Happy 6th anniversary, PS Vita!

I've got to admit I was a bit surprised to read, shortly after I woke up this morning, that today marks the sixth anniversary of the Vita's Japanese release.

It just doesn't seem like Sony's second handheld made its debut all the way back on Dec. 17, 2011, does it?

Granted, it's possible my perspective on the matter is a bit skewed because I took my sweet time in buying the company's PSP follow-up. In fact, I waited until early 2015 to get one--the beautiful "light pink and white" Vita only sold in Japan.

Although I can't quite say I prefer the Vita to its predecessor, nor can I say I prefer the Vita's library of games to the PSP's, I can say I'm a huge fan of the more recent portable and its extensive catalog all the same.

Hell, all you need to do is look at my lengthy "now playing" list--discussed in my last blog post--for proof.

Note: I stole this lovely photo from the official Japanese PlayStation Twitter account

For even more proof, consider that both Undertale and VA-11 HALL-A will be included in my upcoming "favorite games of 2017" write-up. Romancing SaGa 2 may sneak in under the wire, too, though I need a bit more time with it before I make a decision one way or the other.

And then there's the fact that a couple of weeks ago I bought boxed copies of two Japan-only Vita releases I've had my eye on for ages--SaGa: Scarlet Grace and Yuusha Shisu (aka Hero Must Die).

Given all of the above, I doubt I'll toss my Vita aside anytime soon. On the contrary, I expect to play it nearly as much as I play my Switch (and even my many 3DSes) in 2018 thanks not only to all the great titles that were published for the system this year but all the ones I picked up--and have yet to play--previously, too.

Are any of you still showing your Vita some love? If so, which games are you playing on it these days? And do you think you'll continue to use the system next year and beyond?

Nintendo's doing its darndest to get me to buy not just one New 2DS XL, but two

I don't know about you, but I thought there was a lot to like about today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts.

After all, Japan's Nintendo Direct revealed that a fourth Style Savvy game--known there as Girls Mode--will be released in that country on Nov. 12.

The Japanese broadcast also prompted reactions of shock and awe by unveiling a 2018 sequel--or is it more of a spinoff?--to Dillon's Rolling Western that's being called (across the pond, at least) The Dead Heat Breakers.



Oddly, neither of these games were shown off or even mentioned during the North American Nintendo Direct. Still, I have a feeling they'll eventually see the light of day here, too.

All three of the Nintendo Directs also shared new details about and even in-depth looks at previously unveiled 3DS and Switch titles like Kirby: Battle Royale, Kirby: Star Allies and Square Enix's intriguing Project Octopath Traveler, which looks to be equal parts Bravely Default and SaGa. They also let it slip that the first Dragon Quest Builders is being ported to Switch and will release this coming spring.

Still, as much as all of the above brought a smile to my face (and kept it there through the duration of these 45- and 50-minute videos), none of it thrilled me as much as the news that the white-and-orange New 2DS XL, previously a Japan-only product, will hit North American store shelves on Oct. 6.

To be completely honest, I need another 3DS like I need a hole in my head, but I've been considering replacing my old "flame red" system for some time now, so why not do so with this smartly colored redesign?



The only thing that's keeping me from pre-ordering one of these white-and-orange handhelds right now is that Nintendo of Japan showcased an even more attractive color scheme--white and lavender (see above)--in its broadcast.

Of course, it's highly unlikely Nintendo of America will bring that model to our shores, so maybe I should just go ahead with the white-and-orange purchase.

Or maybe I should save my money so I can actually buy a Switch once Nintendo finally works out the kinks in that console's production process?

Welcome to WonderSwan World: Tane wo Maku Tori

This Bandai-published WonderSwan game was one of the first I picked up--along with Engacho!--when I began collecting for this GameBoy competitor back in 2012.

Not that I was able to play it at that time. I didn't buy a WonderSwan system, a translucent black Color model, until three years later. (Here is the post I published about that momentous event, in case you're curious. And if you'd like to learn more about the WonderSwan Color hardware, check out this "Welcome to WonderSwan World" write-up.)

So what do I think of Tane wo Maku Tori now that I've spent some time with it? I like it--quite a lot, actually.

As for why that is, here are the main reasons:

* Tane wo Maku Tori is a puzzle game, a genre which the WonderSwan handles better than almost any other.
* To play it, you hold your WonderSwan system of choice sideways, in portrait or "TATE" mode. (Any title that allows this earns bonus points from me.)
* This 1999 release features an appealingly high-contrast aesthetic.
* It also offers up an eclectic soundtrack that veers from morosely moody to buoyantly blippy.

Tane wo Maku Tori's gameplay is noteworthy, too, although not always in the most positive way, if I'm allowed to be honest.

