Console Maintenance Tips from a Pro

Taking a break from our usual discussion about games, we thought we'd take a few moments to focus on the machines that play them. Here's a few helpful hints from a Gaming Expert on how to keep your consoles running at maximum efficiency!

Xbox 360- This one has quite a few idiosyncrasies to keep track of, first of which is to ALWAYS lay your console on its side. This allows for the hot air building up inside the system to escape the easiest. Since heat rises, if you have your console standing straight up the hard drive on top does not allow heat to escape, possibly leading to the system overheating and causing the 'Red Rings of Death'. Also, make sure you never put your system directly onto carpet, as that will also prevent proper ventilation from occurring. If you have something you can put under the system to elevate it a little ways off the floor, that's even better.

Second tip is to NEVER touch your console while it's playing, as this can lead to ringed discs. What happens is that when the console is moved or tilted while a game is being played, the disc gets knocked into the laser itself as it's reading the game. This is why these particular scratches are perfect circular rings, as well. While this type of scratch is repairable, it's difficult and there is not a 100% success rate, so it's best to take preventative measures!

Last tip for the 360: if you have an Intercooler or some other external cooling system on your Xbox, make sure that it has an external power source. Ones that draw power directly from the 360 itself have been known to possibly cause 'Red Rings' as well! Keep in mind that all of these tips are for the original 360's and Elites; it doesn't apply to the new slim models, as they are designed slightly differently. Although, it couldn't hurt to use these practices on the slim, just in case.

PS3- The PS3 is almost the exact polar opposite from the 360 in terms of proper maintenance. In order to get proper heat dispersion and ventilation, it should be standing up on its side, because the internal fans disperse most of the heat through the top of the system. Also, if you accidentally bump your system while it's playing, you don't have to scream in agony and prepare for a ringed disc; blu-ray discs are more resilient than DVDs, and are rather difficult to scratch. The internal drive of the PS3 is also set up differently, so the laser can't bump into the disc like it can in the 360.

While the PS3 doesn't ring discs, there is something important to keep in mind about the disc drive: when putting discs into the system, it's important not to force them in. Gently ease the disc in, and wait for the mechanism to grab it and pull it in on its own. Forcing the discs in and breaking the automatic feeding mechanism is the leading cause of disc drive failures, and the most common problem with the PS3.

It's also important to blow the dust out of the system on a regular basis, using an air compressor or canned air. You can also suck out dust with a hose vacuum gently placed on the side vents, if the dust bunnies have become dust elephants. Again, with the exception of the disc drive feeder, these practices are for the original models, and don't apply to the slim models, but again, it couldn't hurt.

While absolutely preventing all problems from ever happening is impossible with electronics, practicing these methods will greatly reduce the risk of a broken system. Remember though, that if for any reason you do end up having a problem with your system, whether it be a ringed disc or a broken feeding mechanism on a disc drive, we here at Level Up Video Games can fix it for you. However, while we are here for you, it's always better not to have to spend extra money. Hopefully, following these simple preventative measures will save you some cash!

Submitted by: Tom Ferko (Employee)

Batman: Arkham City roundup

Great video games can be both a blessing and a curse. Pop in the disc and instead of savoring the experience, you end up devouring everything it has to offer; from getting all the achievements to finding every hidden item. Before you know it, you've finished off the last morsel and you're now watching the credits roll and instead of feeling full, you crave more.

It's easy to argue that Batman: Arkham Asylum suffered from this problem, but Rocksteady Studios recently announced a New Game Plus mode in Batman: Arkham City to help resolve the issue. The new mode allows you to retain all of Batman's gadgets, abilities and XP from your first run-through of the game, but amps up the difficulty with meaner thugs and tougher bosses. Batman also won't have his “Bat-sense” to counter incoming enemy attacks, but after smashing through throngs of thugs the whole game, chances are you won't need it.

This new mode looks to add tons of replay value to an already huge game, as Rocksteady has confirmed that Batman: Arkham City will be larger and longer than its predecessor.

"We have the single player game with the full narrative, and for that you're talking about the 20-25 hour mark. But if you want 100 per cent complete, with finding all 400 Riddler trophies, finding all the cameos, then we reckon that's at least 40 hours of gaming," said Rocksteady lead narrative designer, Paul Crocker. “From a sheer size point of view, it's about five times as big as Arkham Asylum.”

