San Diego Comic Con 2011 Game Coverage: Part One

San Diego’s Comic Con International has become one of the biggest multimedia events of the year. From comics to movies, and especially video games, SDCC International has grown well outside what anyone would have expected when it started 42 years ago. This show has become second only to E3 for huge announcements and surprises from some of the biggest names in the industry. Having been in attendance myself, I thought I would share a bit of the experience with anyone who wasn’t able to go, or perhaps had not yet caught word of some of the news. 

First up, I’d like to share a bit about my personal favorite at the convention, Capcom. Capcom is well known for their A-list franchises like Mega Man, Street Fighter and Resident Evil, but this year was truly the year for fighting game fans, and Capcom brought their biggest games out to play. Street Fighter X Tekken (which is exactly what it sounds like: a fighting game featuring characters from Capcom’s Street Fighter and Namco’s Tekken series) was in full effect this year. Daily tournaments were held in the booth, ending with the final match on a TV big enough to display 10 ft. tall fighters blasting it out until their last slice of health. This game is sure to please. With comfortable pacing and familiar input layouts, hardcore fans will be comfortable; newcomers and casual players may want to brush up so as to avoid getting knocked out without any pride left to show for it. Allowing for tag-teams that cross the two games' boundaries, utilizing fighters from both rosters, makes for a game unlike any other incarnation in either franchises' history. The game moves quickly, but not quite as fast paced as Marvel vs Capcom 3; it is nowhere near as likely to induce seizures, but just as likely to induce FUN!

Also at the Capcom booth this year was the big announcement of Mega Man Legends 3, which is absolutely coming out! *Starts weeping silently into his hands* Ok, so despite my hopes and dreams, that didn't happen. They did, however, announce Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, which will release in November in North America. The game will feature 12 new fighters in addition to the cast from the original Marvel vs Capcom 3, rather than releasing them over time as a more costly DLC pack. The new additions will include: Hawkeye, Ghost Rider, Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Nova, Rocket Raccoon, Firebrand, Nemesis, Frank West, Phoenix Wright, Strider Hiryu, and Vergil. Touting a lower price tag ($40), and more characters (which equals even more epic battles) this game will be a must have… even if it may seem like it's only a small change from the original to casual players.

More excitingly, for me at least, Yoshinori Ono, legendary producer of the Street Fighter series, has announced his hopes to release a reboot of the classic horror based fighting game, Darkstalkers. He apparently first pitched the idea to Capcom’s higher-ups last year, after taking a picture of the entire audience in attendance at a Capcom panel flailing dollar bills in the air. This was in response to Ono-san’s polite statement of “If you would purchase a Darkstalkers game on the first day, please hold up a dollar.” This year Ono-san returned with a delightful graphic stating “Darkstalkers are not dead!”. Unfortunately, he then said that the dollar bills picture had not quite invoked the response from the other folks at Capcom he had hoped for, and once again he asked the crowd to hold up money; this time in larger denominations. Everyone in attendance quickly brandished their cash and thrust it into the air. Hopefully, this picture will get some wheels turning over at Capcom HQ, as the last original Darkstalkers game to be released was in 1998 for North America.

This concludes the first portion of the San Diego Comic Con coverage, but check back shortly for more news and impressions from this year's show. Next time: Resident Evil is taking a trip back to its roots, and the exciting conclusion of the Capcom 2011 booth coverage! Thank you for reading!

Submitted by: Corey Hall (Employee)

GameStop removed free OnLive Deus Ex: Human Revolution vouchers

If you recently purchased a PC copy of Square Enix's, Deus Ex: Human Revolution from GameStop, you might be missing something that originally came in the box. Square Enix announced a launch promotion with the cloud gaming company, OnLive, that included a voucher for a free digital copy of the game through the company's gaming service. When GameStop got word of it, the retail chain decided to ensure that its customers didn't partake in the promo.

GameStop is making a push to the digital market with its own cloud gaming service, which is set to be fully running within the next year, and the idea of distributing free copies for a competitor didn't sit too well with the mega retailer.

“Please immediately remove and discard the OnLive coupon from all regular PC versions of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Our desire is to not have this coupon go to any customers after this announcement.” stated in a GameStop memo.

The memo was e-mailed to several gaming publications by a Gamestop employee, who declined to further comment on the issue. GameStop's media relations department did confirm the memo, however.

