Taiko no Tatsujin Wii Dodoon to 2 Yome Review

The Taiko series is one of the most fun games in Japan. I finally got a chance to play the game. I can tell you that the game is very addictive, and one of the most fun music games I have played. However the question is should you import it?

Story - You play as your Mii character and you are on a mission. The mission is to build a baby Taiko Watadon. How do you build the baby? It's very simple you have to play music, and it will give it battery life. The story is simple, but since it's a music game it's not the strongest point.

Gameplay - Gamers that are familiar with the DJ Max series should feel right at home. The gameplay is simple and very addictive. Players will hold the Wii Mote sideways. Players will have to press the 1 and 2 button depending on the color red or blue. Time it right and you will get the points. Press 1 for Red and 2 for Blue. For such a simple gameplay you will not stop until you have the best score. With 70 songs to choose from, that includes J-Pop, Anime, Videogame themes and original works from Namco themselves. Players will surely have a lot of game time to master each song. Don't think that because the gameplay is simple that it's easy. In fact the game suggest that you start on Rookie level. As you start developing your skills, the songs get harder. It's a challenging game and you will have to be quick with the buttons.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics are very colorful. It has a Anime style and gives you the Japanese Pop culture feel to it. I also love the edition of your Mii's being incorporated in the game. The graphics also include the lyrics to the game on each song, so if you can read Japanese sing along. Overall the graphics do what it's suppose to do. It gives you a fun feel with style and cool art design.

Sound - A music game with horrible songs will ruin the game. However this game is not one of those games. The music is amazing! If you love J-pop music this is a must get. For the Otakus out there some songs you can play with is "Dragon Soul" and "Cruel Angel Thesis." Gamers will love to play with the theme from "Dragon Quest IX." With so many songs to play with, you will find yourself looking at Itunes to find them. The sound does not fail in any aspect. However there will be some songs that you will never play. But this game really delivers.

Replay Value - If you are like me and want to be a master. You will play every song, over and over until you have the top scores. You can also grab your friend and really have a ball. It's a great party game that all will return too.

Final Grade A+ - Do you love J-pop? Do you like a music game with an Anime style to it? Do you want something challeging that you can play over an over? Well this is the music game for you. Great music, great gameplay and very addictive. This is a really good import to get.

Wii Games You Might Never Play

Ever since I brought Mobile Suit Gundam 0079 for the Wii. I have been on Japanese Import mode. As I start hunting for my next import game. I came across some really great Wii games sadly you will never play. Is it true that Japan keeps all the good games to themselves? I'm really starting to think that this is the case. Check out some of my findings below.

The first game is called "Suzumiya Haruhi no Gekidou." This game is something my sister would play. I won't lie to you this game looks really fun. It's a fun music game. That I think many will enjoy.


The second game is "Fullmetal Alchemist: Daughter of the Dusk." This adventure game is made by Square Enix, just like the "Soul Eater" game it might never come to the states.


The third game is "Tales Of Graces." Yet another Tales game that Bess and myself won't get a chance to play.


The fourth game is "Daikaijyu Battle - Ultra Coliseum DX - Ultra Senshi Daishyuketsu" Good luck saying that really fast. This is a fighting game that I might enjoy.


The fifth game really blew me away. The game is called "Zangeki No Reginleiv." It's a action that looks great to play.


Remember a game called Battle Arena Toshinden? Well they have a new game simply called "Toshinden." I played this at a friends house and it's pretty good.

Fatal Frame IV: Mask Of The Lunar Eclipse Review

The Fatal Frame or Project Zero series, is one of the hidden gems in the survival horror genre. The series is known for being one of the scariest horror series in videogames. The first three games was released worldwide for the Playstation 2. However the fourth installment was for the Wii Japan only. Is this game worth the import or should you not take the ghost trip?

Story - Five girls are kidnapped by a suspected serial killer named Yo Haibara. He kidnaps them from their homes on an island called Rougetsu. A detective comes and saves the girls from their would be fate. Years later has passed and two out of the five girls die. The three survivors Ruka, Misaki and Madoka return to find out what has happen. They have no memories and hope that returning to the island will give them answers.

Gameplay - Unfortunately Fatal Frame IV gameplay is nothing new under the sun. With the fourth installment we were hoping for something different. However nothing much has changed except the setting, and the addition of motion control. Players will use the Wii Mote to control their flashlight. The Wii Nunchunk is used to control your player. The problem is sometimes the motion control is clunky. It takes long to respond and this gets annoying when using the Camera Obscura. Ghost battles can be difficult due to some control issues. However the scares deliver as usual. The ghost will freak you out. There are plenty of jump scares to go around. However if you play the previous installments you will start to know what scares will come. The ghost fights are pretty easy as long as you upgrade properly. There is shops where you by healing items and films to make you survive this trip. The gameplay is exactly the same with a few tweaks. Mission mode and the ability to save your pictures is still there. The new addition doll list allows you take pictures of 79 dolls. Taking pictures of all 79 will unlock costumes and new lenses. Veterans should have no problem with the gameplay.

