Mother 3 Fan Translation [via Phantom Leap]

Built of foam core, plastic and decals, the mini-cab prototype featured back door access for Game Boy Advance SP placement, making for a hunched over arcade authentic experience. It even had a working light up marquee! He also shared with us a cocktail table protoype, which is after the jump.

Merely a digital prototype, sadly, but clever and adorable just the same. Thanks for the tip, Brian!

Fulfilling your life long dream of playing Pac-Man on the Game Boy Advance using nothing but your feet is within your grasp. Thanks to the folks at Instructables, who provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to hack together such a contraption, fat kids everywhere will be able to combine their two favorite things: eating (dots) and shedding pounds by frantic shuffling. They call this a "win-win."

How to modify your DDR pad to play with your Gameboy Advance [Instructables via Wonderland]

Thanks muu!

Blip Festival, a four-day celebration of music made with vintage game systems, returns to New York City on Thursday with 40 artists and musicians from the US, Japan, Europe and South America.

"After last year's jaw-dropping lineup and unprecedented turnout, it became clear that there is a large and growing interest in this movement that shouldn't be ignored," said Mike Rosenthal, festival co-curator and The Tank's Managing Director. "By hosting this event, we not only nurture the scene, but also give New Yorkers a unique chance to experience a thriving international subculture."

Among the artists features will be the Ataris, the Commodore 64s, Bit Shifter and Nullsleep. I had a chance to chance to chat with a bunch of chip musicians, including Bit Shifter and Nullsleep, years ago when I wrote a feature about the music for the Rocky and MTV. It's a fascinating sub-culture of music and gaming.

If you're in the area I highly recommend stopping by to check it out. Tickets run $10 a day or $35 for the full festival pass. Full release after the jump.

Blip Festival

Old Videogame Gear, New Music: The Blip Festival 2007 Returns to NYC for Second Triumphant Year, Nov. 29 through Dec. 2

4-Day Festival Celebrates Chiptune Culture with 40 Artists and Musicians from around the World

Event Organized by The Tank and 8bitpeoples; Sponsored by Element Labs, Time Out Magazine, Make Magazine, Singha Beer, and Periscope Entertainment, with Additional Support from The Greenwall Foundation and New York State Council on the Arts

New York, NY, November 27, 2007—The Blip Festival 2007 (www.blipfestival.org), a four-day celebration of music and art made with vintage video game and home computing equipment, today announced its full schedule of events, screenings and workshops celebrating chiptune culture in all its many forms.

Presented by The Tank and 8bitpeoples and sponsored in part by Element Labs, Time Out Magazine, Make Magazine, Singha Beer, and Periscope Entertainment, with additional support from The Greenwall Foundation and New York State Council on the Arts, this year's extravaganza follows up on the success of 2006's inaugural outing with an even larger venue to showcase its roster of 40 artists and musicians from the US, Japan, Europe and South America - many appearing for the first time ever in the United States.

"After last year's jaw-dropping lineup and unprecedented turnout, it became clear that there is a large and growing interest in this movement that shouldn't be ignored," said Mike Rosenthal, festival co-curator and The Tank's Managing Director. "By hosting this event, we not only nurture the scene, but also give New Yorkers a unique chance to experience a thriving international subculture."

With nightly concerts, weekend screenings and workshops, and a group gallery show "B I T M A P: as good as new" presented in association with the festival at Williamsburg's vertexList Gallery, The Blip Festival 2007 brings together the biggest names in the field of low-bit art and music for an opportunity to be seen and heard in the epicenter of the creative world.

Among the featured artists who will be showcasing their skills on Game Boys, Ataris, Commodore 64s and other old school gear are Tokyo-based 6955, the Netherlands' Gijs Gieskes, and New York's very own Bit Shifter and Nullsleep. In addition, daytime workshops, held on Saturday and Sunday, December 1 & 2, include such topics as "Break the Circle and Become an Atari DJ" and "Pixel Pushing the PPU: An Introduction to NES Graphics."

The Blip Festival 2007 will also present the world premiere of 8-BIT Generation, a new documentary about low-bit art and chiptune music, and the influence videogame culture has had on an entire generation of artists. Directed by Lionel Brouet, who will be present at the screening and will introduce the film, 8-Bit Generation features punk godfather and former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, Role Model (Sweden) Lo-bat (Belgium), Relax Beat (France), and The Wild Strawberries (China).

Among the festival's related events, vertexList Gallery is presenting "B I T M A P: as good as new," a group exhibition celebrating the history of the digital image, the aesthetics of early computing, and early video-game consoles, featuring Cory Arcangel, Chris Ashley, Eteam, Kimberly Hart, Tom Moody, and many, many more.

