“I own all 3 consoles” is the gaming equivalent of “I’m not a racist, I have tons of black friends” – Words of Wisdom, By Some Gamer, On The Internet

Christ, this swine flu scare has gotten really out of hand. Case in point: yesterday, I was on the N train going into Queens, on my way to Hilary’s for some dinner. So it was rush hour, which meant the trains were pretty packed.

Now, because of the time of year, not only do I sometimes sneeze due to allergies, but I occasionally have this really annoying cough. It’s a thick, throaty one that hurts like hell, and I’d image also sounds pretty disgusting. But anyway, back to the N train: I’m just standing there, reading some crappy manga, when I gave out a few coughs. And yes, I covered my mouth, as I always do. When all of a sudden, this woman who was sitting in front of me freaked the f*ck out. Because it was clear that I was harbinger of doom, of course. She tried getting away, but it being rush hour, the train was basically a tin of sardines so none one was moving anywhere, including the lady, who then began having a panic attack.

Mind you, this wasn’t some crazy old biddy, but someone who was relatively close to my age and looked somewhat educated. But looks are deceiving of course. Till finally I simply had to say something: “Look. I’m not infected with any stupid swing flu, it’s just allergies, you can relax now.” And with that, this dude who was sitting right next to her began to bust out laughing, which transformer this woman’s expression of utter desperation to completely annoyance. lol

As for dinner, I’ve had pizza quite a few times in Queens, and not once have I ever been disappointed; we ordered take out from some local joint that’s having a bunch of specials at the moment, to celebrate their anniversary, so last night the garlic knots and salad were only fifty cents. What a deal! Plus super delicious. As for entertainment, we watched various episodes of crappy animu featuring scantily clad little girls that are fused with machinery and fight aliens, which is my favorite kind! In the end, it was agreed upon by both of us that Sky Girls is far superior to Strike Witches, though that’s hardly saying much.

I totally love the look of WWII machinery as legs and all, yet still find the total lack of pants a tad bit too ridiculous, plus the cat ears and tails are overkill for me. Whereas the mecha designs in Sky Girls are really neat, plus as noted, “Everyone loves plug suits!” Just started watching the series, so I’ve yet to catch the episode where the Vic Viper makes a special appearance. So on that note…
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If there’s one single statement these days that pertains to gaming which drives me nuts the most, it has to be: “There’s just aren’t any good games anymore.” Bull-f’n-sh*t. Once again, there has NEVER been a better time to a gamer, a sentiment/fact that could not be any stronger than today. Problem is of course that there’s just too much out there and going on to keep track off. Hence…

Time for another rundown of notable new items, discussion points, and wacky game related links in general! Stuff that one might have missed from this past weekend, last week, and beyond… Hence why it’s a bit on the long side (though that’s always the case, really), but that’s because it’s been a little while since the last one (again, been kind of busy). And hence why a few things will definitely be old news for some, though I’m certain most will make a discovery or two. Plus to help make the process of digging for gold easier, I’ve decided to organize things a bit, per numerous requests.

The Big Story Is… (Headlines and Other Current News)

- I guess the big news, at least for some, is somewhat solid details regarding the new PSP, which is much like what we already have, but with the UMD removed, as everyone has been long expecting. According to 1UP, it will be dubbed the “PSP Go!” and will also feature a sliding mechanism, so the controls can be tucked away, I guess while the unit is in music/movie playback mode. In that sense, I’m until will probably resemble an iPhone or iPod Touch, hence why everyone is also expecting a touchscreen interface. That’s certainly a possibility one can suppose… we won’t find out what the real deal is till next month, when it’s expected to be finally unveiled at E3.

Otherwise, it’s supposed to be exactly what we’re familiar with, i.e. no right analogue nub. A mix of old and new titles will be released (or re-released) at the time of launch, a round two of sorts you could say, including the practically long forgotten by now Gran Turismo PSP port (though not be all, myself included), all of which will be downloadable naturally (though there’s a good chance that the new stuff will also see UMD releases as well). I’m personally thrilled that there’s no second nub, because that ensures us early adopters will have no problems enjoying the new stuff. Unless there’s something specifically for a supposed touchscreen, which I also believe won’t happen; why would Sony go through the trouble of keeping the control interface identical between the old and the new, i.e. no additional nub, and then slap something totally different on? Plus, a touchscreen would add to the price, and given how it’s supposed to have between 8 and 16 gigs of memory onboard already, Sony needs to keep this old dog with new tricks somewhat reasonably priced.