On the surface, at least, the puzzling action presented here is refreshingly unique. Your goal: to guide water droplets from the top of the WonderSwan's screen to a seed or seeds that are waiting at the bottom.

You do this to help the game's protagonist, the crow seen in the first screenshot above, fill his hometown with flowers before his migratory friend returns from the south. (That description was provided by shinjuforest.blogspot.com, by the way.)

As for how you guide the above-mentioned droplets from one end of the screen to the other, that's not so easily explained. The gist, though, is each water drop can take one of four paths down to the seeds scattered on the ground, with the paths in question represented by bamboo stalks, vines, construction girders and more. To complicate matters, these "vessels" are joined at various points.

Those connectors--tree branches, additional beams and the like--are all you control while playing Tane wo Maku Tori. Using the WonderSwan's left-most set of face buttons, you press up or down to move the "connecting bits" in that same direction, while pressing left or right changes which section of connectors are under your control.

So, you move the branches and beams and whatnot up and down to enable the water drops to land one of the seeds below.

Early on, that's all you have to worry about while playing Tane wo Maku Tori. After a few levels, however, enemies--in the form of water-loving bugs and slugs and other creepy-crawlies--throw a wrench into the works by joining the fray.

That's where things get a little messy, or at least that's where they tend to get messy for me. Trying to corral droplets while also keeping them clear of roaming baddies quickly becomes a real challenge--to the point that Tane wo Maku Tori often feels a bit too frantic for its own good.

Still, I'm glad it exists, as its many quirks allow it to stand out in the WonderSwan's dense field of puzzle games. Also, it's a puzzler that stars a sad crow; it would be kind of hard not to like such a thing, wouldn't you agree?

Have any of you played Tane wo Maku Tori? If so, share your own feelings about it in the comments section of this post. And feel free to share any advice or tips you may have with me there, too--I'm all ears!

See also: previous 'Welcome to WonderSwan World' posts and photos of Tane wo Maku Tori's lovely packaging

Welcome to WonderSwan World: Special Glamour Shots® Edition

Three WonderSwan-focused posts in a row? Seriously?

Yes, seriously.

I guess you could say I have Bandai's Japan-only GameBoy competitor on the brain right now. Don't worry, I'll write about something else in the next few days. (In fact, a couple of half-finished, 3DS-centric posts are staring at me, begging to be wrapped up, as I type this one.)

In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy ogling the following photos I recently snapped of my WonderSwan Color system and a selection of the WonderSwan games I brought on the road with me this year.



I took these photos in a Palm Springs (California) hotel room, by the way. Its decor didn't exactly lend itself well to such snapshots, so I improvised a light box by going to a nearby Walmart (don't judge), buying a large piece of white poster board and then laying it on a table near our room's main windows.

Granted, that isn't a whole lot different from what I did to nab game and console photos back when I lived in Seattle. There, I placed items on a white, well-lit IKEA table that also effectively replicated a light box.

Anyway, enough about that. I promised WonderSwan Glamour Shots®, so let's focus on them from here on out, shall we?

The first two showcased here are of my translucent black WonderSwan Color system. It's a real beauty, isn't it? Honestly, I'm head-over-heels in love with this handheld's design. Strangely, I think I like the look of the original WonderSwan best (it's a tad sleeker and smidge more minimalist than its two successors), but the Color is pretty sweet, too.

If you'd like to see a few photos of the WonderSwan Color's box, by the way, you can do so by checking out my first "Welcome to WonderSwan World" post or this Flickr photo album. (The latter includes shots of a number of WonderSwan game boxes, cartridges and manuals, too, in case that sort of thing interests you.)

Five favorites: North American GameBoy box art

A couple of years ago, I published a post that highlighted five of my favorite pieces of Japanese GameBoy box art.

This post, of course, focuses on five of my favorite pieces of North American GameBoy box art.

Balloon Kid--I know some of you will look at Balloon Kid's cover art and declare it to be an abomination. And I can understand that--to an extent. Its depiction of the game's pigtailed protagonist is a bit odd, to say the least. The illustration of the giant, bug-eyed fish that's attempting to eat Alice (the aforementioned heroine) is even worse. Still, I like the overall image, thanks in large part to its liberal and adept use of color. I'm also a big fan of the game's bold and subtly creative logo. (Bonus: the entirety of Balloon Kid's instruction manual can be seen here.)

BurgerTime Deluxe--This is one of the few instances where I prefer a GameBoy title's North American box art to its Japanese counterpart. (You can see the Japanese BurgerTime Deluxe's cover in this old post.) Not only that, but I think this particular example of packaging design may be my favorite of all the ones included in this post. I want to say the logo is the star here, but the illustrations of Peter Pepper (he's the guy in the funny-looking white hat) and BurgerTime Deluxe's angry, anthropomorphic ingredients are pretty stellar, too. I even like the purple backdrop that supports the whole she-bang.

