Online game stores that ship to UK? Also, recommendations?

[Greywing]

I recently picked up an American PS2 while I was on vacation in New York, pretty much exclusively for the purpose of picking up various PS2 RPGs that didn't and/or won't get a PAL release. Can anyone recommend sites that ship video games to the UK?

So far, I know of the following but if anyone knows of others, please post a link:

CD Universe (www.cduniverse.com)
NCSX (www.ncsxshop.com)
Videogames Plus (www.videogamesplus.ca)

I've ordered DVDs from CD Universe several times and I've been happy with their service. I've never ordered from the other two before - does anyone have any experiences, good or bad, to report?

On a related note, what's the likelihood of me even getting many of the games I want, seeing as I'm jumping on PS2 importing so late? Some of the titles I'm after are:

Grandia 3
Xenosaga Trilogy <The UK only got Xenosaga 2, which is a bit like being shown Empire Strikes Back but never being allowed to watch New Hope or Jedi...>
Ar Tonelico
Tales of Legendia
Tales of the Abyss
Suikoden III
Wild Arms Alter Code F

With regards to the above games, were there any special editions worth hunting down? Any errors/cuts/whatever in them that I should be aware of? Finally, any recommendations for other PS2 RPGs?

Thanks in advance!

[Johnny]

I recently picked up an American PS2 while I was on vacation in New York, pretty much exclusively for the purpose of picking up various PS2 RPGs that didn't and/or won't get a PAL release. Can anyone recommend sites that ship video games to the UK?



Your best bet is definitely VG+. I've been using them for years and never had a bad experience. Sidney and co are excellent in terms of customer service and very approachable with any questions etc. NCSX are also excellent but shipping to the UK can get a little expensive, although they are very fast and reliable.

Tronix are another choice and seem to be popular.

[itsuka]

I'd try www.dvdboxoffice.com (Canadian store, prices in CAD). I used to buy anime DVD's from them a few years ago before I switched to DVDpacific (who unfortunately doesn't do games). DVDboxoffice prices are not the lowest, but they include free international shipping on most items, and they also used to ship in such a way that VAT was mostly avoided. However, sometimes the shipping times were long. They did replace faulty discs and lost packages when I ordered from them, their lost time is 8 weeks.

[Johnny]

DVDboxoffice prices are not the lowest, but they include free international shipping on most items, and they also used to ship in such a way that VAT was mostly avoided.

I should add that VG+ mark everything as $20 so you'll never have to pay any import tax with them. They even marked Rock Band as $20 for me! :sdsmiley:

[DiGiKerot]

I've ordered DVDs from CD Universe several times and I've been happy with their service. I've never ordered from the other two before - does anyone have any experiences, good or bad, to report?

I've used NCSX a lot - it's my go-to place for both US and Japanese games these days. I've never had anything go wrong with an order from them, so I can't talk about those circumstances, but otherwise they are nice to deal with. Larger packages (by which I mean things of the iDOLM@STER LE size) they won't mark down as far as the customs limit (though they will mark down a little), but boxes of two or three games they'll mark below the limit. Things tend to arrive pretty quickly, too. They are pretty good about responding to mail quickly, and keeping you up-to-date about any issues with your orders (which are rare, but Japanese LE releases can be a crap-shoot as to whether the companies actually release as much stock as they actually planned to).


On a related note, what's the likelihood of me even getting many of the games I want, seeing as I'm jumping on PS2 importing so late?

Honestly? It's going to be hard to find any of them, particularly Suikoden III (it's old, and a very popular series) and Ar Tonelico (NIS or Atlas usually means pre-order stock only). They are also exactly the kind of games that most the stores who ship outside of the US tend to sell out of quickly.


With regards to the above games, were there any special editions worth hunting down? Any errors/cuts/whatever in them that I should be aware of? Finally, any recommendations for other PS2 RPGs?

The US versions of all the Xenosaga games had edits - episode 1 was mostly some very squicky, almost peadophilic scenes, and you aren't really losing anything in the US version (the scenes are there, the animation is different). Episode 2 I seem to remember had a gun removed from one sequence (again, the scene is there, the animation is different). Episode 3 had blood removed from some very, very, VERY gorey scenes from what I've been told, but I've only played that one in Japanese.

There was an LE pre-order bonus with Episode 2, which was the same movie disk which came with all the European versions.

I can't think of many other US only RPGs which are worth tracking down - there's some start-of-life titles like Okage which are a little quirky and diverting, but haven't really ages all that well. I've had the time to play my copies of the other US only RPGs like the Growlanser games or Radiata Stories (which may be worth looking for it you liked other Tri-Ace games like Star Ocean or Valkryie Profile).

[unknownfatehome]

I bought Xenosaga a few years ago. Still don't have the American PS2 to play it on though..

Ar Tonelico is the most difficult to track down. You shouldn't have too much trouble with the others though.

[Greywing]

Has anyone ordered from Rosenqueen? Are they reliable? Well-packaged/good condition items? Basically, any reason not to order from them?