Aside from the size and length upgrade, let's take a step back and have a quick look at some of the other goodies that'll be in store for Batman this time around. First of all, the number of challenges and villains has increased from the first game. Whether he's hunting down all of The Riddler's 400-plus trophies, closing the book on The Joker, taking down The Penguin, facing off against Mr. Freeze, teaming up with Catwoman and dealing justice to Two Face or finding out what Hugo Strange has in store for Arkham City; the Caped Crusader's definitely going to have a busy night.

Players will also have more control over Batman's cape-gliding abilities to help him traverse over rooftops and between buildings in Batman: Arkham City. Used in conjunction with the grappling hook, it could be possible to cover the whole of Arkham City without touching the ground.

"We wanted the player to experience the freedom and exhilaration of gliding down alleyways and soaring above the skyline, and this has meant [adding] nearly twice as many moves and animations as in the original game," said Rocksteady game director, Sefton Hill.

Easily one of the best aspects of Batman: Arkham Asylum was its freeflow combat system, which allowed for Batman to take down groups of Joker's lackeys with stylish, bone-snapping moves. Rocksteady upped the ante in Batman: Arkham City and armed the Dark Knight with tons more attacks, including integrating his gadgets into combat and the ability to take down multiple enemies at once.

The combat and predator challenge maps will also return in Batman: Arkham City. Batman, Robin, and Catwoman are already set to fill the roster. There's also a rumor of a possible fourth character in the works, but Rocksteady hasn't revealed any further information on this yet.

One thing Rocksteady has released is the inclusion of 3D support on all systems. This feature will also be available even if you own a regular HDTV.

With the myriad of content Rocksteady's promising - and what's yet to be revealed - Batman: Arkham City is shaping up to surpass its predecessor when it swoops onto store shelves for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on Oct. 18.

A Special Conversation: Fumita Ueda and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Part 1

Who are Fumita Ueda and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, and why should you care that they are talking to each other? Some of you might already know, but for those who don't, Fumita Ueda is the man behind 'Ico' and 'Shadow of the Colossus', two games hailed by both fans and critics alike as being two of the best examples on the pro-side of the 'Games as Art' debate; the third game in the series, 'The Last Guardian', is already being anticipated to be of equal quality. Tetsuya Mizuguchi made another game that could also be considered in that category: Rez, the amazing, visual-rhythmic shooting game originally released for the PS2 and later ported to the Xbox 360 in an HD re-release. His upcoming game, 'Child of Eden', for the Xbox Kinect and the PlayStation Move, looks to be just as ground-breakingly spectacular.  

So what do two of the most innovative and artistic creators in the Japanese game industry talk about with each other? Recently, these two men sat down for Famitsu magazine and had a conversation about their careers, their vision for games, and what they hope to accomplish with their upcoming releases. As a special treat, we will be translating the entire interview and putting it up in sections over the next couple of weeks. We hope you enjoy it.

“Inside me, I felt that Ueda-san was a 'kindred spirit'.”

~Mizuguchi Tetsuya

Ueda: I first met Mizuguchi-san in November of 2001, at a completion party for Ico, I think.

Mizuguchi: Yeah. I think that's right. I'm pretty sure it was right after Rez got released (Editor's note: Rez was also released in November of 2001).

Ueda: I feel strongly that they didn't want Ico to be labeled as not a 'real game' at that time, so it was released at the same time as Rez, another title with original game design.

Mizuguchi: I feel like Ueda-san and I are in sync on all the important points. I think that we have the same timing, and approach making games in the same way. When I see Ueda-san being active, it always makes me think 'I have to work hard, too!'.

Ueda: I think so as well. Also, we were both awarded a prize at the 2002 GDCA (Game Developer's Conference).

Mizuguchi: After that, at the Art Event in Spain too, we were both invited to go as representatives for Game Designers, right?

Ueda: Yep. I'm pretty sure that was after 'Shadow of the Colossus' was released.

Mizuguchi: We don't meet that often in Japan. We always see each other at foreign events we are both invited to, don't we?

Ueda: Speaking of, didn't I run into you at the Spanish airport too?

Mizuguchi: Ah! You're right, we did! (laughs). It's almost like some strange twist of fate or something, that Ueda-san and I both seem to feel something similar, and make games that both seem to head in the same direction, or at least we think so when we look at each other's titles.

Ueda: I agree. Mizuguchi-san's games are enjoyed even by people who don't usually play games, and have a simple design, but are still the perfect example of what a video game really is, or should be at least. His latest work, 'Child of Eden', is made like that too, and I think his technical skill is broadening. I'd like to believe that our attitude about making these kinds of games is similar.