Dig Dug--This selection will raise a few eyebrows, I'm sure. It's quite a bit darker than and nowhere near as cute as what most people would expect to see splashed across the cover of a GameBoy port of this Namco arcade classic. That's probably a big part of why I like it so much, to be honest. There's more to it than that, though. I also appreciate the skewed perspective that puts one of the game's iconic Pooka enemies front and center. Admittedly, the protagonist's mouth-tongue-whatever-it-is freaks me out a tad, but I'm willing to overlook it for the rest of what's on offer here.

Mole Mania--This piece of box art really looks like something the designers at Nintendo would cook up, doesn't it? It's stuffed to the gills with cute characters, it's positively doused with pastels and it's got an adorable logo plastered across its top half. Could the artists who created it have removed the main mole's unibrow? No doubt. Still, Mole Mania's cover is a keeper even with the little guy's questionable grooming habits on display. By the way, if you'd like to see how this game's North American packaging stacks up to its Japanese packaging, check out this post.

Wario Land--Full disclosure: I've barely played any of the first four Wario Land games. I can't even tell you why that's the case. I guess I've just always gotten my fill from Nintendo's Mario-centric platformers. Anyway, the Wario Land series' covers certainly aren't responsible for me ignoring its games. The one made for this first entry is a knockout, wouldn't you agree? Some may say it's busy, and I can't (completely) argue against that, but I personally think such a bombastic design works in this particular context.

So, what do you think of these examples of North American GameBoy box art? Do you like them, too--or do you hate them?

If it's the latter and if you can think of pieces of North American GameBoy box art you prefer, let me know about them in the comments section of this post.

Six North American and Japanese Vita games I may buy (and play) later in 2016 or as soon as possible in 2017

In my last post, I chatted about eight North American and Japanese Vita games I'm going to do everything I can to buy and play between now and, say, this time next year.

I'd also like the buy and play the ones mentioned in this write-up, but I'm far less likely to do so--and for a slew of different reasons (which change from game to game).

Keep reading to find out which titles I'm talking about here and why I'm not 100 percent sure I'll purchase them in the next six or eight months.



Alone With You--Although I've been curious about this game since it was first announced, I've cooled on it since reading some mighty negative reviews of it on line. Still, I can't help but want to see for myself if all the criticism is warranted, as I really like its art style and I also like the idea of supporting creative indie developers.



Caligula--And here's another game I started out wanting, only to find myself wanting it less and less as I came across more and more negative impressions of it on NeoGAF, Twitter and elsewhere. Given that, I have a feeling this is the least likely of all the Vita games discussed in this particular post to find its way into my collection.

SaGa: Scarlet Grace--In what world is a new SaGa game (or even a new game clearly inspired by Square Enix's SaGa series, like The Alliance Alive) only a possible pick-up for me? In a world where pretty much every second of gameplay footage released for the new SaGa game makes it look like a complete mess at best. Seriously, while the first Scarlet Grace screenshots suggested the title would be a serious return to form for creator Akitoshi Kawazu, seeing it in action prompted a change of heart that now has me assuming the opposite. I may buy a copy of it anyway, though, simply because I love SaGa and can't imagine ignoring one of its too-rare entries.



Steins;Gate 0--I've heard only great things about the Steins;Gate franchise. In fact, all of that positive chatter is what pushed me to buy the first Steins;Gate Vita game after it hit store shelves in my neck of the woods last year. So why am I not itching to purchase this precursor, too? Because I've yet to even open the aforementioned copy of the original. It's still in the running to be picked up sometime late this year or early next, though, because I'm worried that once I finally play Steins;Gate I'll wish I could follow it up with Steins;Gate 0.



Tokyo Xanadu--Full disclosure: I have very little experience with Nihon Falcom-made games. In fact, I'm pretty sure Ys I & II and Ys III are the only ones I've played to date. I'd like to change that by picking up this highly regarded action RPG--which supposedly feels a lot like the modern Ys titles, actually. The question is: when will Aksys Games bring it to our shores? All that's known about Tokyo Xanadu's North American release at the moment is it'll hit store shelves here sometime in 2017.



Yomawari--As is the case with The Longest 5 Minutes, which I mentioned in my last post. I already own the Japanese version of this game. I'm contemplating getting the just-released North American version as well, though, because I'd really like to understand everything when I finally play through it. Or maybe I should just use this as an opportunity to improve my Japanese language skills?

Are any of you also looking to buy and play one or more of these North American or Japanese Vita games in the coming months? If so, which ones? Let me know in the comments section that follows.