On Wednesday, November 28, to get everyone ready for the 4-day extravaganza, The Tank will present a screening of 8 BIT (www.8bitmovie.com), a documentary about low-bit art and culture, which premiered at the Museum of Modern Art and was screened at last year's Blip Festival. For more information, including a complete schedule of events, visit: http://www.blipfestival.org/schedule.html.

EVENT INFORMATION:
Location: Eyebeam Atelier
540 W. 21st Street (Bet. 10th and 11th Avenues)
New York, NY 10011
Time: 8:00PM, nightly musical performances (Special daily exhibitions/showings. See festival website for more details. )
Tickets: Available at the door or online at www.blipfestival.org
Prices: $10/day, $35/festival pass

"This year in our marketing you really won't see much push against Game Boy itself, so it will kind of seek its own level. It's hard to say in the future if we will ever bring back the Game Boy trademark," he told GameDaily BIZ in an E3 interview (full transcription coming soon).

"It was a big risk for us to actually pass on it and call the new product the Nintendo DS, but it was part of Mr. Iwata's philosophy that if we're going to make a radical difference and try to reach a new audience, then we have to change the name... We had to make a break even though we had one of the greatest trademarks in the history of the industry."

Wow, Nintendo killed that brand dead.

Harrison: Nintendo May 'Retire' Game Boy [GameDaily Biz]

Elijah Wood and Gary Oldman will be returning to reprise the roles of the titular dragon and his mentor Ignitus, a move which I am sure ate half of the game development budget right there.

My last E3 before next week's event was way back when Spyro the Dragon was first launched. I still remember the giant purple construct hovering above the Sony booth, adorably majestic, heralding what would be one of my favorite platform games of all time. Over the years the magic has faded considerably, yet I keep hoping that one day I'll recapture it in the for of a new Spyro title that knocks me off my feet. This probably isn't it. *sniffles

SPYRO THE DRAGON® TO CONTINUE HIS EPIC NEW TRILOGY THIS FALL IN THE LEGEND OF SPYRO: THE ETERNAL NIGHT

Elijah Wood and Gary Oldman Return to Provide Voice-Over Performances

READING (6th July, 2007) - Sierra Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, today announced The Legend of Spyro™: The Eternal Night, the latest installment in the 17 million-unit-selling Spyro™ franchise and a continuation of the new The Legend of Spyro trilogy of games. The game is expected to release this autumn for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo DS™ and mobile phones.

The legend continues in the second installment of The Legend of Spyro trilogy with the Ape King arriving at the Temple of Souls in an effort to usher in a new age of darkness. As Spyro, players must unlock the secrets behind a series of strange visions that he is having and find the power to defeat this terrifying new force.

"We're really excited to continue the re-emergence of one of video gaming's most popular characters through this ongoing trilogy," said Al Simone, senior vice president, Global Marketing for Sierra Entertainment . "The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night takes the action and excitement of The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning to the next level with new breath attacks, fury modes, and the introduction of the new 'Dragon Time' ability to deliver an exciting experience that Spyro fans and gamers of all ages will love."

Returning to provide voices for The Legend of Spyro™: The Eternal Night are leading Hollywood actors Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy) as Spyro and Gary Oldman (Sirius Black from the Harry Potter films) as Ignitus, the Fire Dragon Elder and Spyro's mentor.

The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night continues the strong action-infused gameplay focus established in The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning and takes it even further with exciting new powers, including:

• Four new, upgradeable Breath Attacks (one for each element type), such as Ice Bomb, Electric Orb, Earth Vine, Enhanced Fire
• Four new elemental melee moves, including Comet Dash, Artic Blast, Earth Pound, Electric Spin
• Four new Fury attacks - Earth, Electricity, Ice, Fire
• Monstrous new and explosive boss battles against the likes of Skabb the Pirate, Gaul the Ape King and more

Introducing "Dragon Time"
The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night will also expand Spyro's combat arsenal by adding "Dragon Time," a new advanced move that allows Spyro to bend time to his will. Players will be able to engage Dragon Time to dodge attacks, out-maneuver enemies or solve tricky time-based environmental puzzles.

Developed by critically-acclaimed developers Krome Studios (PlayStation 2 and Wii) and Amaze Entertainment (Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance), The Legend of Spyro™: The Eternal Night is scheduled to be released in autumn 2007. Vivendi Games Mobile is also making The Legend of Spyro™: The Eternal Night available for mobile phones throughout Europe and North America. For more information, please visit the game's official website at www.spyrothedragon.com.

A Target tipster sends word that the chain sent out word today that all GameBoy Advance stock is being listed as discontinued and that all backstock in storage rooms is to be sent to the floor and sold.

The final goal is to have the stores GBA-free within the month and fill the space the Nintendo handheld was taking up on shelves with DS.

