A R C A D E   /   M U L T I

- The Dengeki Console Ranking Top 50 Chart is updated, this week's best selling game is Spike's PS2 action adventure game Samurai, sold 85,498 units. Sega's Virtua Fighter 4 has sold another 75,000+ units, the total sales surpassed 412,000 units. Other new games in the chart include Hoshigami at #4, Shiren Mysterious Dungeons Gaiden: Asukaken at #6 and Smash Court Professional Tournament at #9.

- Sega Rosso announced that they will exhibit the latest arcade game Soul Surfer at the upcoming AOU2002 Expo, the game will be released in arcade this summer.

- Konami of Japan has announced the 3rd quarter results (October 1 - December 31, 2001). The total sales in the period has reached 72.883 billion yen, a 31.8% increase from the same period of previous year. The increase in sales is attributed by strong sales of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Winning Eleven 5 Final Edition for PS2 and the Yugioh Duel Monster series.

- Sega of Japan announced that they will host a new game festival in Japan called GameJam 2 in Japan on March 30 and 31 at the Tokyo International Forum. Sega will be showing previews of their upcoming game titles for PlayStation 2, GameCube, XBox, GameBoy Advance and PC; Sega has confirmed there will be special events for Sakura Taisen and Sonic Advance, game tournaments will also be available. The Admission for GameJam 2 is free.

- Sega WOW Entertainment has confirmed that they will be showing a new Naomi keyboarding arcade game Lupin the 3rd The Typing at the AOU 2002 Amusement Expo on February 23. The game is planned for an April release in arcade. The game is based on the classic TV animated cartoon series, the game supports up to 2 players simultaneously, and it is possible to select either Kanzi or Roman character input method.

P L A Y S T A T I O N   2

- Here are some screen shots of Sony's Everybody's Golf Online for PlayStation 2. (from GPara)

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- Capcom has released some new screen shots of their multiplatform online game Biohazard Network, the images were released at the Sony PS2 Broadband announcement in Japan. (from GPara)

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- Sony has revealed a new PlayStation 2 online RPG called Project Venus, which seems to be a sequel to Namco's Seven: Lacemorse's Cavalry Corps, which was released on December 2000. (from GPara)

- Here is a screen shot of Koei's first PlayStation 2 online war simulation game Nobunaga's Ambition Online. (from GPara)

- From Software is working on a new PlayStation 2 online robot combat action game Armored Core Sigma. (from GPara)

- Hudson is planning to release a PlayStation 2 version of their online action game Bomberman Online, it is still unconfirmed whether the game is based on the Dreamcast version or a brand new version. (from GPara)

- Here is a screen shot of Namco's unnamed PlayStation 2 online flight shooting game, could this be a new installment of Ace Combat? (from GPara)

- Here are some new PlayStation 2 preview videos from Sony:

Onimusha 2 (Capcom) Release: March 7 Preview Movie #1: Dialup, LAN or DSL Preview Movie #2: Dialup, LAN or DSL	Real Bass Fishing Top Angler (Sims) Release: March 7 Preview Movie: Dialup, LAN or DSL
Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht (Namco) Release: February 28 Preview Movie: Dialup, LAN or DSL	Wild Arms Advanced 3rd (Sony) Release: March 14 Preview Movie: Dialup, LAN or DSL

- Konami announced the worldwide shipment of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty for PlayStation 2 has reached 4.5 millions. An addition of 1.57 million units are shipped to Europe, the Euro version will be on sale on March 8. The Metal Gear Solid series will exceed 11 million units worldwide after the game is released in Europe. The Euro version will have 5 selectable languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

- Capcom has held an announcement in Japan two days ago, for the completion of the development of Onimusha 2 for PlayStation 2. The game is scheduled for release in Japan on March 7. The producer said "It was a relief because it is completed at last. The game was possible to produce with a wonder team of staffs and creators.". Capcom hinted that there is a hidden Detective Story by Matsuda Masaru in the game.

- Capcom will release the PSone version of Capcom Vs SNK Pro in Japan on April 18, for 3800 yen. The PSone version is identical to the Dreamcast version of Capcom Vs SNK Pro, featuring two the addition of Dan Hibiki and Joe Higashi, and all the hidden characters are immediately playable (Morrigan, Nakoruru, Evil Ryu, Riot Blood Iori).

- Square will release a music album for Final Fantasy X, called Final Fantasy X: Piano Collection in Japan on February 20, for 2854 yen. There will be 15 sound tracks from the game, rearranged in piano tunes by Square's composer Masashi Hamauzu. Here is a list of song:

• With Zanarkand
• Theme of Tidus
• Besaid Island
• Song of Prayer
• Travelling Company
• Theme of Rikku
• Guadosaram
• Thunder Plain
• Attack
• Purgatorial Road
• It is Wonderful
• Determination of Yuna
• Trap in Extreme North
• The Final Battle
• Ending Theme

- After last year's Axis, Namco announced another new CG animated cartoon called Keina, which is scheduled to release in the market in the Autumn, a PlayStation 2 game title based on Keina will be released around the same time.

- Eidos has released new screen shots of the next generation's Lara Croft adventure game Tomb Raider, the game will utilize a brand new game engine to allow more complex animation and action. (From IGN)

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X B O X

- Microsoft will be holding an XBox Experience event in Tokyo on February 19 to 21, at the Shibuya QFront building. Microsoft will be showing several playable Japanese XBox game titles, including Genma Onimusha, Double S.T.E.A.L., Metal Dungeons, Halo, Nobunaga's Ambition, Air Force Delta II and so on. In addition, there will be game tournaments, and give-aways of XBox souvenirs, free concert and snowboarding tickets.

- Tecmo announced a nationwide Dead or Alive 3 Velocity King Tournament in Japan, at 89 nationwide GameShop locations. The tournament will take place on February 16 and 17. The high ranking winners will receive the XBox Special Edition, DOA3 Mousepad, XBox stickers and strap. The "Velocity King" of the DOA3 tournament will also receive a complete set of "super-gorgeous DOA3 goods", including shop distribution posters and DOA3 sound tracks.

- Microsoft announced that they will release the Japanese version of the hit first person shooter Halo for XBox in Japan on April 25, for 6800 yen.

G A M E C U B E

- Nintendo and Tsutaya will be holding a GameCube Expo on February 16 at Shibuya Tsutaya in Japan, they will be showing several upcoming GameCube titles, including Biohazard and Doshin the Giant. Nintendo has also announced that Capcom's Biohazard producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi and other Nintendo reps will be making presentations in the GameCube Expo.