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Rumor: What Microsft Might Be Showing Off Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Microsoft is having a pre-TGS press conference. The briefing will feature new trailers and a few surprises. I'll be on the ground covering the event. What can we expect? Rumor has it that third party companies like Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Koei, Konami and Tecmo will be showing their Xbox 360 support. Here's what will apparently be shown:Square EnixThe Last RemnantNew Xbox 360 exclusiveBandai NamcoBeautiful Katamari DamacyAce Combat 6New Xbox 360 titleKoeiShin Sangoku Musou 5Blade StormNew Xbox 360 titleMicrsoft Game StudiosLost OdysseyHalo 3Project Gotham Racing 4Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of DoomNew RPG (may be shown only at TGS)Games from Takara Tomy, Arc Systems, Success, Idea FactoryKonamiXbox Live Arcade gamesWinning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008Check back tomorrow for our coverage. If this info is true, wonder what that new RPG is...Microsoft Presser [GameFront via http://gamers-creed.com/?p=543">Gamers-Creed]

Maybe: Brutally Fun Tease = Brutal Legend?
OK, Microsoft, you got us. A teaser trailer that's actually teasing? Novel! Also effective, as so many have been confirming by sounding off on what they think "Brutally Fun" could be. Here's another possibility, one with some meat on its bone: it's Double-Fine's "rumoured" Brutal Legend, starring Jack Black as a roadie trying to get to rock'n'roll heaven. IGN have done a little patent-scrounging and see that Double Fine registered the trademark for the name Brutal Legend on August 10. You'd certainly expect a Tim Schafer title to be fun, and a new Double Fine release would be worth crowing about. Plus, you know. It's got the word "brutal" in it.Brutal Legend Reality? [IGN]

Had To Happen: Bandai Namco Site Lists Eternal Sonata For PS3
Oh Bandai Namco. You're such fibbers! It was only a month ago that you were saying you were "not aware" of a PS3 version of Eternal Sonata. Not aware? Someone is, because the game's official listing on the company's site now has it listed as a PlayStation 3 game. No release date, but it's right there under "platforms". PlayStation 3. Could be a typo, but then, we're only a week and a bit away from TGS. Could also be announced there.Eternal Sonata [Bandai Namco, thanks Ryan!]

All Men Are Created Equal: Nintendo Ignores America's Hatred, More Tingle Games Coming
I like Tingle. Funny guy. He's a very different, very...unique character. A lot of Americans, though...they hate. Hate Tingle! Whether through rampant homophobia or just differing tastes on what makes a good incidental Zelda character, we'll never know. What we do know, now, is that there are more Tingle games coming. So many Nintendo are kicking Tingle up to fully-fledged main character status. Kensuke Tanabe: I heard from EAD that they decided not to use Tingle after Wind Waker because Tingle was unpopular, especially in the US. As a matter of fact, he did not actually appear in Twilight Princess. You may want to ask Mr. Aonuma about the future plan!As for our team, SPD3 (Software Planning & Development Department, Production Group No.3), we have just started on our making-Tingle-a-main-character-project. In the works we produce, he will continue to move in his own direction. See where your hate got you? It got you a whole load of new Tingle games. How you like them apples!Ti...

Fever Pitch: Hudson's TGS List
TGS mania continues! Here, we've got Hudson's list of its Tokyo Games Show games. Hooray! They are:WiiDeca SportaNintendo DSDungeon Explorer: Jashin no RyouikiElemental MonsterGachapin Nikki DSPSPDungeon Explorer: Meiyaku no TobiraThere is one more game that Hudson will announce at TGS. Bring on the new Bonk game. Make it happen, Hudson!Hudson List [Siliconera]

Rumor: Call Of Duty 4's Co-Op Might Come Later
On Sunday at the Activate Asia Pacific conference, Infinity Ward's Grant Collier was asked whether Call of Duty 4 would feature co-op. Guy couldn't manage a "no comment", he dropped the ball and got blathery: Uh, no, I'm not really supposed to say anything about that... but I'm a big fan of Xbox Live and downloadable content. When pushed a little further and asked whether that meant co-op would come later in the form of a download, he "grinned nervously". Hmm. I got two hands. On one of them, I'm thinking it's great that a game which may not have otherwise featured co-op can see it slotted in later down the line. On the other, though...this is a game that many will think should have featured co-op from the get-go. Those types won't be happy if they've got to pay further cash-money to have it implemented. Rumour: Online Co-Op Mode for Call of Duty 4 [Gameplayer]

Clip: MySims Trailer Rots Teeth
It's all so...coldly calculating. There's the little green diamond and soothing sky-blue background from Will Wright's version, but it's been thrown in a Japanification device and spat out looking like this. Will either be complete rubbish or will sell a billion copies. Maybe both.

