So, my bf is going to Japan...should I have him pick anything up???

BrerDan

BrerDan

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I know there are some cool DS and GBA games only in Japan...but I've heard before that it is just as cheap to import through Play-Asia or such than it is to pick up in person....

Is this true? Are there any must have games I should have him grab while he is there? I'm tempted to have him grab an Ice Blue DS Lite or white PSP. I'm also interested in the new Bit Generations GBA games, but I thought I read those were headed to the states.

Bear in mind I don't care for Anime and can't read a lick of Japanese....

I'm a big DC Superheroes fan too....

Thanks much! He's going in about a week, so it should be cool.

D
 
Your best bet is to avoid buying games (unless you're looking for a couple of used things) and ask for nifty trinkets. I'm personally a whore for trading figures, but there's other things that you could get. Also, if you're buying import DS stuff online, Yes Asia seems to be cheaper nine times out of ten.
 
why not go to play-asia.com and come up a list with their price? The ones your bf didint get in Jap, you can then order them online.
 
Get some Pringles, sasuage style... mmmmm. :)

sausagepringles.jpg


or whatever won't go bad on the trip back. Ohhhhh! Oxygen in a can! haha Like our man in Japan was posting about. >.> Sorry, I really find some of these 7-11 store items fun. I mean really, Oxgen in a can? XD
 
I know there are some cool DS and GBA games only in Japan...but I've heard before that it is just as cheap to import through Play-Asia or such than it is to pick up in person....

Is this true? Are there any must have games I should have him grab while he is there?
Click to expand...
For the most part, it's true. Japanese gamers pay 20-40% more on average for their games than we do in America. However, the used game industry is huge in Japan and you can sometimes get a good deal on discount games but finding a good deal in terms of price and being in stock can be time consuming.

It's also hard to recommend games unless we know what you like.

As for Bit Generations, it'll probably be $20 a piece when it's out here. I think this series is actually cheaper in Japan, but I'm not sure.

I'm tempted to have him grab an Ice Blue DS Lite or white PSP.
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This is one case that is actually the reverse of the above since online import retailers have to pay hefty overseas shipping fees for systems. If you have an interest in any Japanese controllers or accessories, it's also cheaper to get them this way.

However, it should be noted that neither Nintendo's nor Sony's America branch will honor warranties from their Japanese counterpart. So if something is wrong with it, you'll have to ship it back to Japan to get it fixed (which is expensive as previously noted and can be difficult due to language issues). Additionally, Japanese consumers don't enjoy dead pixel policies to the extent we do here. Many retailers will not allow you to return a system if there are a few dead pixels in it.

Bear in mind I don't care for Anime and can't read a lick of Japanese....
Click to expand...
A lot of the popular Japanese titles don't require you to read, such as music games like Ouendan or Daigasso Band Bros. But again, we need to know what genres you're interested in. And most anime games aren't very good anyway, so you aren't missing out. Although, the GBA boxing game for Hajime no Ippo is really quite good.

I'm a big DC Superheroes fan too....
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There really isn't much DC stuff going on over there, the American comics market is very niche. Unless you're just saying this to let us know, in which case, Marvel for life but Batman's the exception.
 
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

yuck!

:)


[quote name='BryceDraven']Get some Pringles, sasuage style... mmmmm. :)

sausagepringles.jpg


or whatever won't go bad on the trip back. Ohhhhh! Oxygen in a can! haha Like our man in Japan was posting about. >.> Sorry, I really find some of these 7-11 store items fun. I mean really, Oxgen in a can? XD[/QUOTE]
 
Wow! Thank you for this comprehensive response...you pretty much nailed all my questions right with the info I needed!

I knew about the warranty thing with the Japanese consoles--but hadn't thought about the dead pixel thing. Since I have a DS, I can still hold out on the Lite until a color I like arrives here. With the PSP...well....I really like the white, but.....

It sounds like I shouldn't have him waste any time looking for games, but instead just let him know if sees anything cool looking (I also like Disney stuff), to pick up. I'm thinking giving him a specific list for things like that would be pointless. So....looks like he'll get off easy!

Thanks for the reply!

D









[quote name='espy605']For the most part, it's true. Japanese gamers pay 20-40% more on average for their games than we do in America. However, the used game industry is huge in Japan and you can sometimes get a good deal on discount games but finding a good deal in terms of price and being in stock can be time consuming.

It's also hard to recommend games unless we know what you like.

As for Bit Generations, it'll probably be $20 a piece when it's out here. I think this series is actually cheaper in Japan, but I'm not sure.


