P L A Y S T A T I O N   2

- UNCONFIRMED: Square has set the release date of their PlayOnline RPG Final Fantasy XI, the game is scheduled for release on April 27, for 6800 yen. The PlayOnline and the FFXI servers will be free of charge for the first two months, after that there will be a monthly fee of 500 yen for accessing the Final Fantasy XI server. A rumor also suggests that Final Fantasy XI can be played without the PS2 HDD, and it is also compatible with narrowband connection (56K modem).

- Takara will release Armored Solider J-Phoenix: Burst Tactics for PlayStation 2 in Japan in April, the sequel of their last year's popular mech combat action game.

Namco will release Alpine Racer 3 for PlayStation 2 in Japan on March 28 for 6800 yen, a skiing and snowboarding game ported over from arcade, during the game you can perform ground tricks and air tricks, each of the playable character also have variable abilities. A special course named Cyber Trick Monster is also included in the game, which is specifically designed for tricks. The PS2 port also feature an original character named Chelsea Amery, who dislikes skiing, wonder how she will be doing in the game?!

Additional Images (12)

- Team Craze is working on a new sound novel game for PlayStation 2, which will be published by Victor Interactive in Japan in May, for 5800 yen. The details of the game will be revealed later in the month.

- Here are some new screen shots of Atlus' PlayStation RPG Shin Megami Tensei II, scheduled to release in March for 4800 yen. This is a remake of the original Super Famicom version in 1994. The game takes place in "Tokyo Millennium", you play as a boy named Aref, who lost his memory to the devil. Atlus is planning to bundle the specially made Kazuma Kaneko's Shin Megami Tensei trading cards with the game, there are 3 sets of set, it is not possible to obtain these cards elsewhere.

Additional Images

A R C A D E   /   M U L T I

- The Dengeki Console Game Top 50 Chart is updated, this week's top selling game is Koei's S.RPG Sangokushi Senki, sold 65,607 units, followed by Sega's Virtua Fighter 4 and Spike's Samurai. Other new games in the chart include Sega's Space Channel 5 Part 2 and Virtua Striker 3 Ver. 2002, Square's Hanjuku Eiyuu, and Konami's Age of Empire II.

- Konami announced they will release Jikkyou World Soccer 2002 for PS2, GameCube and XBox in Japan on May 16, for 6800 yen.

Here are some new screen shots of Sammy / Arc System Works' arcade fighting game Guilty Gear XX. There are a total of 4 new characters in the game: Slayer, Bridget (Yoyo), I-No, and Zappa. Slayer is the decendant of the vampire; Bridget is a guy who brought up by his family as a girl; Zappa uses the evil spirit inside his body to battle; and I-No is a mystery guitar player and fighter who likes to mess up the guys. (Source: Impress Game Watch)

Additional Images (16)

- RUMOR: Back in the Square Millennium announcement in 2000, Square has announced the development of a new arcade online RPG, sources from Japan indicating Square and Sega are working together to bring the online RPG Final Fantasy XI to arcade. The arcade version will be the same as the PS2 version, players will require to purchase a memory card for data storage, and you can resume the game from any arcade locations.

D R E A M C A S T

- Capcom will release the Dreamcast version of Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs Zion DX on April 11, for 6800 yen. The game will feature 2 GD-ROMs, the first disc contains the original arcade game Mobile Suit Gundam: Federation Vs Zion, the second disc contains the upgraded DX version of the game.

G A M E C U B E

- Sega will release Eternal Arcadia (Skies of Arcadia in US) for GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Japan on May 10, for 5800 yen.

- A Japanese game retailer mentioned that Nintendo will release 1080 Degree II for GameCube in Japan on May 16, the second installment of their popular snowboarding game. The GameCube version of Kuru Kuru Kirby 2 is also scheduled for a May 24 release, the game will have linkup feature with the GameBoy Advance version.

- Here are some new screen shots of Tomy's GameCube battle game Zoids VS., scheduled to release in Japan this summer. The game is based on the TV animation series Zoids, during the battles you can use different strategies like the stealth function and combo attacks. After defeating the enemies you will earn battle points, which can be used to improve the parameter of your character. It is also possible to customize the parts of your Zoid, there are over 40 characters and 20 stages in the game.

Additional Images

X B O X

- Capcom has released new details on their original XBox mech simulation game "Brain Box", the game is now officially titled Tekki. The content of the game is a mission based strategy simulation game, in which you destory the enemy targets. A special controller is also planned for a simultaneous release with the game, which is 3 times the length of the XBox console, and have over 40-buttons, 2 control levels, gear levers, tuner dials, toggle switches and indicator leds.

Additional Images

- Mitsumi Electric announced that they will increase the production of the XBox controller by 30% from 1 million to 1.3 million a month, in their two Malaysia factories.

H A N D H E L D S

- Bandai announced Mobile Suit Gundam Vol. 3 A Baoa Qu for WonderSwan Color, the 3rd installment of the popular Gundam simulation game, the game is scheduled for a May release in Japan, for 4980 yen.

- RUMOR: Nintendo is planning to release a new version of GameBoy Advance this summer, called GameBoy Advance Plus, details of the new version is not available, but there are suggestions that the GameBoy Advance Plus will have adjustable contrast and brightness, and may have a built-in back light.