Month: June 2015

Time to Hit the Midnight Stage – Persona 4: Dancing All Night Announced for ANZ

Published by Kane Bugeja

It’s time to dust of those dancing shoes gamers of the ANZ because Persona 4 is bringing a noticeably more musical iteration to the region. Ok, so maybe you don’t actually have to dust off your dancing shoes (props to you if you have a pair by the way), but the imagery is better than pressing buttons. But I digress. If you haven’t heard of Persona 4: Dancing All Night by now, or the swirl of positive and negative attitudes that surround it, then the news that the Investigation Team will be taking to the dance floor may come as a shock to you. But, regardless of your initial reaction, said news is indeed fact and it’s coming to Australia and New Zealand. Based once again in the beloved world of Persona 4, this particular instalment robs our heroes of their trademark Persona abilities. On top of that, the Shadows are still rampant in the world of the television…and they aren’t happy. Though to be honest they never are. Anywho, in place of their more …

Robonyan And Schwarzenegger Come Face-To-Face At Terminator: Genisys Japanese Premiere

Published by Frank Inglese

Though you probably wouldn’t know it at first glance, the Terminator T-800 and Yo-Kai Watch’s Robonyan have quite a lot in common: Not only are they both mechanised warriors from the future, they’re both incredibly powerful, they’re both practically indestructible, and they share a catchphrase…”I’ll be back“. Legendary action star Arnold Schwarzenegger has hit Japan for the premiere of his latest explosion-heavy masterpiece Terminator: Genisys and to celebrate not only his arrival in the country but the arrival of the robot-on-robot shoot-fest it has been organised for the original time-traveling automaton to meet a robot soldier of the new age: Robonyan. Akihiro Hino, president and CEO of Level-5, had this to say about the meeting of these two pop culture icons both new and old:  “The Terminator T-800, who comes to protect those in need no matter what trouble they’re in, is still my hero. I never would’ve thought that Robonyan would be able to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think Robonyan is also quite happy.” The cat-mech himself, Robonyan also made a statement regarding his …

SnapCast Episode 26 – A Year and a Week

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this episode, Kane, Frank (maybe) and Luke discuss the one year (and one week) anniversary of SnapThirty. So sit back and enjoy some reminiscing, a bit that kind of trails off and, because SnapCast wouldn’t be the same without it, a topic that somehow bleeds into talking about Bleach again. It’s everything you could ever want…hopefully. Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – Snapcast Episode 26 – A Year and a Week You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here -30-

SMASH! Announce ‘I LOVE ANISONG’ Anime Music Concert

Published by Luke Halliday

Big news has come in for Sydney’s Manga and Anime Show, SMASH! convention. The convention has just announced that in conjunction with SOZO and TWH International they will be presenting a special anime music concert ‘I LOVE ANISONG x SMASH’. The event will take place during the weekend of SMASH! in August and will feature a star-studded line-up of anime music idols including GARNiDELiA of Kill la Kill fame, Yaganinagi of Waiting in the Summer and My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU fame. Also to be featured is Vocaloid musician kz(Livetune) and DJ Hello Kitty. Slated for August 8th, the Saturday of SMASH! the I LOVE ANISONG concert looks to be a must see musical event for anime fans and Japanese music fans alike. Check out the preview video below to see what to expect from this concert. -30-

AnimeLab Just Announced A Bunch Of New Titles Both Old and New, Everyone Wins!

Published by Luke Halliday

During their Periscope streamed AnimeLab press conference at Supanova Perth, AnimeLab announced several brand new titles being added to the popular streaming service. Titles are being added both to the back catalogue of the site as well as some upcoming Summer season simulcasts. As far as adding to the backlog, AnimeLab announced several oldschool and newschool series. Rather interesting was the announcement that the wildly popular shojo series Cardcaptor Sakura would be hitting the service. The series was a huge hit down under and remains a fan favourite all these years on. The series will hit the service in its entirety in sub only with potential for the films at a later date. Also announced is the Rumiko Takahashi fantasy epic, Inuyasha. A classic title in every regard, Inuyasha’s first 165 episodes are hitting the service with the rest to be released periodically until its completion. Again this is another big get for AnimeLab. Sports anime fans also had reason to be excited with the announcement that Haikyuu and Free! Eternal Summer will be joining …

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Volume 2 Review

Published by Luke Halliday

The bizarre adventure into the heart of gothic darkness continues with the second volume of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s first part, Phantom Blood. While the first volume introduced us into the bizarre domain that is the world of Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando, volume 2 is more focused on paving the pathway for their fated collision. It is evident from the very first chapter of Phantom Blood that this story is going to end in one way and one way only, with Jonathan and Dio duking it out in mortal combat. After Dio had put Jonathan’s father out of commission permanently in the last volume, Jonathan is trying to go on with his life. Eventually Jonathan comes to meet Zeppelli an eccentric man who informs him of Dio’s survival and intentions of building an undead army to conquer the world. Johnathan isn’t having none of that of course and after learning the ancient art of Hamon (or Ripple if you are that way inclinced) he sets out with Zeppelli and the downright hilarious Speedwagon. This volume …

Boruto And Sarada Revealed As Characters For Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Published by Frank Inglese

You can’t get enough of Naruto can you? Nah, I didn’t think so. It’s fine, it’s fine, the world can’t get enough of Naruto so you’re very much in the majority here. The latest issue of Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump has been released today and some fantastic world citizens have don’t the rest of us a solid by tearing out some pages from the new magazine, scanning them, and then putting them on the internet for the rest of us to see. These new scans reveal some awesome things about the upcoming Bandai Namco fighting title Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 that’ll have fans of the series the world over going absolutely bonkers in excitement. Three brand-new characters have been added to the mix with this week’s announcement. Two of them you already know thanks to the strategically worded article title that I came up with but the other, well…she’s one of the most powerful Naruto enemies our heroes have ever had to face. The originator of Chakra; Kaguya Otsutsuki has been revealed as …

The Invasion Continues – Parasyte: Part Two Hits Australian Cinemas This July

Published by Frank Inglese

Everybody loves Fridays. It’s a universal fact! That’s why, come the end of the week, we’re all thanking the Gods that it is indeed a Friday. Because today is a Friday, everyone is already in a pretty good mood. I know I am. If you’re a fan of Japanese pop culture living in Australia…your Friday just got a great deal better! Madman Entertainment have today announced that they will be bringing the sequel film Parasyte: Part Two to Australian cinemas this July. More specifically; the film will hit select theatres around the country on the 25th of the month. Like the first of the two movies that were brought down to Australia thanks to the wonderful people at Madman Entertainment; tickets will go very quickly so make sure you keep an eye out for the screening schedule once it is released so you can pre-purchase you tickets. Surely by now you know what Parasyte is about, right? It begun as a Manga and, after many years, eventually grew into an Anime series alongside two live-action movies, …

Welcome To 2015 – Fire Emblem Fates To Include Same-Sex Relationships

Published by Frank Inglese

Despite what many people believe, I truly do think we live in a great time. One of unparalleled acceptance that encourages individuality and proper freedom of choice. Though there’s still much to be changed, and many eyes that need opening, I think we’re all doing a pretty good job at making this world safe for almost anyone to live in no matter who they are, where they’re from, and what they do. Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have now hit the same page as the rest of us, announcing that the upcoming Nintendo 3DS title Fire Emblem Fates will indeed feature same-sex relationships, a feature not present in the most recent title Fire Emblem: Awakening. This confirmation comes from an interview Nintendo had with news site Polygon wherein which this was said: “We can confirm that Fire Emblem Fates for Nintendo 3DS, which launches in Japan on June 25, 2015, and is coming to the U.S. and Europe in 2016, includes the possibility for a same-sex marriage to take place between the main character created by …

