Second Chances: Bubble Bobble Junior (GameBoy)

First things first: I am a longtime fan of Taito's Bubble Bobble series, the first entry in particular. That love didn't develop slowly over time as is usually the case; no, I fell head over heels for the title that started it all the second I laid eyes on its adorably decorated cabinet while perusing the arcade room of the local bowling alley as a skinny, bright-eyed, game-obsessed boy.

Despite my love for the series in general and the initial game in particular, I've never much cared for Bubble Bobble's portable iterations--namely, the non-port that's (still) known as Bubble Bobble (expect a post devoted to this one soon, by the way) and its sequel, called Bubble Bobble Junior in Japan and Bubble Bobble Part 2 in North America.

Although I've always considered the latter effort to be leagues better than the former (despite its completely fabulous Japanese box art), it's still not a game that's prompted me to think, I really enjoying playing that one--until fairly recently, I mean.

At first, I passed on it due to what I considered to be its wonky-looking protagonist. I also wasn't all that fond of the fact that its stages are larger than the GameBoy's diminutive screen and, as such, scrolling is required to see them in their entirety. And then there's the little fact that, as most (if not all) of you've probably figured by now, this game is a black-and-white--or black-and-green, I guess--rather than a rainbow-colored affair, unlike nearly all of the other Bubble Bobble games in existence.

So, what caused me to give Bubble Bobble Junior a second chance? Truth be told, I only decided to give it another shot after falling in love with its box art while writing this recent blog post. Maybe if I can find a way to at least somewhat enjoy its gameplay, I thought to myself, I can justify picking up a copy of it sometime soon. 

And what do you know? Shortly thereafter I started having fun--if not "a blast"--with this portable platformer. Now, I still don't love the fact that the levels scroll, and I can't help but wish Bub's and Bob's leaps were a smidge less "floaty," but other than those two aspects--OK, so maybe the game's not-horrible-but-also-hardly-amazing soundtrack could be thrown into the mix, too--Bubble Bobble Junior's actually pretty solid.

The enemy sprites are surprisingly well drawn, for starters. Also, similarly nice-looking bosses--like the one showcased above--pop up every 10 (or is it 20?) stages, and all of the ones I've battled so far have been a blast.

Other than that, there isn't a whole lot more to say, as this is a pretty standard Bubble Bobble outing--which of course is a very good thing, or at least it is in my opinion.

Unfortunately, should you want to own an actual, physical copy of this "pretty standard Bubble Bobble outing," you're more than likely going to have to pay dearly for it, as prices--for complete copies, especially--on eBay and elsewhere tend to be sky high. At least that nabs you some pretty packaging to ogle when you're not busy playing its contents, though, right?

See also: previous 'Second Chances' posts

The Gay Gamer Giveaway™: Painter Momopie (GameBoy) Edition

So, I'm going to do something a little silly over the next few weeks--I'm going to publish a handful of posts (like this one) that will result in one of you fine folks walking away with a free Japanese GameBoy cartridge.

Sadly, none of these copies are "complete"--you're only going to get the cart, not the box, the manual or even the plastic case--and all of them are a bit beaten up, but on the other end of the spectrum, they work and they're free, so who really cares, right?

The only rule for this particular giveaway: leave some sort of comment below that indicates you'd like to throw your hat into the ring for the copy of Sigma's Painter Momopie, a cute Pac-Man clone that never saw the light of day outside of Japan, seen above and below. (And if you're commenting anonymously, please share some sort of username so I can properly and easily identify you if you're victorious.)

I'll ship to wherever the winner may reside and I honestly don't care what the winner dos (keep, sell, turn into a piece of nerdtastic jewelry) with the cartridge he or she receives--although of course I'd love it if some or all of them actually get played by recipients.

The winner of this particular Gay Gamer Giveaway™ will be determined first thing in the morning on Monday, June 19. Shortly afterward, I'll publish a post that reveals the winner, and then I'll follow that with yet another post about the next giveaway--assuming there's any interest whatsoever in this first one.

