Two Completley Opposite Handheld Updates

So, thanks to Famitsu, we now have a better idea of a few of the games we might see come TGS for the Vita, but my suggestions aren't among them, which isn't much of a surprise, as I would have had a hard time suggesting any of these games.  I highly doubt all nine of the games in the Famitsu article will be shown at TGS, mainly because a few of them are previously announced, but like I said, it's hard telling what the unannounced games would/will be, so we might see a few repeats in it.  Especially now, since a few of these new games have been so informally announced.

First up in the line-up, and possibly the one most harped on, is the upcoming Ragnarok Odyssey, which seems to be a game designed to take on the mantle of "Monster Hunter when you don't have a Monster Hunter game to play" as Squeenix and a few others have tried on the PSP already.  (And done fairly well at, apparently.  God Eater and Lord of Arcana sound like they did well for PSP games.)  Whether Ragnarok Odyssey will crib directly from the formula of "Receive order, destroy monster" of Monster Hunter, or expand on it some remains to be seen, but either way if they do it well, they'll surely carve out a nice niche....so long as Monster Hunter for Vita doesn't get announced to launch relatively close to it.

Also announced in the article were:

• Sumioni – from Acquire, it’s a 2D ink action game. 
• Shinobido 2 – from Acquire and Spike, read our developer interview here.   
• Dream Club Zero Portable – from D3Publisher, port of the Xbox 360 game 
• Moe Moe Taisen Gendaiban ++ – from SystemSoft Alpha, slated for a spring 2012 release.  
• Michael Jackson: The Experience HD – from Ubisoft. 
• Dark Quest – from Ubisoft. 
• Lumines: Electronic Symphony – from Ubisoft, Q Entertainment is the developer. 
• Rayman Origins – from Ubisoft.

 Of those, we already know Shinobido 2 quite well, as it was more or less announced alongside the Vita, and while Vita ports weren't in the clear cards, Michael Jackson:  The Experience and Rayman Origins ports from Ubisoft seem relatively easy to digest....even if I wonder how in the world you're supposed to play a dance game on a portable.  And of course, we already knew about Lumines from a relatively recent announcement.  The rest, however, especially Sumioni, were unexpected, mostly new, and more than welcome.  (seriously, look at the article for Sumioni, it looks really neat.  Someone in the comments mentioned it reminded them of a combination of Muramasa and Okami, which I'm sure will interest some people.)

So that's all pretty neat, really.  A little insight into possibles for TGS, and, if nothing else very clearly cool new games for the Vita which really needs to establish a lot of new IPs to interest people who might harp on the Vita by stating the only thing it has going for it is watered down console ports.

Now, for something completely different.  (though appropriate, considering I brought up Monster Hunter already)

The above picture is apparently the peripheral attachment anyone looking forward to playing Monster Hunter Tri G or whatever wacky name it has can look forward to using to play the game on.  Aside from the added bulk and the second stick, the attachment apparently adds three shoulder buttons (I imagine the left shoulder button is still accessible) and...well, a lot of uncomfortable feelings.  Now, while this still could be an incredibly well done fraud, it's all-but been confirmed through various outlets.  Though, like a multitude of Handheld attachments, this thing could never see the light of day in America or anywhere that isn't the land of glorious Nippon.

Now while not implicitly a sign of something terrible, this has just been another in a long line of signs from Nintendo saying that maybe the 3DS wasn't all that well-thought out and was, perhaps, a little rushed.  Now while I'm still of the opinion that Nintendo hardly has to worry about people not buying a goddamn 3DS, since everyone will, eventually, I will continue to hope that this, on top of everyone else, will just turn more people towards the Vita and Sony gets to see a full Handheld success this time around, rather than just a great Japan showing.