Plasma Globe Racks up One Million Downloads in First 24hrs

Anybody know what a plasma globe is?

I actually have one in my office, it's contained plasma inside of a large glass globe- hence the name. As you run your hand along the glass, it follows you with archs of energy- it's a really cool effect. Developer Infinite Dreams has just released a plasma globe sim on the iPhone, and 24 hours later it's been downloaded over a million times. I should mention that it's free. That might have a little something to do with it, but still... even I got it and I have the real deal.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn Drops This Week

I'm very excited for Dark Dawn, I have to admit that I never played Golden Sun before- and even though I'm partial to old-schoolesque role players on the DS, I've never been a big RPG guy in general -but this looks like a winner. And just in time for Christmas! What're the odds!?!



Full release and screens after the break-

*Note- Kmart is having an awesome special this week for GS:DD. If you buy the game, you get Dragon Quest IX (also on DS) for half the price and a $10 coupon good towards a future game purchase. It might be time to buy myself a little gift...

The Nintendo Download -- 'Cave Story' edition

Finally, Cave Story debuts on the DSi as a downloadable game- that's really the only 'big' name game this week but lots of folks have been looking forward to it, so maybe that's not really a bad thing-

Splinter Cell 6 Being Worked on Right Now

Shocking, I know, but a sixth outing for super agent Sam Fischer is in development right this second at Ubisoft Toronto. Assassin's Creed producer Jade Raymond has taken the reins of the series, which if you've played any of the AC games you know bodes quite well for Mr.Fischer.

Ubisoft expects to balloon up, staff-wise, and grow to around 800 staffers for the remainder of the project. No word yet on storyline or release date but of you ask me we probably won't see anything until e3.

The Nintendo Black Friday Experience

Somehow Nintendo got some promo shots of Black Friday shoppers out already- it is still Black Friday after all, that was pretty quick guys.

These are from the Paramus, NJ Target-

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Target employee Anthony M. hands a limited-edition red Wii console to Tara D., 30, of Hackensack, N.J., on a busy Black Friday at the Target Store in Paramus, N.J., on Nov. 26, 2010. Consumers seek out the Wii this holiday season, a great value at a suggested retail price of $199.99, which includes the Wii console, two games, the Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers.

In this photo provided by Nintendo of America, Orchid R. of Paramus, N.J., searches the shelves in pursuit of New Super Mario Bros. Wii during a Black Friday shopping trip to Target in Paramus, N.J., on Nov. 26, 2010. Consumers seek out the Wii this holiday season, a great value at a suggested retail price of $199.99, which includes the Wii console, two games, the Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk controllers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Musings

Call of Duty: Black Ops had the unenviable task of following up the biggest CoD ever- Modern Warfare 2. This was a game that is still played by millions religiously and was basically the swan-song for fan favorite CoD developer, Infinity Ward (which has since fallen out with publisher Activision and whose current state is up in the air). Development for this new Call was done by Treyarch, a house who has been maligned and put down by the series faithful. Their CoD games are just flat out not as good as IW's.

At least that was the conventional thought, but does it still hold true?

Playstation Move Holiday Lineup

So you might be wondering what's on tap for PS Move this Holiday season- the answer? Not really anything that you haven't seen already.

The only thing that hasn't been released yet is a title called Playstation Move Heroes, a game that features Jak & Dakster, Ratchet & Clank, and Sly Cooper taking on multiplayer challenges as well as a mish-mashed group of their respective villains.

Actually sounds neat, but we won't be seeing it until "early 2011". The rest of the stuff is all already available at your local 'lectronics shop.

Happy Turkey Day

PSN Update -- 'PAC The Lad DX' Edition

Okay, this is more like it-

The big shots this week on the PSN update, clearly, are Pac-Man Championship Edition DX and Arc the Lad II. A great Downloadable game and a great PSOne classic? Don't start spoiling us now Sony...

Direct 2 Drive: 1 in 5 Orders Through December 31st Will be Free

This is maybe the most amazing sales promo ever, direct to PC online retailer D2D is offering a completely free order to every one in five customers through December 31st, right before the ball drops:

The D2D Gives Back 2010 event is an unprecedented promotion featuring free checkouts for 1-in-5 credit card customers worldwide. Customers that make a purchase of any of the 2,500 games available on Direct2Drive have the chance to walk away with their entire order for free, regardless of size or cost. Winners are notified immediately during the checkout process. Total winners to date will be highlighted in real-time via the "D2D Gives Back 2010" ticker located on the site's homepage. "D2D Gives Back 2010" is now live and will run worldwide through 11:59 pm PST on December 31, 2010.

So... who's buyin'? Read on for the full release-

Elder Scrolls 5 in Developement

Eurogamer.com is reporting that a direct sequel to the blockbuster RPG, Oblivion, is in the works!

Their source was pretty in-depth about the game too- saying that it's been in development for two years and that it's a bigger leap over Fallout 3 than it was over Oblivion. The most tantalizing statement came direct from Executive Producer Todd Howard when he said,

"I can say it is on the existing platforms, which we're really happy with. You almost feel like you have a new console when you see the game."

E3 maybe?

Gran Turismo 5 Needs an Update to Get Online

I don't know how long GT5 has been in development, but it's been years. So with that in mind, you'd think that all the features would be ready to go right? Well you might think, but you'd be wrong.

It looks like none of the online multiplayer features are going to be active when you pull the wrapping off your new driving simulator. It's not that the patch is all that massive, it's only 133MB, it's just... well... really?!?

Lots of games need patches on the first day of release these days- which I think is just a by-product of trying to make the preset release date no matter what. The problem here is that GT5 (as I mentioned) has been in development forever. Why this thing isn't complete and disc ready on day one is just silly.

