Getting the Game
Perhaps you have heard of Idolmaster 2 but don’t know where to get the game or what you need to run it. This section is for you.
PS3 version
Hardware
The PS3 version of the game is not region locked. (It is supposedly now possible for games to be region locked on the PS3, but this one is not.) This makes it a convenient entry point into the series (Idolmaster SP would qualify as well) if you’re not yet sure you want to drop the cash for an imported Xbox 360.
So just buy a PS3 from wherever you live, unless you want to be a strategist and buy it from a region where the games are cheaper.
Software
Getting the game itself is rather simple. The cheapest option is to pick it up on a trip to Japan (or get someone else to pick it up for you.) If that isn’t an option, there are various stores:
DLC
Buying downloadable content for the game is not really necessary, but you can build a collection of additional songs and items for use in the game or with S4U!.
There are two main things you will need:
The first is a Japanese PSN account. Signing up for one of these is fairly easy. You can use your existing email address even if it’s not a Japanese one. Just invent a fake Japanese residential address or borrow one from someone else. They don’t check it, except that the city and postcode probably have to match.
The other thing you will need is credit for the store, in the form of Japanese PSN yen cards. The cheapest way is obviously to stock up while in Japan. If you can’t do that, though, there are various web sites to acquire these cards and even some eBay sellers (it will just cost more.)
[TODO: What’s the _cheapest_ option? Post a link.]
Even if you don’t plan to buy any of the content, if you want to see the costumes on music videos other people have created you will want to download the catalogs. The catalogs themselves are free, and give you something to browse through when you’re bored. There are a small number of free items in there as well.