Japanese Niche Games Deals Thread: Atlus, NISA, Aksys, XSeed and More!

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The following thread are for niche-based Japanese video games by smaller companies such as Atlus, NIS America, AKSYS, XSEED, D3 Publisher, KOEI/TECMO, SNK Playmore, Ignition, Natsume or any sweet deals for those who are passionate and hardcore about Japanese video games even from the bigger companies like SquareEnix, Sega, Bandai Namco, etc.

But to avoid any messiness of links everywhere, we'll focus on games within the last 2-3 years as opposed to the last five-ten. [although, if you do see older titles on sale, please post them regardless].

The theme of these deals are Japanese video games distributed in the US by the smaller niche companies. The thread is literally for those who love Japanese games. There will be a few Korean games that you may see on this list, such as the "DJ Max" games.

If you see a deal, please post!

NOTE: Please check the most recent page for the latest deals.

And I want to thank many of you in advance who submit their deals and their support!!!
 
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I just received my Steel Princess from gohastings. Like arcane93, my copy has the cover artwork sticking out at the bottom and slightly torn around the two bottom corners of the spine of the case. It does have a mini poster tugged away behind the cover artwork though :)

Interestingly, my copy seems like a store copy with a sensormatic security tag and a few layers of markdown price stickers on it. Perhaps it's a launch copy sent to one of their stores but nobody wanted it over the years.
 
Still, for that price for "Steel Princess", you can't go wrong. I bought it for $16 I think but at $4.99 + the few bucks for shipping, it's not bad.
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Just a reminder if anyone is into Japanese gaming and are in Southern California, Anime Expo 2011 is really trying something different and doing almost like a mini-E3 for Japanese video game publishers.

SquareEnix will have their Wakfu MMORPG panel on Friday and also participants will get a closed beta key
Aksys Games panel is on Saturday (their hinting on a big reveal) - And throughout the event they will have BlazBlue: Continuum Shift and Arcanda Heart 3 tournaments.
Idea Factory's panel is on Sunday as the director and character designer of "Agarest War" will talk about the making of the game.

There is more but I'm trying to get things packed before I travel to LA. Man, my feet are still recovering from E3. Lol....
 
A couple Gamestops in the area have Hyperdimension Neptunia in-stock (used of course) for $49.99. I haven't really paid much attention to it, but I kind of want to go and get it.
 
Here are some of the deals at Anime Expo 2011 right now (last day is tomorrow):

XSEED (only takes cash - I was hoping they had some card scanner...)

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Aksys Games booth

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For those who wanted to know the latest games coming out from Aksys, here is a video I shot on a Flip (so, quality is not the greatest) yesterday from AX2011.
 
[quote name='kndy']For those who wanted to know the latest games coming out from Aksys, here is a video I shot on a Flip (so, quality is not the greatest) yesterday from AX2011.[/QUOTE]

Oh, god. I'm torn on the second one, but I owe Aksys a bit. I'll probably pick them both up on their release days.

Thanks for the video.
 
Not sure if this has been reported in this thread or not, but today I picked up Atelier Rorona for $20 and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey for $9 from Best Buy's clearance bin. YMMV, of course.
 
[quote name='Mossygirl']Not sure if this has been reported in this thread or not, but today I picked up Atelier Rorona for $20 and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey for $9 from Best Buy's clearance bin. YMMV, of course.[/QUOTE]

Rorona for $20 And SMT for $9. Wow! I was there yesterday, should have checked. Instead I was going through Toys R' Us sale...
 
is Record of Agarest War Zero worth playing? my local BB has the LE for 49.99, saw it sunday night when i was picking up New Vegas.

Thinking about going and picking it up, i can't find any real video reviews or anything on it, looks like a strategy RPG which i dig.
 
IIRC EU only has the LE, there is no regular edition. Although, they did obviously edit the page removing the LE info from it...

Damn cheap, if you're willing to take the chance >.
 
[quote name='styl3s']is Record of Agarest War Zero worth playing? my local BB has the LE for 49.99, saw it sunday night when i was picking up New Vegas.

