Think back to 2008. That September, Pokémon Platinum, an enhanced version of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, hit shops in Japan. Yet, people online made one sort of accurate prediction—and one very accurate prediction. People? Sorry, I meant soothsayers.

On Yahoo! Japan's questions section, someone asked what people thought the next Pocket Monster installment would be titled. Then, that same individual added that he or she thought there was going to be a remake of Gold, predicting it would be called Pokémon Sun Gold/Moon Silver. After that, the new Pocket Monsters would be Pokémon: Amethyst/Topaz (though "Topaz" was misspelled in Japanese). This earnest individual seems to have really thought about this!

"Pocket Monster God of Wind/God of Thunder," quipped one answer. "I think it will be Pocket Monster Gold/Silver", replied another. Then, there was this:

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In October 2008, Yahoo user Deadevil2002 apparently wrote, Pocket Monster X/Y, nailing the name of the newest Pocket Monster games five years later. This seems to be a wisecrack reply. Below that is another wry reply, Pocket Monster Right/Left. What, no one wanted to write Pokémon Up/Down?

「ポケットモンスターシリーズ」の次回作のタイトルを予想してください。 僕は金... [Yahoo! Japan via 秒刊SUNDAY]

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Video game maker Capcom is 30 years old. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the company is looking back to its roots.

As a 30th anniversary celebration, Capcom is releasing the Capcom Arcade Cabinet Retro Game Collection: A collection of Capcom games from the 8-bit era. Capcom producer Kenji Kataoka spoke with Japanese game magazine Weekly Famitsu about the upcoming game collection, also releasing a vague silhouette image (see above) of the games that will be included.

According to Kataoka, the collection will include games from the very early days of Capcom. All of the them will be playable in their original form; even the original bugs will be included to allow players to experience all aspects of the games. Optional features will also be included to alter the difficulty (as some games were brutally unforgiving) and allow casual players to enjoy them without having to throw their controllers across the room, as many of us did back in the day.

The game collection will be available for download on the PlayStation Network Store and Xbox Live Marketplace (no news on the Wii or Wii U). One of the games, Black Dragon (Or Black Tiger as it was known in the west) will be made available as a free to play demo. No details have been released on how many other games will be included. Kataoka stated that they have not decided whether to make the games in the collection available as a bundle, or individually.

Further details on the Arcade Cabinet will be announced on February 7th. As of now, the only game in the collection that has been officially announced is the above-mentioned Black Dragon, but long-time fans of Capcom may be able to recognize some of the others from the silhouette image above. I've managed to spot a couple I recognize. How about you?

カプコン アーケード キャビネット -レトロゲームコレクション- 公式サイト [CAPCOM]

『カプコン アーケード キャビネット』カプコン創業30周年を記念して8ビット機時代のタイトルをオンライン配信e [ファミ通.com]

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A new Japanese poll of 500 men and women between 20 and 39 years old revealed that the most desirable company a prospective partner could work for was Nintendo.

According to website Business Media, Japanese airline ANA came in at second place. Third was (very successful) scale maker Tanita, followed by Google and Apple.

Those polled put emphasis on things like job security and a good salary, which, I guess, factor in when deciding if you should spend the rest of your life with someone.

The business world is a fickle mistress, though. In last year's poll, Sony was number two, and this year, it tumbled down to #11. Panasonic was first, and this year, it came in at number forty. Sharp faired worst of all: It fell from number five to #125. Sure hope nobody got married last year only because their mate worked at Sharp. That would make for an awkward 2013.

どの企業の人と結婚したいですか？　大手電機メーカーは大幅にダウン [Business Media]

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To ring in the New Year, Dominos not only has a very special pizza, but a very pricey one. For a limited time, pizza lovers can order a "Kobe Beef Steak" special. A medium costs ¥4,800 (US$55), while a large is ¥5,800 ($66). Sixty-six bucks!

The Kobe beef is covered in a simple special sauce, which is designed to bring out the flavor of the world famous meat (more here). The cows in areas around Kobe are fed beer and massaged, and Kobe beef is marbled, making the meat juicy and tender.

Dominos is only offering this special pizza pie until the middle of January. And if you just want a taste and don't want to spring for a whole, you can order a half and half.

Kobe Beef Steak [Dominos]

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If you couldn't tell from my last couple of articles about the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece figures, I'm a bit of a fan of the collectible figurine. I am also a big fan of the Avengers movie, so I guess it's understandable that I've been giddy about the Movie Masterpiece versions of the characters that are slowly being released. The latest addition to the collection that I was able to get my grubby little paws on is the Avengers movie version of the star-spangled man himself, Captain America.

As always, Hong Kong collectible company Hot Toys delivered a beautiful piece. Cap stands proud and tall in his movie version modern day suit. The suit itself seems relatively simple in design, but still looks great, and being able to look at all the seams and lines you didn't notice in the movie makes you appreciate the work the costume designers went through. Unlike the previous Captain America movie version of the figure, this one comes with two shields; the standard, shiny, pristine version, and a battle-worn one (allow me to show my geek cred here by adding that it's only the paint that's damaged, since you can't damage vibranium) for various battle scene poses.