But yeah, it’s awesome how Sony is sticking with the PSP platform. Honestly, the time is now ripe for them to dump everything and start fresh, especially since the PSP hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations. Partly because it hasn’t been properly tapped into, which might actually start happening.

- A ton of new titles have been announced, including a trio of fighters; both Tekken 6 and Soul Calibur 4 is coming from Namco, naturally, and that’s pretty neat. Though the third one is the one most noting: Fate/unlimited codes from Capcom. I actually think it’s a port of an import only PS2 title that I’ve already played… which was nothing special, though I honestly didn’t give it up much of a chance, so I could be totally wrong.

Anyhow, right after Patapon 2, it’s the second major downloadable-only game to be formally announced, and it’s safe to assume that given it’s rather obscure source material, that a UMD release would not have been feasible in the first place. So hopefully, if this system takes off, that means more publishers taking a chance on stuff that would otherwise get collect dust/get lost in the shuffle on Gamestop’s shelves. Oh also, it’s by Eighting, which was the same team by Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, hence why I’m definitely going to give it a second shot.

- Along with new titles, expect a marketing blitz, something that Sony has failed time and time again, with one ill-conceived campaign after another; who could forget the fake/re-engineered graffiti plastered across various cities, or those posters featuring a white woman chocking a black woman? Well, it would seem that they might finally be onto something that’s not offensive and at long last pleasing to the eye…

… Took them long enough. If I had to complain, it would be how that’s really not the way one holds the thing, but that’s really nit-picking.

- Another major story is how MadWorld, for the Wii, which many assumed would be a smash hit, because hardcore gamers have been endlessly bitching and moaning about how there’s absolutely nothing out there for them, was a total bomb. There have been quite a few theories as to why this happened. Most seem to agree, that at the end of the day, hype on the web, and perhaps reviews in general, do not matter all that much. Which I guess has already been proven by Snakes On A Plane.

- On a related note, Kotaku asked the producer of Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, and of the upcoming Darkside Chronicles, if the was indeed a home for hardcore games on the Wii, and the answer was yes… so long as it’s a light gun game! Which I guess is true, hence the sequel.

Speaking of which, it looks totally amazing, some of the best visuals yet on the system.

- Back to games not doing so well, apparently Major Minor bombed pretty hard during its first two days in Japan. Ouch. No word yet on American sales figures.

- Things seem to be pretty tough all around, but as in most cases, it’s the little guys that are hit the hardest. Small operations are struggling because the investment money is no longer flowing in, so expect to see quite a few outfits, even some of the most brightest ones, to close their doors soon.

It’s precisely the reason why Gamelab recently, and quite shockingly, closed its doors. Last week I was invited by Scott to come check out their going out of business sale, but chose not to go, mostly because I would have been too depressed. That and it was mostly office furniture and none of the neat stuff, like the vast library of board games, most of which was kept by Eric and Peter.

Guess it’s time to move to Canada! Free health care and government funding for games for the win!

- For those who haven’t heard, the Wii just got it’s own version of Home over in Japan, somewhat. Can’t say if it’s any better or worse than what’s going on over at the PS3, since I’m not ultra familiar with whatever the hell its supposed to be, though everyone knows my gut instinct/opinion on the matter. I’m willing to wager that it’s better by default… at the very least, its a whole lot cuter… cuz it’s Nintendo and all, but still probably just as pointless.

Actually, not entirely; one can order products and services directly from the Wii, which I guess can be convenient; I forget where I saw it, but there’s some study going around, perhaps by Nintendo themselves, that supposedly shows that old people are far more comfortable dealing with the web via the Wii than a computer. There’s also a video download service, along with Mii-related mini-games. Who knows if it, either the whole thing or just parts, will make their way over here.

Oh, and MS is also working on their own version/knock-off of the PS3 Home as well. Naturally.

- According to this individual, MS is not the best people to work with. The follow bears repeating…

“I still love XBox gaming, but I think their original content plans are DOA, precisely because of situations like the experience I and some of the other directors had on the Horror Goes Comedy series. People on XBox are playing Grand Theft Auto 4, getting blowjobs from hookers and shooting them in the heads afterwards! The top downloaded content on XBox is South Park! But Microsoft wouldn?t let us get close to the extremity of that material, so I don?t know how in the world they planned to create their own successful original content. People didn?t want to see our shows, which were barely a half-step removed from something you?d see on the Disney Channel. It?s a shame. I really think XBox could have been their own Network, as well as a gaming console, DVR, and way to buy movies. I saw them as the future. But because of the small-mindedness of the Microsoft executives, who preemptively censored a lot of our scenes for fear of freaking out stockholders, they crushed the potential for something that would have kept them relevant for a long time to come. It seems, instead, the visionaries have landed at other companies.”

