Katamari Damacy 2 :P

[EnemyZero]

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/568/568997p1.html looky looky

[Querjek]

Let us thank all American consumers for showing Namco that odd Japanese games can survive in America!

[yok-dfa]

Does anyone know if they are also going to release a PAL version of it (either part 1 or 2)?

[drummy]

That better come out, because #1 was friggin' awesome.

[atomicthumbs]

Let us thank all American consumers for showing Namco that odd Japanese games can survive in America!

No kidding. I really wish that they would release more of the crazy shit that ends up being exclusive to Japan.

[Habeeb Hamusta]

Damn I still haven't played the first yet. Looks like great fun.

[kainemaxwell]

IGN forum posters have some cool ideas for KD2:
http://boards.ign.com/message.asp?to...&ui=cb_post_02

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Good, maybe this will get even MORE companies to try some of thier stuff out here in america.

[shai hulud]

i thought the "Fresh Games" label (Mad Maestro, Mister Mosquito, R Type Final, and that crappy golf game for GC) would bring out more of these types of games, but it seems those games did worse than i expected.

[Ed Oscuro]

Who was saying that Sony stifles innovation?

...um

[Aussie2B]

Let us thank all American consumers for showing Namco that odd Japanese games can survive in America!

Nothing about that article suggested a US release of the sequel, so I wouldn't get too excited about it just yet (unless you'd be open to importing; I know I would, but I sure most here wouldn't). The Japan and US game industries are pretty separate financially, so I doubt US sales played a large role in the decision to create another sequel for the Japanese market. However, hopefully the US sales are convincing enough to get Namco of America to localize the sequel.

[Ed Oscuro]

The Japan and US game industries are pretty separate financially, so I doubt US sales played a large role in the decision to create another sequel for the Japanese market.

Er...didn't anybody tell you? The Japanese game market has been going south for quite a while now, and lots of developers are saying that if nothing else they need to focus on the U.S. now more than anything.

Besides that...maybe I understand what you're saying? Not sure.

[Aussie2B]

I'd say, if anything, Japan is starting to recover from its economic slump. It definitely seems better than it used to be.

Anyway, yeah, in some ways Japan is focusing on the US more, what with the simultaneous releases (and in some cases releases in the US before Japan), but the statement that the industries remain mostly separate financially is true.

[zmweasel]

i thought the "Fresh Games" label (Mad Maestro, Mister Mosquito, R Type Final, and that crappy golf game for GC) would bring out more of these types of games, but it seems those games did worse than i expected.

Mad Maestro and Mister Mosquito bombed because they initially retailed for $50, which was absurd, and because Eidos didn't know how to market them. The golf game bombed in part because third-party GC games don't sell well. Legaia 2 bombed because it was a crappy sequel to a mediocre RPG. R-Type Final did okay, considering it's of a hardcore-only genre, because Eidos got the price point right ($30, unless I'm "misremembering").

-- Z.

[Sosage]

i($30, unless I'm "misremembering").

I'm pretty sure that you aren't "misremembering". I know I paid 29.99 when it came out.

[shai hulud]

i thought the "Fresh Games" label (Mad Maestro, Mister Mosquito, R Type Final, and that crappy golf game for GC) would bring out more of these types of games, but it seems those games did worse than i expected.

Mad Maestro and Mister Mosquito bombed because they initially retailed for $50, which was absurd, and because Eidos didn't know how to market them. The golf game bombed in part because third-party GC games don't sell well. Legaia 2 bombed because it was a crappy sequel to a mediocre RPG. R-Type Final did okay, considering it's of a hardcore-only genre, because Eidos got the price point right ($30, unless I'm "misremembering").

-- Z.

i must say those are all good points.