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Patapon is a great musically-geared PSP game from several of the creative minds behind the popular LocoRoco and sports the same simple flair, highlighted by a colorful world, straightforward mechanics, intricate visual details, and a fantastically catchy beat that'll make this an addictive treat for Sony and music-genre fans. But even if LocoRoco let you down, Patapon comes with some improvements: it relies on an actual storyline that gives the game purpose, the "characters" have a touch more depth, and the amount of army tweaking, hunting areas, bosses, and mini-game diversions should offer enough motivation for you to finish it. For $20, you simply cannot go wrong.



Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

As is often the case with deities, you - the 'All-mighty' god of the adorable patapons - have been too preoccupied with the business of the universe to cast them an endearing glance. Completely neglected by their patron deity, the patapons - tiny, bloodthirsty, giant-eyed creatures with a serious knack for rhythm - have been forced to deal with an incursion of the malignant zigotons, ugly suckers that, in the ignorance of the divine, have walled their way between Patapolis, the patapon capital, and the object of the patapons' desire – a great, mysterious gift that you conveniently placed at the end of the world. In your absence the patapons have suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of the foul zigotons and in a final act of desperation the sole survivor of the patapons' once magnificent army raises the war banner and cries out for your aid.

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News is now hitting the Web that Sony has delayed its Skype PSP update announced earlier this month at CES 2008. The company is citing compatibility issues as cause for the delay in Japan, claiming that the feature is on-hold until the microphones Sony designed for its use earn Skype's approval.

You can view the full press release (it's a quickie) at the jump.

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According to Takashi Sensui, Microsoft's Xbox-related go-to guy in Japan at a recent Spike, Xbox 360 New Year's party, more and more (Xbox 360) western titles will be making their way over to the gaming capital of the world, and those being third-party titles at that. The first three games include Battlestations: Midway, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, and 2K's ever-popular Bioshock.

It's an interesting move, with Xbox 360 sales lagging behind... everything else (hard to top those Nintendo DS's). It's possible that offering western-style games to Japanese gamers via the 360 might boost unit sales, but it's equally possible that the audience doesn't give a damn. But if Bioshock, one of 2007's premier titles in the west, can't move 360s over there, then what can?

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According to a report on the Dow Jones Newswire, a recent survey has "discovered" that Japanese gamers "care more about the games they want to play than price," as a poll of 3,422 gamers on kakaku.com claims that 49.2% say their primary concern in choosing a new console is that it be "compatible with the games they absolutely want to play."

Here are some figures for those who like numbers.

• 43% wish to buy the most popular console
• 6.1% are mostly concerned about price
• 25% own a Wii
• 25% own a DS
  
• 10% own a PlayStation 3
• 10% own a PSP
• 3% own an Xbox 360
• 28% hope to buy a Wii next
• 27% hope to buy a PS3 next

I can only assume that 0% are interested in buying an Xbox 360 as their next console, as a figure wasn't given for Microsoft's unit. Maybe they're saving up for a DS or PSP in a new color?

Anybody surprised by this at all?

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Here's a fun watch for Super Smash Bros. Brawl fans, as it's the Japanese TV spot for the very hotly anticipated (and perfectly scored by Famitsu) Nintendo Wii game. Take a peek below. The game was recently delayed to March 9 for the US.

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Sony has confirmed that beginning February 28 Japan will receive another version of the PlayStation Portable, this time in a lovely light mint green shade, for 19,800 yen (roughly $180 USD). Naturally there has been no announcement regarding a US or UK release in the new color.

I guess US and UK gamers should just be happy the PSP comes in white and black. More images at the jump.

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Here's some good news if you happen to live in the land of gaming goodness (that being Japan).

Sony has given one hundred customers of the Japanese PlayStation Network service a "PSN ticket" valued at 5,000 yen (roughly $44 USD), provided that said customers use those points toward the purchase of a new game or classic title from the PSN from 12/26/07-01/07/08.

If you're listening, Sony, I'd like some free points too...

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Here's some great news if you happen to live in the center of the gaming universe (read: Japan). Sony has announced that two Devil May Cry 4 bundles will be releasing on January 31, 2008 there, aptly entitled "Devil May Cry 4 Premium BD Bundles." The contents include:

• PlayStation 3 40GB model, black or ceramic white
• Devil May Cry 4 (well I certainly hope so) Blu-ray disc with bonus CG cutscenes
• 60 minute run-time for said cutscenes (might be a translation error, as that's a hell of a lot of extra CG)
• 47,800 yen (294 euro, roughly $422 USD) price tag

Pictures are at the jump. I admit that those bundles would make for a lovely stateside release, even if they are post-holiday season.

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Following the news of NiGHTs into Dreams being re-released on the PS2 for Japanese gamers, more information has been gathered regarding the North American release.

According to reports, it appears that the game will not be coming stateside. Takashi Iizuka, the man handling this relaunch, has stated that "there are currently no plans for the PS2 version to be released outside of Japan."

On the upside, fans can take heart as the Wii title, NiGHTs: Journey of Dreams is set for release on December 18.

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Nintendo has launched a new Wii channel called "Minna no Nintendo" (known as Everybody's Nintendo Channel) in Japan that allows gamers to download Wii trailers and DS demos.

According to CVG, the demos are transferable via Wi-Fi connection but is playable so long as the Wii is left on and running before the demo is erased from the DS's stored memory.

There has been no word yet of a North American release. For now, we'll have to wait while others get to try it first. Patience is a virtue, right?

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