Maybe: Leaked Halo Movie Script Recovered?
Peter Jackson's Halo movie project is going nowhere. It's barely even twitching. But at least it's still breathing. Alex Garland's earlier shot at adapting the game for the big screen is dead, buried then danced upon. But it's not forgotten. A 1UP user has apparently stumbled upon Garland's 128-page script, which they promptly forwarded onto 1UP who have promptly thrown up a few pages worth. There's an excerpt from the intro, and one from a stoush with the Flood. Where the combat becomes TRANSCENDENT, BALLETIC and FRENZIED.Alex Garland's Halo Movie Script Leaks? [1UP]

Short Shorts Watch: Final Fight's Poison Brings Daisy Dukes To Collector Shelves
Capcom's memorable tramps Roxy and Poison from Final Fight may be the victim of some urban legend gender confusion but there's little question about what's in the denim short shorts of this immovable figure from Reflect of Poison herself. The 11" PVC recreation of Hugo's sidekick from Street Fighter III will leave little to the imagination when it ships this November. At 7,140 yen, it should definitely be considered a holiday stocking stuffer for any loved one who's really really into nearly naked video game gangster babes. I'm getting two for the McWhertor Cave!Poison [HobbyStock]

Contest: Nothing Says Red Like Heavenly Sword
Think red. We're seeing red. Lots and lots of red. We've got one copy of Heavenly Sword with fiery sword-swinger Nariko to give away. But, we're not just going to give it away. You've got to win it! Here's the contest: Red. Lots and lots of red. Take a picture with as many read things as you can squeeze in. Remember, be creative. Don't be afraid to leave your house to take the pics! It doesn't have to be just a bunch of products. Just think red! Because the most interesting/creative ones will be selected by the mean Kotaku staff as finalists. The best one will then be selected by Kotakuland. Deadlines for entries is next Thursday at midnight EST. Send entries to kotakucontestATgmail.com and be sure to include a "Kotaku" sign in your picture. You need a Kotaku sign. Good luck!Heavenly Sword [Official Site]

Day Note: Best Dentist Evar
To: AshFrom: CrecenteRe: Roach Burgers (Yum, Yum)When you go to the dentist you get the crap drilled out of your mouth and a head full of pain. When we go we get free trips to amusement parks. OK, I'm lying, this isn't typical. Tristan's pediatric dentist is like the best dentist on the planet. In fact she was features on Oprah. Not only does she have an amazing rapport with kids, but once a year she throws a gi-normous party for them. This year she rented out an amusement park up in the mountains and invited all of her patients and their parents... for free. We took Tristan and had an absolute blast. Somewhere between the rides, the lunch, the tug of war and me totally pwning Tristan and my wife at 1-v-2 beach volleyball Tristan smiled and said "This is the best day ever." Imagine that, the best day ever having something to do with a dentist.What you missed: BBC Coming to Xbox Live?Terror Fears Ban Xbox 360, PS3, DS from JailsMake Love, Not Warcraft Wins EmmyEternity's Child...

Maybe: Early Halo Movie Script Leaked?
Peter Jackson's Halo movie project is going nowhere. It's barely even twitching. But at least it's still breathing. Alex Garland's earlier shot at adapting the game for the big screen is dead, buried then danced upon. But it's not forgotten. A 1UP user has apparently stumbled upon Garland's 128-page script, which they promptly forwarded onto 1UP who have promptly thrown up a few pages worth. There's an excerpt from the intro, and one from a stoush with the Flood. Where the combat becomes TRANSCENDENT, BALLETIC and FRENZIED.Alex Garland's Halo Movie Script Leaks? [1UP]

Take-two Interactive: Take-Two Loves BioShock Sales, Discuss Sequel Plans
With some 1.5 million copies of BioShock shipped to retailers and Take-Two boasting the "All-Time Highest Xbox 360 Ranking on Metacritic" for the game, it would seem that a sequel is a lock. In today's conference call discussing the company's third quarter earnings, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick said of the game's success "Clearly, we have a new hit franchise on our hands." Zelnick was pretty pleased with BioShock, 2K Games and his colleagues, telling the collected analysts that they're "proving our ability to diversify Take-Two's product portfolio."Zelnick dropped the F-word later when discussing the now-gen Grand Theft Auto development cycle. "BioShock is shaping up to be a very important franchise" said the chairman, underscoring the importance of the game to Take-Two. Zelnick added that he expects a "three year schedule" for the BioShock IP.Set your clocks for 2010, kids. BioShock II will hopefully be just about wrapped up by then.

Bereaved: Yahoo! Riding Halo 3 Hype Train All Week
Finding yourself with a thousand tabs open in your browser of choice, wearing away at the F5 imprinted upon your key, looking for any scrap of Halo 3 you can get your rods and cones on? Well, open Yahoo! Games in yet another tab, punchy, because they've secured two exclusive clips for the Bungie shooter that's sure to shift 360s. During the promised Microsoft media blitz, an original Halo live action short titled "Museum" and the full-length television spot known as "Believe" will both debut exclusively at Yahoo! (emphasis theirs). Full details on the schedule, as well as some nice looking preview pics are linked below.Yahoo! Games to premiere Halo 3 videos [Yahoo! Games, thanks Mike!]

