As announced late last year, Fire Emblem is coming to the DS. The tactical RPG's first entry in the franchise, Fire Emblem: Shadown Dragons and the Blade of Light, is getting a DS remake, complete with online features, enhanced graphics and dual screenage. Players will be able to duke it over the Nintendo's WiFi connection. No word whether this will see a Western release. The game's out August 7th for ¥4,800 (US$45) in Japan.

Be warned: The screenshots are painfully small.

『ファイアーエムブレム』シリーズ第1作がDSでリニューアル！ Wi-Fi対戦にも対応 [Dengeki Online]

Dragonforce 100% On Expert

Be warned, Chris uses some strong language at the end of the run, but he damn well earned it. Thanks everyone for sending in the tip!

I don't know which I like more, the scientific description of the pseuderanthemum incendia (fire flower), which can be found wild in many places around worlds 1-2 and 4-2, or the fact that you can actually buys these for $20 to $30 a pop. A vase of these could make a great Mother's Day present, if you're mom is cool.

pseuderanthemum incendia (fire flower) [Etsy, via Tanooki]

Zhengtu Tearing Up the Chinese Market

Just to show I don't have knee-jerk Microsoft hate every time an Xbox crashes, here is an utterly retarded story that involves a bricked 360, fire, and Arkansas. Dangerous combination, in all.

We start with Carl Olson of Little Rock. I would call him a gamer but I'm not sure what game he was playing, as he tells us that his 360 had already gone into Rings O' Death mode. Maybe he was enjoying 30 seconds of startup screens, I don't know.

PSP Sets Fire To Schoolboy's Pants

At the Warner Middle School in Farmington Hills Michigan this morning a fire broke out in a young boy's pants. According to police, the PSP in the student's pocket overheated and exploded, burning a hole in his pocket and causing minor burns on his legs. A teacher at the school managed to separate the boy from his gaming system, after which a lockdown was instituted at the school to facilitate emergency personnel reaching the injured young man, whose burns were treated on school grounds before being transported to a local hospital. Police are currently investigating the cause of the PSP's malfunction. In the meantime, you might want to consider moving that puppy from your pocket to a backpack - preferably lined with asbestos, which is easily found at many schools across the country. I've had video games get my pants hot before, but somehow this just seems a whole lot less pleasant.

Child Burned By Video Game In Pocket [ClickOn Detroit]

While the recently released Xbox 360 game Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom may have strayed from the series' action RTS formula, Korean developer Blueside and Phantagram are looking to bring the franchise back to its roots and then some with an all new, massively multiplayer version of Kingdom Under Fire. Thousands of players will be able to engage in giant battles in the world's first MMOARTS - massively multiplayer online action real-time strategy game. The game will also introduce a new faction, joining the already heated battle between the Human Alliance and the Dark Kingdom. Not sure what to expect with this title, really. I'm picturing a Planetside sort of affair, with different zones under conflict at any given time, with the ability to join battles on the fly. Whatever direction they take, the game is at least looking fabulous, which is one tenth of the battle. Hit up Eurogamer below for more images from this very ambitious sequel.

Kingdom Under Fire gets MMO sequel [Eurogamer]

Week in Games: The First Crop Edition

And here they are, the first crop of games in the new year. Nothing that's probably going to knock your socks off, but it's loads better than the previous two weeks. That said, I am actually looking quite forward to the Harvey Birdman Game. I am both a big Phoenix Wright and harvey Birman fan so this game is a perfect fit. Anyone else going to be checking it out?

Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom (X360)
The Kingdom Under Fire series continues. This time as an RPG.

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (WII, PS2)
Sonic is at it again. That little blue ball just keeps on rolling.

Omega Five (X360)
Side scrolling shooter action.

NFL Tour (X360, PS3)
More football from EA Sports.

Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law (WII, PS2, PSP)
Harvey Birdman goes all Phoenix Wright style

Jackass the Game (DS)
Words cannot describe the horror.

World Championship Paintball (PS2)
Paintball, a kinder, gentler way to shoot your friends.

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Channel (PS2)
Get down and funky with your favorite Disney Channel Stars. If you actually have any.

Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (DS)
Get cozy with creepy underwater dinosaur things.

