[Friday Five] Good Reasons to Import

Back in the days of cartridge converters and illegal modifications all for the purpose of playing imported games, most American gamers only heard about the elusive Japanese games and could only find out about them from rare magazine articles or word of mouth. With the internet and a greater interest in gaming, not only is there more information making it to western gamers by way of individual user created videos, but there is a greater number of games making their way to western shores as well. Although that is the case, people still import games – and for good reason. Here are at least five reasons why to import a game instead of waiting for it to come overseas.

Japanese Voice Acting

This isn’t much of a knock against English voice acting, really. It has been done successfully before and games like the Metal Gear Solid series (which originally has Japanese voice acting) and many American games, since it is the game’s native language. However, let’s not forget the horrible translations that make it over without any Japanese audio option: Final Fantasy, the Dynasty Warrior series (before the free godsend DLC), and many others that I have probably blocked out from my memory. Just like with movies, lackluster acting can easily take the audience out of the experience and turn any potential blockbuster product into a dud. Here’s to those of you lucky enough to understand Japanese – your Final Fantasy experience will be infinitely better than others who are subjected to emotionless cries of characters’ names as they fall in battle.

Cultural Differences

While this may not apply as much to general gaming as much as it applies to any work that is translated. Anyone who’s familiar with more than one culture knows what I’m talking about. Some phrases and aspects of culture just can’t be translated. Cultural ideas like saying “gochisoosama” after a meal and speaking to employers or older classmates in the honorific speech, keego, that Japanese people use would be awkward if translated directly into English. Of course, there are acceptable replacements for the most part that localizers manage to think of, but purists can never be satisfied. But hey, that’s on them and they’re perfectly justified in spending about 50% more for an import copy!

Withheld Content

This is an odd one. Some games, despite being brought over, are not given to western gamers in their entirety. As much as I loved Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3and will ooze everytime I destroy entire squads of Zakus, it will always sting knowing that I won’t be doing that to tracks like “Unicorn” or “Turn A Turn.” InYakuza 3, fans were unable to take part in the hostess clubs or Japanese history trivia in the domestic release. Of course, this is a small price to pay compared to not having the game published at all, but it does take part of the experience away, which is a shame.

Waiting is Not an Option

I’m not talking about getting the jitters to play the latest niche RPG just so you can show off and tell others about it. I’m not talking about running through Final Fantasy XIII-2 with a complete disregard for the story just to be able to troll the internet with a spoiler screenshot. I’m talking about competitive gamers who can’t lose the edge to the competition and needs to get any release on day one. For some games, it’s a minor problem. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift’s Japanese release was only about a month before the US release but a full five months before the European one. Arcana Heart 3 took about three months to hit the US and another seven before European gamers got a chance at it. This isn’t only a dilemma for fans of niche genres – Super Smash Bros. Brawl came out in Japan a good two months before it did in the US and five before Europe. That’s a lot of practice and tournament time for a competitive player to give up.

It Won’t Go to Your Country. Ever.

Many times, those niche games just won’t make it to countries outside of Japan. As hardcore as some of the games’ followers might be, the Super Robot Wars series simply requires too much licensing to be considered a viable release in the states. Due to the original anime’s lack of popularity in the US, the upcoming Saint Seiya Sanctuary Battle will likely never make it to America – although it will still have a European release. Let’s not even get ourselves started on the obscure releases that westerners are unlikely to take to, such as dating simulator Love Plus+, and games that failed the one time a publisher brought it over, like the Taiko series. If you like these games, your options look grim and bank account empty. Yeah. You’re going to have to buy it.

[Eye for Imports] Ryu ga Gotoku of the End

The Yakuza series has always been known for its brawling gameplay along with the inclusion of Japanese nightlife, including things as boring as working part-time jobs or as exotic as hostess clubs. Sequel to Yakuza 4, Ryu ga Gotoku of the End has Kamurocho infested by zombies, giving a slight change to the usual gang filled streets. When it was first shown to the public, this game definitely turned heads at the change of setting. Now that it's out, we take a look at it and see how well the series has taken to the undead.

Obviously, hand-to-hand combat is a terrible idea against zombies, giving this game a much heavier emphasis on guns instead of fistfights. However, it all feels a bit sloppy compared to other shooters. Players can either aim in place or strafe around with auto aim. Not only are these out of date, but it makes the game frustrating to play in the beginning, especially when there are surrounding hordes. Eventually, players will get the hang of the system and still be able to take down enemies, but the game’s battle system never goes beyond mediocrity. Aside from the bland zombies that every game has, this game has its fair share of more interesting designs. While subbosses look like they were pulled out from a pool of generic survival horror enemies, some unique zombies included skaters who fly straight into players at high speed and crying women who will constantly call for reinforcements till death. These are a bit different from what gamers usually perceive the undead to be, but they provide a good break from simply blasting lead into slow crowds.