This is one case that is actually the reverse of the above since online import retailers have to pay hefty overseas shipping fees for systems. If you have an interest in any Japanese controllers or accessories, it's also cheaper to get them this way.

However, it should be noted that neither Nintendo's nor Sony's America branch will honor warranties from their Japanese counterpart. So if something is wrong with it, you'll have to ship it back to Japan to get it fixed (which is expensive as previously noted and can be difficult due to language issues). Additionally, Japanese consumers don't enjoy dead pixel policies to the extent we do here. Many retailers will not allow you to return a system if there are a few dead pixels in it.


A lot of the popular Japanese titles don't require you to read, such as music games like Ouendan or Daigasso Band Bros. But again, we need to know what genres you're interested in. And most anime games aren't very good anyway, so you aren't missing out. Although, the GBA boxing game for Hajime no Ippo is really quite good.


There really isn't much DC stuff going on over there, the American comics market is very niche. Unless you're just saying this to let us know, in which case, Marvel for life but Batman's the exception.[/QUOTE]
 
Oh--and as for the games I like. Well, I like quirky Nintendo games :)

I love the DS and have some 30 games for it already. I'm not into anime, turn-based RPG, first person shooters, fighters, or sports. What's left? The quirky stuff! Trauma Center, Pikmin, Kirby, Zelda, Klonoa, Mario, etc

Thanks again
 
[quote name='BrerDan']Oh--and as for the games I like. Well, I like quirky Nintendo games :)

I love the DS and have some 30 games for it already. I'm not into anime, turn-based RPG, first person shooters, fighters, or sports. What's left? The quirky stuff! Trauma Center, Pikmin, Kirby, Zelda, Klonoa, Mario, etc

Thanks again[/QUOTE]

Then Ouendan is a great game to pick up as is Band Brothers if you've got a lot of people to play with.
 
Get Osu Tatake Ouendan. it's a rhythm game and my favorite game on the system by far. very very very quirky and addictive, with tons of replay value.

it's about these 3 male "cheerleaders" that people call when they are in a tight spot. Then you play the song and depending on how well you do determines if the person succeeds or not. It's hard to describe the rhythm aspect, but it's awesome and you'll pick it up after a few minutes of play.
also, each song has its own story, that happens in animated comic panels on the top screen. they're in Japanese, but you still get whats happening and they're extremely entertaining, even after seeing them a hundred times.

it's all in japanese but very easy to figure out. it should be pretty cheap to buy over there, since it has been out for a while. It usually costs around $40 to import, but I seem to remember someone getting it for $25 in Japan. best part, there's a sequel coming out in the U.S. this winter, but it'll be a different game completely.
 
[quote name='BrerDan']Oh--and as for the games I like. Well, I like quirky Nintendo games :)

I love the DS and have some 30 games for it already. I'm not into anime, turn-based RPG, first person shooters, fighters, or sports. What's left? The quirky stuff! Trauma Center, Pikmin, Kirby, Zelda, Klonoa, Mario, etc

Thanks again[/quote]

I'm also a DS Whore! I own about 30 something games too. My Boyfriend is getting into the ds also. More games to my collection! Just kidding!
 
It's amazing to see how huge people's DS libraries are already! Mine, too, is around 30 games. The DS has already trumped the GBA as far as I'm concerned, and is turning out to be one of the best systems of all time.
 
Get Ouendan and Rhythm Tengoku. You can thank me later. If you're into quirky adventures, maybe Freshly Picked Tingle's Rose-Tinted Rupee Land.

As for someone mentionining Ouendan's price, have him look around for it. I was there back in April and picked up several copies for 2,200Y a piece (a little under US$20 at the time) but this price was found only at one small shop buried in a corner in Akihibara. Every other store I looked at had it for 4,000Y and up. At least the ones that had it; it wasn't very popular, I don't think, and wasn't in stock in many places.

Someone also mentioned Band Brothers - if you want the DS game only, it's easy enough to find, but the GBA expansion was nowhere to be seen.
 
I'll have to give him the heads up to look for Ouenden and Band Brothers...and maybe a few others if he can find a good price. Everyone friggin loves those...so I ought to give them a whirl. I know the basic storyline of Elite Beat Agents doesn't seem as fun to me...so I should pick up the original.

Thanks for the heads up folks!

Dan
 
I wish mine did! He just laughs at my "kiddie" games. Of course my playing Animal Crossing all the time doesn't help that impression!

At least I got him into Zelda and now the 360. It's better than dating someone that doesn't understand games at all!



