Friday, August 12, 2016

Friendly reminder: the Final Fantasy Tactics-esque Ambition of the Slimes is now available via the European and North American 3DS eShops

If you're looking to add an adorably pixelated strategy RPG to your 3DS' home menu, you could do worse than drop $5--or the equivalent, if you live in Europe--on the just-released Ambition of the Slimes.

This Circle Entertainment-published eShop title is more than just another pretty--or maybe I should say cute--face. What is that supposed to mean? It's supposed to mean (or suggest) Ambition of the Slimes isn't your typical SRPG. 


In fact, it puts players in the shoes of that lowliest of RPG baddies, the slime. Unfortunately, the slimes that populate this are a pretty helpless bunch and have to take over their human enemies--by leaping into their mouths--to achieve victory.

Not swayed by that description? Check out the game's latest trailer, above. If after that you decide to buy and download Ambition of the Slimes, come back here and chat about it with me in the comments section that follows.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Who wouldn't want to play a game called The Princess is Money-Hungry?

Apparently the folks at Nippon Ichi Software didn't get the memo that I need another Japanese Vita game sitting on my shelf like I need a hole in the head.

Why do I say that? Because a couple of days ago the developer and publisher of weird and wonderful niche titles went ahead and announced one. It's name, as I'm sure can guess (and if you can't, lift your eyes and look at the headline at the top of this post), is The Princess is Money-Hungry.

OK, so that's its unofficially translated name. In the original Japanese, its name is Princess ha Kane no Mouja.

Whatever you call it, though, this upcoming action RPG sounds intriguing. Don't take my word for it; here's what gematsu.com had to say about it after reading through The Princess is Money-Hungry's just-launched Amazon Japan listing:

"You’ll defeat enemies and collect money, and when you find a really tough enemy, you can even buy them with money. You can use the money you earn on special moves. When you’re in a pinch, you can somehow use money to get past it."

I guess you could say it sounds a tad like Nintendo's Freshly-Pickled Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland, but that's fine with me. Especially since this Vita title's sure to feature Nippon Ichi's charming, trademark spritework.

Does this mean I've already pre-ordered a copy of this sucker (it's set to hit the streets of Japan on Nov. 24)? No, but only because no one's allowing it at the moment.

As soon as that changes, though, you can bet your sweet patootie I'll slap down some money for it. How about you? 

Tuesday, August 09, 2016

Just in case you still need a little push RE: buying Pocket Card Jockey for 3DS

I've got Pocket Card Jockey on the brain, I know. Hell, it could be argued I've gone far that point since I first picked up the Japanese version of the game--called SolitiBa in that part of the world--just over three years ago.

After all, in that time I've published a review of this Game Freak-made 3DS eShop title, a guide that offers up advice on how to improve your results and a slew of other posts about it.

Something I haven't expended much text on, though, it Pocket Card Jockey's soundtrack. It's sublime--and that's not an overstatement.

Don't believe me? Check out its best tune, "Funky Monkey Style."



Pretty awesome, right? Admittedly, it's probably not what you imagined when you learned that SolitiBa-slash-Pocket Card Jockey combined horse racing and solitaire.

Go Ichinose is the man who composed it. Name ring a bell? Makes sense, especially if you're a Pokémon fan. (He's had a hand in creating music for almost all of that series' games, plus the GameBoy Advance gem known as Drill Dozer.)

Now that you're smitten, come back to this post and let me know in its comments section how much you love Pocket Card Jockey after you've spent a couple of hours (or more) with it.

(Via TronKnotts)

Sunday, August 07, 2016

Anyone up for a few more photos of Pac-Land's PC Engine case, HuCard and manual?

When I went to add the Pac-Land packaging snapshots showcased in my last post to Flickr yesterday, I noticed a bunch of unused ones sitting in my photos folder that I'd previously ignored.

So, I whipped them into shape shortly thereafter and then decided to give them a post of their very own.



Granted, the photos seen above and below probably aren't going to blow anyone away. Still, they should whet appetites until I publish my upcoming "Manual Stimulation" post about Namco's Pac-Land PC Engine port.


Speaking of Pac-Land's instructional booklet, it's pretty darn colorful, isn't it? The illustrations that contain all of that color could be a tad cleaner, I guess, but they make me smile even in their slightly rough state.


I'd never call the art included in the following spread at all "rough," by the way. Rather, it's pretty much perfect as far as these things go.



If you'd like to see a few more such spreads, check out this old "Manual Stimulation" write-up, which highlights the booklet made for another Namco-published PC Engine title, the otherwise humdrum shmup known as Barunba.

See also: previous 'Nice Package!' and 'Manual Stimulation' posts