With four characters to choose from, Ryu ga Gotoku of the End seems like it would offer a large variety, but only has a weapon or two that are unique to the characters. Although other games have set this same precedent, such as the two wildly similar characters despite their wildly different physical sizes in Resident Evil 5, it’s still off-putting. Throughout, characters will level up and gain soul points toward the purchase of skills and attribute upgrades. It all feels a bit overwhelming though as players have to decide between having more varied hand-to-hand combat or essential stat upgrades with the meager soul points provided.


On the bright side, despite a zombie infestation, Kamurocho’s various attractions are still around. There’s an underground casino, hostess clubs, and batting cages, amongst other things that fans are used to.  The variety in activities is the game’s strong point, along with its colorful, loveable characters. Sadly though, both of these strengths require a strong knowledge of Japanese for players to enjoy, making for an import unfriendly game.

It really is a shame. There’s so much detail put into the characters faces that every CG cutscene feels so real, it’s eerie. The music is fitting for almost every situation, from the dramatic moment one of the four protagonist charges out into a crowd of zombies or even when a boss fight manifests itself into a scene straight out of Resident Evil. Let’s not forget the voice acting, which the Yakuza series has always been known for. This time, the likes of Rie Kugiyama and fallen idol Aya Hirano reprise their roles. Not only are the returning characters represented by notable voice actors, but even the likes of Chiaki Kuriyama of Kill Bill­ and Battle Royale-fame have joined the cast. Presentation-wise, not only has the game kept all the elements fans loved, but also transitioned from a gang-infested to a zombie-infested Kamurocho quite well.


Considering that the Yakuza series has been one of the flagship products for Sega and has been brought over numerous times already in the past, the likelihood of this coming to American shores is pretty high. In fact, the last game featured all the nightlife activities that American gamers had missed out on before. Since that is the case, gamers might want to wait for its eventual release in the US, unless if they have a good grasp of Japanese. It simply isn’t worth it to pay for a Japanese-priced game to only get partial enjoyment of this game – and not the part that will stand out the most, either.

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[Casual Friday] Tiny Tower

One of the biggest problems with the iPhone to date has been the battery life. Battery management has become a daily task that is as important as eating lunch - especially for those of us that our juggling several different games. But what if there was one game that you could become full engulfed with that can almost promise minimal battery drain? Boy, is Tiny Tower for you. However, readers beware: after twenty minutes into it, you will become a mindless slave and you won't even know why.

Graphically speaking, this is no gem, resembling the purer days of 8-bit gaming. Although it doesn't make for the most visually appealing game by any means, its simplicity compliments the gameplay very well. The premise is simple: you are in charge of a tiny (wait for it...) tower, where you build residential floors and various shops. Your residents also serve as the employees in the shops. Each of your residents or "Bitzens" are given different rankings in different job categories (food, service, creative, retail, etc.) as well as a dream job.

You earn money by stocking your shops with various items and selling them. This is where the game turns 'farmville-esq' because you must time the completion of your items to make sure your floors are fully stocked at all times to ensure that you are always earning money. Where this game really gets addicting is the push notifications every time a floor is ready to get restocked. That's like a drug dealer giving you a call every time you run out, and you're thinking "HOW DID HE KNOW?" immediately followed by a "YES GIVE ME MORE." These notifications come rather frequently too because some floors take only five minutes to stock and when you start having 30 plus floors, there is always something to do. There were times when I would finish making my rounds and turn off my phone to give it a break. Instantly, I got a notification that my pizza place was ready to be restocked. It wasn't long before that when I finally turned off push notifications.

The social intergration is pretty cool too. Tiny Tower has Game Center integration where you can see your friends' towers and scan through their floors as well aka stalker view. In the menu you'll also see a button that says Bitbook, which strangely resembles Facebook. When you enter Bitbook you can actually see status updates from your Bitzens and other Bitzens can 'like' their statuses, which are entertaining in their own right.

Overall, Tiny Tower offers an extremely addicting gameplay experience with catchy music too! If there is anything it can improve, it would be more social interaction with others. Maybe trading Bitzens or getting bonuses for visiting your friends. On the bright side, it does get updated fairly regularly, which could be potentially dangerous. If this gets any more addicting, then I'll never see the light of day again.

[Quick Questions] Giant Atari Joystick - Artist Jason Torchinsky

While at the Super iam8bit show, many pieces caught our eye. However, the most iconic piece of hardware was there in 15:1 scale form and caught everyone's eye. Jason Torchinsky had constructed a gigantic, working model of the Atari 2600 joystick and displayed it at the show. Anyone who's been there already would have undoubtedly seen and been awed by it. During some downtime after the gallery's opening, we were able to sit down with Torchinsky and get in a couple of Quick Questions. For more on Torchinsky's work, be sure to check out his website!

