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Ever since putting behind the PS1 in the closest to make way for PS2, I never thought I would go back and replay all those old games again. I mean …. why would I? The PS2 has better graphics (still acceptable today) and tons of awesome titles that’s probably enough to keep even new buyers busy before moving on to the PS3. If you look at the Japanese sales chart, you will see that PS2 is still doing okay in Japan. The lifespan has surpassed the original PS1 which only lasted for about 6 to 7 years.

The Japanese Hardware Chart as of 28th March 2008 [via Kotaku]

Lately, the urge of reviving those great PS1 moments suddenly hit me. I have to admit I miss some of those games like Tekken, Battle Arena Toshinden 3, Twisted Metal 2 and WipeoutXL, just to name a few. I can just play those games repeatedly, day after day after day. Some even ask “You play the same blardy game everyday … don’t you ever get sick of them?”. Surprisingly I don’t. Perhaps I was much younger then, or perhaps back in those days we weren’t spoiled with so many choices like today. Heck even sucky games (by game reviewers) like Dragon Ball GT, me and Neko would find ourselves hammering it none stop, spamming the fire button to overthrow each others “Kame-hame-ha”s.

Playing the PS1 for the first time is a feeling I can never forget, a feeling that probably wouldn’t surface anymore. The transition from 2D graphics like Donkey Kong to full 3D and the unique 8 button controller that has become a role model for almost every other controller creates a “wow” factor that makes a permanent impression in my head. I really miss those many Sundays where I would pop by my uncle’s house for a few hours of Tekken.

Next came the dual analog and vibrating mechanism, which Tobal was one of the few games that support those functions. I remember being advised not to use the analog and vibration too much as it increases the chances of spoiling it. Well it is the first generation of controller for the PS1 after all, so chances of early malfunctions are common.

Anybody remember Tobal? It was published by SquareSoft (Now SquareEnix)

The PS1 also has one of the most memorable ways of running illegal pirated games. Before modding was introduced, people had to use all sorts of methods like sticking some blue tack thingy on the lid button to make the original disc run before swapping with a fake copy. Can’t imagine those methods being used today on current generation consoles. That would be pretty … weird.

Hard to believe that it has been almost a decade since I last played any game on the PS1. It felt like as if it wasn’t too long ago when Neko regularly popped over at my place for an hour or two of Final Fantasy IX before we head off for our math tuitions. Incidentally, that was when my interest in role playing games began to surface.

One of my favourite RPG of all times

Previously I wouldn’t even blink an eye for those genres. I felt that the gameplay mechanisms are boring, too many words to read and takes too damn long to finish. Watching the unfolding of Final Fantasy IX’s story changed my viewpoint towards the genre completely. I then realise RPG isn’t just about gameplays, it’s more about the storyline.

Sales of the original PlayStation are pretty much non-existence now, although you can still find some sellers on ebay. Thankfully the PS2, PSP and PS3 with backward compability allows us to replay all those great games again. I’m still puzzled as of why Sony wouldn’t allow us to rip our original PS1 games to play on the PSP legally. No doubt that the problem of “piracy” would come into matter but why deny those who own the original copies from enjoying them?

Tekken 2 on the PlayStation Portable

Oh well it doesn’t really matter. If you are using custom firmware, you can always rip your games to be played on the PSP. For those who are using the original firmware, you can purchase some really good titles like Twisted Metal 2 and Tekken 2 online from the PlayStation Store. With such support you can be sure that PS1 games will around for quite a while.

Heck, 10 years from now we will be pumping PS2 games into Sony’s new portable .. probably?

I could really get used to courier shipping; shipped out yesterday and today the Crisis Core orders arrived at my place at around 10am. Kudos to UPS for making the brief delivery.

If you are wondering whether there are any differences between the Asia or US version of Crisis Core, I have to say there should be none. The packaging and instruction booklet is in English (the game too of course). The only difference is that an operation sheet in chinese is included and probably the US version will have a different box art. I notice the Asia version has the same box art as the Japanese version.

