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You may never have watched six minutes of promotional footage for a pachinko machine before, but that’s about to change. After the break, we have a long trailer for the Castlevania pachislot (pachinko + slots) game released in mid-2009, with lots of cutscene footage showing the game’s story. Yes, there’s a story, featuring Trevor Belmont challenging Dracula with the help of the sorceress Angela, a character created expressly for this game.

This game takes us briefly into a weird alternate universe in which gambling machines are marketed and followed like video games. For example, clicking the far-left link in the navigation bar on the official site will bring up a series of desktop wallpapers. And if you liked the music from the trailer, you can buy the soundtrack. To the pachinko machine.

[Via Chris Cummings]

Continue reading Castlevania’s last ‘Rebirth’ — as a pachinko machine

Castlevania’s last ‘Rebirth’ — as a pachinko machine originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As you already know, the launch of Final Fantasy XIII was met with record-breaking sales success for the game and the platform upon which it’s played. However, you may not know the ripple effect the uber-anticipated RPG had on the rest of the Japanese economy. Let us examine this phenomenon in our traditional style:

- Hair styling products: 36,818 11,511 (45.49% )
- Preposterously large swords: 19,115 14,447 (309.49% )
- Gaudy chain necklaces: 56,701 33,776 (147.33%)
- Entire outfits made out of belts: 17,846 4,409 (32.81 )
- Richard K. Schnopp’s self-help book, “How to Speak Succinctly”: 11 4,509 (99.76%)

- PS3: 237,086 162,000 (215.75%)
- Wii: 191,915 56,017 (41.22%)
- DSi: 95,227 27,043 (39.66%)
- PSP: 79,194 7,309 (10.17%)
- DSi LL: 75,241 17,235 (29.71%)
- DS Lite: 12,879 1,503 (13.21%)
- Xbox 360: 8,965 1,681 (15.79%)
- PSP Go: 3,260 183 (5.95%)
- PS2: 2,982 519 (21.07%)

[Source: Media Create]

Read: The preposterous archives

Japanese hardware sales, Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Final Fantastic edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is probably our last Japanese sales chart together before you’re likely to open presents for the holiday of your choosing — or perhaps, your mutated fusion holiday, such as Chrismukkah, or Kwamadannukhristivus. As such, we’re curious as to what you’re hoping to find wrapped up beneath your tree, menorah or Grandpa’s ceremonial Kwamadannukhristivus beard. Sure, we expect to hear a few games on your list, but what about other gadgets? Fancy threads and fabrics? Gift certificates for Pottery Barn? Large haunches of various, succulent meats? We need to know. We’re gift-giving voyeurs.

The Japanese gaming industry received the greatest gift of all this past week: A spike in consumer activity. Every console’s sales — save the PSP Go — experienced significant increases. Especially the Wii, which was supported by the neverending font of money that flows from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as well as the recently released RPG Tales of Graces. Fun fact: Now there’s twelve Tales games in existence. Why, that’s one for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas! Or one-fourth of one for each of the Forty-Eight Days of Kwamadannukhristivus. Man, you’ve gotta get on board with this holiday. It’s nuts.

- Wii: 135,898 29,343 (27.54%)
- PS3: 75,086 17,304 (29.95%)
- PSP: 71,885 4,005 (5.90%)
- DSi: 68,814 16,549 (32.05%)
- DSi LL: 58,006 4,215 (7.84%)
- DS Lite: 11,376 3,009 (35.96%)
- Xbox 360: 10,646 5,332 (100.34%)
- PSP Go: 3,077 335 (9.82%)
- PS2: 2,463 186 (8.17%)

[Source: Media Create]

Gundam: The ceremonial archives

Japanese hardware sales, Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Wrap it up edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This past Saturday brought us the Spike TV Video Game Awards and – before experiencing the litany of world exclusives that awaited us inside – we spent some time outside cruising the red carpet and talking (briefly!) to many of the game developers and talent. We squeezed them for information as fast as we could while simultaneously wishing them holiday cheer and good tidings. Yes, it was as awkward as it sounds. Here’s what we learned from Vince Zampella and Jason West from Infinity Ward about Modern Warfare 2.

So what do you all think about Medal of Honor going Modern Warfare?

Vince Zampella: Eh, good for them!

You’re not saying, “Hey, this is our territory.”

Vince: Nah.

Since the game shipped a month ago, Infinity Ward has been squashing bugs and reading feedback.

Vince: Absolutely. The benefit of making a game that all of our guys love to play is that all of our guys are playing it, and they’re running into the same problems that any other player is, so we want to get that stuff fixed as soon as possible.

Jason West: Yeah, the studio has been shut down for all of December, but these guys are playing the game and they want to come in on their own time to fix it and patch it. Considering that they’re all on vacation, the responsiveness of the team has been pretty awesome. [Note: based on the new unlimited ammo glitch, they still have some work to do. Unless there's a Christmas miracle]

Has anything really surprised you with multiplayer?

Vince: Well, yeah .. the Javelin thing, obviously [laughs]. Just the fact that somebody picked that out.