Steal Back The Future – Persona 5 Official Second Trailer Leaked

Published by Frank Inglese

You know about Persona 4: Dancing All Night don’t you? It’s the spin-off PlayStation Vita title that has you, the main cast of Persona 4, dance your way through the world of the Shadows for reasons mostly unknown to everyone but ATLUS themselves. Well the rhythm title was released over in Japan only recently and with first run copies came an extra DVD that happened to feature the second official trailer for the more exciting upcoming ATLUS title Persona 5. Some grand citizen of this world ripped the trailer from the disc and placed on the fantastic tool we call the internet for us all to see before ATLUS could release it themselves. Naughty, naughty! The second trailer features mostly the same footage as the first but you’ll catch some pretty awesome updates that show what looo to be regular humans transforming into Shadows and a pair of characters that may just take the place of Margaret who tool care of all your Velvet Room needs back in Persona 4. No matter what the damn …

Latest Boruto: Naruto The Movie Trailer Shows The New Generation In Action

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s on days like these that I’m truly thankful that, all those years ago, I was introduced to the Shonen majesty that is Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto. Despite my more recent disposition towards the ending of the Manga, there’s still a great deal of my heart that is warmed by a piece of new media such as the brand-new trailer for the upcoming film Boruto: Naruto The Movie. The official website for the new film was updated today to include a trailer that happens to feature footage from the movie that has yet to have been shown in previous trailers and teasers. Despite the trailer being entirely in Japanese, it doesn’t take much brain power to figure out just what it is that’s going on within it. The new footage will get you old-school Naruto fans fired up as it throws back to the vibe of series’ beginning with the introduction of the kids of the new generation. It’s also super exciting to see Boruto in Naruto’s old gear as well as him using a pair …

Stand By for Dragon Ball Z – Extreme Butoden Announced for Australia and New Zealand

Published by Kane Bugeja

If a new anime series wasn’t enough for you, it would seem that a new Dragon Ball game is on the horizon. Well, new for us in Australia and New Zealand at least, Japan has had it for a while now. Licencing aside, get ready for Dragon Ball Z Extreme Butoden. Developed by Arc System Works, Butoden present the latest instalment in the overarching franchise that is DBZ fighting games.  That being said, not all (or any) of these previous entries were designed for the Nintendo 3DS. Butoden however, is. So yeah, happy news if your carrying a 3DS and a need to punch Frieza in the face. The playable character roster rounds of at 20, whilst the support cast runs up over 100. So chances are you’ll see your favourites take to the dual screen. On this ANZ release, Herve Hoerdt (Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe Vice President of Marketing & Digital) said: “Following the success of Dragon Ball Xenoverse, we wanted to keep on bringing awesomeness to our fans and make them as happy …

Move Over, Spidey – New Attack On Titan Live-Action Film Trailer Shows Off 3D Manoeuvre Gear

Published by Frank Inglese

Toho, the distributor of the upcoming pair of Attack On Titan (Shingeki NO Kyojin) live-action films, updated their YouTube page today to include a brand-new trailer for the new films that shows us a bit more Titan action as well as the Three-Dimensional Manoeuvre gears that seem to be the only thing that can stop them. Up until now we’ve not really seen much of the action series’ staple weapon, instead all we’ve been shown are shots of wreckage and characters using weapons not seen in the Anime like axes and bows. Well today’s new trailer throws all the garbage out the window and shows fans exactly what they want to see; some awesome CGI action of giant-fighting military kids zipping around a destroyed city slicing and dicing Titans with blades akimbo. That’s what the Anime was about right? Yeah, I’m pretty sure. Hey, that’s a pretty cool tough guy name too; Blades Akimbo. Something interesting the trailer also shows, if only very briefly, is what seems to be a somewhat passionate kiss between two …

Yo-Kai Watch To Air On Disney XD Later This Year, Celebrate With English Theme Song

Published by Frank Inglese

Yo-Kai Watch has been on the minds of the SnapThirty crew for quite some time now. We’ve kept up with it since it’s conception and have followed it through all the way to it’s almost Western release. Luke Halliday, fellow writer and good friend, recently went to Japan wherein which he spent a great deal of his money eating, sight-seeing, and buying Yo-Kai Watch merchandise much like any other smart man would. It’s safe to say that we literally cannot wait for this franchise to hit the West. I’ve begun buying and building Yo-Kai Watch figurine kits, Luke has purchased trading card game decks despite not being able to read Japanese, and a lot of what comes our of our mouthes are either the Japanese theme song from the Anime or Whisper’s very own “sou desu ne“. We’re hooked, so you can see why we’re so excited that Densetsu Entertainment USA in conjunction with Level-5 Inc. have just announced that the English version of the Anime will be airing on Disney X D sometime later …

Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

  Beginnings, Eternal, and Rebellion: These three are the names of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica films, and the productions that brought the story of the much-loved Anime to the silver screen. The gruesome tale of five Magical Girls, this series is known to most if not all fans of Japanese pop culture as a horrific look at the sub-genre first made popular by series’ like Sailor Moon. Written by Psycho-Pass‘ Gen Urobachi, it’s was hard to deny myself a chance to experience these films. Though the first two left me with a bad taste in my mouth, the universe-altering storyline of the third (Rebellion) had me very much intrigued so, thanks to Madman Entertainment, I decided to take one more trip into the world of the true Magical Girls. Whether or not I’d come out alive, well…that was up to the universe to decide.   Were all the magical girls truly saved from despair? Now… the great “Law of Cycles” leads the magical girls to their new fate. Madoka Kaname – a girl who once …

009 RE:Cyborg Review

Published by Luke Halliday

Rebooting classic series always comes as a double edged sword. It can be a good way to introduce a classic tale to new audiences or it can prove to be something archaic best left in the past. Somehow 009 RE:Cyborg winds up in the middle of that spectrum. It feels torn between its retro roots and a desire to reinvent the wheel for new viewers, never deciding to commit to one direction. Unlike the original manga, 009 RE:Cyborg takes place in the year 2013 rather than the original’s 1964. The world is rocked by countless terrorist bombing attacks and the 00 Cyborgs are entangled in the fray of explosives and conspiracies. The film is thrilling to say the very least but the story is rather half cocked and never fully comes together seemingly there to set up the next big action set piece. The cast are all well realized but the plot never really kicks into gear all the way and leaves the characters with little else to do other than take part in the …

Second Classic Pokemon Gym Leader Figure Announced – Misty: The Tomboy Mermaid

Published by Frank Inglese

Chances are, if you’re a fan of Japanese pop culture in this day and age…you were a fan of Pokemon as a kid. Almost every single person I know used to play and has continued to play Pokemon ever since they were but a young child, and all of them now are fans of Anime, Manga, Video Games and Japanese pop culture as a whole so I feel as though my statement isn’t too exaggerated. As a generation of people that grew up alongside video game franchises like Pokemon, it sometimes pains us to see that the powers at be are only directing their new merchandise towards the newer, younger fans. Almost every conversation I have with my same-aged friends about Pokemon usually turns into a pitch meeting no-one of importance will ever hear. “They should bring out this“, “They should bring out that“, “How about a remake of Pokemon Yellow“…most conversations go along that line. Not but a week ago, long-time Pokemon artist Ken Sugimori released pictures of his original character sketches for four …