Thinking about going and picking it up, i can't find any real video reviews or anything on it, looks like a strategy RPG which i dig.[/QUOTE]

I haven't played it for that long, but I do like it. However, if you liked the first one you will like the 2nd one. Its essentially the same game from what I've noticed, there are a few differences though. A lot of the characters seem rather similar to the first one. The story line so far (from what I've played) is also very similar as well with some differences so far. Personally, it seems like a rushed game, but I am enjoying it at least :).
 
I'd like to request (again) for VALCON GAMES to be added to the op as another Niche publisher that has done some nice ports and really do deserve another look.


  • DaiSenryaku VII Exceed: Modern Military Tactics $8.85 @ amazon
    This is one of my ATF PS2 hex turn-based strategy game, read the review by jvgfanatic

  • Shepherd's Crossing $15 @ amazon ($5 used @ GS)
    This is a very fun farming sim game, rather different to Harvest Moon series. There are also slightly updated PSP and DS versions out.

  • Mountain Bike Adrenaline $4 @ amazon
    Reviews hated this game but I rather liked it. Good for a quick play.

  • Suzuki TT Superbikes: Real Road Racing Championship $10 @ amazon
    This is (will be) an awesome game once I learn how to play it.. Dam it is freaken hard...
    I picked it up during the B2G2F sale @ GS. GS does not seem to have a separate listing of the newer version (older version is $2) and if you buy from GS, you want to look very carefully at game disc to make sure it is copyright 2009 for the new version, whereas older one has copyright 2005, since the title and game disc are almost identical for the two versions!
 
[quote name='styl3s']is Record of Agarest War Zero worth playing? my local BB has the LE for 49.99, saw it sunday night when i was picking up New Vegas.

Thinking about going and picking it up, i can't find any real video reviews or anything on it, looks like a strategy RPG which i dig.[/QUOTE]

what? I was just in BB the other day and it was still full price

im actually contemplating buying a 2nd to keep sealed. Not sure how limited this one was though, and if i should wait for a bigger drop. The only place i really saw the first one drop was when gamestop cleared them out, they didn't really drop online

thank god they used a better case design this time


[quote name='Optical']Are you sure its the Tactics Ogre LE? The link shows just the game.[/QUOTE]
[quote name='PrinnyOtaku']IIRC EU only has the LE, there is no regular edition. Although, they did obviously edit the page removing the LE info from it...

Damn cheap, if you're willing to take the chance >.
 
[quote name='Kenshindono']what? I was just in BB the other day and it was still full price

im actually contemplating buying a 2nd to keep sealed. Not sure how limited this one was though, and if i should wait for a bigger drop. The only place i really saw the first one drop was when gamestop cleared them out, they didn't really drop online

thank god they used a better case design this time





I am not so sure about that. Go check amazon UK. There seem to be 2 versions of it up there now with 2 different pictures. I think they finally released a non LE version. Probably similar to what some anime DVDs are doing. Limited edition run for a bit, then a cheaper regular print run. Some games do that too[/QUOTE]
They had about 10 of them marked for that price for PS3, had the 360 version marked at 59.99 and only had 1.

don't know if they marked down the PS3 ones to sell more or what but i am going pick one up today
 
[quote name='Joe Fongul']For anyone that is willing to order from the UK, The Hut has the following on sale (with free shipping):

:ps3: Agarest: Generations of War £12.85 ($20.68)
:ps3: Dragon Ball Raging Blast (PS3) £11.85 ($19.08)
:ps3: Knights Contract £10.85 ($17.50)
:psp: Lord of Arcana: Slayer Edition £9.85 ($15.86)
:psp: Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together LE £12.85 ($20.68)
:ps3: Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll £17.85 ($28.73)

Remember that both PS3 & PSP versions of games are region free....[/QUOTE]

Wow. Can you trade these in though? I was mildly interested in Knight Contract, but I'd definitely be into it for that price...
 
I had to drop my dog off to get his haircut and stopped in the Five Below in the plaza. They had a quite a few SNK/Playmore and Natsume games for PS2 (all for $5 each)

I picked up:

Natsume:
:ps2: Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon: Special Edition
:ps2: Harvest Moon: Save The Homeland
:ps2: River King: A Wonderful Journey
:ps2: Metropolismania 2

SNK/Playmore
:ps2: SNK Arcade Classics Vol 1
:ps2: The King Of Fighters XI
:ps2: Fatal Fury Battle Archives Volume 2

I didn't see anything else but they had multiple copies of all except for River King. They also had the World Heroes compilation but I didn't get that.
 