Sony Pushes 3D Gaming in a Big Way

Sony's line of 3D TV's hasn't exactly been blazing through retail shops. If you saw our story last week, then you know that only 1% of UK households have or are intending to purchase on anytime soon- I can't imagine that it's much different for this side of the Atlantic.

So maybe that lends a little more understanding on why Sony is starting to give a mega push to 3D games on it's PS3 console. SCEE Director Mick Hocking told industry site develop-online.net that over 20 games being developed internally at Sony will implement stereoscopic 3D tech.

He also says that Sony is committed to helping third party companies develop games for the PS3 that take advantage of the third dimension.

Since there's next to zero support for the new gimmick from the buying public, I suppose Sony sees games as a possible lure to get consumers to bite on 3D TV's. Personally, I can't see it working- the prices are just too high and there's simply too much stuff' to buy to get the thing working. Glasses, a new TV, and of course the PS3 itself- that's not a cheap package, especially in this economic climate.

Gunstar Heroes Now Available on iPhone

Treasure's classic Genesis blast-a-thon is on the App store right now for a measly $2.99. I haven't played it so I can't speak to how the frantic run and gun action converts over to the iPhone's touch screen but it certainly looks good-

Nintendo Releases New DSi Colors for the Holidays

Two brand new- and brightly colored -DSi bundle packs are hitting retail shelves just in time for Black Friday-

The bundles both contain Mario Party DS (to continue the Mario 25th Anniversary flavor I suppose) and go for the usual $149.99 each.

I like the green one- reminds me of a warp pipe.

Nintendo Download -- 'Demo' Edition

Those demo's that we posted up about last week are starting to arrive today. The first crop includes Bit.Trip.Core, Thruspace, Jet Rocket, and the frighteningly titled And Yet It Moves.

It's nice to see Nintendo is getting the idea the gamers want demo's. Certainly, it's been a long time coming.

Oh! And look, we even get a Virtual Console game this week! It's everyone's favorite- Spin Master for the NEO GEO! WTF is Spin Master?

iOS 4.2 Available Today for iPad and iPhone

Finally! It looks like today is the magical day for iOS 4.2 to grace waiting iPads and iPhones everywhere.

Just in case you forgot, 4.2 adds multitasking, folders, and Gamecenter to the iPad. iPhone has all that stuff already but it gets something too- Airplay, Apple's wireless music streaming, and Airprint, same idea but with printing, come both to the phone and pad sometime this afternoon.

So you know the routine by now, keep checking for the update then wait an hour for it to download.

Music Game Revenue Tumbles

According to a report coming out of gaming industry news giant Gamasutra.com, the combined sales of music or rhythm based games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero have dropped from $1.6 billion in 2008 to a stunning (projected) $400 million this year.

TheAngrySpark Bi-Monthly Feature - October

This month we took a look at the Move and Kinect, enjoy:

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Musings

The Force Unleashed II is a fun romp. I had a lot of fun with this game- the storytelling remains very good, the graphics are excellent in places and well done overall and of course, the voice acting is once again *mostly* a treat.

And by the way, Starkiller- or Galen Marek -is an awesome hero. What a great character, I think the last  Star Wars gaming character that was this well put together has to have been Kyle Katarn of Dark Forces fame.

If this sounds like an awful lot of praise, it is- but there's one thing that holds TFU2 back from greatness.

Saturday Soapbox: 3D TV Looks to Flop This Holiday

3D Televisions are a fad.

But it's not news to me, I've held this since they were first introduced- the expensive glasses and upgrade fees (new TV and new Blu-Ray player unless you have a PS3) are just too heavy of a cost to get started with something that's really iffy in the impressive department.

Years ago I had a set of VR glasses- bought them at Electronics Boutique. Basically they were a pair of tiny monitors with stereo speakers mounted on a wearable frame. They were pretty cool but I wouldn't really call them Virtual Reality in any way. That said, I'd still rather have them back than sink a fortune into 3D TV.

And apparently I'm not alone-

A recent report published by MCVUK.com shows that just 1% of households in the UK have a 3D set. The amount of poll responders who plan to buy one this Holiday? 1%. Yes, really. But it's not like the appetite for three dimensional entertainment isn't there, 48% of people said they would like a 3D TV- it's just that they don't really trust the current technology that goes into them.

Who can blame them? With goofy viewing requirements like the aforementioned glasses and the need for direct viewing (sit up straight dammit!), it's no wonder that the public at large is underwhelmed by this 'new' tech.

You want 'new' and 'different'? Try the Nintendo 3DS- no glasses required for a very nice little 3D image. Also, news broke a short time ago about the holographic technology coming in the next few years from Sony. Personally, I'll just wait for that thankyouverymuch.

Do yourself a favor, if you are determined to get a 3D set- wait a little while. I have this feeling that their prices are going to sink like a rock after the Holiday Season has it's way with them.

Gran Turismo Install NOT Mandatory After All

So this week it was announced that uber-Playstation driving sim Gran Turismo 5, which is finally hitting retail this coming week, will have a mandatory 6.5GB install. The problem with that is it wasn't exactly true. So I guess a lot of folks got upset for nuttin'.

Popular gaming website Eurogamer.com has in fact confirmed the opposite to be true- the install remains, but it's optional. And to improve on the reported 40 minute install time (should you want to do it)- you can elect to do it while actually playing the game. Data packs would be transferred in little bite sized pieces while you engage in driving simulation.

Not so bad after all.

Third Party PS Move Controllers Emerge From Snakebyte

Front

Soft Underbelly...