This brings me to the next feature, which is the interchangeable non-masked head. With collectible figurines, it can generally be a hit-or-miss when it comes to the likeness of the figure in question. Hot Toys for the most part is usually a hit, which they display proudly on their website. The Rescue Version Captain America figure left a bit to be desired in the character's likeness, but with the Avengers version, Hot Toys was spot on. I wish my photography skills were better at conveying how good a job they did with this one (go take a look at their official photo gallery for that). I own several Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece figures, but the facial work on this one is by far the best.

As for flaws (there always are flaws), the standard "restricted mobility due to the suit" that most scale figures suffer from applies here as well. The lack of accessories also feels little disappointing, but that's more me just being greedy than an actual flaw. In all honesty, Steve Rogers is perhaps one of my most satisfying purchases from Hot Toys, and he currently stands proudly on my shelf beside Clint Barton and Tony Stark (Mark VI). Only 3 more before my Avengers collection is complete…

Cap comes with interchangeable head, 8 different hands, 2 shields, and a Chitauri blaster. The figure is available in the west through Sideshow Collectibles and, as of writing this article, is in stock.

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If you couldn't tell from my last couple of articles about the Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece figures, I'm a bit of a fan of the collectible figurine. I am also a big fan of the Avengers movie, so I guess it's understandable that I've been giddy about the Movie Masterpiece versions of the characters that are slowly being released. The latest addition to the collection that I was able to get my grubby little paws on is the Avengers movie version of the star-spangled man himself, Captain America. (Full disclosure: I ordered and paid for this figure myself.)

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As always, Hong Kong collectible company Hot Toys delivered a beautiful piece. Cap stands proud and tall in his movie version modern day suit. The suit itself seems relatively simple in design, but still looks great, and being able to look at all the seams and lines you didn't notice in the movie makes you appreciate the work the costume designers went through. Unlike the previous Captain America movie version of the figure, this one comes with two shields; the standard, shiny, pristine version, and a battle-worn one (allow me to show my geek cred here by adding that it's only the paint that's damaged, since you can't damage vibranium) for various battle scene poses.

This brings me to the next feature, which is the interchangeable non-masked head. With collectible figurines, it can generally be a hit-or-miss when it comes to the likeness of the figure in question. Hot Toys for the most part is usually a hit, which they display proudly on their website. The Rescue Version Captain America figure left a bit to be desired in the character's likeness, but with the Avengers version, Hot Toys was spot on. I wish my photography skills were better at conveying how good a job they did with this one (go take a look at their official photo gallery for that). I own several Hot Toys Movie Masterpiece figures, but the facial work on this one is by far the best.

As for flaws (there always are flaws), the standard "restricted mobility due to the suit" that most scale figures suffer from applies here as well. The lack of accessories also feels little disappointing, but that's more me just being greedy than an actual flaw. In all honesty, Steve Rogers is perhaps one of my most satisfying purchases from Hot Toys, and he currently stands proudly on my shelf beside Clint Barton and Tony Stark (Mark VI). Only 3 more before my Avengers collection is complete…

Cap comes with interchangeable head, 8 different hands, 2 shields, and a Chitauri blaster. The figure is available in the west through Sideshow Collectibles and, as of writing this article, is in stock.

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Not to be outdone by Volkswagen, Toyota is slated to sell a nerdy car of its own: a Toyota Auris customized in the image of Gundam character Char Aznable.

The car was first shown last summer as a concept vehicle. At that time, Toyota said the car would go into production, provided there's demand. Apparently there is enough interest, and, according to website Response, Toyota is aiming to offer the Char emblazoned Auris RS this year in Japan, with all sorts of Gundam accents and details.

Details about pricing for this customized car are forthcoming. In the meantime, have a look at these photos from Japanese site Car Watch Impress.

Gundam, being an decades old franchise, has its share of older fans—who presumably have some cash to spend. Hardcore fans might purchase this for second car kicks. Heroes will buy it as their only vehicle.

トヨタ、シャア専用オーリスを発売へ…ジオンと新会社設立 [Response]
トヨタ、「シャア専用オーリス CONCEPT MS-186H-CA」の新プロジェクト [Car Watch Impress]

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Twitter. Bulletin boards. And even internet chats. These are all forums of communication and public record. According to an alleged leaked memo, McDonald's Japan branch has drawn up a list of things that are okay—and not okay—to say online.

But in the process, McDonald's just spawned a new meme tearing up Twitter among delicious burgers. Let's dig in.

Japanese website Get News first published the leaked memo earlier yesterday (Kotaku reached out to McDonald's Japan today, but did not get a reply). The alleged memo, titled "Rules Concerning the Use of Social Media" (ソーシャルメディアの利用に関するルール), is a laundry list of things that seem like common sense for employees of large corporations, such as not saying things which might hurt people's feelings.

