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.
 

Double Dragon Advance
 

  GBA Double Dragon Advance - Shipping Today
   At the outset of Double Dragon, a bruiser punches Billy Lee's girlfriend in the stomach and spirits her off to a hideaway. Seconds later, Billy appears and launches himself on a rescue mission to save his beloved. Heaven only knows where he was when the abduction occurred but what's done is done and Billy punches, kicks, jumps, and elbows his way to redemption.

   A classic coin-op from 1987, Double Dragon pits one or two players against a gang of goons, whip-wielding dames and muscle bound meatheads called Abobos. The 2004 edition of Double Dragon brings back the entire cast but throws in a few new faces such as Abobo with hair, sleek suited henchmen and a masked monstrosity named Burnov who looks a lot like Humungous from the Road Warrior movie. In the original Double Dragon, a player could theoretically go through the entire game with one move and one move only - the elbow attack. To elbow someone, face away and press jump + punch simultaneously. Billy will then jut his elbow out like a weapon and send any enemy clattering to the sidewalk. It was an effective move back in the day and was capable of leveling all comers however big or small. The GBA version of DD retains the elbow move but unfortunately, it's not as effective against the new crop of enemies. After playing the game for a few rounds, the elbow move has been marginalized to the point where it won't be missed by anyone except for old schoolers hanging onto long lost days.

   To make up for the reduction in efficacy of the all-powerful elbow attack, a host of new moves give Billy and Jimmy the capacity to dominate waves of gangsters. There's a running punch, a rising punch, a rising knee attack, a flying kick, a stomp move, and a guard move to block blows. The rising knee attack is accompanied by a sound not unlike the zing of a spinning cylinder. There's also a bunch of weapons to pick up and use during the course of the game including nunchuks, dynamite, whips and bo sticks.
 
 

Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX
 

  GBA Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX - Shipping Today
   Double Dragon and other punch 'n kick games such as Final Fight have always held a higher profile than River City Ransom aka Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari. Perhaps it's the ambiguous name - River City Ransom sounds like a dramatic interactive novel which may turn gamers off. Maybe it's the SD look of the game characters - there's nothing sexy about short, squat protagonists who sport 60s era haircuts. Whatever it is, RCR doesn't have the recognition that other games enjoy even though it is on par or even arguably superior to games such as Double Dragon.

   As the story goes, Kunio and Riki were once rivals but they've since become loyal friends. When Kunio's girlfriend is kidnapped by a powerful gang leader, Kunio and Riki head out to destabilize the power structure of the gang. Once the game begins, players take control of Kunio while Riki is controlled by the computer. Gang members immediately appear carrying chains and bats. Knock the closest one out and pick up a chain to whip the others into submission. Pressing the "A" button throws out a punch while the "B" button makes Kunio kick. When a chain is in hand, the "A" button whips it out but press "B" and the whip sails across the screen as a projectile weapon. Gang members drop yen coins when they're defeated which may be used to purchase upgrades in later levels. When an enemy has been knocked down and is lying prone, Kunio may continue to beat upon him in an ungentlemanly manner. Kunio may also pick up the unconscious gang member and swing him around like a rotary battering ram to knock out other gangsters. There's a blue bucket that lies around in some parts of the game - throw it at an gang member and it'll land on top of his head, rendering him blind and dumb. It also works the other way and you'll be helpless for a few seconds if you should become crowned with the blue bucket. The graphics are a step above the Famicom original while the solid game quality, amount of moves and attack options keep things interesting.
 
 

Diet Channel

  PS2 Diet Channel - Shipping Today
   With world populations growing ever larger and more robust with each generation, fad diets and other fixes have ballooned into a multi-billion dollar industry. The irony is all there - post industrial society has stumbled to the point where citizens pay through the nose for proper feeding habits and regimens. Konami caught a whiff of the diet craze when they started including a diet mode in Dance Dance Revolution. With positive feedback from fans, Konami has forged ahead with a well-rounded diet program for players who wish to keep in shape. Learn proper diet, stretching exercises, and keep a diary of your daily caloric intake, exercise regimen and any self imposed targets. The 20 music selections in Diet Channel aren't as diverse as those found in any of the recent DDR games but they'll suffice to get you moving.
 
