And South Korea gets hooked up on the PSP. Big time.

Yup, those big PSP advertisements are back, and this time, you'll find them ensconced in Seoul's busy subway stations. But it isn't just Sony's handheld that's getting some major exposure amidst the throng of busy commuters. The advertisements are actually for the much-loved pop music game from Pentavision, DJ Max Portable 2. From what can be gleaned from the images you will find below, the ads are also giving a shout out for the availability of the game's demo.

So this game is hot. And without a doubt, actually. After all, even gamers outside of Asia are clamoring for DJ Max Portable 2. The game was supposed to be released yesterday in Japan, so we'll be sure to keep you posted on how our Asian counterparts are enjoying their dose of this funky title so far.

In the meantime, you can go check out these images.

   

 

Korea-Japan relations appear to be on the rise, at least if you happen to be a fan of Pentavision's DJ Max Portable 2 game for the PSP. The Japan-based GDEX online store has just updated with a listing for DJ Max 2's limited edition Metallic Silver and Night Black limited edition packs, both of which are now available for pre-ordering. Here's a run-through on what buyers will find in each:

• Specially made "Orpheus" box
• 500-piece jigsaw puzzle (Unique per edition)
• Audio Trinity O.S.T. collection (3 CDs)
• Special visual art book (64 pages)
• Visual post card (16 cards)
• English manual
• English UMD case
  
• Game Poster (Japan-exclusive)

Much like their Gold Champagne edition brethren, both collections come with English instruction manuals. Guys planning to buy these will have to hurry, however, as Korea produced only 1,000 copies of each for its territory. This implies supplies in Japan might be limited as well. The Metallic Silver and Night Black limited edition packs will go for ¥ 19,800 (US$ 168) each, and will be on sale come April 15.

Now, for the benefit of the readers who would prefer to get a closer look at the merchandise, up ahead are pictures of the various trinkets these two DJ Max 2 collections offer. Ogle away!

  

You western gamers can't wait to import Pentavision's DJ Max Portable 2, eh? Well now you don't have to. Wait, we mean. That's because you can now get a hold of the demo of Korea's top pop music PSP game right here.

Now, before you get all giddy and jumping with glee, you have to have firmware version 3.11 in order to get this game running on your PSP. So, unless you've got it, then you'll still have to bum it out while waiting for the import of DJ Max. But for those of you who does have the required firmware, goodie!

Just extract the folder from the zip file, connect your PSP to the PC with a USB cable, copy to the extracted folder into the GAME directory, and voila! It's just like installing a homebrew!

So, without further ado, we now present DJ Max Portable 2's PSP demo. Have fun!

Download: DJ Max Portable 2 Demo

Thanks to zealofsoul for the tip!

Word is out on the web that Pentavision's DJ Max Portable 2 game, assumed to be a Korea-exclusive release for the PSP, is also available in Japan via a series of limited edition packages. The latest is the Japan-exclusive package dubbed the "DJ MAX Portable 2 Premier Limited Edition ~Champagne Gold~".

The pack isn't present at the official Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ) site, and is only listed at the GDex online store. Here are some of the more interesting points GDex displayed for DJ Max Portable 2:

• Over 60 original songs
• 5-button mode
• New "Fever" mode
• Easy mode, for beginners
• Soundtrack across 4 discs - the "most DJs in the history of gaming"
• Over 500 hidden items
• Linkage with DJ Max Portable for owners of the first game - play the original songs using the new play systems
• Korean, Japanese, and English interfaces
• Remote control support - use DJ Max Portable 2's Soundtrack Mode to enjoy songs whenever and wherever
• Customizable control configurations
  

GDex also threw in a couple of Japan-exclusive posters, which features even more of the game art. What makes this offer enticing for the gaijin among us, however, is that DJ Max Portable 2's gold edition also carried English packaging and instructions - which could imply Pentavision's looking out for a more global release in the near future.

Korea had also picked up two similar limited edition packages last month, labelled the "Night BLACK" and "Metallic SILVER" edition packs. These were released alongside the gold edition in Japan, and aside from extras like postcards, a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, and an art book, also featured are English instructions and packaging. They sold for KRW 86,000 (US$ 91.76), with only 1,000 of each being released in Korea. Orders for the Night Black were from February 14 to February 27, while orders for the Metallic Silver were from February 28 to March 14.

Okay, we have good and bad news for all who itch to get their hands on DJ Max Portable 2. The good news is what you're seeing above - a full two and a half minutes of pure gameplay taken from the Game Developers Conference. The bad news? It's gonna remain exclusive to Korea. *cue groans and sighs*

A Joystiq staffer was lucky enough to find the game being featured at Sony's booth and get some one-on-one time with the game. You're probably asking why the hell Sony would bring the game to GDC when it won't be released here. And the answer to that is: "to show publishers and developers what kind of unique titles are possible" on the PSP.

BUT, perhaps we can still keep our fingers crossed that some high and mighty publisher could convince Pentavision to let them release the English version of the game here.

So anyway, we won't bore you with the game details you'll be able to score via the vid. We figure it'll be better to just let you guys see the features for yourself. DJ Max Portable 2 is said to be slated for release in Korea at the end of the month.

You want to know when DJ Max Portable 2 will be out? Yeah, we do, too, here at QJ. Unfortunately, Pentavision has yet to announce an exact day for us to mark on our calendars. But what we do know thus far is that it is set for a Korean release this February or March. That should be good enough for us -- for now.

Anyway, while we're still squeezing out info from this phat Korean original, you can check out these phat artworks from the game. Oh, and if you're excited about the game but needs to get acquainted with it first, we suggest you check out the first installment of the franchise. Fortunately, it is now available in English.

So, have fun, y'all! And keep it posted here for more updates.

Really cool artworks follow after the jump! Be sure to check it out!

Oh hell yeah! Korea's bringing the dancing goodness even further with some new details and free goodies for its beloved DJ Max Portablefans.

Pentavision's DJ Max Portable 2is getting ever closer to retail release, so it stands to reason that they'd do something to blow fans away. They didn't disappoint. PSP Vault informs readers that Ruliweb managed to get several sample songs from the game, with some gorgeous complimentary art to boot. They also mentioned how some scans from a Korean magazine offered a heads-up on what importers will probably want to prepare for, including tougher gameplay styles:

• Profile registration
• Leveling system
• New 5-button mode
  
• Option - Adjust background animation aspect ratio (16:9 / 4:3)
• Option - Button assignment customization
• Option - Difficulty Setting (Easy / Normal / Hard)

Well, what are you waiting for, right? If you want to get into the spirit of things, have a look at the art we've picked up from PSP Vault. Enjoy!

Check out the magazine scans (in Korean) after the Jump. Just click on the "Full Article" link below to see them.