Mizuguchi: It probably is. But I think Ueda-san's work comes from this... deep view of the world that he has. The stories that he makes, that flow from that view, have this overwhelming power. He's taking these things called 'games', using the principals they are based on, and widening their possibilities, making them more artistic. I feel that his games are somehow different from all the games that have come before: they have a message and a strong new theme. The fact that he is continuing to make these works of art is amazing. Someone who is able, has the power, to take the world they see inside themselves and accurately express that visually to others... I think it's very unique, a rare person. Especially when you are talking about a fantasy world, since you have to build the world up from scratch; it's a completely different dimension from the real world we inhabit. You probably need an awful lot of energy to do it.

Ueda: Well, it does certainly require a huge amount of effort and work to make something that doesn't exist in the real world convincing and believable when people see it.

Mizuguchi: The control you take, thoroughly going down to even the little details, is amazing.

Ueda: Thank you very much. Of course, it's not just me, my team also works incredibly hard.

Mizuguchi: But that's why it's so amazing! It's really difficult to unify a team like that, have them all be so focused and together.

Ueda: Well, I don't really think it's just me, but as far as the view of the world, the level design, and the functionality of the game as a whole go, I think in order to pursue those things a layer, a texture, of both functionality and meaning is needed in the game. That's what I hope for, what I want us to do thoroughly.

Part two will be coming soon. Look forward to it!

Submitted by: Sherrie Blackwell

Sony delving into virtual reality

There's no doubt that 2D is the foundation that the video game market was built on, and its success has allowed the industry to shift into the 3D realm. Sony pushed for 3D on the PS3 at E3 2011, Nintendo popped out the 3DS and Microsoft's been buzzing about 3D for the 360 for some time now. The seeds of 3D gaming were planted by the near-forgotten and doomed concept of “virtual reality” gaming presented in arcade games and later on devices like Nintendo's Virtual Boy.

Sony looks to be reaching beyond the 3D realm to breathe life back into virtual reality and give it another chance. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, Sony unveiled a headset that could provide a way for gamers to become more immersed with their games like never before. Sony Worldwide Studios senior director, Mick Hocking spoke with Develop about how they're working on integrating virtual reality experiences into video games.

“We've also got a new head mounted display that we showed at CES, that can produce really great quality 3D and a very immersive experience for games. The head-mounted display has twin-OLED screens; very high quality,” Hocking said. “At the moment it’s just a head-mounted display; the head isn’t being tracked – but that’s something we’re doing R&D on. I have to say, what we’ve done in the R&D projects has just been fantastic.”

The headset will also support 5.1 surround sound, but Sony has yet to reveal the cost and release date. Regardless, you'll definitely want to start saving your pennies now.

This Week in Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu #1178

Cover Story

This week Famitsu takes a look at Rockstar's ambitious detective thriller, L.A. Noire. While the game has been out for some time back in the States, it is not releasing here in Japan until July 7th. Famitsu takes a look at some of the different characters you will encounter, covers some basic plot details, and side-quests. It also outlines the 5 different divisions of LAPD you play throughout the game, along with the partners who will accompany you. The article also pays special attention to the amazing period-specific details that are present in the game. Since the game has already been released in the US, though, there's really not a lot else to say.

However, this does give us a good opportunity to talk about something: the 'Western game' in Japan. For a long, LONG time Western games have been looked down upon over here. Slowly but surely that has been changing; in fact, since moving to Japan 2 years ago, we have seen a marked increase in the number of Western games being featured in Famitsu and given prominent advertizing campaigns here (both in print and in retail). Unfortunately, most Western games are still viewed by the gaming public, by and large, as being nothing more than just your standard, cookie-cutter, carbon-copy shooter. However, games like L.A. Noire, which have intricate and complex stories, are starting to change that. So much so that when Famitsu reviewed L.A. Noire in this month's issue, they gave it a 39/40 (four reviewers each rate the game on a scale of 10), which is very impressive. It missed the “Perfect” score by only 1 point, and as Famitsu has only ever given 15 Perfects in their entire 25 year history, that's nothing to laugh at.