Hot on the heels of their announcement of their new, third party, Wii balance board, peripheral maker Snakebyte has announced the first third party Move controllers and PSEye camera. They have rubberized shells which is pretty cool and come with USB charging cables and have been made with updatability in mind- since we all know Sony does system updates every- what -five minutes?

All three, Move wand, navigation controller, and Snakeye camera (that's just a plain old cool name), will be available seperately or in different bundle packs and will be "priced aggressively". Sounds good. The whole line should be available to take home Q1 2011- pricing is yet to be determined but it certainly sounds like they'll be less expensive than the first party stuff.

Snakeye!

We'll update as we get more info-

Lord of the Rings Online Expands into Isengard

The Lord of the Rings Online might have added a free to play option but that doesn't mean that developer Codemasters has given up on the game- but it's the opposite actually.

Coming next fall (2011) players will be able to take their merry band of adventurers into the corrupt land of Isengard. The expansion will include the new playable area of Isengard as well as a new level cap and some tweaks for monster play.

Read on for the full release-

Mortal Kombat Sub-Zero Trailer

Cold off the presses-

Video Games | Mortal Kombat | Sub-Zero Ice-Cold Assassin Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Deus Ex Human Revolution Takes Shape

The new Deus Ex, Human Revolution, has been a very mysterious game. There wasn't much to see in the way of screens or video- but, as Batman said to Penguin, things change.

Video Games | Deus Ex: Human Revolution | Penetrate the Penthouse Gameplay Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Hit the jump for some screens and a really... odd... press release. It's got some nice little tidbits about gameplay... it's just... you'll see. Coccyx.

Former Sony Boss David Reeves Sees Sony/Microsoft One Console Future

Well this is odd.

Ex-President of Sony Computer Entertainment, David Reeves, thinks that in a few console cycles from now we might see a combined effort from Sony and Microsoft. Could the console archenemies get together and create one box to rule them all?

Maybe, but never underestimate corporate power struggles- remember that Sony and Nintendo tried to get together once to develop the SNES CD-ROM drive. That project led to a huge falling out between the companies and the birth of the Playstation.

Reeves than goes on to say that he sees Google as a huge player in the future of gaming. That I can agree with. It's clear that the industry bigs want a DLC path to be the one that games take- Google would fit right into that plan. He also says that he could imagine a future where tha landscape has changed and Google and Microsoft could team together.

Now that would be interesting- and maybe a little more likely than a team-up with Sony.

Gamestop Warns Move and Kinect Will be Short Supply

Gamestop is warning consumers that the PS Move and Xbox Kinect will be hard to get ahold of this Holiday season. Tom Bartel, president of Gamestop, likens this seasons motion controllers to the first Christmas that the Wii was available.

I would agree- I think it may be for two different reasons though. The Kinect is available fairly readily right now but is selling like crazy. Move is selling a a decent clip but is a little harder to find simply because less units were shipped to retail overall.

The bottom line is that if you want a motion controller for your PS3 or Xbox 360, you might want to get it now.

Street Fighter 4 for iPhone Gets Sagat and Dee-Jay

Street Fighter 4 for the iPhone has been updated again and Sagat and Dee-Jay are now playable characters, the way Capcom continues to support and update this thing- it's pretty much going to be Super Street fighter 4 in all but name.

The newest update also includes GameCenter support, a 'Fight request' feature, and the original Street Fighter II music- that last one is an option for the music. You'll have to buy the track, if you're interested, from the in-game App store.

'Come All Ye Playful'- it's the Nintendo Mall Experience

What do you think of having a DSi  and Wii game sampler at your local mall? Nintendo thinks it's a great idea- Following in the recent footsteps of Best Buy, Nintendo is opening up large scale demo stations at shopping malls around the country so you can try out the hottest offerings for the Holidays.

Games for the Wii system to be showcased during Holiday Mall Experience include Donkey Kong Country Returns, PokéPark^™ Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure, Kirby’s Epic Yarn^™, Wii Party, Metroid^™: Other M, Wii Fit^™ Plus, Super Mario Galaxy^™ 2, New Super Mario Bros.^™ Wii, Wii Sports Resort^™, Mario Kart^™ Wii, Disney Epic Mickey (Disney Interactive Studios), uDraw^™ Studio along with uDraw^™ GameTablet^™ (THQ), Just Dance^® 2 (Ubisoft) and NBA JAM (EA Sports).
Featured titles for the Nintendo DS family of systems will include Golden Sun^™: Dark Dawn, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!, Art Academy^™, Pokémon^™ Ranger: Guardian Signs, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future^™, DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, Brain Age^™ 2: More Training in Minutes a Day!, New Super Mario Bros.^™ and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s Super Scribblenauts^™.

The promo is going to run from November 22nd through December 19th. Locations and the full presser after the jump-

Rage for iPhone/iPad POut Now!

iPhone4 'HD' version

Kind of popping out of nowhere and with no hoopla is id software's iDevice port of next years Rage. I downloaded it, I played it- it's awesome.

For those who might not be aware, Rage for the iDevices is an 'on rails' shooter- but don't be frightened! 'On rails' isn't a dirty phrase here, on the contrary it plays really well and is adapted exceptionally to Rage. The mobile game ties into the main title but as a side quest kind of thing. I doubt it has all that much to do with the actual storyline.

Rage is a universal App but has two flavors anyway- regular (.99) and 'HD' ($1.99) editions. The 'HD' version is really to take advantage of the iPhone 4's bells and whistles. It shows, the graphics are excellent.

Nintendo Announces WiiWare Demo Initiative

At long last Nintendo will start offering demo's of it's WiiWare game catalog.