D-Frag! Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

School is one whacked out, crazy place, chock full of all kinds of characters who might not have met if not forced together under the confines of education. Whether this is a positive or negative experience kind of boils down to personal preference and personality, though there are some characters that are universally understood to be off their rocker. Those select few that to friend and foe alike are an unrelenting, unfathomable force of lunacy and borderline psychosis. Thus, within this realm of insanity, we find the entire cast of D-Frag! Strap yourself in for this one. These people are crazy. A description as laconic as it is true. From the diminutive, self proclaimed Darkness elemental that is Roka, to the brash student president Chitose, to the curiously chipper Sakura, the Game Creation Club is not a place for the well adjusted. Unfortunately for Kenji Kazama, the only relatively normal person in the world, a particular series of events leads to his less-than-willing induction into said club. So beginneth a chaotic school life that borders …

Nobunaga The Fool: Part One – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Inspiration can come from an infinite number of things. Creative types use whatever it is they can to stimulate their imagination; be it reading a good book, watching a good movie, or simply living life itself. It’s no mystery that the greatest level of inspiration comes from the history of our world. Looking back through time, you’ll soon come to the realisation that some absolutely amazing feats have been accomplished through the ages by some of existence’s most interesting people. Granted, some of those people did devastatingly evil things but that doesn’t make their stories any less enthralling. Though series’ like Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings is grandiose in it’s retelling of the Sengoku period leading up to the battle of Sekigahara, it is because of the Anime that I was able to get somewhat of a grasp on the battles of the time. Watching through it lead me to research more and to, in fact, seek out other series’ like it. I then began reading Takehiko Inoue’s Vagabond which recounts the life of famed Samurai …

Endless Wonder Approaches With ‘Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness’ Set For Stardate 2016

Published by Luke Halliday

The legacy of Star Ocean is one that spans light years, one of the most under-rated RPG series, Star Ocean has continuously taken the genre into brave new territory and will look to explore the endless abyss once more with the 5th installment in the series, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness. The game is currently slated for release in 2016 or more aptly stardate 2016 if you’re a fan of Star Ocean. Integrity and Faithlessness is said to be set between the stories of Star Ocean: The Second Story and Star Ocean: Till The End of Time. You can check out the trailer below for a look at what to expect from the next installment in this legendary sci-fi RPG series. The game will be exclusive to PS4. Stay tuned for more information as it comes to light. -30-

Get Tangled Up In The New Trailer For Kingdom Hearts III Courtesy Of E3 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

Now I have to start off this article in a purely honest manner: I’m not that big a fan of Disney and I’m not that big a fan of Final Fantasy, so a video game series like Kingdom Hearts, as you’d imagine, isn’t necessarily on my radar for things to look out for…still, I am a man who prides himself on giving credit when credit is indeed due, and the newest trailer for Kingdom Hearts III just released at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, well…it’s genuinely made me second guess my likes and dislikes entirely. Fans have been on Square Enix’s back for quite some time about most things the fine company produces and releases. Most notably are these two titles; Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts III. Why is that? Well, in FFVII’s case, it’s a game that most, if not all, people want to be able to experience. Most people, me being one of them, do not have what it takes to go back and play the original, but if there was perhaps a remake…then …

Could Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Really Be Coming To The West?

Published by Frank Inglese

The 2015 Electronic Entertainment Expo is now more or less over for the year. Fans were rocked by some incredible announcements and left unimpressed by others; much like the expo from last year, the year before, and every other one prior to that. It’s simply how these things go. Bandai Namco Games really brought their A-Game this year by announcing Dark Souls 3, alongside some other big titles, but one of the video games fans were hoping to hear about was simply not mentioned at all. That game is the PlayStation Vita’s own Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth; a Digimon video game made for the generation that grew alongside the franchise from conception to current times. This RPG title has been in the hearts and minds of the fans ever since it was announced and it will continue to stay that way until it is firmly in our hands. Well although it wasn’t spoken about at E3, it seems as though Amazon Canada want people in a bit of a fact-finding frenzy seeing as they’ve listed …

‘Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam’ Folds the Marioverse into an Origami Crossover

Published by Luke Halliday

In one of the most unlikeliest crossover games in gaming history, Nintendo is crossing over one Mario game with… another Mario game, resulting in what will be called Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. That’s right, the walls the hold up the Marioverse have been torn in half and the worlds of the Mario & Luigi RPG series and the Paper Mario series have collided in epic fashion. The game is slated for release on the 3DS and will feature gameplay elements of both Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario. The story seems to focus on a literal dimension collapse causing both worlds to collide with one another. The trailer shown at E3 showcases Mario & Luigi teaming up with Paper Mario to take out enemies from both worlds. Check out the trailer below and see how the Marioverse survives such a cataclysmic paper jam. -30-

Kill la Kill Volume 5 Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

Here we are people, the end of the line. The climactic finale to a series that relishes in insanity, dwells in the hyperbolic and subtly presents the notion that any one person having a monopoly over any aspect of business is a tremendously dangerous occurrence that can spell the end of choice and the free market…or freedom in general…or something like that. But mainly the insanity thing, that’s the main take away from this. So, let the conclusive conclusion of the conclusive edition commence. When last we saw our dynamic duo, they were a lot less…duo-ish. Having discovered the secret of her origins, which no-one even knew existed, Ryuko is understandably confused about her life. Unlucky for all around her, this confusion takes the form of a blinding rage that causes her to lash out at each and every one of her friends. Even one of Mako’s classic Hallelujah! moments doesn’t snap her out of her funk, so you know that it’s serious. Surprisingly however, Ryuko’s anger is not misguided despite its intensity. She is acutely …

Metroid Soccer Game Announced, I Can’t Believe I Just Typed That

Published by Luke Halliday

In perhaps the most shocking turn of events since Jon Snow died on Game of Thrones, whoops spoiler! Nintendo just announced two new Metroid games for the 3DS, one of which is a soccer game. No I’m not running some ill advised bit, Metroid Prime Blast Ball has officially been announced and I do not know why. But it isn’t all bad, Metroid Prime Federation Force was also announced. Federation Force is your more typical Metroid title however with a focus on multiplayer albeit with more chibi characters and a cutesy look that is completely estranged from the known style of Metroid. You can check out both games in the video below. But I really must beg the question, who thought that Metroid would make a good soccer game? Was it you Reggie? Or was it you Iwata? Whoever it was, heed the words of the weird nun from the Game of Thrones finale, SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! Yeah what a bloody right old shame. Also I really am not sure what gutted me more, this …

Platinum Games Working with Nintendo on Star Fox Zero

Published by

Star Fox and Metroid have been relatively quiet compared to other Nintendo IPs, and this year Nintendo revealed a new title for each franchise at the E3 conference. Metroid Prime on the 3DS was an unexpected surprise for sure, but we knew about the existence of Star Fox since last year, we just didn’t know what it was going to be like. Well this year Nintendo showcased a mouth watering gameplay trailer for the upcoming iteration of Star Fox, and also announcing the involvement of ace developer, Platinum Games. This isn’t the first time that Nintendo has collaborated with a third party developer to produce a Star Fox title, as Star Fox Assault on the GameCube was a joint effort by Nintendo and BandaiNamco. Platinum Games have been the developer to watch out for ever since they made their mark in the last console generation, and Nintendo and Platinum Games forged a special alliance when they unleashed the Wii U exclusive, Bayonetta 2. This partnership makes perfect sense, and given the track record of Platinum …

