After watching the lobster catching crane machine clip in my previous post, I decided to do a little research on other unique(or should we say weird) arcade games and machines. The search led me to a post on Kotaku about a table flipping game called Cho Chabudai Gaeshi (Chabudai Gaeshi means flipping the table in Japanese). I think flipping a table as a show of displeasure is an east Asian thing since I’ve seen it on quite a few occasions in Chinese and Japanese films, in particular when negotiations go sour in triad/yakuza films.
This Cho Chabudai Gaeshi game lets players do just that by pounding on a “table” and finally flipping it. Players are able to select from a range of scenarios including a host club, wedding party, an office as well as in a living room. It looks pretty hilarious to me and sounds like something I’d want in my house whenever I get really pissed off!
Popular Vocaloid character Miku Hatsune is now getting the robot treatment. This robotic version of Miku will be showcased at the CEATEC JAPAN 2009 show. I’ve only recently found out who(or what) Miku Hatsune was after trying out Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA on PSP. I thought it was a pretty decent game if you’re into music-themed games like DJ Max, Rock Band or Beatmania.
This robotic Miku seems both cute and a little scary at the same time. Maybe it’s just me, but robots with human likenesses and facial expressions always seem a little disturbing.
Seeing this arcade board of Sega’s Golden Axe 2: The Revenge of Death Adder on Yahoo! Japan Auction brought back very fond memories of 2 of my best friends in high school and me frantically popping in coin after coin trying to complete this game. Ahh those were the days. Those who have played this great game in arcades will know that this is not an easy game to complete without using heaps of credits, at least that’s how it was with us. The game though, was an absolute blast, especially if you have 3-4 players simultaneously since you’ll be able to perform special group attacks such as the spinning piledriver! This is one of those games you just have to play with some buddies to understand why arcades should live forever and some games will never be the same when played at home.
I was so glad to see this on YJ Auctions since I don’t think they come up very often, but I’m also pretty bummed that 23,000 YEN (assuming it doesn’t go any higher) is a fair chunk of change for an old game. So I guess my dream of putting this beauty into a restored cabinet will have to be put on hold, just like so many of my other projects due to time & money constraints. *sigh* Welcome back to the real world.
Y!J Auction for Golden Axe 2: Revenge of Death Adder Arcade Board here. Auction ends 22nd September.
I’m a big rhythm game fan, and I’ve been waiting for this little baby to finally get released. It’s the DJ Dao Empress Style Beatmania IIDX ASC Controller. DJ Dao manufactures high quality, arcade-like IIDX controllers for the Beatmania (Bemani) games. They operate out of China, but don’t let the manufacturing location fool you. Ask any Bemani enthusiast and they’ll tell you the DJ Dao ASC controllers are without a doubt the best Bemani ASC controllers out there. The quality and workmanship is second to none, and they are stunning to look at. The only downside? Well, they cost a pretty penny too.
The controllers come in 4 variants. The FP7 ($180), which is the most basic unit, the Platinum Edition Evolution 2nd ($310) which is basically a larger variant of the FP7, the Real Edition Single ($375) which is the flagship model, and 2-player version called the Real Edition Double ($715). Everything from the background to the type of keys to the LED lighting color can be customised. The soon-to-be-released pink colored Empress Style Themed controller just took it to a whole new level of desirability. The Empress Edition is based on Konami’s Beatmania IIDX 16: Empress game which was released in arcades last year and will see a Playstation 2 (PS2) release on October 2009.
They also make a Pop’n Music ASC Controller for Konami’s other rhythm game, Pop’n Music.
Attention: The pictures below were taken from the Bemanistyle.com forum a while back, so if the pictures belong to you and you would like credit for it or would prefer me to remove it then please let me know.
Just started playing Mirror’s Edge after hearing some good things about it from a friend. However, the review out there seems to be a mixed bag. But hey, I’m an adventurous guy and I like some variety in everything, so it was a no-brainer to give this game a go. Now let’s get down to seeing if this unique offering from EA is any good shall we.
I think the idea of the game should have come from Parkour which is, I quote from Wikipedia “the aim of moving from one point to another as smoothly, efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body.” By the way, if you haven’t already watched the films Yamakasi and District B13, I highly recommend them as they showcase the beauty, excitement and danger of the art of parkour.
I won’t bore you with the game’s story and plot. Well, most games just have a story which is there just to justify the game anyway. Besides, I have yet to complete the game, so I have no idea how the entire story would turn out anyway.
