Introducing the Puzzle Game Community Game-Along (with Giveaway!)

6 / 2 / 144 / 18 / 15

I can’t believe it’s already June – not only does that mean we’re halfway through 2014, but it also means we’ve successfully held a whopping five Community Game-Alongs, and we’re still going strong! But June is generally a busy month due to E3 excitement, schools finishing up for the year, and the usual new game releases, so I was a little stumped for a theme that would allow folks to pick up and play for short bursts when they have time during the month.

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But who doesn’t love a good puzzle game? While you could argue puzzle games aren’t at all niche – in fact, one of the most-played games of all time is undoubtedly Tetris, there are still so many puzzle games out there that haven’t had their chance in the spotlight. As such, in the “pick up and play” spirit of June, I would like to dedicate the month to all manner of puzzle games, from Professor Layton to Puyo Puyo!

To participate in June’s Community Game-Along, all you need to do is play a game that fits the theme and talk about your experiences using #PuzzleMonth on your favorite social media application of choice. I especially love to see blog posts, podcasts, or other types of long-form discussion, but recent months have seen a bit of a lull in participation outside of short-form social media venues… So get writing and send me your contributions so we can get the word out about Puzzle Month! You could talk about your favorite puzzle game, an under-appreciated gem, or even record yourself playing your pick for the month – there are tons of possibilities!

I know how hard it can be to make a decision when faced with so much choice, so here are a few puzzle games you may want to check out:

subaku (iOS) – So, you’re one of those people who thinks they’ve played everything, eh? Well, let me tell you, I can almost guarantee you’ve overlooked this little iOS gem. In this number matching game, you tap a number to decrease it by one, which causes the value of the adjacent numbers to increase by one. The goal is to match three in a row to clear the board in as few moves as possible. Created by Eric Koizol, it’s the perfect puzzle game in that it’s easy to learn but always keeps you on your toes, and there’s even a free trial version in the app store for you to try before you buy. Or, if you’d like to score yourself a copy, simply comment on this post with your favorite puzzle game to win a code! I’ll give them away to the first five people to comment, so be quick!

Pushmo series (3DS, Wii U) – I love scheduling a monthly Game-Along theme that coincides with a new release, but in the case of the upcoming Pushmo World, it was completely on accident! Pushmo and its sequel Crashmo were previously only available on the Nintendo 3DS, but the brand-new Pushmo World will be making its way to the Wii U on June 19th. In anticipation of its release, both Pushmo and Crashmo will be on sale in the eShop for a short period, so now’s a great time to pick up one or both if you haven’t had a chance to play them!

Mr. Driller series (various) – I’ll readily admit that I’m just including Mr. Driller on this list because I love the series and want to see more people play it! The art is adorable, gameplay addictive, and music amazingly catchy. It’s such a shame that we haven’t seen a good new Mr. Driller game in quite some time. If you’re looking to play it, it’s available for almost every system, but many would recommend the Dreamcast or PSone versions as the pinnacle of the series. You could always try the iOS version for $1.29, but, uh, don’t say I didn’t warn you if it isn’t any good. Just play Mr. Driller!

Touch Detective series (DS, 3DS, Android/iOS) – There are two reasons I wanted to highlight the Touch Detective series this month: 1. The 3rd entry was just released for the 3DS in Japan, and we still don’t have a localization announcement (c’mon E3!) and 2. The series is a great example of games with puzzle elements that might be closer to traditional adventure/point and click games, which are also fair game this month. Since Atlus was responsible for bringing over the past two games in the series, we need to make some noise and let them know that we’d like to see the third in English, as well! While the puzzles themselves may not be the real highlight of these games depending on who you ask, they’re certainly worth checking out if you want a quirky new experience.

Honorable import mentions: Guru Logi Champ, Airou de Puzzle, Osawari Tantei Nameko Daihanshoku (Touch Detective: Funghi’s Big Breed)… The options are limitless! I really encourage you to pick up some Japanese puzzle games you might not have tried otherwise, as they’re one of the few types of import titles that don’t really require any knowledge of the language to play.

While I could go back and pick up my copy of Picross DS or finally sit down and play some of the Professor Layton games I’ve never touched, I’m going to try something totally off the hook this month – Tetris with CardCaptor Sakura: Eternal Heart! That’s right, Tetris mixed with CardCaptor Sakura… What could be better? I can’t wait to try it out and share my experiences with everyone!