Denkiphile: Thanks for your time, Jason. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and this project?


Jason Torchinsky: So, about me: I came out to LA with a sketch comedy group, and as a stand-up. We had some mild success, but I'm the only one still out here, so you can infer how that went. I still do some comedy, just recently having been a writer for the Onion News Network, but mostly now I'm a designer, teacher, artist, and writer. I co-authored a book, Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture, which I'll plug.

As an artist, I like making kinetic, mechanical installations, especially interactive ones. I just collaborated with artist Kerry Tribe last year on an installation in the UK that used multiple tape decks and a massive loop of tape that was strung around a gallery, as well as a 1/12th model of the Mir interior. I also work a lot with Machine Project, where I just gave a concert using only old Apple IIs and taught kids how to hotwire cars.

The giant joystick project came out of conversations with Jon Gibson (i am 8 bit curator) and I had where we wanted to have something interactive and fun for the 2007 iam8bit show. I'm not sure how we arrived at the giant joystick idea, but a huge old Atari controller that actually works just seemed like a blast.

DP: How long did this project take to complete?  


JT: When I decided to make the joystick, I wasn't entirely sure I could do it, but it seemed like a great risk to take. I knew I wanted it to be as accurate as possible, so I measured every bit of an actual Atari joystick, and multiplied the dimensions by a factor of 15, a number I decided based on the dimensions of my truck. I had to go to a cabinetmaker, Dan Fill, to get the massive parts cut, especially the large circular hole. I had I think only 2 or 3 months to build it before the show; it wasn't much.

The mechanism is very close to the actual original joystick, and the electronics are very simple, consisting, really, of five switches.

DP: What has been the overall response you've received about the joystick?


JT: People seem to have pretty great time with the joystick. Making something big is just fun, period, and the old Atari joystick has lots of nostalgia value for lots of folks. Climbing on it and using it and hitting that big springy button really gets people excited. They also like to have their picture taken on it.

DP: It seems that the joystick needs at least two people to operate. Out of all the times you've seen people attempt to use this so far, which time was the most interesting? Can you tell us about it?


JT: People usually team up to use the stick, one standing on it operating the stick, another on the button. I've seen single people use it, holding the stick and operating the button with their foot, or by standing next to the stick, one hand on the stick, one on the button. The most fun is to see little kids use it, and they tend to swarm all over it and sort of control it in a big, chaotic group.

People get pretty rough with the stick, and jump all over it, kick the button, and generally beat it to hell. It usually ends up broken in some way after every time it's exhibited, and I try and make incremental improvements to make it more and more durable. I've accepted this now, but it's still rough to see happy folks gleefully pounding the crap out of your work. It's due for an overhaul as we speak.

DP: I'm the resident fighting game fan of Denkiphile and I just have to ask: in 20 or 30 years, can you see someone making a 15:1 scale Mad Catz Tournament Edition Arcade Stick? 


JT:In 20 years, will folks be making 15x scale Mad Catz arcade sticks? Maybe. They're pretty big, so it'd be an undertaking. I think a giant Wiimote is much more likely, as it's much easier to build on a huge scale. But it'd take a big group of folks to swing it around. And who has to wear the wrist strap? Personally, I really love making novel Atari controllers, and have a strange "team controller" I'd like to try out, which takes five people to operate.

I'd also like to plug my first big public art installation, four massive (8'x10'x3') space invaders that will be in Culver CIty from October 10 for the Indiecadevideo game exhibition.

[Hardware] Hyperkin Powerplus Review

With the most advanced and unique graphical capabilities of any handheld to date, Nintendo’s 3DS is held back only by its lackluster battery life. As with any gadget that suffers from the same ailment, it was only a matter of time until an accessory in the form of an external battery would be released. Hyperkin’s Powerplus for the 3DS may be the answer to gamers’ prayers.

The packaging boasts an impressive additional six hours of battery life, depending on the system’s settings. For consistency, we tested the system under the two most extreme and a more sensible setting both with and without the Powerplus. Under these conditions, we kept Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition on demo mode from max charge until the system shut down. Here are the results:

	With Powerplus	Without Powerplus
3D Slider: Max Brightness: 5 Power Saver: Off Wireless: On	~6 Hours	~3 Hours 30 Minutes
3D Slider: Max Brightness: 3 Power Saver: On Wireless: On	~8 Hours 30 Minutes	~4 Hours 15 Minutes
3D Slider: Off Brightness: 1 Power Saver: On Wireless: Off	~10 Hours	~5  Hours

Of course, the numbers will vary based on your own settings and will likely be somewhere within that spectrum based on how much you put your system to sleep and its condition. Overall though, it still provides a good amount of extra charge time, considering that most users will likely put it to sleep periodically. Happy Street Pass hunting, 3DS owners!