Nintendo will offer demo versions of select video games for its WiiWare^™ downloadable game service starting Nov. 22. Wii^™ owners with a broadband Internet connection will be able to visit the Wii Shop Channel to access demo versions of WiiWare games without using up any Wii Points^™. The demos will allow people to sample a wide selection of games to help them decide which ones best suit their tastes.

The first few games to take part in the new program are Bit.Trip.Fate, ThruSpace, and And Yet It Moves- whose name still creeps me out for some reason.

This is actually fairly big news for the WiiWare platform which, unlike Xbox LIVE and the PSN, has never before offered any kind of sustained demo service to compliment it's paid offerings. It's a good move that I actually think will increase sales.

Anyone who might have been apprehensive to try a new game (and never drop any Nintendo points on it) can now try it first for free and see if it warrants a purchase.

Splinter Cell HD Remakes Confirmed

Ubisoft today confirmed that the rumors of a Splinter Cell HD Collection are indeed true.

There's no word on pricing or for what consoles the games would come to but I would figure around $39.99 - $49.99 for the price. As for the consoles, Splinter Cell has always been associated with the Xbox- but even though that would be my first guess, don't forget that the PS3 is becoming quite the home for HD-ified collections of last gen titles. I do doubt this will be an exclusive though, too many fans of the series on both sides of the virtual fence.

Either way, Chaos Theory here I come.

PSP 2 Outed in Leaked Photos

Well, here it is, or was as the case may be.

Website VG247 (hit the link for the shots) is reporting that this is a dev kit that has until recently been passed out to developers like the Mortal Kombat remake's, Netherrealm Studios.

From the looks of it, there's two analog sticks (yay), a rear panel trackpad, an iDevice-like twin camera setup, and... nowhere to slide any kind of physical media discs into. (boo) Really Sony? Do you think the PSP Go failed just because of the price?

*sigh*

Marvel vs Capcom 3 Roster Expands Again

Capcom has just updated the rosters of the highly anticipated fighter yet again, this time adding Zero, of Mega Man X fame, and Jennifer Walters- otherwise known as She-Hulk! But wait- that's not all!

Shuma-Gorath and Jill Valentine will be DLC a month post launch! And when is that launch?!? February 15th! Thankfully it's not the 14th, I don't think I could get away with a trip to Gamestop on V-Day.

Also announced is the special edition of the game, which includes:

• Steelbook case featuring exclusive art work
• Comic/Art book- A 12-page prologue comic, written by Marvel writer Frank Tieri, plus campaign art and a curated selection of fan art.
• 1-month Subscription to Marvel Digital Comics, providing unlimited online access to Marvel content
• 2 Playable DLC Characters – Shuma Gorath and Jill Valentine.  Content is available 4 weeks post-launch.

Just keeps getting better and better. Pics of Shulkie after the break-

Yar's Revenge Redux

Be the mosquito... Okay that's not really the tag line for the new Yar's Revenge remake from Killspace Entertainment and Atari for Xbox LIVE Arcade- but it's what I'll be thinking while I'm playing.

In Yars’, players will take on the role of a nameless Yar, who has been brainwashed by the evil Qotile empire to do their bidding.  After being shot down and rescued by the ancient and mysterious Bar Yargler, she sets off on a ferociously focused mission, to seek revenge on her former master and his deadly squad of assassins. The bio-technological nightmare of the Qotile home world provides stunning backdrops for players to fly through in aerial combat with their enemy.

Yar's was one of my favorites for the classic Atari consoles 'back in the day' and I can't wait to see what this new one has in store.

Read on for the full release-

'Dead Money' Expansion for Fallout: New Vegas Hits LIVE on December 21st

The amazingly huge hit, Fallout: New Vegas has sold over five million copies since it launched last month for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. And now that massive amount of wasteland wanderers will have a new adventure to take on as Bethesda has announced the first in what I assume will be a long line of quality (if Fallout 3 is any indication) DLC,  Dead Money.

As the victim of a raw deal you must work alongside three other captured wastelanders to recover the legendary treasure of the Sierra Madre Casino. In Dead Money, your life hangs in the balance as you face new terrain, foes, and choices. It is up to you how you play your cards in the quest to survive.

Dead Money will be released December 21st for 800mspts, no word yet on  PSN version.

Read on for the full release-

Need for Speed: Shift 2 Coming in Spring 2011

So it looks like EA isn't wasting any time between NFS'.

Electronic Arts had originally claimed that there would be an alternating schedule for it's two driving franchises, but with Hot Pursuit releasing this week and Shift 2 drifting into stores in the Spring, it certainly seems as though EA has left plenty of room for a double dip next year.

Video Games | SHIFT 2: Unleashed | Bootflow Debut Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

PSN Update -- 'Crazy Prince of Peggle' Edition

Lots of good stuff to download this week in the old Playstation Network Update-

We get Crazy Taxi, Peggle (PSP), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time HD to name just a few. Read on for the full tale of the dlc-tape.

Kinect Connects With Consumers

Wow, that was a bad one even for me.

Microsoft's new Kinect sensor is a hit with shoppers- The motion controller led to an almost doubling in console sales in some territories, already selling over one million units since it launched just a week ago. Impressive... I was just at Best Buy this afternoon and saw a few stand alone Kinect's stacked up but only one console bundle- and it was snapped up by a family right in front of me.

It seems like the sensor really will be a system seller this Holiday season (as I predicted). Those analysts that said the PS3 would catch the Xbox 360 this year might want to recheck their numbers.

As much as I like the Move, well, apparently it's no Kinect.

Braveheart Coming Soon for iPhone

No... not that Braveheart. This one is waaay more conducive to a video game.

You play as the young Sir Richard, sent by the king on a quest to find the Holy grail- which basically entails fighting a bunch of monsters until you find the big, bad, Dragon at the end guarding your prize.

