Mini Fighter

Aimed at players of all ages, the offline tournaments will encourage family team battles and will also target youths from sports and recreation groups to join in the fun.

Event details as follows:
Date: 17th April, 2010, Saturday
Time: 2.00pm to 5.30pm
Venue: Game Haven, 29 Carpenter Street, Singapore 059923
URL: http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter/umc/2nd/sg01Schedule.asp

There will be different types of challenges and categories held during the tournament. Battle types will be separated into Tournament and special event categories. Players can pre-register in advance in Mini Fighter Website at http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter

The Special Event category features two of Mini Fighter’s mini games, Free 3 vs. 3 team battle and Volleyball.

“We hope to encourage parents and children to pit themselves against each other in the Mini Fighter Parents Vs Children competition (3 parents vs 3 children). This will be a great opportunity for children to compete against their parents in a competitive yet enjoyable environment where player skills are more important then strength,” commented Mark Chionh, Marketing Manager, Round1.sg”

Brad (Hyung Joon) Park, Asia pacific regional manager of CJ Internet, expressed that “We want to encourage members of recreation clubs from schools to sign-up for the Mini-Fighter Singapore tournament as we believe that they will find it exhilarating to compete against competitor teams in a fun yet innovative way. The game is a great stress reliever as it allows players to band together as they compete against the opposite teams in the battle tournament,”

Park also added that “Mini Fighter is extremely accessible and allows players of all ages to start playing almost immediately with little practice. For the more competitive player, the variety of skills for each individual character and mini games and challenges within the game offers a wide range of options for them to level up and continue playing.”

Mini Fighter features a variety of game modes, unique and comic characters that allows the game to be constantly engaging for players of all ages. Besides the battle modes and dungeons, there are a number of community-based activities. Being able to chat with other players via keyboard is an essential part of enjoying Mini Fighter to the fullest.

Free Mini Fighter DVD can be collected at any Comics Connection stores . The DVD allows players to install the game client and start practicing their battle skills before the tournament in April. Each Mini Fighter DVD Pack includes a game installer, 2 bonus coupons, trailer, screensaver and wallpaper. The first bonus coupon entitles each gamer to receive a bonus of 1,000CC (equivalent to SG$1) for every new Cherrycredits sign up at http://www.cherrycredits.com/sg/

The second bonus coupon allows each gamer to redeem a Special Box that contains US$10 worth of Mini Fighter in-game items like the Speech Balloon (7days), Bank Key (5days), Magic Fishing road and 4-Star Card. The Mini Fighter special box can be redeemed at http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter/OBT/enterKey.asp

‘Mini Fighter’ is a massive action casual game that allows up online battles for up to 200 players to play together. Players can enter the Coliseum in the game to engage in a free-for-all battle where a maximum of 20 players on each team. Whichever one of the two teams that reaches 100 KO first will win. To find out more about Mini Fighter and offline tours or to download the game client, please visit http://global.netmarble.com/minifighter

Sakaguchi Hironobu

Dubbed “The Last Story”, the game promises to be a brand new take on the traditional Japanese RPG. The game is scheduled for release in November, barring any delays and random shenanigans.

My Last Story

It’s really fitting that my last newsbit was about The Last Story. It’s been a whirlwind six months since I first started this gig, and I am saddened that my assignment with the MTV Blog has ended. But I am also deeply satisfied knowing that I did my best with keeping you guys in-touch on the gaming and tech scene.

Bye for now!

I’d like to thank everyone at MTV especially Angela and Maddie and my fellow bloggers Lennat, Kerrie, and Wi Nie. I’ve had a lovely time with you guys and I’ll be sure to give you a holler whenever I’m in your neck of the woods covering another event. Thanks also to the guys at Puma, I-Promo, Red Dawn, and Sozo for the support they’ve given me during my stint at MTV.

Last of all, thanks to all the readers who’ve surfed in from Plurk, Twitter, and Facebook and left comments in the posts. It’s been great fun chatting with you guys in the comments box. If you think you can stand a bit more of my rambling, please visit my Japanese pop culture blog at magnetic-rose.net. Bye for now and see you all again real soon!

Sound Blaster Wireless Headphones World of Warcraft Edition

Sound has always been in important factor in the WoW gaming experience, and these headsets have been designed to maximize your grinding pleasure. Available in Horde and Alliance flavors, each headset will go for USD 160 each and is available for pre-order at the soundblaster.com.

No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise

Bad news for fans of the No More Heroes franchise waiting for the XBOX 360 and PS3 ports: No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise won’t make it to its 25th February street date in Japan. The release date has been pushed back to April, with the North American and International editions still nowhere in sight.

No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise

The hi-def ports of the title originally available on the Wii were first reported in November, when Japanese publisher Marvelous Entertainment was disappointed with sluggish sales of the Wii version. With both the XBOX 360 and the PS3 developing motion controllers of their own, the newer version with the higher polygon rate and more fluid movement were expected to increase sales. I for one am looking forward to the PS3 version, as the Wii version was fun but not very inspiring.

