Play-Asia.com presents DS-10 Dominator! Album 'Dance if you can't dance' now available for preorder! Official YouTube channel launched!

After setting up an (unofficial) blog, an official facebook and twitter account, we now also have an official youtube channel. Our first videos are featuring the DS-10 Dominator, a European underground electronic project, bringing together two things that we like: music and video games.

Come hear some music in DS-10 Dominator first show, come visit Play-Asia.com Official Channel:

For more information on DS-10 Dominator's upcoming release Dance if you can't dance, please see this special news.

To preorder his CD, come visit the product page.

GPH Caanoo Vs. MVS, GP2X Wiz, NGPC, etc

I had this crazy idea to show off the Caanoo and some of my other systems, so I conned some of my family to help me with my plan to make a couple videos. The first one compares the Caanoo to the NeoGeo MVS, and my 2-year-old had the main speaking role. The second features Ava showing us some of the differences between the Caanoo and several other handhelds. I don't think I need to say much more. The videos should speak for themselves.

GPH Caanoo - Battery Test

Here's a quick post for those of you following the GP2X Caanoo. One commenter asked about the battery life, so I came up with a "real world" test to gauge the battery life. Note that I did not change the system's clock rate which would impact the battery life, but that could go either way. For some things, you could clock it down to save life, and for other things (like emulating certain systems), you may clock it up to increase performance.

My "real world" test consisted of me watching a movie and then playing some emulated games on the GPH Caanoo. This was a bit simulated, though, because I didn't actually watch the movie or play the games. The movie just played while I did some other things. The games I chose were all emulated arcade games. I chose them, because arcade games have demo modes that sit there and show off the gameplay until someone inserts a quarter. That way my tests were always stressing the CPU even though I wasn't actually hitting buttons.

At time zero, I started "Howl's Moving Castle." You can see, from the screenshots, that the battery was full when the movie started. Then, at the end of the movie (1-hour and 56 minutes in), I took another screenshot showing that the battery indicator still shows full battery. Oh, and I set the movie player to half brightness. It looked fine at that setting, and I figured it was a good average.

After 2 hours of movie playing, I shut the machine down, so I could switch SD cards (to the one with the games). I booted the Caanoo back up and started MAME running Shock Troopers 2nd Squad (and the clock set to 533MHz). I let Shock Troopers run for 22 minutes. After that, the battery was down to 2/3 full.

I switched to Out Run, and let that play all through my commute and dinner. It was almost 2 hours of Out Run, and by the time I was finished eating, the battery was at about 1/3.

I ran Tetris for about a half hour, and then I switched to Cadillacs and Dinosaurs. 12 minutes into Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, I found the machine dead.

The final conclusion is that I got 5 hours of real-world playtime out of the Caanoo's battery. I think that's pretty nice, because I was doing some intensive stuff. I'm sure that if you were just listening to MP3s or reading e-books, you'd get way more time out of it. Perhaps you could even double it, especially if you clocked it down.

Caanoo

The new GP2X Caanoo has made its way into my loving arms. It just arrived, and I've made a video of my first run through the menu and some of the games. Bear with me. It was my first time using the machine AND I was trying to record it for you with my other hand. I was excited to get a chance to try the Caanoo and share with you guys, so I didn't really have a plan as to what I might talk about or show (since I didn't even know what was available, myself). After checking the video out, there were some parts that were a waste of time, so I cut them out. Also, I didn't have macro mode turned on when I started recording, so the video quality gets better part way through.


Like I said, I was excited to share this with you. I'm not a professional videographer or spokesperson. That should be clear.

As far as my first impressions go, I really like the form factor. Compared to the GP2X Wiz, it feels more like a handheld gaming system. The Wiz seems like a cool pocket gadget. It's small and sleek. The GPH Caanoo seems like a system meant for gaming and watching video on the go. I'm sure I'm not explaining the difference well, so I'll try to elaborate.

You know the Game Boy Micro? It would fit in your pocket, and it would do everything you wanted it to do (at the time, play GBA games). It was awesome, because it was so small and sleek and still did what you bought it for. That's the Wiz. It can play your movies, games, emulators, etc. and you'll never have a tough time carrying it with you anywhere.