Hot Flashes: Bloxorz
It's rare that an online Flash based game stands out from the crowd, but Bloxorz, a simple "fit square block into square hole" effort absolutely must be noticed. The puzzles ramp up in difficulty rather quickly, but the penalty for taking a wrong tilt isn't spirit crushing. Perfect sound, clean design, frustratingly addictive gameplay. Excellent stuff.Bloxorz [Albino Black Sheep via Kottke]

End: Finally, A New Unreal Engine Licensed FPS
End. The game is named End. And it's coming to a PC or Xbox 360 near you, powered by the Unreal Engine. End is being developed by Faramix Enterprises and its creators hope it will "raise the standard" with its "powerful storyline with innovative gameplay." While details—and screenshots—are scarce, we do know that End will follow the adventures of Miles and Chaz, one of whom is "haunted by his past."Who's pumped?! Personally, I'm thrilled that we're down to three letter monosyllabic game titles now. In a field that was once dominated by dull names plastered with extensive subtitles, we're entering the era of efficient succinct game naming. I look forward to a time when game titles will be reduced to nothing but a grunt or a glance or a single pointed finger at a glass display case. How far we'll have come.Unreal Engine 3 Powered FPS 'End' (X360/PC) Announced [Worth Playing]

Halo 3: Off To Seattle to Meet Master Chief
I'm off tonight to Seattle where I will spend the next 48 hours cocooned with Halo 3, playing and replaying the game in both campaign and multiplayer modes. I'm told I will have enough time to beat it...twice. I will be under embargo until Sunday, Sept. 23, but check back then for my reviews, breakouts and impressions.Hello gaming goodness, goodbye bathroom breaks, food and sleep.

Advertising Age: How Microsoft Spent $10 Million Selling Halo 3
Bungie's Halo 3 may seem like the kind of game that doesn't require anything beyond pocket change to effectively advertise. Day one sales are practically guaranteed to be in the bazillions, netting Microsoft an estimated trizillion dollars by the holidays. Regardless of the game's predetermined success, a multi-pronged advertising campaign, one to the tune of ten million bucks has been playing out over the course of the past ten months. Starting this week, you won't just see passing mention of Halo 3; you'll be soaking in it.This week, according to BrandWeek's report on Microsoft's marketing efforts, will bring about a new push for next Master Chief adventure. With the "Starry Night" TV spot behind us, the beta long gone and Project Iris keep fans momentarily distracted, the hype machine has moved on to the "Believe" portion.BrandWeek describes it as a "week-long celebration featuring the making of specials, tournaments and media frenzy typical of a Hollywood blockbuster will...

Sega: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Sprinting To Xbox Live Arcade
Sega's Genesis classic Sonic the Hedgehog 2 not only ushered in the first in what would become a long line of shitty friends for Sonic, it propelled the blue rodent to near superstardom in the world of video game platformers. Sonic returns to Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday with all the usual XBLA goodies—enhanced graphics, updated sound, leaderboards, online multiplayer. All of this for the low price of 400 Microsoft Points.Sonic the Hedgehog 2 [Xbox.com]

Rumor: Sony To Get Dressy?
When we're not posting about what we've eaten for breakfast, we're often found trolling the US Patent and Trademark Office for exciting new registrations. One of the more interesting such items to pop up recently is Sony Computer Entertainment's Dress, with the logo shown above.So what the hell is Dress? Is Sony readying their own version of Sega's dress up and shopping game Love & Berry? Are budding Home citizens about to enjoy the labors of digital seamstresses? Is this Sony's answer to Project Runway? Whatever Sony's recently registered trademark for Dress will be, we're pretty sure it's going to be... interesting.Most of the trademark's goods and services registrations seem totally inappropriate for Sony's gaming division. For example, Dress is registered against things like "X-RAY TUBES", "GYMNASTIC INSTRUCTION", and "ELECTRIC HAIR-CURLERS FOR HOUSEHOLD USE" which I doubt we'll see. But some of the registrations seem much more likely to apply to a PlayStation game or...

Lists: Must Have, Must Play Games
My most recent package for the Rocky Mountain News was essentially a fancied up list of some of the must-have, must-play games of the year. I mentioned awhile back that I was working on this story and had come up with at least 50 games for the list. Unfortunately, the list couldn't be that long, so I had to cut it down to the top ten and twenty "others." It helped that the list was only supposed to include games coming out the day the story (Sept. 7) ran or later.The story kicks off with some insight from Gamespot's Tor Thorsen about why it is there are so many top tier games coming out this year, seemingly more than last year.Hit up the two lists at the links below, but before you do keep in mind that the ten and twenty lists are not sorted in any particular order and that this wasn't meant to be scientific, just my opinion.Must-have, must-play games and The Best of the Rest

Cry On: Crysis Beta Goes Live (But Not For You)
The Crysis demo is still on target to hit September 25th, but FilePlanet Founders Club members now have access to the beta for Crytek and EA's gorgeous first person shooter. Not a Founders Club member? Tough. Those of us in steerage and economy will have to sit on our hands a little while longer for the next round of beta acceptance e-mails, all for FilePlanet subscribers, unfortunately, but that Enemy Territory: Quake Wars demo should help the time go a bit faster. In the meantime, I'm going to watch a slide show of Crysis screenshots and make up my own sound effects. Pyew pyew! Kathooom!Crysis Beta [FilePlanet]