… Hey, did anyone catch the special Earth Day video that was available for viewing on XBL at the time? Most asinine thing ever.

- Who else remembers the E-Reader for the GBA? I never bothered, because it was supposedly ultra flakey, yet I still wanted one because of the custom SMB3 levels that were made possible. At least those of us who were curious can finally discover what we were missing out on…

- Back to Tekken real quick, not sure why this hasn’t caused a bigger stink, but according to 360 Gamer, the director of Tekken 6 claims that a Tekken vs Virtua Fighter is something their side at least really wants. Since the link for whatever reason ain’t working at the moment, here’s the pertinent parts (with assorted spelling and grammar fixes)…

Namco is still interested in doing a Tekken vs. VF title, according to Tekken 6 director Katsuhiro Harada.

Namco has openly expressed its desire to bring the two genre-leading heavyweights together on several occasions in the past ? a desire that?s not gone away.

Speaking to 360 Gamer, Harada said that a Tekken vs. VF game had come so close to happening on a few occasions, that Namco had even tested elements of the gameplay that could go into such a game.

?The truth is that I have been working to fulfill this dream from over ten years ago,? Harada replied, when asked if such a game could happen.

?There were several occasions on which it came close to realization. Opinions may vary, but I have wanted to do this for a long time. Therefore, the chance is not zero. It is possible.

?However, there would be many difficulties during actual development. First off, which team would develop it? I have some ideas for the controls and fighting system. Some parts have even been tested.

?It?s really up to the fans and whether they want it. If you have opinions about this, please send them to me!?

Harada didn?t mention how things were looking at the moment. But with Mario & Sonic at the Olympics having done well for Sega, hopefully we?ll see its other great franchise given the chance to link up with its biggest rival.

… Time to bring these out, yet again…

… I just hope that Namco’s side handles the music, because Tekken has always had the upper hand on the audio front (I was a BIG fan of the soundtracks for VF1 and VF2, VF3 had some decent tracks, but Christ did VF4′s music ever blow). Case in point.

- Sticking with fighters, Street Fighter 4 is coming to the PC, and with a couple of new coats of paint… literally. Exclusive to the version will be several new graphical modes, most of which are hardly distinguishable via screenshots, though I hear that’s actually the case, and must be seen in motion. So here’s just one before…

… and after image…

… Well that certainly blows for us console players. Especially since I was the one bitching and moaning about how Capcom had dropped the ball by scaling back from the original, very painterly looking game from the trailers in the initial release. Anyway, for no good reason, other than because we’re talking about SF4, here’s the final match between long-time rival, Justin Wong and Daigo, in the US National Championships. Sadly, it is no EVO moment, but what truly can be?

- You know that King of Fighters shump that was unveiled a little while ago? Guess what: there’s now an MMO in the works as well…

… Hopefully it’ll be far better than the Street Fighter one…

- Hey Prince, will Purple Rain ever end up on Rock Band or Guitar Hero? What do you think of Guitar Hero and it’s phenomena in general?

“Oh. (Laughs.) Well, I ain’t mad at them. I hear it made, like, $2 billion and they came to us and offered us a very small portion of that. But I just think it’s more important that kids learn how to actually play the guitar. It’s a tough instrument — it’s not easy. It took me a long time, and it was frustrating at first. And you just have to stick with it, and it’s cool for people who don’t have time to learn the chords or ain’t interested in it, but to play music is one of the greatest things.

To create something from nothing is one of the greatest feelings, and I would — I don’t know, I wish it upon everybody. It’s heaven.”

… Okay. Pulled from here.

- And will Retro Game Challenge’s sequel come out in America? At this point… not just yet it would seem.

- At least there’s a TMNT: Turtles in Time remake on the way!

… Though if it’s based on the arcade game, and not the superior SNES version, no buys.

- Talk of a video game hall of fame keeps on truckin’. Sorry, but much like the Guinness World Records: Gamer’s Edition, anything involving the Twin Galaxies operation is another no buys in my book.

- Surely everyone by now has heard of the Norwegian 6 year old who wanted to change his name to Sonic X, but the king said no way, right?