Featured Games

Mobile Suit Gundam: New Gihren's Ambition (PSP): Gihren's Ambition is a turn-based strategy game, very similar in style and gameplay to that of the Fire Emblem series, based on the original Gundam anime. This particular Gundam series saw its first game based on it released on the Sega Saturn in April 1998. In the original title, players took control of either Federation or Principality of Zeon forces. In New Gihren's Ambition, you still have the option of choosing your side, but now you can also play from the perspective of a single pilot or a commander, in addition to the conventional approach of taking control of the full battle. Pilot and commander scenarios include many of the popular characters from the series, and the game will be presenting the story through both CG graphics and actual scenes from the anime.

Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS): Kid Icarus returns to the 3DS after a 25 year hiatus from gaming. While the original Kid Icarus was a blend of platforming and 'shooting', Uprising puts more attention on the shooting. The game is a fast-paced action game featuring a variety of weapons, including Pit's classic bow and arrow. New to the mix are close combat claws, a mixture of heavy and light guns, and magical attacks. The game will also feature a robust 3v3 online multiplayer mode. Probably the coolest thing about Uprising, though, is that it will support the AR Cards (one of the 3DS's best features in our opinion) to create a card battle game using the characters featured in Uprising!

Weird Games Found Only In Japan

AKB48 1/48: When You Fall in Love With an Idol in Guam (PSP): Just what is AKB48 you ask? Well, that's simple: it's an all girl music group comprised of 48 school girls, and they are one of, if not the biggest, music group in Japan now. Yes, you read that right. 48 girls...it wasn't a typo. As there are so many of them, it's the perfect source material to make a dating sim game from!

In the original AKB48 1/48 game for the PSP, players were bombarded by the advances of ALL 48 members of AKB48, and it was up to you to complete the arduous and painstaking task of selecting only one girl to be the recipient of your affection. In actuality it turned out to be more of a dumping simulator, but that didn't matter because it had 48 girls that you could dump! 48 of them! It sold half a million copies here in Japan, so it was pretty much a sure thing that it would be getting a sequel.

The sequel is set in..... wait for it..... wait for it.... Guam! Once again, the players finds themselves being pursued by all 48 members of AKB48, but this time they are in bikinis....it's different because of the bikinis. Just like the first game, the sequel will be sold in a variety of offerings including

the “First Run Limited Edition” version that comes with a copy of the game, a 120 minute UMD with outtakes, 420 minute making-of and “fashion collection” (that's code for video of the girls in their bikinis) DVD set, a set of pics, a Team 4 special DVD (because there are some many of them the girls are divided up into “teams”), 48 small posters, a download code for 48 different custom themes, and a Blu-ray film of all cut-scenes from the first game. I kid you not, there were customers getting into altercations while waiting for the first game because the “First Run Limited Edition” was so sought after. Look for this game to come out in the US when we make our own 48 member all girl group.

Hardware Sales: Week of 6/13-6/19

• Nintendo 3DS – 41,086 units
• PSP – 28,026 units
• Playstation 3 – 14,327 units
• Nintendo DS – 7,892 units
• Wii – 7,031 units
• Xbox 360 – 2,465 units
• Playstation 2 – 1,230 units

Top 5 Selling Games: Week of 6/13-6/19

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (3DS) – 182, 998 units sold
• Danball Senki (PSP) – 163,834 units sold
• Yakuza: Of The End (PS3) – 48, 252 units sold
• Steins Gate: Hiyoku Renri no Darling – 40, 473 units sold
• Steins Gate Double Pack (360) – 10, 803 units sold

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games: Based on survey results from 6/16-6/22

• Tales of Xillia (PS3)
• Dragon Quest X (Wii)
• Final Fantasy: Type-O/Agito (PSP)
• Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)
• Photo Kano (PSP)

We hope you enjoyed this week's 'This Week In Famitsu'. See you next time!

Submitted By: Aaron McKeever & Sherrie Blackwell

This Week in Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu #1177 

Cover Story

So, before we begin this week's coverage on the cover story, there's something you all need to know about Famitsu: on slow news weeks, or when there's a particularly awesome game, they will have strategy guides in the magazine. Usually they aren't that in-depth or long; they tend to focus on one thing, say, getting all the feathers in Assassin's Creed 2, or something along those lines. They're very cool, and great if you are actually playing that game at the time. They usually aren't very newsworthy though, so we tend to skip over them. However, the latest issue of Famitsu has a guide for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, that is also riddled with random tidbits of information and readers' favorite memories of the game. Famitsu also polled its readers on various items, bosses, dungeons, and how much the readers loved/wanted to break their controller from the difficulty for each of them. We thought it would be interesting to share some of those results with you, especially since it's what's featured on this week's cover. So, without further ado, here you are!