Structure-wise, Braveheart is an action/RPG that looks to have all the trimmings. Lots of weapons, spells, and loot are there to collect along your way in this very visually appealing little game. It's actually got a pretty good pedigee as well.

The game was developed by Gaijin Entertainment. Don't know who they are? They produced one of the best FPS's in the App store- Modern Combat: Sandstorm.

Braveheart will be available some time in December for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. More screens after the jump-

Edit: I've just been told that Braveheart will have Gamecenter support built in and there will be two different price points for the game - iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch -with two different flavors of price. Presumably the iPad version will be HD as well.


Look for our review of this one coming in advance of release. I'm looking forward to it-

Prince of Persia Trilogy to be Available on PSN

The original PoP trilogy that played out across the Xbox and Playstation 2 is coming to PS3's in downloadable, HD, 3D ready form.

It's more than a little odd that publisher Ubisoft is going the dlc route- the validity of 'HD' compilations is already proven at the retail level with both the God of War and Sly Cooper collections. And on top of that the European release of the PoP trilogy is disc based. All three games on one Blu Ray.

Strange, no?

Edit: forgot to mention each  game will be $14.99 and what the release date will be, I have no idea. Worth mentioning though is that the Euro version is apparently region free so it should play on American PS3's. For those who prefer their games to be on physical media. Like me.

Star Wars Visions Review

Front Cover: Regrets by Masey

Star Wars is really for all ages isn't it? The action is great, the films have beautiful special effects and the characters are larger than life- and yet at the same time, the fiction is so deep and winding and intricate that entire library's have been written expanding upon it. Star Wars Visions is not one of those books though.What it is is a collection of artwork, paintings, and drawings, by some of today's best (and a few of the newest) artists.

Some of them are fun, some are emotional, some are action packed- all of them are unique depictions of one of the best known and most loved saga's of all time.

Tron: Legacy Art Book and Prequel Graphic Novel Coming Soon

Tron: Legacy is a movie that a lot of folks are looking forward to, me included. The teases and trailers look nothing short of amazing and even the tie-in game is looking pretty good (please be good...). So with all of the excitement about the film it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that there's a movie art book and a tie-in graphic novel coming as well.

The Art of Tron: Legacy will be available on the 23rd of this month (November) for $40.00 and will showcase the design, storyboards, and characters of the film. (as any good art book should)

Tron Betrayal enters the grid on the 16th for $9.99 and serves as a bridge, filling in the blanks between both films- Tron and Legacy.

More please. I can't get enough of this stuff-

Premium Fitness Board for the Wii Doubles as a Scale

Have you noticed that there are no third party balance boards for the Wii? It's honestly kind of weird in an industry that's filled with accessories. You can't even pick up a board separately from it's pack in game, Wii Fit. Well, peripheral maker snakebyte has noticed and just might have something you may be interested in- It's a stand alone balance board... weight for it... that doubles as an electronic scale!

The built in LCD screen that sits at the top of the unit shows connectivity to the Wii when it's being used for games and shows your weight when it's disconnected and used as a regular scale. Pretty cool.

The wireless scale/balance board supports up to 390lbs and is available in white or black. You can order one right now at www.snakebyte-usa.com for $69.99, which ain't bad at all. Bonus: it's made of anti-fungal plastic. You don't want fungus on your controllers kids. Trust me.

Fable 3 Expands

So Fable 3 is doing pretty well, and that means downloadable goodies! Now before you get all 'thie should have been on the disc!' with me, take a look because this actually sounds like some good stuff.

The 'Understone Quest Pack', available on the 23rd of this month, will add three new adventures to the main Fable 3 game:

“The Voice”: In the main quest, explore the mysterious underground land built by Montague Hummes in fear of the Spire in “Fable II” -

• Discover the origin of the voice that controls the people of Understone
• Features a moral decision that will lead to two drastically different outcomes in Understone

“Shooting Range”: After defeating Saker during your quest to become King, the remaining Mercenaries have turned their camp into a tourist attraction. The main attraction being the replayable shooting range mode -

• Beat the high scores to win three prizes that can be used while playing the mini-game: the Marksman 500 (gifted to players for downloading the pack), Money Shot (prize) and Black Dragon (prize)

“The Wheel of Misfortune”: After Reaver vacated his home, he set up a venture for budding heroes to replay the thrilling arena-based challenges within his new dwellings -

• Beat the high scores to win three new weapons that can be used while playing in the mini-game: The Full Monty (gifted to player upon downloading pack), Dirty Harriet (prize) and Dead Ned’s Revolver (prize)

Also available on the same day on LIVE is a new 'Hair Pack' (160mspts) with three new hairstyles and a '5 Star Dog Potion' (80mspts) that levels up your pooch into a superdog right from the get go. The Quest pack sounds pretty good- a nice expansion the further ties the second game into this new adventure. The hair pack... not so much.

You know, this really should have just been on the disc...

Transformers: War for Cybertron 2 and More

In a development that should surprise exactly no one, the excellent WfC is getting another go. Developer High Moon Studios will bring you a second helping of the Autobots and Decepticons in pre-G1 fashion some time in 2012. There are no details right now but as soon as any show up, we'll have them right here.

In other Transformers news, 'Dark of the Moon' (the third movie in the film franchise), will also be getting a game- that'll be out this summer. Not that you're probably all that excited about that one. After all, it's not like the movie tie in games have that great of a track record.

Also worth noting, as long as we're on the topic of giant f'n robots, the Transformers MMO (how many out there even knew there was one?) will be expanding out of Asian markets. No word yet on what exactly that will entail as of yet.

It's a day of vague Transformers news then.

