Yakuza Black Panther footage

Somewhere deep in this Japanese madness is ingame footage of Yakuza Black Panther for the PSP.

One clip shows off a two player battle mode that looks a lot like a fighting game and another shows off one of the hostesses doing her thing. The graphics look really good for a PSP game, check it out!

Yakuza 3 DLC coming to PSN for a fee


Amazon has posted a list of downloadable PSN items coming this Tuesday. In that list, there was Yakuza 3 “Challenge Pack.” This is the DLC that was given away if you pre-ordered the game.

“This bonus Challenge Pack will allow you to enjoy 2-player mini games, competing against your friends at Pool, Bowling, Darts and Golf. You will also be able to customize the principle characters with four alternative costumes for Kazuma, Haruka and Rikiya. (A Completed game save file required to access some of this content.)

Only issue? Its not free, they will be charging $3.99 for it. All this content was free for Japan, not so much (unless you pre-ordered) for us in the West. Feels good man.

[Source: Amazon]

SoJ Renews Phantasy Star Online 2 Domain


Seems Valkyria Chronicles 3 isn’t the only potential sequel SEGA has registered a domain for. According to PSO World, Sega of Japan has also registered PSO2.jp.

While this has only been recently reported, it seems this is actually old news. I past the domain’s whois entry by my good pal Kichigai, the girl who, along with her mother, helped translate NiGHTSintoDreams.com’s Yuji Naka interview. It seems the domain was first registered last year; meaning that this isn’t a simple renewal of a URL SEGA has had for years. With strong hints from SEGA that they are planning something for classic game’s tenth anniversary, might we be seeing a sequel announced at some point in the future?

Border Break Air Burst ver.02 also announced

OK, third and last update of a newly announced arcade title. I swear, don’t hit me. This one is for Border Break, everyone loves Border Break, right?

Below is the announcement trailer for the new game. Looks pretty sweet. Would make a great console game, right?

Initial D Stage 6 announced (not shocked)


Another Initial D game has been announced, this time its Initial D Stage 6. You guys keeping track?

I actually don’t know much information on this game, so I will say it will be an upgrade to part 5. Isn’t it great? I hope they have the real life size cars for it as a cabinet. Would rock.

[Thanks: Suzuki Yu]

Shining Force Cross: Raid announced

SEGA is beefing up their line up for JAMMA this year, they started it off by announcing 3 new titles. This one is one of those titles. Its a ‘expansion’ version of Shining Force Cross, only this one adds another word to the title. Raid!

This title is going to have more levels, more weapons, more items and new characters to play as. We won’t get to play it, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

[Thanks: Suzuki Yu]
[Product Page]

Yakuza PSP getting a TV Show and Manga

SEGA will be airing a 11 part TV show adaptation of its Yakuza PSP game and will have the same name as the game, “Black Panther: New Yakuza Chapter.” The show will air after K-On, a anime that SEGA is turning into a PSP game.

The show will begin airing on October 5th and after its run it will be available on the Playstation Network to rent. Most likely Japan only.

If that was not enough there will also be a Manga adaptation drawn by Yukai Asada. SEGA calls the Manga “Kurohyou,” on their press release. The series will start being serialized on September 18th via Weekly Young Magazine (Issue 42).

[Source: AndriaSang]

GamesTM Magazine Goes Cover Crazy

The SEGA europe blog has just (as in a few minutes ago) announced that European magazine GamesTM is celebrating their 100th issue by releasing 100 alternate covers to represent their list of the top 100 video games. Of course, SEGA is on the list, so we can expect 12 covers to represent our favorite company. See the other six covers after the jump.

Shining Hearts coming out this winter

The game is hitting Japanese store shelves on December 2nd for ¥6,279 ($74).

If you pre-order it you get a pirate fan disc that will include a soundtrack with song samples, voice collection, PC and PSP wallpapers, and a high resolution video of the game’s opening cinematic. Sorry, no Disney movie starring Johnny Depp.

This is the part in the article where I write “This is a fake Shining game, this is a fake Shining game.”

[Source: AndriaSang via: SegaShiro]

SEGA teases Yakuza announcement


If you are going to tease something on the launch of the Dreamcast, it best be Dreamcast related. SEGA has updated their site and said there is follow up information on September 9th. Hopefully its a title for the game or maybe that its really Shenmue 3. That would work.

Whatever it is, we will get back to you on the 9th with some Dreamcast articles and Yakuza news.

[Source: AndriaSang]

Phantasy Portable 2: Infinity scans and info

Just like I predicted before, Phantasy Star Portable 2: Infinity is going to be an updated version of Phantasy Star Portable 2. The new game will have a extended story that will introduce a new character named Nagisa. She is part of the new race called Dyunmans, the game’s fifth selectable race.

Every race is going to be getting new outfits in the upcoming expansion. SEGA is also introducing the character reincarnation system, it will let players reset their character’s level and build up other stats. The game will also feature ‘Infinity Mode’, a harder difficultly settling.

Infinity will also have a visual lobby, cell phone style text input system, screenshot utility, and a tag mode mission code sharing thing. It says that there will be about 1.5x more content than Phantasy Star Portable 2. Damn, just bring this west and cancel PSP2!

More scans after the jump!

Yakuza PSP lets you collect cats and Idol cards


Early in Black Panther: New Yakuza Chapter (prologue) a man will ask you to find him 101 cats. So when you play the game, you will be able to hear cats, if you investigate and find them. You can bring them back to their owner and get a cash reward. Feels good not punching someone in the face for money!

As for Idol cards, when you are walking around Kamurocho you will be approached by Idol managers who want to promote their upcoming Idols. They will give you promo cards, each Idol has 6 cards. Each Idol is a real girl, who are also trying to become an Idol in real life. Sounds a bit sexy.

[Source: Andriasang]

Sonic Colors introduces multiplayer mode?


Amazon.com has posted some in-game screenshots of the upcoming Sonic Colors on their product page. All well and good, but what is up with the picture above?

Some say it could be co-op mode, others think its time trial. I think it might be a 2 player racing mode, in the vain of Sonic 2’s multiplayer mode. Should have just switched red Sonic to Tails. But then people would complain its not ‘Sonic only’.

[Thanks: Dr. SEGA Monkey ]

Is Yakuza coming to an end?

This was in the newest issue of Famitsu, teasing ‘The End’ to the Yakuza franchise? Maybe its just teasing what the upcoming title will revolve around. Maybe it will have destructible environments?

It could be anything, I just hope that SEGA does not pull a Hideo Kojima with this series and start teasing the same promises with every title (wasn’t his last MGS title like 3 titles ago?).

We shall see at TGS next month. How exciting.

[Thanks: Suzuki Yu]

Valkyria Chronicles II story trailer

1935 was the year of Gallia in Valkyria Chronicles. Valkyria Chronicles II brings Gallia into yet another battle. This time it is a battle against the Gassenarl family in the year 1937. Students from the Lanseal Royal Military Academy have to step up and protect their homeland in battle because the forces of Gallia are already stretched thin from other battles.

The trailer also displays a release date of August 31st, 2010.