[quote name='DsLiteBoy']I'm also a DS Whore! I own about 30 something games too. My Boyfriend is getting into the ds also. More games to my collection! Just kidding![/QUOTE]
 
Buy everything weird! Those crazy flavored ice creams (tomato, etc.) are a must! Also, check out Cheapster's Japan section for his crazy antics!
 
[quote name='BrerDan']I wish mine did! He just laughs at my "kiddie" games. Of course my playing Animal Crossing all the time doesn't help that impression!

At least I got him into Zelda and now the 360. It's better than dating someone that doesn't understand games at all![/quote]

Sometimes I wish he didnt touch my DS Lite. He just had to have one after that! Also he would play all my games and erase my Friend Codes.(8 months of animal crossing down the drain):cry: I recently bought him a really cool phone (which he's been drooling over for a week), so he doesnt play his lite anymore. I dont know what else I have to fetch him after the love for his phone. PSP???;)
 
Wow! Thank you for this comprehensive response...you pretty much nailed all my questions right with the info I needed!
Click to expand...

You're welcome.

It sounds like I shouldn't have him waste any time looking for games, but instead just let him know if sees anything cool looking (I also like Disney stuff), to pick up.
Click to expand...

Disney stuff is popular there but I'm not into Disney so I don't know if what they have there is much different from what we have here.

I'll have to give him the heads up to look for Ouenden and Band Brothers.
Click to expand...

As alongx pointed out, he'll have to hunt to find a good price. Ouendan, and to a lesser extend Band Bros., has a lot of Japanese pop music. Since you aren't into anime, I don't know if you're into J-pop but songlists are available online so you can listen to them beforehand.

All the quirky titles you mentioned eventually get released over here so it doesn't seem like there's much point in looking for other games.
 
[quote name='BrerDan']I wish mine did! He just laughs at my "kiddie" games. Of course my playing Animal Crossing all the time doesn't help that impression!

At least I got him into Zelda and now the 360. It's better than dating someone that doesn't understand games at all![/quote]

I'm just glad that I was able to get my partner back in gaming. He used to play Tetris to death back in the NES days. I was able to get him back into it with getting him Guitar Hero. Now If he could find the time for me to try and get him into my PS2, Xbox, and 360 games. Shouldn't expect too much as hes 50 and I'm 23...
 
Yes lets get our spouces back into gaming and then leave them high on the Kirby :roll:

I would get anything you have yet seen on Ebay or something out of the way like a Giant Cator or Servbot.
 
[quote name='RegalSin2020']Yes lets get our spouces back into gaming and then leave them high on the Kirby :roll:

I would get anything you have yet seen on Ebay or something out of the way like a Giant Cator or Servbot.[/quote]

Except you have to ask for loans on here for anything from Ebay...
 
A phone? That would bore me to tears! Glad it works for him though!

I wouldn't mind him playing my games or systems...but erasing my Animal Crossing would just about kill me!


It's funny because we both like games, but we play so differently. I have tons of games and play all of them a little bit here or there. He picks one game and just focuses on that for months. He's got over 100 hours in Oblivion, while I have about 10.

Still, it's all cool. I just wish I could get him to play Donky Konga or Monkey Ball with me!


[quote name='DsLiteBoy']Sometimes I wish he didnt touch my DS Lite. He just had to have one after that! Also he would play all my games and erase my Friend Codes.(8 months of animal crossing down the drain):cry: I recently bought him a really cool phone (which he's been drooling over for a week), so he doesnt play his lite anymore. I dont know what else I have to fetch him after the love for his phone. PSP???;)[/QUOTE]
 
That's a good point! I can say for sure I am NOT into Japanese pop music. Really, other than some videogames, I am not into Japanese culture at all. Just not my thing.

It's fine if I don't give my guy a big list to bring back--he won't mind that I have a feeling! :)

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll probably just tell him to look for any cool Disney or DC items...but if he doesn't see any, no problem.


[quote name='espy605']You're welcome.


As alongx pointed out, he'll have to hunt to find a good price. Ouendan, and to a lesser extend Band Bros., has a lot of Japanese pop music. Since you aren't into anime, I don't know if you're into J-pop but songlists are available online so you can listen to them beforehand.
 
[quote name='BrerDan']A phone? That would bore me to tears! Glad it works for him though!

I wouldn't mind him playing my games or systems...but erasing my Animal Crossing would just about kill me!


It's funny because we both like games, but we play so differently. I have tons of games and play all of them a little bit here or there. He picks one game and just focuses on that for months. He's got over 100 hours in Oblivion, while I have about 10.

Still, it's all cool. I just wish I could get him to play Donky Konga or Monkey Ball with me![/quote]

That's how my girl is. She only plays Animal Crossing now but I just got her a new DS Lite along with Meteos, Super Princess Peach, Sonic Rush, and Drill Dozer.