Gameplay Video



Graphics - The graphics are probably one of the best on the Wii. It's also the best in the series. The dark hallways, the lighting of the candles and the ghost is the best yet. There were a few pixel issues I've seen, but it's nothing that will ruin the experience. The ghost looks more disturbing and haunting to ever. You will feel agitated as the environment works your nerves.

Sound - The sound is what makes Fatal Frame so disturbing. The echos of the ghost through hallways. Random objects falling around your area. Also Tsukiko Amano returns with another theme for the series. If you have this game on surround sounds it is pure amazing.

Replay Value - Unless you want to find all 79 dolls and completed the ghost list. Like most horror games the scares are a one trip thing.

Final Grade B- Fatal Frame IV is the fourth installment of the series. We were hoping for a new a direction. However if it's not broke don't fix it. The scares, graphics and sound is amazing. The clunky control is a little annoying but doesn't ruin the experience. If you have all three games I say import it. If you are looking for a true survival horror series then this game might be for you.

Disaster Day Of Crisis (Wii Import Review)

What happens when you combine "The Day After Tomorrow" and the Nintendo Wii? You get one hell of a disaster. Disaster in a good way not a bad way. Disaster Day Of Crisis is 2008 release in Europe, Japan and Australia. It was developed by Monolith Soft and published by Nintendo. Is this disaster worth the import? Or should you steer clear of the this storm?

Story - You play as Raymond Bryce an ex United States Marine and International Rescue member. The game begins with Ray and his friend Steve Hewitt on a resuce mission on a volcano. Sadly the volcano erupts and Ray and Steve must escape before time is up. Steve dies and Ray lives. This works great for characterization, because Ray will be haunted with this throughout the game. A year later Ray quits the rescue team. He is then called in by the FBI to aid them in stopping a former Marine group called Surge. Surge has their hands on some nukes and are planning to release it. Ray doesn't want anything to with it, until he finds out that Steve sister Lisa is in their hostage. While this happening natural disasters are taking place. Ray is having on hell of a 24 hours. The story works minus a few far fetch plot points. What you will enjoy about the story is how Ray deals with himself afte Steven's death. The story has great pacing and characterization.

Gameplay - This a very verstaile game. It has first person arcade shooting, driving, platforming and action. Most of the time you will play with Ray in the 3rd person. Using the Wii Mote with the Nunchuk you go on hell of a ride. The Nunchuk is used to move Ray. A button is to jump, B button is to sprint. C button is use to move the camera and in gun battles to zoom in. Z button is used to call out for help to find people who need to be rescue, also to clear your lungs. In gun battles Z is used to take cover. During the driving levels 1 is used to brake and 2 is used to accerlate. The gameplay works all around and it responds very well. There is also some really good quick time events that I won't spoil.

Ray also have to rescue people who are trapped. However rescuing is purely optional. I suggest it because you gain experience points for upgrades. The upgrading system works really well, depending on what you unlock Ray will be able to run faster, have more powerful guns and larger life bar. There also is a stamina gauge that you must watch at all times. When Ray's stamina is low his life energy will be slowly draining. It's best to have something in the inventory at all times. The A.I. in gun battles depending on your level is fairly easy. However the boss fights can be a little long if you don't have the right weapons. If you get stuck with only a pistol get ready for a long battle. The driving stages work really well and the motion sensor responds well to your commands. This was one well thought out game.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics was great to me. Why does the import games have the best graphics? The graphics are really up to Wii standards, you have to see it for yourself to see. I did find some of the natural disaster graphics not really that impressive. The acid rain didn't look good at all. There was no framerate issues and it was great to see a end of the world feel to it.

Sound - The soundtrack is AMAZING! I felt like I was in a real action movie playing this. There is this one track after the Tsunami hits that has so much emotion, you almost feel a connection to the people suffering in this game. Whoever did the soundtrack really did a hell of job.

Replay Value - This game is a ride you want to take again. Once you unlock everything you might want to try it on the harder mode. It's a great ride and a different game.

Final Grade B+ - Disaster Day Of Crisis gets a well deserved B+. The game has a little shortcomings in the story, but it has great gameplay and is very fun to enjoy. I say import it because it's a sleeping gem.

Soul Eater Monotone Princess (Wii Import Review)

Why do some Anime games suck so bad? Correction with exception of "Ghost In The Shell" and some "DBZ" games. Anime games have not lived up to expectation in the gaming world. I manage to play Soul Eater Monotone Princess for the Wii. It was released 2008 in Japan, with no signs of a release date in USA. Should you sell your soul to play this game?

Story - I don't understand Japanese so here is the description from PlayAsia.com

Wandering souls, the time for salvation has come.” the strange man declared to the crowd in the dead of the night. And all who have attended this meeting disappeared. A mass disappearance of people is prompting action from the death angel academy as the teacher has assigned the task of investigating the case to his students. However, upon investigating the incident, Mako and her friends came upon white, masked creatures and agents who have been gathering souls. Predators usually devour souls they have gathered, but these agents who called themselves hatchers of the demon's egg are gathering them for unknown purposes. Soon, our beloved cast realized that the scheme behind the agents and the appearance of the white masks are far more dangerous than any other assignments the academy has ever set for them.