Catch-up Corner: Aoba Seragaki figure re-release, #PuzzleMonth, and some site maintenance

6 / 1 / 149 / 29 / 15

Here it is, the first weekend of my new “bits and bobs” series, Catch-up Corner! Since I often find there are a lot of things I want to talk about but don’t have enough to say to quite fill up a regular post, these weekly posts will be a place for me to touch on some little tidbits I’ve found interesting or keep you updated with what I’m up to. I hope you enjoy it!

The biggest news of my week has got to be the announcement that Max Factory will be re-releasing their scaled figure of Aoba Seragaki from the BL visual novel DRAMAtical Murder! They’ve been teasing this one for a long time, and since he was released before I got into figure collecting and is currently fetching prices of $300+, there was simply no way I would have been able to purchase him before. Granted, even his first release retailed at ¥14,095 (about $140), so the likelihood that I will break down and buy the re-release is probably nearly as low, but I like to dream that I might be able to get my hands on him someday. Maybe I should set my sights on something a little more affordable, like the Free! or Uta no Prince-sama boys…

Next, an embarrassing admission: it’s already June 1st here in Australia and I haven’t done an official announcement for June’s Community Game-Along theme! For those of you who like to get started right away, here it is: puzzles! Be sure #PuzzleMonth to share your experiences and chat with other participants on your favorite social medial of choice. If you’re at a loss to what game you should play, a post will be going up tomorrow with a handful of suggestions along with the usual Game-Along guidelines. And if you want to plan even further ahead, mark your calendar for #JRPGJuly!

I’d also like to let everyone know that Chic Pixel is going through a little bit of a move at the moment, and as a result there may be some hiccups over the next week. If you find any broken links, have troubles with the podcast, or have any other issues you notice, please let me know by leaving a comment here or messaging me on Twitter! If all goes well, you shouldn’t even notice anything. Fingers crossed!

Swooning Over Kira Miku Lesson and Animal Food Stationery

5 / 30 / 144 / 18 / 15

I have many eccentric hobbies, but I don’t think I’ve ever quite let on about just how obsessed with stationery I am. My theory is that for someone who likes cute things from Japan, stationery is one of the cheapest and most easily accessible ways to get your kawaii fix. Whether you’re into character good such as Sanrio or a popular anime series, there’s no end to the notebooks, stickers, and other paper-based goods available!

It’s no secret that I’ve been a little bit obsessed with Hatsune Miku/Vocaliods recently, so when I saw the above stationery series, I knew I needed one of everything. The Kira Miku Lesson series marries Miku and her Vocaloid pals with a lovely pastel palette, rabbits and bears, and a variety of musical instruments. All of my favorite things!

First up is this adorable Hatsune Miku clear folder. I don’t even want to get into how many of these folders I have, and the sad fact is that I barely ever use them. But you can’t deny how cute this one is! Sometimes I just display them on my wall when I don’t know what else to do with them.

Kira Miku Lesson clear file folder back detail

The back is plain aside from this fun little electric guitar. I love all the little details like the bow on its handle!

One can never have too many notebooks though, right? As you can see, this has the same central Miku design as the folder above, but for some reason I had to have it. It’s a bit of a shame that aside from the cardboard design attached to the band that goes around the notebook, it’s actually pretty plain.

Kira Miku Lesson Hatsune Miku notebook inside page design 1

Kira Miku Lesson Hatsune Miku notebook inside page design 2

But wait, the pages inside have two different Vocaloid designs on them! That totally redeems this notebook in my eyes. There’s nothing I hate more than a notebook with a cute design on the outside that just has plain pages on the inside. Of course, though, that makes me not want to write in it for fear of “ruining” it…

Kira Miku Lesson Miku and Luka sticky notes with fish

Now, sticky notes aren’t nearly as common as notebooks and folders, so this was a really fun addition to my Miku stationery shopping spree. I’ll tell you right now, out of all the available sticky note designs, I chose this one solely because of the fish. I’m not sure why they stuck the smaller sticky notes to the larger ones, as if/when I want to actually use them, I’ll ruin the first pink sheet featuring Miku and Luka when I go to remove the fish ones. A small caveat, but it’s still a shame!

Kira Miku Lesson Vocaloid friends squishy stickers

Finally, who doesn’t love a good sticker? These stickers are especially fun they’re “squishy,” which basically means I have absolutely no idea what to put them on.