Nintendo Serves Up ‘Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash’ – Game, Set and Match

Published by Luke Halliday

It’s been a long time coming for Mario Tennis fans, but Mario and friends will be heading to the Mushroom Kingdom’s Wimbledon once more on home consoles with Nintendo having just announced Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash, which is said to be both ‘ultra’ and ‘smashing’. The game looks to play as the games always have but with the new addition of giant mushroom power ups turning ordinary tennis matches into the Mario Tennis equivalent of Attack on Titan. I mean who doesn’t love a giant Peach? You can check out the reveal trailer below for a gander at the lovely giant Peach and of course a smashing game of doubles tennis. Also here’s a bit more concentrated giant Peach for those with an appreciation for the finer things in life. -30-

‘Fire Emblem Fates’ Announced at E3 2015, Two Versions Two Times The Fun

Published by Luke Halliday

In case you were wondering what they were going to rename Fire Emblem if, we have our answer and it feels like fate. That’s right the new title is Fire Emblem Fates and it is set to crash land early 2016. Nintendo confirmed that there will be two versions of the game as it is in the Japanese release, however they were reluctant to reveal the full names of each version at this time. Oh well, a reveal for another day I suppose. They did however release a really rad trailer that you can check out below. The game looks like it is going to rock the house to the ground when it launches. Stay tuned for more information on what those two versions names will be once it comes to light. -30-

‘Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem’ to be about becoming an Idol in Shibuya?

Published by Luke Halliday

Details have emerged on the upcoming Wii U title, tentatively referred to as Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem. In a rather surprising turn of events Nintendo have revealed details of the story and setting which do come as rather shocking. Nintendo described the story as a battle between glamour and darkness, with the player being a ‘Mirage Masters’ who dreams of advancing through the entertainment business by singing, acting and the like. There is an apparent evil dimension converging with the real world that they will have to deal with but more interesting is the fact that screenshots seemingly reveal the games setting to be that of Shibuya, Tokyo. So it goes without saying that this is exactly the furthest thing from both Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem, but I trust that Nintendo and friends know what they are doing here. -30-

‘Yo-Kai Watch’ Announced for English Release December 2015, Nintendo Saves Christmas

Published by Luke Halliday

As a super crazy Yo-Kai Watch fan, I have been desperately awaiting the English localization of Level-5’s smash-hit RPG game Yo-Kai Watch. For those who have been living under a rock, Yo-Kai Watch is simply the most popular anime, manga and video-game in Japan right now, it is all the rage and it’s about to save Christmas. Nintendo have announced during their E3 2015 press conference that Yo-Kai Watch is going to be bringing the funk December 2015, right in time for Christmas. Probably should get your pre-orders ready because this is the next big thing folks. Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer for the game below and see for yourself why Yo-Kai Watch has captured the imagination of the great nation of Japan and why it is soon going to take over the world. -30-

Shenmue III Breaks the Internet and Sets Kickstarter Record, It’s Happening Folks

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

Nearly 15 years after the cliffhanger finale of Shenmue II on the Dreamcast (and later Xbox), the fabled sequel that’s been rumored to appear at every E3 conference in the last 15 years is now actually a thing. Shenmue III did show up at E3 this time… there will never be a Dreamcast 2 but there sure as hell is a Shenmue 3 now. Shenmue was never the biggest commercial success during its own time, which is why any chance of the series continuing was pretty much gone because the powers to be simply never saw any money in it. In fact the first two games had production costs so high that sales could barely break even to cover it. If anything Shenmue was ahead of its time, too ambitious and far ahead for gamers to really appreciate it for what it was. That being said, the right time and place for the franchise is quite simply right here and right now. Series creator and industry legend, Yu Suzuki, took the stage at the Sony E3 …

Another Story Begins – Tales of Zestiria European Release Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

As one may have assumed, based upon the overall success of the franchise, Bandai Namco has announced that they are bringing the next Tales Of game to the European market. This time around, the tale will be one of another world, of a world known as Zestiria. An unseen evil force known as Malevolence is spreading across the land, corrupting the world and causing humanity to falter.  Players will embark on an epic journey as Sorey, a young pure-hearted adventurer whose destiny is to become The Shepard, an individual of great power that can banish Malevolence. Does Sorey have the courage and heart to wield this extraordinary responsibility for good, or will he fall prey to the evils of its power? Introducing a new version of the traditional real-time battle system, Zestiria will feature faster combat, new combos, fusion techniques and the ability to side dash, granting some nice new variation. Based uppon his unique ability, Sorey is also able to create new elemental artes by fusing with the essence of the Seraphim he encounters. …

A Legend Retold – Final Fantasy VII Remake Confirmed for PS4

Published by Kane Bugeja

That’s right Final Fanatics, it’s happening. No longer the pipe dream that has been dreamt for years, no longer a fervant wish held by those whose childhoods were forever marked by a villain with a sword matched only in length by his hair. Final Fantasy VII is coming back. And it’s coming back hard. At Sony’s E3 press conference, a brief trailer made countless fans day by showing us Midgar in a completely new light…and graphics engine. With a rather meta narration, said trailer promised the retelling of a legend, the re-presentation of a story well known and loved the world over. With the Buster Sword making a brief appearance, strapped to a very familiar back, the hype meter is ready to boil to all new heights. So…there’s not much else to say is there? The remake is coming people. The long wanted, long hypothesised remake is coming. I’m sure as heck looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the wait a lot less, but that’s the price we pay for information. -30-

Another Mighty Project – Keiji Inafune Teams Up with Microsoft

Published by Kane Bugeja

The man behind one of gaming’s most memorable blue characters has been on people’s minds lately with the promise of the release of Mighty No. 9 drawing ever closer. However, at Microsoft’s E3 press conference, it was made known that Inafune and the people at Comcept are setting up to present the world with another new title; ReCore. In conjunction with Armature Studio, Comcept will develop the game as a Xbox One exclusive title, hence the reveal at the Microsoft press conference. Though no gameplay was shown, nor any concrete plot given, the title seems to focus  on the titular core items. Given the thematic trailer, ReCore may possess some sort of AI allies, able to take a multitude of forms. Whether or not these forms are story locked or acquired by choice is unknown, as is any other confirmed information. Set for Spring of 2016, information is sure to fill in the space between then and now, so keep an eye out. Until then, enjoy the trailer and ponder whether it’s cooler to have a …

The Torment Returns – Dark Souls III Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Dark Souls, the most beloved game that purposely strives to challenge players to the point of infuriation. For those who struggle onwards, renown for actually besting the bosses awaits. For everyone else…mostly rage and sadness lie in the future. Yet despite this schism of players, the franchise remains strong. Strong enough that yet another adventure into the land of dead, undead and re-dead foes has been announced. That’s right folks, at the news behemoth that is E3, From Software revealed their trailer for the upcoming Dark Souls III. Presented with the tagline “…now only embers remain”, the game looks to promise more of the grim, horror filled landscape players have come to love…at least the Dark Souls interpretation of love. Set for an ambiguous release in Early 2016, news is bound to present itself as we progress through the year. Until then, venture forth in classic Dark Souls style; uncertain, trepidatious, excited and vastly unprepared. Gaming is fun isn’t it? -30-