"Square Enix packed the competitor's coupon with our DXHR product without our prior knowledge and we did pull and discard these coupons," GameStop public relations representative Beth Sharum said.

So, is what GameStop did by opening up Deus Ex copies and removing these promo vouchers actually legal? According to Gamespy's Objection! columns author, Eric Neigher, it all depends on what contracts each company signed.

“Obviously, when one corporation tries to submarine another, and goes about it in a more or less shady way, it looks bad. But, from a legal perspective, a lot depends on what kind of contracts OnLive had with Square, and in turn that Square had with GameStop. If removing this coupon from the PC boxes violated the terms of that contract, obviously GameStop is liable to be sued. If not, there's still an issue as to their responsibility to give purchasers what they expect to be paying for, including, perhaps, marketing materials."

A check on GameStop's website shows that only digital PC copies are available for purchase and hard copies have been pulled from its store shelves. It's also now offering apologies to customers who bought the PC version in the form of a $50 gift card and a buy-two-get-one-free used games coupon.

Despite the company's attempt at a resolution to this issue, there's little left to doubt that its reputation may have been irreparably damaged.

Digital gaming gaining ground

The day when gamers purchase their next video game title from their TV screens or computer monitors rather than driving to their local game store may not be so far off. The Entertainment Merchants Association's annual report showed that in 2010, while U.S. consumers purchased 71% of their video games in disc format, 44% bought them digitally.

This steady climb of digital distribution is expected to reach 58% by 2013. There's no doubt that both formats have their pros and cons, but despite those who believe that disc-based video games will eventually become overrun, some believe that it won't necessarily come to that.

"The home entertainment industry should be encouraged by the strong consumer support for packaged media demonstrating that discs and digital content will coexist in the foreseeable future," said EMA president and CEO Bo Andersen.

The EMA's report also showed that home game consoles like Sony's Playstation 3 are fast becoming entertainment centerpieces. U.S. households owning a PS3 used it for playing DVDs and Blu-rays 27% of the time, and downloading or streaming movies, like Netflix, 13% of the time. Forty percent of Microsoft's Xbox 360's time was also used for non-gaming.

Whether gamers choose to stick with shiny disc and plastic case or download them directly to their console or PCs...sometimes, a game is still just a game.

This Week in Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu #1185

Cover Story

Famitsu has declared this summer to be the 'Summer of Monster Hunter', thanks to the soon to be released Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village G for the PSP (now that is a LONG name) and Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD for the PS3. Did we mention that the annual Monster Hunter Festival just took place, too?

Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village G (phew) is the sequel to the popular Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village (I'm not typing that again...). Basically, while there are monsters for you to hunt like any other game in the series, Monster Hunter Diary is more of a simulation game. You play a Felyne (the cat-like species that helps out the player in the main Monster Hunter series) as they talk to their fellow villagers, complete quests, and try to attract more Felynes to the village they are building. The game is something like Animal Crossing and Monster Hunter put together, if you can imagine that. It also offers cross compatibility with Monster Hunter Portable 3rd G by allowing you to transfer your custom Felyne from Diary. Various other items and weapons can also be transferred as well.

Moving onto the more 'normal' entry into the popular series, Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD is a PS3 version of the same named (less the HD part) PSP game. The game features full HD visuals with completely overhauled textures and 3D support. The best part of all is that save data can be shared with the PSP version, which allows you to play both on the go and at home. The game is part of a new PlayStation 3 series from Sony called PSP Remaster. This series features PSP titles customized for re-release on PS3, taking full advantage of all the PS3's capabilities, especially the better graphics.

We've said it before and we will say it again, Monster Hunter is CRAZY popular here in Japan! It's so popular, in fact, that Capcom holds an annual Monster Hunter Festival here. This year's happened just recently, with attendees enjoying a wide range of exhibits, all of which were Monster Hunter related. They posed for pictures with near life-sized inflatable versions of some of the more popular monsters, compared their footprint to those of monsters featured in the game, had a chance to meet with some members of the development team, enjoyed food based off of the game, and competed in a tournament to crown the ultimate Monster Hunter Champion. Japan loves its Monster Hunter.

Featured Games

Shinobi 3D (3DS): The long anticipated return of the fan favorite series will feature the classic side-scrolling action gameplay players have loved since the original. However, the game features a brand-new highly stylized art style and introduces a combo system which allows you to switch between melee, ranged, acrobatic, and ninjitsu-magic attacks. The game will also feature a new parrying system allowing you to dodge incoming attacks, even while in mid-air.