Here’s a couple of shots of what’s inside the game case

UMD with Instruction Booklet

Inside the booklet

The Operation Sheet

As PSP games are region free, there’s no harm picking up the Asia version of this game. Currently there are stocks available at Play-Asia, so you wouldn’t have to wait long for the game to ship out.

For those who have already purchased the game, enjoy! With 20 hours of gameplay (excluding side missions), this is one game which will keep us busy for a long, long time.

In the land where hot titles like Super Mario Bros and Final Fantasy are born, you would think that putting blames on video games would be the last thing that could happen in Japan. Apparently the recent case says otherwise, where a man named Masahiro Kanagawa went on a rampage stabbing 9 people (sad to say 2 victims didn’t make it).

Now … pushing video games to take the blame for every Tom, Dick and Harry crimes are pretty common nowadays. The infamous “crusader” Jack Thompson has been doing it for a long while now, accusing games like Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt to be the reason behind all the recent violence involving gamers. I have to admit, at least those titles do involve violence, whether or not it really does influence someone to commit them would be another matter.

However for Masahiro’s case, the media and “experts” are saying that Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball and Final Fantasy have some sort of a connection behind his recent stabbing. HELLO!? If watching fake boobies bouncing or seeing Cloud performing Omnislash makes a person want to stab someone, then I would be out running around eating or stomping people’s heads because I played too much Pacman and Super Mario Bros.

Now the the media are reporting that they found Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (A DS game) in his bag, flashing the cover box all over the news. Ninja Gaiden creator Itagaki must be damn happy. Its freaking free publicity! [Kotaku]

I quote

Since most of the victims were stabbed in places like the neck, one “expert” was saying that it was through fighting games that Kanagawa learned about the body’s weak points as assume things like that are only taught in video games.

Earth to that dumb expert … we don’t need no fighting games to teach us about body weak points. We have something far better and that something is called “Common Sense“. Don’t tell me Japanese never realised that the neck is one of the body’s weakest points. Should really ask those “experts” to go back to grade school.

Neko : Final Fantasy and Super Mario Bros are hailed as legendary titles for the rest of the world, but in their homeland of the rising sun, they are the prime suspect for violence, crime and … murder. Damnit, Jack Thompson might really be a Japanese in disguise! XD

Killer Murders 2, Stabs Seven, Played Sexy Game [via Kotaku]

A few of the local arcades here had brought in Tekken 6 and I went to give it a shot a couple of days ago. I only played for 6 rounds before getting trashed by old man Wang so I can’t really give much detail about it. This is just my impression of the game after 6 rounds.

The machine I played has one huge LCD monitor, with two players on the same side. There are also slots for players to slot in cards but I have no idea what is it. Probably to save a custom build character ala Initial D style?

Anyway slotted in 2 tokens, chose Lee (I use him a lot in Tekken 5) and fired up the game.

I would assume that most of the characters moves remained intact as I still manage to perform my regular combos. I notice Lee gained a few new moves but nothing too dramatic. There are probably more moves to do this time but heck I couldn’t find the time to try them out. Just stick to my regular combos to avoid being trashed too early in the game heh.

Graphically speaking, Tekken 6 looks good but you can’t actually feel anything new about it. It doesn’t make you go “Wow! This looks better than Tekken 5!”. Hopefully Namco will beef up the graphics when they release it on the PlayStation 3 in the future.

Music? Can’t hear no shit. I am playing it in the arcades and you know how noisy arcades can get.

That’s about it from me. Will play it more when I have the time.

[images from ICGamers]

I consider myself as an impatient person. Knowing that China released Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 (English language) a week earlier than the actual schedule, I just had to find a way to get my hands on it as soon as possible. 25th March seems to be slow in getting here and even then, game shops wouldn’t have the game in stocks until a few days after the official release date. I would be lucky if I could get my hands on the game by next Friday.

Thankfully, I was surfing Play-Asia and noticed they are shipping out the Asian region early and it was a good time to grab it. After a few chats with Neko, both of us decided to order two copies and share the cost of the courier service. Now I have to the chance to play it at the day of the release bwahaha *evil laughs*

Come .. join us at the dark side. Order your copy by clicking here. Make your friends drown with envy … and of course, support the PSP gaming community so we get to see more great game releases.