Jason: And the infinite Care Package one is pretty impressive, I mean you have to do this, do that and …

Vince: I could see you accidentally doing it, but then how do you figure out how to go back and replicate it? That’s crazy.

So if there’s a Modern Warfare 3, what can you possibly pack in to top the Night Vision Goggles?

Vince: This time we’ll have a version that comes with a complete tank.

Jason: Yeah, or a full-sized Ghillie suit would be awesome, too.

VGA 2009: Infinity Ward on Medal of Honor, glitches originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a survey of (presumably) eBay prices for rare and collectible games, MTV Multiplayer’s Jason Cipriani illustrates what re-releases of these games do to their resale value — and, by association, to the people who hoard these game for profit. As it turns out, re-releasing rarities like Dracula X affects game collectors negatively in the same way it affects normal people positively — by making the games more easily available, thus driving down the cost of copies in the original format. Won’t someone please think of the jerks trying to make a profit from their rare games?

To use another Castlevania example, Castlevania Chronicles: Cipriani found a three-year high price of $70 for the 2001 PlayStation release in 2007. Two years later, after the game’s release on PlayStation Network, physical copies dropped to a low price of $26.93. The people who just wanted to play the game could now get it for six bucks, leaving the PS1 discs for collectors only.

It’s not as simple as a re-release dropping the value globally, however: the data shows some weirdly fluctuating prices, like Persona 2: Eternal Punishment on PlayStation, which seems to have gone up in price significantly following a reissue. Perhaps interest rose when buyers got the idea that it was even possible to buy an old Atlus game.

The effects of re-releases on classic game pricing originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know there’s a temptation to freak out, but just stick with us until the second graph, okay? When asked by Nikkei Japan how the company managed the cost of maintaining the free PlayStation Network, Sony Computer Entertainment executive VP Masayuki Chatani highlighted the possibility of new revenue streams, saying, “In addition to single-payment packaged software, there are also schemes like monthly fees or per-item charges.”

As GameIndustry.biz points out, Chatani could be talking about any number of different items and monthly-charged services delivered via PSN — as was vaguely referenced in a presentation last month. Viewed together, the comments may seem troubling, but additional services don’t necessarily equate to PSN itself becoming a subscription service. If Sony wanted to lose the biggest advantage of its online service just as the PS3 builds up a good head of steam, a funeral service might become more appropriate.

Sony considering monthly fees for PSN content, services originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Though this post will go up after the Video Game Awards conclude, it was actually written before the first Vector Monkey was distributed. With that in mind, prepare to be amazed by our clairvoyance: Shia LeBeouf is going to win. We should be more specific: He’s not just going to win for the category he’s nominated for, he’s going to win everything. Trust our precognizance on this one — Shia LeBeouf is the best voice actor, human performer, role-playing game, and Independent Game Fueled by Dew released in 2009.

As you bask in our waves of psychic magnificence, check out our seven favorite gaming-related webcomics from this past week, listed below. Make sure you vote for your favorite after the jump!

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful (Dipswitch)
Coming Soon to Video (Virtual Shackles)
A Mushroom Kingdom Carol Part Four (Brawl in the Family)
Guest Strip (Dueling Analogs, by Crooked Gremlins)
It’s a Comic About Left 4 Dead 2 (Slackerz)
Die Monster (Nerf Now)
Stuff of Nightmares (Digital Unrest)

Continue reading Weekly Webcomic Wrapup predicts the VGAs

Weekly Webcomic Wrapup predicts the VGAs originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You know what? Driving around is boring. Luckily, some Germans are taking steps to amp up the experience by incorporating Doom graphics into billboard ads, effectively upping their cool factor exponentially. Check out this Flickr set and tell us these billboards are anything but completely awesome. We dare you!

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a trend that will cross the oceans of the world and spread throughout every major city, causing us to actually care about these outdoor advertising eyesores. In the spirit of international sharing, we’ve got a couple ideas of our own you can check out past the break.

[Via Animal New York and Nerdcore; thanks, Ryan]

Continue reading Street artists beef up billboards with Doom graphics

Street artists beef up billboards with Doom graphics originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As fans of Sega’s Yakuza series (known as Ryu ga Gotoku in Japan) will quickly point out, the lengthy wait for localized versions is somewhat of a disorganized crime. With two PlayStation 3-exclusive installments already available in Japan (and a third on the way), Sega Europe’s online community manager, Kevin Eva, offers an enthusiastic answer to the impatient question: “YAKUZA 3 IS COMING TO THE WEST.” So enthusiastic, it seems, he’s already busting some CAPS.

Writing on the European PlayStation Blog, Eva confirmed that Yakuza 3 will hit the US, Europe and Australia in March 2010, and emphasized the game’s adherence to its cultural origins — not to mention Sega’s budget. “As part of the lengthy localisation work Yakuza 3 will feature full English subtitling,” he wrote, “whilst maintaining the rich Japanese voice actors that bring an extremely engaging atmosphere to the game – this will no doubt please the purists out there!”

Plus, you wouldn’t want to upset those rich Japanese voice actors by replacing them. Who knows how well they’re connected?

Continue reading Yakuza 3 heads west in March 2010

Yakuza 3 heads west in March 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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