Resident Evil Revelations (3DS): Revelations harkens back to earlier titles in the Resident Evil series by offering a more strictly limited supply of ammunition and more emphasis on exploration and puzzles. It still keeps itself current, however, by keeping the popular control scheme and camera style of Resident Evil 4 & 5. It also features a new item, the supply scanner, which can be used to detect hidden items. The game takes place between Resident Evil 4 & 5 and follows Chris and Jill (separately, as they both have their own unique partners in this title) on one of their first missions with the BSAA.

Hardware Sales: Week of 7/25-7/31

• PSP – 33,582 units
• PlayStation 3 – 21,324 units
• Wii – 17,066 units
• Nintendo 3DS – 15,819 units
• Nintendo DS – 6,592 units
• Xbox 360 – 1,957 units
• PlayStation 2 – 1,046 units

Top 5 Selling Games: Week of 7/25-7/31

• Everyone's Rhythm Heaven (Wii) – 83,325 units
• Queen's Gate Spiral Chaos (PSP) – 72,903 units
• Devil Survivor 2 (DS) – 62,246 units
• Taiko Drum Master Portable DX (PSP) – 24,494 units
• Sengoku Basara Heroes Chronicles (PSP) – 23,207 units

Apparently, Japan saw the news about the 3DS price drop as well. That's the lowest in the sales rankings we've ever seen it since we started doing this. Regardless, we hope you enjoyed this week's look inside Famitsu. We are now caught up again after our vacation, so they will now be back on their regular schedule. Thanks, as always, for reading!

Submitted By: Aaron McKeever

This Week in Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu #1183 & #1184

We're baaaack! And where have we been for the past two weeks, you ask? Well, in Japan, the end of the week of August 7^th and the beginning of the week of the 14^th are known as the festival of Obon. Obon could be best described as a mash-up of Thanksgiving and All Souls Day put together. Family members return to their ancestral home, enjoying each other's company and praying for their deceased relatives by going to the family grave and cleaning it. During this time, many businesses close or have limited hours, and Famitsu is no exception. Famitsu always releases a double issue before Obon begins, in order to allow its employees to go home and be with their families. Unfortunately, these double-numbered Obon issues are always notoriously light on new content, and this issue was no exception.

The double issue was basically a re-hash of the same content that Famitsu has been publishing for the past month or so, just with a bit more details on some games. The cover story this time around is an interview and photo shoot with a popular Japanese model, which is not really an interesting read. Famitsu also takes a look back at the all the comings and goings from Comic-Con 2011, but since our very own Corey Hall was actually there and is writing a lengthy first-hand account of his experiences (look for the first of these articles later this week) this is also a non-starter. So, what does this double issue of Famitsu actually offer? This:

Games To Play During Summer

Famitsu put together a great list of over 100 games that you can enjoy during the summer time, no matter what situation you might find yourself in. The list is way to long to cover in its entirety, so we decided to only list Famitsu's top picks in each category. There is something on this list for everyone.

• Games You Can Play On Vacation: The Legend of Zelda (3DS), Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep Final Mix (PSP), Professor Layton & The Mask of Miracles (3DS)

• Games You Can Play By Yourself: L.A. Noire (PS3/360), El Shaddai (PS3/360), Catherine (PS3/360), inFamous 2 (PS3), Dynasty Warriors 6 (PS3), The Last Story (Wii)

• Games You Can Play With Friends: Little Big Planet 2 (PS3), Monster Hunter 3^rd G (PSP), Everyone's Rhythm Heaven (Wii), Taiko Drum Master Portable DX (PSP), Puyo Puyo (DS)

• Games You Can Play That Make You Happy: Scribblenauts (DS), Nintendogs & Cats (3DS), Dance Central (360 Kinect), Portal 2 (PS3/360) [huh...]

