Random Update For No Reason - Swine Flu Symptoms

Yes, it's because there is nothing else to write about today. But for the past week, all we've been hearing about is this swine flu virus. Well, I decided to pull up an easy chart so all our readers can recognize what this influenza-style thing-a-thing does to you. Fox and all local media have made this "pandemic" phase 5, which is I guess, the second highest rating for "danger zone status."

But either way, as long as you cook your pork to 160F, you should be ok, and of course, stay away from people who are harboring the symptoms mentioned above. How does this all relate to video games? Well it doesn't, at all. Technically, with the world scared of pork, other countries would probably put an embargo on pig importation for the time being, which hurts US exports.

We don't need another slow down to slow down what is already too slow. But on the upside, people will have more money to buy games.

Pre-Order Update - King of Fighters XII (12) PS3 / 360 - 7/7/09 - $59.99

Price - PS3 / 360 - $59.99
Release Date: 7/07/2009
Genre: Fighting
Company: Ignition Entertainment
Version: USA
-from publisher-
The King of Fighters XII (KOF XII) is the latest installment of The King of Fighters series. SNK Playmore has announced that it is abandoning the Atomiswave system and is moving its most popular game franchises to the Taito Type X2 arcade system. KOF XII will use newly-drawn 2D sprites on detailed 2D backgrounds. Due to the time the developers took to make the sprites, there will be only 20 playable characters (the lowest number of characters ever had in a game from the series). The game is currently due to be released in Japan in April of 2009 for arcades, while home versions will be released worldwide in July of the same year. Like The King of Fighters '98, this game will not have a storyline; the saga from Ash Crimson that started in King of Fighters 2003 will finish in a sequel.

Gameplay

• KOF XII uses the usual 3-on-3 team system with each fight consisting on 5 rounds. However, the Tactical Shift System from The King of Fighters 2003 has been removed. KOF XII also introduces the "critical counter" system. When a player lands a close strong punch as a counter, the character enters into a critical counter mode where the player has a short amount of time wherein their character can link multiple attacks together. Once the critical counter's time period has expired (signified by a green hit) the player can finish with a special move. Finally, there is also a "clash" system in place wherein characters who land blows on one another with matched timing, the engine will generate a 'break' effect and push the characters away from one another into a neutral standing. As it happened with The King of Fighters '98 and The King of Fighters 2002, the game does not contain a storyline allowing the return of several characters depending on their status in the series. Additionally, there are no official teams, leaving the player to create any team to use.
• The game returns to its standard four button layout. Players can still dash, backstep, and perform rolls as their evade. The Guard Breaks from previous games can now be done at any time. Super special moves will now be executed in real-time and in a similar manner as KOF '94, meaning that it's a one level superbar that gradually drains once it is MAX. Some moves will take some time to charge.

Characters

• The game will feature roster of 20 characters, which is half the amount of characters featured in King of Fighters XI. With the exception of the Hero Team from The King of Fighters 2003 and the debut of Raiden from Fatal Fury in the series, the character roster is comprised primarily of characters from early KOF games prior to the NESTS storyline, with the majority of them reverting to their classic KOF and pre-KOF (Kensou and Athena are wearing the outfits of their Psycho Soldier counterparts) designs and move set as the SNK staff wanted to return to the original concept from The King of Fighters series. Raiden, however, was initially meant to appear as his unmasked persona from Fatal Fury 2, "Big Bear"; in order to add more villains to the game, the SNK staff decided to use his Raiden persona, which was one of the sub-bosses from the first Fatal Fury. KOF XII does not feature any of the pre-defined teams traditionally featured in the series, despite presence of members from recurring teams such as the original Japan Team and the Fatal Fury Team. According to Kukino, the home versions of the game will contain more characters. Some versions from the game will also include English voices for each character, but the player will be able to select between English and Japanese audio.
• Ash Crimson
• Duo Lon
• Shen Woo
• Kyo Kusanagi
• Benimaru Nikaido
• Goro Daimon
• Iori Yagami
• Athena Asamiya
• Sie Kensou
• Chin Gentsai
• Terry Bogard
• Andy Bogard
• Joe Higashi
• Kim Kaphwan
• Raiden
• Ryo Sakazaki
• Robert Garcia
• Ralf Jones
• Clark Still
• Leona Heidern

General Updates - 4/30/09's Arrivals

Demons Souls Asian Version PS3 - Our last scans indicate that the items have made it safely to the United States. Our shipment was last scanned at Louisville, KY and we hope to receive the package either tomorrow or friday. All reservations made by phone will be fulfilled up to this point. We have reserved another batch from the manufacturer and hope to receive another batch at the end of May.

ClubNamco Exclusive Plush Items - We're anticipating a large shipment of clubnamco items tomorrow evening via trucking. Our logistics partners have done an excellent job of delivering our freight on time.

Restocks This Week - Many of our restocks have been inspected by customs this week. We're guessing that since the economy is in such bad shape, customs agents need more work, thus, more inspections. One of our main shipments scheduled to arrive today experienced such a case. We have two shipments this week from Japan. We'll update what is to come tomorrow afternoon.

Pre-Order Update - Infamous Exclusively on the Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) - 5/26/09

Price - $59.99
Release Date: 05/26/09
UPC: 00711719811923
Genre: Action
Company: Sony
Version: US
-from publisher-
From game developer Sucker Punch, creators of the award-winning Sly Cooper series, and publisher Sony comes inFAMOUS. The first open-world title exclusively for the PlayStation 3, infamous is a single player action/adventure that places you in the role of once regular guy, Cole, who in the aftermath of a horrific catastrophe finds himself not only alive, but developing a fantastic array of superpowers. Going from ordinary to extraordinary overnight isn't something to take lightly. With these powers does one exact revenge? Protect the innocent? Or perhaps, dabble in a little of both? The choice is yours in infamous.

• Change the outcome of the game at every turn as citizens and city environment itself react to, and are impacted by your in-game actions.
• Take on the role of Cole, an everyday guy who develops a super-human powers and must decide whether to use these for the good of Empire City and its people or their detriment.
• Discover, grow and wield a wide range of electricity-based super powers against enemies using standard weapons as wells as comparable special abilities.
• Utilize Cole's climbing skills as you scale the cityscape and discover new vantage points, vaious offense and defensive tactics and employ inFAMOUS' vertical combat system.
• Experience the complete freedom to accept structured mission play options, or to explore the deep, open-world design of Empire City.