The real question now is how long before Nintendo stops manufacturing and shipping the handheld. Brian Crecente

A location test for the arcade version of Rhythm Tengoku recently wrapped up at Ikebukuro arcade GIGO in Tokyo. Both Nintendo and Sega created the arcade port, which features two player modes and doesn't differ that greatly from the original GBA version. One play contains two credits, and extra credits can be received when scoring "Perfect" on mini-games. As noisy as arcades can get, I can't help but thinking this music rhythm game will be an exercise in frustration. Love that yellow cabinet, though! Brian Ashcraft

Rhythm Tengoku Location Test [Inside-Games Thanks, Nick!]

If you thought the eBay markup on next-gen consoles was high, wait till you see this. This limited edition gold Zelda Triforce GBA, autographed by Miyamoto himself was recently sold on eBay for a whopping $2,157.86. There were only 30 of these puppies made and signed back in 2005 when the Nintendo World Store opened it's doors for the very first time (one of them still resides in a case at the NWS). The system had never been played and came with a copy of Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap.

There is no doubt that this is a rare and precious item, but two grand, wow. I guess everything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, but for that price, that better be real gold. Congratulations, Ossidium, you are now the proud owner of a piece of Nintendo history and an empty bank account. Flynn De Marco

Rare Limited "Zelda Triforce" Nintendo Gameboy Advance [eBay - Thanks, ecto311]

Both products will be released in the same week as each other in mid-July and so save up your pennies and your popsicles, because it's going to be a great summer. Kim Phu

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Trailer [Gamer Tag Radio]

Go Nintendo got their hands on this scan from an unnamed gaming magazine written in Spanish. It shows what appears to be a new Crash Bandicoot, perhaps Crash of the Titans, which will be heading to the Wii, DS and GBA this October. GBA? I thought that was dead. Brian Crecente

Crash of the Titans IS a new Crash Bandicoot game! [Go Nintendo]

While a North American release of the actual game is in doubt, gamers who want to immerse themselves in the Motherly musical stylings of Shigesato Itoi's Game Boy Advance RPG hit can do so now. The two soundtracks are titled Mother 3i and Mother 3+ and will set downloaders back a standard $9.99 USD. Much cheaper than import OST options.

Sure to be a hit at your next DJ set. Michael McWhertor

MOTHER3 Music is Finally Available Outside Japan [Starmen.net]

Wow, I can't believe there are still decent GBA games coming out. Well... playable GBA games coming out. Any prediction on when the GBA and its spawn rolls over and dies for good? I just don't see it co-existing much longer with the DS. Could this be the last big title for the platform? Brian Crecente

It should come as little surprise that Nintendo reported record profits today for the end of their third quarter, selling millions upon millions of things worldwide. What kind of things? How about 3.19 million Wiis? Would you believe 1.5 million Virtual Console games? Can I possibly impress you with nineteen Nintendo published titles that sold more than a million copies in nine months?

With the exception of some 800,000 Wiis that didn't make it into gamers hands before the end of the year, it's good news all around for the company cruising the unchartered waters of gaming's Blue Ocean. Net sales are up, operating income is up, Wiis are reselling old NES games to people who already own them for five bucks a pop, DSes continue to print money, and people are still buying Game Boys.

Not mentioned in the report were plans for Satoru Iwata to complete the gold plating of his home office or when Shigeru Miyamoto will have the diamond encrusting redone on his bicycle. With all that cash flying around, it seems strange that both men are still getting 1000 yen haircuts. It is a mystery!

Full release after the jump. Michael McWhertor

Nintendo 3Q Consolidated Financial Results

Nintendo Co., Ltd. today announced that strong sales of Nintendo DS hardware and software and the successful launch of Wii have led to record consolidated sales and operational profit for the nine-month period ending Dec. 31, 2006 (*see attached). Recurring and net profits also set record highs. Nintendo maintains projections for record financial results through its fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2007.

Thanks to extremely strong Nintendo DS sales and the successful launch of Wii, Nintendo's consolidated net sales were up 72.8 percent over the same nine-month period last year, and operating income was up 102.5 percent.

Nintendo also announced:
During the first nine months of the current fiscal year, consolidated worldwide shipments of 19 software titles for Nintendo platforms reached or surpassed 1 million units. These include three Wii titles, 13 Nintendo DS titles and three Game Boy Advance titles.
Nearly 1.4 million Wii hardware systems have connected to the Internet worldwide (as of 1/24/07)
Approximately 1.5 million Virtual Console games have been downloaded and sold to customers worldwide (as of 1/24/07)
More than 3.5 million unique users have enjoyed game play on Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for Nintendo DS, with far more than 100 million connections (as of 1/24/07)

The company held firm to its previous forecast for consolidated worldwide shipments of 6 million Wii hardware systems by the end of the fiscal year. Nintendo manufactured 4 million Wii systems by the end of 2006 and during that time sold and delivered 3.19 million to its distributors and retail customers around the world.