Kira Miku Lesson Vocaloid friends squishy sticker closeup

If you’re anything like the crafter Frainyxo, though, you might use these stickers to create resin charms! I hate the idea of “wasting” cute stickers like these, so when I saw she made an adorable heart-shaped charm featuring the dancing Miku at the top left of the sticker sheet, I knew I had to have it. Now I can stick these stickers on various things to my heart’s content and sleep soundly knowing I’ll have at least one of them for the long-term.

Next up are these utterly amazing food animal stickers I got in Japan last June but never got around to writing about! And you can bet your betting object of choice that, nearly a year later, not a single sticker is out of place. It’s sad, really, the life of a collector…

Japanese animal food McDog stickers hamburger dog

The great thing about having a scanner in this modern age, though, is being able to scan in things like stickers and save them forever. Am I starting to sound creepy yet? Seriously, for unique things like these, I can’t bring myself to actually use them until I’ve “catalogued” them in some way. The idea of sticking one on something and “ruining” it forever is too much to bear!

More importantly, though, how awesome are these stickers?!

Japanese animal food Bird 32 ice cream parakeet stickers

Bird ice cream! I love how each series is a spoof on different famous fast food chains. Can you guess them all?

Japanese animal food MOF burger cat hamburger stickers

Japanese animal food bunny donut stickers

If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be the Bird 32 Ice Cream, but the bunny donuts are also great! Who am I kidding, they’re all adorable. And would you believe each sheet was only $1? Talk about a steal!

I’m curious, do you like seeing pictures of my stationery? I certainly have a ton of it, so if that’s something people would like to see more of, I can certainly oblige! It would definitely be the motivation I need to scan in more of my collection…

XSEED to publish latest Harvest Moon as Story of Seasons

5 / 29 / 144 / 18 / 15

I don’t always cover news news here at Chic Pixel, but this announcement is one that really caught my eye: XSEED Games has acquired the rights to the latest Harvest Moon title and will be releasing it under the title of… Story of Seasons? From what I understand, Harvest Moon is Natsume’s bread and butter, so this was quite the surprise announcement indeed!

This may be sad news for Natsume and fans of the “Harvest Moon” name, but when you factor in the fact that XSEED Games is a subsidiary of Story of Seasons developer Marvelous AQL, it all begins to make sense. What I’m wondering is, will Story of Seasons act as series’ new title going forward? According to XSEED’s official announcement, Story of Seasons is described as a “new IP,” so I guess the answer to that question would be yes. It will be interesting to see how the brand develops, but given XSEED’s history of providing high-quality localizations for various Rune Factory titles, I’m sure they will do a superb job with Story of Seasons.

As for the game itself, I must admit that I’m sorely out of the loop when it comes to Story of Seasons (Japanese name Bokujo Monogatari: Tsunagaru Shintenchi). I still have a copy of Harvest Moon: A New Beginning that I’ve barely touched, though I always thoroughly enjoy the Harvest Moon games. A whole slew of new animals will be in the game, as well as wildlife safari, and you can keep dogs, cats, and horses as pets. Plus, there is a whole new range of suitors for your male or female avatar to woo and eventually wed, though unfortunately there is still no same-sex marriage option. Since XSEED was able to convince developer of Akiba’s Trip to add a male fanservice option to their game, perhaps same-sex marriage in future Story of Seasons titles isn’t completely out of the question?

My castle indeed!

Other new features include some beefed up StreetPass and online connectivity options – you can now visit your friend’s farms and trade items and receive player data via StreetPass. Nintendo even put their own special touch on the game, with decorative items such as the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Super Star appearing in the series for the first time.

While I have to admit that this announcement makes me a little uneasy for Natsume considering Harvest Moon was probably their best-known franchise, I’m happy to hear that the series is in XSEED’s capable hands. It may be difficult, however, to promote the game to less internet-savvy potential customers who might grab a game with the name “Harvest Moon” on it on the shelf but aren’t aware that Story of Seasons is the same series. In fact, XSEED only used the Japanese title, Bokujo Monogatari, in their initial announcement, and I’m just not sure how many people outside diehard fans will connect the dots!

I’m sure XSEED Games will have their work cut out for them promoting the game at E3, as they have confirmed Story of Seasons will be at their booth. If someone in attendance wanted to pick up some swag for me, I sure wouldn’t complain…!

