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  Weekly Wii Update: Jungle Cards, Alucards, And Laser Pachinko

  It’s Monday number 2 of 2009, and Nintendo is delivering the second weekly batch of downloadable content to the Wii console, with two new WiiWare titles and one good old-fashioned vampire whip-fest. Two titles hit Nintendo’s WiWare service today, both which take time-tested concepts – card-games and pachinko – and give them a right twisting…

  By Mike Fahey Published January 12, 2009
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  Tomb Raider Underword DLC Was Meant To Be In Original Game

  Two apparently disgruntled former Crystal Dynamics employees have confirmed the rumored lay-offs at the studio and dished a little inside information about the development of Tomb Raider Underworld, including how the DLC came to be. A poster who says he is Eric Lindstrom, the creative director for the game, said that the downloadable content coming…

  By Brian Crecente Published January 12, 2009
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  And So, The Twittering Begins

  To: Crecente From: Ashcraft Holiday here in Japan — Coming of Age Day. Which really doesn’t mean anything if you or your family is not Coming of Age (turning 20 years old). I spent the day doing origami with the fam. So, I started Twittering (Brian_Ashcraft as some other dude took “Bashcraft”). Late to the…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 12, 2009
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  Age Of Conan Servers Closing, Game To Be Issued Last Rites

  We’ve heard how Age of Conan is in a state of decline. Now let’s look at how it’s in a state of decline. In particular, how over half the game’s servers are to be shuttered. Funcom have announced that during the week, the total number of servers for the game will be reduced from 49…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  Some Fat Princess Clips For Those Fancying A Piece Of Cake

  Would it be crass of me to say Fat Princess could well be the most promising PlayStation 3 game of 2009? Course not. Because it looks like an absolute blast. It’s the diversity that nails it. It’s not just brawling; it’s the base-building and strategy, the subtle blending of Castle Crashers, Command & Conquer and…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  Guitar Hero III Becomes Highest-Grossing Game Ever

  Guitar Hero’s big business. Multiple versions, multiple consoles, it’s a big hit. But are you prepared for just how big a hit it is, or for how important it is to publishers Activision? Well, according to Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith, Guitar Hero III has become the first single game in the history of the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  One Man Zelda Band

  Sure, the singing is spectacular, the violin playing is spot-on, but those hats? They’re fantastic! According to composer and gamer Diwa De Leon: Most of my picks came from Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past originally for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). I’m a professional composer, arranger and violinist, and cosplaying is…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 12, 2009
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  IPTV On The 360? It’s Still Up In The Air!

  2007. CES. Microsoft get a few people excited with mention of an IPTV service for the 360. British Telecom will be the first to offer it. Years pass, however, and we hear nothing. Until now! The subject has again popped up, again at CES, and…things haven’t gotten very far. Microsoft are still saying squat (SQUAT!!)…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  Braid Theme Costs Money, Braid Developer Sorry

  The Xbox 360 has “premium themes”, which will tart up your 360’s menu in exchange for money. A premium theme based on Braid has just been released, and costs money. And Braid’s creator is sorry. Sorry that it costs you money, anyway (it’s a nice enough looking theme). Writing on the game’s blog, creator Jonathan…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  Blue Dragon Chinese Coincidence Or Not?

  Mistwalker’s Blue Dragon has a blue dragon in it. Chinese developed online title Kou dai xi yuu has a blue dragon in it, too. Kou dai xi yuu isn’t an officially licensed Blue Dragon game, and is what its developers would call a “kwinky dink.” (Mistwalker would call it a rip-off!) Check out the trailer…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 12, 2009
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  Tony Hawk Creators No Longer Making Tony Hawk Games

  Few months back, there was a rumour Neversoft – creators and sole developers of the core Tony Hawk series – had been taken off the franchise by Activision and replaced by startup Robomodo. Turns out that was…well, mostly correct. Speaking with the Great Falls Tribune, Neversoft founder Joel Jewett says that the next Tony Hawk…

  By Luke Plunkett Published January 12, 2009
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  These Are The Three Versions Of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete

  This March, there isn’t just one version of upcoming Blu-ray release Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete going on sale in Japan, but three. Here’s how they are different: First Edition Final Fantasy XIII demo, Final Fantasy Agito XIII trailer, and Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer included on special edition disc. PLAYSTATION 3 First Edition…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published January 12, 2009
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  CES 09: Novint Falcon + Pistol Grip + Left 4 Dead = ?

  Novint’s Falcon doesn’t currently support Valve’s Left 4 Dead or The Orange Box, but the curious looking controller supported both at CES. How useful is it and the pistol grip in games like these? While it, like much of the wares at the Consumer Electronics Show, answers a technology question that very few asked, the…

  By Michael McWhertor Published January 11, 2009
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  [Updated] COD5 Beta Invites are Fake, Says Infinity Ward

  Interesting tweet went out from Infinity Ward — if you get a beta invite from [email protected], delete it. It’s B.S. Not sure if it’s phishing, but the studio says it is not legit. [Update] Robert Bowling has a post about the fakery. Says it’s an exact copy of the beta invite he sent for Call…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  Nice Underpants

  To: Luke From: Owen Re: Rockier Trail Deductive reasoning reveals a number of disturbing things about this pic (it’s not mine. Found it rooting around teh interwebs today). For starters, you have two dudes creating a Mii with their droodies down about the ankles. Next, Mr. Dark Socks is showcasing panties, and worse, they look…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  The Week in Games: Mirror Sledge

  Mirror’s Edge for the PC arrives this week, and one wonders if the vision behind its gameplay will be more easily realized with keyboard and mouse. Lord of the Rings: Conquest joins it in a Tuesday release on four platforms. The rest of the lineup seems rather thin. The count: Five titles for the Wii,…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  Looking at “The MMO Crash of 2008”

  Hellforge posits that 2008 was the worst year on record for MMOs. But the “collapse” had nothing to do with the genre’s viability, and everything to do with hubris and poor decisions by game-makers. The wreckage includes three titles whose names are either punchlines by now or dangerously close: Hellgate: London, Age of Conan, and…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  Rumor: Bioshock OTW for Mac

  Oh yeah, there was another big tech expo this past week: Macworld. And the magazine is reporting Bioshock will be out for the Mac in the first half of 2009. At online retailer Feral Interactive’s booth, exhibitors wore shirts with Bioshock’s Big Daddy on the back. Writer Chris Holt checked with Feral reps, who confirmed…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  Great Dane Gaming Mobilizes SWAT Team

  We’ve heard of this in the States before, but if you game super loud in Denmark, especially in shooters with loud bang-bang noises, someone might sic a police strike force on you too. Working off a Google translation of this news story, it appears the po-po in the Land o’ Legos rolled up with machine…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009
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  Super Stage Production of Super Mario

  Japanese variety show Kinchan no Kasoh Taisho pulls off what’s probably the best live-action literal interpretation of Super Mario Brothers I’ve ever seen. Readers FarmboyInJapan and Zuri F. sent this along overnight. I’ve already watched it about five times. This is a huge, complicated production, as you can see by all the people dressed in…

  By Owen Good Published January 11, 2009