Raise your hand if you're buying Final Fantasy Type-0 because of Yoshitaka Amano's box art

My hand's up. How about yours?

Those of you who just replied to the question above in the negative either don't own a PSP or haven't seen the beautiful cover art, below, that Yoshi- taka Amano created for this portable Final Fantasy spin-off, right?

Sorry, this is the only available shot of Amano's cover art.

Unfortunately for all of us Western gamers, the folks at Square Enix have yet to reveal if Final Fantasy Type-0 will be released outside of Japan.

Even if is, though, I have a feeling Amano's cover art will be switched out for something a bit more "action-packed" (i.e., hideous) before it ever hits American and European store shelves.

(Via andriasang.com)

Why didn't somebody tell me Mighty Flip Champs received a PSP port?

While researching today's other post (about Mighty Switch Force's teaser trailer), I discovered that another WayForward-developed title that I've had my eye on for some time, Mighty Flip Champs, was rather stealthily released as a PSP Mini a few months ago.

Surprisingly, said port is supposed to be a pretty good one. "It's a game that, previous to its arrival on PSP, I could only imagine as a DS game," Joystiq's JC Fletcher wrote in a recent review. "But the PSP version turns the vertical 'flipping' horizontal, and puts the two locations on the left and right side of the PSP screen. To my surprise, this arrangement works out just fine! It doesn't feel like an adaptation to a less adequate platform; it just works."



Although I'd love to add Mighty Flip Champs DX to my ever-growing collection of digital PSP games, I'm going to have to hold off on doing so until I actually have some money. Another possibility: I could wait until I buy 3DS and then purchase all three of WayForward's "Mighty" titles (Mighty Flip Champs, Mighty Milky Way and Mighty Switch Force) via that system's eShop. Decisions, decisions.

See also: 'Metroid + Mega Man + Mischief Makers = Mighty Switch Force?'

Metroid + Mega Man + Mischief Makers = Mighty Switch Force?

I may not own a 3DS, but that doesn't mean I'm ignoring the system until I obtain one.

For instance, I've had my eye on the downloadable title, Mighty Switch Force, since it was announced a few months ago.

Although the folks at WayForward--makers of, among other games, Contra 4 and the upcoming Aliens: Infestation--promised from the get-go that Mighty Switch Force would feature "Metroid-like gameplay," I was a bit skeptical of that until I saw the following, recently released trailer:



I don't know about you, but I think the gameplay featured in the teaser above was inspired by more than just Metroid. It also seems to have been inspired by Capcom's Mega Man titles and Treasure's Mischief Makers (aka Yuke Yuke!! Trouble Makers).

Here's hoping that Mighty Switch Force proves to be even half as appealing and enjoyable as the above-mentioned classics when it finally makes its way onto the Nintendo eShop.

Dear Sony: If you want me to buy a PS3 before its price drops to $199, bring Ni no Kuni to the States

At this point, I'm planning to hold off on buying a PS3 until the price of the system drops to $199. What would prompt me to pick one up before that happens? A Western release for Ni no Kuni.

Speaking of Ni no Kuni, the folks at developer Level-5 have released a new trailer for their highly anticipated RPG, which will hit the streets in Japan on Nov. 17. Here it is:



Also hitting the streets in Japan on Nov. 17: The awesome "Ni no Kuni Magical Edition" PS3 seen here.

Honestly, if Sony brought both Ni no Kuni and the "Ni no Kuni Magical Edition" PS3 to the States, I'd literally buy both in a heartbeat, gaming budget be damned.

(Via andriasang.com)

Fabulous flash game alert: /Escape\

I did a lot of fun things this past weekend: I baked, played tennis, read a bit of Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and wrote a number of posts for this blog.

I also spent (some would say wasted) a good chunk of time playing /ESCAPE\, a Flash game that was created--in 72 hours, no less--by Ian Brock (graphics), Josh Schonstal (programming) and Guerin McMurry (music) for Ludum Dare 21 and that's now playable at kongregate.com.

For those of you who need to know a bit of information about a game, even free ones like /ESCAPE\, before giving it a go: It's a score-attack title that tasks players with wall-jumping again and again and again in an attempt to avoid being impaled by spikes and singed by an ever-advancing laser beam.

One of the best parts of /ESCAPE\, in my opinion: It requires the use of just one keyboard button. (What can I say? I'm lazy.)

Oh, and in case any of your are curious: My high score so far is 258.