Ratchet looks a little ripped in his theme — which apparently was done by a Japanese artist, or perhaps just by somebody who knows their katakana. Monkey Ball looks a little more licensed and lot more orange. And either I've become warped by video game expectations, or Bayonetta's chest is looking a little flat.

If you happen to have Google Chrome, go check it out. And if you don't, I'm only half-okay with recommending it. On the one hand, I like the panel view of your commonly-visited pages. On the other hand, I'm keenly aware of the embarrassment you might suffer if four out of your right panels happen to be porn sites.

Sega confirms that both Wii Balance Board and Wii Remote and Nunchuk controls can be used for the game, which features "all new mind-blowing puzzles and party games." Poor simians trapped in plastic balls include AiAi, MeeMee, GonGon and Baby, the tortured beasts forced to endure their spherical prisons since the original GameCube game.

Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll is in development at Sega Studios Japan, which must mean new pictures of Toshihiro "Brown Man" Nagoshi will be circulating by year's end.

It's just a tiny difference, but we'll take what we can get. The countdown page, located at www.Sega.com/Jackpot, features a circular tumbler filled with colored, numbered balls, along with a switch. Here's where it gets crazy. Flipping the switch causes a set of six balls to roll out. See? Compared to other countdown clocks, this is amazingly deep. It's the Grand Theft Auto of countdown clocks.

After clocking at several different points throughout the day, it has been determined that the first two balls represent days; the second two hours; and the final pair represent minutes. According to Kotaku reader Brigham, this means that something will happen on Tuesday the 21st at 10AM Eastern time.

A cursory exploration of the page source, reveals the following line of code:

<embed src="jackpot.swf" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="945" height="559" name="supermonkeyball" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" />

I suppose that makes sense. There are plenty of balls, and Sega knows that nothing goes better with balls than monkeys.

Perhaps that sounded a bit wrong. And perhaps the countdown isn't for Super Monkey Ball, and the coder just threw that bit in to mislead everyone. We're leaning towards a reveal of Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll, the name of which McWhertor discovered via the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last month.

Sure, we might have just ruined the surprise, but that doesn't stop you from getting countless hours of enjoyment out of flipping that little switch, now does it?

"That's a substantial business," says Simon Jeffery, president of Sega's U.S. division. "It gives iPhone a justifiable claim to being a viable gaming platform."

All in all, over 60 million programs have been purchased from the App Store since launch, generating around $30 million in sales in the first month alone. For a complete rundown of the games that launched with the store, be sure to hit up our Ultimate Guide to iPhone Games, while I cradle my Zune in my arms and weep quietly to myself.

IPhone Software Sales Take Off: Apple's Jobs [The Wall Street Journal]

Today Other Ocean announced that they are working with Sega to develop a demo version of the iPhone game.

"We were tremendously honored to be asked to work on the demo version of Super Monkey Ball and also to participate in the actual unveiling," said Ayre.

"Apple's SDK is extremely developer-friendly and the iPhone, with its accelerometer, is the perfect platform for Super Monkey Ball," explained Gordon Wood, Other Ocean's Technical Director and Senior Programmer. "The iPhone is going to be a major player in the handheld gaming market, and we're excited to be among the first to develop games for the device."

"We knew Super Monkey Ball could be a perfect game for the iPhone, and all we needed was the right team to partner with to make it happen," said David Cobb, Sega's Vice President of Product Development. "Other Ocean was the obvious choice to build the demo version, with their experience giving us a clear advantage."

I don't know if the iPhone is going to be a major gaming device, but it sure as heck seems to be a better platform for gaming than a regular phone. Now when is that demo coming out?

This is not a cellphone game. This is a full console game. And we underestimated the power of the device. We had to fly in a developer to upscale the art for the iPhone.

Hot. Once again, no confirmation as to whether or not this game is actually going on sale.

