11 games I want to play in 2021

I played a lot of games in 2020—44, at last count.

The vast majority were Switch games, though I played several 3DS and DS games, too.

In 2021, I want to branch out a bit. Specifically, I want to add at least a few PSP and Vita games into the mix—with the ones highlighted below leading the way.

Boku no Natsuyasumi Portable (PSP)

I've been itching to play this distinctly Japanese life sim since I first became aware of it ages ago. Actually, I've owned a copy of the original PS1 release for years now—I've just never played it. I'm hoping this portable port will prove a bit more attractive in that regard.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS)

This Final Fantasy XII spinoff is one of those DS titles I've long wanted to experience but have also long dragged my feet on purchasing and starting. Why have I waited until now to try Revenant Wings? The main reason is that I've never had the best grasp of its gameplay, and that's made me a more than a tad wary of it. 

Hades (Switch)

I've spent a lot of time with roguelikes in the last few months—first via Void Terrarium, then via Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate and Etrian Mystery Dungeon. Am I really in the mood for more of this genre after all that? We'll find out shortly after I start Hades.

The House in Fata Morgana (Switch or Vita)

Visual novel fans on the internet have hyped up The House in Fata Morgana since an English Windows version released in 2016, and probably even before that. Thankfully, that hasn't impacted my expectations of the game, as I know next to nothing about it. Fingers crossed I dig what I eventually encounter.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (Switch)

I have a great track record with Nippon Ichi Software-made games, so my hopes are high for this first-person dungeon-crawler. This is despite the fact that I'm hardly the biggest fan of into-the-screen RPGs—my mostly positive experiences with the Etrian Odyssey series notwithstanding.

Magical Starsign (DS)

Despite the fact that I've always adored the look of games made by Brownie Brown (now known as 1-Up Studio), I've only played a couple of them. And even those games, Mother 3 and Fantasy Life, were collaborative efforts with other developers. So, Magical Starsign will be my first real taste of this seemingly talented dev's abilities. Fingers crossed I like its gameplay as much as I like its aesthetic.

Poison Control (Switch)

Truth be told, I pre-ordered this game simply because it's coming from Nippon Ichi Software. OK, and because I previously asked the company to bring it to our shores. A few times. I only barely understand how it plays, and what I understand makes me think it might not be my cup of tea. I'm sticking with it anyway, though, as I loved Lapis x Labyrinth and Void Terrarium after being similarly unsure of them early on.

PoPoLoCrois (PSP)

I've heard that this PoPoLoCrois game is a kind of a mess, as it combines chopped-up versions of the series' first two releases with a connecting interlude. Normally, that would bug me. Since I'm mostly uneducated on these titles and so won't know what I'm missing, though, I'm barely bothered.

Project X Zone (3DS)

Don't bother telling me that this game is a dud. I've heard it all before—though I've also heard a few folks say they had a blast it. I recently bought a copy of Project X Zone based on my possibly delusional belief that I'll side with the latter group of fans. I mean, how could I not, with a cast that includes Arthur, Chun-Li, Ulala, and Valkyrie?

UFO: A Day in the Life (PS1)

Without trying to sound snarky, most of the games made by the crew of now-defunct Love-de-Lic have similar vibes and stories. That's fine by me, as I adore two titles fitting that description, Chulip and Moon. This 1999 offering sounds even more intriguing, though, thanks to its star—a super-cute, photo-snapping UFO.

What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2 (PSP)

Yet another PSP game that I always meant to buy and try but also always overlooked in favor of other titles. Like Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings and Poison Control, I'm a little iffy on its gameplay, but I'm sure to enjoy at least one of these games, so why not this one?

Are there any particular games you want to play—old or new—between now and the end of 2021? Tell me all about them in the comments section below.

Six games I bought and regrettably failed to play in 2016

I bought a good number of games this past year. Although I played as many as I could, the majority were lucky to leave their packaging for more than a couple of minutes.

I wish I'd spent quality time with all of them over the last 12 months, of course, but the following six are most responsible for my current pangs of regret.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D (3DS)--I only bought this game a few weeks ago, so I probably shouldn't feel bad that I've failed to play it. Regardless, I do. Who can blame me, though? After all, this 3DS remake of the Tose-developed and Enix-published GameBoy Color cart of the same name (well, without the 3D part) is as bright and colorful as can be. Also, the monster recruiting, fighting and breeding that are at the center of Terry's Wonderland look and sound like a lot of fun. Bonus: the game's now fully playable in English, as the screenshot above showcases. Learn more about and download the required patch here.

