The 360 Import Thread

[gmintyfresh]

Wartechs £5 in Gamestation at the moment. Picked it up the other day but yet to have a go on it.

It's just occurred to me that Wartech is the only G.Gev shooter that's been released outside Japan, let's have Under Defeat HD please on live!! (that'll never happen).

[gmintyfresh]

I've just heard a rumour that the G.Rev game Mamoru is getting a 360 port, apparently it's just been announced in Japan - more news as and when at arrives.........

[gmintyfresh]

Wow a busy few days in the world of 360 shmupping!!

Confirmation from Play-Asia about the shipping date for Ketsui:

Order Update


Hi Geoff,

this email is regarding your recently placed order xxxxxxxxx

We'd like to inform you that the release date of one or more of your ordered items has been updated. Therefore, the estimated time of shipping for your order may have changed as well.

product name previously listed
release date updated
release date
Ketsui: Kizuna Jigoku Tachi Extra tba. May 28, 2009


Updated estimated shipping date*: May 29, 2009

(*Estimated shipping dates are for reference only and subject to final availability of all your ordered products.)

Please be informed that in most cases Play-Asia.com will only process orders upon availability of all items. If your preorder contains items that will be released before your estimated shipping date, they will usually only be processed together once all products have become available.

You can review your pending order and make changes if your order is still in preorder status in your customer account:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Please accept our apologies if this may have caused any inconvenience to you. Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our customer service.

Thank you for shopping at Play-Asia.com

Your Play-Asia.com Team
http://www.play-asia.com

[gmintyfresh]

I've just heard a rumour that the G.Rev game Mamoru is getting a 360 port, apparently it's just been announced in Japan - more news as and when at arrives.........

Mamoru has been confirmed for a June 09 release!! It's also availible for preorder on Play-Asia

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-br- ... -3ahs.html

It might be worth holding on as I think there's going to be a special edition version

[ShadowMan]

I wonder how well these Shmups do on the 360 sales wise? It seems odd that all the Japanese Dev's have picked the 360 to release the games on (since its the least popular console in Japan) but they must be doing reletively well since all the new releases keep going to the 360 as opposed to the Wii or PS3.

[James A]

I wonder how well these Shmups do on the 360 sales wise? It seems odd that all the Japanese Dev's have picked the 360 to release the games on (since its the least popular console in Japan) but they must be doing reletively well since all the new releases keep going to the 360 as opposed to the Wii or PS3.

You've got to wonder why some of these haven't been released more widely, like you say the 360 still isn't amazingly popular in Japan. It would make alot more financial sense wouldn't it? You never know it might be all the importing people that putting the sales figures up.

[oli_lar]

Apparently its the most popular home console in Japan: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/xbox-360-tops-japanese-home-consol-sales

That aside, the cost of developing for the platform is low (both in terms of ease of programming and the cost of dev kit) and Microsoft are more open to differing kinds of content on the 360 - they held an event for 360 shmups last year and have approached developers about particular titles (Ikaruga).

[gmintyfresh]

I wonder how well these Shmups do on the 360 sales wise? It seems odd that all the Japanese Dev's have picked the 360 to release the games on (since its the least popular console in Japan) but they must be doing reletively well since all the new releases keep going to the 360 as opposed to the Wii or PS3.

Otomedius sold well, as did Wartech (so well it got a budget re-release in Japan). But games like Raiden Fighters and Shikigami 3 sold a few thousand copies, it's still a niche market even in Japan.

What was reassuring is that Dodonpachi sold about 9,000 copies in the first 4 days of release which is respectable numbers for a 360 shmup.

There are numerous factors why Jap developers are releasing shooters on the 360 rather than the PS3:

Most of the small companies developing shooters in Japan both for the arcade and console market have really narrow profit margins, so saving money on development/release is critical for survival of the company and development of a game. Even a well respected and highly regarded company such as Treasure has to think seriously about every homegrown release before work begins - simply games have to make a financial return (this explains why Treasure's 360 shooter project is on hold). You can also use the DC as an example of this, because the DC was cheap to develop for a lot of shooters made their way to that console way past the consoles percieved commercial life.

For a small company PC based architecture of the 360 makes it easier to programme and develop for (thus reducing costs in time taken).

Also the specialised programming needed for a PS3 release prices a lot of small companies out of developing for the console at the moment.

The 360 is also selling quite well in Japan at the moment so it's an even better way to get your product out there.

It really is a great time for 360 shooters, it's going to be interesting to see how Deathsmiles sells as this is tipped to sell very well and there's a lot of fan hype behind it.

[sakuragen]

I understand that some 360 games are region-free. Anyone got a list - or direct me to a list - of 360 games that have not been released in the UK that are region-free? I'm especially interested in the SCHUMP's - and anyone now if Rising Star or Ignition or 505Games are gonna release them over here? (mention them too cos they always seem to go for the obscure japanese stuff - 505 Games made a ton of money from 'cooking mama' and seem to be taking a punt on other obscure titles - Battle Fantasia is one of theirs.)

[ShadowMan]

Play Asia has a pretty good region compatibilty list: http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-00-3-xbox ... 49-en.html

As far as I'm aware though none of the Japanese Shmups are Region Free. Raiden Fighters is getting a USA release though so a PAL release could well happen. I'm also betting someone like 505 will pick it up for a PAL release if it did happen.

[sakuragen]

Seems like only titles with worldwide release are region free - nowt interesting! shucks
Here's hoping 505games release Castle Shikigami - done by Arc System Works who also did 505's Battle Fantasia

[gmintyfresh]

Seems like only titles with worldwide release are region free - nowt interesting! shucks
Here's hoping 505games release Castle Shikigami - done by Arc System Works who also did 505's Battle Fantasia

One thing to note is that if you've got a Jap 360 console most of the major PAL games work on the system, the Japanese 360 owner seems to have the best of both worlds

[gmintyfresh]

Just thought I'd post a picture of the preoder/1st print tips book you get with Dodonpachi DOJ:



The book has a glossy finish and is entirely written in Japanese, but it does show you where the ship's hit boxes are which is vital for navigating throught all those streams of bullets.

Apparently Ketsui is going to have a simlar book with all early orders

[gmintyfresh]

Oh Cr@p!!


Dear Geoff,

This is an important e-mail update regarding your pending Death Smiles [First Print Limited Edition] preorder (#xxxxxxx).

We regret to inform you that due to an unforeseen production cut, insufficient quantities of this item will be made available to the market.

According to our suppliers there will be a big shortage on this item as the publisher has decided to make only a very small print run of the first print edition.

Despite our very best efforts to reserve as many limited editions beforehand, our suppliers have informed us that only a very small percentage of the preorder will be made available. We currently have to expect that we might be unable to accommodate all pending preorders.

At present we are only able to confirm all orders with order numbers lower than 13054500. Orders with higher order numbers unfortunately cannot be confirmed at the moment.

If your order cannot be fulfilled, you will receive another e-mail update from us.

In case that the supply situation changes your purchase intention, please feel free to contact our customer service in reply to this e-mail with your instructions or simply cancel the order in your customer account.

For your reference, the Death Smiles normal print is available, there is no shortage expected for this item.

Death Smiles normal print: http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-70-3428.html

We appreciate your support and would once again like to apologize for any inconvenience this incident may have caused to you.

Your Play-Asia.com Customer Service
http://www.play-asia.com

[gmintyfresh]

Preorder page is now open on Play-Asia Mamoru LTD Editon

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-el- ... -3aya.html

Orders are not being accepted yet however