A R C A D E   /   M U L T I

- The Dengeki Console Chart is updated, this week Capcom's Onimusha 2 has sold over 644,500 units, Sega's Let's Make J. League Pro Soccer Club 2002 has also sold over 236,000 units. Namco's Xenosaga Episode 1 has dropped back to the third place, the total sales have reached 349,819 units.

- Here are the latest Japanese game review scores, GameCube's Biohazard got the highest score of the bunch - 10, 9, 10, 10 (39 / 40):

GameCube
Biohazard (Capcom, Action Adventure) - 39 / 40

PlayStation 2
EX Game of Life (Takara, Table) - 22 / 40
Haruka 2: Romance of Eternity (Koei, Simulation) - 27 / 40
Idadaki Street 3 (Enix, Table) - 32 / 40
I'm a Supervisor Vol. 2 Pennant Race (Enix, Simulation) - 26 / 40
Kanon (Nec Interchannel, Adventure) - 29 / 40
Let's Make the J. League Pro Soccer Club 2002 (Sega, Simulation) - 34 / 40
Onimusha 2 (Capcom, Action Adventure) - 36 / 40
Real Bass Fishing Top Angler (Sims, Sports) - 25 / 40
Salt Lake 2002 (Eidos, Sports) - 25 / 40
Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht (Namco, RPG) - 33 / 40

XBox
Kabuki Warrior (Genki, Fighting) - 20 / 40

Dreamcast
Milky Season (Kid, Simulation) - 27 / 40
Weakness Hero Torauman (Forty Five, Simulation) - 26 / 40

GameBoy Advance
Estpolis Gaiden: The Ruins of Silence (Taito, RPG) - 29 / 40

H A N D H E L D S

- Nec Interchannel is working on a GameBoy Advance version of their popular simulation RPG called Black Matrix Zero, scheduled to release in Japan in May, for 5800 yen. This game is a prequel of the Black / Matrix series, the story takes place several hundred years ago before Black / Matrix part 1. In this world there are 3 races, the White Angels, Dark Angels and Human. In Black Matrix Zero you play as a human boy named Cardi, whose his best friend Mardia were kidnapped by the angels, and he were serious injured. Fortuneately another group of angels saved his life by transplanting a pair of angel wings into his body. Cardi started his journey to rescue his best friend. The battle system is similar to the series, but the Time Magic system will be removed. Before the game begins, you can choose to stand in the side of the White Angels or Dark Angels, the choice will greatly affect the story and events in the quest.

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- RUMOR: More news on Square's subsidiary Game Developer Studios' new game titles for GameBoy Advance. The producer mentioned a new title based on the TV anime series Final Fantasy Unlimited is under development, the game will have linkup features between GameBoy Advance and GameCube.

- Nintendo has released brand new screen shots of their GameBoy Advance RPG - Pocket Monster Advance (Pokemon Advance), the game is scheduled for release by the end of the year. The game will feature a total of 350 Pokemons, including all 151 Pokemon from Pokemon Red/Blue/Green/Yellow, and 100 from Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal. There will be 100 brand new Pokemon, a number of these will be introduced in the upcoming Pokemon movie in Japan this summer..... (From: IGN Pocket)

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P L A Y S T A T I O N   2

- Square announced the PS2 Final Fantasy XI Beta testing will be ending on April 26. The beta test users will be able to keep their ID, password, PlayOnline Mail address and Password, Handle name and profile, and Friend List; these date will be transfer to the production version. For Final Fantasy XI, beta test users can keep one character they created and used in the beta version, those who have two or more characters should delete all the unused characters. Other data such as mail, address book, messages will be deleted from the PlayOnline server.

- Square announced the Euro version of Final Fantasy X for PS2 will be released on May 31, the Euro version will contain all the extra features from Final Fantasy X International, including the new side story, new bosses, preview of Kingdom Hearts, interviews with producers and voice actors.

Yuna in FFX

Tidus's voice actor - James Arnold Taylor Yuna's voice actress - Hedy Burress

- Titus / Virgin Interactive are working on a PlayStation 2 medieval action fighting game called Barbarian, scheduled for release in June, the game features 3D battle arenas, each with interactive objects similar to Capcom's Power Stone. The game also features RPG-like elements, such that you can use points you received to strength your character's attributes. (Source: PlayStation.Com)

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- Here are some new screens of Infogrames' PlayStation 2 rally racing game V-Rally 3. This time each vehicle are comprised of 15000 - 16000 polygons each, dirt will accumulate on the car body. There will be 24 race tracks, equally divided across six countries: Finland, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and Kenya. Each race track will be have animated segments and background elements that can break apart when the cars run into them. (Source: SCEE)

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D R E A M C A S T

- Microcabin will release a Dreamcast action puzzle game called Tako - Marinade's Octopus in Japan on May 16, for 3980 yen. In the game you play as the little girl Marinade, to rescue the town people who were trapped inside a jar. There are 4 gigantic stages in the jar, each stage is divided into many areas, you will receive help from the Octopus fairy inside the jar.

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X B O X

- Sega Hitmaker has revealed new details on their XBox action racing game Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller. This time the entire game will take place in the town of night - Glitter Oasis of Las Vegas, the whole stage will be taking place in the night time.  There will be 4 new drivers in the game, including Mrs. Venus, Dynamic, Campy and BixbiteZax. Other features like group passengers will return to the game, and each passenger will have different reactions. There will be a series of mini games like in Crazy Taxi 2. Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller is scheduled for release this summer, the game is currently 40% completed.

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M U L T I

- Midway announced that there will be 3 new characters in the upcoming MK fighting game Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, they are Blind Kenshi, Malvado and Drahmin. The remaining are returning characters from the previous series, include: Raiden, Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, Reptile, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Jax, Sonya, Kitana and Cyrax.

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