Grand Knights History (PSP)--I'm pretty sure my eyes popped out of my head when I first caught a glimpse of this game back in 2010 or 2011. Which should be completely understandable, as Grand Knights History is drop-dead gorgeous just like every other game Vanillaware's ever made. The thing is, the initial enthusiasm I felt for this PSP game quickly faded into the ether when I read that connecting to Japanese servers (apparently a near-impossibility for people in other countries) was a must. Apparently that's not entirely the case, though, so now I'm back to desperately wanting to play this tantalizing RPG.

htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary (Vita)--I've long been a sucker for games with unique art styles, and this Nippon Ichi Software-made title fits that bill and then some. Unfortunately, I've heard that htoL#NiQ's gameplay isn't quite as enjoyable as its graphics. That isn't why I failed to play it this year, however, No, that would be because I basically ignored all of my Vita cartridges (and digital titles) in 2016. Thankfully, I plan to give those games--and my pink-and-white Vita--lots of love in 2017. Don't worry, I fully intend to let you know what I think of The Firefly Diary's dark adventure after I've plugged away at it for a bit.

Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Oosouji (DS)--Full disclosure: I have no real experience with the Chibi-Robo! series. My goal is to rectify that sometime next year by playing as much of the Japan-only Happy Richie Oosouji as I can handle. Accomplishing that should be a lot easier than it would've been if I'd picked up a copy of the game on or around its 2009 release, as a patch that translates its text into English hit the Internet in May.

Tomato Adventure (GameBoy Advance)--Speaking of English translation patches, it's a crying shame no one has created one for this Japan-only game. Why? It was developed by the wizards at AlphaDream, best known for Nintendo's long-running Mario & Luigi RPG series, for starters. Also, it's beyond adorable, as the screenshot above proves. Thankfully, it seemingly was aimed at youngsters, so I'm hoping I'll be able to understand enough of its text to make my way through it in 2017.

Xi Little (WonderSwan)--If Xi doesn't mean anything to you, maybe Devil Dice does? That's what the first Xi game (for the original PlayStation) was called when it was brought to North America in 1998. (Oddly, the second Xi title was renamed Bombastic when it made the same trek a few years later.) Anyway, the plan is to pop this sucker--and all of the other WonderSwan cartridges I've acquired in recent years--into the translucent black WonderSwan Color system I bought late last year as soon as possible in the new year.

How about all of you? Which games did you buy and then fail to play this year?

Maybe this is the kick in the pants I needed to finally play Falcom's Gurumin

I wish I could tell you why I've yet to play--or even buy a copy of--Falcom's Gurumin.

I can't even claim ignorance, as I've known of this adorable action-adventure game's existence for years now.

On top of that, I've heard nothing but good things about Gurumin's gameplay, which appears to be one part The Legend of Zelda and one part Mega Man Legends.

Although I could bite the bullet and buy the PSP port of the game--both Japanese and North American copies are pretty cheap these days, especially used ones--I have a feeling I'll pass on that option and instead plop down $14.99 on the just-announced Gurumin 3D.



What on earth is Gurumin 3D, you ask? Why, it's a 3DS port of the game that'll hit the North American eShop sometime next month. (It'll hit the European 3DS eShop later this summer.)

Yes, that means Gurumin 3D is a digital-only title. No, I'm not thrilled about that. Yes, I'd prefer to purchase and own a physical version of the game.

Despite the above, I'm pretty sure Gurumin 3D will soon take up space on one of my North American 3DS systems, as it's far more likely I'll actually play it than the above-mentioned PSP release.

Here's a trailer for the game, for those of you who are curious. Once you've watched it, let me know what you think. Also let me know--in the comments section below, naturally--if you intend to buy this title or if you've already played some other iteration of it.

CIB Sunday: Hyakumanton no Bara Bara (PSP)

If you regularly peruse any of the many social-media apps or sites available to the masses these days, you've probably come across #CIBSunday.