Crash landing – Nintendo Announces And Releases EarthBound Beginnings For The Wii U

Published by Frank Inglese

Coming straight out of left field is another one of Nintendo’s pre-E3 announcements, this time of a classic video game title never released outside of Japan…until now. One of the few video games that possessed me to buy myself a Wii U console was none other than Earthbound. It, alongside games like Mega Man Battle Network and Splatoon, justified paying full price for a console I didn’t even know I’d enjoy…well I’m even more delighted now that Nintendo and video game industry great Shigesato Itoi have announced that they have now released the original Mother game on the Wii U Virtual Console in both Europe and North America. Both announced and released on the same day, the newly titled EarthBound Beginnings is a direct port of the fantastic RPG from twenty six years ago but now in full English. For the first time legally, players from outside of Japan will be able to finally experience the journey of Earth’s original psychic saviour Ninten. They can then follow their playthrough of EarthBound Beginnings with EarthBound, both of …

SnapCast Episode 25 – JoJo’s Bizarre Press Conference

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this episode, Kane, Frank and Luke discuss the ups and downs of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure…again. Keeping up with this trend, they also delve into the world of heroes for the something-or-other-eth time and then spend the remainder of their time reminiscing about spinning tops. Such a rowdy bunch they are. Spoiler Alert JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders – Episode 47 My Hero Academia – Chapter 45 Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Episode 25 – JoJo’s Bizarre Press Conference You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here   -30-

Megaman.EXE Makes Debut As One Of Eight New Mii Fighter Costumes Released For Super Smash Bros.

Published by Frank Inglese

The latest addition of the high-popular crossover fighting title Super Smash Bros., alongside a new cast of memorable fighters, also feature the option to add yourself into the fray as your very own character through the use of your own personal Mii. Creating, personalising, and dressing your Mii turns it into it’s very own playable character and the game doesn’t get more enjoyable than being able to beat your friends up as, well…yourself! Like any game that features customisable characters, Super Smash Bros. has been releasing costume for the Mii Fighters ever since the new game first got released and they simply havn’t stopped. The latest wave of these costumes is mighty and, upon announcement, have all been made available to purchase in-game. Announced alongside two new fighters; Street Fighter’s Ryu and Fire Emblem’s Roy, these eight costumes will have fans of Mega Man Battle Network, Splatoon, and Virtua Fighter alike simply shaking in delight. The list is as follows: Mega Man Battle Network – Megaman.EXE (Gunner) Mega Man X – Zero (Swordfighter) Animal Crossing …

Next Wave Of Amiibo Announced – R.O.B, Duck Hunt Duo, Falco, Game & Watch, Mii Fighters and Others

Published by Frank Inglese

NOT announced through Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. livestream event which ended a few hours ago but announced none the less are a new wave of Amiibo for the crossover brawler that are set to hit shelves this September. Nintendo’s Amiibo have quickly become some of the most sought-after pieces of video game merchandise/peripherals in modern times and, as a man who collects them, I can absolutely see why. If you don’t know what the Amiibo are, well…maybe you’ve been living in complete solitude for a while. They’re these awesome little figurines based on characters from some of Nintendo’s newer titles like Super Smash Bros., Mario Party 10, and Splatoon. Like Skylanders or Disney Infinity, once purchased, these can interact with certain games and unlock new things like costumes, stages, etc. Nintendo have announced the next wave of these interactable figures ahead of E3 and the list is actually pretty great: Alongside the likes of R.O.B., The Duck Hunt Duo, Mr. Game & Watch, and Falco who’re all shown above are a set of three Amiibo …

Nintendo Of Europe Accidentally Reveals Animal Crossing And 8-Bit Mario Amiibo

Published by Frank Inglese

The boys and girls over at Nintendo have messed up once again with the European branch of the company accidentally revealing their new range of Amiibo earlier than they were supposed to. Over night, the Nintendo of Europe posted a promotional image on their website depicting some of the newer Amiibo like the ones from Splatoon and those from the new Mario Party 10. Alongside the already-released Amiibo were a few others that have yet to be officially announced but, thanks to whoever posted this early, we now know will be coming our way in the near future. Tom Nook, Isabelle, Mabel and K.K. Slider from the highly popular Animal Crossing will all be getting their very own Amiibo alongside yet another Mario figure who this time will appear in his original 8-bit glory. Nintendo have not made an official statement about this early announcement nor have they divulged any information regarding release date but you can be sure to hear some more about them as soon as E3 officially begins which is only a …

Looking for a Challenge – Roy and Ryu Officially Join the Super Smash Bros. Roster

Published by Kane Bugeja

Though I’m sure you’ve all heard the news that everyone’s boy Roy, along with newcomer Ryu, were set to join in the cross franchise chaos of Super Smash Bros., said news has now been unequivocally 100% most certainly confirmed. Without a doubt…it’s happening…I think you get the picture. In their special Smash Bros. only E3 press video, Nintendo showcased just how these fighters will dispense their own unique brands of justice against those who are unfortunate enough to cross them. Harkening back to his former move set, Roy will bring some explosive swordsmanship into the fray, bearing similarities to his fellow Fire Emblem representatives. That being said, Roy has apparently spent his days in exile training, bringing with him an increase in power that is sizeable enough for Nintendo to mention…so I’d keep an eye out in battle.  It was also specifically stated that Roy’s sword carries more power towards the base of the blade, so you’ll need to get up close and personal to really deal out the pain. Final Smash wise, Roy brings …

Eighteen Years In The Making – Dragon Ball Super’s First Teaser Trailer Finally Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Surely by now you know that the immeasurably popular Shonen series Dragon Ball Z is returning with a brand-new Anime season that follows on from where the original left off, right? That’s something I feel every good Anime fan should know, at least at this point in time. Well during Fuji TV’s broadcast of the latest Dragon Ball Kai episode over in Japan a quick teaser trailer for the upcoming Anime series was shown. That short video was recorded by some very smart citizens of the world and shared online for the rest of us to see. As mentioned; the new Anime will follow the original crew of Dragon Ball Z and their equally as powerful offspring as they do whatever it is that they do. Really we don’t know much about the storyline of this new Anime season but the trailer does indeed feature Beerus and his friendly assistant Whis so the assumption is that they will feature throughout the story. Honestly barely anything has been divulged in regards to the more detailed specifics …

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (Graphic Novel) Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

The Legend of Zelda. Probably the world’s most popular RPG that still has a great deal of the populace confused as to who the titular character actually is. Though, to be fair, I’m not entirely sure how constantly being captured by an evil wizard constitutes a legend. Poor Link does all the work after all, without a word of complaint might I add…well, without a word of anything, but you get my point. Anywho, as one might gather from the title of this particular novel of graphic form, this release details the exploits of a Link to the Past, an early story in what would become a gaming legend…of Zelda. Young Link was just a humble guy, sleeping in his bed like any other night, when suddenly a voice rang in his ears. Now this wasn’t just any disembodied voice haunting him during the witching hour, it was rather the voice of Princess Zelda, imploring him for help. You know…because. Anyway, putting plot reservations on the background, our hapless hero immediately storms an enemy fortified castle, …