Countdown Drown: Microsoft Joins Countdown Fun With Something Brutal
Microsoft joins Sega, Treasure and Valve this week in hyping up their pre-Tokyo Game Show reveals, relying on the trusted Flash-based countdown clock to stoke the hype train flames. So what's going to be so "Brutally Fun"? That's an excellent question we'll know more about within the next 40 hours. Our best guess so far is Luke's suggestion that it's a Brute Force party game in which I will absolutely have dibs on Brutus the token lizard man.Your best guesses are welcome in the comments. Thanks for the heads up, Matthew.Brutally Fun [Xbox.com]

Children: Australian Editorial Supports Pre-K Gaming
Well sort of...The opinion piece written by Rathika Suresh for The Australian only mentions gaming at the beginning to lump it together with computer games, educational applications and the Internet. It goes on to argue that computers, and those things he linked to them like gaming, are here to stay and that they play an "integral and growing role in education, work and communications, and the sooner a child becomes comfortable with this technology, the better."He says the important thing is that you keep an eye on the content they access using the internet, computers and gaming systems. I whole hardily agree. He also points out that according to Early Childhood Australia, parents and caretakers should "guard against exposing children to software applications that use stereotypes relating to gender or culture." Also a good point, at least for young children who are still forming opinions and developing ideas.The piece wraps up by calling for Australian ICT professionals to develop...

D.l.a.: L.A. Noire Delayed To 2009
Team Bondi's PLAYSTATION 3 detective thriller L.A. Noire has been "moved out" of Take-Two's fiscal year 2008 release schedule, announced today during the company's financial conference call. L.A. Noire, which will fall under the Rockstar Games banner and touts former Team Soho developers—of The Getaway fame—, was first announced in the summer of 2005 for a release on the PS3, part of an agreement to develop multiple Sony-exclusive titles. Little has been shown of the game outside of a pair of trailers and it doesn't look like we'll see much more of it any time soon.

It's Official: Rock Band Adds Soundgarden, KISS, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and Red Hot Chili Peppers "Dani California" were rumored to join the Rock Band set list, but 1UP has made it official. In addition to those two questionably exciting jams, the KISS classic "Detroit Rock City" will also give gamers a chance to flex their tongue wagging skills while wailing on plastic instruments. All three tunes are of the master track variety, fortunately.I'm in full agreement with our resident Australian metalhead, if we're going to get access to any Soundgarden it really should have been a Badmotorfinger track. Say "Room A Thousand Years Wide" for example. I'm sacrificing the last of my grunge era flannel to the downloadable content gods in hopes that the entire album, including the SOMMS bonus EP, comes to Rock Band quickly.Three More Tracks for Rock Band [1UP]

Breaking: Nintendo Dates Wii Zapper, Confirms Link's Crossbow
I've gotten official confirmation from Nintendo that the Wii Zapper interface will indeed come with Link's Crossbow Training packed in. The remote-housing Wii Zapper will sell for $20 starting Nov. 19.Link's Crossbow Training drops players into a world in the style of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Players assume the identity of hero Link, who progresses through a series of tests to perfect his crossbow marksmanship. Start with stationary bull's-eyes and graduate to moving targets before defending Link against all kinds of enemies.Nintendo also confirms a pretty interesting line-up of third-party Wii Zapper support including Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Ghost Squad and Medal of Honor Heroes 2 which will include single player, arcade mode and support for up to 32 players in multiplayer.NINTENDO'S NEW Wii ZAPPER TARGETS FUNFirst Wii Game-Play Accessory Comes Packaged with Zelda SoftwareREDMOND, Wash., Sept. 10, 2007 - Nintendo announced today that the Wii Zapper...

Demo Day: Quake Wars Demo is Live
The Enemy Territory: Quake Wars demo is ready for download on the game's official site. It actually supports both single and multiplayer modes, so you can kill bots and friends alike. We actually saw the featured map (Valley) in Leipzig and I can attest to it being both large and beautiful. And if this Mac were only a PC, we'd be base jumping off mountaintops into enemy bases instead of just telling you about it. Maybe it's time for that Vista install.Anyone who completes the download, hit the comments and let us know the size, experience, etc. Because we want details. And we want you to do our job for us. Hit the jump for the full press release. Download it hereThe Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars PC demo is now available from the game's official site: http://www.enemyterritory.com/. Head to the "download demo" tab for a list of local mirrors. You can also view a list of availablemirrors at this site:http://community.enemyterritory.com/index.php?q=node/130.The Enemy Territory: QUAKE...

Consumer: PS3 Used As Example of Over Priced Electronics
USA Today ran one of those no-brainer stories today about how people won't, in fact, pay anything for electronics and do have limits for how much they're willing to spend. The story was spurred by last week's announcement by Steve Jobs that he was dropping the price of the iPhone by $200 (Hey, it suckered me into getting one.)After citing an analyst saying that most consumers will only pay about $400 for a "typical electronic item" the story goes on to list "several recent cutting-edge devices (that) have struggled to find buyers" among them, both the PS3 and Blu-ray players.Sony in July lopped $100 from the price of its $599 PlayStation 3 video game system, even though researcher iSuppli estimates it costs more than $800 to make. Sony's move came after being outsold more than 2-to-1 by rival Nintendo's $250 Wii. (Microsoft's Xbox 360, starting at $280, has also outsold PlayStation 3.)Blu-ray players were expected to dominate the new market for high-definition DVD, but sales...