• Games You Can Play Online: Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition (PS3/360), Killzone 3 (PS3), Marvel vs Capcom 3 (PS3/360), Call of Duty: Black Ops (PS3/360)

• Games You Can Play To Have A Summer Fling: Love Plus + (DS), Dream Club Zero (360), Amagami EbiCore + [How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Embrace] (PSP)
  

Hardware Sales: Week of 7/18-7/24

• Nintendo 3DS – 32,381 units
• PSP – 27,056 units
• PlayStation 3 – 22,935 units
• Wii – 16,939 units
• Nintendo DS – 7,568 units
• Xbox 360 – 1,526 units
• PlayStation 2 – 1,155 units

Top 5 Selling Games: Week of 7/18-7/24

• Everyone's Rhythm Heaven (Wii) – 130,781 units
• Sengoku Basara Chronicle Heroes (PSP) – 77,017 units
• Taiko Drum Master Portable DX (PSP) – 42,389 units
• No More Heroes Red Zone Edition (PS3) – 40,050 units
• Real Powerful Pro Baseball 2011 (PSP) – 38,964 units

Next week we will be back to a regular schedule for 'This Week in Famitsu', assuming there are no other ancestor worshiping holidays on the horizon. See you then!

Submitted By: Aaron McKeever

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

One Gamer's Opinion: 5 Things Best Left in the Toilet

I have to be honest; when I played through Duke Nukem Forever, the only real enjoyment I got from the game was the opening, when you could throw feces at the NPCs. I thought it was a great metaphor for what the developers had just done to me: instead of flushing stinking, disgusting excrement, they pulled it from the toilet and sold it to us. Perhaps I'm being unfair, though... After all, there are so many other games that are subtly just as annoying, merely sans the hype. So without further ado, here is my list of turds in gaming that developers need to flush, and not take out of the toilet for us to play with again.

1. Repeated Repeated Environments Environments: Don't get me wrong, I got REALLY into Dragon Age 2. It had an incredibly immersive story (I spent as much time trying to save the world as I did trying to sleep with my NPCs, I swear!) but it failed to truly appeal to the escapist in me; every time I went into a dungeon, it was exactly the same as the last one I was in. I would have rather had a shorter game than an artificially lengthened one that gave me the same blasted cave every time I went through a doorway.

2. Beginning, Middle and... it's Over: Any 3rd grade teacher can tell you that a story has a beginning, a middle, and an end (or maybe you listen to that dude in the Other Guys: "by starting at the end, briefly, then going back to the beginning, and then periodically returning to the end, maybe giving different characters' perspectives throughout.” Sound familiar, Dragon Age 2?), but lately game manufacturers have gotten the idea they can just give you the beginning, and maybe if they get around to making a game that finishes the series later you will have to buy that too. Take the Halo series, for example, a shining display of good and bad endings. Halo 1 ended with the destruction of the ring, and had a real sense of closure, but there was still room for a sequel because the Covenent were still out there. Then there's Halo 2.... You land on an awesome alien ship, Master Chief says "I'm gonna finish this fight", and then..... credits roll. Seriously? And you want me to buy Halo 4 now? Too Human was even worse. You play through a few levels of pure filler, and then suddenly there is a cutscene of Loki coming towards you with an army of giant robots. 'Finally,' you think to yourself, 'something worth playing'. Then it ends abruptly and the game sucks too bad to make a sequel. Maybe you should have started the game with a robot riding God of Mischief? Just sayin'.

3.The Super Duper Fancy Pants Deluxe Edition: Capcom, we need to have a talk. After I played through Marvel vs Capcom 3, it was already obvious that Jill, Hawkeye, and Ghostrider were finished and intended to be in the game at the time of release. But why give us the characters with the game (You know? The game we paid full price for? That one?) when you could hold on to them, and come out a year later and release Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 with the characters you had finished on day one. Then there is the whole mess with Street Fighter 4, Super Street Fighter 4, Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade editions, and so on. Hey, how about you just give us the entire game when you finish it, jerks?

4. Charlie Chaplain Gaming: Nintendo! Please! You still haven't thought that maybe you should use voice acting? At least for the main character? Then again I suppose it could be worse, like when the characters say the same thing over and over and over. And over. And over. Seriously, we've already moved into the era of 3D games, maybe you should get with the times?

5. Crap-Mart Exclusives: So what if a retail company gives robotic service and crappy trade values? They get the Crap-Mart exclusives! Maybe it's a character, extra levels, costumes, even something more tangible like a poster.... Regardless of what it is, it's content that was intentionally left out of a game someone paid full price for solely to prop up companies that use money to make up for the fact that they have no soul. Actually taking something out of a game that was originally supposed to be included for that reason is inexcusable. End this now.

