickstarter page) are beyond adorable, but because I know next to nothing about the pigeons that inspired them, I'm having a hard time convincing myself to pull the trigger on a pledge of $16 or more.

How about you? Do any of you love this game's feathered cast of characters enough to hand over your hard-earned cash for a plush version of one or more of them?

Say hello to the cutest piece of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer promo you'll ever see

Leave it to Nintendo to give us something we didn't know we needed or even wanted.

Granted, I'd prefer they give us an actual game that fit that bill, but considering they're busy prepping the NX system (or systems) for release, I think they can be forgiven.



Plus, the real-life pups seen in the latest trailer they created for Happy Home Designer are beyond adorable.

Speaking of that Animal Crossing spin-off, I've yet to even unwrap my copy of the game. Of course. How about all of you? Have any of you played it? If so, what do you think of it?

What does it say about me that Square Enix's World of Final Fantasy is the E3 game announcement that most excited me yesterday?

Don't worry, I'm fully aware of what it says about me--especially when some of the other games that were announced alongside this one at E3 2015 yesterday were the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII remake (for PS4, at least initially), the presumed-dead Last Guardian and the out-of-left-field Shenmue III.

What was it about Square Enix's trailer for World of Final Fantasy (watch it below or here), which will be released for both the PS4 and the Vita at some point in 2016 as well as one or more other systems afterward, that tripped my trigger?

I guess you could say the focus of my interest in this retro-modern RPG is its chibi character models, which recall the adorable, sprite-based ones that filled the earliest of Final Fantasy adventures.



Despite the praise I've heaped on World of Final Fantasy so far (well, kind of), I'm not chomping at the bit to pre-order it. That's going to have to wait until I see some more gameplay footage.

Plus, I want to make sure I won't be forced to control those ugly, non-chibi characters that also are featured in the trailer above before I even consider handing over my hard-earned cash for this throwback release.

How about all of you? Are you also (somewhat) excited for World of Final Fantasy? And how do you feel about the other PS4-bound games I mentioned at the beginning of this post?

This deluxe Hatsune Miku 'plush pouch' is making me want to do bad things ... with my wallet

What business does a guy like me, a guy who doesn't own a single Hatsune Miku game (although I'll have two shortly), have desiring something as fan-focused as the "deluxe plush pouch" showcased in the photo below?

I don't know. All I know is that I think it's fantastically adorable and that I want one--despite the fact that my life currently is one, big "Hatsune Miku-free zone."



To be honest, though, I have a feeling I'll chicken out on buying one when all is said and done. After all, the darn things are going to cost about $35, if not more, and that's before shipping is included.

Still, it comes with the most precious little sushi-themed screen cleaner (also pictured above), and that alone has to be worth about $10 or $15, right?

I'd rather have a Dragon Quest Slime stress ball, but these Cactuar, Chocobo and Moogle ones will do in a pinch

I can't say I've ever had much interest in owning or even using a stress ball, but I'm giving the idea serious consideration after setting eyes on the Final Fantasy-themed ones that can be seen throughout this post.

If these were plushes or something of the sort, I'd point to the Chocobo and Moogle varieties as potential purchases, but what kind of monster would I have to be to enjoy pulverizing the faces of those adorable mascots?

I probably wouldn't have the same problem squishing Cactuar's noggin between my fingers, though, so let's say that's the one I'd go with if I were to go ahead and buy a Final Fantasy stress ball.

Shopncsx.com is selling these beauties for $15.90 apiece, by the way, with orders expected to begin shipping sometime next month.

Second Chances: Hana Tāka Daka!? (PC Engine)

It sometimes amazes me how many PC Engine games I initially ignored due to what I considered sub-par graphics. Jigoku Meguri is one such title. Gokuraku! Chuka Taisen is another, as is Obocchama-kun.

The funny thing is, all of the above-mentioned games have since become favorites.

Some of you may be shocked to hear that I include Taito's Hana Tāka Daka!? from 1991 in this bunch. After all, this horizontal shoot 'em up could hardly be called ugly. Its does take a while to get used to its unique visual stylings, though--or at least that was the case for me.

That's mainly due to the game's rather unappealing protagonist. What can I say, his big eyes, long nose and dangling, geta-hooved feet just don't do it for me--and on top of that, he's positively huge (compared to his surroundings) when it comes to this particular genre.

