Retro Gaming Australia

Those anxiously awaiting the release of Jet Set Radio HD will be happy to know that Sega have finally set both a date and price for the title.

Come 18 September, PlayStation Network users can get their grubby or not-so grubby mitts on the game – with Playstation Plus subscribers getting it a full week earlier (on 11 September). Unfortunately, those planning to pick it up for the Vita will have to wait until 16 October. Both the PSN and Vita versions of the game will set you back US$9.99/£6.49/€7.99.

Jet Set Radio HD via Xbox LIVE Arcade and Steam will be available 19 September for 800 Microsoft Points/US$9.99/£5.99/€6.49. There is currently no release information for the iOS and Android versions.

Source: SEGABits

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon, an action adventure game (often likened to The Legend of Zelda series) released in 1998 for the Game Boy, is set for release on Nintendo’s European and Australian 3DS Virtual Console services.

Originally released as Ganbare Goemon: Kurofune Tō no Nazo (Go Goemon: Mystery of the Black Ship Gang) in Japan, the title’s gameplay is reminiscent of the Japanese only Ganbare Goemon 3: ShishijÅ«rokubÄ“ no Karakuri Manji Gatame for the Super Famicom – including RPG elements, puzzle-solving and a top-down perspective of the action. Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon features three payable characters – Geomon, Sasuke and Ebisumaru, all tasked with rescuing fellow ninja Yae from the Black Ship Gang who kidnapped her.

Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon is available 16 August for £2.70 / €3.00 in Europe and most likely $4.50 for Australia.

Source: Nintendo of Europe

Nintendo eShop (Australia, Europe)

3DS Virtual Console
The Sword of Hope II (Game Boy) – $AU4.50

Nintendo eShop (North America)

Wii Virtual Console
Real Bout: Fatal Fury Special (Neo Geo) – 900 points

3DS Virtual Console
Super Mario Land 2: 6 Gold Coins – on sale for $US2.99

Good Old Games

New Releases
The Legacy of Kain: Defiance – $US5.99

Discounts
Summer Selection – 50% off the following
Cossacks Anthology
Heroes of Annihilated Empires
American Conquest + Fight Back
Worms United
Superfrog
Alien Breed + Tower Assault
World Rally Fever: Born on the Road

First4Figures has revealed the latest addition to their range of The Legend of Zelda themed statues – the series’ main antagonist, Ganondorf.

Two editions of the statue are being produced: an exclusive edition for $US479.99 and a standard edition for $US449.95.

Orders for the exclusive edition will close this week, while orders for the standard will close at the end of the month, so get in fast.

Those who bought Silent Hill HD Collection on the Xbox 360 will be spitting chips after Konami announced earlier today that they will not be releasing the patch to fix many of the game’s shortcomings. A similar patch was released on PS3 a couple of weeks ago.

“Plans for an Xbox 360 title update have been cancelled due to technical issues and resources,” announced the publisher. “Understanding the issues some users are experiencing, Konami issued a title update for Silent Hill HD Collection (PS3), which fixed frame rate issues as well as audio-synching and other reported issues. Konami apologizes to any players who are continuing to experience these issues on the Xbox 360 SKU.”

It is believed the patch was cancelled because Konami refused to pony up the money that Microsoft charges developers to issue patches (believed to be around $40,000).

Prototype collecting website Nintendo Player has unearthed a rather amusing little piece of software which they’ve dubbed NBA Jam XXX.

It’s pretty much the same as the released version of NBA Jam, except that the commentator swears like a sailor.

The game was provided to Nintendo Player anonymously, but a note was included that described how the version of the game came about. “Due to the memory constraints of the 16-bit system, the long strands of voice samples from the classic arcade game had to be modified to fit a Super Nintendo cartridge. Tim Kitzrow, NBA Jam‘s memorable voice-over announcer, was called back into the studio to shorten his calls. During one of these recording sessions, a number of outtakes were saved as a joke, which served as the basis for a special, profanity-filled, in-house-only game–one that, if word ever got out about its existence, could have severely jeopardized Acclaim’s relationship with the NBA league and completely shut down NBA Jam‘s development for good.”