Now the Caanoo comes along. Sure, it can do what the Wiz does, but it's just better. You can tell by looking at it. It's the Wiz's big brother. The specs are similar to the Wiz's, but it has features the Wiz doesn't. The screen is larger, it has an analog joystick instead of a dpad, it has a g-sensor (motion sensor), it includes haptic technology in the form of vibration force feedback, and it has a full-sized USB port that will accept a WiFi adapter. On first impression, the Caanoo comes off as a man's version of the Wiz.

As I get more into the machine, I'll be writing more. If you want more videos, let me know. I'm not sure if people prefer that format or the blog format. I'm no expert at the vids, though, so don't be afraid to say that you'd rather me stick with typing.

Also, let me know if you are curious about any specific aspect of the Caanoo. You've seen what I have loaded on the machine. If you want me to go in depth about anything, leave a comment. I'd be glad to address it.

I really am impressed with the Caanoo so far. I wondered what GPH would come up with, and I think they're on the right track. When the FunGP website takes off, I think we'll be in for a fun new handheld gaming paradigm. Even without it, though, the Caanoo is a big step forward for the surprise contender, GPH.

Jump up and get moving - PlayStation3™ Move and related games are available fore preorder now!

Jump up and get moving. The new PlayStation3™ Move is a new gadget that lets you fall straight into the game environment. Couple this new play style with the ultra realistic blu-ray disc graphics, and you'll have fantasy and bullet rains at your finger tips. The controllers will come this autumn, so preorder to get the experience early.

Move right and left, up and down, throw a punch and pull back. The camera can sense all your movements with needle point accuracy. Aim at any minute point on the screen and shoot, or draw sketches to see all the delicate lines.

To give you a taste of the extra dimensions that this device could provide to your gaming experience, a couple of new releases and hot existing games will come in September. The jocks and fitness maniacs can start getting things moving through games such as Sports Champion and the artistic people can play with Beat Sketch!!.

Families with young children can get a pet through the PlayStation3™ system. You can now interact physically with your monkey in Eye Pet, pat him and get him new toys. Gather friends together and play party games such as Move de Party. You can also test the accuracy of these controllers through shooting games such as Big Gun 3 Shooting.

You can also see how intensive the already exciting games become with the Move System with hot titles such as Biohazard 5 and Mugen Kairo. The US versions will come this September and the Japanese versions will come in October.

Destroy Aizen and the Espada once and for all - Bleach: Heat the Soul 7 - Available for preorder today!

Aizen have put you and your friends through numerous dangers ever since he schemed to have Rukia executed. After facing all the trials he threw at you, you finally have a chance to finish off the team of Espada and the big boss himself in Heat the Soul 7.

Be ready to battle Aizen and his Espada troops. Train up your fighting abilities in the Tutorial Mode. If you've never picked up a Zanpakuto before in your life, you can start with Easy and when you are more confident, you can go to the more difficult settings.

Heat the Soul 7 features a new fight mode - the Battle Royale. Ask some friends to join and see who could stay fighting till the very end. Besides seeing the end of Aizen, you'd also meet the original character Muramasa and play missions from the original story- Zanpakuto Ibunroku.

Bleach: Heat the Soul 7 will come in early September and you can preorder your copy today.

The paint brush and the sword: Okamiden: Okamiden: Chisaki Taiyou sequel to the award winning Okami!

See the unique blend of bold and delicate brush paintings in Okamiden: Chisana Taiyou, the sequel of the award winning fantasy action adventure Okami. The game picks up immediately at the end of the first game and introduces two new protagonists: Chibiterasu, the fluffy wolf pup and the cute Kuninushi.

Just when Issun, the new ruler of the country thinks that Amaterasu and Susanou have restored peace over Nakatsunokuni, new monsters start popping up. More numerous, and powerful than ever, these monsters are turning humans into boulders or dinner.

But hope is not lost, for the new wolf Chibiterasu is here to save the day. Pick up your stylus and start drawing. The touch screen on the Nintendo DS makes painting even more handy. And this time, you're not going alone, Kuninushi, the self-proclaimed son of Susanou will accompany you with his big sword.

The delicate brush paintings and Sakura blossoms are back. Come with the super cute Chibiterasu and his partner Kuninushi to a brand new action adventure. Okamiden: Chisaki Taiyou is coming in September.

Live on Sony PSP™ - K-On! Houkago Live!! and the Accessory Pack available for preorder today!

The K-On! girls get their big break, and you'll share their excitement with them. The After School Tea Time is open for all music lovers and gamers to join and jam together. Maybe you'll be the next Hirasawa Yui to find where your dreams and talents lie.