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[quote name='EYEL1NER']Hope it's still in stock when the 40% off coupon goes live, because that will be a sweet deal.[/QUOTE]

Figured it will go fast once the 40% went live.
 
[quote name='jumpiestranger2']Figured it will go fast once the 40% went live.[/QUOTE]

I tried to pick up a second copy immediately after receiving the 40% code via email and while I was checking out I got the "out of stock" error message and was told I couldn't complete my order until I removed the item from my cart.

Glad I picked one up before the sale or I'd be pretty frustrated.

So I instead used my 40% code to pickup a used DSi XL and PS2 SLim at pretty good prices.
 
Typical, Hyperdimension Neptunia manages to elude me still. I can figure on most mainstream titles to drop to 20-30 range in a year, but these games often find either become impossible to find or increase in price on auction sites.
 
[quote name='ck76']Typical, Hyperdimension Neptunia manages to elude me still. I can figure on most mainstream titles to drop to 20-30 range in a year, but these games often find either become impossible to find or increase in price on auction sites.[/QUOTE]

Missed my shot too. Just got in to work from my appointments I had this morning, saw the coupon in my inbox, promptly went to the site, and saw OOS.
 
You really never had a chance. From the time I received the email to when I got the error message checking out was seriously only a minute or two.

And they also bumped up the price before the sale.
 
Went to my best buy yesterday and rummaged through the one bin with shitty ass games. I did find one treasure and I bought it. Actually I saw it before in the bin, and I hid it because I knew nothing about it. I went back and it was still there, so I grabbed it.

:ds:- Avalon Code ($14.99)

It wasn't a clearance game but more so a bin of cheap games. Granted I don't know how that was there because every other game was shovelware basically.
 
What's wrong with Record of Agarest War Zero LE at Amazon?
Item Under Review

While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here. (Thanks for the tip!)
We're working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.​
 
[quote name='eau']What's wrong with Record of Agarest War Zero LE at Amazon?
Item Under Review

While this item is available from other marketplace sellers on this page, it is not currently offered by Amazon.com because customers have told us there may be something wrong with our inventory of the item, the way we are shipping it, or the way it's described here. (Thanks for the tip!)
We're working to fix the problem as quickly as possible.​
[/QUOTE]

This happened with the other LE for Agarast War where they used a very thin box that was easily crushed during shipping. Many people complained to Amazon about the box damage and after Amazon gets a certain % of complains they do something like this. Sometimes they just need to tell their shipping group to stop being idiots and pack things properly.
 
I'm curious as to what it is.... Both my copies from the B2G1 came in fine condition. This one isn't flimsy and it's pretty hard to bust the thing up.

Although... the quality of materials Aksys decided to use is horrible. Looks like a 2nd grader's school project.
 
[quote name='DarkonJohn']This happened with the other LE for Agarast War where they used a very thin box that was easily crushed during shipping. Many people complained to Amazon about the box damage and after Amazon gets a certain % of complains they do something like this. Sometimes they just need to tell their shipping group to stop being idiots and pack things properly.[/QUOTE]
I bought one LE each for PS3 and X360, and they fucking shipped both of them in a bubble mailer for some shitty reason. Not typical of Amazon, which usually sends all games in a cardboard box. Both of mine are sealed and both have corner smushage because of the bubble mailers. Sooo, yeah. Grab one from Best Buy off the shelf. Would have been better to get em last week during the B2 G1 sale. But whatever. I'm drinking, so yeah.
 
[quote name='lutz']Sometimes I feel that Aksys is just a cheap NIS knockoff brand.[/QUOTE]
And their service is much less reasonable :p Both Aksys and NISA were selling games + bonuses at AX. Me: "I already have all the games, can't you just sell me the bonus?" Aksys: "No, you have to buy the game again." NISA: "Sure, we'll sell you anything on its own and we'll give you free stuff when you spend this much too! And you can buy the free stuff on its own!"

