Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier is a unique sci-fi/fantasy RPG that takes players across a variety of worlds, ranging from an apocalyptic wasteland covered with the hulks of downed spaceships to a fantastical place of fairy tales and dark magic. Join Haken Browning: gunslinger, professional bounty hunter, and amateur ladies’ man, along with his motley crew of robots, were-beasts, secret agents, and busty princesses as they delve deep into the mysteries of how their worlds came to be and face a threat that imperils the multiverse. Available April 2009. For more information, visit: www.atlus.com
It’s been a few months since the new Mazinkaizer SKL OVA series was announced. And many Mazinger or old school mecha fans were surely eager to hear more of this.
And sure enough, we do. :)
Here’s its Youtube promo video of the series, by Nagai’s Dynamic Planning.
Certainly looks pretty solid from its initial impressions.
Here’s further info from the posted promo link of ComicsBlog.
In the near future on an island in the eastern sea gather all those who want to fight at all costs. Suddenly appears a dark giant, armed with sword and pistols, which stands out among all. Some people called and who called Majin Kaiser …
‘S online on the official website of the spectacular trailer for the second series Mazinkaiser SKL, and thanks to friends of the fortress Mikeros we give a brief account of the conference held at Anime Fes. “Vs” by Go Nagai and some leaders of the staff on the new production.
The event was organized by Bandai Visual, the father of Grendizer showed his original concept of Mazinkaiser SKL and explained how the idea for the new OVA was born during gestation and the airing of the recent Shin Mazinger shougeki! Z-hen with the intention of creating the most violent Mazinger ever. The project was inspired by the anime series Super Robot Wars video game, using the actors completely unprecedented: that of the new Mazinkaiser is an alternative history with no connection to the original saga Mazin, Nagai states but, as already seen in previous trailers, character traits or end up inspired by other series of the author, among them, apparently, Cutie Honey Flash.
Actas produced by the OVA series to come out next winter (almost simultaneously with the action figure Bandai) is organized by Tadashi Hayakawa (Kotetsushin Jeeg), directed by Jun Kawagoe (New Getter Robot – The Last Day eps 4 and 5, New Getter Robo, Kotetsushin Jeeg), featuring Takeshi Ito (EX-Driver the Movie, Cybuster, Kaze no Yojimbo) with the mechanical design of joint Hiroshi Ogawa (Great Dangaio) and Munetaka Abe (animator in Kotetsushin Jeeg, Transformers: Armada, Mobile Suit Gundam 00). Lantis (Noein, Mazinkaiser, Mazinger Shin shougeki! Z-hen) then produces the music.
Besides anime within the multimedia project Nagai’s Dynamic Planning and also the serialization of the manga Mazinkaiser SKL Versus Mobile, already in progress on the official website of the magazine Comic Shu 2 Gekkin of Emotion (a subsidiary of Bandai Visual), and a novel, even already this year, the magazine Dengeki Hobby ASCII Media Works.
Coming to a cinemas near you or not? That’s what some speculators from Variety are spelling when WEP were more interested in making the iconic series into TV format rather than its live-action film counterpart. But then a few days later, another source came up saying “Hang on a sec. We’ll scrap that scrapped idea with Voltron movie. We’ll planning to do it anyway?”
That’s very annoying after hearing for several months of hype for this. So why don’t we find out it’s true or from the this MTV interview with WEP’s thoughts for the blockbuster film.
MTV NEWS: So, right at the start, let’s clear up any confusion regarding the live-action “Voltron” movie. Where is it at, and what do you have planned?
TED KOPLAR: Well, Voltron is one of the great iconic brands from the ’80s, and a lot of people don’t know this but in its heyday it outperformed The Transformers. … We’ve had a lot of interest over the last couple of years in bringing back this franchise, and the movie has always been and still is the locomotive that’s driving our thinking. All this serves as a staging platform for the motion picture.
RICHARD SUCKLE: As a matter of fact, we’ve been working over the last several months meeting with various screenwriters, and we’re actually on the cusp of securing an A-level screenwriter who’s going to write the “Voltron” movie. That’s all part of the plan here: reintroducing the brand to the fans who’ve watched over the last 25 years and to a new generation. We are very close to securing a screenwriter who’s going to actually write the feature version — so that’s always been part of the plan.