Eight North American and Japanese Vita games I'm planning to buy (and play) later in 2016 or as soon as possible in 2017

The recent unveiling of the Switch did more than prompt me to contemplate all the things I may or may not be able to do with Nintendo's next console after I get my hands on one next March.

It also prompted me to contemplate all the non-Switch games I'm planning to pick up between now and then--and perhaps even after.

As the headline above hopefully makes clear, this post focuses on the many Japanese and North American Vita titles that I'm aiming to buy (and obviously play) later in 2016 or at some point in 2017.

A follow-up post that'll be published in a couple of days will cover the Vita games I'm considering buying during the same period of time, while a later post will tackle the slew of North American and Japanese 3DS games that are likely to land on my doorstep in the coming six months or so.



2064: Read Only Memories--It's kind of weird (some might say sad) that I'm starting this list with a port that may never see the light of day, isn't it? After all, developer MidBoss "indefinitely delayed" the Vita version of this LGBTQ-inclusive cyberpunk adventure a couple of months ago. Still, I'm holding out hope it'll eventually be released, as I'm desperate to play it and I really don't want to have to do it using my MacBook.



Crypt of the NecroDancer--I salivated over this game from the time it was first announced to the time it hit the Vita early in 2016. (It was a messy year or two, I admit.) So why have I dragged my feet in terms of buying it? Because I've barely turned on my Vita or played any of its games this year, that's why. That's not a rip on Sony's second handheld or its catalog of titles, by the way; the fact is I've simply been too busy and too stressed out this year to play more than the occasional 3DS or retro game. Thankfully, things will be much different next year--hell, they may be much different in a few days--so don't be surprised if I start chatting about this curious mash-up of the rhythm and roguelike genres sooner rather than later.



Dragon Quest Builders--Of all the "definitely buying later this year or early next" games discussed in this post, this Minecraft clone is the one I want the most. The main reason for that, I've got to sheepishly admit, is that it looks amazing. I especially love how Square Enix's artists have translated Akira Toriyama's character designs into 3D. On top of its delicious visuals, though, Dragon Quest Builders also seems like a ton of fun.



The Longest 5 Minutes--I already have the Japanese version of this weird Nippon Ichi title (known as World's Longest 5 Minutes on that side of the pond), which is one part RPG and one part visual novel. Oh, and let's not forget the two parts gorgeous 8-bit-esque graphics. Still, I'm thinking of double-dipping (NIS America announced in August it's prepping an English release for sometime in 2017), as I doubt the text in the Japanese original will make much sense to me anytime soon.



Princess wa Kane no Mouja--If the name to the left has you scratching your head, how about The Princess is Money-Hungry? The latter is the former loosely translated into English. For more information on it, check out these posts I published about it in August. Anyway, don't expect me to pre-order Princess wa Kane no Mouja or even pick it up shortly after it hits the streets in Japan late next month. Not only won't I have the time or attention span for it until early 2017, but I'd like to give NIS America a chance to announce a Western release before biting the bullet. (Of course, I may purchase a boxed Japanese copy regardless, as I have a feeling a North American version will be digital-only.)



New Danganronpa V3--Surely NIS America will bring this latest entry in Spike Chunsoft's series of horror-tinged visual novels to Western shores, right? Assuming that's the case, I'll definitely add it to my surprisingly extensive collection of Vita games as soon as is possible--despite the fact that I've yet to finish the first Danganronpa or even start the second.



Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate--Although I placed a pre-order for this portable roguelike as soon as I was able to do so a few months ago, I canceled it just before release when I realized I wouldn't be able to play it anytime soon. I've seen so many positive tweets about it since then, though, that now I'm kicking myself for passing on it. So, the current plan is to convince someone in my life to buy it for me as a birthday or Christmas present. If that doesn't pan out, I'll buy it for myself.



VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action--What do we have here? Yes, another in-limbo Vita port of an indie PC game I'm absolutely itching to play. And this one's supposedly getting a (limited, I'm guessing) physical release, which is making the wait seem even more interminable. I guess the good news here is I think the VA-11 HALL-A Vita port is more likely to happen than the 2064: Read Only Memories Vita port, so at least I'll probably get to play one of these curiosities before the end of 2017.

Are any of you also looking to purchase one or more of these Japanese or North American Vita games in the coming months? If so, which ones?

If you've already played some of these titles, by the way, please let me (and others) know what you thought of them in the comments section below.

A few more thoughts on the Nintendo Switch now that I've had a couple of days to think about it

If you read my most recent post, you know I was pretty excited by the unveiling of Nintendo's next games console, Switch. I wouldn't say the reveal blew me away, but it definitely interested and intrigued me.

Although I'm still interested and intrigued a few days later, I'm also a bit ... confused? I'm not sure that's the right word, but whatever. Basically, a number of questions have been bouncing around in my brain since Nintendo introduced Switch. Here they are, in case you're curious.