Finally, should you want to read up on Painter Momopie before deciding whether you even want the cart shown above, check out this introductory post, this "Great Gaymathon" review or this "Manual Stimulation" installment that's devoted to this adorable title.

Sega's doing its darndest to lead me @field

Specifically, the folks at The House That Sonic Built are doing their darndest to get me to buy a PlayStation Vita.

How so? Well, they're preparing to release--in Japan only, of course--a game called @field, which combines golf and pinball (in terms of gameplay) and is covered with a smear of the company's out-of-this-world--in more ways than one--Space Channel 5 (in terms of graphics).

Sadly, I can't seem to find any videos of this oddly titled game, which is supposed to be released sometime this winter, so the screenshots above and below will have to suffice.

Actually, I'm kind of glad I can't find any videos of @field, as I really don't need to add any games or systems to my "to buy in 2012" list, which already includes a slew of 3DS, PSP and Wii titles, as well as possibly a PS3 and/or a Wii U.

Should @field be positively received by the few brave souls who pick it up and play it, though, I definitely could see myself buying a copy of it alongside a Vita system--sometime after the Vita lands in the bargain bins in the States, of course.

See also: 'Are you planning to pick up a PlayStation Vita?'

Manual Stimulation: Hikari Shinwa Parutena no Kagami (GameBoy Advance)

Earlier today, I published a "Great Gaymathon" review of the game that's known to English-speaking audiences as Kid Icarus. (To Japanese-speaking audiences, it's known as Hikari Shinwa: Parutena no Kagami, or Light Myth: Palutena's Mirror.)

In that review, I mentioned that one of the main reasons I bought the GameBoy Advance version of this classic platformer is that I liked its packaging. Well, folded up within that packaging is the following, two-piece instruction manual, which is pretty attractive in its own right.

The front of the first page of said manual (as always, click on any of the images below to take a closer look at them) isn't the most exciting thing in the world, but I am quite fond of the illustrations--especially the one that shows what appears to be two of Angel Land's many gay couples--that accompany the story portion of the page.



The back side of the first page isn't much better, but it earns a few extra points for featuring a number of nice drawings of the game's protagonist, Pit, and the bosses he encounters during his journey. (My favorite is the rather portly Medusa, by the way.)



The second page of Hikari Shinwa: Parutena no Kagami's fold-out instruction manual is where it's at, if you ask me. True story: As a kid, I was obsessed with drawing many of the items and weapons showcased in the scan below, which is of the front of the manual's second page.

Reason #395 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

I will, at some point in the not-so-distant future, pick up copies of two Famicom RPGs: Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Why? Simply put: I'm completely in love with each game's box art. I mean, just look at the luscious illustration that graced the Japanese cover of Final Fantasy:



The box art produced for the original Dragon Quest, below, is equally drool-worthy, in my humble opinion.



Admittedly, I don't know a lick of Japanese, but I've played through both of these titles enough times--Final Fantasy especially--that I probably could beat them with my eyes closed, so doing so without being able to understand the text on the screen shouldn't be much of a problem.

The Great Gaymathon Review #35: Pinball (Famicom)

Game: Pinball

Genre: Pinball

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

System: Famicom

Release date: 1984

Back in the early days of the NES, just one of Nintendo's launch-window (aka "Black Label") releases was a "repeat renter" in our household: Pinball. Admittedly, the gameplay, graphics and even sound in this title are as simplistic and straightforward as its name, but that doesn't mean the overall product is boring. At least, not entirely. Now, boring is exactly what it would be if all it offered was a two-screened pinball table and a single bonus stage, but as is nearly always the case with Nintendo-developed games this one includes just enough bells and whistles (although I hesitate to call them that) to make things interesting. For instance, there's the little ditty that plays during the title screen and before each round. Sadly, that's all the music you'll hear while playing Pinball, but at least what you do hear is enjoyable. Also, there are the charming characters--including seals, penguins and just-hatched chicks--that populate and enliven the title's otherwise sparse play area. (Two similarly charming characters, Mario and Pauline, star in the title's Breakout-esque bonus stage.) None of the above would matter much if Pinball played like crap, but thankfully that's not the case. Sure, it doesn't feature realistic physics like most modern pinball games, but it feels good all the same--and that's all my brother and I looked for back when we scanned the aisles of the local grocery store for our next weekend rental. It's also what I look for today when I scan my collection for my next five- or 10-minute gaming fix.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

