PLEASE READ: The NEW SHOP is separate and distinct from the OLD SHOP. If you place an order on the OLD SHOP, you will not be able to use the NEW SHOP to check on your order and vice versa. Unfortunately, we were not able to resolve the two shop databases in order to transfer customer histories and accounts. Both shops are fully operational and capable of taking orders.
 

Espgaluda

  NEWS ESPGALUDA Preorders Open - Shipping May 13, 2004
   Arika has officially opened preorders for a PS2 port of Espgaluda, Cave's recent coin-op shooter where fairies fly into war against massive bosses that spit copious amounts buckshot and laser fire. The first production of the game will include a bonus DVD which contains character artwork and footage of masterful players flitting and twitching with immense skill. These godly players have the ability to go through the entire game without losing a single fairy as they weave in and out of bullet streams. It's impressive stuff to watch...

   In Espgaluda, players guide a male or female fairy creature through vertical levels brimming with air and ground units. The new wrinkle in the game is the Saint Spirit power which changes the nature of all enemy fire in the game. Laser pellets shot from enemies are normally colored a bright blue but activate the Saint Spirit and they'll turn purple and slow down a tad. The shots then become potentially lethal to those who shot them out in the first place. For example, if a megalithic boss shoots out a maze of blue fire, one may activate the Saint, change the nature of the shots against the boss and shoot at the waves of fire to singe the boss and do massive damage against it as well turn the shots into large amounts of gold nuggets points.

   The game starts the player off with 100 Spirit points but destroying enemy ships will grant 1 spirit gem per casualty. Collecting the gems is simple since they're naturally drawn to the fairies and before long, a few hundred Spirit points will be available to a player. When activated, the Spirit meter runs down quickly and only last for about 8 seconds on a tank of 300 spirit points. Of course, it doesn't take much time to accumulate a few hundred points in any case... We ordered one of these a few months ago at Y120000 (~US$1135) USED PCB. Now, it'll soon be available to everyone at a measly US$63. Preorders are welcome today and all reservations ship on May 13. 
 
 

Kuusen II

  PS2 Kuusen II - Shipping Today  
   Fly and dogfight through the spacious skies once again in Kadokawa's followup to their 2001 flight combat simulator. Pilot up to 70 different planes including vintage WW2 craft such as the fearsome Zero with a maximum speed of 351 mph and sharp turning capability, the Grumman F6F Hellcat, Messerschmitt Bf 109, and the Boeing B29 Super Fortress which were used in massive squadrons to bomb Japanese cities during the war. The Enola Gay which dropped the "Little Boy" A-bomb on Hiroshima was a B29 bomber. Post-WW2 planes may also be piloted such as the MiG-19 and the A-10.
   Upon starting the game, players may choose from "Game Start," "Free Battle," or "Options." In the Game Start area, players choose the aircraft to use and enter the Hangar area for mission briefings. Once the game begins, a short animation of a plane taking off is shown and the aerial combat commences. Twenty five missions split over 5 scenarios are available with objectives such as dogfighting, bombing runs, and taking on multiple enemies by your lonesome and surviving for a certain amount of time.
   The first production of Kuusen II includes a bonus 90-minute DVD which contains flight footage from WW2, photos and other footage of various planes as they take off, land and zoom through the heavens.
 

 

 

Prince of Tennis Love of Prince

  PS2 Prince of Tennis: Love of Prince - Shipping Today
   With Valentine's Day right around the corner, Konami included a bar of sweet or bitter chocolate with preorders in Japan. Unfortunately, our suppliers kept the sweets for themselves (for lunch, perhaps) but we'll see about getting some Hershey bars for our customers later in the day... Maybe. The game itself is a mix of interaction and music rhythm game where sprightly j-pop plays in the background. Two versions are available - Sweet and Bitter. 
 
 

Sengoku Musou

  PS2 Sengoku Musou - Shipping Today
   Sengoku Jidai translates into "The age of the country at war," which was what Japan had boiled up into between 1467 and 1573. With the Ashikaga Shogunate unable to mediate disputes between the 260 feudal houses (daimyo) that had sprung up by 1467, a volatile situation began to fester. The daimyos considered themselves separate and independent of the 259 other daimyo - in essence, splitting Japan into 260 countries with allegiances to no one. Standing armies in every daimyo would soon be put to use.
   The Onin War (1467-1477) saw every feudal house in Japan battling against each other in a struggle for total domination of the country. The one daimyo that was able to wrest control from the others would become the sole survivor, so to speak, and to that end, Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi emerged in their bids to unite all of Japan under one house. It is under this backdrop that Sengoku Musou begins...
   One general or leader may be chosen from to rally the troops to war - Sanada Yukimura, Akechi Mitsuhide, Hattori Hanzo are a few familiar names but players may also create original characters as well. Played similarly to the well regarded Sangoku Musou series of games, protagonists charge into battle and lead soldiers into war, swing swords, use special skills and shed a lot of blood in order to take over garrisons and diminish enemy troops.
 

 

 

Tantei Jinguji Saburo

  PS2 Tantei Jinguji Saburo ~ Innocent Black - Shipping Today
   A 32-year old detective named Saburo Jinguji tugs on his cigarette and looks sternly at the young woman who stands precariously at the threshold of his office. Situated squarely in the seedy confines of Shinjuku Kabuki-Cho, Saburo's place of business is not one where fresh-faced high school students are normally found wandering. Introducing herself as Hazuki Ninomiya, daughter of the president of Ninomiya General Hospital, she requests sleuthing services that only a master detective could provide. A recent spate of stabbings has the Shinjuku area wary and since many of those victims are brought to Ninomiya Hospital, Saburo is asked to look into it. In the midst of his investigations however, Saburo uncovers a string of murder cases that may all be linked to one killer....
   Supported by a cast which includes multi-lingual assistant Yoko Misoni and local police inspector Sanzo Kumano, Saburo Jinguji's eighth assignment finds the hardboiled detective in a new adventure after three years of dormancy. Played in flick-screen interaction sequences, Saburo meets cohorts, interrogates suspects and examines locations for clues and leads. Objects may be examined and dossiers may be assembled on shifty individuals. When walking out and about in Shinjuku town, photo-realistic locales bring about a sense of "being there" as a private dick wandering the streets.
 
 

Airforce Delta: Blue Wing Knights

  PS2 Airforce Delta: Blue Wing Knights - Shipping Today
   Delayed from last week, NCS ships the Japanese version of the latest Airforce Delta to all preorders today. Regular Psikyo artist Jun Tsukasa provides character design work with his usual flair and distinctive style. A good variety of flight combat missions, 130 aircraft and 20 hours of spoken instructions, harangues from enemy pilots, and wingmen-speak are included.
 
 
Summary of the Week
Monday NEWS Import outlook, holidays in Japan, Megahouse announces One Piece Action figures
Tuesday NEWS April 2004 preorders for GBA, GC, PS2 and XBX, Full Metal Alchemist merchandising
Wednesday PS2 Kuusen II, Prince of Tennis: Love of Prince Bitter/Sweet, Sengoku Musou, Tantei Saburo Jinguji  NEWS Espgaluda preorders open
Thursday PS2 Wireless Keyboard, Zooo  NEWS Preliminary May 2004 preorders for PS2
Friday PS2 Sengoku Musou Treasure Box  NEWS Evangelion bedsheets, import restock
National Console Support, Inc ° Your Import Specialist
Phone: (718) 523-5774  Fax: (718) 523-7069  Shop: www.ncsxshop.com  E-mail: ncsx@msn.com 
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