Wii 2 Isn't Likely for a While

The Nintendo Wii is losing momentum and now Sony and Microsoft are catching up to it's global sales numbers- what is a company to do? Announce a successor? Nope.

At least that's what Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime would have us believe. Kotaku recently did an interview with the Regginator and he pretty much killed the idea of a 'Wii 2' for next year. Still, the pressure is going to be on for Nintendo if the Wii comes out on the bottom or even in second place this Holiday season. When you consider the amazing reception that Kinect is getting (and PS Move isn't doing badly either- just not as well), a borderline Holiday for the Wii might not be much of a stretch.

In my opinion, if Santa is packing Kinect's and Move's instead of Wiimotes this year, I would expect an announcement of some out of Nintendo kind by e3. Talk is cheap and Fils-Aime isn't going to say anything about a new Nintendo console right before the biggest selling season of the year. To do so would be foolish and that's one thing he isn't. Wait until after the quarter 4 numbers are in, then we'll see what 2011 will bring.

Mega Man Legacy Project Enters the Developer's Room

And you are the developer. No seriously, this is a pretty cool idea- Capcom is letting you the fans take part in the development of the upcoming Mega Man Legends 3 for the 3DS. All you have to do is come up with some ideas for the robot army of Mega Man baddie Tronne Bonne.

Head over to www.Capcom-Unity.com/DevRoom to get the full details and take part in the festivities.

Lego Star Wars III is the Clone Wars

If the thought of yet another Lego game isn't enough to thrill you (you soulless thing) you might want to keep reading because there are some new things to do in that blocky galaxy far, far, away.

Number one on the list of new stuff is some kind of RTS-lite gameplay with squads of clone troopers.Yes, the promised new engine will (hopefully) be nice but this sounds pretty good:

Massive Ground Battles – Brand new to the LEGO Star Wars experience, players will take control of battalions of clone troopers against the relentless droid army - building bases, deploying vehicles and calling in reinforcements to defeat opponents.

That's almost enough right there to get me on board. To be honest, I love the Lego games but they are getting a bit stale. Every one of them is exactly the same- Lego Batman might as well just be Lego Indiana Jones with a cape.

The series definitely needed some new ways to play- lets hope is goes as well in game when it's released some time in 2011 as it sounds on paper.

Full feature set after the break-

Nintendo Download -- 'I Feel the Need.. for Fetch' edition

Some good downloadables this week fpor the DSi- not so much for the Wii. But lets focus on the positive shall we? Good, I'm glad we agree.

Headlining this week's DLC is a new Need for Speed called Nitro-X. It's more like the upcoming 'Hot Pursuit', arcade type of game that we're used to seeing out of the series than the 'Shift', semi-realistic type that we got last year. Sounds fun if you're up for a racer, and it's got an 'X' in the title so you just know it's extreme.

The other game that stands out to me this week? Go Fetch! (exclamation point is not mine.) Three words: Balls. Are. Thrown.

Rock Band Developers Harmonix For Sale

In what's at first glance a puzzling move, parent company Viacom is looking to sell off the developer of Rock Band- widely known as the best music game series around. I say at first glance because when you look deeper, and by deeper I mean 'sales figures', you start to understand.

Even though Rock Band 3 debuted to stellar reviews (I know I love it), purchases have been a tad flat and haven't reached Rock Band 2's blockbuster status- which is one that I'm sure Viacom was looking to repeat.

At this point, it's unclear what this means for the future of the brand or the MTV games division in general. I'd hate for the series to disappear, especially since Guitar Hero is continuing is spiral into mediocrity and newcomer Power Gig (which I had high hopes for) is being universally panned by the press.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Sets All Time Entertainment Record

Quick- what entertainment opening has totaled sales of $360mil in one day?

Yeah, that'd be CoD:BO. Which, I just learned, is not short for 'body odor'.

The newest shooter in the Call of Duty franchise has blasted the sales of it's predecessor Modern Warfare 2 to smithereens by selling 1.1 million units more in just 24 hours. And that's not all- that total, 5.6 million units BTW, has set the all time record for an entertainment release. It seems like every year there's something that does this, but it is still impressive on some level isn't it?

I guess there won't be any problems filling up an online match then?

Warner Bros Releases Cheat List for Aragorn's Quest

Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest was a reasonably entertaining, 'cartoony', re-imagining of the gritty LotR film trilogy. Maybe it wasn't exactly what fans wanted or were expecting but nevertheless, there it was. I have a feeling that a lot of folks passed since it landed at retail the same day as Halo Reach. I know I did...

Anyway... WB has released a set of cheats (and some basic strategy) for all four versions of the title. 'Why?', you might ask. 'I don't know.', I might answer.

Read on and make with the easy-

Madden 11 is in Fact a 3DS Launch Title

Thanks for making me look stupid EA-

Madden NFL Football will offer a comprehensive handheld experience with exciting modes, such as authentic 11-on-11 football, fast-paced 5-on-5 action and Season Mode.  Additional features jump off the screen with 3D graphics, such as “Spotlight Moments” and “Call Your Shots”.  Utilizing the remarkable power of the Nintendo 3DS Touch Screen, “Call Your Shots” allows users to draw their own plays, on-the-fly, directly on the screen.

And so we can add another game to the list of stuff I'll be dragging home at the 3DS launch.
Full release after the break-

PSN Update -- 'Meh' edition

So yet again, we get no PSOne classics- and to make things worse, there's no imports either (or much of anything else for that matter)! Not to worry though, the imports that Sony has been touting are only taking a week off! They'll be back next Tuesday.

But maybe you're into Darkstalkers Avatars? If you are, you've really got something to smile about... or not.

Posting digital content is hard!