I like playing a whole bunch of games at once and I like to hop from game to game.
 
Get one of those FFIII limited edition DS units. Then sell that bitch on Ebay for a bundle...or give it to me. Also, try to find Sin and Punishment for the N64.
 
[quote name='depascal22']That's how my girl is. She only plays Animal Crossing now but I just got her a new DS Lite along with Meteos, Super Princess Peach, Sonic Rush, and Drill Dozer.

I like playing a whole bunch of games at once and I like to hop from game to game.[/quote]

I have a feeling that if I got my partner a DS with Nintendogs, he'd probably have his face buried in that in his off time lol

Speaking of which, seeing as my local pawn ship has used DSes for 70 or less, I'm thinking of getting him one. They had a red fat DS the other day for 80 with all the accs. Though they do have a ton of PSPs for 150 with everything included...
 
He's got over 100 hours in Oblivion, while I have about 10.
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God, this is the only reason why I want a 360. I loved Morrowind to death. If I had a 360, I'd make sweet, salty love to Oblivion, too.

That's a good point! I can say for sure I am NOT into Japanese pop music. Really, other than some videogames, I am not into Japanese culture at all. Just not my thing.
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Enjoying the music is a major part of the game (something people often forget when recommending it to others). Ouendan is all Japanese pop music, so I'd wait for Elite Beat Agents. Even though you don't like the premise of EBA as much, you'd probably enjoy the music more.

Daigasso Band Bros. though has other music in the game, including classic Nintendo themes and classical music as well as a composer mode so it may still be worth your time.

Thanks for all the info everyone. I'll probably just tell him to look for any cool Disney or DC items...but if he doesn't see any, no problem.
Click to expand...

I am really curious what DC Comics stuff he'll find in Japan that doesn't exist here.
 
Thanks for the tips. I'm enjoying Oblivion, but find it just doesn't suck me in the way a Zelda game does. My boyfriend is just the opposite.

Realistically, he probably won't find ANY DC Comics stuff because he's unlikely to wander into the right stores, but I know that I regularly read about a TON of Japan-only statues, PVC figures, static figures, and so on based on DC chatacters. Every now and then this stuff is imported, or ends up on Ebay..but often it is only sold in Japan.


[quote name='espy605']snip

I am really curious what DC Comics stuff he'll find in Japan that doesn't exist here.[/QUOTE]
 
BrerDan> The Disney toys in Japan are FAR superior to those you can buy here in the states! Here are a few from my collection ( and my friend, Howie's collection )...just to give you an idea:

UFO Catcher prize...
pyramidmickeySNESc.jpg


Gashapon Capsule toys (( by Yujin ))...
mickeyminnie.jpg


Gashapon Capsule toy...
minniegasha.jpg


Mickey Figure (( by Medicom ))
mickeysitting223.jpg


These kinds of toys are easily obtainable in JP; most toy stores stock similar items :) Your bf will have a hard time avoiding cute things like this during his trip, haha!

-Sue
 
Oh yeah! I've heard people over on ravingtoymaniac.com gush about the Capsule Toys before. Are those available only in toy stores, or are those sold in little gumball-style machines everywhere????

Thanks for posting--I'll have to show him these pictures to give him an idea of what I would like!


[quote name='vgamergirl']BrerDan> The Disney toys in Japan are FAR superior to those you can buy here in the states! Here are a few from my collection ( and my friend, Howie's collection )...just to give you an idea:

UFO Catcher prize...
pyramidmickeySNESc.jpg


Gashapon Capsule toys (( by Yujin ))...
mickeyminnie.jpg


Gashapon Capsule toy...
minniegasha.jpg


Mickey Figure (( by Medicom ))
mickeysitting223.jpg


These kinds of toys are easily obtainable in JP; most toy stores stock similar items :) Your bf will have a hard time avoiding cute things like this during his trip, haha!

-Sue[/QUOTE]
 
Capsule toys, or gashapon, are found in gum-ball like machines everywhere. There are stores devoted to those machines, too. Everytime my friends go to Japan, I ask them to get me gashapon, cuz they're cheap and high quality. Video game related gashapon should be pretty easy to find, too.
 
Are those available only in toy stores, or are those sold in little gumball-style machines everywhere????
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They're available everywhere, but because they are so ubiquitous you might have trouble hunting down a specific series. Anime and game ones are the most common.

There are two ways to get capsule toys, the cheapest is from a gumball machine. Unfortunately, you get a random toy from doing this so you may end up with several of the same toys. Big capsule toys aren't actually sold in machines, but in boxes like a giant trading card. The contents are also random.