UPDATE: It looks like this is planned for commercial distribution as well, given that Sega of America president Simon Jeffery explained, "The iPhone OS is a robust development platform that will allow Sega to deliver mobile gaming experiences that are truly compelling. Using the iPhone's accelerometer to power a tilt control feature adds a whole new dimension to Super Monkey Ball, and we can't wait for gamers to try it."

Gizmodo Liveblog [Gizmodo]

I pre-ordered Ryu Ga Gotoku Kenzan! at the Shinjuku Bic Camera in Tokyo as after playing the demo I was really interested in giving the final product a serious playthrough. Today being the release date, I headed over to Bic Camera as soon as I could leave work. I arrived at the store around 7:30pm, got my copy and was told that there were holding a Japanese-style raffle and to take my recipt over to another section of the videogame area.

For those that don't know, a Japanese raffle is a kind of lottery where when it's your turn, you spin a hexangoal box around a few times, and out comes a colored ball to determine your prize. I got the lowest level - a "high quality oil cloth."

The highest reward were fairly large posters for the game, and when I got over there, some guy in a flashy jacket was bent over one of them with a pen in his hand. In case you hadn't guessed, it was indeed the
director, Toshihiro Nagoshi, autographing some of them. I didn't feel right asking for his autograph since he was already making the posters for the winners, but I had the good luck to see that he was on his way out - the poster I had seen him sign was his last.

We rode down the elevator together (with his staff), and then as we got off I worked up the nerve to ask him for his picture. One of his staff was kind enough to offer to hold the camera so I could appear in the picture too...

For a guy as flashily and expensively dressed as he was, he was very nice, and to be honest a bit tired - I think the final push had taken it's toll, as his pants were a bit dirty too.

The UV radiation enthusiast was decked out in the above get up, flanked by two geisha girls in reference to his first unnamed project, one that according to IGN's report is bigger than both Yakuza titles. Nagoshi was even less clear on the second unnamed release, only teasing that an announcement would be forthcoming. Super Monkey Ball Next-Gen maybe? We'll see.

The tanned one also revealed a third game from the Sakura Taisen team, Battlefield Valkyrie also for the PS3. Lots of love for the PS3 today, which should make for an interesting TGS.

PlayStation Premiere: Yakuza Producer Brings Two to PS3 [IGN]

Obviously, you should consider the following shots potential spoilers. Those of you on the fence about buying another Monkey Ball game, myself included, should at least check them out. Michael McWhertor

Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz Bosses Gallery

We've seen the North American, but where's the Japanese Wii box art? A-squint-and-you'll-miss-it Super Monkey Ball image popped up on Sega's site, and *surprise*, it's all pink and written in Japanese. Granted the Japanese title is different and various box art for games is not really news, but I'm actually a little surprised. I guess all the other early Wii games might have different art, save for Cars, which will look EXACTLY the same. Brian Ashcraft

Uki Uki Monkey [Sega Direct, Thanks creamsugar!]

One of TGS's let downs was non-playable Super Monkey Ball. Well, it was playable, but you had to be wearing a grass skirt and covered with plastic fruit. Booth companions on stage demonstrated the title's fun factor. Everyone else kinda stood around.

Next-Gen's Tim Rogers heard from Toshihiro Nagoshi that the title wasn't playable because of lighting conditions at the show. Meaning, weird lighting and flash photography totally screws up the Wii-mote. Nagoshi adds, "At home, people aren't likely to be using flash photography on their own televisions, so it won't matter, in the long run."

That being said, he thinks the Wii is "great," but when asked what system he plans on making his next game for, he replied, "Definitely not the Wii." Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Next-Gen]

At Kotaku, we know creepy. While E3 was known for dorky guys posing with booth babes, TGS is more famous for creepy guys with huge creepy cameras taking creepy pictures of booth babes. Good thing the showroom floor is dark, sparing us from seeing their creepy faces. Brian Ashcraft

As Sega didn't actually let any of the Kotaku editors touch their Wii titles, we instead decided that we'd just watch the six extremely attractive booth girls play for an hour. Decked out in outfits that matched the games they were playing, they'd clearly been playing Wii games all day since they had a thin layer of sweat and a solid grasp of the gameplay—both rare for booth girls.