Examples of bad online comments were saying customers were "gross" or saying bad things about handicapped people as well as writing online when celebrities swing by local McDonald's branches. Other things the alleged leaked list touched on was leaking information—yes, the irony should not be lost.

The alleged memo does ask employees to show their support for McDonald's, giving this now infamous example of a good online comment: "Chicken Tatsuta is delicious! It's my favorite burger! (チキンタツタ美味しい！一番好きなバーガーです！ or "Chikin tatsuta oishii! Ichiban sukina baagaa desu!") That comment has quickly become a meme in Japan and is currently tearing up Twitter (search here to see the flood of Chicken Tatsuta tweets). The tweet rush is believed to be from users of 2ch, Japan's largest bulletin board, who are perhaps perturbed by these apparent attempts to dictate online speech. Or maybe they just love a tasty burger.

Last fall, a McDonald's employee got in a tweet spate after some teens held a "potato party", buying an unreal number of french fries. Get News believes that the current sixty second campaign McDonald's is running in Japan has prompted the fast food chain to supposedly mete out these rules of online behavior for employees, so they don't use the internet as a space to vent.

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And now, I'm hungry for a Chicken Tatsuta. You know, it's my favorite burger.

マクドナルド「Twitter・LINE・2ちゃんねるで発言規制」と全国店舗通達にクルー困惑　「チキンタツタ美味しい！」は発言可能 [Get News]

「チキンタツタ美味しい！一番好きなバーガーです！」がTwitterや2chで大量拡散中 [Get News]

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Tetsuya Nomura wears various hats at Japanese game maker Square Enix. He designs games, he produces them, he directs them—he also designs characters! His artwork is perhaps the most influential of the Final Fantasy series. But it's sometimes easy to forget his pure artistic talent, and sometimes easier to get lost in his resume, whether that's the games he's made or is making.

The Final Fantasy 25th Ultimania art book has a good refresher, showing off some Tetsuya Nomura sketches of Final Fantasy XIII characters. The man is an artist and has talent to spare—and then some. For more sketches, have a look at FinalFantasyFXN.net (link below). Great stuff.

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FF XIII Character Sketches from FF 25th Ultamania [FinalFantasyFXN]

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It's a double-feature PC hardware review this evening, as I take a look at not one but two of Roccat's latest offerings, the ISKU FX kedyboard and the Savu gaming mouse.

One, I liked. The other, not so much.

THE SPECS

ISKU FX Gaming Keyboard

1000Hz polling rate
2m USB cable
5x Macro keys
3x "Thumbster" Macro keys
Customisable lighting

SAVU Gaming Mouse

400-4000DPI
2x programmable buttons
Customisable lighting

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WHAT I LIKED

ISKU FX Gaming Keyboard

Rough - On the whole, it's built real tough. It's weird that there's a point on the box saying it's got "battle-ready stability", but it really does. Once you put this thing down, it takes a lot of work to budge it. Most of the keyboard feels strong and well-made as well.

Colours - If you hate lights and colours on your keyboard, that's fine. If you like the effect, though, the ISKU lets you customise the bejesus out of it, running the entire colour spectrum. Just in case you enjoy your evening sessions to be a nice light pink.

SAVU Gaming Mouse

Finish - I love the materials used on it. The matte material on the top is comfortable and smooth, but the "no sweat" side grips are even better. They don't literally stop you sweating, but what they do stop is that slick grime you accumulate on smoother surfaces.

Tough - Aside from some slightly cheap "easy shift" buttons on the side, the main parts of the mouse—the build quality, the primary buttons and the wheel—felt "heavy".

Sharp - Roccat says it's the world's only 4000dpi mouse. I don't know if mice needed to go that high, but I do know this thing is fast, and it's precise.

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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

ISKU FX Gaming Keyboard

MIA - At $90, the fact this isn't a mechanical keyboard hurts its prospects as a serious gaming keyboard. As does the fact it's missing features like external USB ports and audio jacks.

Wrists - The ISKU FX ships with an enormous wristguard. Which you can't remove. It constantly hung over the edge of my desk while testing, which got real annoying real fast.

SAVU Gaming Mouse

Light - This is totally a preference thing, I know, but I found the SAVU to be a little on the light side. If you like a "floating" feeling, then disregard, but since you can't customise the weight of this thing be warned that if you need a little more heft, this isn't for you.

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MY FINAL WORD

The ISKU suffers from being stuck in the awkward spot between budget gear and more serious hardware, in terms of both its price and its features. Yes, it's got lighting options and a ton of macro keys, but at $90 you're getting close to gear like Corsair's excellent K60, which as just one example of a mechanical keyboard is I think a much better option for a serious gamer.

The SAVU is much better. At $70, it gets the balance right, trading fluff like extra buttons for strong build quality and excellent performance. It may not be as sexy as other gaming mice, but for a no-frills gamer it's a good option.