Gameplay - The gameplay is truly a headache. I have no idea what Square Enix was trying to do. The A button is used to attack with one of your three characters. You can use Maka Albarn, Death the Kid & Black Star. Each character has a different wide range of attacks. By using the pressing the A button and the Wii more you will do a special move. The Z button is control the camera angle, but good luck doing that. The camera angles in this game are horrendous too me. It doesn't respond well and good luck when it comes to battles, because it's a chore getting the camera angles to work. The B button is used to locked on the enemy, this actually works well unless you're fighting multiple enemies, because with the camera angle will not show you who is coming behind you. The A.I. is joke, especially in the earlier missions. The enemies just stand there and let you hit them. The boss fights range from easy, to normal and some are hard. However it's not really challenging and the missions are repetitive. A warning to those who don't know Japanese. The game is heavy on dialogue and really drags the game. I must've of been waiting for 10 minutes just to play the next mission. I was pressing the A button for a while to skip dialogue. Overall the gameplay is repetitve, clunky and just boring.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics on Soul Eater looks like it could of been on the PSP. The graphics are average at best. I wouldn't even consider it Gamecube stature. There are no lag issues, but there are a lot of pixel images. I just didn't like how they try to capture the Soul Eater world.

Sound - The sound is really good. They make use of the original Japanese voice cast and have a great opening song. The music is cool but nothing special.

Replay Value - Unless you are a die hard Soul Eater fan, this game is only a one trip ride.

Final Grade D+ Soul Eater Monotone Princess gets a D+. This game is just to boring, frustrating and clunky. This is a game strictly for the die hard fans. I found the import price at 30 dollars, but play at your own risk.

Mobile Suit Gundam: MS Sensen 0079 (Wii Import Review)

At last I have return back to my true gamer form. I' am happy to say that I have returned back to playing Japanese imports. This is the first import I have brought in ten years since Dragonball GT. I was originally looking for Fatal Frame 4 which is only a Japan release. However I couldn't find it, so I brought Mobile Suit Gundam: MS Sensen 0079. I'm a huge Anime Mech fan and I love Gundam so I knew I would enjoy it. However Gundam games have a history of sucking. Is this the case for this game?

Story - The story follows the events of the year U.C. 0079. That is the first Gundam, Gundam 0079 and the 08th MS team. You won't play the game as the main characters. However you play as new recruits for either the Earth Federation Forces or Zeon Forces. Since I don't understand Japanese I can't give you the full core of the story. However the cut scenes are just mission briefings.

Gameplay - This game is a First Person Mech Simulation. It plays similar to many FPS on the Wii. You will control the mobile suits with both Wii Mote and the Nunchuck's. The Wii Mote is used to aim and shoot. Aim with the Wii Mote and press B to shoot. The A button brings out your Gundam beam weaponry sword. When you use this swing your Wii Mote up, down, left or right. If the Zeon scum also have their sword and attack at the same time, you will engage in a tug of war. Simply shake the Wii Mote as fast you can to win. The Z button is used to jump or speed up with your thrusters. The C button is used to lock on to your enemies. The d-pad is used to zoom into your enemies. Finally the 1 button is used to command your squad in nine different formations.

The missions can get very repetitive, however it is very fun. The missions usually involved you doing a few things, protecting convoy, other pilots or destroying Zeon fighters or locations. This doesn't mean that the game is easy. Actually the levels can get very challenging. This is why it's important to know the formation and where to send your team. There is also a cool underwater level in this game. The A.I. ranges from smart to dumb. Some Zeon pilots just stand there and let you shoot them. Then on the other hand the A.I. plans and execute very well, to give you a mission failed. In addition to the story mode, there is an ace pilot mode where you play as the Gundam characters such as Amuro and Shiro. Finally this wouldn't be a mech game without customization. You are able to customize your Gundam from colors, weapons and even change mobile suits. However you must earn enough points in the missions to buy. I suggest you get a B or higher like I did.

Gameplay Video


Graphics - The graphics are pretty impressive. The Gundams and Zeons look wonderful. It makes me wonder if Japan keeps all the good games to themselves. There is a few texture issues on some levels, however it's nothing that would ruin your experience. I had no framerate problems. I only wish that the map was a little bigger on some levels.

Sound - The sound is straight from the Anime. From the engine's and some of the voice actors. The music has a great Gundam feel and really makes you feel like you are apart of the anime. Put this game on surround sound and your neighbors will be calling the cops.

Replay Value - This is a fun game to play. The additions of Ace Pilot Mode and the ability to play with the Zeon Forces will keep you going.

Final Grade B+ - The Final Grade is a B+. This actually a fun Gundam game. Good controls, great modes and great sound. However I wish the maps were bigger and some missions are repetitive. Is it worth the high price import? I brought it for 50 bucks if you can find it cheaper than suit up.