Second Quarter 2002 [Beginning of April to the end of June]
 
Closure A busy quarter in which a sizable amount of products were released and good news (Ikaruga) came to fruition. Told ya. 
06.24.02 Dreamcast Metal Wolf [Regular and Limited Edition]
GB Advance Golden Sun ~ Lost Time
Playstation 1 Pop 'n Music 6
Playstation 2 Gun Survivor 3, Houshin Engi 2, Kengo 2, Shikigami no Shiro, Shin Combat Choro Q  
Summary As the summer gets into full swing, the days become hazy, hot, and humid. Not necessarily the best weather combinations for gaming, unless you're the kind of person who enjoys sitting indoors in AC'ed rooms instead of romping on the beach or water parks. NCS expects PS2 Gun Survivor 3 to be this week's sales winner with GBA Golden Sun ~ Lost Time following close behind. Shikigami no Shiro will appeal to the shmup crowd. 
06.17.02 Playstation 2 .Hack, Ashita no Joe 2, Kyojin no Hoshi, Popolocrois Story 3, Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side
Hardware Playstation 2 Hard Drive Kits and Netplay Controller
Summary After a month of waiting, Sony finally releases enough PS2 HDD kits for us to import and supply to customers. Shipments should remain fairly consistent for the rest of the year. NCS also stocks a new controller for the PS2 which makes FFXI online and general play somewhat simpler - the Netplay integrates a keyboard and a Dual Shock controller into one usable unit. All new software imports this week consist of PS2 titles, showing off the dominance of the console in Japan and the industry's reliance on Sony's workhouse. Metal Slug 4 continues to sell but at a much slower pace than previous Neo Geo releases. It's not necessarily a buyer's strike since our Japanese pre-sales numbers are pacing King of Fighters 2001 but we do notice that sales after the initial release are nowhere near past releases. The emergence of bootlegs, roms, and general apathy probably all contribute to the decline in interest. 
06.10.02 Neo Geo Metal Slug 4 
Playstation Eithea Best Collection
Playstation 2 Final Fantasy XI (belatedly), World Fantasista
Summary Another Neo Geo home cartridge ships this week to adoring fans. The fourth Metal Slug features new characters, new vehicles, and the usual intricate attention to detail that has been the hallmark of previous Slugs. We finally receive World Fantasista after delays from last week and sad to say, it wasn't worth the wait. Square strikes again with another questionable first attempt, this time in the soccer genre. Needless to say but we'll say it anyway, Konami's Winning Eleven franchise has nothing to fear from Square. NCS opens up preorders for Auto Modellista for PS2 and Tekki for Xbox. Another in-demand item hails from Square: Final Fantasy Adventure Bible Collection. 
06.03.02 GB Advance Castlevania: White Night Concerto
Playstation Bomberman Land "The Best Collection"
Playstation 2 Ragingbless
Xbox Bistro Cupid Regular and Limited Edition
Toys Macross Valkyrie VF1A, Super Valkyrie VF-1J, Love Hina Swimsuit Figures, Sakura Movie Figures
Summary Two new Valkyrie toys arrive on Monday along with other toys from the land of Japan. New releases this week are scant but that's okay. The new Castlevania for GBA has garnered the lion's share of import interest and preorders this week and we expect another strong seller which will last for a couple of months. Ragingbless for the PS2 offers an alternative to Gauntlet Legends but the week basically belongs to Castlevania.
05.27.02 Dreamcast Culdcept 2, Garou Mark of the Wolves, Last Blade 2 FE, Sakura Columns 2, Virtual On 
Playstation Dragon Quest Monsters 1 + 2, The Cameraman
Playstation 2 Blue Train Express, Disney Golf, Eve of Extinction, Konohana 2, Runabout 3
Xbox Live World Soccer 2002
Summary All shipments expected last Friday arrived on Saturday morning. NCS returns to normal operations on Tuesday, May 28 after the three-day Memorial Day weekend. For those staying in the city and not visiting the Hamptons or elsewhere, holidays in New York City are great because all of the good restaurants and venues are still open but the usual crowds are out of town. No lines, no waiting, and just a large number of usually complacent tourists to contend with. Traffic is usually also less than usual, which is always a good thing. 