MTV: This project has been in development for a long time now, with some starts and stops along the way. What have the difficulties been in bringing it to the big screen? Have there been some stumbling blocks, or a certain element of the project that you’ve really been taking your time with?
KOPLAR: The story’s been the critical part — that we come in with the right message for both the new generation and for the old generation. We’ve had some takes, but I think we’re getting close.
SUCKLE: In any situation when you have a famous piece of intellectual property, there’s always a responsibility and an expectation, but I don’t think there’s ever been a real stumbling block.
MTV: Well, there’s been some earlier drafts of the script, including one from Justin Marks that I know of. You mentioned that you’re bringing on a new screenwriter, so are you starting from scratch or building on an existing script?
SUCKLE: We are [starting from scratch]. As far as Atlas Entertainment, we’ve never been involved in any of the previous versions, so I can’t speak to them. We came in and said we want to talk about the property and build it from the ground up, because we have a particular way we want to approach it.
MTV: Can you tell me a little about that approach? Are you envisioning a big-budget, effects-driven blockbuster? 3-D, maybe? What’s your vision for the film?
SUCKLE: Those are all things we’ve talked about, but as much as it has a very strong robot element, this is a movie and a franchise that is driven by characters — these five people that in some or another are a representation of all of us. It’s really about how you have five different personalities working together in order to come together to form Voltron.
KOPLAR: The whole show is about teamwork — about a group of kids with various backgrounds who learn that the only way they’ll succeed is through the positive parts of each one’s background and bringing it together to make the robot work.
SUCKLE: It’s not like we’re doing anything far different from the source material other than to make it a character-driven film. The effects, the 3-D… The eye candy is the easy part. It’s got to be a movie that has really dynamic, interesting characters and a really strong narrative. You know the eye candy is going to be there, because it’s part of the fabric of the original material.
So that character-driven element is really what we’re focusing on, and that’s what the writers that we’ve been talking to have been told about what we want and what we’re looking for.
MTV: Do you have a timeline in mind for the live-action film? Are there certain marks you want to hit in the roll-out of the “Voltron” universe?
SUCKLE: You never can tell, but I think that if we’re lucky going into 2011, and in a perfect world, if we could have a “Voltron” movie sometime in the summer of 2013, that would be what I would consider a very likely timeline.
MTV: There’s mention of the new animated series receiving an “edgier” update, but what about the film?
SUCKLE: To me, you have to update it and give it a fresh coat of paint for 2010-2011 and beyond. At the same time, it’s important to have those certain nostalgic elements. It’s not that we have to hit those moments over the head, but there should be stuff within the visuals — if not also in the dialogue and the references — that make those people who grew up watching the show feel like we are taking great care to both satisfy you and introduce new stuff that feels like it lives organically in the 25 years Voltron has existed.
MTV: You said you’re about to name a new writer, but what about a director? How close are you?
SUCKLE: We’ve had a lot of inquiries, because there are a lot of fans who grew up with the show and see the potential like we do, but it would be premature for me to name any names.
MTV: Will there be any crossover between the animated series and the live-action film?
KOPLAR: Our hope is that the group of people we have are open to everybody sharing ideas, thoughts, whatever it is.
SUCKLE: It’s important that all these pieces are working together, because it is a specific plan that we want to realize. The cartoon, the new show, the Mattel deal — they’re just sort of springboards to ultimately what will be the feature. It’s always been about driving the feature.
KOPLAR: All these component parts are going to come together like Voltron.
So now we’ve been confirmed that the TV series remake and live-action movie works are in place, along with the host toy merchandise going about in place, we should be seeing more and more these developments coming into the horizon at a closer time. One would hope so!
Cause I would hate to see things just dropped out of the air like that, if nothing’s working out as it should be.
I posted this no long ago on our Facebook fan page no long ago.
But basically, it’s a new robot anime show that’s going to come up this year. Rumours said it’s expected to fall in October 2010.
Not much info to reveal at this stage. But here’s what I managed to find online in the last couple weeks about this show.