The Powerplus itself isn’t really too bulky, either. In fact, it feels ergonomic and the grip it provides is quite welcome. Because the 3DS system itself is already pretty big, with or without the Powerplus, it will still feel like several rolls of quarters in your pocket. However, the additional charging port it provides does get in the way of the right shoulder button and takes some getting used to. Although annoying, it proves to be a godsend that no gamer would have foreseen from a 3DS battery pack; it provides a mini-USB charging port, which is infinitely more accessible than the proprietary charging port that Nintendo included in the system.

If you’re unsatisfied with the playtime the 3DS currently provides, the Powerplus will be a great help. The mini-USB port is something that was unexpected, but quite welcome and will make charging the system a breeze. Losing the 3DS charger is no longer as bothersome as before; any USB cable or cell phone charger will be an acceptable solution now. At $24.99, it is a tad bit pricey compared to other portable accessories. Considering the extra functionality and playtime though, it’s well worth any on-the-go 3DS owner’s purchase. 

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[Review] Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition - More of the Same. Kinda.

With the release of Street Fighter IV, fighting games have received a boom in popularity equal to, if not one surpassing that of the days where we had arcade machines all queued up in 7-Elevens. For Street Fighter IV alone, Capcom has reached their third revision with Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition. Without a doubt, tournament players and diehard Street Fighter players will be picking it up, but the same question that haunted everyone’s minds in the ‘90s still plagues gamers today. Was this game necessary?

Have no doubt about the quality of the product in the box. The package includes both the console version of Super Street Fighter IV and Arcade Edition, which throws in numerous balance changes and four new characters – Yun, Yang, Evil Ryu, and Oni. Anyone who liked either of the previous installments will still be in for a treat. Even short of the four new characters, there are enough changes to the original cast that the metagame will feel new again. Players will have to relearn many of the characters and forget old gimmicks.

Those who religiously used airborne hurricane kicks or Rose’s Satellite Orbs as a get-out-of-jail-free card may be tempted to cry from sheer frustration, but likewise, Hakan and Dee Jay players will be sure to enjoy their newfound tricks. While arguably unbalanced and already a plague online, Yun and Yang boast incredible offensive and combo capabilities, breathing even more life into a game that’s more than a year old.  Even Oni, an interesting new take on Akuma, has new moves that are unparalleled in any Street Fighter game and practically seems like a character out of the Versus series. I wish I could say the same for Evil Ryu, who only seems like a squishier version of Ryu with more offensive capabilities.

Although players may be tempted to jump straight online and play, they should be careful to not overlook the new replay options. Of these, the most notable include the option to subscribe to and keep up-to-date with match videos from their favorite players. Even match videos on YouTube become hard to sort in comparison. Happy stalking, Daigo fanboys. Otherwise, the netcode remains relatively unchanged. It’s still nowhere as smooth as some 2D games like Arcana Heart 3, but are enough to substitute actual competition if players live in the middle of nowhere or lack the drive to commute to a nearby arcade.

Competitive players may not find much to gripe about the game other than the Hong Kong twins and the unbalance we have now, which makes the game seem like an insurmountable task for the wrong characters compared to the fair odds in the console version of Super Street Fighter IV. However, I can’t help but feel Capcom rushed the product out without considering the beginners as they did with either of the previous games. Considered groundbreaking by many, the challenge mode in both vanilla Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV provided a good blueprint of combos that characters had and meant that players didn’t have to resort to old tricks like analyzing YouTube videos or lurking around on forums to learn a character’s basics.

Instead, Arcade Edition’s challenge mode merely displays a dissatisfactory message saying that it is not compatible. This is somewhat understandable because characters like Sagat and Akuma received little changes to their combo repertoire, but doesn’t account for those with large changes or any of the four new characters. Even BlazBlue Continuum Shift included new challenges for its DLC characters.

Whether or not Arcade Edition warrants a purchase is a tricky question. The answer varies largely based on the gamer. Those who didn’t pick up the original release for Super Street Fighter IV and PC gamers, who see the release for the first time, are essentially getting two games for the price of one with the disc release, which is hard to argue against. Others who have been longtime fans and already bought the release don’t need to shell out another $40 and can buy the DLC option instead. For these gamers though, they need to examine how much dust the game has collected before hitting the download button, because the game may include four new characters and a revamped Replay Channel, but other changes are so minute that only the hardcore may  notice.
Available on: PC, PS3, Xbox 360; Publisher: Capcom; Developer: Capcom/Dimps; Players: 1 – 2; Released: July 5, 2011; ESRB: Teen; Official Site