Don't worry if you haven't, as it's easy enough to explain. Basically, folks publish photos of complete-in-box copies of games and then include in their tweets or posts the hashtag mentioned above.

I participate in this "event" pretty much every weekend on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. For some strange reason, though, I've never extended that participation to this blog. Until today, of course.

Will I continue to do so in weeks, months and years to come? Who knows. I'll do my best to keep it up, though--and I'll certainly whip up a post here whenever I think I've got a nice photo to show off, or some related content to recommend.



With that out of the way, what do you think about the snapshot of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara for PSP that can be seen above?

Hyakumanton no Bara Bara not ring a bell for you? How about Patchwork Heroes? That's what this Acquire-made title, which plays like an inverted version of Taito's Qix, was named outside of Japan.

If you'd like to see more photos of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara's lovely case, cover art, instruction manual and UMD, by the way, check out this "Nice Package!" write-up I published last year. Also, read my review of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara (or, rather, Patchwork Heroes).

Are any of you fans of this 2010 release? If so, please share your love of it in the comments section that follows.

Yep, Cladun Sengoku (Vita) definitely is yet another Cladun title

Considering my love of Nippon Ichi Software's first two Cladun games, you might think I typed the header above without an ounce of malice.

In reality, I typed it with a bit of charitableness as well as a smidge of malice. The former because I'm honestly stoked to play another Cladun title, and the latter because this third Cladun effort looks awfully similar to the two that came before it.

Don't hate me for saying this, but while watching Cladun Sengoku's first trailer yesterday, I had a hard time convincing myself it looked appreciably different from Cladun and Cladun x2.



Which isn't the worst thing in the world, of course. After all, I thought those PSP-based Cladun titles looked pretty darn great. Seeing Cladun Sengoku look almost identical to them, though, was--at least at first--undoubtedly disheartening.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I'm no longer intrigued by this upcoming Vita release. Does that mean I've already placed a pre-order for a copy via that old standby amiami.com? Not hardly, but I am giving it serious consideration.

How about you? Are any of you planning on--or at least thinking about--buying Cladun Sengoku once it's available in a few months?

See also: 'Nippon Ichi Software's teasing a new game, and I think it may be related to the Cladun series'

I don't know about you, but I'm surprisingly on the fence about Grand Kingdom for Vita

When I first laid eyes on Grand Kingdom's Japanese cover art, I was intrigued.

Later, when I came across a handful of screenshots of this PS4 and Vita tactical RPG, I transitioned from intrigue to full-on excitement.

Which makes sense, I guess, as it looks an awful lot like Vanillaware's surprisingly similar PSP title, Grand Knights History. (That makes sense, too, it seems. Tomohiko Deguchi is listed as director of both efforts.)



So, why am I now on the fence about buying the Vita version of this game, set to hit North American store shelves this June?

I watched this trailer, and the gameplay snippets showcased in it tarnished my view a bit.

Combine that with the fact that I have a stack of unplayed--hell, unopened in most cases--Vita games currently giving me the stink eye, and my hesitation should be easier to understand.



That doesn't mean I'll never pick up a copy of Grand Kingdom, mind you. I just doubt it'll be on or around its launch day.

How about you? Do any of you think you'll add either the PS4 or Vita iteration of this MonoChro concoction to your collection? If so, what's got you feeling that way?

Buy: Grand Kingdom Limited Edition or Grand Kingdom Grand Edition

Nippon Ichi Software's teasing a new game, and I think it may be related to the Cladun series

Raise your hand if you had a blast playing Nippon Ichi's Cladun: This is an RPG at some point after the quirky dungeon-crawler earned a worldwide release (for the PSP) back in 2010.

Now raise your other hand if you also enjoyed that game's sequel, Cladun x2, which first saw the light of day in 2011.

To those of you who now have both arms raised: I'm not quite sure how you're going to read the rest of this post (or start the video below), but I'm sure you'll concoct some sort of solution.



To the rest of you: watch and listen to the snippet above--yes, even those of you who have yet to even think of raising a hand--which the folks at NIS helpfully and straightforwardly named, "Title Teaser BGM."

In other words, the musical numbers featured in this teaser probably are from an upcoming Nippon Ichi game.