The Great Gaymathon Review #34: Final Fantasy V (Super Famicom)

Game: Final Fantasy V

Genre: RPG

Developer: Squaresoft

Publisher: Squaresoft

System: Super Famicom

Release date: 1992

I can't remember if this was the first video game I ever imported from the Land of the Rising Sun or if that honor belongs to the PC Engine version of Detana!! TwinBee. Regardless, Squaresoft's second 16-bit Final Fantasy was one of my first experiences with a Japanese game. What prompted me to pick it up--especially when I had to pay a premium (over $50 for a banged-up used copy) to do so? I absolutely loved its predecessor, for starters. I also loved what I had seen of its battle and job systems in the gaming magazines of the day (namely DieHard GameFan and Electronic Gaming Monthly). The latter system is the main reason I keep coming back to Final Fantasy V today, by the way. Sure, the game's story--which involves a bunch of crystals, a group of heroes, 12 legendary weapons and a baddie named Exdeath--is enjoyable, if a bit thin, and its controllable characters are lovable, if a bit generic. Neither compares to the aforementioned job system, however, which allows players to discover, choose and master up to 22 jobs or "classes." (My favorite is the geomancer, who not only can channel the powers of the surrounding environment but can wield giant bells as weapons.) Something that can compare to the game's job or class system: its music. I'm especially fond of Final Fantasy V's more somber tunes--such as "The Day Will Come" and "Dear Friends"--although I enjoy its upbeat tracks, too. ("Ahead On Our Way" and "Harvest" are two good examples.)

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

My wallet, marriage and I survived my maiden voyage to Seattle's Pink Gorilla store

After a long, hard day of yard work, the hubs and I treated ourselves to dinner on Saturday night. We didn't go anywhere classy, mind you--just the Chipotle that's located in Seattle's aptly-named University District.

Anyway, as we neared said Chipotle, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a pepto-pink awning that said "Pink Gorilla." I'm pretty sure I've talked about it before, but just in case I haven't: Pink Gorilla is a small game shop here in Seattle. Actually, there are now two Pink Gorilla stores in the so-called Emerald City--one in the International District and one in the University District.

I had completely forgotten about the latter location until we passed it on our way to Chipotle. Thankfully, David (aka the hubs) was willing to let me check it out before we stuffed our faces.

So, what did I think of my maiden voyage to Pink Gorilla? I thought it was awesome! I was a bit disappointed at first, as I thought the glass case near the front of the store--which housed a good number of complete-in-box imports--represented all of the Japanese games this particular Pink Gorilla location had to offer, but I discovered that was far from the case when I began surveying the rest of the store.

In a way, Pink Gorilla's University District store reminds me of a small Japanese game shop, with all sorts of Dreamcast, Famicom, Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, PC Engine, PlayStation, Saturn and Super Famicom imports hanging from the walls in clear plastic bags.

Among the games that caught my eye: Complete-in-box copies of Galaxian and Hoshi no Kirby (Kirby's Adventure) for the Famicom and a pristine copy of Twinkle Star Sprites for the Dreamcast. A trio of PC Engine titles I've been meaning to add to my collection--Detana!! TwinBee, The New Zealand Story and Parodius--for some time also captured my attention.

I didn't buy any of the above-mentioned games because, well, I'm a bit broke at the moment. As soon as I have some dough, though, you can bet your butt I'll buy at least a few of them, as the prices at Pink Gorilla were on par with what I've seen on eBay.

You can also bet that I'll do my best to snap some photos next time I'm in one of the Pink Gorilla stores--assuming they allow such things, of course.