05.20.02 Domokun The brown beast goes on plush-preorder
Summary The week of E3 is usually a mild one for business, as most of the industry people attend the show for the latest news, trends, and unveilings. Fans and the general customer base are also attuned to the news flashes and streaming information as the show unfolds. Nintendo's Gamecube should have a nice showcase of upcoming games while the Playstation 2 machine chugs on with it's self propelled juggernaut. We didn't expect much in the way of Xbox developments but the behemoth from Redmond announced an online initiative dubbed Xbox Live. The Xbox appears to be carrying the torch that the Sega Dreamcast held before it hit the orphanage. Speaking of which, Sega announced it's first profit in 2 years thanks to the company's software only push. Chief Operating Officer Tetsu Kayama may have summed up recent news of hardware price drops the best by saying, "This is good for us, I'm just glad we are no longer a hardware maker." Price drops for the Playstations and Xbox were announced last week and Nintendo joined the action with a drop for the Gamecube to US$149 early in the week. More units out in the market means bigger possible audiences to sell wares to .  
   Import Shipments were delayed this week, and all deliveries are now slated for Tuesday, May 28. Monday's a national holiday, to honor the soldiers who've fought in America's wars. The lack of new stock this week explains why Domokun is the only highlight for May 20, 2002. 
05.13.02 Dreamcast Tako no Marine 
Playstation Captain Tsubasa: Aratanaru Densetsu Josho
Playstation 2 Beatmania Da Da Da, DDR Max, Final Fantasy XI, Live World Soccer 2002
Toys Lupin the 3rd Keychains
DVD Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Widescreen Edition
Summary Releases pick up this week after last week's drought. As summer nears, NCS expects lazy days as the warm weather draws people from their homes into vacations, trips, amusement parks and other diversions. Final Fantasy XI promises to sell well but the lack of wide distribution of PS2 hard drive kits may put a damper on Square's sell-through ambitions. In unrelated news, Star Wars Attack of the Clones bows on May 16. Unlike hardcore fans, NCS employees are fairly disinterested/unaffected by the whole Star Wars affair but the movie is enjoyable (New York film festival screening over the weekend). We'd expect a lot of audiences across the country to clap, hoot, and holler at the film's ending, where we see massive armies of clones being marshaled by the Jedi for the coming war in Episode 3.
05.06.02 Restock Saturn Action Replay 4 in 1, Gamecube
Summary The last remnants of the Japanese Golden Week holiday lapse on Monday of this week and it's back to business as usual. Sort of. Nothing new in the way of imports is expected this week but we have a full plate of restock to contend with. Price cuts are also realized across our existing product catalog as we lower the stickers on most games older than 3 months. We're learning to be more nimble in discounting products before they age and start to "settle down" for retirement in our inventory. We're not running an old-age home, after all...
04.29.02 GB Advance Konami Arcade Collection 
Gamecube Fifa World Cup 2002 
Playstation 2 M.S. Gundam: Giren's Ambition, Pro Baseball Final League, Underwater Unit
Toys Love Hina keychains + "RPG" plushes, Faye Valentine statue, Grand Runner, Emeraldas Candy Toy, Super Monkey Ball plushes, "TRU" Valkyrie VF-1A
Summary Golden Week kicks off in Japan on April 29 with Japanese citizens enjoying a whole week of festivities. It's business as usual for software vendors as a number of PS2 releases are shipping. Underwater Units looks to be the sales leader with it's submarine action where you commandeer a mini-sub and attack larger enemy subs and other deep diving vehicles. The new Gundam Giren game should also do well among fans of the Gundam franchise. An assortment of toys makes it in to bolster sales - Super Monkey Ball plushes and new Love Hina plushes lead the way. Surprisingly, the Fewture Faye Valentine statue does well at a lofty price of US$180. NCS also takes delivery of Grand Runner toys from Sega. 
