An ESRB rating for Suikoden has surfaced suggesting that the oft-revered RPG could become digital distribution content for the North American PSN. Re-rated as a PS3 and PSP title, it seems that there's something definitely in the works; however, as Siliconera points out, other Konami titles like Castlevania Chronicles have been rated in the past but have yet seen a release. It could be a long time (or never) before we see this classic on anything other than a PS1 disc.
Hopefully this does come into fruition. It was quite disappointing that the PSP pack Suikoden I + II didn't see release outside Japan. So, if the game does come out on the PSN, North American PSP gamers will finally be able to take Suikoden on the go.
When we look at Mat Brady's convergence PSP mock-up, we can't help but laugh and get confused at the same time. This Frankensteinien combination of an iPhone, Windows Mobile device and PSP should be able to play games, browse the internet, play music, and cook you food. This certainly would save a lot of space in our already-bursting pockets. Check out a high-res image here.
Want to get your hands on SingStar (PS3) and Secret Agent Clank (PSP) before everyone else? Then you'll head off to the Bamboozle Festival this weekend. The two-day alternative music festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, NJ. The festival features headliners, such as Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Eat World, and Panic at the Disco. The PlayStation Patrol Truck will be attending, and will showcase a number of PS3 games, such as SingStar, MLB 08: The Show and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Various PSP Zones will also be at the festival, and will feature titles like Secret Agent Clank and God of War: Chains of Olympus.
Playing well at the PlayStation Patrol Truck could net you the chance to meet Bamboozle artists. Top players will have the chance to challenge artists such as Armor For Sleep, Chiodos, Circa Survive, The Color Fred, The Audition and All Time Low. Winners will receive VIP access to the show.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit The Bamboozle Festival's official website. To see who else is attending, feel free to use the event's Facebook page.
At New York Comic Con, Southpeak Games announced the US release of B-Boy for PSP and PS2. Majed got some hands-on time with the game, noting that "while the game has been around for at least two years, time hasn't really affected it much. The game still feels fresh."
A US release is coming in the next few months, and to celebrate, Southpeak got a few dancers to perform at the show. Here they are, for your watching enjoyment.
Like last year, Capcom threw a monstrous celebration for Monster Hunter in its now-annual Monster Hunter Festa. 2,200 people flocked to Fukuoka to connect and play with like-minded fans. Preliminary rounds of the nationwide Monster Hunter tournament also took place at the event.
The Festa continues all through May, to ensure that the devotee followers of the franchise will have as many opportunities to interact with the series producers as possible.
You've read our hands-on impressions of these PSP skin cases from Nuri Tech. Now, it's your turn to get one -- for free! You can win one of these prize packs:
Prize #1: System Skin Case for PSP-2000, Portable Mini Stand, Skin Guard Easy, and Micro Fiber Digital Pouch. (MSRP $36)
Prize #2: System Skin Case for PSP-1000, Portable Mini Stand, and Skin Guard Easy (MSRP: $27)
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, telling us if you own a PSP-1000 or PSP-2000 (or both!).
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
Limit 1 entry per person.
This entry period ends at 12:00pm ET on Monday, April 14th. We'll randomly select 2 winners at that time.
Has it already been 30 years since Space Invaders first conquered the hearts of gamers everywhere? It seems like such a long time ago. We're happy though, make no mistake. We want to get in on the celebration, and one way that we can is with these Space Invader pillows.
These little 45 cm pillows are priced at $29.90 each at NCSX. They should be available by mid-late July; that's probably right in line with Europe's summer release of Space Invaders Extreme.
Although Final Fantasy Dissidia has yet to be announced outside Japan, we're still fervently watching out for more tidbits on this hotly anticipated title. However, the last we heard about anything officially confirmed in this game was back in December, and with Nintendo coming off strong with another mixed-cameo fighter -- Super Smash Bros. Brawl -- perhaps the PSP-exclusive Dissidia has been forgotten amongst the Mario and Link duels everyone's been having. Or maybe everyone's just too enraptured in getting their FF fix from the recently released Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.
In any case, we're still very excited about this next PSP exclusive from Square Enix, and wouldn't want gamers out there to forget about this megaton game. With little known about the character roster, there leaves a lot of room for speculation. So in all our best efforts, we present this Dissidia feature highlighting the top twenty Final Fantasy supporting characters we want to see in the game. Arguably, in a game like this, a good cast of playable characters is crucial; it's working for Brawl, and it'll undoubtedly go the same way for Dissidia. But why only supporting characters you might ask? Well, you'll find that out soon enough.