Given the chiptune-y sound of the tracks and the character sprite revealed at the video's tail end, I have a feeling the title's related to the company's Cladun series in some way. What do you think?

6 DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 games I'm looking forward to playing at some point in 2016

Unlike the last two of these "six games I'm looking forward to playing at some point in 2016," all of the titles included here have been out for quite some time.

Also, I already own all of them. Well, all but one. Can you guess which game I've yet to buy?

If you guessed Alien: Isolation, pat yourself on the back. Or do something else that makes you feel good.

While you do that, I'll share a few thoughts on why I want to play these DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles a little bit more than I want to play other DS, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360 titles between now and the end of the year.

Alien: Isolation (Xbox 360)--Considering I'm a huge fan of the first two Alien films, it's almost criminal that I've yet to pick up a copy of Isolation. Of course, it's been ages since I turned on my poor 360, so I guess my lack of action here can't be considered too shocking. Still, I've heard very good things about this Alien game, which is a shock itself, as nearly every other Alien-inpired game in existence is a complete turd. (Note I said "nearly"--I know a select few of them are worth playing.) I know that doesn't ensure I'll actually enjoy Alien: Isolation, but I'm willing to give it a try anyway.

Captain Rainbow (Wii)--In my defense, I bought this bizarre, skip-made game just a few months ago. In other words, I've barely ignored it compared to the other titles mentioned here. I don't epect it to be neglected for much longer, though, as it looks delightfully weird. (Yes, even for a skip game.) The question is: will the language barrier limit my ability to bask in Rainbow's brilliant glow? I guess we'll find out sometime in the next 12 months.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA (PSP)--Although I've kept a curious eye on Sega's Hatsune Miku series of games (even the chibi-fied Project Mirai titles released for the 3DS) for some time, I've yet to actually play one of them. I hope to change all of that this year by picking up one of the PSP games. Why DIVA and not Mirai? As much as I love all things cute, I prefer the aesthetics of the former series to the latter. The thing is, I have no idea which Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA release to get. Any suggestions?

Okaeri! Chibi-Robo! Happy Richie Osoji (DS)--Here's another game that's been on my short list of "games to buy as soon as possible" for a good while now. I haven't gone through with it yet for a few reasons, with one of them being that copies of this Japan-only release can be a bit pricey. Another reason: I have very little experience with Chibi-Robo, and I feel kind of weird jumping into it with the third game. It probably would make for an interesting entry in my #ADecadeofDS series, though, don't you think?

Opoona (Wii)--Full disclosure: I actually played about an hour--or maybe it was just 30 minutes or so--of this unique RPG a couple of years ago before moving on to something else for some reason or other. (It wasn't because I disliked what I'd experienced to that point, I can tell you that much.) Anyway, it popped back into my conscienceness when I bought Captain Rainbow and two other Jpanaese Wii titles last autumn (one was Tabemon, released elsewhere as The Munchables), and now I'm chomping at the bit to give it a second chance.

Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)--I like pretty much everything about this 2010 Nippon Ichi release--with its overall art style and its gameplay (which is focused on exploring randomly generated dungeons) being the highlights. So why have I dragged my feet on playing it? The only answer I can come up with at the moment is that I don't pull out my pair of PSP systems as much as I did a few years ago, and so a number of enticing games have kind of fallen by the wayside. One of my goals of 2016 is to rectify that situation, though, so hopefully I'll have something to say about Z.H.P. and at least a couple of other choice PSP titles before the year comes to a close.

I don't suppose any of you are looking forward to playing any particular "last gen" games (and, yes, that includes the PS3) at some point in 2016? If so, let me know which ones in the comments section that follows.

PSP PSA: Nihon Falcom's Brandish is now just $10 on the PlayStation Store

I kind of can't believe I'm mentioning the above news here, as I've never played any version of this dungeon-crawler. (It first saw the light of day on some rather ancient Japanese computers--the NEC PC-9801 and the FM Towns, to be exact--in 1991 before being given a second chance on the PC Engine and Super Famicom in 1994.)

Don't take that to mean I'm indifferent to it. In fact, I'm quite interested in it. The only reason I haven't bought some iteration or other of Brandish yet is that I can't decide which one to pick up.