Submitted by: Daniel Dewey (Employee)

This Week in Famitsu

Weekly Famitsu #1182

Cover Story

The Shin Megami Tensei series by Atlus is a long-running, multi-platform, multiple spin-off (the most popular of which being Persona), RPG franchise of doom. Literally. Enjoying a cult-favorite status for its usually darker and more mature themes, incorporating demons and murders, the Shin Megami Tensei series isn't your typical Japanese RPG. As such, it doesn't have quite the mainstream appeal of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, but its fans are incredibly loyal to the series, and have supported it since its original game on the NES here in Japan.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor was released last year for the DS, and it proved to be no exception to the SMT series' usual darkness and quality. However, instead of being a traditional RPG as far as the battle system goes, it was actually a tactical RPG like Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea. The sequel, just released here for the DS and coming to the States sometime next year, continues many of the innovative gameplay features found in the original, including the demon auction system; it's literally an auction where you bid on demons from hell which you can then use in battle. It also allows you to form bonds and socialize with the other characters in your party, a la Persona 3 and 4.

The story thrusts you into the middle of an invasion and attack being carried out on Japan by mysterious aliens...space demons...something. In order to defeat them and save Japan, your character and the other characters (up to twelve that you can recruit) sign a pact with the Devil in order to use demons to battle the invaders, becoming the Thirteen Devil Messengers. Unfortunately, you only have seven days in which to defeat the invaders, otherwise both you and Japan are doomed.

It's a shame this game is going to take so long to come out in the States, but there is one bright spot of hope for those of you who can't get enough of the Shin Megami Tensei series: a re-done version of the first Devil Survivor, 'Overclocked' is coming out for the 3DS on August 23rd, in case you missed it the first time around. Hopefully the sequel will come out sometime after that. In any case, if it's as good as the first one, it should be worth the wait.

Featured Games

Phantasy Star Online 2 (PC): The original Phantasy Star Online, released for the Dreamcast in early 2001, was a revolutionary and incredibly addicting game. An online action RPG that you could play with your friends on a home console was a unique concept at that time, and its fan-base could almost be described as rabid. Now, almost 10 years later, Phantasy Star Online 2 is coming out to appease the masses. The beautiful and unique fantasy/sci-fi world has returned, better than ever with the improved graphical technology of today (and it has weather!), along with the ability to customize your character in intricate detail. As mentioned before, the original PSO had an incredibly loyal fan-base, which is why it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that while PSO2 will be coming out sometime this year for Windows PCs in Japan, there are currently no plans to release it in the States, or even on any home-consoles, at this time. I wouldn't abandon all hope quite yet, as the original Phantasy Star Online ended up being released and re-released on the Dreamcast, Gamecube and even the Xbox, but I thought it best to warn you. With any luck, Sega will remember the American fans of this game, and take pity on them by releasing it at some point in the future.

Atsumete! Kirby (NDS): Releasing September 19^th in America as Kirby: Mass Attack, Atsumete! Kirby (Atsumete roughly meaning 'gather' or 'assemble') is coming out in Japan this August 4^th. The latest entry in the long-running Kirby franchise, Nintendo is taking a different tack this time; instead of controlling one Kirby, you control ten. The story revolves around an evil sorcerer who splits Kirby into 10 pieces, and Kirby's quest to get his original form back. Going with the 'ten' theme, this week's Famitsu has a write-up featuring 10 reasons why you should buy it. While they mention things like the abundance of mini-games, the beautiful level design, how fun it is to play using the touch screen, and the interesting dynamic caused from having multiple Kirbies (you are stronger the more you currently have, certain puzzles require a certain number, etc), none of these are the most important reason. The most important reason why people in Japan should buy this game, and why you should buy it once it's released next month, is that it's cute. We all know just one Kirby is cute, but as Famitsu strongly points out, imagine the cute level multiplied by TEN. I know I'm already giddy just imagining it.