Madden 3DS Screens

I'm not going to label these Madden 11 screens, even though that's in the official release info- these might be based off of Madden 11, but I seriously doubt that the game will launch along side the handheld this March. Which would be after the Football season ends in case you don't know.

More than likely, they're meant to give an idea of what the venerable Pigskin series will look like when it debuts next fall on yet another system. Looks like a carbon copy of the Wii game to me.

Screens post jump-

Edit: It is a 3DS launch game.

Conduit 2 Gets Limited

SEGA's been on a little bit of a roll lately as they scored a hit with Vanquish and Sonic 4, the upcoming Sonic Colors is looking good, and Captain America seems to be shaping up nicely for next Summer. Now, SEGA has announced that the follow up to The Conduit (smartly named the 'The Conduit 2') will be debuting with a Gamestop Exclusive Limited Edition when it hits retail shelves next year.

The Conduit 2 Limited Edition Package features:
·         44-page art book featuring a rich selection of concept art and design development insights into Conduit 2’s science fiction world, weapons, and enemies.
·         The “Eye of Ra” device is an enhanced in-game "All Seeing Eye" (A.S.E.) device that captures Conduit 2’s hidden secrets in twice the speed.
·         The "Gold Destroyer Armor" multiplayer skin based on the lead character’s primary armor.
Conduit 2 will be released for the Nintendo Wii and will be available at GameStop stores nationwide in February 2011.

For more information or to find a store near you, log on to www.gamestop.com

Personally, I didn't care all that much for The Conduit even though I really wanted to like it- the graphics weren't that great and the Wiimote just didn't have the solid feel that it should have had as the aiming device. With that in mind though, I'm optimistic about the sequel, it really looks like SEGA is putting a lot of work into it and the original idea still stands as a solid concept. If they can get a good game to surround it, they'll have a winner.

FPS Trainer Will Teach You to be a Better Fragger

And isn't that what we all want this Holiday Season?

Play2Improve's new online game, 'FPS Trainer', plans on doing just that. The free to play online game actually teaches players to be better FPS gamers. And by better players they mean they'll actually teach you to be a competitive class gamer. Cool stuff and it's free- and it actually originated from Abertay University. It's like taking an online course!

“Using computer gaming technology, psychological research and the skills of a world champion gamer, we’ve developed a truly unique service that will help gamers improve their skills, and enjoy their gaming even more. We might even help create a new world champion!”

Sounds good to me, more official quotes and info after the break-

Fallout New Vegas Ships 5 million With 300 Million in Sales

Despite being notably buggy and in desperate need of a patch (which is coming soon BTW), Vegas has shipped five million copies worldwide and when you factor in digital downloads- has $300 mil worth of sales in it's pockets.

Something to crow about for publisher(s) Bethesda-Zenimax. Full release after the break-

Capcom Brings the Arcade Ruckus to Wii(ware)

Capcom announced today that they would be bringing a couple of their well known (and a few I never heard of)  arcade games of yore to Wiiware this winter.

• 1942 – This classic vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up is perhaps Capcom's finest moment in the pre-Street Fighter era. Spawning a million clones and re-appearing throughout the history of gaming, 1942's biplane action needs no introduction. And now, for the first time on the Wii, the original and best version.
• Black Tiger – Fight your way through colorful, action-packed levels in this 1987 arcade classic. Explore huge, sprawling levels as a powerful barbarian, seeking to defeat menacing bosses.  Plus, upgrade your character with one of the first inventory and power-up systems ever built.
• Commando: Wolf of the Battlefield – Experience the Capcom arcade game that spawned a multitude of clones as the original Commando comes to your living room courtesy of the Virtual Console Arcade. Take control of Super Joe and shoot your way—in all eight directions—towards the enemy's territory, using grenades to wreak havoc with enemy placements in this seminal genre creator.
• EXED EXES – A retro classic from Capcom's arcade line-up in 1985, Exed Exes is a vertically-scrolling shooter that's sure to bring back fond memories. Dodge bullets! Collect fruit! And go for high scores in the most furious sci-fi insectoid shoot 'em up ever made.
• Ghosts ’n Goblins – Ghosts ‘n Goblins is a classic game that packs a heavy punch (and lance). Experience the smash arcade hit from 1985 as you help Arthur defeat hordes of monsters in his attempt to rescue the princess. The first (and possibly only) game in which taking a hit reduces you to your underwear.
• SONSON – Experience the original adventures of the Monkey King in this action-packed side scrolling adventure. Rapidly switch between different levels of play to shoot dangerous enemies in the face! A truly original concept, this quirky, old skool arcade classic has been a rare find in the west since its arcade debut in 1984. Until now!

I'm hoping that if these do well, there'll be more to come from Capcom and maybe some other devs as well- we are still waiting on Simpsons Arcade after all.

Apache Air Assault Supply Drop of Screens

I know next to nothing about AAA- and I don't mean the automobile club either. Although why they charge me for towing even though I pay them a membership fee continues to mystify.

Motorized vehicles aside, Apache Air Assault looks really nice for a game I hadn't even heard of till last month. It's hard to look at these screens and not think about the classic 'Assault' series by EA that appeared on the SNES, Genesis, and lastly on the PSOne. It was one of my favorites and if this is anything like that, I'm going to be one happy flash of plasma.

The game launches on November 16th, check out some new screens post jump-

Nintendo Download -- 'Gods vs Humans' edition

Not a ton of stuff yet again but 'Gods vs Humans' for Wiiware sounds kind of neat- there's a pinball game for the DSi as well.

Xbox LIVE Update -- 'Where's the Arcade?' Edition

The biggest question mark this week was the absence of any LIVE Arcade releases. Usually there's at least something. Anyway, there's a few good demo's to try out and a sale on "pet related items". Eh...