I have narrowed things down a bit, though. Specifically, I'd like to own either a physical, boxed copy of the Japanese PSP release or XSEED Games' recent English localization of it.

Because the former can be acquired for about $20 these days, it's probably my first choice at the moment. Or it would be if the latter weren't just $10 on the PlayStation Store. (It's playable on both PSP and Vita, by the way--in case you're curious.)

A video showcasing the gameplay of this most recent version of Brandish can be found above. After watching it, do any of you think you'll be adding it to your digital PSP or Vita collections?

So, who's buying some version of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC today?

Is it weird that I decided to publish a post about a game--and game series--I know very little about today? I guess so.

So many people have been talking about the long-awaited North American release of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC, though, that I couldn't help myself.



The thing is, I really am quite uneducated when it comes to this game and to developer Nihon Falcom's Trails in the Sky series in general. Given that, I'm going to hand the reins over to you fine folks.

Specifically, I'd love to hear from those of you consider yourselves at least somewhat knowledge about The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC. What should I and other people like me know about it? Why is it so appealing?

Also, for those of you who picked up either the PC or the PSP version of this highly acclaimed RPG or are planning to do so soon, what pushed you down that particular path?



As for me, I may buy the PSP iteration--for my criminally underused Vita, of course--of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC down the road, but before I do that I want to buy and play the first Trails in the Sky game that Xseed so kindly brought to North America a couple of years back.

If any of you are in a similar situation, by the way, you still can purchase the physical version of the first Trails in the Sky title at Amazon for just $19.99.

A trio of spooky games I'm hoping to play between now and All Hallows' Eve

For those of us in North America--and any other locale where folks celebrate the holiday--it's that time of year again. And when I say "that time of year," I of course mean Halloween.

While my compatriots spend the next couple of weeks prepping costumes, planning parties and popping orange and black candies into their mouths, I'm going to spend them playing spooky games. Specifically, I'm going to play--or maybe I should say I'm going to do my best to play--the following trio of Halloween-appropriate titles.

Undertale (Mac)--The good news here is that I've already started playing this just-released, EarthBound-esque RPG. The bad news: I've only played about an hour and a half of it so far. I have no doubt that will change appreciably by the end of this coming weekend thanks to all of the grins and chuckles it's already produced.

My favorite aspects of Undertale at the moment, by the way, are its colorfully creepy "overworld" graphics, its wonderfully witty text and its unexpectedly unique gameplay. A highlight of that last component: if you want, you can dance, flirt or simply chat with baddies rather than beat them up during this title's battle scenes.

Corpse Party (PSP)--I put a small handful of hours into this game a couple of years ago while traveling for one reason or another. That playthrough came to a screeching halt, though, when I got stuck and couldn't figure out what to do next. Why didn't I turn to GameFAQs or some other online resource? I have no idea, I'm sorry to say.

Thankfully, I'm feeling decidedly less stubborn these days--especially after listening to my podcast pal, Mollie, rave about this original entry in the oddly titled Corpse Party series while we recorded the 17th installment of The Nichiest Podcast Ever a few nights ago. So, look for me to give the game a second chance (and write about it in one or more future blog posts) between now and the end of this month.

Clock Tower (Super Famicom or WonderSwan)--Can you believe I've never played any of the many versions of Clock Tower that have been released over the years? I can't. OK, so that's not completely true. I spent about 30 minutes with the Super Famicom release earlier this year, but I quickly gave up on that campaign when the game's scissor-wielding antagonist popped up and scared the living daylights out of me.

I can't guarantee the same thing won't happen again when and if I return to this pixelated horror title, but I can guarantee I'll do my best avoid it. Who knows, maybe playing it in black and white will help?

Any you playing any spooky, scary or otherwise Halloween-esque games this month? If so, which ones--and what do you think of them thus far?

Nice Package! (Hyakumanton no Bara Bara, PSP)

Some of you probably know this 2010 PSP title by the name--Patchwork Heroes--the powers that be at Sony gave it before it was released in Europe and North America.

Sadly, the game was only sold digitally in the West. Sure, that made North American and European copies of Patchwork Heroes quite a bit cheaper than their Japanese counterparts, but it also meant that people who picked up the former missed out on Hyakumanton no Bara Bara's beautiful packaging, which can be seen throughout this post.