In the director’s chair is mounted Taku Igarashi (Takuya Igarashi), has worked on the series Soul Eater, but the scenario will work Edzhi Enokido (Yoji Enokido), in the past giving birth to Revolutionary Girl Utena. For the design of the characters meet and Hiroki Midzuya Misa (Misa and Hiroka Mizuya), as well Eshiuki Ito adapt designs and is responsible for overseeing the animation. The music also write Satoru Kosaka (Satoru Kousaki), speaking earlier in the composer Bakemonogatari, Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia and Lucky Star.
Anime will narrate about a boy named Takuto, control the robot with the name Taubaan (Taubaan).
Never heard of it. Said to be made by a Japanese video game developer, HyperDevBox in Japan and there were released in the early 2000s, first in Japanese local arcade games market, then released on Playstation 2 consoles, as shown above.
According to the link, it’s kinda like a RPGish type game where you get a few robot characters to choose from and upgrade their skills and character attributes to level up as you progress the game. And everything’s in 3D as well so there’s plenty of action going on you’ll see just like Gundam arcade video game franchise you’ll get in your local gaming arcade store.
Here’s the video review of the Wii game Ex Zeus (also known as Counter Force).
The game is available for you to download on your Iphone or phones come with Google Android OS. There’s a price you have to pay for it, which works out to be around ¥350( or USD $3.80). You can get a 24-hour trial version of this when you first look up the marketplace. But after that you need to purchase it once the trial period’s up and you’ll decide to continue keeping it, if you like it.
So folks. Give it a go and see what you think? Do you think it’s really a great game for mecha gaming fans out there?
Looking back all the great visual highlights of the game, I was thinking at the back of my mind why this is GOING TO BE THAT AN AWESOME GAME TO HAVE to have. And I can only think of 7 very good reasons to have this game (and why every other fan should own this game as well)
1. IT’S INSANELY FUN.
With its stunning graphics, amazing 3D environments and character design details, one would find it very hard to disagree its fun factor this game provides, even though the critics review won’t be made officially after its 22nd June release date. You have so many of your favourite characters to choose from. Autobots, Decepticons, Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, Megatron, Starscream and the rest; ready to take pounce at each other’s throats. You get to experience a lot of these Transformers in a very unique way from the first-person perspective such that you’ll get this total freedom to explore each characters’ unique fighting transforming abilities that you would never thought it was possible. With this much character interaction and four different classes to choose from,,
2. IT’S FAST.
Yes. Fast. Fast as in not the loading times (sorry)^^”. I mean given the nature of the game is action-oriented, you’d expect all the action sequences would go lightning fast! With background explosions, enemy atttacks, death beams and simultaneous transformers fighting/transformation sequences all happening in one game disk, what more instense action could a guy ask for?^^ (But hopefully the loading time won’t be painfully slow once you got the game as depicted above….)
3. IT’S SEXY.
Okay. Maybe not that kinda of sexy we oughta expecting from this game.
But we do know how to love our favourite characters transform into different types of vehicles we like to see (and play). So that’s what made a good game a good game. Game features, action sequences, cooperative team play, intense fighting atmosphere on Cybertron etc.. Everything’s just so sexy with it. Nuff said.
4. IT’S AVAILABLE ON ALL GAME PLATFORMS.
That’s a huge thing. So there’s no reason why every gaming mecha fan out there who shouldn’t be heading out to the game store (offline and online) and grab their copy of this game, irrespective of what gaming platform you have at the moment. PS3, XBox360, Wii, Nintendo DS. High Light Studio guys have done a massive good job of giving every Transformers fans (young, old and eccentric) what they want for their birthday or early Christmas presents.
SO GET OUT THERE AND START ORDERING THEM!!
5. IT’S MULTIPLAYER.
Yes. As far as I’m aware of the XBox360 that’s been going about for quite a while, they got the exclusive of the multiplayer functions within. So says their Highlight Studio’s press release
Exclusive to Xbox 360 owners, the demo will grant players early access to a deep Transformers multiplayer experience, offering fans a sample of some of the character classes and game modes that will be found in the final version. It will feature full, 10-player matches and drop players straight into Molten, one of the game’s expansive maps set on the Transformers’ home planet of Cybertron.