Hardware Sales: Week of 7/11-7/17

• Nintendo 3DS – 45,949 units
• PSP – 25,013 units
• PlayStation 3 – 22,807 units
• Wii – 14,260 units
• Nintendo DS – 6,447 units
• Xbox 360 – 1,582 units
• PlayStation 2 – 1,048 units

Top 5 Selling Games: Week of 7/11-7/17

• Real Powerful Pro Baseball 2011 (PS3) – 111,727 units sold
• Taiko Drum Master Portable DX (PSP) – 110,242 units sold
• Izuma Eleven Strikers (Wii) – 73,323 units sold
• Real Powerful Pro Baseball 2011 (PSP) – 67,134 units sold
• Puyo puyo!! (NDS) – 37,590 units sold

Top 5 Most Anticipated Games: Based on survey results from 7/7-7/13

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

Well apparently, not only did the world NOT end after four out of the five top selling games last week were western games, this week there isn't even a single one. Looks like things have gone back to normal, and we hope you enjoyed this week's 'This Week In Famitsu'. We're planning a special surprise sometime soon that we hope you'll enjoy, so look forward to that! Also, a quick editor's note, this will be the last week we include the '5 Most Anticipated Games' in 'Weekly Famitsu' until they change, or are released. We're tired of seeing the same five games over and over again, so we imagine you are too. Until next time!

Submitted By: Sherrie Blackwell

The things we've gamed with

There's no doubt that video game companies want to use new technology to improve gaming experience in new and exciting ways. Some ideas show promise, such as Sony's upcoming virtual reality headset, while others do little more than raise eyebrows, like the Wii Vitality that was announced at E3 2009. The video game industry's definitely no stranger to seeing new ideas popping up here and there. Below are just a few of the more unusual devices ever conceived within the developers' labs.

Sega Activator:

So you think that Nintendo was first to step foot into the interactive gaming frontier? It turns out that way before people were waggling their Wiimotes, Sega delved into the realm of motion controlling with the Sega Activator for the Genesis. The idea centered around snapping eight panels together in an octagonal ring on the floor, stand in the middle and use body motion to control your character on screen. The only exercise gamers reported getting was with the frustration of trying to get the unresponsive controls to work. Side effects include sore limbs, headaches, vomiting, dizziness, flailing around like an idiot and the urge to smash the Activator’s panels over the nearest biological life form. Consult your psychiatrist before use.

Nintendo Power Glove:

The Nintendo Power Glove is by far one of the strangest accessories the Big N has ever cooked up. Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, slip the Power Glove onto your hand and program the code for the game you're playing on its control panel. Then, once you place the sensors on your TV and you’re ready to rock 'n roll on all your favorite games from Punch Out! to Legend of Zelda! All you have to do then is punch the air, squeeze your hand, wave or flick your fingers to direct your character on screen, and no, scratching yourself with the Power Glove does not grant invincibility. Problem was that the controls responded as well as a deaf man at a heavy metal concert. As antagonist Lucas Barton boasted in the 1989 movie, The Wizard, “I love the Power Glove. It’s so bad!” Yeah, it’s bad alright.

Atari Jaguar controller:

When it comes to your standard gaming controller, you have your Playstation 3 one, the Xbox 360 one, the Nintendo Wii one...and then you have the Atari Jaguar controller. Yes, this sleek, aerodynamic controller comes in a square design that’s so big, you could fit your Pepsi on the useless multi-numbered keypad. The controller certainly didn’t help sell more Jaguar systems, and one could speculate it as one of the reasons why it got tossed into gaming oblivion. Definitely one of Atari’s biggest fails since E.T. on the Atari 2600.

Glucoboy:

It turns out that Nintendo had concerns about their gamers’ health way before Wii Fit hit U.S. shores. Enter Glucoboy, a child blood glucose meter originally designed to attach to the Gameboy Advance. All you need to do is prick your finger and you’ll receive a highly accurate blood glucose reading in about 10 seconds. That’s not all: the Glucoboy comes with two full video games, a mini-arcade and the ability to have your test results converted into Glucose Reward Points (GRPs), which can be used to unlock games or used as in-game currency. Considering the new health direction Nintendo is going one is left wondering when the Wii MRI will hit store shelves.

Konami Laser Scope:

If you happen to own an NES and feel like playing Duck Hunt but think that wielding the Nintendo Zapper is for chumps, check out Konami’s Laser Scope. This optical targeting plastic gray headset allows you to blast away your onscreen enemies by screaming “Fire!” into the mouthpiece. “Plus, with Laser Scope all of the awesome game sound goes right to your own ears. Not your Mom’s or Dad’s.” As if repeatedly spurting loud sounds into the mouthpiece is going to annoy them much less than the sounds of aliens exploding on the TV screen. Even though this piece of NES hardware reportedly worked well, it's doubtful that many would want to be caught with one strapped around their head.

So how about you? What are some of the oddest gaming accessories that you’ve had the chance to come across in your gaming experience?