Some Wars Never End – Transformers: Devastation Revealed, Developed By PlatinumGames

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; that period just before the beginning of the Electronic Entertainment Expo wherein which video gaming fans are treated to some tasty news leaks before their scheduled reveals. It has already been revealed that Street Fighter’s Ryu and Fire Emblem’s Roy will be joining the already sizeable Super Smash Bros. roster thanks to an early update released in Japan, and now Best Buy Canada have spilled the beans a little early regarding a brand-new Transformers video game developed by Osaka’s PlatinumGames and set to be published by the very much unloved…Activision. Unconfirmed by neither PlatinumGames nor Activision, this game was placed on Best Buy Canada’s online store as a game up for pre-order. People are speculating that this was one of the “big reveals” supposedly saved for the E3 festivities but are already very much underwhelmed by the fact that it is just another Transformers title. Not only that but after seeing the way in which Activision and PlatinumGames came together for The Legend Of Korra game, video …

Leaked Videos Confirm Roy And Ryu As Upcoming Playable Characters In Super Smash Bros. For Wii U And 3DS

Published by Frank Inglese

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as E3, is coming up and with the large event comes a whole bunch of exciting video game news from across the board. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, they all bring their best to the yearly exhibition which means they usually save the very best news to release it when the whole gaming world is watching, but no company is safe from leaks and the general gaming audience loves it when a huge piece of news drops before scheduled time. Two short videos have now begun circulating the web which show both Ryu from Capcom’s incredibly popular fighting series Street Fighter and Roy from Intelligent Systems‘ famed RPG Fire Emblem going head-to-head with the already sizeable cast of the new Super Smash Bros. title which has been available for the Nintendo Wii U and 3DS for quite some time. These videos have come about thanks to the early release of the game’s next big update which has now been made available in Japan…not on purpose, of course. As with any added content, the …

All Six Paths Lead To Demise – Madara Confirmed As Playable Character For Naruto Shippuden Ultimate Ninja Storm 4

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s nothing better than a good video game, and every good video game always comes with an exciting and brutally powerful bad guy thrown into the mix to put the hero to the test. Originally it was Orochimaru who posses the biggest threat to our outrageous Shinobi hero Naruto…but that was some time ago. Massage Kishimoto, the creator of the series, kicked the snake man to the curb a long time ago and since then the spot of all-powerful antagonist has been filled by countless men and women all of which have fallen victim to the might of the ninja world’s greatest warrior. One of the final villains of the series, a man called Madara Uchiha, really made Naruto work for his heroic title and, if you ask me…he almost succeeded in his plan of utter world domination. Too bad the power of a Shonen hero is far too much for any bad guy to handle. Well Mr. Madara Uchiha being such a good bad guy, it’s only natural that he would appear in the …

Vagabond (VIZBIG Edition): Volume Seven – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

It takes a special Mangaka to be able to make a deaf/mute man one of the most interesting characters in a story that spans as long as the award winning Vagabond. Takehiko Inoue is one of those special Mangakas. So special, in fact, that I can literally only think of one other who has attempted to write such a character and has succeeded; Kohske, who you’d know is the brains and talent behind the neo crime series Gangsta. Spanning all of volume six and continuing long into volume seven is the story of Sasaki Kojiro; an incredibly skilled master of the blade who has now taken a huge step into his adulthood and towards that same immortality Miyamoto Musashi himself longs for so dearly. The readers continue to take leave from the story of Takezo (Musashi) so as to remain with Kojiro as he’s taken to the battle of Sekigahara and left to fend for himself, a deaf man in a war zone. Later on in the story we return to Musashi’s side as he …

‘Blood Blockade Battlefront’ Finale Delayed, Recap To Air Instead, Sound Echoing Around World is Collective Groan

Published by Luke Halliday

Bit of bad news in for Blood Blockade Battlefront fans. The finale of the wildly popular anime series has been delayed until July 4th for reasons currently unknown. Yes groan away B3 fans, it is your given right afterall. But do not fret because Tokyo MX and its affiliate channels have got something that will satisfy your hunger for more blood breed battles – a recap episode. Alright now before you get your pitchforks out, it must be said that although the delay has pushed the finale back until July 4th, it doesn’t seem to explain the conflicting schedule of an episode of Durarara x2 which is also locked in for the same timeslot. Wait that isn’t a pleasing tidbit that will calm down the irate fandom. Well, I guess fans should just deal with it B3 style by going buck wild and a little bit nuts. In related news original creator and author of Blood Blockade Battlefront, Yasuhiro Nightow, has yet to comment on the situation because no one has bothered asking him yet. …

A Colourful Cast in Any Language – RWBY Japanese Dub Cast Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Since its release, RWBY has been the source of some debate regarding its status as a series. Is it an anime? Is it a Western production? I myself have always been of the mind that it really doesn’t matter. It’s a cool show, enough said. But, we aren’t here to debate that particular topic today. We are here instead to take a look at the recently released Japanese cast listing for the new dub from…well japan. It is as follows: Ruby Rose – Saori Hayami Weiss Schnee – Yoko Hikasa Blake Belladonna – Yu Shimamura Yang Xiao Long – Ami Koshimizu Fun fact: RWBY is in fact the first Western anime property to be picked up for distribution in Japan. Which is pretty awesome. Anyway, information is still absent regarding who will comprise the rest of the Japanese cast, but that will surely hit soon. So, until then, keep an ear out and…watch the original English version? Waiting is always the hardest part isn’t it? -30-

Warriors on the Move – Hyrule Warriors Announced for the 3DS…Briefly

Published by Kane Bugeja

In the ever expanding world of video game development, it has become more and more prevalent for information to leak when new projects are afoot…or when new releases of old projects are afoot…when anything is afoot really. People like to gossip. Anyway, Koei Tecmo was recently the victim of such a premature information release…and the source of it. With E3 creeping ever closer, it can be assumed that this particular knowledge was meant to launch in a few weeks. Rather quickly after the trailer showcasing this new project was announced it was, of course, taken down, so E3 may in fact see the release of this video anyway. Albeit with a little less surprise. From what could be gathered from the trailer, the game will play just as the Wii U version, except with a little boost to the roster. It would seem that this time around the King of Red Lions and Tetra from Windwaker will be joining this hack-and-slash experience, along with some form of transfer option that will allow them to be …

Mysteries Revealed…Somewhat – Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon Trailer Released

Published by Kane Bugeja

Having been first announced not too long ago, the Pokemon Company Youtube channel has provided us with a better look at the upcoming Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon. Following the set-up of those that came before it, this mysterious dungeon crawler will see the player character remarkably transformed from human to Pokemon, before being thrown into a world comprised solely of entrepreneurial Pocket Monsters…not too sure why there aren’t any humans around. That’s one of the mysteries that has never been solved…or a question that’s never been asked. Regardless, this human-to-‘mon transformation will allow players to take the form of one of twenty forms, specifically those of each region’s three starters plus Pikachu and Riolu for good measure. In regards to story, all that is known is that you (the player) shall journey through a plethora of randomly generated dungeons to save the world from danger. Now this is just an estimated guess, but said danger might have something to do with one of the ever expanding list of Legendary Pokemon that populate the franchise. The ones …

