Second Quarter 2010

WHAT WE’RE THE STRIP PLAYING Find out if the reboot Four-player action of the Superman comes to the 2D franchise lives up to Mario universe. our expectations. PAGE 9 PAGE 17 Second Quarter 2010 TO DE UI G G IN AY PL TS OR IMP Get the skinny on broadening your video game horizons with games from the other side of the world PAGE 2 GAMING INSURRECTION SECOND QUARTER 2010 editorial Playing imports are an acquired taste for the curious gamer didn't fully get into the import sometimes. Two great examples Buying imports is actually rather scene until I was 19 years old. are the original Guilty Gear X and easy once you get past the two It was then that I discovered Capcom vs. SNK 2. The Japanese points above. Pick reputable I that with the right tools, I versions, released on the Dream- shops to buy from and you won't could play Japanese games. Up cast, were the definitive experi- have much of a problem. We sug- to that point it was a big mystery to ence. The American versions, re- gest three that we've dealt with me how I could play games from leased on the PS2, were lacking a and heard wonderful things about: another region. And I wasn't com- little something in the translation. Play Asia, National Console Sup- pletely ignorant about imports, ei- Whether it was the ambiance or port Inc. (NCSX) and Software Cry of War ther. However, it wasn't until I was the controls felt a little strange, we'll Seconds. These three shops are exposed to the world of competi- never know. But I do know those reliable and, while pricey, less likely tive fighting game tournaments two were games where I would not to rip you off. I have personally that I realized that in order to com- buy the American versions. never had an order lost with Play pete well, I needed to play like the Believe it or not, there are down- Asia, paid more than what I should pros. Playing like the pros might sides to buying imports. First, with Software Seconds and have involve buying a better- there's the inherent language bar- heard extremely good things about constructed joystick and a better- rier. Consider RPGs. If the game NCSX. constructed game. doesn't have an option for translat- And when you purchase your Lyndsey Imports are vital to the gaming ing Japanese text and you can't import, be certain that you have community, even today. I no longer read Japanese, there's an immedi- the right tools to start with. There's Mosley compete on a tournament level, ate problem. nothing more frustrating than real- but I still recognize that Japanese Most games now do have that izing that you don't have the right games are the way to go. Yes, I do option but there are still some ma- disc to swap in a PS2 when you're buy American versions sometimes, jor franchises that do not. Second, trying to play DDR Extreme. Once but if it's rhythm or fighting games, there's the cost. Import games are you've got the right tools and you I look to the East. The American not cheap. Be prepared to spend know what you want to play, you're versions just don't hold a candle money. set. Just don't break your system. contents Columns Features Usual Suspects The Cry of War ..…......….2 Playing Imports….....3-8 What We’re Playing ….. 9-12 From the Dungeon …...10 Tech Geeks …….……... ...13 NG YI A TS Strip Talk …………...…....17 PL R Retrograde …………... 14-16 PO IM Otaku …………...……....18 Save the date ……..…21-23 GAMING staff this issue INSURRECTION Editor Lyndsey M. Mosley Brandon Beatty is the contributing editor for Gaming Insur- Associate rection. Beatty writes stories Editor and the Otaku column. He Jamie Mosley resides in his hometown of Columbia, S.C. Contributing Editor ContactContactContact: brandonb@ Brandon Beatty gaminginsurrection.com Web site What I’m playing: Sonic the Hedgehog 222 (Genesis), Phantasy www.gaming insurrection.com Star 4Star 4 (Genesis) Blog Jamie Mosley is the www.gaming associate editor of insurrection.com/ Gaming Insurrection. GIforum Mosley contributes his quarterly D&D column The Strip www.gaming From the Dungeon as insurrection.com/ Lyndsey Mosley is the editor and founder of GI. She well as stories and TheStrip is a copy editor and page designer in the newspaper appearances on the industry as her day job and is an avid gamer and Editor’s Weekly Podcast. YouTube amateur photographer in her spare time. Mosley resides Mosley resides in North User: Gaming in North Carolina with her husband. Carolina. Insurrection Twitter Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected] Contact:Contact: ContactContact @GamingInsurrect What I’m playing: Super Mario