Castlevania for DS

Last Saturday afternoon, I rushed towards SM Mall of Asia to meet the seller of the Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrows for Nintendo DS. I found this game on sale at OLX.com.ph . This meet up was settled a week before because he can do meet ups on weekends. When I finally met the seller, he was only at around 15 years of age.

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrows for Nintendo DS

Originally, the seller sells the game for 800.00Php but he agrees to sell it for 500.00Php. The condition of the item is in good condition with few signs of discoloration in box art cover.  The game is its fourth re-sale based on Konami's catalog number

Although the seller sell cheap, but in Ebay, someone is selling it for $120.00 excluding shipping. A hefty price for a nine year old used game.

Love Plus plus is here!

When I'm browsing in a Social retro gaming group in Facebook last Tuesday night, I found a Love Plus plus game for Nintendo DS for only 300.00Php(approximately$8.00)! Good thing that no one put a "dibs" (reserve) comment on it, so I'm the first and the last one to dib the game.

Love plus plus for Nintendo DS.

 A few minutes after, the seller contact me regarding meet-up arrangements, I asked him if we close the transaction at a nearby bakery because he was not far from our house and he was the sibling of my Elementary-High School friends. A few minutes after, some of the members of the group feels dismay that the game is on sale for more than a day and they only notice it moments after it was sold to me.

Love plus is a dating simulation game. The game I bought is the sequel of the first game. Where you can ask a Date in one of the 3 main characters of the game. Although, I used to have the demo version of the New Love Plus for 3DS, I managed to delete it because of memory constraints of my console. :(

pop'n music galore!

On the night before my birthday, I received a postal notice that my parcel is ready for pick up at the Makati Central Post Office (MCPO). The next day, I got my new old pop'n music 7 CS for PlayStation 2. Last Monday, My Mom accepted another parcel thru doorstep delivery. The buyer sent it thru EMS (Good thing that Customs cleared it without paying extra cash and delivery the items our home).

The EMS loots consist of pop'n music 4 APPEND for PlayStation 1, pop'n music 8 and, pop'n music 13 CARNIVAL for PlayStation 2. All these games came from the same seller with different shipping method (First shipment was sent thru SAL).

pop'n music games

I tested the game using the pop' n music Arcade style controller and my gameplay outcome is rusty, my score didn't even reached the 80,000 bracket in normal level. I think it would be best if Marikina River Bank Mall is nearby because that's where pop'n music 16 PARTY is currently in. Unfortunately, pop'n PARTY is the only pop'n game in the Metro and the Sengoku Retsuden is in (I think) Cebu.

I guess I have to endure a few number of pop'n games I have especially the PSP version of the game.

My portable gaming artillery!

Aside from mobile phones which we always have them wherever we go. But for me, portable gaming consoles have the same weight as bringing mobile phones everyday.

On my bag, I have a Pink Nintendo 3DS and Ceramic White PlayStation Portable. I have them inside my bag because of Nintendo 3DS' Street pass and pedometer feature, and play pop'n music portable and Twin Bee portable on my PSP.

My Nintendo 3DS and Sony PlayStation Portable

Some of my colleagues asked me why not using tablets instead of PSP's or 3DS's? My best answer for that is my mobile phone can browse the internet, take high-quality pictures, play music and can be use as road map. Although tablets be used as gaming devices however, tablets are more on multimedia purpose not in gaming and tablets are too big to hold unlike PSP or 3DS have easy controls. 

If I'm going to buy a tablet like an iPAD, I think the only games I have is REFLEC BEAT plus and jubeat plus because are they BEMANI games ported to iOS.

beatmaniaIIDX controller

beatmaniaIIDX is a DJ simulation game where you imitate as a DJ, by scratching the turntable and pressing 7 keys to produce key sounds. It has been in the arcades for over 15 years since its' debut in 1999.

beatmaniaIIDX is also available for PlayStation 2 console starting from 3rd style up to EMPRESS. Although, console counterpart ended after EMPRESS, arcade rips became a solution to those hardcore gamers.

Two beatmaniaIIDX controller in double layout.

Every IIDX gamers needs a controller, a controller designed to imitate somehow 'real' arcade gaming experience. The beatmaniaIIDX controller is very rare and expensive, one Ebay seller sells the controller for $300.00 plus shipping.

I recently sold my semi-defective spare IIDX controller to a friend for only 1,000.00Php or around $24.00. My friend doesn't bother the cosmetic fault as long as it's working and he plans to overhaul the controller

I also have a controller for the original beatmania like the DJ PRO STATION, but left out of my storage collecting dust and space.

The beatmania DJ PRO STATION.

beatmaniaIIDX's presence in the Philippines is rare unlike in other Asian neighbors due to lack of popularity and because most of arcade gamers in the Philippines are more on Fighting and Racing simulation. There are only 3 IIDX cabinets in the country and the latest is IIDX 17 SIRIUS located in Marikina City (eastern side of Metro Manila).

GITADORA Masterpiece Silver!!

Before the start of our long weekend because of the observance of the Holy week in our country, I managed to pick up my parcel from our local Central Post Office.

I got my GuitarFreaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE SILVER for PlayStation 2 console! Which I bought from an Ebay seller last month.

GuitarFreaks & DrumMania MASTERPIECE SILVER game.

When I opened the parcel, the seller includes the limited edition Timepiece Phase II design e-AMUSEMENT PASS Card, only available when you bought the Konamistyle edition package.