Nooooo: Rein Warns of Potential UT3 Delays
On the official forums, Mark Rein popped in to settle a debate on Unreal Tournament 3 countdown timers. But in doing so, he kind of killed the party:We do not know exactly when the game will be completed. All we've said is that we're hoping for a November release but as you know we value getting it right over getting it right now so there's no guarantee of that.Truthfully, Epic may be better not releasing the game in November. Sure an 08 launch would cost them the holiday season, but there is plenty of competition on the store shelves in the coming months. But we hope not, because all that slower paced Halo 3 multiplayer will get us craving some crack-on-speed UT3 gameplay. Forum [via aeropause]

Odd: Sony PSPens, Made From PS2 Carcasses
A PS2 died for this pen to be born. That's really all we know about these pens that are "made from recycled Playstation 2 plastic." Apparently from China, we're not so certain we believe that the pens are constructed from actual PS2 plastic. We're talking about a place that practically invented the knockoff—a place where you could probably find your own clone made from day-old KFC if you looked hard enough. So yeah. Even though this pen is real, there's almost no way it's actually "real." Or should I switch those quotes around? Recycled Playstation Pen [via gamesradar]

Clips: Far Cry 2 Leipzig Demo
This looks to be the public demo that was being shown during Leipzig of Far Cry 2. Not exactly what I saw when I wrote about the game last month, but it still gives you a good feel for it.

Cancel Everything: Valve To Make Big Announcement Tuesday
Valve is such a tease. In their weekly update after revealing some new details on Team Fortress 2, they left this message:In other TF2 news, stay tuned for a pretty big announcement next week. You're going to want to hold off on planning any vacations until you hear what we've got to say on Tuesday.Oh really? The Kotaku staff was about to fly to a private, sybaritic island where beautiful native goddesses go without the coconut bras and one rides unicorns to the through waterfalls flowing with unbottled Fuji water. Canceled! We need to hear this announcement. Sure, if Crecente gets there a day early the island will be short a few virgins, but we need to know what all the fuss is about. Exciting new IP? Or overinflated TF2 update? Valve: Big Announcement Next Week [via opposablethumbs]

Confirmed: Guitar Hero DS Rocks Without Touch Screen
Guitar Hero DS will definitely not be using the touch screen. Instead, as rumored, developer Vicarious Visions is planning the game for a peripheral (which may or may not look strikingly similar to the above concept). So it's confirmed at last: you will look like a total tool playing Guitar Hero DS. Also of note: GHDS will match the 3D graphical style of the original series. To some this is great news, but I'd welcome the DS platform as a place to screw with these young traditions a bit, fight the man and all that jazz. Because does anyone out there have real expectations for the port? I've sort written it off as an amusing novelty. Austin GDC '07: New Guitar Hero DS details [via cvg]

Truth Hurts: Robot Chicken Questions Link's Chivalry
newVideoPlayer("RobotZelda_gawker.flv", 475, 376);So just why do Link and Mario keep chasing the princesses time and time again? Robot Chicken believes there's a clear motivator...call it the quest for a "high score." We always knew that we were perverts and we liked video games. But who would have thought we liked video games because we were perverts? This is why our wives prefer we play Metroid. Robot Chicken Shoe [via siliconera]

Custom: Guitar Hero 3 Skins
HeroGear.Net, maker of custom Guitar Hero skins, announced today that they are releasing 15 sticker sets for the Guitar Hero 3 controller. The prices aren't listed on the site yet, but GH2 sets sell for $16, while the pick guards sell for $11 and the Fret Boards sell for $8. galleryPost('herogear', 4, 'GH3 Skinz');

Real TIme Eco-Strategy: Majesco Taps DS Eco-Consciousness
Over the years, countless conflicts have been retold using the RTS genre, but what about ecological conflict? Majesco tackles the war on deforestation and pollution with Eco Creatures: Save the Forest, a new RTS coming out for the Nintendo DS in early 2008. It puts you in control of woodland creatures Ecoby, Ecomon, and Ecolis (wait, E-colis? Ew) as they struggle to save the Mana Woods from pollution. "Eco Creatures is distinctive in its ability to weave meaningful issues into a fun video game experience that makes the player a champion for the environment," said Ken Gold, vice president of Marketing, Majesco. "Noble mission aside, endearing creatures, resource management, magic, level creation and multiplayer features make Eco Creatures a deep and engaging real- time strategy game for any DS player."The game comes with over 40 single player missions, wi-fi two-player, and a tool to make your own custom maps. If Captain Planet were alive today he'd be shedding tears of joy....