- What’s the one game I’m currently and hopelessly addicted to? OutRun Online of course! And which one I’m not? Virtual On for Xbox Live. Long story short, the controls are totally gimped. Though there’s also things as well. I’m also annoyed by the complete lack of effort in general: instead of trying to emulate the gorgeous Model 3 version, which has to be relatively simple at this point, Sega just dusted off the not as pretty Dreamcast one. Awesome. Point being, just pass on this one.

- When Square-Enix scooped up Eidos recently, a number of folks were left scratching their heads, though in the long run it’s perhaps part of their plan to go against the way things are in Japan traditionally, which they describe as “almost xenophobic”.

Meanwhile, despite limited success, the Xbox 360 is not doing so hot in Japan overall. Hence they need for some fairly hardcore propaganda…

… Which is far more agreeable in MS’s eyes than this…

- As for Americas hottest gaming platform at the moment, the iPhone, things have not been so rosy either. You all wouldn’t believe how pissed I am that I missed out on the Baby Shaker app/game.

- This just in: thanks to advances in video game technology, rendering of female characters of average sized breasts is finally here!

Also by The Onion, for those who might have missed it, is Close Range. It’s awesome!

- I unfortunately found about this too late: last week, if you used the Konami code on ESPN.com, cool stuff happened.

- The TooManyGames convention took place this past weekend…. did anyone go? Has anyone out there even heard of it before? Only stumbled across the site myself a few days ago. Perhaps if it’s worth checking out, I just might next year!

- For those of you who are depressed that Chuck Norris is no longer funny, because he’s gone off the deep end and wants to be the king of Texas or something like that, you can happy that Mr. T will coming to pick up the lulz, in a brand new game where he takes on Nazis, alongside Will Wright I guess? My prediction? Game never gets made! Just wanted to say it, hence why I’m even bringing this retarded story up in the first place. Moving on!

The Inside Scoop (Long Form Pieces)

- With all these stories of game companies having a hard time and going under, perhaps no recent tale is as epic as Midway’s, which Gamasutra has the whole rundown. Which is pretty depressing since Midway was one of the great pioneers in the video game biz. Hence why it’s so ironic how a good deal of their misfortune could be characterized by the statement: arcades killed the video game star. Though the real culprit oddly enough is Summer Redstone.

- But as one star fades, another one rises: Kotaku recently did a nice little piece on the dude behind Fez, and all around cool fellow, Mister Phil Fish. And whom Mike recently reminded me, almost plummeted to death on my roof. I still have a mini heart attack from just thinking about that one. Yeesh.

And for those curious behind the technology in Fez, simply head-on over to it’s HQ, Polytron Corp’s online HQ.

- For more behind the scenes goodness, the always excellent Offworld has an amazing closer look at everyone favorite Mega + Tetris Attack hybrid, Hery Hatsworth. Note to self: get off my ass and finish that game, pronto.

- Heading back to Gama for a bit, their Postmortem features are always fantastic, but this latest one is a real treat, since folks in Japan are pretty secretive when it comes to the creative and production process: it’s a look back at The World Ends With You.

- Then we have a piece that asks why does video game music these days suck so badly? As already noted, the answer is somewhat simple: the hard-on for Hollywood, that being games that closely resembles big-budget movies, naturally means a soundtrack that also closely resembles them as well. Though why casual games don’t have just as compelling music as classic NES games, given their ties to each other, is a tad bit more perplexing, but also somewhat easily explained: most folks play such stuff at work, with the audio off, so who cares? Unfortunately.

- IGN, of all places, recently ran a fairly exhaustive look at the history of Sega. Haven’t had a chance to dig too deep, but I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen thus far, and as a former Sega diehard, it’s certainly nice to hear from the man who more or less made Sega of America himself, Tom Kalinske. As one random member of NeoGAF described him best, in relation to this classic game cover from the 90s: “Are you effing with me? Tom Kalinske is chiseled out of a fucking mountain. Gamer of the year? Gamer of the Forever.”

There’s also a few words from Bernie Stolar, whom most Sega fanboys hate, but whom Jason and I love for assorted reasons.

- And Edge has a neat look at the birth of the PlayStation, even if its a bit incomplete. It’s hard to believe the now legendary moment, in which the president of Sony berated his team for the Game Boy, something which he felt should have been a Sony device, given how they were the makers of the Walkman. At the very least, it offers the very first look at the Nintendo PlayStation, which I don’t believe has ever been pictured before…

Stuff You Will Be Playing (Soon, Eventually, and Hopefully)

- Good news: the final touches on Cave Story for the Wii are being applied! With an interview on the Nintendo Channel to shortly follow! Alas, not just yet… I just checked.