Source: Nintendo Player

Last week, a prototype version of The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System was listed with a Buy It Now price of $US150,000. While most people (quite rightfully) scoffed at the price, it appears someone was willing to spend an obscene amount of money for the cartridge, as it has now sold for a price of $US55,000.

Speaking to the Examiner, the seller said “I feel as though that was accomplished. It was also important getting prototype video game collecting into the news. It is amazing what is out there in released and unrealesed protos.”

When asked about getting a third of his original asking price he replied “Do I think it’s worth more? Yes. There was no way I was taking less than the previous world record. The fact that it remained in tact over the last 25 years is amazing. The legacy of this cart and how it came into the hands of the previous owner is incredible.”

Do you think that the buyer got his money’s worth? The word going around the prototype community is that this version of the cartridge is indistinguishable from the retail release – possible leaving someone rather red faced and considerably poorer. The label on the cartridge is dated 02/23/87 – some six months before the US release, but a full year after the original Famicom Disk System release.

Source: the Examiner

Revival Studios’ latest homebrew effort Mage: The Enchanted Crystals has now been released. 100 copies have been made available at a cost of 39 Euros each. A plastic case can be purchased alongside the game for an additional 5 Euros.

The game is something of a dungeon crawler with an original story, which the website elaborates on: “While working on a powerful spell, Wizzy’s father was being watched by others. As a precaution he captured the spell inside a crystal and divided it into 4 pieces, which he buried inside the mines, just south of your village. It is now up to you to collect these pieces and bring them together inside the enchanted chest to ensure the spell doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

You can get the game here.

Via RetroCollect

US PS2 Classics release of Grand Theft Auto III was delayed due to a last-minute music licensing issue, apparently.

Nintendo eShop (Australia, Europe)

Wii Virtual Console
The Last Blade (Neo Geo) – 900 points

3DS Virtual Console
Toki Tori (Game Boy Color) – $AU6.00

Nintendo eShop (North America)

3DS Virtual Console
Super Mario Land (Game Boy) – $US2.99 off until August 8th (normally $US3.99)

PlayStation Store (Australia, Europe)

Discounts

Arc The Lad (PSOne Classics) – €2.49/£1.99 (Additional 20% off for Plus members)
Disney Pixar Toy Story 2 (PSOne Classics) – €2.49/£1.99
Disney Pixar Toy Story Racer (PSOne Classics) – €2.99/£2.39
Monsters Inc : Scare Island (PSOne Classics) – €2.49/£1.99
A Bug’s Life (PSOne Classics) – €1.49/£1.19
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (PSOne Classics) – €2.49/£1.99
A Bug’s life and Monster’s Inc (PSOne Classics) – €3.59/£2.99
Toy Story Racer & Toy Story 2 (PSOne Classics) – €4.99/£3.99

PlayStation Store (North America)

New Releases
War of the Monsters (PS2 Classics) – $US9.99

Good Old Games

New Releases
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within – $US9.99

Discounts
Weekend Promo – Tremendous Topware Titles – includes Enclave and Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire (and a whole bunch of new stuff that’s out of our scope)

The Street Fighter series turns 25 this month, and Capcom has a whole lot of merch and such ready for your consumption.

One of the cooler pieces being released for the occasion is this Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Chess set, which is available through Capcom’s store for $US299.95.

Each set is individually numbered (there are 5,000 sets being made), and encompasses highly-detailed silver and pewter-colored resin pieces (each of which fits into a protective custom slow when not displayed, a large 18″x18″ smoked and sandblasted glass game board, a high-quality black wood storage case with polished chrome latch and hinges and a large Street Fighter® 25th Anniversary logo laser-etched into the lid and a certificate of authenticity.

The roster includes Ryu & M. Bison (kings), Chun-Li & Juri (queens), Ken, Guile, Balrog & Vega (bishops), E. Honda, Blanka, Rolento & Akuma (knights), Dhalsim, Zangief, Sagat & Seth (rooks), Ryu’s fist & Shadaloo winged skull (pawns).