Bleach, the fighting game based on the popular manga, has a very interesting cel shaded style, with a sketch-like cross hatching effect thrown on for good measure. Watching the Sega cutie frantically stab at the screen made me cautious than ever about using the Wii wand to control a traditional fighter. This really requires some personal play.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz looked like a bunch of minigame fun. The girls played the party game version of frisbee golf, which looked fair but still enticing, and a running/hurdling bit that looked exhausting. Check the video at the end of the post to see the... err, gameplay.

Sonic The Hedgehog was my favorite Sega Wii title on display. Looking surprisingly good for the underpowered Wii, it finally got me interested in playing a Sonic game again. Essentially a Sonic driving game with jumping and occasional platforming action, it had a great sense of speed and a fun control scheme. Far better looking in motion than simple screenshots.

Even though it's too bad we didn't actually get to touch the damn games at TGS, watching girls in ninja outfits and grass skirts was a fairly good replacement. Michael McWhertor

Ninety-Nine Nights (Xbox 360)
The Microsoft backed story-driven hack 'n' slash from Q and Phantagram is less than the sum of its parts.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)
Square-Enix milks the Final Fantasy VII cash cow in this third person shooter. Better than the Japanese version, but that ain't sayin' much.

Deep Labyrinth (DS)
Atlus brings the action-RPG stateside, hack 'n' slash and touchscreen spell-casting in tact.

Super Monkey Ball Adventure (PSP)
The PSP port of the lackluster Monkey Ball platformer hits stores like so much flung monkey feces.

DarkStar One (PC)
Apparently its "an open-ended action/adventure title set in a huge universe populated by a variety of unique alien races". News to me!

I'm finally going to crack into my Bit Generations games and my budget copy of Drill Dozer. After the miserable NNN reviews, I think I'll be waiting for the $10 version. You kids picking up anything this week?

Super Monkey Ball Adventure (GC, PS2, PSP)
Sega ditches traditional Monkey Ball level clearing and thumb dexterity for platforming adventuring courtesy of developer Traveller's Tales.

Dungeon Siege II: Broken World (PC)
The next expansion pack for the hack-and-slash action RPG concludes the Dungeon Siege story. For now! Dun dun dunnnnnn!

FlatOut 2 (PC, PS2, Xbox)
The destructive racing game gets a sequel. Yawn. Any FlatOut fans out there?

I anxiously await my imported copies of the Bit Generations series for GBA and will continue to play Lumines and Half-Life 2 Episode I. You kids picking up anything this week? Let us know in the comments. Michael McWhertor

Sega's stayed true to its insanity and is moving forward with its dub of Ryu Ga Gotoku (US title: Yakuza). The game was made by Toshihiro "I Love Tanning Salons" Nagoshi and features some crackling Yak dialogue. That of course is going to be replaced with tough-sound American English. Scary!

Here's a clip from the Sega release:

Yakuza, scripted by noted Japanese novelist Hase Seishu, features an intricate storyline driven by loyalty, honor, and revenge. The seasoned Hollywood cast will bring the widely varied characters to life with both subtle and impassioned performances. Adding his signature voice to the cast, Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Sin City) plays Shimano, a physically imposing Yakuza boss who relies on brutality to achieve his selfish goals; Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) voices Nishiki, a ruthless Yakuza member who has turned against his childhood friend, Kazuma, out of bitter jealousy; Eliza Dushku, (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring It On) voices Yumi, who grew up with Nishiki and Kazuma in an orphanage, and is at the center of the mystery; Rachel Leigh Cook (She's All That) plays Reina, owner of the Serena hostess bar, whose secret love leads her down a road of betrayal; and Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman: New Times) voices the insane Majima, a violent Yakuza boss with a twisted sense of honor.