Favorite Characters 

1.) Link

2.) Navi (What. The. Heck.) 

3.) Zelda

4.) Saria

5.) Shiek

6.) Malon

7.) Ganondorf

8.) Ruto

9.) Darunia

10.) Epona

Most Difficult Bosses 

1.) Ganondorf

2.) Bongo Bongo

3.) Phantom Ganondorf

4.) Morpha

5.) Twinrova

6.) Barinade

7.) Gohma

8.) Volvagia

9.) Dark Link

10.) King Dodonga

Most Difficult Dungeons 

1.) Water Temple

2.) Shadow Temple

3.) Ganon's Stage

4.) Forest Temple

5.) Bottom of the Well

6.) Jabu Jabu's Belly

7.) Gerudo Training Grounds

8.) Inside the Deku Tree

9.) Fire Temple

10.) Ice Cavern

Favorite Songs 

1.) Saria's Song

2.) Zelda's Lullaby

3.) Song of Storms

4.) Epona's Song

5.) Song of Time

6.) Serenade of Water

7.) Prelude of Light

8.) Requiem of Spirit

9.) Forest Minuet

10.) Nocturne of Shadow

And there you have it! Results straight from Famitsu readers' mouths. How do they stack up to your own opinions? Personally, we agree with the Water Temple being the most difficult... the many long hours spent staring at the TV screen in a confused stupor, aboslutely stumped.... Ah, memories!

Featured Games

Remake Extravaganza: Okay, so this isn't so much a featured game as a secondary cover story. This week, Famitsu decided to take a look at all the remakes and facelifts classic games have been getting over the years. It's a fun little article that takes a nice trip down memory lane, so we thought we'd share it with you! Of course, these games, the release dates, and the sale numbers related to them are for the Japanese copies, and there might be a few games in this list that never made it to American shores.

Super Mario Collection (SNES): This is the same as the US verison of Super Mario All Stars, containing Super Mario Bros. 1-3, as well as Super Mario USA for the NES. What's Super Mario USA you ask? Well, that is our verison of Super Mario Bros 2, which is entirely different from the Japanese verison (known in the States as "The Lost Levels"). In fact, the US verison of Super Mario 2 is actually a game known in Japan as "Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panikku", with Mario characters substituted for the games' normal characters. Released on 7/14/93, with 2,120,000 total units sold.

Dragon Quest I & II (GBY & SNES): A remake of original Dragon Quest I & II games from the NES. Dragon Quest is so popular here in Japan that it is a National Law that DQ games can only be released on a weekend, so as to not impact the productivity of businesses and the nation. Released on 9/23/1999, with 763,760 total units sold.

Super Mario Collection 25^th Anniversary Special Pack (Wii): This is a re-release of the Super Mario Collection from the SNES to commerate Mario's 25^th Anniversary. The package also contains a nice little packet about the history of Mario as well as a soundtrack CD. Released 10/21/2010, with 905,732 total units sold. 

Romancing Saga: Minstrel's Song (PS2): A remake of Romancing Saga from the SNES. Yes, Japan actually likes the Saga games! Released on 4/21/2005, with 454,657 total units sold.... which we almost can't believe. A Saga game selling almost half a million units must be one of the signs of the apocalypse or something... 

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (PSP): This was a remake of Valkyrie Profile from the PS1, probably one of the rarest games back in the US. Here in Japan used copies of the PS1 classic are readily available at pretty much any used game store for around $10, if you can believe it. Released on 3/2/2006, with 168, 515 total units sold.

MOTHER 1+2 (GBA): This is a remake of MOTHER for the NES and a port of MOTHER 2 for the SNES. The game was releasd to celebrate MOTHER 3 being released on the GBA. The MOTHER games are known in the US as Earth Bound, and are probably one of the most popular RPG titles here in Japan to never be completely released in the US. Released on 6/20/2003, with 279,183 total units sold.
  

Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green (GBA): Both of these games are remakes of the fan favorites Pokemon Red and Green, originally released on the GBY. Released on 1/29/2004, with 3,073,380 total units sold. 

Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver (DS): Another Pokemon fan favorite remake, this time from the GBC classics Pokemon Gold and Silver. Released on 9/12/2009, with 3,901,466 total units sold.