To be fair, Aksys gave me free posters when they refused to sell me the bonuses >_>
 
[quote name='Ionotropic']I bought one LE each for PS3 and X360, and they fucking shipped both of them in a bubble mailer for some shitty reason. Not typical of Amazon, which usually sends all games in a cardboard box. Both of mine are sealed and both have corner smushage because of the bubble mailers. Sooo, yeah. Grab one from Best Buy off the shelf. Would have been better to get em last week during the B2 G1 sale. But whatever. I'm drinking, so yeah.[/QUOTE]

I order games all the time from Amazon and they always ship them in boxes. Except this time, when they sent the stupid CE in a bubble mailer. Pissed me the hell off.
 
I don't know know whether or not to pre-order catherine. I want a price drop, but I also know that sometimes these games sell out quick and are hard to find afterwards....
 
Picked up :wii: Castle of Shikigami III at KMart this evening for $9.99. It did not show up in my google search, so it looks like this one might fly under the radar!!
 
[quote name='XxFuRy2Xx']I don't know know whether or not to pre-order catherine. I want a price drop, but I also know that sometimes these games sell out quick and are hard to find afterwards....[/QUOTE]

With the kind of push it's getting, I don't think it's going to be rare at all. The bigger debate for me is that I probably won't get around to playing it right away. So on the one hand, I'd like to pick it up early on to show my support for Atlus releasing titles like it. On the other, though, I'm sure that a price drop will occur or I'll find some other opportunity for a deal on it before I ever get around to playing it, and I don't want to spend a bunch of extra money that I don't have to spend. At first, the art book and soundtrack CD were pushing me over the edge to getting it right away (I'm not really that interested in all the other stuff in the limited edition), but after seeing the book in the unboxing video, I'm feeling pretty underwhelmed by it. So I'm not sure what to do either.
 
[quote name='XxFuRy2Xx']I don't know know whether or not to pre-order catherine. I want a price drop, but I also know that sometimes these games sell out quick and are hard to find afterwards....[/QUOTE]
It was advertised on one of those signs outside my FYE so no it's not going to be rare if FYE is advertising it.
 
[quote name='Sir_Fragalot']It was advertised on one of those signs outside my FYE so no it's not going to be rare if FYE is advertising it.[/QUOTE]

I think it's rarer to find an FYE that sells games nowadays :lol:
 
[quote name='Josef']I think it's rarer to find an FYE that sells games nowadays :lol:[/QUOTE]

Most of the FYEs where I lived have closed down so I have to drive at least 16 miles to even see one.

Why did FYE started to go out of business but Gamestop is still all over the place?
 
Say what you will about Gamestop, their prices are usually at least competitive. FYE and other mall music stores all started dying when a CD cost $18 from there and $11 from Best Buy.
 
[quote name='Petey Parker']I had to drop my dog off to get his haircut and stopped in the Five Below in the plaza. They had a quite a few SNK/Playmore and Natsume games for PS2 (all for $5 each)

I picked up:

Natsume:
:ps2: Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon: Special Edition
:ps2: Harvest Moon: Save The Homeland
:ps2: River King: A Wonderful Journey
:ps2: Metropolismania 2

SNK/Playmore
:ps2: SNK Arcade Classics Vol 1
:ps2: The King Of Fighters XI
:ps2: Fatal Fury Battle Archives Volume 2

I didn't see anything else but they had multiple copies of all except for River King. They also had the World Heroes compilation but I didn't get that.[/QUOTE]

I went to a different Five Below last night and in addition to the games above they also had:

Natsume:
:ps2: Chulip

SNK/Playmore:
:ps2: The King Of Fighters 2006
:ps2: Fatal Fury Battle Archives Volume 1
 
Just noticed Atelier Totori is up for pre-order at Newegg, but since it's $50, I'm pretty sure it won't be the premium edition.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16879247046

There apparently is a coupon code called NEWCUSTOMER10 that will get you $10 off a $50 order if you make a new account.

Since it's probably the standard edition, which will drop in price eventually anyway, it is not all that exciting of a deal. But if anyone wants to get the game for $40 on day 1, then this may be your best bet.
 
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