Just like any multiplayer games you ever experienced, your main goal was to head out and start eliminating random opponents, whether you’re on your own and playing in a team. And you have to complete the goal under some strict conditions of the game, usually time limit or maximum number of opponents killed. This game offers that too and you should have no problem getting used to this game format if you’re big fan of CounterStrike or Unreal game franchise. So the stage is all yours to set.
b. Conquest
Conquest is a capture and hold style game when you take your team to takedown your enemies stronghold that has their flag. To win this game mode, you use your men to eliminate the enemies and the enemies were busy guarding the their flag beacon. Once you eliminate them all and none survive, you take over their beacon and replace with yours and the match is yours to sealed.
c. Countdown to Extinction
This game mode has one simple objective, just like above. You take your bomb and place it at the enemy base and you’ll win. That’s simply it. You don’t necessarily have to detonate the bomb. You have to make your men stay alive in the game whilst carrying the bomb and no letting fall into the wrong hands.
d. Power Struggle
It’s an interesting one. One of type of gameplay is not commonly used in multiplayer games before. Hence this would be the first. The game style is similar to the concept of Capture the Flag, where is each teams’ have their own set of flags and your mission is simply to grab your opponent’s flags as many as you can and bring it to your own territory.
e. Code of power
A two-minute and half match where you and your opponents are fighting for a giant melee weapon.
6. IT’S FIRST PROPER TRANSFORMERS GAME WE HAVE FOR A LONG WHILE.
Well looking at the history pages here, I can see why it’s so (and here’s the part why I claimed it’s most decent game to date).
Whilst reading everything else about it’s been mentioned why Transformers name was never meant to do well historically. When I meant by that is that given technology back then, everything was so simple and plain to program back then. Commodore64 was one earliest adoption for the game of Transformers G1. It’s not hard to see why they couldn’t resist the chance to make the game when everybody were so looking for it when nobody ever thought of an idea of having the game at home.
But sadly we were all mistaken to believe it’s going to be one of those pioneer games.for such fantastic cartoon series. Instead the game ended up as E.T 2 instead. If you take a video here of Transformers on Commodore64.
You can see that it’s a platform type of game. Which is pretty obvious since in those days, games were a lot easier to developed in that form during those days. Many people went out and expect to get plenty of games like this. Many except for one. Lots of complaints about the game being too buggy and it was a super hard to play with. It’s hard for many people to get around to understand how the game got involved when you have several Autobot characters to control but nothing of this video suggests you want to experience each robots’ unique strengths and weaknesses. Whilst I was looking for further criticism what made this game stink, I come across a retro link by a Transformers who remembered this game and this is his thoughts of the view.
Basically, Transformers is a platform shoot-em-up. You take on the role of a team of five Autobots (Optimus Prime, Jazz, Bumblebee, and two others that I can’t remember!) and you have to explore the games levels collecting pieces of the Autobots logo and returning them to your base, negotiating the array of platforms and avoiding the onslaught from the Decepticons who are out to stop you. Collect four pieces and the level is complete. Why they are doing it, is anyone’s guess!
To help you, each Autobot has three modes of transport – walking, flight, or vehicle mode. Different modes are best used to negotiate different parts of the levels with some platforms only being accessible through flight. Naturally, driving around is one of the quickest ways to explore the levels, but it is all too easy to drive too fast and end up going over the edge off a platform. You are open to attack in vehicle mode, but can shoot back in robot or flight mode, and different modes of transport offer different benefits and levels of control for manoeuvring around the levels themselves.
Each of the Autobots on offer gives different advantages and disadvantages to the player. It is possible to switch between ‘bots at any time during the game as long as you move into one of a number of pods scattered around the playing area. Naturally, Optimus Prime is the best for firepower and damage resistance, but he is rather cumbersome when it comes to negotiating some of the trickier platforms. By the same token, Bumblebee is not a ‘bot to use if you are expecting heavy combat, but because of his size, he can go where no ‘bot has gone before. However, Jazz would appear to be the best all-rounder.