The game hots the PSP, PS2 and GBA on Feb. 13.

They look nice and all, but where's the bloom? Brian Crecente

FFVI is probably my favorite Final Fantasy game of the series, containing the best cast, the best villain in Kefka, and probably the best ending sequence of any game I've ever played. If you feel the need to have a game sticking rudely out of the bottom of your DS Lite, this is a very good choice. Michael Fahey

Final Fantasy VI Advance TV Commercial [GameBrink]

The thing about numbers is that there are tons of ways to look at them. Take for instance The NPD Group's official numbers for video game console sales in the U.S.

You could say that Microsoft is winning, you could say Nintendo is winning, or you could say Sony is winning.

I think Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said it best:

"Millions of players, both hard-core and brand-new, are already enjoying the unique entertainment provided by Wii, but demand for the system remains incredibly high," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "So our work is just beginning. We're dedicating ourselves to maximizing both manufacturing and distribution full bore throughout 2007, to make sure everyone who wants to experience the future of video gaming can do so just as soon as possible."

Congrats Nintendo, you rock! Brian Crecente

While the launch-to-launch numbers comparison isn't very pretty for the 360, the straight December-to-December numbers are pretty damn impressive.

According to NPD, the Xbox 360 came out on top across the three next-gen consoles, selling 1.1 million units compared to the Wii's 604,200 and the PS3's 490, 700.

The across-the-board winner for the month though was Nintendo's DS, which sold 1.6 million shiny units, followed by the PS2 which sold a whopping 1.4 million. The PSP came in at a relatively impressive fourth place, stacking up 953, 200 in units sold.

What does this all mean? Well if you're Sony it means you won. If you're Nintendo it means you won. And if you're Microsoft it means, you guessed it, you won. Brian Crecente

Starting tomorrow, a huge number of EA titles are going to see substantial price drops, across virtually every system. Only the Wii and PS3 will continue to see EA published games stay at current prices. The drop affects a number of next-gen priced Xbox 360 games, including Fight Night Round 3, The Godfather, and Battlefield 2 Modern Combat, bringing them to saner MSRPs.

Here's a small sampling:

Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
Xbox 360 - Was: $49.99 New: $29.99

Def Jam Fight for New York: The Takedown
PSP - Was: $39.99 New: $29.99

Fight Night Round 3
PlayStation 2 - Was: $39.99 New: $19.99
PSP - Was: $29.99 New: $19.99
Xbox 360 - Was: $59.99 New: $29.99
Xbox - Was: $29.99 New: $19.99

Madden NFL 07
Xbox 360 - Was: $59.99 New: $49.99
Xbox - Was: $39.99 New: $29.99
GBA - Was: $29.99 New: $19.99
GameCube - Was: $39.99 New: $29.99
PlayStation 2 - Was: $39.99 New: $29.99
PSP - Was: $39.99 New: $29.99

Game Invasion has the full, exclusive list. Check it out if you're in the mood to spend this weekend. Michael McWhertor

Exclusive: EA Price Drops [Game Invasion, thanks Janson!]

Japan is cuckoo for the DS. But, what about it specifically makes gamers go gaga? New survey results shed some light into The Land of the Rising Sun's DS craze. The questionnaire (which covered the DS, DS Lite, GBA and the PSP) dug up these tasty factoids:

• 45 percent have portable game devices with the GBA being the most popular (24.1 percent), followed by the DS (17.9 percent), the DS Lite (14.4 percent) and the PSP (10.7).
• 31.8 percent of DS Lite owners use their portable everyday compared with 14.7 percent of PSP users.
• 54.6 percent of gamers play brain games on a regular basis, followed by 37.3 percent playing RPGs.
• 60.7 percent said DS games were interesting. 59.6 percent like the Touch Pen.

And with the next Dragon Quest bound for the DS, the country's mania doesn't seem ready to slow down. Brian Ashcraft

Japanese Portable Survey [Gigazine]

But here's the fun part. Lifetime-to-date console, handheld and peripheral install base figures, as of November.

• PS2 - 35.8 million
• GBA - 34.3 million
• DS - 7.6 million
• PSP - 5.7 million
• Xbox 360 - 3.4 million
• Wii - 476,000
• PS3 - 197,000
• Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player - 42,000

Look at the near 2 million unit gap between the DS and PSP! And those monster PS2 and GBA sales figures. Very impressive. Michael McWhertor

Revised: Game Industry Up 16% through November [GameDaily]
Nintendo Dominates November Sales, Industry Sees 34% Growth [Kotaku]

Remember when Nintendo prez Reggie said that the GBA had "at least one more holiday season left in it"? I'm thinking he was right. NPD Funworld sales data was released today, showing that Nintendo's grip on the handheld sector is stronger than ever.

