Regardless of your thoughts on the PS3's US$500-600 launch price, the move is unprecedented for a Sony game console. Therefore, it's a no-brainer that so many peeps have lost early adoption aspirations for the Blu-ray computer/game system, Japanese gamers included.

But after Sony dropped the PS3 price to about $425 (tax included) in Japan, the interest-tide has changed in terms of pre-launch anticipation. Japan-based ITmedia reports via a survey that asks what console the Japanese public intend to purchase by year's end. The results are as follows:

40%: Wii
39%: PS3
16%: Xbox 360
3%: Other ...

GP2X UK have posted that a 275Mhz version of the GP2X has been released, what this means is that emulators should run much faster.

More info at GP2X UK ...

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that a system for guiding visitors through art galleries using the Nintendo DS Lite is about to undergo its first field tests. The software, which is being developed at Nintendo HQ in Kyoto, will use the DS to provide spoken explanations of the artwork, and show detailed pictures of the art on the DS screen. While viewing the art on the DS screen may seem to defeat the purpose of going to an art gallery, visitors will be able to use the touch-pen to zoom in on any area of the piece for a closer look--a useful feature if the art happens to be behind glass or otherwise inaccessible to close inspection. The first real test of the system will be conducted at an unspecified art exhibition in Tokyo next month. ...

Two important parts of Microsoft's strategy for revitalizing Xbox 360 sales in Japan are making the system more attractive price-wise and providing games that appeal to Japanese gamers.

To that end, the Xbox 360 Core System Blue Dragon Premium Pack marries these two aspects into one bundle. For the same price as a Core System on its own, the package provides a Xbox 360 Core System with Blue Dragon, the high-profile Japanese role-playing game by Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi (with character designs by Manga legend Akira Toriyama). The bundle costs about 29,800 yen, or around $250.

Now, Microsoft Japan has announced there will be a limited first edition run of the Blue Dragon bundle. The first purchasers of the bundle--those who preorder it--will receive two special items. One is a set of five miniature figures and the second is an original Blue Dragon faceplate based on a design by Toriyama himself.

The bundle will go on sale December 7, the same day as Blue Dragon.

Stores are set to begin taking preorders for the limited first-edition package October 18 on a first come, first served basis. ...

RCC is a ROM-managing tool written taking inspiration from RomCenter and ClrMamePro. It is capable of reading DAT files in their formats and to scan directories searching for ROMs. It can also copy or move the found ROMs to another directory, while renaming them, making life easier to ROM collectors.

RCC is developed under GNU/Linux, but should also work on other UN*X-like operating systems and on Microsoft Windows, if you compile the sources.

This is the first public release, so feedback is very appreciated .

Download: http://www.nogood.it/sukkopera/misc/rcc-0.3.tar.gz

(I know this is not strictly a GBA-related news, but it can help to manage a GBA ROM collection, too. Actually that's what I developed it for! Anyway moderators feel free to delete this post if you find it OT.) ...

There's bits and pieces of information floating around that revolve around Iwata Asks interviews on Nintendo's website. What I found interesting was the tidbit about the updatable operating system: 'Wii is the first system from Nintendo that we can continue to be involved in (via operating system updates) after the customer buys it. This means that Wii will greatly expand and diversify the ways in which people will enjoy games in the future.' The Wii is reported to operate on top of a proprietary form of the Linux kernel, although there are already efforts to make a GNU/Linux for the console. So, the answer to the age old question is that it already runs Linux

Via /. ...

New DS Game released:



It's game night and everyone’s invited. Play more than 20 classic board, card and party games alone, with friends or via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. With familiar favorites like checkers, darts and poker, Clubhouse Games is for everyone and part of the Touch Generations library. Video game newcomers will appreciate the easy-to-use interface. Players can challenge up to seven friends with one game card via Multi-Card Play or DS Download Play. Can't play checkers without shouting "KING ME!" across the table? The in-game (PictoChat-like) feature takes table talk to a new level. There's no need to lug around cards or boards when you want to play a quick game. Clubhouse Games is one-stop gaming that will appeal to everyone's tastes, whether they’re in the mood for bowling, backgammon, bridge or billiards.

More info / buy here --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...3&lsaid=219793 ...

Lik Sang have today posted that they have the new Pokemon DS Lite for sale at their store.