Speaking of this game's surroundings, I used to find them pretty unappealing, too--mainly due to their chunkiness, for lack of a better word, as well as their garish use of color.

How did I get over these supposed shortcomings? It finally dawned on me that Taito was a top-notch game developer and that maybe I should give some of their less appealing (at first blush, at least) efforts--like this one--a second or even third chance before deciding they weren't worth my time.

Once that was out of the way, I basically fell in love with Hana Tāka Daka!? and its charmingly weird cast of characters, setting and even gameplay (although the latter definitely is the least captivating aspect of this now-pricey HuCard, thanks to its rather pedestrian--although by no means boring or bad--mechanics).

I say "basically" because a few sticking points remain for me, with the most newsworthy being that the game puts up a pretty stiff challenge despite its candy-coated visuals.

That's rarely completely kept me from enjoying a game in the past, though, so I'm not about to let it keep me from enjoying this one. Just don't expect me to publish a post about "beating" Hana Tāka Daka!? anytime soon.

I'm also not the biggest fan of the way the game forces players to choose between having inadequate firepower and a small hitbox (i.e., a tiny protagonist-slash-"ship") and having ample firepower and a gigantic hitbox. This wouldn't be much of a problem if Hana Tāka Daka!? were a pushover, of course, but it's not, so a lack of firepower is sure to be an issue for those who aren't shmup gods or goddesses.

Aside from this colorful side-scroller's handful of negatives, there are a good number of positives associated with it too, such as its pleasantly discordant soundtrack and its surprisingly complex level design.

To those of you who've also spent a bit of time with this title: do you agree with the above, or do you have a different opinion Taito's effort here?

See also: previous 'Second Chances' posts

Say hello to my new Twitter header image

Those of you who frequent Twitter likely are aware that the site recently overhauled the design of its profile pages to make them look a bit more like the ones found on social-media rival Facebook.

I've avoided updating my Twitter profile page until now out of sheer laziness, but all of that changed last night because ... actually, I have no idea why it changed last night. Regardless, something prompted me to get off my butt and update my Twitter profile.

Sadly, my first attempts were kind of hideous (mostly due to my inability to find high-res images of certain Kuso Miso Technique illustrations). So, this morning I decided to make my own profile image. Not a Kuso Miso Technique-inspired one, mind you--I wish I were talented enough to do that, but I'm not.



No, the thing I came up with (above) is more of a doodle. Still, I think it's pretty cute--even if the rainbow flag being carried by the PC Engine on the left is a bit wonky. (The other systems are a Nintendo DS and a Sega Dreamcast, in case it isn't obvious.)

Anyway, head on over to my Twitter profile page if you'd like to see a much larger version of it. Or just go there so you and I can interact with each other in 140 characters or less.

See also: other gaming-related doodles I've whipped up over the years

Manual Stimulation: BurgerTime Deluxe (GameBoy)

Get ready for the return of the creepy BurgerTime Deluxe cover girl.

Thankfully, you're only going to have to look at her once in this post--as opposed to the numerous times readers were forced to look at her in my first write-up about this otherwise adorable GameBoy title.



To anyone who didn't believe me when I suggested a second ago that the rest of the Japanese BurgerTime Deluxe instruction manual was pretty darn cute: please check out the following pair of pages and then try to tell me that the illustrations of the game's protagonist are anything less than awww-inspiring.



The drawings that rest atop the next pair of pages--the first of which is dubbed the "Wonderland of BurgerTime Deluxe" and likely details the game's thrilling backstory--are even cuter, in my opinion.



Sorry, there are no cute illustrations to be found on the next couple of pages.



Don't worry, the designers responsible for this miniature manual are quick to bring back the drawings.



I don't know about you, but I find BurgerTime Deluxe's cast of enemies (shown on the left-hand page above) to be kind of bizarre. I mean, the "wiener" and pickle make sense, but the cracked egg and doughnut are questionable at best.



I'm sad to have to say that I'm not entirely sure what information the pages above and below are supposed to pass on to readers, although I'm pretty sure the left-hand page above explains BurgerTime Deluxe's password system and the pages below discuss its multi-player mode.





Regardless, there are a couple more adorable illustrations on the last few pages, so who really cares what all of the text around them is supposed to tell readers, right?