Is Switch really supposed to replace both the Wii U and the 3DS?--That Switch is supposed to replace the DOA Wii U is a given. Hell, Nintendo even chose to promote Switch using bulked-up ports of some of its best Wii U games, like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon. I'm not entirely sure Switch is supposed to replace the 3DS, though. I assumed that would be the case before the system's reveal on Wednesday morning, but now I've got my doubts. That's mainly because Switch doesn't look like a $200 or even a $250 system at the moment--and, in my opinion, that's the price point Switch is going to need if it's going to take over where the 3DS and even the company's DS and GameBoy lines left off.



Maybe the Switch Nintendo unveiled this week is just the first in a planned line of systems?--What I mean here is, what if what Nintendo showed off in Wednesday's three-minute promo video is the "pro" version of Switch? And what if Nintendo later (six months down the road, maybe a year) releases a "standard" or "lite" version of the system that dumps the dock? In other words, what if Nintendo offers up a package that consists of just the tablet and two Joy-Cons? I'm guessing that would allow the company to sell Switch for a lot less than it's going to sell the docked version it introduced us to a couple of days ago. It also would allow the company to attract more of the mainstream (or maybe I should say family-friendly) audience that has supported its other portable systems over the years. And who knows? Nintendo may also produce a "plus" version down the line that beefs up the abilities of the standard Switch and costs $50 or $100 more.



If Switch isn't supposed to replace the 3DS, why is Nintendo replacing the Wii U first?--There's no question the Wii U bombed--right out of the gate, in fact. If Nintendo intends to stay in the home console space, it needs to be replaced. Most people (including me) would argue, though, that replacing the rapidly aging (and dying) 3DS line is far more important at this time. Nintendo and a few third-party game developers and publishers may continue to support the 3DS with software into 2018, but that isn't going to keep the handheld's sales from falling off a cliff at the end of this year or sometime early in 2017. Given that, why would Nintendo decide to replace the Wii U first? This makes me think either Switch will be cheaper than I'm imagining ($250 or less), or Nintendo is prepping a stripped-down Switch--à la the comment above--that the company hopes will be more appealing to the 3DS audience.



Will Nintendo finally offer up a real account system with Switch?--It's going to be really interesting to see what happens if Switch hits store shelves and doesn't include a modern account system that ties digital game purchases to the buyer rather than a specific piece of hardware. In such a situation, I'd actually expect a sizable portion of the Nintendo faithful to pass on the system. A lot of people are tired of being asked to buy the same games many times over--whether we're talking about retro Virtual Console titles or digital versions of current-gen or last-gen releases. I'm one of them, unsurprisingly. Does that mean I'll pass on Switch if it treats eShop purchases like the 3DS, Wii and Wii U did? I'm not sure. What I can tell you right now, though, is that if such a scenario were to come true, there's no way in hell I'd re-buy any game I already bought via my Wii or 3DS. I'd also continue to do what I've done for some time now, which is buy physical or retail games (rather than digital ones) whenever possible.



How is Nintendo going to handle backward compatibility this time around (if at all)?--Of all the console-makers, Nintendo is at the top of the heap when it comes to consistently producing backward-compatible systems. One of the few times the company didn't produce such a system was when it transitioned from the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 to the disc-based GameCube. With Switch, Nintendo's going the other direction--from a disc-based console (Wii U) to a cart-based one. Given that, it'll be hard to fault the company if Switch doesn't magically allow owners of physical Wii or Wii U discs to play those games on their shiny new systems. But what if it doesn't allow them to play previously purchased digital Wii or Wii U games? That could be as problematic as the possible lack of a real account system, if you ask me. Here's hoping Nintendo comes up with a solution that makes everyone happy.

Do you have any thoughts on the questions above? Share them in the comments section below.

Eight thoughts on the Nintendo Switch

Early this morning (in my neck of the woods, at least), Nintendo unveiled--via a three-minute video that can be viewed below--its "new home gaming console," called Switch.

Previously referred to as the NX, the Switch offers up a whole lot of gaming options in a surprisingly small package. The gist: it's a small tablet with detachable controllers that also can be connected to (and played on) a TV.

As with all things Nintendo, the Switch's reveal provoked reactions that ranged from amazed to aghast. How did I react to it? The rest of this write-up should give you a good idea.

The name is miles better than the Wii U--To be honest, when I first saw it appear in this morning's Nintendo Switch debut trailer, I wasn't all that impressed. As I continued to watch, though, it sunk in that the name's pretty darn fitting given what the system allows people to do. Plus, it ditches both the DS and Wii naming schemes Nintendo has relied on for the last two generations, which was a must. (Connecting this system to the Wii brand, especially, would've been suicide, in my opinion.) Plus, I really like the animated logo that was used throughout today's teaser and I think Nintendo can get a lot of mileage out of it if it plays its cards right.