Phew: LucasArts Promises the WiiSaber (Again)
Everyone knows the Wiimote's Ultimate Purpose, and it's not tennis. It's badass Jedi lightsabering. And while we've had faith the Wiimote would one day transcend to lightsaber status (beyond waggling), LucasArts' Mark Montuya has gone on the record to endorse the dream after recent silence on their front, calling the LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga "just a taster" for a future release of motion controlled lightsaber combat. I feel bad in pointing out that the Wiimote's lack of relative motion sensing is probably making the job a programming nightmare. And if developers don't nail the project, it's tough to predict who will look worse: Nintendo or LucasArts. On a lighter note, we're getting Wii Lightsabers! Hooray! More Motion-Sensitive Lightsabers Coming to Wii [via maxconsole]

Vc Update: Spiky Mammal Football Adventures
Football season is upon us, and with Tecmo Bowl already out for the Wii Virtual Console, there's only one NES pigskin game worthy of a commemorative rerelease. This morning sees NES Play Action Football (500 points) take the field. Sporting 10 real teams with real players, it is one of the most technologically advanced NES games out there, as well as being one of the few to use voice clips. For those of you who would rather be a ball than play with one, spin up Sonic the Hedgehog 3 for the Genesis (800 points) and relive Sonic's first meeting with Knuckles the Enchilada Echidna. Finally we have more TurboGrafx16 Zelda-ripoff goodness with Neutopia II (600 points), which puts you in the role of the son of the main character from the 'original' Neutopia which was released on the VC two weeks ago. Apparently you did a half-assed job of killing Dirth the first time and now your child has to deal with it. Good job, slacker. If you had just played more football as a kid this never...

Clips: Spider-Man: Friend or Foe Confirmed Friends
newVideoPlayer("Spider-Man_Friend.flv", 475, 376);Well the bad news is the game still looks like Hasbro's Spider-Man & Friends Action Heroes. The good news is they still haven't managed to make the Black Cat look anything less than adorable. Mrowl. Activision has released this vignette showcasing Spider-Man's allies in the war against completely screwing up the Spider-Man video game franchise for all eternity. Nice to The Prowler get a little video game lovin, and the inadvertent guest-appearance of the Small Soldiers trooper as Colonel Fury is nice touch.

Rumor: 40GB PS3 With Spider-Man 3 For Christmas?
While I'm completely skeptical here, Ars Technica's mole, who previously tipped them off on HDMI for the 360 and wired Xbox 360 Rock Band controllers is now telling them that Sony will be releasing yet another version of the PS3 for the holidays. This time it is a 40GB system for only $400 with a possible Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray pack-in. Also in the cards is a supposed price drop to $99 for the PS2. Here's what the mole says the holiday season will look like for Sony consoles: * 80GB PlayStation 3: $499.99 * 40GB PlayStation 3: $399.99 * Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray movie pack in with one, or both * PlayStation 2: $99.99While the 80GB price drop has been predicted by multiple analysts, I don't get why they would go to all the trouble to phase out two smaller hard drive versions of the system only to release a third. The PS2 is still selling strong, but the drop to $99 could very well make it the best-selling console of the holidays, especially if Wii shortages continue....

Austin GDC 07: Fahey's Big Austin Adventure
It was only Thursday before last that I found out I was heading to Austin for the Austin Game Developers Conference and some Tabula Rasa themed events. Since then I've taken a ton of pictures, hung out with some industry legends, had a childhood dream come true, inadvertantly LARPed with Richard Garriott, and taken a metric asston of pictures. Here's a rundown of what I did on my trip to the Texas state capitol. Obligatory Picture Of A BagMorhaime On Taking Over The WorldGame Writing Meets Star TrekIn The Beginning Of AGDCFlight of Anti-GravityVideos From Beyond GravityZero G SouvenirsLiveblogging The Dave Perry Q&AEnrolling At Logos AcademyLogos Academy Swag BagAre Microtransactions The Future of MMO Games?The Austin GDC Exhibit Hall In PicturesPost AGDC Slurpee Run

Console Swapping: Eternity's Child Moves To Wii
The world of Eternity's Child sounds very depressing. Once a vibrant planet teeming with life, pollution cause the ice caps to melt, flooding the planet and killing a majority of life. In the aftermath, the wingless began a campaign of genocide against the winged creatures fueled by jealousy. Mechanical automatons were created to make the world seem less empty, but as all robots do they eventually turned, destroying life instead of imitating it...or maybe they just learned from watching their masters? The social commentary is thick in this former Xbox Live Arcade title, now making the switch to the Wii and DS due to size constraints. You play Angel, an orphan whose wings were amputated to ensure his survival, as he sets out on a quest to find others like himself. Rescued from XBLA limbo by UK publisher Alten8, the Wii version sports completely hand-drawn graphics and orchestral soundtrack, as well as two-player co op. Eternity's Child could end up the most beautifully depressing...

TV: Make Love, Not Warcraft Wins Emmy
newVideoPlayer("Make_Love_Not_Warcraft_gawker.flv", 475, 376);Reader Sylient points out that the South Park homage to World of Warcraft, Make Love, Not Warcraft, won the 2007 Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour). As a fellow Coloradoan and gamer let me be nowhere near the first to congratulate Trey Parker, Matt Stone and his team for the much deserved award.Hit up the exclusive snippet of Make Love Not Warcraft commentary in the clip above to get a taste of how the creative process worked in the now award-winning episode.