Sales estimates put the Game Boy Advance at 641,000 units sold for the month of November, beating out the Xbox 360, with its dual screened brother the DS selling 918,000 units. Figures for Wii sales were just 24,000 shy of half a million, rounding out a very good month for Nintendo.

The industry as a whole performed very well during November, pulling in some 1.7 billion dollars. Hooray for expendable income!

Check out more sales info at GameDaily including meager numbers for the PS3, healthy ones for the PS2 boosted by Guitar Hero II and Final Fantasy XII, as well as some analysis from NPD entertainment industry analyst Anita Frazier. Michael McWhertor

Breaking: November Game Industry Sales Skyrocket 34%

"We think that Game Boy Advance certainly has at least one more holiday season left in it. For us, it continues to be a great stepping stone for five-, six-, seven-year-old consumers to have their first great handheld gaming experience and then transition right into DS," Fils-Aime told the Reuters Media Summit in New York.

What he doesn't say is what will happen after the GBA is pushing up daisies. Will Nintendo try to redesign the handheld or let it die a respectful death to make room for more DS sales? Brian Crecente

Nintendo Sees at least one more season in GBA [Reuters]

Anyone with a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP, Nintendo DS, Gameboy Advance or PC will be able to enjoy another rousing video game adaptation of the film adaptation of the book with varying degrees of quality. Exclusive to the PS3 and Xbox 360 version are perfect examples of the "uncanny valley". Watch for it! Michael McWhertor

I don't know which is creepier, this sculptured example of the uncanny valley or the list of ingredients used to make it: silicone, polyurethane, clothing, human hair variable. I was already twitching at human hair, but just what the hell is human hair variable? Never mind, I don't think I want to know. Brian Crecente

Boy Playing Game Boy Advance [Roslynoxley9, thanks Zhien]

Save Them Batteries [Spong]

This wee lad's shit-eating grin shows that he fully understands the ultimate gaming power that only the blessing of one Mr. Jesus H. Christ can grant. He's pictured touching his clamshellerific Game Boy Advance SP to the The Stone of the Anointing, "believed to be the place where Jesus' body was prepared for burial" in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, way over there in Jerusalem. Why? He's absorbing the sanctity of Our Lord into a portable gaming device, of course.

This ironically devilish photo is just one in a set of world spanning shots of this kid playing his silver GBA in front of world famous monuments and tourist attractions (eg. Stonehenge, Big Ben, Cliffs of Dover). I wish I had a GBA when my parents were carting me around to things like this. Michael McWhertor

Game Boy Around the World [via BoingBoing]

Jesus Christ, game developers. What's the matter with you? You know, most of us gamers are just trying to keep our heads low as lawmakers and professional ambulance chasers do their damnedest to lay all of society's ills at our door. Yet what do you do? You go ahead and announce a game so rife with depraved acts of sex and violence that it's set to make Postal 2 look like Mickey's Magic Castle, featuring acts such as:

a) Racial genocide
b) Simultaneous masturbation/electrocution fetishism
c) Infanticide
d) Satanism
e) Incest
f) Disembowelment
g) Castration
h) Crucifixion
i) Pedophillia
j) Bestiality
k) Slavery

And the list goes on and on! Don't you realize Jack Thompson has already smelled the waft of class action lawsuit in the air and will delight in nothing better than suing the impudent scoundrel responsible for creating such a game, thus programming all our nation's children into Murder-Death-Kill machines?

Although maybe that's for the best. After all, in this case, it's God himself who is responsible for The Holy Bible: The Game on the Game Boy Advance, and if anyone's responsible for programming children into flesh puppets of perceived but non-existent free will, it's not gaming, but my main man upstairs, YHWH. Florian Eckhardt

The Holy Bible: The Game [Video Games Blogger]

Our good Gawker buddies over at the Consumerist, while remaining total assholes, did manage to spot a fascinating gamer-related story in between all their kvetching about exploding laptop batteries and fruit-flavored Cheerios: at least one Gamestop out there is knowingly selling counterfeit Nintendogames.

The complaint comes via Curmudgeon Gamer, who tried to buy a copy of Aria of Sorrow second-hand from a local Gamespot. He quickly spotted it was a counterfeit and schooled the loquacious pimple behind the counter about how you spot a fake cartridge.

Me: First key was the label. That one doesn't look like the one I own. Then when I looked at the contacts, I didn't see the word "Nintendo" on the circuit board. Look here at Game A. [I hand him Game A, pointing at circuit board]

Dude: Whoa. [he takes Aria of Sorrow from me] You're right, it doesn't say "Nintendo". That's cool.

Me: Yeah. If you peel the price sticker off, you can probably tell the back of the cartridge is slightly different. And if you take the case apart you'll see a nasty cheap battery and a blop of black epoxy or something over the main chip.