The Great Gaymathon Review #33: Hany on the Road (PC Engine)

Game: Hany on the Road

Genre: Platformer

Developer: FACE

Publisher: FACE

System: PC Engine

Release date: 1990

The titular protagonist in this game and in Hany in the Sky--a peculiar shoot 'em up that was released in 1989--takes a lot of crap these days for looking like an anthropomorphic prophylactic. Although understandable, such point-and-laugh attitudes cause a lot of people to overlook these  games in general and this unique platformer--honestly, I've never played anything like it--in particular. That's a shame, especially when it comes to Hany on the Road, which has players race through a series of scrolling, multi-planed (or maybe I should say "multi-roaded," given the game's title) stages in order to ... actually, I can't remember why you're supposed to race through this game. I'm guessing it's so you can rescue the protagonist's kidnapped girlfriend, Lemon? Whatever the reason, the journey is plenty pleasant thanks in large part to the game's attractive, colorful and delightfully varied graphics (each level pretty much has its own look) as well as its jaunty soundtrack. Hany's travels aren't without their travails, however; there are times when "the little condom that could," as I like to call him, feels a tad slippery, for instance, and there are other times when he's a bit too speedy. Also, his lone method of attack--a backflip kick--can be difficult to time, which likely prompts most people to play the game as I do: By jumping over or otherwise avoiding the game's baddies--a number of whom are depicted in the cover art above--rather than confronting them head-on.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

If you like The Legend of Zelda, you'll probably like For the Frog the Bell Tolls, too

So, I spent a good part of this past weekend playing Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru--aka For the Frog the Bell Tolls. What do I think of this amphibian-focused, import-only-until-recently GameBoy RPG thus far? Read on to find out.

It looks a lot like The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening--I don't know why that surprised me, as I knew going into this game that Link's first portable adventure was created using the engine that the folks at Intelligent Systems came up with for Kaeru no Tame ni Kane wa Naru.

The game's story is as charming and cute as its sprites--That's saying a lot, as I'm a total sucker for the art style Nintendo's designers used in so many of the company's GameBoy titles. Anyway, the gist of this one's story: Princess Tiramisu has been kidnapped, and rival princes--Richard, from the Custard Kingdom, and, er, you, from the Sable Kingdom--compete to rescue her from the upper-reaches of Mille-Feuille Castle.

Battling enemies is ... interesting--In most Zelda-esque ARPGs, you fight foes by slashing them with a sword or other weapon (which is accomplished by mashing the A or B button). In For the Frog the Bell Tolls, you simply run into them and then watch as the battle takes place in a cloud of dust. Whichever character is stronger wins. I know it sounds lame in theory, but in practice it works pretty well. It also keeps the game from feeling like little more than a Link's Awakening hack.

The whole package feels like a breath of fresh air--Especially if you've had your fill of everyone's favorite plumber and his friends. Don't get me wrong, I love Mario and Kirby and all of Nintendo's other go-to characters. That said, I miss the days when Miyamoto and his colleagues regularly churned out new IPs like this one.

Are any of you playing through For the Frog the Bell Tolls? If so, what do you think of it so far? If not, no worries--I'll continue to share impressions of the game as I edge ever closer to its finish line.

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

The Great Gaymathon Review #32: Engacho! (PlayStation)

Game: Engacho!

Genre: Puzzle

Developer: NAC Geographic Products Inc.

Publisher: NAC Geographic Products Inc.

System: PlayStation

Release date: 1999

Looking at its cover--which features a quartet of slimy, smelly and even snotty grotesqueries--I'm quite honestly shocked NAC Geographic Products' Engacho! never made its way to the States. Then again, this Japanese import, released in 1999, is a devilishly difficult puzzler and not a dark and dreary FPS, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised by its lack of localization.

Anyway, enough about that--you're probably curious as to what makes this game so challenging. Would it be rude of me to suggest checking out this post, which explains the game's premise more fully than I could here?

If that description makes the game sound something less than devilishly difficult, maybe this will do the trick: so far, I've only successfully traversed the first 10 of this turn-based puzzler's stages. I believe there are between 50 and 100 stages in the game, but I can't say that with any certainty since I'm hopelessly stuck on the tenth and there doesn't seem to be a way to skip troublesome stages.

