New Duck Hunt For The Wii? No.

Is Nintendo (by way of Hudson Entertainment) working on a new Duck Hunt for the Wii, to be titled New Duck Hunt? Possibly. But if you're looking to the above video sent to us by a number of readers as proof of such a product, you'll get nothing. How do we know this clip of a game some random kid on the internet found on his dad's desk is bogus? Because the gameplay in New Duck Hunt, well, it sucks, that's how. Nintendo's own legit Duck Hunt demo at E3 2006, which also featured bull's eye, skeet and UFO shooting, was actually amazingly fun and later became part of Wii Play. Link's Crossbow Training is similarly light years beyond this fake half-assed effort.

Look, if you want to pile up virtual duck carcasses, there's always Ultimate Duck Hunting.

Like Mark, my copy of Rock Band, acquired yesterday at Best Buy, remains mint-in-box, unopened due to a tight schedule involving pie making, surprise hosting duties, and soul-crushing amounts of work. At least the falling tears make for a satisfying moderate rock beat as they splash upon my MacBook. Tomorrow, however, I'll break the seal on my copy of Rock Band, set it up, play, download some Metallica, break it down, transport it across town and attempt to work off thousands of calories with the Thanksgiving band. I'll also squeeze in a bit more time with Link's Crossbow Training, as several platinum medals still elude me, plus time with Medal of Honor Heroes 2.

For those not celebrating our lovely American holiday, feel free to let us know what's on your plate whenever you have a spare moment.

Whenever a large game company deems it necessary to ship a game in anything less than a full-size case...wherever gamers scream out for a better way to display their favorite titles than a small cardboard sleeve...the Cover Project is there. This time around they've got a full-size CD sleeve insert ready before the game is in most player's hands, with a custom made cover for Link's Crossbow Training ready for download at the link below. Create by Shenske, it is every bit as cool as the full retail cover of the game, only it actually exists. The Cover Project is also an excellent resource for people who buy used games from EB and GameStop without the original packaging. Nice job!

Link's Crossbow Training Custom Cover [The CD Project - Thanks Chris!]

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!

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I'll be playing some real-life Cooking Mama, as I attempt to bake my first practice pie in anticipation for Thanksgiving. Plans for pumpkin and mince meat (sans meat) are forming, but we'll have to see how this weekend's beta pies turn out. On the gaming side, I'll be playing Super Mario Galaxy, maybe a little Uncharted: Drake's Fortune if I can scare myself up a copy. I'm also expecting a Wii Zapper to show up at some point soon, so I may take Link's Crossbow Training for extended impressions. If only I could fit in Half-Life 2: Episode Two at some point...

So, what's up? What are you playing this weekend?

The earliest record of the crossbow is from Greece in the 5th century BC, so you folks over in Europe have had plenty of crossbow training already. This is probably why you're going to have to wait until December 7th to pay £20 / €30 for Nintendo's Wii Zapper and Link's Crossbow Training, which hits North America on November 19th. We cannot have you folks armed before we've had a proper training period. Otherwise we'd be completely screwed in the States when the great crossbow war breaks out. Besides, if we win, English will be the official language of Europe and these delays won't be an issue any longer!

Europe to Get Zapping Before Christmas [Next Gen]

Link's Crossbow Training In Motion

Want to see what all the fuss on Wii Zapper pack-in Link's Crossbow Training is all about? This video might give you an inclination, if you weren't focusing on a way to turn the brain-thumping music off. The levels shown represent the entirety of what we played at Nintendo's media event last week and should give you a better indication of how this budget title looks and feels.