Dude: Whoa. Learned something tonight! [he hands back Game A, puts Aria of Sorrow back in case] As long as it's just between you and me, no problem, right? [he closes case]

Well, now it's between you, Curmudgeon Gamer and 200,000 Kotaku readers. But we'll be quiet, won't we, guys? Florian Eckhardt

Gamestop: "We're Selling Counterfeit Games? Coooooool!" [Consumerist]

Activision's getting pretty busy in the handheld department, the publisher just announced that they will be brining GUN Showdown, Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts!, Spider-Man: Battle for New York and Activision Hits Remixed to various handhelds.

"Today, handheld gaming is more popular than ever before and our fall line-up is reflective of gamers' unique tastes and interests," said Will Kassoy, senior vice president of global brand management. "Whether they want to experience new adventures with popular Super Hero and movie characters or relive their earliest memories of gaming, we're delivering top quality entertainment experiences."

The two I'm most excited about are PSP titles GUN and Activision Hits Remixed. I loved GUN on the 360 and was hoping the franchise would get some sequels. In the PSP version you get new missions and, the best part, wireless multiplayer and quick-play modes. Multiplayer gun-slinging, I can't wait.

The Actisivsion collection for the PSP includes 40 Atari 2600 titles. HOT! Some of the best include Pitfall, Kaboom!, Chopper COmmand and Stampede. The remix part of the game adds wireless multplayer modes to the classics plus a 80's soundtrack. I am SO there.

The jump has the full press release with Activision's full description on all four games. Brian Crecente

Santa Monica, CA - August 21, 2006 - Activision, Inc. is delivering big-time fun to the palm of gamers' hands this fall with a diverse line-up of titles for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Nintendo DS™ and Game Boy® Advance platforms. Players will experience the untamed West in GUN™ Showdown, gear up for high jinx and hilarity in Over the Hedge™: Hammy Goes Nuts!, swing into action in Marvel's Spider-Man™: Battle for New York, and relive classic console gaming in Activision® Hits Remixed, the ultimate compilation of Atari 2600 games.

"Today, handheld gaming is more popular than ever before and our fall line-up is reflective of gamers' unique tastes and interests," said Will Kassoy, senior vice president of global brand management. "Whether they want to experience new adventures with popular Super Hero and movie characters or relive their earliest memories of gaming, we're delivering top quality entertainment experiences."

In Gun Showdown for the PSP system, players shoot, knife and dynamite their way through a free-roaming action adventure set against the backdrop of the old West. As a gunslinger working both sides of the law, gamers will dole out vengeance and showdown against corrupt lawmen, a murderous preacher, a renegade army psychopath, and merciless outlaws. The handheld experience includes new wireless multiplayer and quick-play modes, PSP system exclusive missions, and gameplay features. Gun Showdown is rated "M" ("Mature" - Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language and Use of Alcohol) by the ESRB.

Spider-Man: Battle for New York allows players to take on the role of their favorite Marvel Super Hero, Spider-Man, and one of his famed nemeses, Green Goblin, in an original storyline which builds upon their legendary comic book rivalry. For the first time in a handheld Spider-Man game, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance players can personalize their experiences by choosing what abilities and powers to upgrade and when, such as Spider-Man's web maneuvers or Green Goblin's fire attacks, as they progress through the game. Playing as both good and evil, gamers will experience levels packed with frenzied action, in-depth combat and a host of unique super moves as they embark on the ultimate quest to save New York City from almost certain disaster. Spider-Man: Battle for New York is rated "E10+" ("Everyone 10+" - Cartoon Violence) by the ESRB.

Over the Hedge™: Hammy Goes Nuts! is an all-new adventure based on the woodland creatures from DreamWorks Animation's hit film "Over the Hedge." Fan favorite Hammy the squirrel leads RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle and all-new forest friends on another daring trip into the 'burbs. When Hammy's beloved cable TV goes out, his buddies have to scramble through the neighborhood to restore the signal—and Hammy's happiness. Over the Hedge: Hammy Goes Nuts! for the Nintendo DS is rated "E" ("Everyone" - Comic Mischief) by the ESRB, and the GBA version is rated "E" ("Everyone") by the ESRB. The PSP version is not yet rated.

Activision Hits Remixed lets PSP system gamers relive the dawn of home console gaming while on the go by delivering over 40 of the biggest Atari 2600 titles, such as Pitfall, Kaboom!, Chopper Command, Stampede, Keystone Kapers, to the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system. With the game's multi-player supported classics, players can choose whether they want to game together utilizing a "Game Share" feature that allows two friends to play together using only one copy of the game or take turns on one PSP system or play via the game's wireless functionality. Activision Hits Remixed also features a rockin' 80's themed soundtrack, modernized front-end graphics, classic game manuals which include tips and photographs, and a host of retro unlockables. The game has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

Looks like the best place to play portable gaming just got all anti-gamey on us. Following the arrest of 21 people Thursday in connection with an alleged plot to blow up a plane, the UK officials have banned passengers from taking electronic items on board planes.