That's my only real quibble with Engacho!, to tell you the truth. It isn't cheap (it's your fault when you fail to complete a stage), it controls well, its sprite-based graphics are colorful and nicely drawn and its soundtrack is surprisingly catchy. (I especially like the theme song, which recalls Rhythm Heaven's "DJ School.") And then there's that cover art. Sure, it's gross, but it's also funny and more than a bit intriguing--or at least it is to me.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

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)

July 21 can't come quickly enough

What will happen on July 21, you ask? Why, Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (aka Everybody's Rhythm Heaven, aka Rhythm Heaven Wii) will hit store shelves across Japan on that date, that's what.

In order to increase awareness about the soon-to-be-released title, the folks at Nintendo of Japan cobbled together the following commercial, which shows off a number of Minna no Rhythm Tengoku's wacky mini-games.



I'm especially looking forward to playing the ones that involve dancing crawfish (or are they shrimp?), mustachioed pigs spinning in chairs and shirtless wrestlers with odd-looking six-packs. Oh, and of course I'm looking forward to playing that Kid Icarus-esque mini-game shown at the 1:25 mark, too.

Two more Minna no Rhythm Tengoku commercials--the first of which is centered around the wrestler mini-game mentioned above while the second focuses on a mini-game that involves rolling seals--can be watched on the game's official Japanese site.

(Via gonintendo.com and tinycartridge.com)

I just pre-ordered Xenoblade (or, who needs Nintendo of America when you've got The Hut?)

Of the three Japanese RPGs game-starved Wii owners have been begging Nintendo of America to bring stateside, the one I'd most like to add to my collection is Xenoblade. Thankfully, that Monolith Soft-developed game will be released in Europe in just a few months--on Sept. 2, to be more specific.

When the game hits the streets of London--or Paris or ... wherever else it'll be sold in Europe--it won't be called Xenoblade, though; no, the powers that be at Nintendo of Europe had to spruce it up a bit, make it sound more "epic." As a result of their shenanigans, it'll be called Xenoblade Chronicles when it arrives on European shores.

Although I think it's a completely silly, not to mention completely unneeded, change, it didn't keep me from pre-ordering a copy of it this morning after hearing that thehut.com is selling the standard version of the game (not the special edition pictured to the right) for the bargain-basement price of £29.85 (about $48).

Before any of you follow in my footsteps, I should warn you that I've never before ordered a game (or anything else) from The Hut and as such I can't vouch for their reliability as sellers or shippers. (Side note: I've heard that shipments, especially overseas ones, can take some time--up to a month--to arrive, but I'm willing to deal with that because I really want this game.)

I should also add that, had it been an option, I would have pre-ordered Xenoblade Chronicles from sendit.com instead, as I've ordered Euro-only games from them in the past and have never experienced any issues. Unfortunately, they aren't allowing people to pre-order it at the moment.

Anyway, I'll let you know what comes of all of this. I'll also let you know when and if the other two Japanese RPGs North American Wii owners have been clamoring for--The Last Story and Pandora's Tower--are given European release dates.

See also: 'Nintendo of America gives the finger to Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower and The Last Story fans'

Square Enix's three-step plan to sell a million copies of Dragon Quest Collection for Wii

It's a pretty simple plan, really.

Step 1: Include video footage of the much-anticipated Dragon Quest X on the main disc (which, in the case of Dragon Quest Collection, also will include the first three Dragon Quest games in their original Famicom forms and the Super Famicom Dragon Quest I&II and Dragon Quest III remakes).

Step 2: Mention said footage on the game's packaging (below) and in any and all promotional materials.

Step 3: Sit back and watch the title sell by the truckload.

Sadly, it's doubtful the folks at Square Enix will be employing that plan anywhere else in the world, as the 16-bit Dragon Quest remakes weren't released outside of Japan. Thankfully, the footage is sure to be shared on YouTube shortly after Dragon Quest Collection hits the streets on Sept. 15.

(Via andriasang.com)

I want a Famicom light gun

I'd love to know how many of you rolled your eyes after reading the headline above. It certainly deserves such a reaction--thanks to the ever-changing (and ever-discussed) contents of my gaming wish list (which currently includes everything from a copy of the PC Engine cute 'em up, Coryoon, to the ill-fated Sega CDX).