For starters, there's this quirky action game's box art, seen in the photo above, which I can say without hesitation is one of my all-time favorite examples of PSP cover imagery. 

Quality illustrations are plastered across the front of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara's instruction manual and the label of its UMD, too. (Don't worry, you'll get a better look at the latter near the bottom of this post.)

Actually, sketches done in a style that's similar to the art that graces the cover of this Acquire-developed game's manual also can be found on a number of its inside pages. 

The rest of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara's instruction booklet isn't as noteworthy, but it still wows now and then--with the character bios shown in the snapshot above being a case in point. 

Speaking of this PSP title's characters, a number of them can be found on its colorful UMD label.

Sadly, the backside of Hyakumanton no Bara Bara's packaging, below, doesn't quite achieve the heights that are reached by the rest of it.

Of course, if I had to force the designers responsible for producing this product to skimp on one aspect of it, I'd go with the back of the box, so to speak, so don't expect me to complain too much about the above.

What do all of you think? Do the photos shared here make you want to run out and buy a copy of the Japanese physical release of Patchwork Heroes as soon as you're able?

Note: if you're like me and you aren't entirely satisfied with the quality of the photographs showcased in this post, head over to my Flickr photostream, which features versions that are both brighter and less blurry.

Help me blow my hard-earned cash on some un-translated Japanese PSP RPGs

I've now published two posts about the PSP in two days--what's the world coming to, right?

Actually, the fact is that I've had Sony's first PlayStation Portable on the brain since Jess, the proprietor of the Kiblitzing blog, bought and sent me this sparkly purple PSP-3000 system a couple of months ago.

Combine my renewed interest in this console--and its surprisingly fabulous games catalog--with my renewed interest in learning the Japanese language (yes, I'm back to that, and having a better time of it than my last go-round), and you've got the makings of a full-blown PSP obsession.

Specifically, I'm more than a bit obsessed with the idea of playing through a few Japanese PSP RPGs sometime soon. Oh, I don't yet know enough of the language to understand even 20 percent of what's sure to be thrown at me when I play these games, but I should be able to translate a good portion of the menu tabs, weapons, armor, items and magic spells that pop up--along with a few other words and phrases, I hope--and that's good enough for me at the moment.

Given all of the above, I thought I'd ask all of you if you know of any un-translated Japanese PSP RPGs I may enjoy playing.

Three such games that I'm already giving serious thought to picking up as soon as possible are:

Antiphona no Seikahime--This Nippon Ichi-made game is some sort of spin-off of the company's Marl Kingdom titles. I'm not sure why that matters to me, actually, as I haven't played any of that series' entries (although I've owned the related La Pucelle Tactics for years). I guess it has something to do with the fact that I like the aesthetics in these releases. At any rate, this one's definitely on my radar right now.

Sekai wa Atashi de Mawatteru: Hikari to Yami no Princess--If you've been coming to this blog for at least a few weeks, you've likely heard of this game's DS-based counterpart, which made it to North America as My World, My Way. Hikari to Yami no Princess is more than a simple up-port of that title, by the way, as it throws a second selectable protagonist into the mix (a dark version of the original's spoiled princess), among other additions.

Tengai Makyou: The Apocalypse IV--Speaking of ports, this is a port of a game that initially was developed for the Sega Saturn. If you've never heard of it, this is supposed to be a really wacky RPG that's set in a wildly skewed version of the United States. Also, it's a sequel to two other Japanese RPGs--Tengai Makyou: Ziria and Tengai Makyou: Manji Maru--that have intrigued me since I was a kid.

I'm also curious about a game called Ore no Dungeon that was made by Climax Entertainment (of Shining in the Darkness and Shining Force fame) and published by Sega.

With all of that out of the way, please feel free to let me know (in the comments section below) about any other Japanese PSP RPGs you think might trip my trigger.

Someone pinch me: two more Japanese games are being localized for the PSP

Did you hear? The folks over at Gaijinworks are localizing a pair of Japanese PSP games for European and North American release ... sometime in the next year, I would guess.

And not only that, but both games may receive physical (with cases, manuals and UMDs) as well as digital releases should demand prove strong enough.