Yakuza speak a very different kind of Japanese, complete with tough rolling and guttural sounds. It's not easy on the ears, but that's the point. It's a weapon that Sega is robbing these characters of. Why is this game even called Yakuza? "Gangster" is more like it. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Firing Squad]

Frame Zero: IGN interview, dated May 30th, 2001. So full of light and laughter. This man knows only of monkeys and balls.

Frame One: F-Zero GX-era Nagoshi.

Frame Two: Got-Next interview, dated December 21, 2004. The endarkening has begun.

Frame Three: The Kikizo interview, dated October 31st, 2005. Chin scruff awakes, as does the knowledge of the hard-boiled road ahead in his eyes.

Frame Four: Nagoshi's own 1up page displays this presumably self-selected picture, documenting his aim to become Sega's first game-producing hybrid of Ursula Andress and Grace Jones.

Frame Five: Finally, a picture taken by Kotaku's own Mike "Michael" McWhertor, highlighting Nagoshi's complete transformation into a yakuza-inspired "method" game producer. We've slather the contents of an entire case of indelible markers over our body in tribute. Joel Johnson

The biggest mystery at E3, the thing that got everyone talking was not the Wii or the PS3. Rather, it was what the hell happened to Toshihiro Nagoshi's skin. Somewhere between bringing us classics like Super Monkey Ball and Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza), the acclaimed designer got locked in a tanning booth. In the center of the Earth. For years.

Everyone's worried about Nagoshi getting skin cancer or worse yet, being mistaken for a leather coat at Takeshimiya. So what gives? We're all huge fans and dying to know! Game site SPOnG (gawd bless 'em) found out in an interview with Lumines luminary and Q Entertainment honcho Tetsuya Mizuguchi:

SPOnG: Who are you still in contact with at Sega?

Mizuguchi: Ah, Many people! Hisao Oguchi, the president of Sega, sometimes we have dinner or go out for lunch.

SPOnG: Are you friends with Toshihiro Nagoshi?

Mizuguchi: Yes, very good friends.

SPOnG: Have you noticed his image change?

[Whole room, Miz, other Q staffers, outsourced PR people, all laugh out loud]

Screw talking about Lumines 2, this is way more interesting! More ballsy interviewing after the jump.

SPOnG: We ask because the last time we met him was with you, at the VIP Sega evening. He was dressed normally, had kind of straggly hair, looked a bit hungover... We've seen him recently and he's really skinny and his skin colour is golden! The most incredible tan we've ever seen ever. Do you have any background on his image change?

Mizuguchi: I feel very, erm... negatively about this...

[Everyone now in hysterics]

SPOnG: Were you surprised?

Mizuguchi: Oh yeah! But, you know, he's a very good guy! But I told him, 'I think this is not good!". I think he knows. He made the Yakuza game, and he set his mind into the game.

SPOnG: So, he's dressed like he's Yakuza?

Mizuguchi: Yes, I think so.

Ah, so Nagoshi's like a "method actor" in the vein of Brando or DeNiro. Take back every snide remark, this man is creating art! Brian Ashcraft

Full Interview [SPOnG]

The link between Super Monkey Ball and botch-free surgery is nothing new, but a recent study came up with some interesting facts and figures about the connection.

Reuters reports that surgeons who play Super Monkey Ball for 20 minutes prior to surgery were faster and made fewer errors than their gameless counter-parts.

The story looked at 303 surgeons and focused on laparoscopic procedures. The study found that the game helped surgeons complete their procedures 11 seconds faster.

The only side-effect was that one in seven surgeons would pump their lapariscopic surgical tools back into the incision after completing a procedure in record time to "make sure they got all of the bananas." Yeah, that's no good. —Brian Crecente

Video games can help cut surgical errors: study [Reuters]

With E3 around the corner, Sega spills the beans on the upcoming Super Monkey Ball game for the Revolution. The game will take full advantage of the Revo's wand controller, allowing players to flick their way through the main rolling ball game and mini-games like ring toss and Whack-A-Mole. Expect more from Sega at E3.

More Here [Eurogamer]