The Preview Returns – Episode Duscae 2.0 Released

Published by Kane Bugeja

Well Final Fanatics, it looks like its time again to take a look at XV and all it promises to bring us…by looking at Duscae once more. Ok, so apparently Square Enix took a little bit of a survey regarding the last release of this particular demo, the feedback of which led them to tweak the Episode a little in a number of ways. In regards to gameplay, the camera and targetting systems have been re-worked, whilst the battle system has been imbued with a few new combos and a touch of re-balancing. A new boss fight has also been promised…probably against the giant elephant-dinosaur-pig monster shown in the screenshots, but you know what they say about making assumptions. Of course, all of this information only applies if you actually own the Episode Duscae demo, which came bundled with Type-0 HD (which has also received a slight, camera-control upgrade). So sit back, wait for your game to update and enjoy the latest pre-instalment of FF XV; Episode Deux-scae…Two-scae…I’ll stop now. -30-

A Hot and Cold Reception – New 3DS Sonic Boom Game Announced

Published by Kane Bugeja

Continuing to prove that you just can’t keep a good hedgehog down, the blue blur is heading to the 3DS in a brand new adventure. As part of the new Sonic Boom franchise, Fire and Ice is set to chronicle the journey of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Sticks as they take on a few mysterious foes and one not-so-mysterious one…it’s Eggman. As the thermal title indicates, the core mechanic of this game will revolve around employing the power of fire and ice. Certain water obstacles can frozen to create scaleable platforms, whilst pre-frozen barriers can be melted to allow passage. Said effects are instigated by imbuing one of the crew with the respective element, before utilising their own individual powers, such as Sonic’s Spin Dash or Stick’s Boomerang. From what can be seen in the trailer, it can also be assumed that players are able to rotate through the roster of playable characters (which now includes Amy) at any point within a level. A similar assumption can be made for the powers, based on …

Capcom Announces Mega Man Legacy Collection, Fans Not Impressed

Published by Frank Inglese

Talk to enough people about Mega Man and you’ll soon come to realise the Blue Bomber is close to being pretty much dead. Fact is; it has been this way for quite some time, which makes it even more unfortunate. Some will say the kid robot still has what it takes to match more contemporary video game mascots but Capcom has already replaced him with Street Fighter’s Ryu and the man that created him no longer works for the company…so yeah. Capcom, in an attempt to satiate the fans’ need for the side-scrolling legend, have announced a new video game collection that compiles the first six Mega Man games in the series’ lineup. You’d think this would be pretty exciting for those of us out there who still very much love the series, but…you’d be wrong. After surfing the web for a bit, scouring comment sections and forums, I’ve come to understand that this attempt at reviving Mega Man has not worked entirely in Capcom’s favour. While few people showed genuine interest in the collection, …

Mother 3’s Lucas Hits Super Smash Bros. For The Wii U and 3DS This June

Published by Frank Inglese

Announced back in April thanks to the high demand for his return, Mother 3’s Lucas will once again return to the battlefield in Nintendo’s latest crossover fighting title Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and the 3DS. Originally making his debut on the Wii as a part of the large character roster for Super Smash Bros. Brawl, it seemed as though Lucas was going to be left out of the latest iteration of Nintendo’s smash hit, no pun intended. Fans, once noticing his lack of presence in the new game, went wild demanding that Nintendo bring Lucas back for another round. Despite never being released outside of Japan, Mother 3 is a much-loved game the world over and it pains fans to see the star of the game not featured in the new roster. Well Nintendo announced only a few days ago that Lucas will be released as DLC for the new game worldwide on the 14th of June. In less than a week players from across the globe will be able to, once …

Operation Abyss: New Tokyo Legacy Review

Published by Kane Bugeja

As may very well be the case in regards to planet threatening disasters, the general public is often left blissfully unaware. Naturally fiction takes this fear as a jumping off point and combines it with threats from beyond the known world. More often than not, this takes the form of demons, humanity’s go to villain since time ticked over to AD. However, for equally as long, there has always been a force that triumphs over this wicked force. A beacon of light that pierces the darkness of the abyss brought forth. Vaguely, they are known as the good guys. In this specific instance, they are known as the Xth Squad. In what can only be described as a horrible way to wake up, our journey begins surrounded by corpses within the depths of a sewer. Gross. Frightening, mentally scarring and gross. Repressing all that, our mysterious protagonist is saved by a hooded gentleman and a girl who can magic a weapon out of thin air. Not exactly situation normal, but it beats the body pile. …

Food Wars! (Shokugeki No Soma) Volume One and Two – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

I WOULD say that cooking programs are my “guilty pleasure“, but I honestly don’t feel much guilt after catching an episode of Jamie’s fifteen Minute Meals. The way I see it; humans eat a minimum of three times a day. You’ve got breakfast, lunch, AND dinner, though if you ask Childish Gambino…they’re just for beginners. Us humans eat SO much, we might as well eat good! That’s why, although my skills are closer to “none” than “great“, I still insist on being the cook in my household at least once a week, though I’ve never wanted to be an actual chef. Something I understand about the life of a proper chef, from knowing a number of former chefs, is that it is an incredibly difficult one. I was once told that a chef never quite leaves the kitchen, even long after their hard day is over. A lot resort to drinking to wind down, and most don’t last too long in the industry without cracking and hanging up their apron for good. I suppose what Anthony …

Despair Is Only Months Away – Danganronpa: Another Episode Hits The West This September

Published by Frank Inglese

 Are you ready to feel absolute despair? Too bad! NIS America has today announced that the upcoming PlayStation Vita title Danganronpa: Another Episode – Ultra Despair Girls is set to hit the West this September. Yes, the publisher/developer has revealed the official release dates for both Europe and North America today, and they’re a great deal closer than you would have imagined. On the 1st of September the game will be made available in North America and on the 4th it will be made available in Europe. September 2015 is officially despair month seeing as most of the people playing the game aren’t going to be feeling anything but depression until they finish this twisted title. Different to the mainstream Danganronpa titles, Another Episode is not the courtroom simulator you think it is, in fact, it’s the total opposite. This new game takes players on a wild third-person shooter adventure set in a time wherein which the apocalypse has come about and the Earth is now ruled by those who worship despair. Your mission? Well, …

Splatoon – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Guess what? It turns out those scientist were right; Global Warming is actually a thing…who would’ve thought…right? So a few thousand years from now a bunch of ice around the Earth is going to start to melt and that’s going to cause the oceans to rise or something along those lines. Do remember; our planet is something like seventy percent water so us land-dwellers are already close to being “drowned out“, excuse my unnecessary but well-placed pun. It sucks pretty hard when you think about the human race drowning, but there IS something called evolution that has worked before and dammit I think it’ll work again. Now that the planet is mostly water, aquatic creatures begin to change and move up onto whatever land is left over just to see what all the fuss is about. Squids begin changing into half-human hybrids and, for some reason, Octopi followed suit. Neither of them like the other and seeing as they’re the most advanced creatures on the planet Earth of course they resort to violence to sort …

New Fire Emblem If Characters Revealed – Mercenary, Samurai And A Fox-Eared Man Join The Cast