After bringing the Vocaloid idol Miku and her friends to the Sony PSP, Sega decides to bring the K-ON! girls to your wide screen. See the girls interact in the event scenes, listen to their cute and energetic voices and watch them play around in Chibi forms.

The rules of the game are simple, just press the right button when the note hits the bar. Jam songs with your favorite girl band After School Tea Time and play their songs, such as Cagayake Girls and Don't Say Lazy. You'll win items and costumes when you clear stages. So dress the girls up and decorate the room as you go along.

Turn on your adhoc network function to call your friends to jam song. The complicated music become easy jobs if you play together. A total of five people can join a session, so step into the shoes of your dream girl and play.

K-On! Houkago Live!! will come in September.

To celebrate the event and show your affection for the girls, dress your Sony PSP up the K-ON! way. The accessory pack comes with a pouch to protect your console from falls, a silicon cover which bears Yui's silhouette and music notes, and 5 UMD cases that feature all 5 girls. The set is also coming in September.

Demons, masks and Persona - The US versions of Persona 3 FES, Digital Devil Saga 1+2 and Nocturne are back for a limited time at great prices!

Challenging, punishing, but most of all, captivating- the Shin Megami Tensei (Megaten)/ Persona series have caught fans in a whirlwind when they were out. Now elevated to classic games status, four of the most unique in the series are back, for a very limited time period:
Persona 3 FES, Digital Devil Saga 1, Digital Devil 2 and Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne.

Persona 3 FES is essentially a collection of two games. If you've never played Persona 3, be sure to start from the beginning. In this first chapter, you become the MC- a teenage boy moving to a new, posh boarding school and ended up being assigned to a hall with the most popular students in school.

Although things are confusing at first, you managed to make new friends and lead a reasonably happy school life, that is, until you meet the shadows that lurk in the city and awaken your Persona- Orpheus. As one of the special people who could call forth their Personas, you get recruited into the S.E.E.S team.

The FES Episode continues where the first game left off. You become Aigis, the android maiden and face off with the your "sister" Metis. You will solve the puzzle behind the tragic events that happened to the MC and break out of the time loop that locks everyone into the day before the graduation.

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Digital Devil Saga drops you into the Junkyard, a dog eat dog world where only the fittest could survive. You are Serph, one of the tribe leaders with the Demon Virus. Whenever the Demon takes over, you become a cannibal that seeks to devour everything in your path.

Yet, the cannibalistic urges are not the scariest things; the emotions that come with them are. Meeting Sera, the mysterious girl whose song could calm your inner demon is your first step to redemption, you think, and taking her to the Karma Temple is your ticket to escape the increasingly bleak Junkyard.

But be careful of what you wish for. In the direct sequel, Digital Devil Saga 2, it's revealed that the Junkyard is in fact an utopia created by Sera to escape the confines of her own world and Serph is not the savior he has been playing....

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In Nocturne, you are no longer the human but the Demon Fiend who could choose the fate of the world. Arguably the darkest and most punishing in the Megaten series, Nocturne gives you the ability to talk to demons and recruit them to your army, as well as the potential to become Lucifer's successor.

Merge your demons together to form more powerful beings and venture into the labyrinths and networks to take down some even more powerful enemies. It's through battles and bloodbath that you learn which Law fits you best.

Breathing fire and electricity - Meet Reshiram and Zekrom in Pokemon Black and White! - Available for preorder today!

Visit the Isshu Region and venture onto the center island where new and legendary Pokemon wait for their new masters. The two powerful Pokemon you can tame in these latest versions are the white, fire breathing Reshiram in Pokemon Black and the black electric user Zekrom in Pokemon White.

Pokemon Black and White connects all the games in the series and brings you even more fun. Aside from Reshiram and Zekrom, you can meet Pokemon with new associations such as the dream controller Muna and the earthquake making Meguroko. Be sure to catch'em all and build your dream team.

Hiyun City is trendy and ultra-modern, explore it as the smart and cool protagonist. Get new Pokemon balls and tools in the Pokemon Centers. You can also get drinks from the handy vending machines around the corner of every street.

There are more 3D graphics and dynamic camera movements to give you the full view of the city, your Pokemon and your enemies. Invite your friends into the game and show off your collection. If you want to connect to the players from other areas, you can upload your game data onto the internet and see if anyone could beat your records.

Pokemon Black and White will come on 18th September, preorder yours to ensure that you get to play it before everyone else does.