The article also talks about some current and upcoming re-releases, such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, StarFox 64, Tales of the Abyss and Metal Gear Solid 3, ALL for the 3DS. Persona 2: Sin, for the PSP, was just recently released in Japan. Not many people know that there were actually two Persona 2 games for the PS1 in Japan; the US only ever had one of the Persona 2 versions released as the other, 'Sin', was deemed too controversial at the time (the PSP version of 'Sin' is finally scheduled to be released this summer in the US). Also, remember that law we mentioned earlier about Dragon Quest games only being released on a weekend? Well, it's a good thing, because this September Japan will be getting the Dragon Quest: 1, 2 & 3 Collection for the Wii. It will feature both the original NES and enhanced SNES versions of Dragon Quest 1, 2 & 3.

Finally, the article mentions the HD collections of game series like God of War and Sly Cooper. It highlights the upcoming Monster Hunter Portable 3^rd HD, in which you can take your save file from Monster Hunter Portable 3^rd on the PSP and use it to play on the PS3 and vice versa. The graphical jump this game is getting on the PS3 is definetly impressive, and we're sure since it is a Monster Hunter game it will sell like gang busters. Last, but certainly not least, we come to what is our most antcipated game of this year...the ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection. These two games were gorgeous beyond belief when they were released on the PS2, and the PS3 versions look mind blowingly amazing. Oh, and just to make you all jealous, Japan is getting a special edition of the games bundled together with a special art and interview book and a soundtrack! September 22 can't come soon enough, as that is when we will lord our awesome Japanese collecter's edition copy over you all like nobody's business.

Weird Games Found Only in Japan

Hatsune Miku Project DIVA: Dreamy Theater 2^nd (PS3): Any description of this game must be fore-worded by an explanation of who Hatsune Miku is, so with that in mind, here you go: Hatsune Miku is one of Japan's biggest pop idols right now, selling out concerts wherever she goes, with songs that have reached the top of the charts.... and she's not real. She's a CG character who is voiced by a computer music program. 'But wait!' you might be saying, 'how has she sold out live concerts then?' The answer is simple: they project a 3D hologram onto the stage for her fans to worship! (Check out the video below to see one of her concerts.) As she's already a CG musical character, Ms. Miku translates perfectly into the music game genre, of which there are several. The gameplay is the standard 'push the buttons in time to the music' fare, but this latest iteration for the PS3 is notable because it takes advantage of the system's ability to project games in 3D. Now Hatsune Miku fans can get the experience of being at one of her insane concerts in the comfort of their own home! The game is coming out sometime this summer in Japan, but don't hold your breath for Miku and her friends (Yes, there are more of them! There's a boy too...) to be popping out of your American TV anytime soon.

Hardware Sales: Week of 6/06-6/12

• PSP – 25,854 units
• Nintendo 3DS – 24,226 units
• Playstation 3 – 16,673 units
• Wii – 7,149 units
• Nintendo DS – 7,028 units
• Xbox 360 – 1,535 units
• Playstation 2 – 1,148 units

Top 5 Selling Games: Week of 6/06-6/12s

• Yakuza: Of The End (PS3) – 30,7592 units
• Resident Evil: The Mercenaries (3DS) – 15,721 units
• Battle & Get! Pokemon Typing (DS) – 12,019 units
• Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2 Professional (DS) – 10,856 units
• One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (3DS) – 10,337 units

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games: Based on survey results from 6/09-6/15

• Tales of Xillia (PS3)
• Dragon Quest X (Wii)
• Final Fantasy: Type-O/Agito (PSP)
• Dark Souls (PS3)
• Photo Kano (PSP)

That's it for this weeks Famitsu, check back next week to see what Famitsu is talking about! Oh, and we wanted to say thank you to everyone that has been passing along a kind word to us about these articles. We definitely appreciate it, as it takes a long time to read through the issue, pick-out intresting things, translate and then type this article each week. Once again, thanks everyone!

Submitted By: Sherrie Blackwell & Aaron McKeever

Robin to possibly appear in Batman: Arkham City

Batman's Boy Wonder sidekick, Robin might make an appearance as a pre-order bonus in the highly-anticipated Batman: Arkham City according to a user on arkhamcity.co.uk. Rocksteady has yet to reveal more info regarding if Robin will partake in the single player story or just be a challenge map only character.

Check out Rocksteady's official twitter page to get your fill on this and more updates on Batman: Arkham City, which hits store shelves on Oct. 18 this year.