Tokyo Shopping List

Macross Ultimate Frontier: I played the first Macross PSP game relentlessly up until the day my PSP was stolen (with the game inside of it). These days I'm sporting a cast away PSP-1000 that i'm very tempted to replace either here or in Japan. My decision will likely be closely related to the second item on my list



Japanese Xbox 360: There are quite a few games available in Japan that will never see the light of day here in the states, but that may change going forward. Cave, the maker of many of the games I'm interested in, is going to test the waters by making their next game region free. If going forward, Cave's games are region free, much of the reason for this purchase goes right out the window, what to do?

Plastic Crap: it's me, it's Tokyo, I'm going to be leaving with an embarrassing number of capsule toys, vinyl figures, and plastic robots. Contesting this would be like doubting the rising of the sun.

Another JRPG That I Won't Finish

I took a look at some videos from Tri-Ace’s upcoming RPG, End of Eternity, I’m a sucker for games with a more sci-fi-ish ascetic, and EoE looks like it may see my “Sci-Fi” and raise me “Dystopian Future,” which is almost guaranteed to get me interested. The combat looks absolutely bizarre, focusing mainly on people jumping though the air and stylishly firing dual pistols like gravity immune anime characters who just attended a seminar on Equilibrium’s Gun Kata.

Neutered Ninja!

The past few days I’ve been playing the hell out of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, which should probably be called "Ninja Gaiden 2 for people who don't enjoy getting punched in the dick." Ninja Gaiden is legendary for being uncompromisingly difficult, but success in that game was something you earned and in a sad sort of way, could be proud of. With NGS2, the series has lost its teeth; you can slice though most of the game without really getting that deep understanding of the combat system that you would normally need in order to progress.

That said, in one day, I progressed far further then I ever did during my first Ninja Gaiden 2 experience, where i was set upon and repeatedly mutilated by angry werewolves on the third stage...

Well Shit...

Cave's next J360 Shmup is going to be region free...

Time to rethink my "buy a j360" plan

Tokyo Checklist

In two weeks, i'll be back in Japan, my goals for the trip include the following:

1. Eat at a Yakiniku resturant - Sure, the "cook it yourself" style of Korean BBQ exists in the US, but i'm very interested in having it overseas and seeing for myself what sort of twists are on it.

2. More Shaka Shaka Chicken- Hell Yeah

3. Acquire a Japanese Xbox 360 - for the purpose of playing arcade shooters. this goal also implies the purchase of region specific games for said system.

4. Dine out someplace ill-advisedly expensive - I'm no stranger to fine dining in NYC, but I haven't done it yet in Japan. Since I'll be making this trip with my girlfriend, it seems like a perfect opportunity to correct that omission.

5. Ramen - Interestingly enough, i've only had authentic ramen once, since there are as many ramen shops in Tokyo as there are people in Vermont, this should be an easy task.

6. Hachico - Two trips to Japan already and I still havent seen this damn dog.

7. High Places - Tokyo Tower, Metropolitan Government Building, and Roppongi's Mori Twer. Cheezy tourist destinations, but also awesome views. Why do all of this? In a nutshell, I want to take some pictures.

8. Yodobashi Camera - Yodobashi's a 9 story electronics store in Akihabara that looks like a football stadium from overhead. I've somehow missed out on going here during my previous trips.