Oh, and here’s a small taste: a video of Grasstown featuring some of the new art and music! Though for those who aren’t too fond of it, remember, all that can be switched for the original assets.

- And yet another awesome PC title is making its way to the Wii as a downloadable game, and it’s Torisbash! Which is somewhat surprising because it’s an exceptionally violent and gory game.

- Though the one WiiWare game I’m mostly looking forward to is definitely is Bit.Trip Core! When this image began floating around…

… Many, myself included was wondering (more like worried) about how the follow-up would appear, but thankfully, it’s more of the same… yet still different.

… Oh God, day one.

- Recently on Offword, a bunch of stuff was passed along regarding the latest offerings from Cactus, including some very tiny screenshots. Well, just the other day, we got the chance to see those images in motion. Looks like… Sonic Xtreme to be perfectly honest. Kinda. Sorta.

And for those who wished they could have been there for his lecture at GDC 09, here ya go.

- The one DS game that got everyone attention, thanks to its crazy high concept, that being Scribblenauts, finally has some footage to go along with it (hence why I’m not even going to bother trying to describe it again… just see for yourselves). Supposedly, the game’s creators have “thought of everything” whatever that means.

- And the one DS game that I was afraid that was never going to come here (well, one of many to be honest) was finally formally announced, that being the game starring the Phoenix Wright’s main rival, Miles Edgeworth! It’s going to be called Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth… which to be honest, is somewhat lame. I think Miles Edgeworth: Ace Prosecutor, or something else that’s a bit snappier. Oh, by the looks of things, it’s gonna be a somewhat different beast in general. Oh well, at least it’s still coming!

- Remember Dream Club? It’s actually almost here, and folks in Japan are actually really looking forward to it! The latest trailer was the cause of a lot of talk, though mostly because the publisher spelled their name wrong in the opening. Oops.

Here’s a pair of new screenshots, highlighting the recently revealed cosplay mode…

… Apparently the ladies are fans of the crappy J-Pop band Ride On Time. Just splendid.

- Then you have something called Time Leap, which I believe is more like a visual novel, which are pretty popular in Japan, but on steroids, thanks to the power of the 360. What a typical scene looks like…

… And the “game” in motion. Hey, whatever to stay afloat I guess. Lord knows, to keep the system alive, there were PLENTY of such games on the Saturn in Dreamcast back in the day. Plus everyone already knows about iDOLM@STER anyhow.

And there’s apparently a PC version in existence already. This is what some technical benchmark for that one looks like, which supposedly can be downloaded and installed here. Because I found it on NeoGAF and have yet to check it out myself, apologizes in advance if its a fake, or worse yet, some malicious virus. You’ve been warned!

- Not sure when the sequel to Senko No Ronde is coming out exactly, but it sure looks hella awesome…

… Is there a trailer? Of course!

- Coming soon for the PSP is Shinzuru Michi wo Yuke, a game about a ninja solving puzzles with the help of his shadow, which strongly reminds me of Braid. Also, Cursor*10.

Though speaking of shadows, I’m far more interested in Shadown Physics. Hopefully the rest of the world will be able to play it not too long from now… Though I’ve seen plenty of awesome stuff from the Indie Games Summit that’s yet to come down the pipeline. Where’s my Fret Nice?

- The latest PixelJunk game has been unveiled, and it’s tentatively called 1-4. Though there’s contest going on to figure out what the final name will be. Anyway, it’s a shump and looks pretty nifty… reminds me of the old Genesis game Sub-Terrania. Fun fact: the music is by one of the dudes in The Orb, which myself, Mike and Joe Salina will be seeing in concert in July!

- Also heading towards the PS3 is .deTuned, which hails from the demoscene, and isn’t so much a game apparently, but some kind of interactive audio visualizer….

- On the more playable side of things, that Tetris-like game involving garbage that I previously mentioned is actually coming out here! It was announced on Earth Day and is going to be called Trash Panic!

- Here we have the American trailer for Katamari Damacy Tribute, called Katamari Tribute in the states. While in Japan, Tribute’s homepage just launched.

- Takashi Shimizu, the man behind Ju-on/The Grudge, both the crappy American version and the supposedly superior Japanese original (personally, I find all J-horror flicks to be a bit on the lame side, but it’s a cultural thing I guess), is also directing a horror game for the Wii. It’s called Feel, and I’m not sure if it’s based on the movies or is an original story, but thus far, it looks totally killer.

- And what many thought was going to be the Wii’s answer to Shadow of the Colossus initially, but is looking less and less like it as time goes on, Kizuna, has a few clips for viewing on its homepage. Still, doesn’t look all that bad.