See also: previous 'Manual Stimulation' posts

You say 'ecpica,' I say 'adorable'

I need a little adorableness in my life today, so rather than present all of you with yet another rambling post about an unheralded GameBoy or PC Engine game I've decided to present you with the following:



Each of these photos were taken by Singapore-based Flickr user ecpica, by the way, with the one above being titled "Siesta Time."



This one, on the other hand, is called "Lazy Afternoon."



And then there's "The Strange Bees in My Garden," above.

For even more adorableness, check out ecpica's Flickr photostream at your earliest convenience.

Soon my Japanese 3DS LL won't feel so naked

That's because I'm going to buy one of the Monster Hunter airu (felyne) pouches seen below as soon as they're available--which will be at the end of March, according to play-asia.com.



Actually, my current plan is to pre-order it via amiami.com so it can be shipped along with my copy of Kumamon ★ Bomber: Puzzle de Kumamon Taisou, also releasing sometime next month.



As much as I like the front of this particular 3DS LL/XL pouch, I like the reverse even more--thanks in large part to the "From the Monster Hunter" message splashed across its backside.

See also: 'A few photos of (and thoughts on) my gold Pokémon Center 3DS LL'

Kaneko's Peetan: another import-only GameBoy title I desperately want to own

Despite the headline above, I'm not at all sure if this obscure, Japanese GameBoy puzzler should be called Peetan, Piitan or Pitan.

Based on what I've learned about katakana so far, I'd be far more likely to use either Pitan (perhaps with a macron over the "i") or Piitan than Peetan, but since the double-e version seems to be the most common usage on the good ol' Interwebs, I'll go with it here, too.

Anyway, who really cares how you're supposed to spell the game's name? The real reason you're reading this is to find out why I want to own it, right?



My response: it's a single-screen action-puzzler that stars a bunch of cute chicks--and I'm not talking about the kind who have big chests and wear tight skirts.

It helps, of course, that Peetan was produced by the fine folks at Kaneko, who also had a hand in making the similarly obscure Game Gear title called The Berlin Wall.

Sadly, I doubt I'll be buying a copy of this one anytime soon, as I've yet to see one pop up on ebay or any of the online Japanese game shops that I frequent, so while you wait for that to happen you might want to check out the video above as well as Retro Collect's admirably thorough review.

A few thoughts on (and a photo of) the new Club Nintendo Pikmin tote bag

You knew before now that as of a few weeks ago the North American Club Nintendo is offering a Pikmin-branded tote bag as one of its rewards, right?

Well, if you didn't, you know it now.

I picked one up as soon as I was able, of course--mostly because I'm a huge Pikmin fan, but also because I like cute-but-practical things.

Anyway, my tote arrived on my doorstep last week. Here's a photo of it in its current resting place (on the back of my office chair):

The tote's actually a bit smaller than I thought it would be, I have to say. Not that it's tiny; it's plenty big, but I wouldn't plan on using it to pick up a week's worth of groceries or anything like that. It's more suited for carrying, say, a laptop and a few notebooks, I think.

It also should be noted that the tote seems pretty sturdy. Of course, I'm not the most experienced tote owner in the world, so what do I know? Regardless, it doesn't feel flimsy--or it doesn't feel that way to me.

The question is: how will I be using it? Or will I be using it at all? The answer to both of those questions, sadly, is that I probably won't use it at all.

Who knows, though, maybe I'll use it the next time I travel--just so everyone at the airport can "oooh!" and "ahhh!" as I walk clutching this most fabulous looking tote.

Did any of you snag one of these beauties? If so, what do you think of it so far? And how are you putting it to use (if you're putting it to use at all?

QR codes for a few more of my favorite characters from THE 'DENPA' MEN 2

It's extremely possible--as well as kind of depressing--that very few people who visit this blog will be interested in this post, but I'm publishing it anyway so that something will pop up should some poor schmuck Google "THE 'DENPA' MEN 2 QR codes" in the near or even distant future.

With that out of the way, here are six more of my favorite THE "DENPA" MEN 2 characters--all of whom I personally "caught" while in the bathrooms of nearby restaurants and coffee shops, er, I mean, while strolling around my very own neighborhood.

Raelynn (Big Bang)

Sophie (Deep Shadow)

Glen (Ice Missile)

Farrah (Cyclone)

Lawrence (Comet Crash)

Dorian (Bolt from the Blue)

I know everyone who owns a 3DS (including myself, of course) is busy being obsessed with Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but I hope that when that obsession wanes at least a few of those folks will give THE "DENPA" MEN 2 a try, because it and its predecessor are two of the most charming--and challenging, it has to be said--games I've played in the last few years.