Ryoga Vee was kind enough to take pictures during the Crisis Core launch event in San Francisco. Unfortunately, the cosplayers stayed home, with nary an over-dramatic hairdo to be seen. Thanks to these two for dressing up and making us proud.
According to Ryoga, the premiere was an "inflated event just to buy the game. No frills, no glam like the other events in the past." You can check out the no-frills event yourself by checking out Ryoga's Flickr here.
What an adorable Daxter plushie. It's so cute you just want to grab it and squeeze the life out of the thing. It's a really sweet ode to the weasel-like hero. In case you're wondering, this cuddly little snuggle toy was made by Deviant Art member Chao-Fangirl. We wonder if she'll make us one of her plushies. Maybe she will ... if we ask really nicely.
On the brand new Square Enix members site, Crisis Core's director Hajime Tabata noted that they couldn't fit everything they wanted on the limited size of a UMD disc. "In regards to the story, due to schedule and [UMD] memory concerns, a good deal of it ended up on the cutting room floor. Originally, the episodes were much more detailed. We also considered implementing a multiplayer competitive/cooperative mode using the PSP network function, but again, this wasn't realized due to scheduling concerns."
This being Square Enix, of course, we wouldn't be surprised if they ever released a "Director's Cut" version of Crisis Core, which adds all these features that were removed. Sadly, fans like us will have no choice but to buy the game (again!).
Another addition made to the Square Enix website is this frustrating mini-game. Check it out after the cut.
Another collectible for Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G is available for pre-order in Japan. This time, it's a black leather PS Pictogram X Porter series carrying case. The case can carry either the PSP-1000 or PSP-2000 series. So whether you jam a fat or slim PSP in there, it won't matter. It comes with a carabiner, an extra pouch for a UMD game, and a loop for one's belt.
The MH PS Pictogram case will go on sale for 11,800 yen on the e-Capcom Japan site. That's roughly US$118 -- pretty expensive. It's also totally not as awesome (or furry) as this other Monster Hunter pouch.
For every Greek God, there is a statue. For what better way is there to immortalize an immortal than to construct an effigy? You know you've made God status when mortals start sculpting your very likeness. Today, we have Humber College student Sheldon P. to thank for this lovingly violent sculpture of God of War's hero Kratos.
The sculpture, titled "Ghost of Sparta," is currently on display at the 2008 Humber Art Show: Thou Art Your Art. If you're interested in seeing the sculpture in person or just have nothing to do next week, you can still catch the exhibition on March 24 and 25 up in Toronto. Or, why not make your own Kratos sculpture? In the words of Neil Buchanan: try it yourself!
Have another look at the sculpture after the break.
Square Enix is finally reaching out to its fans with a brand new community web site. The new site will be specifically for North American users and should parallel the experience offered to Square Enix's large Japanese fan community. The site promises to feature "exclusive content," such as interviews with developers, downloadable content, sweepstakes and trailers. We're hopeful that brand new trailers for upcoming PSP games, like Dissidia and Birth by Sleep, will find their way into the site.
You can visit the site here. Register today and you'll be able to access the full site when it officially launches next week: March 24th.
Monster Hunter fever is sweeping over Japan as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G draws closer and closer to release. Playing on MH fans undying lust for everything Monster Hunter-ish, several new series collectibles will be hitting the market. First up is Monster Hunter Illustrations, an art book consisting of sketch work, monster information, and staff commentary from both the PSP and PS2 iterations of Monster Hunter games. Not much else is known about the book, but we do know it will be out at Japanese retailers on March 25, two days before 2nd G's release. It's also available for pre-order on play-asia.
Another way to get in on the craze is with the two disc music CD that should be coming out much later on April 16. The CD features 36 tracks from Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G. This baby is also ready for pre-order.
Monster Hunter fever is sweeping over Japan as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G draws closer and closer to release. Playing on MH fans undying lust for everything Monster Hunter-ish, several new series collectibles will be hitting the market. First up is Monster Hunter Illustrations, an art book consisting of sketch work, monster information, and staff commentary from both the PSP and PS2 iterations of Monster Hunter games. Not much else is known about the book, but we do know it will be out at Japanese retailers on March 25, two days before 2nd G's release. It's also available for pre-order on play-asia.