- Heading back to the PSP is the newest trailer for Yuusha 30, that RPG meets WarioWare title that I also mentioned a while ago. Hopefully it might find its way out here (again, if people are comfortable with just downloading stuff, publishers might be willing to take a risk on such risky stuff).

- Then there’s Ushiro by Level-5, who is mostly know for Professor Layton on the DS. Not much is know thus far, but it looks potentially interesting…

… Though the concept somewhat pales in comparison to Inazuma Eleven 2, the sequel to their hit soccer RPG, this time with aliens (which I would also much rather have)…

- When Sega first announced the formation of Platinum Games, MadWorld and Bayonetta received all the attention and the buzz, while the fifth title, Infinite Space, got hardly a mention. Granted, virtually no one had any real what the heck it was supposed to be. Until now. Seems promising… and fairly hardcore. A part of me thinks that the whole thing might be better served on a proper console, while the other is happy the DS is getting something like this. Time will tell…

- Anyone else out there a fan of Trace Memory when it came out? I was, hence why I’m pretty interested in the sequel for the Wii. Not sure if it’s been formally announced for North America, but given that it’s already been translated for European markets, it seems like a given, though one can never really tell. Plus, maybe the first game did really well there and bombed horribly there?

- A couple of new XBLA titles by Square-Enix was recently unveiled, including 0 day Attack on Earth, while seems okay I guess, but is from the same team behind Space Invaders Extreme, so of course I’m interested.

But looking far more promising is Project CUBE, which appears to be super early, but potentially super fun.

Stuff You Could Or Should Be Playing (Because These Games Just Came Out… Albeit In Japan In Some Instances)

- I guess the biggest release of note is Made In Ore, the WarioWare title that allows players to create their own microgames, which finally came out in Japan a few days ago!

Here we have a basic introduction from Nintendo, though it’s in Japanese obviously, and therefore not all that helpful ultimately. So most folks will probably find the following two videos, which are slightly more in-depth tutorials and also in English, far more helpful: here’s part 1 and part 2.

As for the stuff you can create, there’s a plenty of potential, and already lots of cool stuff has been achieved! Tiny Cartridge, not surprisingly, has been the best place to see the best examples (once again, Konami code strikes again), as well as some of the worst (at least in some people eyes). Maybe this one somewhat makes up for that last one.

Yet what I’m most interested in is the WiiWare version. Still not sure if it’s a stand-alone title or just a counterpart for the DS one. Though according to sprsk on NeoGAF (sup Adam), Nintendo will be making for available to download 2 new titles a week, some by famous game designers! Furthermore, you can also create you own music and comics, in addition to game, plus you can trade with friends, but only those on your buddy list (naturally).

The American version btw is called WarioWare Myself (kind of a dumb title if you ask me), which is due sometime later down the road, though who knows exactly when, so I might be importing this sucker soon, since I have a Play-Asia coupon that’s set to expire any day now!

- The other big release from the past couple of day, and also from Japan, was Persona for the PSP. Check out the ultra hawt opening to the game, which I believe I’ve watched maybe fifty time by now (before ripping the it and putting it on my iPhone).

- Speaking of the PSP, Kamen no Maid Guy has been out for some time now, but unfortunately, the game is incompatible with my system’s custom firmware. Dammit. And why do I want to play this game, and what the heck is it in the first place? Well, one can find all the details over at Sankaku Complex, which right there should be enough info for some people as to what it’s deal is.

- On a semi-related note, the one title that’s got most of my attention, simply because it’s available in the here and now, and because of it’s outlandish premise, is Katawa Shoujo. Translated to mean Cripple Girl or Disability Girl, it’s an hentai visual novel that was not only created and developed in America, but was born on 4chan of all places. Believe it or not, that place doesn’t only breed cyber bullies, but games as well!

You basically play this boy who is admitted to a hospital that has several ladies that you must try to win over. Each has a disability of some kind: you’ve got the blind girl, the one who lost her legs and has prosthetic legs, the one who was born with stumps for arms, the one who is both deaf and mute, plus also has a friend that acts as an interpreter (I believe this one is “normal”), and one who was disfigured in a fire.

Despite it being a sex game at its core, the demo is surprisingly heart sensitive, but most importantly, actually well put together for something put together by 4channers. There’s only a demo available at the moment, which can be nabbed here, but hopefully the rest will be forthcoming.