I'm going to miss the clamshell design of the DS and 3DS--Now that I've seen what Nintendo wanted to accomplish with Switch, I understand why it had to leave the iconic clamshell design of its last two portable game systems in the dust. Still, I can't help but mourn the loss at least a bit, especially since that design helped protect DS and 3DS screens and buttons from scratches and other damage. Oh, well, that's nothing a soft pouch can't help with (in the case of Switch), right?

I'm also going to miss the DS' and 3DS' two screens--I'm having an easier time with this design decision than I am with the one above, as Nintendo effectively killed the most interesting aspects of two-screen gaming when it added 3D to the 3DS' top screen and also made it larger than the bottom one.

Do I have to mourn touch-screen gaming, too?--No part of this first Nintendo Switch video suggested the console's portable component features a touch screen. Still, I have a feeling we'll find out it does, in fact, sport one between now and then it finally hits store shelves next March. It only makes sense given the Switch's form factor and the rumors of Nintendo courting mobile-game developers to bring their wares to the system.



Its hybrid capabilities are even more interesting than I imagined--That the Switch was going to be a system you could play on the go or at home (while connected to a TV) has been a given for eons now. Even the detachable controller parts have been a known quantity for some time. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shocked by some of what was shown off in this morning's teaser. In particular, I loved seeing that you can detach the above-mentioned parts and hold one in each hand, or you can stick them into an accessory that makes them look and act like a more traditional controller. And then there's the most controversial use of these "Joy-Con" peripherals (I love that name, by the way), which involves turning them sideways and holding them like they're tiny NES or SNES controllers. I can't see myself ever employing that method of play, but I like that it's an option all the same.

It's hard to tell how powerful the Switch is in a three-minute piece of PR fluff, but it looks capable enough to me--Of course, "capable enough to me" means on par with or a smidgen better than the Wii U. I sincerely doubt Nintendo's aiming for this system to be no more powerful than that failed console, though, so the final product should at least equal two Wii Us duct-taped together. (Please tell me you get the joke.) That would be beyond fine with me, especially since I passed on the Wii U and have yet to experience any of Nintendo's wonderful gaming franchises in honest-to-goodness high definition.



I love that Switch uses cartridges rather than discs--Some people find this baffling, I'm sure, but I'm not one of them. I mean, can you imagine a portable device like this having a disc slot? I can't. Plus, I simply prefer carts to CDs or DVDs when it comes to gaming. No disc drive means less noise, fewer loading screens and a smaller console--with the latter being especially important for an on-the-go system like Switch.

The list of third-party partners Nintendo has shown off is promising, but doesn't mean much at the moment--If you've followed Nintendo and its systems for any length of time, you know its relationships with third-party developers and publishers have been strained--to put it mildly--since the Nintendo 64 era. Has everyone kissed and made up thanks to Switch? I'll believe it when I see it. Hopefully, though, Switch will attract at least as much third-party software as the 3DS has, and far more than the Wii U ever did.

So, those are my initial thoughts and opinions on today's Nintendo Switch unveiling. What are yours?

The Gay Gamer x Retronauts Micro x GameBoy THE SEQUEL

Two months ago, I appeared on the 41st Retronauts Micro podcast. USgamer's Jeremy Parish and I chatted about the 1989 launch of Nintendo's GameBoy.

Specifically, we talked about the handheld's first batch of games: Alleyway, Baseball, Super Mario Land and Yakuman.

This time around, we discuss the GameBoy's next two titles (in Japan, at least): Tennis and Tetris.

I was especially happy to be able to share my thoughts on the latter. I've been a fan of the sport of tennis since I was a youngster, and I've long had a soft spot for Nintendo's (initial) portable take on it.

That's not to say I don't also have a soft spot for Tetris. Who doesn't love this game--and this version of it, in particular?

Anyway, if you like the GameBoy (or you're at least curious about it), you're OK with listening to two guys talk about a couple of its titles and you have just over 30 minutes of free time, head on over to retronauts.com and check out Retronauts Micro #41.

How many of you also are considering picking up one of these PocketCHIP handhelds?

Like a lot of folks, I didn't know a thing about the PocketCHIP handheld system until today.

Now that I'm aware of it, though, I can't help but want one--and rather desperately, at that.

If you're still out of the loop as to what the PocketCHIP is, well, there isn't much I can say to bring you up to speed. That's not because I'm a big jerk, mind you; rather it's because I don't quite understand it myself.

This trailer should at least give you an idea as to what you'll get if you ever buy one of these suckers.



Speaking of which, this adorable, minuscule handheld--which plays games made for the PICO-8 "fantasy console," that much I know--will set you back just $49.