Published by Frank Inglese

One of the most anticipated upcoming 3DS titles would have to be Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem If, which is what it has been titled in it’s country of origin; Japan. The franchise was reborn not too long ago with the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening; a game that had people fall in love with tactical role-playing games all over again. This is why the new game has people in such an anxious uproar. Set for a release in Japan on the 25th of June, those of us living outside of Japan are going to have to wait until next year to get out hands on what will surely be the Nintendo 3DS’ greatest JRPG title to date. It is fine though…because of the internet: Thanks to this wonder of science, news shared anywhere in the world will travel to all other parts of the world for the rest of the Earth’s population to see. This means any information released regarding Fire Emblem If over in Japan will quickly fall into the laps of those looking for …

Calling For Backup – Masahiro Anbe’s Squid Girl Joins Splatoon As Free DLC

Published by Frank Inglese

There has already been so much fan art crossing over Masahiro Anbe’s Squid Girl with Nintendo’s latest and greatest IP title Splatoon. The need for these two properties to come together is so strong that Masahiro Anbe himself has already illustrated his fair share of fanart, most notably one that appeared in Shonen Champion Magazine. It helps that he too is a huge fan of the new third-person shooter, so it’s only natural that he’d jump on board with the whole Squid Girl X Splatoon campaign. Well it seems as though all the references and drawings have paid off because Nintendo have announced that Japan will be soon getting some free DLC containing equip-able pieces very much inspired by the very popular Manga and Anime series. Next month will see the release of this DLC but despite it being so close to dropping Nintendo still havn’t detailed what exactly the pieces are going to look like. The educated assumption would be that players will be given the Squid-like hat, long white dress, and the matching shoes of …

The War Rages On – Final Fantasy Type-0 HD Is Headed To A PC Near You

Published by Frank Inglese

People simply cannot get enough of Final Fantasy! Even more, people simply cannot get enough of Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and I can absolutely see why; Western audiences had to wait so very long to get their hands on this title and now that they have…they simply don’t want to let it go. The only bad thing about the next generation release of this once PlayStation Portable game is that it was only made available on the PlayStation 4. For people like me who actually have a PlayStation 4 this is absolutely fine, but it is more for those people out there who do not! At the 2015 MSI Computex Gaming Night event, Square Enix announced that they will be releasing the game in all it’s true HD glory for PCs sometime in the near future through Steam which I’m sure you all know about. Hell, I’m sure you all spend most of your money during Steam sales, and now you’ve just got another game to add to the hundreds you’ve yet to even install …

Mighty Things, Small Packages – Mighty No. 9 Signature Edition Announced 

Published by Frank Inglese

 Overnight, Comcept and Deep Silver who’re now the publishers of Keiji Inafune’s attempt to revive Mega Man announced an interesting special edition pack for their upcoming title Mighty No. 9. For the longest time we had heard no word regarding this modern day side-scroller and then all of the sudden we’re given this; the Mighty No. 9 – Signature Edition which comes packed with a copy of the vidro game, a 6.5 inch figurine of Beck himself, and a replica of Keiji Inafune’s signature which will be placed on the box of the pack. The most exciting feature of this Signature Edition would have to be the posable figure of Beck which not only stands at a pretty nice 6.5 inches tall, as mentioned, but also comes with three interchangeable faceplates to match your mood. The awesome thing about this edition as a whole is that it will only set buyers back about $60, but you’ll have to investigatw local video game retailers just to make. Prices change all over the world. The price of …

Mega Man of Action – The Blue Bomber Set for the Small Screen in 2017

Published by Kane Bugeja

So I’m sure that everyone who’s reading this has heard of Mega Man. I mean, you’d have to have been living under a rock for quite a few years if you’ve never once seen the blue suited, oft helmeted crusher of evil robots in action. From a humble, if frustrating, start as a 2D side-scroller, Mega Man has just kind of continued to be there…mostly. I’ll admit, recent years haven’t been too great to the guy, owing to a few internal conflicts that saw Keiji Inafune take his talents elsewhere from CAPCOM. Anyway, the future may twinkly a little brighter for this well worn star as 2017 promises the release of a new television interpretation of the Blue Bomber himself. Now, whilst information is decidedly scarce regarding this new project, it is known that both Dentsu Entertainment USA and Man of Action will be helming it. Now, in case you aren’t familiar with these companies, Dentsu was the force behind the recent Monsuno and LBX franchises. However, my interest lies more in the fact that …

Begin a New Quest – Dragon Quest Heroes Presents Day One Bonuses

Published by Kane Bugeja

As the latest instalment in a long standing franchise, Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below has a few fans looking forward to October 15th. If you live in Australia or New Zealand that is, on account of that being the release date for said countries. Anywhere, Square Enix has announced, as most gaming companies tend to these days, some nice little bonuses for all those Dragon Questers who pre-order the Day One Edition of the game. This edition will feature five items themed after the rather well known Slime enemies who permeate the franchise. Specifically, this takes the form of a Slime Sword, Gooey Gloves, Goomerang, Squishing Rod and Gungenir. So look forward to all of that, though I’m admittedly doubtful of the effectiveness of a sword made of goo. It isn’t a name that inspires a feeling of terror…or sharpness. So, since October 15th is decidedly far away from this moment (unless you’re reading this in October, in which case hello from the past) why not enjoy a few screenshots …

SnapCast Episode 24 – Cuttlefish of the North Star

Published by Kane Bugeja

In this episode, Kane, Frank discuss the colourful craze sweeping the Wii U. The guys also give a not-quite-brief rundown on the strengths and no-weaknesses of Kenshiro, wanderer of the Mad Max-esque wastlelands of a ruined world…because they are really excited about Mad Max. Want to download the Mp3 for yourself? Right click the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’ – SnapCast Episode 24 – Cuttlefish of the North Star You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes: Click Here   -30-

A Mystery No More – First Promotional Trailer Released For Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

Published by Frank Inglese

There was another Nintendo Direct Presentation over the weekend, and you know what that means don’t you? Yep! More awesome news from an even awesome-er video game company! With the release of Splatoon this weekend, love for Nintendo is at an all-time high, so the latest presentation came at a perfect time. Out of everything shown through the video event, one of the more exciting items on the list was that of the first promotional trailer for the upcoming Pokemon spin-off title Super Mystery Dungeon for the 3DS which was only announced about a week or so ago. Nintendo work fast, baby! The new video only goes for a short minute but that’s fine because it tells us everything we need to know about the new game at this point in time, and what’s that exactly, Frank? Well, the video revealed that every Pokemon will be fightable or recruitable in this new title…yeah…literally every single Pokemon. At the beginning of the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, much like in the mainstream titles, you’re asked to pick a starter Pokemon …

X Marks The Spot – Capcom And Nintendo Announce Monster Hunter X

Published by Frank Inglese

 You somehow made your way through Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, good on you! I couldn’t. I tried…but I simply wasn’t good enough. You though, you’re something else! You’re a G-Rank Hunter and you should be proud of that. Like any industry veteran, you decide that it’s time to retire now that you’ve reached the top. You hang up your greaves and you start living the life of maybe a successful shop owner instead. It’s now time for you to relax. The months go buy and all of the sudden you hear word of a new Monster Hunter title…what? You thought you were out of the business for good, but this new game…this new Monster Hunter game…it’s hooked you. You thought you were out but it’s pulled you back in! You grab your previously hung-up greaves and rush out the door ready for new adventures! Once a Hunter, always a Hunter! Nintendo and Capcom, over the weekend, revealed that there’s a brand-new mainstream Monster Hunter title in the works that goes by the name Monster Hunter X. …