Crime: Terror Fears Ban Xbox 360, PS3, DS From Jails
Tabloidish UK paper The Sun reports that the DS, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 have been banned from UK jails over fears they could be used to plan terror attacks.The fear stems from the discovery that all three devices contain software that "enables users to send or receive radio signals" and that they could be used to talk to fellow conspirators to "plot carnage." The Playstation 2 also faces a possible ban, the paper reports.A source said: "The technology in the new generation of computer games makes them a security risk."There is concern that top terror suspects have been using systems already in jails. Radio software is an integral part of the equipment."A secret security bulletin warns that planned advances in computer games technology could mean ALL systems being barred.And here I always thought Osama was just a fan of BioShock.Xbox banned in jail terror fear [The Sun]

Xbox 360: BBC Coming to Xbox Live?
Microsoft and the BBC are in talks about selling BBC television as downloadable content via the Xbox Live Marketplace when the Video service hits the UK, the Sunday Times reports. Last year the BBC signed an agreement with Microsoft to explore ways of developing its digital services."We are working diligently on multiple fronts to make it happen," said Ross Honey, senior director for media at Microsoft's content and partner strategy group. "The BBC is a great content provider."The story goes on to say that they are also in talks with "several other European media companies," but doesn't name them.BBC courted for Xbox link [Times Online, via Xboer.tv]

Night Note: Roach Burgers (Yum, Yum)
To: CrecenteFrom: BashcraftRE: Travels... or TrevailsI know what cha mean about relaxing. Today consisted of going to immigration, taking the kid to the doctor, writing two magazine articles and calling Austria. Nothing like calling Austria. Fine place!So I got a few more prospective places for our TGS party. Very much looking forward to the meet up.While I was out today, I took the wife to eat hamburgers. We went to Freshness Burger. Freshness Burger is like MOS Burger, but not as good. Mrs. Bashcraft had never been to Freshness Burger, so we went. We both were famished and sat down to our Classic Burger and Classic Burger with cheese. Not bad. Not as good as MOS Burger, but w/e. So as we're sitting there, gobbling down our burgers and my wife is talking about going to Universal Studios Japan with the kid, I see a large, black cockroach scurry across the floor. My wife is still going on about USJ as I check my food. No roaches. I glance over hers, which seems fine. I have two...

Clip: Rock Band Is A Highway Star
Nobody's gonna take their car...without replacing it first with a small truck thing and then a tour bus. Nice trailer. Certainly sets the mood for the rocking and rolling that's sure to follow in the game's wake.

Looks Like: Who Do You Think Will Star in Wolfenstein Movie?
Say what you will about the Roger Avary's Silent Hill script, the filmmaker has churned out some great pictures including The Rules of Attraction and Killing Zoe. His next project? Bringing Return to Castle Wolfenstein to the big screen. Avary wants to do the first-person-shooter as a "men on a mission" movie like The Dirty Dozen or Where Eagles Dare. The director explains:I mean, what's not to love? It's a WWII "guys on a mission" movie, which means you're going to be blowing shit up, storming bunkers, busting dams, derailing trains, and killing Nazi's. I love WWII films, but with Wolfenstein we get the creature effects as well, and the guys at id Software have already done all the heavy lifting for me in that department. They went to the imagination well and pulled up buckets of craziness — and as you know, I respond to crazy.It's interesting to point out that Pulp Fiction co-writer Quentin Tarantino also wants to make a "men on a mission" movie, and has been working...

Little Black Box: The Xbox Mini
The original Xbox? Loads of good times, but it wasn't exactly pleasing on the eye. Oh, it also took up too much space; you couldn't even put other console/DVD player things on top of it since they curved the roof. Gah! Thankfully, those two shortcomings have been rectified by this case mod, the Xbox Mini, which chucks out the old DVD drive in favour of an 80GB HDD and comes in a oh-that's-much-better, smaller case. It's not quite finished, but it's getting there. Introducing Xbox Mini [Xbox Scene, via Giz]

Apples And Oranges: Bungie Illustrator Explains US/Japan Differences
Illustrator Ken Taya is a second generation Japanese-American. Currently, he's working at Bungie as an environmental artist. He cut his teeth at Nintendo Software Technology in Redmond, translating and working as a 3D artist. So what's the difference in working for a US and a Japanese company?I do feel that attitude of management differs greatly between the two cultures, however. When working under Japanese management, I was much more spoon fed and there seemed to be a lot of hand holding. Under American supervision I was given much more freedom to make my own mistakes and learn from them... I do feel that attitude of management differs greatly between the two cultures, however. When working under Japanese management, I was much more spoon fed and there seemed to be a lot of hand holding. Under American supervision I was given much more freedom to make my own mistakes and learn from them.Not sure which is better or worse, but the fact that both exist is fascinating. Taya Interview...

Giant David Braben Face Says: David Braben Not A Fan Of Manhunt 2, UK Ratings
I'm a David Braben fan. Guy makes Elite, he gets me on his side for life. David Braben, though, is not a fan of the UK's BBFC ratings system. Not a Manhunt 2 fan, either, now you mention it. ...from what I've heard of Manhunt 2 (I haven't had the chance to play it), it is not the sort of game the industry should be making, as it is inevitably going to attract controversy.While Manhunt 2 might have brought short term gain to Rockstar, it damages the reputation of the industry as a whole, long term. We do need a strong, consistent rating system, where 18 really means 18, and is enforced, and then it may be more acceptable to make such games, or to bring in an additional rating (as in the US) of Adults Only - which are only sold in very restricted places. He makes a valid point on the ratings thing, but on Manhunt 2? Makes me want to see a truthful show of hands from people who have actually played the thing, start-to-finish.Manhunt 2 damages long-term rep of industry, says Braben [CVG]

Contest: Kotaku Readers Like Cats Better Than Jubblies
Here it is, the winning entry for out World in Conflict contest. *Applause* We received tons of entries and had a super strong showing from our finalists. Good work everyone! So, cat person, come on down and send us an email at kotakucontestATgmail.com to claim your loot! Everyone else, don't!