Anyway, you're probably wondering why I recently added the Famicom light gun--the Japanese version of the NES Zapper--to that list. To be honest, I've had at least one eye on this accessory since I came across one on eBay last year, but it didn't completely capture my attention until yesterday, when I saw the following photo over on famicomblog.blogspot.com.



That tomato-red box houses the more-realistic-looking-than-the-NES-Zapper Famicom light gun, by the way, while the purple cart is a loose copy of Nintendo's Wild Gunman title.

Click on this link to read more about both of blogger Sean's recent purchases. Also, click on this link to see a fantastically retro (and regrettably fuzzy) Japanese TV commercial for this playful peripheral.

It pains me to say it, but I'm kinda, sorta interested in Super Pokemon Scramble

Why? Well, for starters, there's this recently-announced 3DS game's rad (hey, I'm a child of the 1980s) box art:

And then there's this super-cute Pikachu paper craft, which will be given to folks who purchase the game--which is a sequel to the 2009 WiiWare title Melee! Pokemon Scramble (aka Pokemon Rumble in the West)--from a select group of Japanese retailers after it's released on July 28.

All that said, I'm not sure I can see myself dropping $39.99 on such a game once I finally pick up a 3DS--especially if titles like Luigi's Mansion 2, Paper Mario 3DS and Super Mario 3DS are even half as enticing as it seems they're going to be.

(Via andriasang.com)

Rhythm Heaven Wii's Japanese logo

I was hoping to share the box art for this game--which will be called Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, or Everyone's Rhythm Heaven, in Japan--but it's not out yet. So, I'll just share its logo.



Here's the supposed logo for the North American version of the game, by the way. I say supposed because I really can't see the folks at Nintendo using the same name and logo for two releases (the DS and Wii iterations of Rhythm Heaven, respectively).



Anyway, while you (and I, of course) wait for Nintendo to release the box art for Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, which will be released on July 21, and the official name and logo of the game's North American counterpart, why not check out the Japanese title's official page (here) to hear a funky little tune that, if you're anything like me, will bring back blissful memories of previous Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku playthroughs.

(Via andriasang.com)

Give me Grand Knights History and I'll forget all about Monster Hunter Diary G

It's hard to be a non-Japanese PSP owner these days. While the system continues to sell boatloads in its homeland, its sales have gone down the toilet everywhere else--to the point where publishers no longer want to support it outside of the Land of the Rising Sun.

As such, I'm more than a bit worried that Vanillaware's Grand Knights History--which has graphics that Anoop over at andriasang.com describes as "so lovely you'll want to travel back in time and off Jeff Polygon, the inventor of the polygon"--will, like so many recent and upcoming PSP releases, remain a Japan-only affair.

To see firsthand why that would be a crying shame, check out the following trailer for this fabulous looking RPG:



Grand Knights History will hit the streets in Japan on Sept. 1 with a price tag of ¥5,229 (approximately $65). Here's hoping this Marvelous-published title eventually makes its way to other territories, too.

(Via andriasang.com)

Speaking of rare PC Engine hardware, what happened to this monitor?

Did you know that the folks at NEC announced both the PC Engine DUO and the PC Engine LT (the laptop-esque portable mentioned in this post) at the Tokyo Game Show in 1991? Well, they did.

At the same show, NEC also displayed a four-inch, clamshell monitor that could be attached to the aforementioned DUO to turn it into what the writers at TurboPlay magazine called "the ultimate portable machine."

In this article (from the August/September 1991 issue of TurboPlay), it's suggested that this sexy little monitor (above) had been released two years prior with a price tag of approximately $600. That assertion seems questionable to me, as that would mean it was released in 1989--the PC Engine's second year on the market.

So, I have a question for any fellow PC Engine fans out there who may come across this post: Was this monitor really released in Japan in 1989, or was it released alongside the DUO and the LT?

Regardless, it's a rather fascinating peripheral--especially given its release date--isn't it?