 

Pop 'n Taisen Pazurudama Online

  PS2 Pop 'n Taisen Pazurudama Online - Shipping Today
   A new Pazurudama puzzle game periodically thrills fans in Japan but it has long simmered under the shadow of Puyo Puyo. Similar in gameplay to that well known franchise, Pazurudama features colored spheres with faces which rain down in pods of 2. Color match the spheres in contiguous arrangements of at least three colors to fade them from the screen. Matches may be made vertically, horizontally, or at a right angle - just as long as there are three like-colors touching each other, you're good. The wrinkle in Pazurudama comes in the form of little colored spheres which are encased in glass boxes. They're blockades in a sense but to release the spheres from their glass prisons, a normal color match must be made directly next to them. Once freed, they emerge from their containers and become game for color matching. This makes for chain combos which may clear entire screens as long as the setup is arranged properly and glassed spheres are layered appropriately with normal spheres. 
   The Pop 'n Music crew takes over Pazurudama duties for this year and Konami throws in an online mode where players across Japan may engage other to determine rank. Stateside players without the BBA may still play the Pazurudama game offline and compete against a neighbor, little brother or PS2 powered logic routines.
 
 

PAR + 32M

  PS2 Pro Action Replay + 32M Memory Card  - Shipping Today
   Japanese manufacturer Cyber Gadget has finally shipped their integrated 32M memory card + Pro Action Replay for use with any Japanese Playstation 2 console. All PS2 revisions from SCPH-10000 to the SCPH-55000GT Ceramic White version are supported. Cyber Gadget licensed the PAR code from Datel/Karat so it's an official product which will support all official PAR codes.

   Included in the blister pack is a CD filled with unlimited time, max (everything) codes for games such as Z Gundam AEUG vs Titans, Initial D Special Stage, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne and many others. Once one uses the included codes to death, new codes may be entered into the handy code screen for further utility and cheating.
 
 

Sakigaki!! Kuromati Koukou

Takashi Kamiyama

Hayashida Shinjirou

  PS2 Sakigaki!! Kuromati Koukou - Shipping Today
   Starting life on the manga proving grounds of Weekly Shonen Jump, Sakigake! Kuromati Koukou captured the attention of its audience with a cast of high school delinquents whose aspirations in life were to hang out, discuss inane subjects and act like a bunch of bad asses. Lovable bad asses. After amassing a critical audience on the pages of Shonen Jump, Kuromati Koukou made the transition from paper to celluloid when Production I.G. worked the manga into animation form and TV Tokyo started airing episodes last year.

   Set in the high school wasteland of Kuromati High School, Japanese toughs, slackers, good-for-nothings and other ne'er do wells are all shuffled into one steaming pot of male testosterone. The top clique in Kuromati consists of protagonist Takashi Kamiyama and head honcho Hayashida Shinjirou. Around them, the core crew consists the slow-witted Akira Maeda, the metallic Mechazawa Shinichi, Gorilla, and Freddy Mercury. Yes, he of the aptly named rock band Queen and Gorilla is an actual gorilla. Noboru Yamaguchi and his gang appear from time to time as foil against the boys.

   In one episode, Hayashida decides that he wants to play baseball and the boys debate about finding enough players to field the diamond. After a while, only seven players are rustled up - two of them being Gorilla and the robot Mechazawa. Maeda soon realizes he's the eighth member and his mom shows up as the ninth. All set. In their outing, they get themselves stranded in a forest clearing and fear for their lives as helplessness sets in. Hayashida saves the day when he disappears for a few hours and returns to camp with packages of instant ramen which he hauls from a nearby convenience store. Unfortunately, he forgets the hot water to sauce the ramen and a squabble breaks out. They're eventually rescued by a female gorilla who saves their whiny hides by leading them to bright lights in a big city.