The graphics in the game are something of a mixed bag. The sprites are well drawn and well-animated, especially the transformation sequences, but the background images are appalling. The platforms consist of little more than metallic pipes on a plain black background. Yes, the game scrolls smoothly enough, but when the screen doesn’t even look interesting, the gameplay has to exceptional to make you come back for that elusive “one more go”.
Special mention has to go to the music by Fred Gray. He has managed to produce a faithful renditioning of the Transformers theme for the game, although there isn’t a great deal of music during the game itself. However, the sound effects are rather sparse and what is there is rather pitiful!
Overall, this game is too damn difficult for it’s own good. It is a difficult game in it’s own right, but coupled with a lousy control system that is unresponsive and, and an icon system that makes the game a pain to play (not to mention making transforming your ‘bot difficult and not something that can be done in a hurry). Denton Designs were famed for their icon-based games for the C64, starting with their revolutionary graphic adventure, Shadowfire, but icons have no place in a platform game.
If that wasn’t bad enough, there is some dubious collision detection, and worst of all, it is impossible to tell what is coming from off the screen. All too often, you can be in flight mode and suddenly finding yourself crashing head first into an oncoming platform.
To be honest, this game never really set the world alight when it came out, and looking back at it now it has dated very badly.
A real bummer intro of Transformers gaming franchise to what’s supposed to be a very promising start of the franchise.
And…
Does anybody remember this NES version of Transformers game?
Another very disappointing and hard game for the fans to barely hate it, let alone enjoy it.
I remembered correctly a long time ago, this game only exists to be sold in Asian countries including Japan. But it was never set foot in the USA. Judging by the quality of the game and infinite source of its negative reviews, one could guess why. Since the title is in Japanese (Transformers: Convoy No Nazo or Transformers: Master of Convoy) and the contribution to this game came from the Japanese exclusive frontline of its own Transformers G1 series. The title really appealed to me to try this game out. My fingers were eagerly curious and eager to see if I’m going to get a great fun out of this.
But sadly, to my own disappointment, after seeing too many “Game Over” screens before even passing level 1 of the stage, I realised this game is was not really meant for kids at my age for fun (I was 8 years old that time). Moreover, I never heard any kid in my neighbourhood ever beat this game so easily. The game was said to be one on the extreme difficulty and you’re tested for avoiding enemy attacks and attack them when necessarily. Reading one of the commentator’s review on this, I’m glad to know someone out there who also shared my frustration over the years and left disappointed that it wasn’t going to be fun anymore. Or at all.
Another tragic tale of its cartoon masterpiece game plans for the franchise.
NB: Here’s another Transformers game you may be interested to watch. This guy managed to finish the game in 4:25, WITHOUT A SINGLE LIFE LOST! I couldn’t believe when I saw this!! This guy makes the game looks so easy to beat! Check it out for your viewing pleasure!
And but now we’re in the modern age where video game system are starting to evolve and they get more powerful and faster, and with recent PS2 titles of Transformers and Transformers Movie recently coming out the past few years, I’m noticing that this is beginning process of the Transformers franchise wanting to regain its lost reputation in not making the gamers for the Transformers fans several years since its 8-bit ugly intro.
Of course, this doesn’t always happen to be the case such as Transformers Beast Wars franchise on PS1 and Nintendo 64, for having one of the worst gaming platforms ever introduced on 64 bit gaming platform. But hey no one’s perfect right?
So it’s safe to say that things are getting better and better, not much worse, for today’s video game makers to push their boundaries to a whole new level of fun.
7. IT’S FOR THE FANS. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY?
Lastly this game is made for the fans of who love robot shows for a long while now, not just for Transformers fans speficially specificially. I don’t know about you. But I’m pretty excited about this game coming up withing 6 days or so for now. My childhood life wasn’t that great in my days of the 80s, so hopefully this new game will help to replace old memories with some new fun ones! So yes. What else can you say for a mecha fan other than “YES! YES! YES!”.
So, fans! Let’s go and roll out!^^
Source: TFormers.com, All images do not owned by me and are copyrighted.
With the all the latest hype going on with the upcoming Transformers: War for Cybertron that went on for a few months or so, I decided to go and snap what great juicy news we got with this crazed gaming development for the past few days of this month. (And I’m sure many of you Transformers fans out there are keen to see what’s going on^^)
First stop, it’s the introduction of Trypticon into the gaming mix.