04.22.02 GB Advance Advance GT2, Rockman Zero, Winning Eleven 
Playstation Arc the Lad Collection [USA], Klonoa Beach Volleyball 
Playstation 2 Galerians AshxRion, Generation of Chaos Next, Ground Breaker, J-Phoenix Burst Tactics, Surveillance, Winning Eleven 6, Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 
Summary Things pick up as a largish assortment of Japanese imports reach market and revitalize the month that was April. Leading the way are PS2 imports with Galerians Ash and Generation of Chaos Next selling very well. Winning Eleven 6 is tops and this week's sales leader as fanboys leap on the latest in the popular soccer series from Konami. For our export customers, Arc the Lad Collection motivates buying and NCS stocks up on what looks to be another game which will do well months from now. 
04.15.02 Dreamcast Mobile Suit Gundam ~ Federation vs Zeon DX [Finally...]
Playstation Capcom vs SNK 2000 Millennium Fight Pro
Playstation 2 Tokimeki Memorial 2 Video Clips
Summary NCS expects this week to be one of fairly quiet happenings. With only two new imports expected, in addition to last week's Gundam game, we'll sail through the week with sales relying on old stock from months and years past. Shenmue 2 [EUR] continues to be a strong performer and Gamecube consoles sell very reliably for us. Playstation 2 consoles continue to move and Xbox seems... lackadaisical for lack of a better word.
04.08.02 Dreamcast Mobile Suit Gundam ~ Federation vs Zeon DX [Delayed]
GB Advance Lunar Legend
Toys Final Fantasy X Monsters 
Summary With the Dreamcast flagging under the weight of orphan status, Capcom nevertheless shows the love once again with Gundam ~ Federation vs Zeon, a superb 3-D mech fighting game ported from the Naomi coin-op. On the Gameboy Advance, Game Arts re-releases the Saturn/Playstation version of Lunar the Silver Star and dubs it "Lunar Legend". New graphical updates and a remixed storyline are the highlights of this newly rehashed portable adventure. Similar to other Lunar games, we expect it to sell like hotcakes to the Lunar literati. A collection of Final Fantasy X monster toys arrived last week but we take a gander this Monday to criticize some of Koto's transgressions in this new series. NCS confirms release dates for the Neo Geo home cartridge Metal Slug 4 and Dreamcast Ikaruga and preorders flood in. We're suitably impressed with the bountiful preorders for Ikaruga and it's the best pre-selling shooter ever. Nice.
04.01.02 GB Advance New Japan Pro Wrestling
Playstation 2 Armored Core 3
Toys Bandai Macross VF-1S, Love Hina Bath Figures, Parappa Mechanical Toys, Pikmin Capsule Keychains, Transformers D-98 Sixshot
Summary Suffering a spate of LAME April Fool's jokes which cause confusion, scattered mass hysteria, and some half-hearted chuckles among our visitors, NCS tries to explain some news stories as mere jokes but international customers aren't familiar with this American custom. Soldiering on, NCS reveals a new assortment of import toys. The Pikmin Keychains prove the best seller out of the lot, much to our surprise. We had put our money on Six-shot to finish as the top sales item for the week but it falls short. As the week ends, NCS starts a reservation list for Treasure's IKARUGA which is headed for the Dreamcast. Since it's a NAOMI based game, it'll be a simple feat to port it over the Dreamcast. Legions of shmup fans send in their reservations whilst we await final confirmation...
Earlier Visit the 1st quarter 2002 archive of news and fun facts.
Later Visit the 3rd quarter 2002 archive of news and fun facts.
Later Visit the 4th quarter 2002 archive of news and factoids
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