   Similar to the manga and animated series, everyday situations with an outlandish bent pop up in PS2 Sakigaki!! Kuromati Koukou and players contribute to the conversations and situations to move the story along. Along with the interaction sequences where the Kuromati crew make their way through each day, there's a group of mini games to play including slots and a primitive fighting challenge where players attempt to defeat a larger than life Freddy with a stick.

   While we doubt many even know about this series in the USA, it's one of our favorites from the 2003 season with it's witty deadpan commentary on the Japanese obsession with all things cute (Pooh-tan), high school life, brusque male bravado, and human nature in general. The boys singing "Happy Birthday" to one of their own is a lesson in maintaining the macho image even in times of supposed joy. Since the series is so unknown, we'll probably sell 2 units over the next 3 years but we had to bring it in just for our own satisfaction and peace of mind.
 
 

Zero Shinkikan Josentoki

  PS2 Zero Shinkikan Josentoki - Shipping Today
   Pilot a Zero or other plane during the throes of WWII and recreate 15 historic missions such as the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the sinking of the Yamato. In addition to the Zero, players may also pilot a B-29 Bomber, P-51 Mustang, MK1 Spitfire, Bf109 Messerschmitt or 35 other planes from both sides of the war. Three game modes are available: Training Mode, Mission Mode and Versus Mode. The modes are all self-explanatory but the Versus Mode allows for 2 players to dogfight or 1 player may go against a PS2 controlled pilot. Mission Mode lists 15 missions but there are 5 extra missions which may be unlocked. Zero works fine with the Hori Flight Stick 2 and we had no problems getting it to recognize the stick this morning.
   Taito published only 5000 copies of Zero Shinkikan Josentoki, which is less than some recent Dreamcast releases. Each copy of the game includes a bonus Zero airplane model painted in green with yellow trim which is mounted on an ornate pedestal.

 
 

Downtown Nekketsu + Bonus

Puyo Puyo Fever + Bonus

  ETC General Updates

   PS2 Stand Alone Complex is now expected on Monday due to a continuing shipment delay. We won't comment on it any further since we seem to be jinxing something, somehow, somewhere along the line. Once we ignore it, maybe the mojo will clear up and mechanical flight delays will be fixed.
   While supplies last, preorders for Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari will include a bonus Kunio cellphone strap (shown to the left) where the fighting hipster stands with arms crossed and a scowling demeanor pervades.

   We also received a Puyo Puyo Fever squash toy with this morning's restock of Puyo Puyo Fever for Dreamcast. We didn't receive them with our initial shipments from last week for some reason but we'll give these away to new orders while supplies last. 
   Bandai started accepting preorders for a new product called a Neo Fami Limited Edition in Red and White color a few days ago. We're not sure what the product is but it was listed on one of the preorder solicitations for shipping in early April. If we were to speculate, it might be a Famicom rehash or converter of some sort. We'll update once we have more news.  
   The Transformers Masterpiece Convoy will be restocked by next week and we will process backorders once the item arrives. The Famicom Mini cartridges are also expected on Tuesday and we will fill all preorders upon arrival. We will update accordingly if we are able to accept new orders.
 
 
Summary of the Week
Monday NEWS Capcom All Stars Capsule Toys, Falcom Products, GBA SP Variants - Fire Red and Leaf Green, Import Outlook, Taiko no Tatsujin Special Pack announced, Welcome to Pia Carrot figures
Wednesday PS2 Gungrave OD [ASN]  XBX Ninja Gaiden [USA]
Thursday NEWS Delays...going ice fishing this afternoon, Psyvariar 2 restock soon, Famicom Mini carts soon
Friday GBA Double Dragon Advance, Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari  PS2 Diet Channel, Pro Action Replay + 32M Memory Card, Pop 'n Taisen Pazurudama, Sakigaki!! Kuromati Koukou, Zero Shinkikan Josentoki
National Console Support, Inc ° Your Import Specialist
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