Acquisition #137: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Drat. And I was just getting into Kirby Mass Attack and Professor Layton and the Last Specter.

I say that because both of these lovely (so far) DS games are sure to be placed on the proverbial back burner for a bit now that I've got my grubby hands on a copy of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

Don't worry, I'll go back to them sooner rather than later. For now, though, my attention is turned squarely toward Square Enix's odd, nostalgia-laden addition to the rhythm-game genre.

I very nearly didn't pick up Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, by the way. Oh, it was on my "wish list" and I was planning to buy it at some point, but I really didn't expect to do so on day one. So, what prompted me to change my mind? Well, I discovered that toysrus.com was selling it for $29.99 (as opposed to $39.99) and decided on the spot that I couldn't pass up such a sweet deal.

Before I get to my early impressions of the game, I have to give props to the folks at Square Enix's North American arm for putting so much into this release. For starters, my copy came with a special, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy-branded stylus as well as a small sheet of completely adorable stickers. Also, the cover slip is double-sided, with the inside art being designed in such a way that the heads of the game's main characters show through the holes that line the interior of the case.



Neither of those things could or should be considered mind-blowing surprises, of course, but I think they're nice touches nonetheless.

As for the game itself: I've only played it for a few hours thus far, but I can say without hesitation that those few hours have been pretty darn enjoyable. I like that there are a number of different styles of gameplay--they're more like variations on a theme, really, but they're distinct enough that it rarely feels like you're playing the same thing over and over again--and I also like that all of the tracks included here are the originals and not watered-down remixes.

My only complaints thus far: I'm often so focused on tapping, sliding and holding my stylus just so that I'm unable to properly take in the game's adorable graphics. Also, I'm currently feeling more than a little overwhelmed by all of the options that are constantly being thrown my way.

Are any of you also playing through Theatrhythm Final Fantasy at the moment? If so, do you think about it so far?

See also: Previous 'Acquisition #123' posts

I can't think of a better way to start the week ...

... than with a new issue of PC Engine Gamer magazine.

OK, so I can think of a few things that would kick off the week in a better way than this, but this is pretty good one all the same.

I say that in part because this issue of PC Engine Gamer contains write-ups of two of the cutest PC Engine games around: Be Ball and Star Parodier.

(Silly aside: I'm sure a few hardcore PC Engine fans will want to smack me for saying this, but I actually prefer Be Ball to Star Parodier by a pretty wide margin. I guess I just have a soft spot for chibi Chun-Li-esque protagonists who can't keep their hands off of giant balls.)

That isn't all the seventh issue of PC Engine Gamer has to offer, of course. It also features a fascinating interview with Hudson Soft's Tadayuki Kawada (who worked on the aforementioned Star Parodier) and a surprisingly lengthy Legendary Axe comic.

Anyway, I'd highly recommend checking it out here at your earliest convenience--whether or not you consider yourself to be a PC Engine fan. The articles in this little ezine are witty, well-written and, if you're anything like me, sure to put a smile on your face.

Please tell me this George Foreman Grill look-alike isn't the new PS3

I don't know how many of you are aware of this, but it's been rumored for a while now that the folks at Sony are working on yet another redesign of the PS3--presumably so they can sell the system for less money (while still making some sort of profit, of course) and rope in a few million more gamers between now and whenever they finally release its successor.

I've been paying close attention to those rumors due to the fact that I'm still "sans PS3," as my French friends say. (OK, so I only have one French friend, and he never says "sans PS3." Or at least I don't remember him ever saying that particular phrase.)

So, how did I react after seeing the photos below, which spread across the Internet like a swarm of Smorgs yesterday (starting with this blog post) and which show what appears to be the aforementioned redesign in the flesh, so to speak?

Honestly, my first thought was: Damn, that thing is ugly. And then I thought: Wait, that's not really the new PS3, is it? Please don't let that be the new PS3.

Now that I've had a few hours to digest this shocking bit of news, do I feel any differently? Not really. Before anyone rakes me over the coals, though, I'd like to say that I realize these photos are rather terrible (to put it lightly) and that the final product probably will look at least a smidge better than the one depicted above.

Also, I'd like to say that all will be forgiven by moi (yep, another French reference) should this third PS3 system hit store shelves in my neck of the woods for less than $200 (which is what it'll take for me to jump back aboard the PlayStation train).

How about all of you? What do you think of this redesign--should it be shown to be the real deal, of course? Are you delighted? Disgusted? Disinterested? Some other word beginning with "d"?

What's cuter than a WadaDon amigurumi? A Mr. Saturn amigurumi, that's what...

Actually, I'm not sure about that. I mean, is the Mr. Saturn amigurumi shown below really cuter than the WadaDon (the precious Taiko no Tatsujin protagonist) amigurumi seen in this previous post?

Ah, who cares. Both are pretty damn adorable, don't you think?



Both of the above-mentioned amigurumi were made by the same person, by the way--with that person being blogger Spelinnea.

Those of you who can crochet may want to check out this recent blog post, as it includes instructions on how to make your very own Mr. Saturn amigurumi.

So, what are the odds that we're all going to turn down the volume on our trusty 3DSes after playing New Super Mario Bros. 2 for a bit?

I ask because it just hit me that although I'm likely to have a blast collecting coin after coin after coin while playing New Super Mario Bros. 2, I'm also likely to go completely bonkers due to the constant "ching! ching! ching!" that will be coming out of my 3DS' speakers as I do it.

That said, I'm willing to risk my sanity in order to traipse (yes, traipse) through some of the levels revealed in the latest trailer for this cash-obsessed platformer.

My favorite moments in the trailer below (and here): That never-before-seen nighttime-ish stage shown at the 14-second mark, the rainbow-filled one that follows (at :22) and the rampaging Mega Mario that pops up at :40. Oh, and the golden Big Boo that's given the spotlight at :52.



All that said, I'm not as excited about New Super Mario Bros. 2 as I'd expect to be. Maybe that's because I'm days away from getting my hands on copies of Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure and Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. Or maybe it's because I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Paper Mario: Sticker Star sometime later this year.

Another possibility: I'm just into the whole "collect a million coins" thing that seems to be this game's raison d'être.

Are any of you also feeling similarly ho-hum about New Super Mario Bros. 2? If so, are you planning to pick up a copy of it anyway or are you going to pass on it in favor of something else?