The ban applies to all flights leaving or transferring through the UK.

While video game devices have not been mentioned, they have mentioned laptops, ipods and cell phones specifically, so I'm guessing that the DS, PSP and such would also be on the list.

Security in the UK will now require you to pack all of those electronic goodies meant to quash boredom in your suitcase. Brian Crecente

New Rules Put Laptops in Checked Baggage [Infoworld]

As they did for the Top 100 Greatest Games of the 21st Century, Next Generation has taken all portable games ever and ranked them numerically according to revenue and profit.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list is largely comprised of extremely shitty movie tie-in games like Shrek. Which explains why anyone would make them anyway.

Coming in at Number One is Pokemon Ruby, although that's slightly disingenuous, as they basically had to throw out all the Mario games to stop them from taking the top twenty spots. Florian Eckhardt

Top 50 Handheld Games [Next Generation]

Via the wonderful Destructoid... oh, let's let it just speak for itself.

Simmunity has created the world's first tongue-controlled Nintendo Game Boy AdvanceSP console and Game Cube controller for quadriplegic youth and adults.

The unit is designed for special people in school, residential and hospital settings, who can now play Game Boys with a tongue controller.

Even if you're not a quadriplegic gamer like Rich LaPorte, this has some practical value. Sliming your GBA with your tongue on a regular basis discourages roommates from borrowing it without your permission. And you know how girls always emit a contemptuous yawn when you're trying to impress them with your mad skills? Beat the first level of Super Mario World using only the deft flicker of your tongue and I assure you their eyes will light up. Florian Eckhardt

Remote-Controlled GameBoy AdvanceSP [Simmunity]

Game Boy Advance
1. Invulnerable - Right Button, Left Button, Up, Up, LKey, RKey
2. Magic Wind (Always Behind) - Up, Right Button, Down, Left, Left, Right
3. Restore Health - Select Button, R Button, A Button, L Button, Left, Right
4. Exit Map to Island Nav (or go to next island) - Left, A Button, Left, Select Button, Down, Down
5. Unlock Rumors - A Button, L Button, Select Button, A Button, Right, Up
6. All Ship Upgrades - Right, Left, Left, Down, Up, Select Button
7. Best Jack Upgrades - Right, L Button, Down, A Button, Left, Select Button
8. Restore Grog/Food - A Button, Select Button, Left, Down, Right, Up
9. Add 1,000 gold - A Button, L Button, Select Button, R Button, Right, Right

Xbox Japan honcho Takashi Sensui finally has offered his two cents on the PlayStation 3, calling the machine "too expensive." He also stated that the Xbox 360 is "in no way inferior to any other console." Pricey? Not inferior? Them fightin' words, Sony!

Sensui came to power after the previous Xbox Japan boss Yoshihiro "Forget Me Not" Maruyama was axed and shuffled away in the Microsoft organization (read: buried alive). The Princeton and Columbia educated Sensui has largely kept a low profile, only emerging for the occasional press conference. That's Ivy League smarts at work.

He also stated that the 360 won't be getting any price cuts in Japan. Period. Even though the console is still outsold by the DS, the PlayStation 2 and the Game Boy Advance, Japanese people must pay full-price. While the HD-DVD add-on has been announced for Japan, Sensui stated there were no plans to release an HD-DVD ready Xbox 360 in Japan. That is, unless the stand alone players kicks Blu-ray ass. And if it doesn't, well, the 360 would make a fine Blu-ray player. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [QJ.net]

The pets will be coming to the PS2, GameCube, GBA, DS, and computer. They also hit the PSP in November. Hit the jump for all of the details on the animals. Brian Crecente

EA Announces The Sims 2 Pets
Fans of the Popular Video Game Series Enrich The Lives of Their Sims With The Addition of an Animal Companion

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - (July 27, 2006. 9 a.m. PST) - Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that the popular video game franchise, The Sims 2, is going to the dogs—and for that matter, to the cats, guinea pigs and birds too! The company is releasing The Sims 2 Pets on current generation console systems, handheld platforms and as a PC expansion pack. The Sims 2 Pets will build on the celebrated The Sims 2 experience that allows players to create and control digital characters throughout their lives while determining the outcome of their relationships and choosing their destiny. Each version will feature customized content tailored to the platform.

The addition of a new friend is guaranteed to enrich the daily lives of your Sims! Not only will players have the opportunity to choose from a variety of existing breeds, and hot designer mixes, but they'll also be able to personally design their new friend with the Create-a-Pet feature. The ability to customize gives fans the opportunity to create their ideal pet by choosing their body shape, unique markings, even their pet's personalities! With so many different animals to choose from, there's no telling what unpredictable experiences could occur!