Gallery: Kotobukiya 's Red & Blue Master Chief Figures
Toy/Halo 3 fans will remember the badass Kotobukiya Master Chief statue from a few months back. Well they just sent word that there are two more Master Chiefs on the way, both variants on the existing mould but sporting new colour schemes. One red, one blue. The blue version, money can't buy, it's one of the prizes in a Mountain Dew competition. But the red one, it's a Gamestation exclusive for the UK market and will be available in October.galleryPost('halokoto', 4, 'Blue & Red Halo Statues');

Crap: MapleStory Anime Characters Look Fugly
Yup, these are the MapleStory anime designs. No, really. They look like anything BUT the cute characters that populate the Korean MMORPG. Not as though we were counting the days down until it airs this October on TV Tokyo, but this cartoon must be a cruel joke! Who is creating this garbage! Seriously!!MapleStory Character Designs [Dark Diamond]

Paper Stuff: New Japanese Book Asks Why PS3 "Failed"
The PS2 was the undisputed last gen winner. Going into the current generation, Sony had a huge leg-up momentum and brand-wise. Many pegged the PS3 as once again the winner, but the PS3 has so far failed to live up to expectations. Japanese game journalist Kiyoshi Tane lays out why the PLAYSTATION 3 has been a bust in his new 207-page-book Why Did The PS3 Fail?. Tane, an editor at culture mag Continue, originally stated that the PS3 would be a success. Sensational titles aside, Tane apparently does a neutral job of examining the strife and costs that have resulted in mediocre sales and online black-lash. Not even a year in, it is a little to early to call the PS3 a failure. Fret not! Though, books being published calling it one isn't a good sign. Neither are Why Did The PS3 Fail? currently listing at #15 on the Amazon Japan sales ranking and the book boasting positive reader reviews. The PS3 still has a lot to prove before being called a success — and not just in...

Rumor: Harmonix Forgets Soundgarden Were Awesome
As far as how well songs are suited towards Rock Band, Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun is BORING. The Chili Pepper's Dani California is even worse. Yet for some reason we have people claiming that the Rock Band tour currently doing the rounds shows these two tracks have made it into the game. Not really a Chili Peppers fan, but I at least know their older works are rock-heavy (at least for the purposes of this game). I am a Soundgarden fan, and know that this is the band that brought us Jesus Christ Pose.Rock Band: Fat Guys on Fake Instruments Arguing About Music [Something Awful, thanks everyone who sent this in]

Butterfly: Korea Gives Masterclass In PSP Slim Advertising
Classy! Here is a print ad for the new slim and lite PSP that does a nice job of emphasizing its lighter. This ad is way easier to grasp than Japan's towel twisting. What's more, it's also cheaper in Korea! The portable is marked down to 178,000 (approx. US $190). It really is lighter.PSP Lite [PSP Vault via PSP Fanboy]

What's The Deal?: Why Are You All Ignoring Blue Dragon?
Oh, didn't you know? Blue Dragon is out. In the West. In English and everything. And it's being totally ignored. Which having played it non-stop for the past week makes me a little sad. Sure, it does absolutely nothing new, but the old stuff it does, it does with a degree of polish you rarely see outside of a first-party Nintendo title. I love it. Might even be, at time of writing, one of the platform's strongest titles, and it definitely plugs a big hole in the 360's lineup. In fact the game's biggest problem is not its own, it's Microsofts decision to ship it in the second half of 2007. The cupboard was bare earlier this year: had this been released then I'd have played it for months. Now? I don't think I'll get past disc 2 before the downpour starts, and I'll end up retiring it to the cupboard until next year. Which is a damn shame.

Clip: Giant Japanese Thumb Wants Mobile Phone Games
What says mobile phone gaming best? Yup, a giant thumb! Here, a bored salaryman listens to the giant thumb telling him to download free mobile games. The giant thumb then attacks him. Brilliant. Mobile Phone Games [Japan Probe]

Clip: SCEE's Risky New PS3 Marketing Ploy
Taken from a Blockbuster store in the UK. It's a bold marketing approach, even by Sony's standards.Not the Scatman video [Stupid Fucking Customers]

Neo: SNK's Unfulfilled Home Hardware Plans
Back before SNK was bought by a pachinko company (SNK is now once again independent), the company announced it was working on new hardware. What kind of hardware? Most assumed that meant a new Neo Geo portable. A former employee tells Insert Credit's Brandon Sheffield that SNK that wasn't quite true. Apparently, SNK sunk a chunk of cash into a new chip that was going to be used for next-gen arcade hardware and a new home console. SNK's cash flow got tight, and the new chip started to look "a bit silly" when compared to other consoles that were on the market between 1999~2000. The chip was small enough to fit in a portable device, and that could've been another option. So, how did it look? "Much better than Neo Geo 64," the insider tells Sheffield. Good to know!SNK Hardware [Insert Credit]