See also: 'QR codes for a few of my (current) favorite characters from THE 'DENPA' MEN 2'

Reed Bond's 'Pink Yoshi'

Remember the "Sexy Shy Guy" I wrote about a few days ago? (Check it out here if you don't.) Well, it appears it was part of some sort of concerted effort by the folks behind the Drawed Goods site to illustrate characters from the Super Mario Bros. universe.

Another of the pieces created as part of the aforementioned effort is the one seen below (and here):

It was made by Atlanta-based artist Reed Bond and is, in my humble opinion, the definition of "adorbs." (I'm especially fond of Yoshi's side-eye.)

To see more of Bond's work, hop on over to his tumblr--reedicule.tumblr.com--when you have a second. Also, I'd highly recommend checking out drawedgoods.com while you're at it.

Sexy Shy Guy

I'm not entirely sure why, but awesome, Atlanta-based artist, Drew Green, recently decided to draw a "sexy Shy Guy."

I found it completely adorable when I came across it on Facebook, so of course I had to share it here.

To see more of Drew's work, be sure to check out his deviantart gallery and his Tumblr at your convenience.

Oh, and check out his wonderful comic, Ross Boston, too, if you're into that sort of thing.

Manual Stimulation: Door Door (Famicom)

Considering this game's outer packaging is about as colorful as it gets for Nintendo's Famicom, you might think its instruction manual is similarly vibrant, right?

Well, guess again. I have a feeling that has less to do with the powers that be at Enix being cheapskates, though, than it does with Door Door being the company's debut release for the system that North Americans know as the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Still, this adorable platformer-puzzler's manual is worth a look due to its smattering of precious illustrations.



No such drawings can be found on the manual's first few pages, unfortunately, although the cover image thankfully doesn't disappoint.





A black-and-white screenshot pops up on the sixth page, but I'm guessing most of you won't find that too thrilling. (Don't worry, I'm also not impressed.)



Finally! Here are the drawings for which we've been waiting, Are they the most amazing things ever? Not really, although I do think they're pretty darn cute.

I'm pretty sure our Christmas tree *needs* one of these ornaments

I know it's a little early to be talking about Christmas or any of the other upcoming winter holidays, but I think you'll forgive me for doing so once you lay your eyes on the Christmas-y thing about which I want to talk.

Showcased in the photo below is a GameBoy ornament (or keychain, if you prefer) that's currently being sold by Canadian fiber artist Michelle Coffee via her etsy shop.



A single 2.5-inch-by-3.25-inch ornament will set you back just over $12 (not including shipping, it seems)--which really isn't too much when you consider the, er, adorableness it'll add to your tree or wreath this holiday season.

See also: 'Kirby in process'

I like big Pokébutts and I cannot lie

Especially when they're drawn by artist Lindsey Morris (aka Wine Lips), who is hawking a 12-page mini-comic called Pokébutts via her website.

As I'm sure you can tell by the comic's title, Pokébutts features full-color drawings of Pokémon characters sporting ample derrières.

Morris is selling two versions of Pokébutts, by the way. The standard edition can be had for just $5, while the special edition--which is customized with your choice of hand-drawn Pokébutt--costs $8.

I've already decided I'm going for the $8 version, but I haven't yet placed my order because I'm unsure as to which Pokémon character I want Morris to JLO-ize.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Manual Stimulation: Pop'n Magic (PC Engine)

Diabetics beware! The manual below--for the PC Engine CD game, Pop'n Magic--is about as sugary sweet as you're about to see in these "Manual Stimulation" posts.

Actually, both the manual's cover and one of its first two inside pages literally are sugary sweet, as both feature photos of colorful candy.





Strangely, that's it as far as photos of candy are concerned. I wonder if the designers of this manual were worried about putting readers into confectionary comas?

Regardless, they certainly didn't seem to be afraid that readers would suffer from an overdose of cuteness. The guy and gal seen in the spread below, by the way, are Pop'n Magic's rather adorable protagonists.





I really like how the folks at Riot/Telenet spruced things up throughout this manual with splashes of color and the occasional illustration--a number of which can be seen in the pages above and below.