More details --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...1&lsaid=219793 ...

News article from Lik Sang



Ready for that explosive encore? You sure owe it to your audience, who is still waiting for you to return to the stage, bang your head like a heli on a spiral down and make that guitar scream wildly. After the massive success of Guitar Hero in 2005, a music game where the controller resembles a real Gibson and you follow on-screen icons in rythm to spot-on covers of licensed, legendary rock songs, you can now dedicate yourself to a career in the rockstar biz once more. Guitar Hero II, up for a release on November 7th, features a totally new and expanded track list of over 55 tunes, more venues and fresh modes. There's multiplayer co-op for example, which allows gamers to opt for either lead, rythm or bass this time, taking on different sections of the song simultaneously. Again, you'll start your rock career playing small clubs and bars, but if you play well you will soon work your way up to stadiums and arenas. If the promise of livin' a rock dude's life out loud, with all the sheer attitude, charisma and stage presence action that entails, means anything at all to you, then better treat yourself to Guitar Hero II; it's sweet, and by that we mean totally awesome. Hell yeah.

Guitar Hero II is on track for a November 7th release, in just about a month from now. Up for pre-order are two versions, the bundle pack, which includes a new red version of the original SG guitar controller, shipping for just US$ 79.90 and a game-only copy for US$ 59.90 (this version qualifies for our Free Shipping Worldwide offer). If you've got the SG from the prequel still lying around, you will be pleased to know that it works of course fine with Guitar Hero II as well. For those who would like to get their mates together for some hot band action (co-op lead, rythm and bass guitar), we offer the cool Rock Guitar for only US$ 28.90, which does a perfect job just like the RedOctane one. The whammy bar comes off as a bit less springy here, while the controller feels solid, with tight, smooth buttons and also includes an adjustable strap.

Guitar Hero: A Music Title to Excite the Masses

Guitar Hero can rightfully be called a gaming phenomenon. According to John Tam (executive producer at RecOctane), in the beginning of development there were just 8-bit visuals, where you hit a note to score a point, still they knew from the start that they were on to something big. Teaming up with Harmonix, who committed all the Karaoke Revolution for Konami, as well as other music games for Sony Computer Entertainment of America (including Frequency and Amplitude), was the next step. Pretty soon after the first Guitar Hero hit the streets, the game took off and still enjoys an immense popularity with gamers, that should only grow with the imminent sequel. The game has been swamped with awards, from IGN's "Best Music Game of The Year" and "Best Licensed Soundtrack" to "Outstanding Innovation in Gaming" and "Outstanding Achievement in Game Design" given to the developers at the D.I.C.E. Summit's Interactive Achievement Awards in Las Vegas, to only name a few. Even just last week, a prestigious BAFTA award was scooped in Britain.

In order to see how widespread the excitement gets, you could just search the video network YouTube with the keywords "Guitar Hero". A testimony about what the game experience can do to your real life might be just this video, which shows that playing Guitar Hero helps you score with the ladies alright.

If you wondered what after-hours at Lik Sang look like, here it goes. Long Guitar Hero sessions built up our confidence before to a level where we didn't shy away from showing the world that we love to rock (and sport the hair for the job as well!). In case you missed that display of outright guitar-strangling fun, we dare you to watch the following footage of relentless controller and work space abuse:

Guitar Hero II on PlayStation 2: Features

Thank Hendrix, RedOctane and Harmonix are again using famed recording studio WaveGroup for its music production. The huge track list embraces all forms of rock/metal including classic rock, "hair metal", heavy metal, modern rock and alternative. Find perfect covers of Guns 'n' Roses "Sweet Child o'mine", Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name of", "Strutter" by Kiss, Anthrax' "Madhouse", Butthole Surfers' "Who Was In My Room Last Night", Van Halen's version of "You Really Got Me" and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" for example (for the latest and most accurate tentative list published so far, head to SPOnG). In-game you choose from multiple rock characters and jam at concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. Multiplayer modes are cooperative, pro-face off, and face off, letting two Guitar Heroes conduct their own symphonies of destruction. Dual Shredding sounds like an instant classic: while playing lead is still the main drive of the game probably, having a go at rythm and bass guitar (all on separate tracks) is sure to be a blast! ...