The iPad is almost ten inches across and is equipped with a backlit LED screen and Apple’s signature Multi-Touch technology. It comes with 1G of processing power and a choice of 16G, 32G, or 64G of internal storage. You can surf the web, play music, or watch movies for about 10 hours with each charging. The iPad also comes in two models to suit your connectivity needs: a wireless only model, and a wireless + 3G model.

The New Apple iPad

The iPad can also be mounted on a stand and equipped with a wireless keyboard so you can use it as your primary portable workstation. Apple’s iWork suite of programs have been rethought to maximize the potential of the iPad, and the device can also handle other work-related files such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Adobe PDF.

Need the iPad to do something really specific for you? Just like the iPhone, the iPad has its back covered by the thousands of programs at the Apple App Store. You can download any number of widgets, tools, and gadgets developed to make your iPad experience better for as little as a dollar for each program (sometimes, they even come free!).

The New Apple iPad

As optimistic as I am about the new device, there might be a couple of caveats that prospective buyers should look out for. The first would be its limited storage capacity — the flash drive maxes out at just 64GB, which is simply not enough for many people (myself included) if you intend to store all your music, videos, and pictures in it.

The second concern is the number of adaptors that you need to have even the simplest things like USB, AV line-in/line-out, and AC power input. From experience, it’s very easy to lose them, and they are a pain to replace. Finally, all iPad applications need to come from the App Store, which rules out third-party development and home-brews — and that’s no fun at all if you can’t find the one you really need :/

The New Apple iPad

Having said that though, I am still looking forward to giving it a test-run before I decide to ultimately want one, or swear it off and buy another ultra-portable off my favorite Japanese laptop maker. From what I’ve found out so far there’s a whole slew of things that the iPad has the potential to do. It’s just been launched folks, so there really are no guarantees

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker PSP Bundle

And as if that weren’t enough, there will be two different bundles — a regular one with a pouch, cleaning cloth and a strap, and a limited edition one that comes with all that and additional items like a stand and wearable dog tags.

The contents of Final Fantasy XIII’s Special Collector’s Edition have likewise been officially released after they had been inadvertently leaked on an Italian gaming website. The set will include FFXIII on the PS3, an art book, a set of collectible cards, a soundtrack CD and a special decal shaped in the Brand of the L’Cie.

Final Fantasy XIII Collector

The set will reportedly sell for about USD 100, which is a bit steep in my opinion considering that other games also have limited editions with similar contents, but go for about USD 20 to 30 less.

Greenday: Rock Band

So Greenday: Rock Band is all set for 2010, but it looks like it’s not the only thing the producers have up their sleeve. Harmonix and MTV Games are keeping coy so far, but they have confirmed that the Greenday follow-up to last year’s hit The Beatles: Rock Band is not their sole game under development this year. There are rumours of a Rock Band 3 with built-in learn-to-play options (!!!!!), and that means pretty soon we’ll not be only rocking out guitar-shaped controllers, but real guitars as well. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

MTV’s Rock Band Network

MTV’s Rock Band Network — a new service that lets users upload and sell their original music to other Rock Band gamers, has been launched this week. Aimed at small bands trying to get their music out to the public, the service will charge a fee ranging from USD 500 to USD 1000 to convert any band’s current tracks into Rock Band DLCs. The songs can them be sold for USD 1 to USD 2.50, with the profits from each sale split between the service and the musicians. This could be your ticket to stardom

Kodak Playsport

Kodak’s Playsport is a digital video recorder that records full HD videos that you can share quickly and easily online. It features image stabilizers, an anti-glare function, and can withstand underwater depths of up to ten feet. It’s perfect for beach getaways, mountain hike, extreme sports activities, or taking LOLCAT videos. Can I say DO WANT in capital letters? Oh wait — I just did!

Next up is Alienware’s new M11x ultraportable. I know — it boggles the mind. Alienware gaming laptops are not known to be svelte, but the new M11x is just eleven inches across, but can still run games of up to 50 frames per second for a solid two hours. But the best thing about the M11x is probably its price: it is the only model from Alienware that is currently under USD 1000. I’d like one in red please?

Very little is known about the new Dell Slate, only that it is huge (nearly seven inches long!), has a SIM card slot, and comes with a touchscreen. But from the few illicitly-taken photos of the CES demo Slate, I could tell that I have finally found something that could rival the iPhone without being exactly like it (sorry Apple fans but the iPhone isn’t my cup of tea~)

Skiff Reader

I’ve held out for as long as I can, first against the Kindle 2, and then again with the nook. But it looks like I’ll be waiting for a bit longer, just until the Skiff Reader comes out in stores later this year. Not only will it be the thinnest of the three ebook readers, it also comes with a touchscreen and color — something sorely missing from its two competitors. Nothing will replace the smell and look and feel of real books, but I’m betting that the Skiff will keep me happy nonetheless.

