Square Enix's Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII hit Japanese retail store shelves today. In addition to the game's standard version, the Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Limited Edition, which shipped with the remodeled PlayStation Portable, and the limited edition Anniversary Potion also went on sale today, resulting in many fans in Tokyo hitting the street to get the popular items.

In front of electronics chain Bic Camera's main store in Ikebukuro a row of more than 250 people had formed before the store opened its doors 30 minutes earlier than usual at 09:30 am. At 09:00 am about 200 people were queuing south of Ikebukuro at Yodobashi Camera's Shinjuku West store. Here, store managers also decided to open early, but the row still grew even further to 300 people. Square Enix's executive director Shinji Hashimoto also showed up in Shinjuku. He admitted he has had some worries, seeing how this is the first time a new hardware was sold one week prior to its launch date alongside a new game. However, looking at the fans queuing in front of the store apparently gave him some relief. Pointing to mothers with children in the queue, Hashimoto said he felt the flow of time since Final Fantasy VII was released in Japan a decade ago.

Meanwhile, staff at Yodobashi Camera's Shinjuku West store reported the obvious: A very quick sell-out of the limited edition hardware bundle. With the limited edition in customers' hands, retail is now looking forward to strong sales of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII's standard version.

• Famitsu