The graphics in Mirror’s Edge is rather nice, it’s hard to put into words but it has sort of a “bright” feel to it and it matches the ambiance that the game is trying to achieve. Just check out the screenshots to see what I mean. The cut-scenes however uses a different art direction, sort of a little cartoony or animated-like, can’t say it’s good or bad, just different.
The gameplay is an exciting mix of running, jumping, climbing and sliding your way around and over obstancels, gaps, buildings and almost anything you can imagine. I have to say, when it’s the done right the game can be pretty darn good at times. The pursuit scenes will get your adrenaline pumping and your heart rate in-sync with the tempo to the chase. If like me, you have acrophobia then the exhilaration while playing the game would most probably be even more intense. There were times when my stomach churned when I failed to make a jump and I see my character falling from the building. I guess that’s a testament to how immersive the game is, no? Mirror’s Edge also feature some combat elements, but I think they’re rather weak compared to the rest of the game and felt like it was tacked onto the game for the sake of variety.
I went into this game without any expectations, the premise seemed original enough, and this means something at a time where most every genre and every idea has been done till death. (Anyone agree there’s hardly any originality these days?) I think the developers deserve some credit for trying, the entire concept of hopping like a crazed rabbit around buildings is certainly an interesting and refreshing change. However, I can’t help but feel that the execution fell a little short and the idea could be further developed to refine the gameplay. As it stands, it’s still a pretty polished and respectable game though, it has some genuinely great moments and you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try to see if building hopping is your cup of tea.
STOMP: Original and innovative idea, Adrenaline-pumping action, Very nice and unique visual elements
A very talented and creative individual by the name of June of PlanetJune.com crocheted these AmigurumiLemmings. She made the Walker, Floater, Blocker, Builder, and Miner Lemmings. I remembered playing Lemmings (the game, of course) while I was a wee little kid. It’s amazing how these little buggers can still look so darn adorable after almost two decades. Head on over to PlanetJune for details and patterns if you’re interested in making these for yourselves.
I’ve been meaning to do a review on the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 stick since I bought it a couple of months back. However, I thought I’d put it through a few more games so I could make a fairer and more accurate opinion. The first impression I got was that the box housing the HRAP 3 controller was huge and hefty! After carefully unpacking the controller and holding it in my hands for the first time I totally understood why. The HRAP 3 is built like a TANK, it’s extremely sturdy and well-built. It sports a very clean carbon fibre-like design, nothing fancy and just the way I like it. I think the combination of black and carbon look will help to withstand dirt and wear over time too.
For all you arcade purists out there, you’ll be delighted to know that the HRAP 3 uses the same Sanwa lever used in the majority of arcade cabinets in Japan, which is the Sanwa JLF-TP8Y-SK lever. However, unlike the significantly more expensive Hori Real Arcade Pro SA, the Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 does not use either Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons. But it’s good to know that if you insist on having these superior buttons, you may have the buttons changed by yourself with a little work without having to opt for the more expensive HRAP SA. I personally found the HRAP 3 buttons to be very arcade accurate, and don’t really see the need to pay anymore for Sanwa or Seimitsu buttons.
I’ve since used the HRAP 3 controller for quite a few games, including Melty Blood on the PC as well as a host of other console fighters like Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, Guilty Gear Accent Core, Hokuto no Ken (Fist of The North Star), as well as one of my all time favorite series, Metal Slug! The HRAP 3 was a joy to use and performed admirably in most every game except Street Fighter III 3rd Strike, which I realised would periodically have a very slight lag to some button inputs. It did not in any way ruin the experience, but it wasn’t as perfect as I would’ve liked. It was a real surprise playing Metal Slug using the Hori HRAP 3, as it felt exactly like the arcades and it brought back memories of the good ‘ol arcade glory days! The controller also comes with a turbo fire setting for those who enjoy shoot-em-ups I presume. I’m not a huge fan of aerial shoot-em-ups, so I can’t comment on how well the controller and the turbo setting would work, but I’m guessing they’ll work as good as they do on fighters.
If you’d like to modify the HRAP 3 lever or buttons yourself, Shyoruken forums has a great guide on doing just that. It’s quite an easy process since there’s no soldering involved, just simple plugs to disconnect and reconnect and you’re good to go!
Overall, I’m extremely happy with the Hori HRAP 3 stick and I’ve been using it for most of my arcade needs ever since. The Hori Real Arcade Pro 3 (HRAP 3) retails for $99.90 on Play-asia, and that seems like a reasonable price given the quality and authenticity of the HRAP 3 to arcade controllers.
STOMP: Built like a TANK, Excellent Ergonomics & Authentic Arcade Feel, Very Fairly Priced For The Quality You Get, Nice Carbon Look
CHOMP: Very slight delayed response on certain games
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