Part 1: Know Your Tech!

Before we begin with the purchasing part, it's best to start off with an explanation of some of the technical jargon and make sure you're aware of a few things you'll need to plan for. I said you'll have to jump through a few hoops didn't I?

Depending on what part of the world you live in, your TV has a certain output type, which as follows:

US = NTSC/US
Japan = NTSC/JAP
Europe/Australia = PAL

These days there's no real technical distinction between the 3, especially with HD becoming standard and all TV's supporting 60hmz but sadly the difference still remains due to "regional lock-out" (which prevents a game/DVD from one region from being used on a console from another for reasons too deep and boring to mention here) placed upon most consoles (handheld devices and the PS3 thankfully are the exception).

That being said, your first port of call is ethier choosing the version of a console that best suits your needs, or finding a way to play foreign games with your current set-up. If you plan on importing a lot of games from a particular region and have the extra dosh (and quite a lot of it) then the first option is for you, or otherwise you're better off going with a swap disc. I'm not going to be touching upon "chipping", as it voids the warranty (and that's not a good thing).

Like I said above, buying a console from overseas can be damn expensive, even without postage and duty tax entering the picture, but it's the way to go saving you alot of time and frustration. The only technical things you'll have to worry about is differences in power supply, easily solved by buying a new power brick/USB charger (for handhelds) or picking up a transformer from most traveler and electrical shops, and purchasing DLC and games from the VC, WiiWare and XBLA services (which I'll touch on later). Needless to say, you better have a healthy bank balance.

The cheaper but fiddly option is via swapdiscs. They act the same as your regular game, coming in -- you guessed it, disc form. But once booted up it'll prompt you to insert the game of your choice from another region, effectively tricking the system. If you want to see one in action, be sure to check out Noun's impression and video demonstration of Freeloader, a popular swap disc program for the Wii, in action (an interesting little side note: he uses his copy to play PAL games, as believe it or not, we are sometimes given a little love with exclusive releases). They're pretty cheap as well, setting you back around $50AUD for the full setup. There are 2 little things to be wary of though: first, it's not 100% effective like everything in this world, with a few games just plain out refusing to work regardless of system and second is the unpredictable lifespan of this method for the current gen systems, with Nintendo disabling the GC and just a few weeks ago the Wii version of Freeloader through a system update already. Check out the list of links at the end of this article to check out the best disc-swap set for your system. You'll also need a "swap tool" for the PS2, as shown in the video below:

One last thing: if you do decide to buy a foreign console, it's an automatic warranty void in most cases, and obviously you'll have no access to customer support, so if something goes awry, then you're up the creek without a paddle.

Part 2: Research, Research, Research!

You're about to be entering some costly territory. The cost of a console, the high price of games (rare and Japanese import games can cost a pretty penny) and postage, you'll want to make sure that you're getting the most bang for your buck.So my advice to you is to do your research before putting down your hard earned cash. There are several great sites and forums dedicated to import titles, listed at the end of the article that can help you make a more informed choice. And of course our own forum is brimming with good advice (the handheld board is always a good read). Find out what the critics and your fellow gamers are saying. It's easy to look at things with rose colored glasses, especially if it's part of a well-established series or bears a well known brand..

Part 3: Be A Smart Consumer, Know Where To Shop, And How!

Now it's finally time to get to the actual shopping part!...sorta. Choosing the right retailer to buy your wares from can be a difficult task. Thanks to the internet, there's an almost endless amount of choice. Yours may differ depending on personal tastes, but this is my checklist for a good online retailer (these also apply to general online shopping):

- Credit Card
- Secure Site
- Detailed product information pages
- Order Status
- Transparent costs
- UPS & FedEx Shipping
- Tracking Numbers (for FedEx and UPS)
- Pre-order
- Clean interface and checkout system

My personal choice for imported goods is Play-Asia and YesAsia. Both are well known and respected and have a wide range of hard to get game for a fairly decent price. Apart from a instance where I hadn't been given an tracking number and had an order unexpectedly cancel (which I found out later was the card company's fault), their service is fairly reliable. If ordering something from the US (Play-Asia and YesAisa as the names implies sell DVD/Games/Misc from Asia), then the absolute way, at least in my opinion, to go is Amazon.com (if LilMike swears by it then by god that's endorsement enough!). Cheap enough prices, a wide range of very rare games and accessories and all the major shipping options it's the safest way to go. Just know that not every item on Amazon.com or .uk can be shipped to places like Australia (the fact that there is no Amazon.com.au boggles me immensely) and the shipping cost will be slighty higher (don't forget to check out the GG Amazon store, filled with our personal picks for you to buy cause remember: we know what's best. Always.). Remember also that most sites don't convert prices to your currency so be sure to have a currency calculator opened while browsing.

Though many online retailers offer multiple ways of payment, the best methods are through PayPal and Credit Card. They are traceable, instant and safe. If you don't have ethier and/or don't want to be laden with constant bills or the temptation of a card then go for a debit visa card or pre-paid/gift credit card. Both make sure you're spending money you know you have. The only down side is the high fees that come with them and they also charge you for your purchases in advance, meaning you're unable to change your order afterwards. A popular one here in Australia is BOPO, as many newsagents around the country have a top up facility.