Kart (Super Nintendo), What I’m playing: Final Fantasy Tactics (PSOne), Left 4 DeadLeft Dead 222 Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube), New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Xbox 360), Borderlands (Xbox 360) SECOND QUARTER 2010 GAMING INSURRECTION PAGE 3 BY LYNDSEY M. MOSLEY GAMING INSURRECTION hile the gaming market is shifting toward the West as a base in terms of development, that doesn't W mean you can't enjoy old-school games from Japan. Why go Japan on older systems? Simply because sometimes (read: the ma- jority of) the games were of superior quality com- O ing from overseas. T W This quarter Gaming Insurrection looks at how to HO play Japanese games for some of your retro sys- Y tems and the tools you need to get started. We PLA break down how to play with step-by-step instructions, rate the difficulty involved and explain how RO to get started bring some of your favorite foreign RET games overseas. Happy trails retro aficionados! RTS PO INSIDEINSIDEINSIDE HEAR MORE IM Editor Lyndsey Mosley and Associate Editor Dreamcast ……...4 Jamie Mosley discuss how to play imports for PSOne …………. 5 some of the retro systems of podcasts Gamecube ….….6 yesteryear and their collection of PlayStation 2 …...7 import Saturn …………...8 games. features Where to buy …...8 PAGE 4 GAMING INSURRECTION SECOND QUARTER 2010 DREAMCAST Before you begin: Note that you can change your cable type or TV mode to get certain games to work. The options are there but most times are not needed unless you will play the European version. STEP 1: Insert your DC-X or Gameshark disc. DC-X Gameshark Follow the instructions Choose your game onscreen for swapping and whether you will the DC-X disc and the im- use codes for the port disc. The Dreamcast OR game. Make sure your should boot up as normal memory card is in- FACT FILE and allow you to play your serted and follow the GI Difficulty: game. instructions onscreen. videovideovideo Tools you will need 1. VMU of any region featurefeaturefeature 2. DC-X or Gameshark disc Saves?: Can use any region VMU. U.S. and Japanese saves can co-exist. SECOND QUARTER 2010 GAMING INSURRECTION PAGE 5 PSONE Before you begin: Research if your import game requires anti-mod codes before playing. STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 Make sure the PVC tape Insert the PS X-change Follow the instructions piece is firmly in place 2 disc and let it boot up. onscreen for swapping over the PSOne lid latch. the PS X-change disc and your import disc. If you have a game that requires anti-mod codes, press select to access the code entry screen. Enter your codes and then press select again. FACT FILE With the import disc in- Difficulty: serted, press start. GI Tools you will need videovideovideo 1. PS X-change 2 2. Anti-mod codes (possibly) SavesSavesSaves?:Saves Can use any region 3. PVC tape piece memory card. U.S. and Japanese featurefeaturefeature 4. Memory card of any region saves can co-exist. 5. Something to keep the lid closed PAGE 6 GAMING INSURRECTION SECOND QUARTER 2010 FACT FILE Difficulty: GAMECUBE Tools you will need 1. Action Replay with 4MB memory card 2. Gamecube memory card STEP 1 STEP 2 Insert the Action Follow the instructions Replay disc, the 4MB onscreen. memory card and the Gamecube memory card. Saves?Saves?Saves?:Saves? Must have a separate GI card for U.S. and Japanese saves of the same game. Saves from videovideovideo different regions for the same game cannot co-exist. featurefeaturefeature SECOND QUARTER 2010 GAMING INSURRECTION PAGE 7 PLAYSTATION 2 Before you begin: Take the PlayStation 2 logo off the disc drive tray. This will make future attempts easier. Research which version of the original PlayStation 2 that you have. Version 3.6 works with any version of the original PlayStation 2. Also, note what type of disc you will play. CD-based games require the CD Swap Magic disc and DVD-based games require the DVD Swap Magic disc. STEP 3 STEP 1 Remove the Swap Magic disc and in- Insert the Swap Magic disc for either sert the import disc. Push the drive door a CD- or DVD-based game. Wait for the back into the system and gently lift the disc to read and bring up the “Please drive door again to slide the white latch insert game” screen. back to the left. You should hear the FACT FILE latch audibly click back into place. NOTE Difficulty: With the disc firmly in place, press O GI These instructions refer to or X to boot up the import disc. Tools you will need videovideovideo the original version of the 1.

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