The Japanese top 50 album chart for the first half of 1999 contains two game soundtracks. Square's Final Fantasy VIII Soundtrack and Konami's Dance Dance Revolution Album both managed to squeeze into the chart following the success of their respective console titles. This is the first time that two console soundtracks have registered in the top 50.

Jaleco are in the process of porting Battle Insects to Game Boy Color. Originally a PlayStation title, Battle Insects is the usual barmy blend of breeding, battles and collecting that's so popular in Japan at the moment. There are over 300 types of insect in the game and your goal is to complete a virtual photo album. Sounds a hell of a lot like Pokemon. Battle Insects will be released on a 'rumble-cart' in Japan on August 13 for 4,400-yen (that's around £22).

Bandai are working on Devil Man, a PlayStation action-adventure title based on the anime of the same name. The game is divided into two scenarios; in the first, our hero is a human seeking to become a devil in order to garner power. Defeating numerous devils en route will help him realise his dream as a vanquished devil will present our hero with the 'heritage of horror', an element which eventually turns him into the Devil Man. The second scenario takes place after the transition, whereby Devil Man has many new powers. He can do all your usual special moves and combos, as well as some spooky psychic attacks. Devil Man should make it to Japanese stores towards the end of the year.

So genetically modified foods are perfectly safe, eh? Maybe Mr Blair et al should take a look at Koei's forthcoming horror adventure, The Seven Secret Chambers - Frightening Smile on the Dreamcast. The two protagonists, Kei and Reina, are sent off in search of Professor Ailorda, Reina's DNA scientist uncle. During their dangerous journey, the daring duo will be attacked by all manner of 'enhanced' creatures, such as the Mask Flower, Ripper and Vulgar. Your guess is as good as ours...

The music game craze continues to sweep across Japan, with the news of two new titles. Jaleco are set to unleash Rock 'n' Tread on arcade-goers, featuring 22 songs from Japan's top pop stars. You get to use a selection of instruments, such as drums, guitars and keyboards, in order to improve your favourite pop tunes. For those of us who prefer to act like an arse in the comfort of our own homes comes Konami's PlayStation version of Dance Dance Revolution 2nd Remix. Released on August 26, the console version includes two songs from the forthcoming Dance Dance Revolution 3rd Mix, which hits arcades soon. The songs are The Race (surely not that cacophony from bizarre Swiss synthsters Yello) and In The Navy 99 ("we want you, we want you, we want you as a new recruit").