Players will also be able to teach their pet new tricks, take them for a romp in the park, outfit them with new pet accessories and even give them a job! As in real life, your Sims' pet will require care and training. A neglected cat with an urge to scratch might claw up your new couch if you aren't careful, and leaving your dog unattended near a freshly planted flower bed probably isn't wise!

"The Sims 2 Pets captures the magic between pets and their owners," said Executive Producer Rod Humble. "A dog gnawing at his chew toy, a cat jumping at a dangled feather, a toddler stroking the chest of a big dog who sits by patiently—even a frisky dog getting caught rolling around in the trash. These special moments all come to life through the lifelike animations and artwork of The Sims 2 Pets. There is something delightful about your Sim, a little pet person, having a pet of their own. Pets allows players to tell more stories with their Sims and helps create more emergent anecdotes within the game."
The Sims 2 Pets will be available on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, the Nintendo GameCube , Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS , and as a PC expansion pack* that builds on the original The Sims 2 PC game experience. A version for the PSP (PlayStation Portable) system will follow.

KEY FEATURES
All Platforms
Sims Have New Friends - Pets! Sims can share their lives with their new pets and add more fun to the Sims experience. From dogs, cats, caged animals and more, your Sims share new friends to experience life's precious moments. With so many different animals to choose from, there's no telling what unpredictable experiences could occur!
Create-A-Pet: Choose from dozens of dog and cat breeds or customize features for a one-of-a-kind pet. You can even modify your pet's body shape by choosing from specific colors and unique markings. Don't like the way they act? Change their personality - from smart and sweet to silly and sloppy - anyone can create their ideal animal friend in The Sims 2 Pets.
"Sit, Spike, Sit": Your Sims can encourage and discipline pets, training them to shake, roll over, play dead, and more. Unruly pets might dig in the yard, claw the sofa, or topple the trash. Thankfully, a little training can go a long way.
Classic Sims Open-Ended Gameplay: Create and control digital characters over a lifetime, setting their goals in life from popularity and romance, to fortune and family- their stories are in your hands.
Share unique Pet unlocks: Use special codes to share unlockable pet accessories, fur types or markings with other The Sims 2 Pets players.

Unique to PC*
Friends for a Lifetime: Your Sims' pets are members of the family and share all of life's great moments - whether it's kids training puppies, teens playing fetch in the park, adults watching TV with their cats, or elders enjoying a sunny day in the park with their long-time companion!
Create a designer breed: Your Sims pets have genetics, allowing you to create the latest designer pet, including popular hybrid breeds like the Labradoodle, Puggle and Schnoodle! Like what you've created? Register them to appear in Create-A-Pet as a unique pedigree!
Bring Home the Bacon: Sims aren't the only ones with careers anymore! Skilled pets can earn a living from three career tracks - Show Business, Security, and Service - and work their way up through five job levels.

Unique to PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube and PSP (PlayStation Portable) system
Stroll the Central Town Park: Take your Sims and their pet for a romp at any of the nearby park areas, or head to the Central Town Park which is a favorite of pet owners. While there, watch your pet play well with others while your Sim can meet others and socialize with fellow animal lovers.
Shop 'til you drop: Visit the adjoining Town Center, a great gathering spot for Sims that evolves over time. Once you've seen the latest styles and decided on a purchase, deck your pet out in the latest clothing and accessories around. From geek to chic and cool to casual, your Sim can customize their pet's look with one stop in the Town Center. It's sure to be the coolest pet in town!

Unique to Nintendo DS
Manage a Pet Care Center: Pamper, preen, and nurse all the neighborhood pets at your new Pet Care Center that you create and customize.
How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? In a pet store that you own and operate, you can help other Sims pick out the perfect pet. Earn extra Simoleans by selling the pet products that include the latest pet fashions and accessories!

Game Boy Advance
Give Your Sim a Career in Pet Care: Take care of the town's pets by being a veterinarian, a world-class pet trainer and more. Players can even choose from a variety of cat and dogs to adopt as their very own. Whether they are healing pets or just taking them for a stroll, there is always something to do in the pet-friendly town of Barkersville.
Toys, treats and tricks!: Sims can teach their pets cool and amazing tricks and then compete in the World Championships to be the best in show!

Product Specifications
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts Redwood Shores
Ship Date: October 17th, 2006:
PlayStation 2
Nintendo GameCube
Game Boy Advance
Nintendo DS
PC expansion pack*
Ship Date: November 2006:
PSP (PlayStation Portable)
Category: Simulation/Strategy
ESRB Rating:"RP-T" (Rating Pending - Teen)