Trypticon making his behemoth debut
TFormers.com’s been slowly releasing some incredibly nice visual footage of Autobots and Decepticons, along with our usual favourite heroes (and villains). You know, Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, Megatron, Starscream and what nots. And now we have Trypticon making its huge explosive entrance to give us fans what we’re craving for when getting the game.
Here’s Trypticon’s main entrance.
And here we have extra visual footage of the game itself (Images are copyrighted by TFormers.com)
A video footage of Transformers War for Cybertron on XBox360, commented by one of its lead game designers at High Moon Studios, explaining their inspiration making the game, especially giving us fans intriguing storylines about this game is a actually prequel to the classic 80’s cartoon classic Transformers G1.
Check it out!!
And finally, do you know that (besides XBox360, Playstation 3, Wii) they’re planning to release this game on Nintendo DS platform too?
Here are some screenshots of the DS version of the game.
And here’s the video coverage one of the lead Nintendo DS game designer for War for Cybertron on DS.
Thanks for TFormers.com for providing these excellent coverage of the game. My blog post would have made without their supplied input on this.
For those who are interested (and THOSE WHO CAN’T WAIT!!) to get your pre-orders of the game , you can check out on my site, on the right handside of page and you will see a couple of ads showing picture links of War for Cybertron games.
Available on all platforms. Playstation 3, Xbox360, Nintendo Wii, DS, PC etc. Currently, priced at US $59.99.
Oh man… I feel like I should grab this game as well.
Source: TFormers.com, All images are copyright by TFormers.com
And here’s another confirmed facts that people in other part of the world are dead keen for Mazinkaizer SKL OVA series as well.
Here’s the translated text (in English)
A new Mazinkaiser is coming! Reinterpretations of the classics by Go Nagai. It’s greatly anticipated to be a great show. The latest incarnation of the most powerful of the robots Mazinkaiser SKL. A contraction came as the word ‘SKL’ probably means “skull”. Note the skull instead of death Pilder emblem on the chest of the giant steel. In short, a disreputable kind without the huge shark teeth sword to put on the back.
The new OVA series was announced with a scoop of Hobby Japan Magazine # 6, on sale this month. No details on the project has yet revealed, but an official site is configured to receive future press releases and extras. The author Go Nagai’s Dynamic Planning and also reveal the next serializing a novel based on the new series, to be published in the magazine Dengeki Hobby ASCII Media Works, and a new manga will be offered on the official website of the magazine Comic Gekkin Shu 2 subsidiary of Bandai Visual Emotion.
Well the SKL part makes somewhat sense. Just wandering if somebody else in the Mazinkaizer community could disprove that?
Just rang into this website the other day, mentioning about this new Mazinkaizer SKL show.
And here’s its translation (in English)
“Comic Vs Mazinkaiser SKL” series begins! Cartoon: Wataru Kazu stars
April 23, 2010
New Genie descent!
Maginn next is “bad, strong, cool!”
The most evil genie, again!
And a new legend begins!
Continued to refuse to manipulate their own people, chose the most evil of the Devil Mazinkaiser, Two little beast hidden madness, and the sword was moving above sea Liao.
They are only to satisfy his own desires, but fight with them, and continue down.
Agenda of the organization, and even abandoned hope of the people.
Shall be at the end of it, either victory or destruction or that.
All reverse image of the past, in the midst of a storm of bullets and sharp sword overwhelming, and revived with a new legend of the strongest robot Mazinkaiser!
So it’s definitely confirmed that we got outselves a hot new robot show this year! What a great way to start with these exciting shows!!!
Now I need to ask from any Mazinkaizer fans out there! What are you guys keen to look for this new OVA series? Do you want to see Kabuto Koji returning to this show for the 2nd time in the Mazinkaizer franchise? Or preferably somebody new this time like how Go Nagai did with Tetsuya on his Great Mazinger 35 plus years ago?? Or maybe perhaps you’re looking forward to see that Kabuto Koji should ready to settle down with Sayaka Yumi this time?