The other options you have are through psychical shopping (yes, there are still people who do that) and ebay. There are some great little "ma and pa" style gaming shops out there that specialize in bringing in games from the US/beyond. You'll find that many of them will be more than happy to bring in any title you request (for a bit extra in most cases).The same can be said for ebay, but I don't have to tell you to display a bit of caution. If the price is too good to be true, then it normally is and make sure what you're paying for is legit. A friend of mine recently brought a copy of FF6 for the GBA from the auction site, and was surprised to find what he received was indeed FF6, but a pirated copy (complete with crappy cover art, a missing Nintendo seal and the inability to save). Don't be afraid to snap up that bargain, but do research and ask questions. Check for pictures that contain the packaging (with a seal of quality) and the game disc/cart together, read the description carefully and make sure you account postage into the cost of the item.

With regards to packaging, I recommend going courier (FedEx, EMS or UPS) if you can afford it. It's trackable (though for the obsessive compulsive this can be a double edge sword), faster and insured just in case. If you're only purchasing say, a $10 GBA game, then don't bother, the postage will cost more than the item itself!

The best time to buy is during the regular sales that many online retailers have, usually around the big holidays. Prices also change on a regular basis based on supply and demand, so it can pay to be patient. And who knows, with the constant deluge of new colors/versions/deals of consoles and games you might just be rewarded with a much better find!

If something does go wrong (bad or counterfeit goods, bad shipping and service, etc.) don't be afraid to make a fuss. Many will be happy to listen to your concerns, and for the ones that aren't, the threat of a bad reputation or legal action will open their mouths. You paid for quality, and you shouldn't expect anything less!

Part 4: Download Services/Region Specific online services

So you've decided to go and buy a Japanese 360 to play some idolm@ster. That's great, but after a while the fun of anime girls dancing to j-pop, no matter how pretty, becomes stale so you decide to download Bomberman LIVE, only to realize that it's not on the Japanese XBLA! "no problem" you say. "I'll just change my console's regional settings", to come to yet another realization that you've lost all your MS Points!

Each console's currency (Wii Points for Wii, MS Points for the 360 and) is region specific. This means that you'll need a credit or points card from the country you want to purchase from. Points cards are easy enough to buy from online retailers but remember to only buy what you need: you'll lose any unused points if you change settings. Also, at least for the Australian versions of the Wii and 360, you cannot change to regions besides Europe and Australia. As far as I know you'll have no problems playing DLC and downloadable games from another country, but feel free to prove me wrong. There's a good guide by Canned Geeks that deals with the issue (specifically regarding buying Rock Band Songs).

For online subscription services (MMO's and the like) a paypal account and a helping foreign hand with a credit card will go a long way. Some games even have cards for sale that allow you to obtain in-game currency or eliminate the need to pay via credit card that can be brought, once again, from a good online retailer.

Part 5: Mini-Guide To Foreign Imports

Though importing is a great way to get games from the US or Europe, most people decide to import foreign (Japanese in particular) games. It's the only way to get them in most cases (Gamestop has in the past brought in games like the manga meets Smash Bros Shoen Jump! Superstars for the DS) and there's just so many great titles that will sadly never see localization. Luckily many of the good titles to import are region free (I'll be touching on solely handheld rhythm titles this time around) and have a fairly low language barrier. Everybody understands the language of the funk baby!

Let's not kid ourselves: you're not going to be playing the latest Final Fantasy or hot new RPG unless you're fairly fluent in Japanese, and even then it can be daunting thanks to the use Kanji characters in some games (there are some like MOTHER 3, Earthbound's sequel for the GBA though that use little Kanji). As cool as a game may look, it means nothing if you can't understand what the hell is going on. Rhythm and puzzle games are the best way to go, as they have fairly graphic-driven menus, minimal story and universal ideas and concepts. A good game to start with at least in my opinion is Ouendan 2, Elite Beat Agent's eastern big brother. Funky music, great gameplay and a experience unlike any other (particularly in this age where the rhythm genre is becoming bland and samey). Another great one which just came out last week is Daigasso! Brothers DX for the DS. Think a handheld version of Rock Band (including vocals if you can speak Japanese) and MIDI sequencer rolled into one. The first game had a excellent multiplayer aspect, allowing up to 8 players (or as many as you want if you all own a copy of the game) to jam together as a band wirelessly or share your own created tunes. It's also one of the few DS games to feature true DLC (you can store up to 100 songs out of what Nintendo says will be a selection of 200) and online sharing of user created content. My copy is on it's way so be sure to be on the lookout for a review. One other game I'm enjoying at the moment is the second Taiko no Tatsujin DS. It and the first title are basically on par with the arcade, PSP and PS2 versions except with the obvious switch to a touch screen drum. It's certainly more for the rhythm junkie or series veteran with a steep difficulty curve, reaching DDR porportirhythmons early on. Finally on the DS (well GBA) front is Rythm Tengoku, developed by members of the WarioWare team and it shows, featuring a set of 48 weird and wonderful minigames all around the theme of rhythm.Don't worry though if you only own a PSP, there's a few great games for you: Taiko no Tatsujin Portable and the DJ Max series among others, all for the hardcore music fiend within. Check out these gameplay videos to whet your appetite:

So there you have it: GayGamer.net's first ever guide to importing! Hopefully this will give you a good understanding of what you need to know (if you didn't already) when it comes to buying your gaming goods overseas. Comments/Suggestions? Feel free to leave a comment below or email mrmog@gaygamer.net. Remember: You've read it, now you can't unread it!

Useful Links:

Online Retailers/Product Sites

PlayAsia - A very popular online retailer specialising in games/tech/DVD's/music/misc. from Asia
YesAsia - Simular to PlayAsia, though offers free shipping and gift options
Amazon (GG Store) - Our personal favorite games and gadgets
SwapDisc Magic - The Most popular swapdisc for the PS2.

Futhur Reading

Guide to Importing Rock Band [Canned Geeks]
Guide To Japanese [NTSC-uk]