People who know me — better yet, people who read this blog, know how nuts I am about instant photography, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I am deliriously happy about the launch of a new line of Polaroid instant cameras.

The new Polaroid PIC-1000 will be compatible with The Impossible Project’s 1000 film stock, and comes upgraded with red-eye reduction, a self-timer, and a built-in flash (although this came standard with later models like the 780). The PIC-1000 will also feature a nostalgic wood finish that will make instant camera fans drool. No word yet on the SRP, but expect it to come out later this year — which gives me just about enough time to save up for one.

Oh joy!

Beyonce for Nintendo of America

Beyonce has been known to enjoy a round or two of Rhythm Heaven, and will also be promoting Nintendo’s Style Savvy — a casual game that puts you in the shoes of a boutique and fashion house owner. Style Savvy features close to 10,000 separate items of virtual clothing and accessories, and will include ten items from Beyonce’s own fashion line Dereon. Well, the girl can certainly back it up, so no complaints here

Dragon Age: Origins - Return to Ostagar

The Return to Ostagar DLC (downloadable content) takes players back to the blood-soaked landscape of Ostagar to retrieve a surviving member of the Grey Wardens. It is also here that they will discover the fate of King Cailan Theirin of Ferelden, after he and the Grey Wardens took on the The Blight.

Originally slated for release on the 5th of January 2010 in North America and the rest of the world, the patch has hit a snag and has been delayed indefinitely. Chris Priestly of BioWare has announced the delay via the official BioWare forums, and has promised gamers updates as soon as they became available.

Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening

After an unnamed New Zealand game retailer accidentally leaked the information, BioWare has also formally announced the release of the first DA expansion. Entitled “Awakening“, the expansion will feature up to fifteen hours of additional gameplay with a host of new characters and a brand-new storyline.

The expansion will be fully compatible with Dragon Age: Origins to accommodate your existing character, but it can also be played as a separate game with a fresh line-up of characters. Awakening is slated for a March 2010 ship-out, and is available for pre-order from Game Stop via the official Dragon Age website.

Shokotan was part of an exceptional group of Japanese artists who came to Singapore on the 20th of November to take part in Anime Festival Asia 2009, the region’s largest convention for anime, manga, cosplay, and gaming. Shokotan also headlined the first day of the I LOVE ANISONG concert, alongside Mizuki Ichiro of Super Robot Wars fame.

Shokotan took a few minutes off her busy schedule at the convention to have a quick chat with us about her fans, her unusual interests, and the fun things they do to unwind after major performances.

Anime Festival Asia 09 Interviews: Shokotan

Since her major debut in 2001, Shokotan has performed several times at overseas events in LA, Hong Kong, and other major international cities — however this was her first time in Singapore.

I asked her what she thought of the fans from all the cities she has visited. “It’s different in every place — in LA cosplay is a big thing (with the audience), while in Hong Kong they’re pretty much screaming at the top oftheir lungs all the time from the excitement.”, she relates.

“I saw your performance on the first day of the I Love Anisong concert series,” I told her, “Did you find anything special about your South East Asian fans?” Shokotan noted that although many of her fans were shy and reserved during the autograph sessions, the opposite was true during the live performance.

“I’m always nervous at the start of each concert,” Shokotan says with a twinkle in her eye, “but I felt so excited when I saw that so many people came to see me on stage.”

Shokotan seems to love what she does so much, and this enthusiasm she shows onstage spills over to the post-event get-togethers. “During dinner after our performances, Aniki (Mizuki Ichiro) and I and the staff did a san san nana byoushi — a special Japanese rhythmic clap, for good fortune and for a job well done.” she tells us with a small laugh.

Anime Festival Asia 09 I Love Anisong Artiste Shokotan

Aside from her adventures in Singapore, Shokotan has also just recently embarked on an unusual journey: she, along with several Japanese marine scientists, descended to the ocean’s depths aboard the undersea exploratory vessel Shinkai.

I asked her what it was like to be part of the Shinkai project, and she described it as a unique experience. “This was my first time to see my favorite marine animals up close.” she said. She was delighted to be treated as part of the crew — filming their wildlife subjects and making numerous sketches and notes.

She was, however, allowed to do some typically silly Shokotan things — like pose for photos in a Sailormoon stance, so she has the honor of having been the first to do those on board the scientific vessel

From her adventures aboard the Shinkai, the conversation unsurprisingly segued to her coterie of pets, and I asked her how many she had exactly. She admitted she had lost count, as she has several turtles, numerous cats, and oddly enough — several planaria, which are more often seen in science class petri dishes than homes.

Shokotan’s musical carreer has been doing well so far, with the successful release of her tenth single “Arigato no Egao” (Thankful Smile) — a sample is available in her official website. Everyone is hopeful — myself included, that a new album is in the works.

She also continues to draw for several Japanese comic compilations, as well as pose for cosplay photo collections. Her blog — which was instrumental in cementing her stardom, is hosted at AMEBLO, and contunues to connect Shoko with her fans from Japan and all over the world.