Online Battlefield Goes Free to Play

Think Battlefield Heroes, but more realistic.

The game will officially be out in 2011 but you can try and register for the closed beta that starts on November 30th at www.battlefield.play4free.com.com right now.

Full press release and screens after the break-

Afterfall: Insanity

Here's one that wasn't even in the same galaxy as my radar- Afterfall: Insanity is a third person shooter set 30 years after a nuclear apocalypse in 2012. The player takes on the role of "mysterious psychologist Adam" and quests through some very 'Metro 2013' sounding levels as well as the wastes above.

Adam is a part of a medical team that monitors the public's mental state in the wake of World War 3- which actually sounds pretty innovative if they have a game play mechanic that takes advantage of that element. Could be cool.

A:I drops next year for the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Full release and more screens after the break-

Buy 2 Get 1 A-Palooza... Part 2!!!1!11

Yep, more of the sale that everybody loves. Buy two games and get one free. I had no idea this was even happening again but Amazon.com, Target, and goHastings (which is technically b2g1 for a buck...) are at it again. These deals only run till the 6th though so hurry up if you missed the other six billion of them last month...

Are we to expect a couple of these things a month now? Because that's gonna bankrupt me.

Medal of Honor DLC Hits the Beach

Or the desert as the case may be.

EA's much anticipated modern war shooter may have cooled a bit as it landed at retail with a dull thud, but that won't stop the DLC train from dropping off a few new multiplayer (of course...) maps and modes to everybody who took the bearded plunge.

The content is available now on Xbox LIVE for 800mspts or PSN for $9.99

Full release detailing the new stuff after the jump-

Kinect Launches Today

Are you getting one?

If you've read our newest feature from Celebrity & entertainment magazine, then you know my take on the device already. Basically, Kinect has a tremendous up side and it's potential is almost unlimited. Truely, it's a groundbreaking piece of technology that's probably going to be integrated into quite a few consumer electronic items in the years to come.

But there is a down side- right now we're not talking about general entertainment devices. The games are the thing and the games... well lets say they're a little lacking. Much like the PS Move from last month, Kinect has a super weak launch lineup that's mostly shovelware. Now next year there will actually be some things that might make the 'must play' list, a Panzer Dragoon-like shooter and a follow-up to Steel Battalion are the two that have already made my most wanted, but right now it's very difficult to recommend Kinect to anyone other than folks who just like to have the newest tech toy.

And if that's you, by all means- enjoy. I'll be right there along side you. But for the rest of the reading audience, I'd wait. The stuff you really are going to want to play is at least a quarter or two away.

Avatar Special Extended Collector's Edition Drops on November 16th

In case you didn't see our previous coverage, the upcoming Blu Ray and DVD re-releases of Avatar will feature an extended cut of the film as well as a ton (they actually weighed it! Maybe.) of special features! The new edition of the groundbreaking movie will arrive in retail stores on the sixteenth of November at the price of $54.99 for the Blu Ray and  $34.98 for the DVD.

Now on to more recent events, director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau had a 'media day' where they showcased the soon to be released discs and told all in attendance about their plans for world conquest the new features. They would appreciate it if you looked on approvingly.

Star Wars Art: Visions Official Trailer

If you don't know, 'Star Wars Art: Visions' is a brand new collected art book featuring the classic Star Wars universe interpreted by some of today's hottest artists. And when I say that, I mean it- Boris Vallejo, H. R. Giger, and Alex Ross are just a few of the names on the roster.

Check out the trailer below (yes, it's a book with a trailer)



Star Wars: Visions is available now for SRP of $40.00 American.
Full Release with some more details about the book after the jump-

Dead Rising 2 Ninja Theme Pack Now Available

The Dead Rising 2 Ninja Theme Pack is now available on Xbox Live, Games for Windows Live and the PlayStation Network. With the new ninja pack, Chuck gains a “stealth mode” that allows him to evade zombies by making it harder for them to detect Chuck’s presence.
With the new Ninja Theme Pack, sword-type weapons (broadswords, katanas, etc.) have their attack power increased and will allow Chuck to perform new special attacks. Stackable items and throwing items such as nails, plates, gems, etc. will also do more damage and Chuck’s throwing speed is increased.
The Dead Rising 2 Ninja Theme Pack is available for 160 Microsoft points, or $1.99 on the PlayStation Network.

Xbox Dashboard Update Available

The latest in the ever expanding collection of dash updates for the Xbox 360 went live today so make sure you snap it up asap.

There's a load of improvements including a little graphical update and, most importantly for those picking up Kinect tomorrow, Kinect functionality is now enabled.

Majornelson.com for a full list of features.

Shoryuken Pack Available Tomorrow

Get ready to be “Shoryukened” with the new Ultra Shoryuken Costume Pack for Super Street Fighter IV. The Ultra Shoryuken Costume Pack is now available on PSN and will be available on Xbox Live tomorrow. This costume pack includes new threads for Ryu, Ken, Dan, Gouken and Akuma!

The Super Street Fighter IV Ultra Shoryuken Costume Pack is available for $3.99 on PSN and will be available for 320 Microsoft points on Xbox Live.

Pokepark Launches Today for Wii

Kind of a new idea in the world of Pokemon, PokePark has the player taking direct control of the main poke-man himself, Pikachu.

Choose him after the jump for info-

Nintendo Download -- 'Super Baby Paul' Edition

Okay...WTF?

This week's update has a bunch of, um, lets be kind here... I mean I like Nintendo, I don't want to upset anyone... Shovelware! Perfect! It's an industry term, it's not a cuss word, and it's not like Nintendo hasn't heard it before!

I went too far with that last one didn't I?