As for which two Japanese PSP titles we're talking about here, one of them is Class of Heroes 3 (Ken to Mahou to Gakuen Mono. 3 in Japan):

While the other is Summon Night 5:

Sadly, despite my continued love for the PSP, and although I love Gaijinworks for daring to bring more of the system's Japanese titles to my neck of the woods, I can't say I'm all that interested in picking up either of these games.

Actually, I'd consider buying Class of Heroes 3 if I hadn't bought Class of Heroes 2 in 2013 ... and then ignored it for the next two years. (Yes, that means I've yet to play the damn thing.)

What do the rest of you think of this news? Are any of you planning to purchase either or both of these games? If so, which one--or which ones?

See also: 'After five years of waiting, I've finally received my copy of Class of Heroes 2 (PSP)'

Just in case you haven't seen enough game and system photos as of late...

Please accept my apologies for the recent deluge of "photo posts." I'm a busy and stressed guy at the moment, and this is the easiest way for me to keep this blog up to date while also dealing with all of the stuff in my life that actually pays the bills.

Don't worry, though, I'll soon--as in, later this week--begin a month-long break from the certificate program that's been eating into my free time, and that will make playing and writing about games a lot easier (not to mention more enjoyable).

In the meantime, why not take a gander at the following photos, a few of which were published to my Flickr photostream in recent weeks, one of which was published to my Instagram account during the same timeframe and the rest of which have yet to be published anywhere.

The photo above was taken around the time I wrote my last "A Decade of DS" post, naturally. And, yes, I bought the European version of Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales because I prefer its more minimalistic cover art to what the designers at Square Enix concocted for the North American release of the game. 

This photo, on the other hand, was taken shortly after I received my copy of Koei's Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation and before I began playing it (for another of my recent "A Decade of DS" posts).

You may remember that I mentioned in my last post--about the beautiful light pink and white Vita that arrived on my doorstep just over a week ago--that I've already bought a retail Vita game, with the game in question being the original Danganronpa.

Why did I sit my copy of Danganronpa on top of my copy of Catch! Touch! Yoshi! for Nintendo DS? Because I wanted to show just how small the boxes of Vita games are--a fact that quite honestly shocked me during my first run-in with NIS America's highly acclaimed title.

In yet another recently published post, I blathered on about the Hobonichi Techo I picked up after landing my new-as-of-six-weeks-ago job. Although I included a whole bunch of photos in that post, I didn't include the one seen above, which showcases both the "Onett" (yes, of Mother 2 and EarthBound fame) cover and the Mr. Saturn pencil board I bought alongside this Japanese planner.

My "A Decade of DS" post about Maestro! Jump in Music may not have been as joyous as I expected it to be (before I actually played the game), but it still produced the snapshot shown above, which I originally shared with the world via Instagram.



Finally, this photo was nabbed shortly after my pal, Jess, bought and sent me the sparkly purple PSP-3000--more of that story can be read here--that seems to be itching to launch the wondrous Qix clone (kind of, but not really) that's known outside of Japan as Patchwork Heroes.

Did any of these photos stand out for you in particular? If so, why? Also, if you have a Flickr or Instagram or similar account that often highlights photos of games or systems, please let me know about it in the comments section below.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears ... as well as your Vita game recommendations

If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you've already heard this thrilling piece of news: I recently bought a Vita!

Actually, I bought it quite some time ago, but it took its sweet time getting to me. Plus, after it finally arrived in my neighborhood, it had to sit at the local "carrier annex" for a full week before I was able to come rescue it. (Which is what happens, I guess, when you go from being a full-time freelancer to having a full-time office job and thus no longer have the luxury of pretty much always being home when such packages arrive.)



Sadly, I haven't been able to do much more than charge its battery, start it up, set it up, download a couple of PSP games from my PSN account (Patchwork Heroes being one of them) and connect with a few pals between last weekend and today.

I'm planning to spend a lot more time with it late next week and the following weekend, though--right after I wrap up the class I mentioned in yesterday's post about my Solitiba and Katamari Damacy doodles, basically. 

As for what I'll be playing once I finally give my Vita the attention it deserves: well, I'll probably begin with Danganronpa, although it's possible I'll also download and play a bit of Magical Beat, Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines or Pix the Cat.