A playable demo of Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom has found its way up onto Xbox Live today, and I am scared to download it. It's not that I don't have the 1.2GB free space on my hard drive, or that I lack the time to sit down and play it. It's just that they took my beloved action RTS and neutered it into a hack and slash action RPG, and I can't bear to look. It's like being called down to the morgue to identify a loved one, only reversed. You guys download it and tell me if the coast is clear. The two stage demo shouldn't take you too long to work your way through. Does it retain the KUF look and feel? Is that really out-of-place guitar metal still there? Over the past year I've offered my opinion on the playability of countless games, and now it's your turn to do me a favor. Take one for the team!

Demo: KUF:COD Playable Demo [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

It's been a banner several weeks for new games and this one is no different. No matter what your taste there is a little something for everyone. Mass effect, Rock Band and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune will be on my holiday play list as I sit in my parents rec room after ingesting too much food. What will you be playing post-turkey time?

Mass Effect (X360)
Space, ho!

Rock Band (PS3, X360)
Rock out with more than just a guitar.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
Relive every great 80's adventure movie you ever saw.

Unreal Tournament 3 (PC)
Get real with Unreal..3!

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (PC)
It's like a buddy movie with killing.

Ghost Squad (WII)
Fight the war on terror at home on your Wii

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings (DS)
More Final Fantasy... more!!

College Hoops 2K8 (X360, PS3, PS2)
Next-gen college basketball.

Soul Calibur Legends (WII)
The Soul Calibur franchise tries a new style.

Time Crisis 4 (PS3)
Shoot those bad guys up. Now with scrolling.

Link's Crossbow Training (WII)
Test out the Wii Zapper Zelda style!

The flood of amazing game titles seems to have ebbed a bit this week which my beleaguered bank account is most thankful for. Silent Hill: Origins will be my purchase this week as I try to plow through the last two week's worth of purchases. Anything on the list catch your eye?

Silent Hill: Origins (PSP)
Take a prequel visit to creepy Silent Hill and see how it got so creepy.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (X360, PC, PS3, DS)
World War II is finally over.

Empire Earth III (PC)
take your empire from humble beginnings to outer space.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (WII)
A dubious pairing. But who will win?

Gears of War (PC)
Marcus Fenix and his scarred legions arrive on the PC.

The Simpsons Game (PSP)
D'oh! Just a week behind.

Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War (X360, PS3)
Think Dynasty Warriors in medieval Europe.

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (WII, X360, PS3, DS)
Relive Star Wars through the blocky world of Legos.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (WII)
Charge of the Dawn Brigade.

F.E.A.R. Perseus Mandate (PC)
I fear another expansion is in the works.

F.E.A.R. Files (X360)
Both F.E.A.R expansion packs in one fancy package

Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance (PC)
If the original wasn't enough for you.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (DS)
Hunt for monsters and make them do your bidding.

Bee Movie Game (WII)
Ok, let's be honest. Does anyone really care?

Korea Getting Korean Superstar

Having missed out on its Gamecube predecessor, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Wii iteration of the long-running Fire Emblem series at Nintendo's media day. How does it play? Are there any changes from the established formula? What improvements has Intelligent Systems made during the localization process? Sorry, I can't answer any of those questions until Monday at 12 PM Pacific Time! Fire Emblem fans and wannabe fans should definitely tune in for hands-on impressions next week, as some welcome features might revitalize your interest in the series.

In the meantime, check out new screens and loads of gorgeous artwork for Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn.

New RockMan Dash, RE4, DMC, Breath of Fire - For Mobiles

If you folks are anything like me, reading the headline to this post was like feeling a nice, satisfying sneeze coming on and then having it fade away at the last minute. Capcom is taking some of their top franchises mobile, including my beloved Mega Man Legends series which returns as RockMan Dash: The Great Five Islands Adventure. Also slated for handsets is Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition, Devil May Cry: Dante X Virgil, Sengoku Basara (Devil Kings) Tactical RPG, and Breath of Fire 4 Action RPG Edition. Looking at some of the screens shown on the GAMEWatch site, it might be time to pick out a gaming phone to tide us over until we get a new MegaMan Legends on consoles.

It's All In Japanese - Capcom Mobile Games [GAMEWatch via NeoGAF - Thanks Archaotic]

Fire Emblem Doesn't Only Get New Name

Fire Breathing Super Contra Ghosts