Kind of embarrassing admission: Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku is my most-anticipated 3DS title at the moment

Oh, and in case you didn't already know it, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku is a match-three spin-off of Beeworks' Touch Detective series of portable point-and-click games.

As for why I'm looking forward to this Japanese 3DS title as much as I am at the moment: for the last week or so I've spent more time than I'd like to admit playing (what I'm pretty sure is) the Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku demo that can be found at mg.success-corp.co.jp.



I know what some of you are thinking after watching the trailer above: isn't it just a Zoo Keeper clone with a few added bells and whistles? Yes, but that's OK with me, as I've long been a fan of that puzzler's gameplay.

Plus, you can't go wrong with all of the cute-as-buttons--not to mention penile-esque--Funghi characters  that are packed into Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku. (My current favorite: the fuzzy pink ones.)

And February's 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' selection is ...

... Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime for the DS.

I know this will shock some of you, but I've already started playing this TOSE-developed, Square Enix-published title. I haven't played enough of it to share any worthwhile impressions, of course, but I will say this: I knew I was going to enjoy it as soon as I encountered its adorable title screen (below)--what with its explosion of bouncing, grinning slimes.

Also, I'm already in love with the game's pixel-perfect graphics and the protagonist's "Elasto Blast" move. I'd previously been "warned" (in a good way) about the addictive properties of the latter, but even then I wasn't fully prepared for just how fun it would be to launch Dragon Quest Heroes' Rocket every which way.

Anyway, expect to see an impressions post (titled something like "My Month with Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, Part 1") pop up this coming weekend. In the meantime, have any of you played this one? If so, what did you think of it?

See also: Previous posts related to the 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' project

My Month with Chulip, Part 4

Well, the first month of my "Bye-Bye, Backlog" project is over and done with. How did I do? Not so well if you were hoping I'd actually finish my first selection--that being Natsume's odder-than-odd PS2 title, Chulip.

Still, I gave it my best shot and put a good 12 to 15 hours into this sucker, which is saying a lot when you consider how completely obtuse Chulip tends to be.

'Chulip Fan Sprite' by iamnotapixelartist

Actually, that's the main reason I've yet to finish it. Although I absolutely loved the game when I started playing it, over time it came to feel like a chore--thanks in large part to the fact that getting to its end credits seems to be all but impossible without the use of a guide or FAQ.

Don't get me wrong: I'm usually not against calling on such things. In the case of Chulip, though, it often feels like I'm tethered to them (as in, I have to turn to them over and over again in order to make any real progress), which I can't help but find a bit (or a lot) irksome.

Am I giving up on this title now that January's over? Not at all. Yes, my focus throughout February will be on my second "Bye-Bye, Backlog" selection (which I'll reveal first thing tomorrow), but I'll also continue to spend some time with this one until I've "beaten" it.

So, expect to see a "Great Gaymathon" review of this Punchline-made game sometime between now and the end of the month. In the meantime, look for weekly updates about my February "Bye-Bye, Backlog" selection starting this Sunday.

See also: Previous 'Bye-Bye, Backlog' posts

After seeing just a single piece of concept art, Monolith Soft's mysterious 3DS title is now at the top of my 'day one perch' list

Of course, that's assuming that the illustration below, published late last week on Monolith Soft's Facebook page in an attempt to attract designers, is a piece of concept art from the company's known-to-be-in-the-works 3DS title.



Quite a few people think seem to think that's exactly what it is, though, and, well, that's enough for me at the moment.

The reason some folks think that, by the way, is that the artist responsible for the illustration above is Yasuyuki Honne, who is a member of Monolith Soft's Kyoto-based team that has long been said to be working on a title for the 3DS.

Curiously, someone calling himself (or herself) Instro shared the following illustration on NeoGAF yesterday. It's also the work of Honne and, as such, more than a few people believe it may be related to the image above--and to Monolith Soft's mysterious 3DS game, too.



Although I hope both pieces have something to do with the company's latest portable offering (their last was Project X Zone), I'm especially enthralled by the first one thanks to its trippy, Wizard of Oz-esque overtones.

How about you ladies and gents? Do you also like these illustrations and, if so, do you hope they're indicative of a forthcoming 3DS title?

Great Dreamcast or greatest Dreamcast?

I'm going with the former option, personally, although I wouldn't fault anyone who goes with the latter.

At any rate, the Shenmue-themed Dreamcast console seen in the photo below was produced by the one and only OSKUNK, of course.



A few more photos of this beauty can be seen on OSKUNK's blog, Custom Art, so I highly recommend checking it out if you're a fan of Sega's open-world adventure title (and, really, who isn't?).

See also: Previous OSKUNK posts