Japan Envy: The GUEST x Little Twin Stars Café Collaboration

5 / 28 / 144 / 18 / 15

Since I’m creeping closer and closer to my July trip to Tokyo, I figured I wouldn’t be doing many Japan Envy posts, considering I’ll likely be able to experience many of the things I generally write about in this column when I’m there. Fortunately for you and unfortunately for me, however, one of the café collaborations I’m currently pining over is scheduled to finish on July 7th (five days before I arrive!), which means we can sigh at the loveliness we’ll never get to experience together!

the GUEST cafe Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars display

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The adorable duo Kiki and Lala of Little Twin Stars were never really on my radar as a Hello Kitty-loving adolescent, but now that I’m older and really into pastels for some inexplicable reason, I think it’s safe to say that the Little Twin Stars are my favorite Sanrio characters. Thus, when I saw that The GUEST café & diner in Tokyo would be doing a Little Twin Stars collaboration, I was utterly thrilled! While I’ve always been a huge fan of café collaborations, I think The GUEST takes the idea to the next level with its attention to detail and presentation!

the GUEST cafe Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars statue

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There is even a statue of Kiki and Lala to take photos with upon entering the café, and apparently the staff are happy to take your photo for you if you ask. Since I’ll never get to experience this lovely café, I’m very thankful for the numerous posts filled with awesome photos from people who have gone themselves!

Little Twin Stars limited edition coasters in five designs

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At your table, you’ll be treated to a Kiki and Lala placemat that you can take home after you’re finished your meal. If you get it dirty, you can just ask for a replacement and they’re happy to provide one. In addition to the placemat, you can score one of five original coasters (pictured above) with any drink order. I don’t think I’d be able to bring myself to use them!

Little Twin Stars fruit crepes with special mug

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But really, we’re all here for the food, right? And it certainly doesn’t disappoint! This fruit crepe looks both cute and extremely delicious.

Little Twin Stars mini pink and blue burgers

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I also love the look of this mini burger set. I wonder what a pink star bun tastes like?

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And of course there are themed lattes! Not only are designs on the drink adorable, but check out the phrase on the mug: “All you need is love & coffee”! Sounds about right to me!

Kiki and Lala Little Twin Stars nail art on cafe manager

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The manager even has Little Twin Stars-themed nails! Honestly, everything about the presentation of this café is irresistible. There’s lots more to see that I haven’t included, so definitely go check out Matcha and Tokyo Otaku Mode for more images and details about the café! Of course they’re also selling numerous exclusive Little Twin Stars merchandise that I’m sure I’d have to buy all of if I were actually able to attend this collaboration event. Even though they won’t be having this event while I’m in Tokyo, I think I’ll still stop by The GUEST café & diner to see how it stacks up!

Kitty Godzilla, Apricotsushi Samples: Pokésnacks, and a Giveaway!

5 / 24 / 144 / 18 / 15

Hello lovelies! It’s Saturday here in Australia, and I’ve just gotten back from seeing the new Hollywood reboot of Godzilla. Believe it or not, I’ve never actually seen a Godzilla movie (shock! horror!), but I am definitely familiar with the Godzilla mythos/legacy, and I must say I was really impressed with the film. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly suggest anyone with even a passing Godzilla fancy to check it out! I’m also excited to hear that the director has confirmed he’s working on two follow-up movies, which will hopefully explore new directions/monsters.

via @Richmond_Lee

More importantly, I’ve been introduced to what may be the best kaiju on the planet: Negora! As far as I can tell, Negora is a kitty Godzilla spoof that has its own toy line. I may not really understand it, but I can definitely see the appeal. The creator, Konatsu, has her own Negora blog, which I highly recommend checking out if you find the above image at all intriguing. Negora is so popular that it even has its own set of LINE stamps in Japan! I have a feeling I’m going to have to seek out some Negora figures when I’m in Tokyo…

If you’re at a loss of things to do this weekend, why not check out the latest episode of Apricotsushi Samples? It’s all about Pokémon food! I try Pokémon curry, a Pokémon chocolate wafer, and “evolving” Pokémon gummies. All can be purchased through my affiliates, Oyatsu Café and Jlist, so if any of those sound like something you might want to try, please do consider supporting Chic Pixel by buying them there! Of course, you may want to wait and see what I actually think of the snacks before purchasing them for yourself…

Also, if you’re a Pokémon fan, be sure to watch this episode of Apricotsushi Samples to the end for details on my latest giveaway! It’s super easy to enter, and open worldwide. You only have until May 31st to enter, though, so don’t put it off!