The other is to go to a hobby store that sells capsule toys. The up side is that you can buy an entire series since the toys are already open. The downside is that the toys are anywhere from 2 to 10 times more expensive than buying it randomly.
 
Hmm! Thanks for the info....

The big question for me is....are they *totally* random, or just random within a line. In other words, would it be possible to find a machine with only Disney characters, or would it be mixed with the 8 billion possible Anime characters. If it's the latter, I won't even bother mentioning it to him! If it's the former, I would be happy getting just about any Disney item (I'm such a mark!)


Thanks for the info!!!!!!!!!!!!!



[quote name='espy605']They're available everywhere, but because they are so ubiquitous you might have trouble hunting down a specific series. Anime and game ones are the most common.

There are two ways to get capsule toys, the cheapest is from a gumball machine. Unfortunately, you get a random toy from doing this so you may end up with several of the same toys. Big capsule toys aren't actually sold in machines, but in boxes like a giant trading card. The contents are also random.

The other is to go to a hobby store that sells capsule toys. The up side is that you can buy an entire series since the toys are already open. The downside is that the toys are anywhere from 2 to 10 times more expensive than buying it randomly.[/QUOTE]
 
The big question for me is....are they *totally* random, or just random within a line. In other words, would it be possible to find a machine with only Disney characters, or would it be mixed with the 8 billion possible Anime characters. If it's the latter, I won't even bother mentioning it to him! If it's the former, I would be happy getting just about any Disney item (I'm such a mark!)
Click to expand...
The machines are individually set for one series. So you might find a machine that contains, say, Disney Series 4B - Princesses that Set Back the Feminist Movement by 50 Years, and that machine would only contain all the toys from that series alone. They're marked clearly and there is a picture that shows you all the toys the machine MIGHT contain. The toys are surprisingly very nice quality for about $1-$2 on average. It's a huge industry though and there are literally thousands of serieseses.
 
[quote name='BrerDan']Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

yuck!

:)[/QUOTE]

I just came back from China couple of weeks ago.. and they had Lay chip in 3 different flavor.. Pork chop with ketchup, Thai chicken curry.. and on stew beef or something.. too bad my friend jack all of them, i only had the porkchop one it didn't taste bad at all :)
 
[quote name='racthamp']I just came back from China couple of weeks ago.. and they had Lay chip in 3 different flavor.. Pork chop with ketchup, Thai chicken curry.. and on stew beef or something.. too bad my friend jack all of them, i only had the porkchop one it didn't taste bad at all :)[/quote]

Yeah, it seems like every place but the US gets all the good and cool flavors of things.
 
Yeah we have really boring flavors in the US. I've gotten Lamb and Mint chips from Australia, Tandori Chicken from Japan, Ketchup from Canada, just tons of weird flavors. Although, I admit the Lamb and Mint chips were pretty foul.
 
[quote name='espy605']Yeah we have really boring flavors in the US. I've gotten Lamb and Mint chips from Australia, Tandori Chicken from Japan, Ketchup from Canada, just tons of weird flavors. Although, I admit the Lamb and Mint chips were pretty foul.[/quote]

Just take a look at the wikipedia entries for Doritos and Pringles. Not just relegated to that too, so give Pepsi, Coke and Gatorade entries a look for the differences. All in all, all our flavors just seem bland as hell compared to what some of them sound like.

Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic in your thread, BrerDan...
 
Thanks for the link! I just showed it to my bf. He's a little overwhelmed, but willing to pop into a toy store for me! I can't wait to see what he comes up with.

Thanks

Dan

[quote name='judyjudyjudy']Here's the gashapon section from Play-Asia.com to give you an idea of just a few of what's probably available in Japan at the moment:
http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-14-71-93-49-en.html

That's just a sample of what Play-Asia thinks might be popular with importers. There's TONS of different stuff in the machines in Japan.[/QUOTE]
 
Hey, I appreciate the tip! I'll have to check out Wiki now! Could be a fun time waster at work!

[quote name='HumanSnatcher']Just take a look at the wikipedia entries for Doritos and Pringles. Not just relegated to that too, so give Pepsi, Coke and Gatorade entries a look for the differences. All in all, all our flavors just seem bland as hell compared to what some of them sound like.

Sorry, didn't mean to get off topic in your thread, BrerDan...[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='BrerDan']Hey, I appreciate the tip! I'll have to check out Wiki now! Could be a fun time waster at work![/quote]

Wikipedia is a major time waster lol Start on one thing, a few hours later you're on something that has no relation to the last thing
 
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