The Timepiece Phase II designed e-AMUSEMENT Card.

Looking forward for my pop'n music 6 CS to arrive in our local Post Office anytime soon.

Nu Gundam HG 1/144

I have been a Gunpla fan since I was in Elementary and until now I still have the enthusiasm in building a Gundam aside from collecting BEMANI stuffs.

Nu Gundam Box

This Gunpla kit  is one of my favorite Gundam models (aside from Gundam X's Gundam Double X and the original Gundam). It became my fave Gundam when I watched the Char's : Counterattack OVA in Youtube last year and I didn't know that there is a continuing story right after the Original Gundam anime.

The retail price of this Gunpla kit is 1,699.00 Php, released in Japan in 2008. I bought it somewhere in Greenhills Shopping Center. Although, a bit expensive than the current 2013-2014 versions of 1/144 HG. I notice that this kit is much bigger that the common 1/144 scale HG kits, the size is almost the same as the 1/100 scale.

Built Nu Gundam

One fall back on this kit is that the funnels on its back wiggles if you combine all 6 funnels in one side. They should have made the funnels more sturdier, though the funnels are all intact.

New BEMANI Stuffs for 2014!

              Last Thursday evening, after a very stressful and tiring day from work, I received my postal notice from our local post office. The next morning, I got my new BEMANI stuffs this 2014. I bought these games last December of 2013. Fortunately, the transit time of my parcel is on time schedule unlike to the previous parcel that it took almost 2 months.


DanceDanceRevolution Party Collection and beatmaniaIIDX 4th style CS
 

            Anyways, I bought a DanceDanceRevolution Party Collection and beatmaniaIIDX 4th style CS for PlayStation 2. Although, they are both old, they are one of the rare and expensive BEMANI games.  I got both games for around $9.00 (roughly, 400.00Php) plus shipping.



DDR FESTIVAL!!!

It's been 2 months since the last time I made an blog entry, because of work and other real life stuffs. Anyways, days before Christmas I received my new BEMANI game, DDR FESTIVAL! It is the 5th Consumer software of DDR for PlayStation 2 and 2nd non-arcade BEMANI game.

DDR FESTIVAL: DanceDanceRevolution game for PlayStation 2.

It is the first BEMANI game to use the Eye Toy accessory of the PlayStation 2, in which you can use of it for it's mini-games. Most of the songs came from DDR ULTRAMIX series, a USA version of DDR for Xbox console, J-POP covers, and a number BEMANI crossovers.

BeForU's new members line-up.

This game is heavily promoted in Japan, due to BeForU's new 3 members and to promote a new song which is included in the game.

DDR PREMIUM CD

Hi! It's been a long time since my last blog update. It is because of real duties and other stuffs. Anyways, during my hiatus in blogging, I traded an exclusive BEMANI soundtrack from a friend, a DanceDanceRevolution EXTREME PREMIUM CD! This PREMIUM soundtrack cost me a GameBoy Color console.

DDR EXTREME PREMIUM CD

This rare soundtrack was released in 2003. It was a gift who purchased DDR EXTREME CS early. The PREMIUM CD consist of 8 tracks, for track list click here. One of them is a preview music from the DDR PARTY COLLECTION CS game.

Quiz Magic Academy VI Desktop Arcade Cabinet

    Last week, I received my very first D.A.C. or the Desktop Arcade Cabinet from a broker. Before we got this item, I encountered heavy rains, muddy streets and raging trailer trucks because the meeting place is in Manila North Harbor.

Quiz Magic Academy VI Desktop Arcade Cabinet

   The D.A.C that I have is a Quiz Magic Academy VI arcade cabinet released in 2010 by KONAMI. D.A.C.'s replicates the design details from the original arcade cabinet. Originally as a prize for its U.F.O. Catcher in Japan but, retail is also available. Based on the price tag, this little arcade cabinet cost 499 JPY However, Toy Planet slashed it down to 199JPY (around 80PHP)

Pricing from Toy Planet

   Other variations such as beatmaniaIIDX, pop'n music (old standard cabinet), GuitarFreaks and DrumMania (old standard cabinet) and jubeat.

BEMANI in your pockets

        A decade ago, Konami released a handheld bemani game called BEMANI Pockets. They are somewhat similar to Nintendo's Game & Watch but the gameplays and designs mimics the BEMANI arcade. The screen is a monochrome and an 8-bit sound output. They are powered using a 3 CR batteries.

       BEMANI Pockets have different variations and releases from beatmania, DDR, ParaPara, pop'n music and even GUITARFREAKS. These handhelds have a very limited number of songs due to hardware limitations.

BEMANI Pockets that I have.

        I only have 3 BEMANI pockets and the a good rare find. Although, I rather put it in a shelf than playing it. There are sellers who sells used items from our local online shops for only 400.00Php or $19.00 a piece.

Metal Gear Solid

       I have been collecting Metal Gear Solid games since College. My first encounter with this series is when my father bought a PlayStation 1 console with a Metal Gear Solid demo disc. Metal Gear Solid game that I finished are the Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Though, I also have other MGS games, I wasn't able to play them due to lack of time, I look forward to play the other MGS games especially the MGS4: Guns of Patriots if someone would give me a PS3 console. :) :)



Metal Gear Solid Games

        Right now, MGS creator Hideo Kojima announced a new MGS game a few months ago. He said, the MGS game will use the Fox engine (Kojima's new gaming engine).