- So I’m seriously thinking of nabbing an import 360. Why? Because Death Smiles recently came out, and I just need to get my damn hands on it.

- Want to know the one iPhone game that’s got most of my attention at the moment? Other than Metal Gear Solid Touch? Because it recently got an update, which opens up the rest of the game, making it even more awesome.

Well it’s perhaps the most hipster-ish game I’ve ever encountered on any platform, so perhaps I shouldn’t like it, but I can’t stop playing it! It’s called Lilt Line, and the music alone is well worth the asking price.

- Another somewhat similar art-fart iPhone title (and I don’t mean that in a negative way) that I kinda dig… or at least have tried to… was also something mentioned on Offworld a whiles ago, Eliss. As pretty much everyone else has noted, its use of multi-touch is top notch. But I’ve never been able to recommend the game because it’s too damn hard. Or at least was; there’s now an update that makes it far more approachable.

- I’m a total sucker for punishingly hard Super Mario mods, and this one is pretty up there, though almost entirely due to the crappy controls.

- Got 200 MS points and don’t know what to do with them? Head on over to the Community Games section, which I’m almost certain most of you folks never do, and check out A Fading Melody…

… It has the vibe of Braid, but is a far more straightforward, platforming oriented affair. It’s noting brilliant, yet pretty solid, and hey, it’s not only dirt cheap but also going towards a good thing in general (sadly, the Community Games section gets very little love these days). At the very least, give the demo a test spin.

- It just came out in Europe last week as Minon: Everyday Hero, though it’s been out for ages in Japan as Go! Go! Minon. I’m presenting the latter version’s box art because it’s so vastly superior to pretty much everything else out there…

… For see what this game really looks like, anyone that’s interested can stop by here, and as for a description and explanation, there’s this. Though the most important thing to know is that it’s apparently a combination of Katamari Damacy and Nobody Beats Mr. Domino! Anyone else remember that one?

There’s supposed to be an American release, but no one has any clue when that might be exactly. Though it’s supposed to be titled Mr. D. Goes to Town. Great.

- For those of you already enjoying Ryu ga Gotoku 3, you’re in for a treat! Some DLC has been recently revealed, including…

- Real-time strategy games really aren’t my thing, yet Stalin vs Martians seems awfully inviting…

… Be sure to check out the rockin’ music vid!

- Haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but Spelunky sure does look and sound rather nifty! It’s been described as La Mulana meets Nethack…

… Of course I have some footage of the thing in action.

- Then there’s Blurst, which Brandon simply can’t stop talking about…

… Another title I haven’t been able to dig too deep into as of yet, but I’m a sucker for any game that’s in b&w, hence the mention.

- BTW, Klonoa for the Wii just came out! Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE should rush out and get it pronto. And I’m not even kidding.

What Could Have Been (Unreleased Stuff And Assorted Curiosities)

- Siliconera are like the masters of finding bizarro game patents. Like this design for a touchscreen RPG by Miyamoto… before there was even a DS!

- I don’t know what’s crazier: this idea for a gun controller for the PSP or the very idea of using it to control a remote car.

- It’s always fun to see the evolution of a controller, and the Wiimote, nunchuk, plus classic controller serve perfect examples of this…

- Okay, those were maybe a bit on the boring side. So here’s something for the PS3, for some kind of motion tracking interface, which basically speaks for itself…

- The unreleased Superman game is fairly note-worthy, but nothing?s gonna top the recently discoveredMike Tyson’s Intergalactic Power Punch! I just love how that piece of sh*t Don King manages to cause Tyson problems, even in the virtual world!

- Recently stumbled across this: footage of the long abandoned N64 version of Mother 3. Speaking off…

(It’s Finally Time For) Random Video Game Videos Theater

- So there’s a new game related video program-type-thing called Pixel Babble, which not only hail from NYC, but doesn’t totally suck! Check it.

- Care to see the house that Doom built, as it was building it? Which basically laid the groundwork for much of modern gaming, as everyone more than already knows… a visit to id Software, circa 1993!

- I have no idea what the hell is going on, but this Metal Gear Solid parody vid is all sorts of awesome.

- What happens when you combine Rhythm Heaven (the GBA predecessor to be precise) and Final Fantasy 5? This amazing clip. Also, I hate to admit the haters are correct, but the GBA version is kinda cooler than the DS one (which is still pretty neat, mind you).

- And this one is for Hilary: it’s Final Fantasy 6 crossed with Full Metal Alchemist!

- Or better yet, Chrono Trigger crossed with Lucky Star!