Given that my gaming wish list is sorely lacking in Vita titles at the moment (it includes the ones I just mentioned, of course, as well as a handful of others), I thought I'd ask all of you who also have Sony's PSP follow-up to share with me any recommendations you may have for a Vita noob like myself. 

Should any must-play Vita games come to mind in the next few hours, days or even weeks, please share their names in the comments section of this post.

I hope you're up for a little more MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura (PSP) love

Early last week, I published a post in which I blathered on and on and on about the stupendously sparkly--and purple--PSP that my pal, Jess (he of the Kiblitzing blog), recently bought and sent to me.

A small handful of photos were included in the above-mentioned post, and two of them featured peeks at the complete-in-box copy of MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura that I recently picked up.

This Monster Hunter spin-off--which is supposed to have a sort of Animal Crossing feel to it, not that I would know--is worth more than just a passing glance, so today I'm giving it a bit more attention.

Specifically, I'm giving its box art, UMD label and instruction manual a bit more attention.



Fun fact: I could've bought the follow-up of this game, called MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura G, for pretty much the same amount of money I spent on the copy highlighted throughout this post, but I went with Capcom's original effort because I prefer its cover art.

The game's UMD features art that's nearly as adorable, if you ask me. You may not be able to tell in the fairly crappy photo above, but the Poogie that sits just to the left of the MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura logo is wearing a watermelon-themed outfit.

The backside of MonHun Nikki: Poka Poka Airu Mura's instruction manual is beyond cute, too--or at least I think it is.

Sadly, that's about all I can say about this Japan-only release at the moment, as I've yet to even pop it into my beautifully purple PSP. I'm going to do my best to rectify that soon, though, as once I do, I'll share my thoughts on it here (probably in a future installment of my "Shall We Do It?" series).

Feast your eyes on a few more photos of my sparkly purple PSP

So, I let it be known in a few places--here, on Instagram and on Twitter, mostly--over the last couple of days that I recently acquired the sparkly, purple PSP (PSP-3000, to be exact) showcased in the photos throughout this post.

You'll notice I've never said that I recently "bought" the PSP in question. That's because I didn't buy it. Instead, someone bought it for me.

That someone is Jess, the proprietor of the Kiblitzing blog.

Jess' primary reason for buying me this purple PSP, as far as I can tell, is that he loves his own PSP-3000 so much that he wanted me to experience its wondrousness, too. (My other PSP is of the 1000 variety.)

A second reason, though, is that he's sick of me focusing so much on the 3DS, DS and GameBoy.

The funny thing is, I was just about to start publishing more blog posts about other systems--like mobile (if that can be called a "system") and the Vita--anyway, but I can't say the PSP was among them. So, the fact that this surprise (and surprisingly nice) purchase prompted me to dig through my collection of PSP games again should make Jess feel pretty good.

As for what I think of this third iteration of Sony's PSP hardware, well, the first thing that stood out for me was how much lighter it is than the original system.

Other aspects of the PSP-3000's design are only subtly different from those found on the old PSP-1000. For instance, the edges of the more recent system are slightly rounded, which makes holding it a less abrasive experience. Also, it appears as though the hardware is a smidge smaller than its predecessor from pretty much every angle (length, height and depth, basically), though it's possible my eyes are deceiving me here.

Upon turning on the system, even more changes are evident. A case in point: the 3000's screen is brighter, crisper and more colorful than the one used in the 1000.

I'd previously avoided this "redesign" because of complaints about its "annoying scanlines." Now, maybe my eyesight is worse than I thought it was (this wouldn't surprise me in the least), but I'm not sure I can even discern scanlines on the screen of my 3000.



Finally, I believe both the analog nub and the directional pad on the 3000 are supposed to be better, and easier to use, than the ones found on earlier PSPs, but I can't say I've noticed much, if any, of a difference here, either. That said, I've yet to use this beauty to play Patchwork Heroes, a lovely little game that could be a bit of a chore no matter how it's controlled, so maybe that will give me a better idea as to whether or not the 3000 has improved on this aspect, too.

In the meantime, I'm going to go through a bunch of my long-ignored UMDs and see if this grape-hued console can breathe new life into them. (I have absolutely no doubt it'll be able to accomplish that feat, by the way.)

See also: 'In case you haven't heard elsewhere, I'm now on Instagram!'