Or at least that's all it'll set you back if you pre-order one soon.

I'm seriously considering doing that, of course--in part because the PocketCHIP just seems like a cool gadget, and in part because I like the look of some of the PICO-8 games that can be found on lexaloffle.com.

How about all of you wonderful people? Are any of you contemplating picking up one of these portables on or around its June launch?

If I didn't already own a Vita, I'd totally buy one of the Dragon Quest Metal Slime Editions hitting Japanese store shelves on Jan. 28

Don't take the comment above to mean I'm at all unhappy with the precious pink-and-white Japanese Vita I picked up earlier this year, by the way.



In fact, if I had to choose between that version of Sony's latest handheld and one of the Dragon Quest Metal Slime Edition models showcased throughout this blog post, I'd still probably go with old pinky.

If the pink-and-white one didn't exist, though, there's no question in my mind that I'd blow the needed amount of money on a Metal Slime system.

Speaking of the latter, these slick special editions are set to hit the streets--and store shelves--of Japan on Jan. 28 alongside Square Enix's intriguing Dragon Quest Builders game.

A copy of that Minecraft-esque title will be included with each Metal Slime Edition package, as will an adorable Metal Slime headphone jack figure, an AC adapter, a power cord and a USB cable.



I don't suppose any of you fine folks have pre-ordered one of these suckers--or have designs on purchasing one down the road?

If so, please let me know in the comments section below so I can become your new best friend.

(Via gematsu.com)

The 'Tumbleweed Portable Club' (of lonely WonderSwan owners) has another member

Remember this recent post, the focal point of which was a snapshot of a tiny, cube-shaped box that was topped by a copy of Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits?

Well, the photos that follow detail the contents of that surprisingly small package.



No, your eyes aren't deceiving you. I finally got off my lazy butt and bought a WonderSwan. Specifically, a translucent black WonderSwan Color.

That may have elicited a groan from some of you. After all, anyone who knows anything about the WonderSwan knows that the SwanCrystal is by far the best of the three WonderSwan systems that were sold in Japan in the late 1990s and early 2000s.



The thing is, I didn't go out of my way to buy this WonderSwan Color. You see, it was just one part of a nicely appointed eBay auction that also included a number of WonderSwan games.

In fact, one of those games--the one seen below--was responsible for bringing my attention to the eBay auction in question.

That would be the WonderSwan port of Human Entertainment's Clock Tower--or Clock Tower for WonderSwan, as I believe it's officially known.

For whatever reason, I got a bug up my butt about this horrific point-and-click game a month or so ago, and while searching eBay for a copy of it I came across a tantalizingly cheap auction that included a black WonderSwan Color, Clock Tower, a visual novel called Terrors (not pictured here) and three other WonderSwan games.

Which ones, you ask? Well, here's one of them:

Although this WonderSwan Color "remake" of Final Fantasy IV isn't all that different from Final Fantasy IV Advance for the GBA--the latter was released in 2005, while the former was released in 2002--I've long wanted to own a copy of it because I'm such a huge fan of this particular Squaresoft game.

The other two games included in the eBay auction I ended up winning are Final Fantasy titles, too. Specifically, the WonderSwan Color re-imaginings of the first and second Final Fantasy adventures. (These remakes later served as the backbones of 2002's Final Fantasy Origins for PlayStation and 2004's Final Fantasy 1 & II: Dawn of Souls for GBA.)

The photo above showcases the back of the first Final Fantasy remake's box. That illustration covering its top half is pretty slick, don't you think?

I didn't snap any shots of the front of that game's box because, well, it's not all that exciting. The same is true of the box that houses the WonderSwan Color version of Final Fantasy II.

Still, you can ogle both covers in the image above--especially if you click and zoom in on it. 

Last, but far from least, is this photo of the translucent black WonderSwan Color I first described in the opening lines of this post. 

Something you probably can't tell from this snapshot: how small this system is. Seriously, it's about the size of my wallet--which came as quite a shock to me. 

Also a pretty big shock was the dimness of the system's screen. I had been warned about this, of course, but it's been so long since I spent time with a handheld that doesn't have a backlit screen that I almost forgot how annoying that kind of thing can be.

Oh, well, I got used to it back when I spent a ton of time with an actual GameBoy (these days I mostly play that system's titles through emulation--even though I have a couple of OG GameBoy systems and a ton of games), I'm sure I'll get used to it again.

See also: 'I now own 10 WonderSwan games but I still don't own a system that will allow me to play any of them'

Has any game ever looked as frightening *and* adorable as Nippon Ichi's Yomawari?

Seriously. Just look at this new trailer (below) for Nippon Ichi's Yomawari.

At first glance, it appears to be a cute, but dark, adventure game for the Vita. Then the enemies start popping around (around the 1:25 mark) and everything literally goes to hell.