Finally, I’m always thinking of ways to improve Chic Pixel, and am considering doing a little “miscellaneous” post every Saturday where I talk about a couple things that might not be big enough to merit their own post. But what shall I name this wee new column? I’ll have to pin that down before next weekend…

Apricotsushi Reviews: Little Witch Academia Blu-ray

5 / 21 / 144 / 18 / 15

Way back in August of last year, I wrote about an anime short called Little Witch Academia and how it brought back memories of some of my favorite magical girl series from my youth. With its gorgeous animation, great cast of female characters, and charming story, I immediately knew it was something I wanted to see more of. I highly suggest reading the above article for more of my impressions of the episode, as today I’m not going to focus on the merits of Little Witch Academia itself (suffice it to say, I think it’s wonderful!), but rather the lovely Blu-ray release now available from Studio Trigger’s online store.

When my copy of the Blu-ray arrived courtesy of acttil, I was immediately impressed by the quality of the packaging. Not only does it come with the main event, the 26 minute episode of Little Witch Academia itself, but it also includes a documentary, soundtrack CD, and a separate book full of illustrations, storyboards, interviews, and more!

Back cover of the book

The official booklet’s cover has the title embossed in gold text, which is a lovely touch. Though it’s a paperback, the detail put into the cover on its own reveals that it is by no means a cheap extra. In fact, the book itself is 112 pages long! Let’s take a look inside:

Two pages from the “story & commentary” section

Approximately one third of the book is in full color, which includes the gorgeous two-page spread shown above, illustrations of the main characters, an “image board” that consists of some backgrounds and environmental items, an overview of the story with commentary, and a color storyboard. The full color pages look great, but I wish there were a few more of them. Luckily, the rest of the book is still chock-full of amazing sketches and information.

There are a number of color glossy pages dedicated to specific animators, but since the images are all sketches, it seems like a waste to put them on the “nicer” paper at the beginning when there are full color stills that do not get the benefit of similar nice paper later on in the book (see images below). This is a very nitpicky critique, though, as the animator-specific sections and associated interviews provide a lot of interesting insight and it’s nice that Studio Trigger decided to highlight them by putting them towards the front of the book.

The rest of the book is printed on slightly lower quality paper using a limited color palette (lots of purple, pink, and blue). It’s difficult to think of a western equivalent, but it reminds me a lot of the monthly manga “phone books,” except on slightly thicker paper. The character sheets and background sections are definitely my favorite, as they get much deeper into all of the designs used in the episode than the color section does at the beginning. The full script is also included, along with samples from the storyboard, and there are more interviews to close out the book. As I mentioned earlier, the interviews in this section include images that have been reduced to a limited color palette, which is an interesting design choice but a bit of a shame for those who might prefer the original, full color versions.

Before I move on to the Blu-ray and soundtrack, I wanted to mention that though I did not receive one, all orders of the Blu-ray set from Studio Trigger’s online store will include an extra “special booklet” that consists of English translations for all of the Japanese text, such as interviews, in the official booklet.

Next up is the “book” that houses the Blu-ray and soundtrack CD. I am honestly really impressed by the packaging on both this and the booklet! The Blu-ray case has a hard cover, but unlike normal Blu-ray cases it’s a heavy cardboard-like material, so be careful not to spill water on it! When you open it up, there’s a rather shocking color choice:

It’s so pink! I love how psychedelic it is. The Blu-ray itself is self-explanatory, but the bonus production documentary “How the Magic was Created” is definitely worth mentioning. It includes English subtitles and clocks in at a whopping 66 minutes, and is an eye-opening glimpse at what work in a Japanese animation studio is like.

The soundtrack CD consists of 13 songs, making it 18 minutes of full orchestral music. It’s not often that I even notice the music in an anime, so the fact that I listen to this soundtrack when I’m not watching Little Witch Academia is pretty high praise. One of my favorite tracks is Shiny Chariot’s Theme – it has a great sense of grandeur and wonder that I feel encompasses my feelings for the show as a whole.

Honestly, I can’t believe this Little Witch Academia Blu-ray set is only ¥6,171 (approx. $60)! It’s an amazing package and it really does the episode justice. While the Kickstarter for Little Witch Academia episode two has already been funded, I’d definitely recommend supporting the series by purchasing the episode one Blu-ray. You won’t regret it!