- Speaking of mash-ups, time to take it to the battlefield… literally: Morrigan vs Ronald McDonald in MUGEN. Not sure what I like more: the OutRun2 soundtrack or how they’re fighting in front of a Burger King.

- I had no idea that there was a version of Street Fighter 2 for the C64. Meanwhile, this version for the Amiga looks about a billion times better in comparison.

- And here we have, also on the C64, a port of the criminally underrated Simpsons arcade title. The video pains me so mainly because the original soundtrack was so glorious.

- Via the i am 8-bit show a few years back: what Mega Man would have looked like on the 2600.

- One of my all-time favorite theme songs has to Gran Turismo’s; I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve watched the opening to part 4 alone (the Japanese version of course… Moon Over The Castle >>>>>> anything by Lenny Kravitz or Van Halen, though the opening number for part 2, by The Cardigans, was actually pretty outstanding). Anyhow, here we it is, on a Brick Boy.

- It’s Super Mario 64! But made all creepy like.

- Not sure if anyone remembers my review of the Onechanbara live action flick from last year’s NYAFF… Well, there’s a sequel coming out in Japan, but it’s direct to DVD, and here’s a first look. The cast is entirely different, and NONE of the girls look nearly as cute. Such a shame.

- I initially bailed out on this vid of goofs running around as Pac Man and company in assorted public places, mostly because it’s such a tired concept, but trust me on this one… it gets pretty awesome near the end.

- So what’s better or worse? A love for gaming as represented via indie rock or rap?

Then there’s this one which defies simply categorization.

The Wacky Stuff People Will Make (Hardware Mods And DIY Madness)

- I seriously want this…

- And for the ladies is this Nintendo purse!

- This one is not so much of a mod as it is perhaps the laziest thing every seen on Etsy, as well as the blatant attempt to use boobs to sell something…

… But hey, it obviously worked, cuz the damn thing managed to sell.

- Via Adam, these Warp Zone Socks are at the very least, original looking…

The Even Wackier Stuff People Will Do (On The Internet, Meaning Message Boards, AKA The Best of NeoGAF)

- Despite its less than stellar reputation, NeoGAF can be an extremely helpful resource. Case in point, if you’re an American with a PS3, and have perused the Japanese PSN who would love to taste some of its fruits, but have no friggin’ idea what the hell is what, here we have a very handy compendium! Be sure to bookmark it, since it’s updated often.

- It’s also a place to learn many new things. For example, we’ve got the facts that will blow your mind thread. Granted, some of them are pretty silly and common knowledge to even the most casual of fans. Though it was there I came across the following pic of one of the nurses in Silent Hill Homecoming…

… Never realized it while playing that they were all with child!

- You’ll also find plenty of threads by assorted nut jobs. Mostly those related to Sonic the Hedgehog. Sure, this lovingly put together and extremely informative topic on the music from the Sonic series is pretty epic and awesome. But then you have this one in which someone asks everyone to wonder what the world would be different (seriously) if Sonic Unleashed had come out in place of Sonic 2006.

And don’t forget this rambling anti-DSi diatribe!

- So, did anyone else’s Xbox 1 ever make demonic noises and the like?

- Ladies and gentlemen, the only web comic about games that the world will ever need: I present to you, Fatlus.

- Here’s another appreciation thread I can get behind: God bless those “crappy” 3D graphics from the 32-bit era. And on the opposite end of the spectrum is this repository of WipeOut HD screencaps.

- Perhaps one of the best threads to pop up in recent memory would have to be the one in which various folks tried to re-envision game boxarts as if they were part of the Criterion Collection. And quite a few of the results are simply astounding…

… Meanwhile, over at Select Button, they tried doing the same thing, and results aren’t nearly as impressive I’m afraid. But at least there’s still a few nice ones to be found…

- And this one isn’t related to message boards per say… though you just know that it originated from 2chan probably; it’s Katamari crossed with Strike Witches?

??? (Odds & Ends)

- For those of you who always wanted to be a master at Tetris, help can be found… on Craigslist?

- And for those of you who have too many games and not enough time, and have developed a backlog of stuff that’s to the point of becoming unmanageable, of course there’s a website to help you out, plus show off to the rest of the world all the crap that you have.

- I know about Snatcher, of course, but I had no idea that there was such a thing as SD Snatcher!

… And I guess it’s playable in English?!

- Do you know every game system that’s ever been releases, right down to the year? Well test your might, and take the quiz! Though it’s a bit hard… maybe too hard.

- We all know what pushes technology the most, right? Perverts. And Japan.