As much as those hungry, toothy eyeballs scare the bejesus out of me, though, I'm going to do my best to play Yomawari as soon as my pre-ordered copy arrives on my doorstep.



That won't happen until sometime in early November, sadly, as the game doesn't hit Japanese store shelves until Oct. 29 and it'll take my purchase at least a week (if not two) to make its way to me.

I don't mind as much as I may be letting on, though, as the delay will give me plenty of time to figure out how I'm going to keep a grip on my precious pink-and-white Vita whenever one of Yomawari's adorable-yet-frightening baddies surprises me with its presence.

Are any of you similarly curious--if also a smidge apprehensive--about this upcoming spookfest? If so, please tell me why in the comments section below.

See also: previous posts about Yomawari

Photographic proof that, even when it comes to game-related pickups, bigger isn't always better

You know that ages-old saying, "big things come in small packages"? (Some of you may know it as "good things come in small packages.")

Well, I'm now a firm believer in it being applicable to game-related pickups as well as all sorts of other life situations.

This revelation was brought about by the surprisingly small package that can be seen in the photo below, by the way. (Look past the copy of Mr Driller: Drill Spirits, which I included so as to provide a proper sense of scale.)

The package in question was just (or, rather, over the weekend) delivered to my doorstep, and it contains a surprising amount of gaming goodness.



As for exactly what that gaming goodness entails, I'm sorry to do this, but I'm going to leave that for an upcoming post. Not because I'm a fan of teasing people who happen upon my blog with overly vague write-ups like this one, mind you. No, I'm doing it because I haven't yet taken--and properly prepared--photos of its this box's contents.

Still, I wanted to publish a note (and photo) about its arrival because it has me feeling more excited than I have in quite some time.

In the meantime, you could always try to guess what's inside this tiny package. Or you can wait a week or so until I share this post's follow-up.

If you decide to go with the second option, maybe you can tell me (and everyone else who reads this write-up) about any game-related pickups that have thrilled you in recent weeks?

Apropos of nothing, I really like these recent examples of Japanese Vita box art

My original plan was for this post to be filled with pieces of box art that represent a variety of current-gen game systems--from the 3DS and Vita to the Wii U and PS4.

After contemplating things a bit, though, I decided to focus my attention on the Vita. Specifically, I decided to focus my attention on the following trio of Japanese Vita covers:

This first piece of box art, for those of you who can't read katakana, is for a game called Airship Q. Don't worry if this is the first you've heard of it, as I hadn't heard of it until I came across the image above while perusing NeoGAF about a week ago.

So, what's the point of Airship Q? Well, for starters, its developers--which include a bunch of ex-Square Enix employees--are touting the game as a "sandbox action RPG" in the mold of Minecraft and Terraria. (Visually, it calls to mind the latter far more than the former.)

There's more to this intriguing title than that, of course, but I'll hold off on saying more until tomorrow, when I'll publish a more extensive post about this upcoming release. (It's due out in Japan on Nov. 19, although it seems it'll eventually hit other regions as well.)

Even if there weren't more to it, though, I'd be seriously thinking of buying a copy because of its beautiful box art alone, which calls to mind some of the lovely illustrations that graced the covers of Sega Mega Drive games back in the day.

This cover art, on the other hand, is for a Namco Bandai-published game called Tokyo Ghoul Jail. All I know about it, unfortunately, is that it's based on a popular anime and manga series and that it'll hit Japanese store shelves both digital and physical on Oct. 1.

OK, so I know one more thing about this Tokyo Ghoul game adaptation: it'll be a visual novel--at least for the most part. (Its second trailer, which can be viewed here, suggests it'll feature some battle scenes, too.)

Is Tokyo Ghoul Jail's in-game art as wondrous as the art that's set to appear on its packaging? Not really, but you can't have everything, right? And at least the folks who buy retail copies of this title will be able to ogle the cover imagery found above whenever they feel the need.

Finally, we have the box art that's been prepared for Nihon Falcom's latest--and hopefully greatest--effort, Tokyo Xanadu.

Unsurprisingly, Tokyo Xanadu is going to be an action RPG. (I say unsurprisingly because Nihon Falcom has made a bunch of games in that genre, such as the Dragon Slayer, Popful Mail and Ys series.) Surprisingly, on the other hand, this one looks to be taking some cues from Atlus' mega-popular Persona titles.

You can see some of the latter influence in Tokyo Xanadu's cover illustration--which, admittedly, isn't as immediately sexy as the other two examples that've been shared in this post so far, but it's still pretty darn impressive.

What do you think of the pieces of box art shown throughout this post? Do you like all of them? Some of them? Even just one of them? Also, can you think of any other pieces of Vita box art that you consider wow-worthy?