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Bass Kittens Mix
May 1, 2009
Review: Yahtzee for the Xbox 360

Xbox Live ArcadeYahtzee!Since its debut last month, we've been trying hard to love Hasbro Family Game Night, and we close out our look at the opening four games with Yahtzee. Yahtzee has problems, basically the same ones that plagued the other titles. EA's servers still cause you grief, but the game itself was translated well to the digital platform.

The good: With nothing to hide and little in the way of needing to touch anything, the game is a perfect candidate for digital release.

The bad: It's broken, and you can attribute these flaws to EA's servers. If they fixed the servers, we'd have a hard time coming up with something bad other than "it's $10."

While an enjoyable brief game, it's not something you can play for hours on end, in particular because EA's servers won't let you. So we weren't totally pleased, but there were some noble parts. Read on to find out what!

--AP

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Pre-Orders Start Now

TransformersSoundwave Superior, We Guess!Over at Entertainment Earth the very first Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen toys are up for pre-order. These include Soundwave, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, some roleplay items, and other goodies. Pictures should be up later, we assume, but click through for pricing and availabity.

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Stormtrooper Taun We

From left to right: Stormtrooper, Taun We. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Sorry!, Virtual On, Banjo-Tooie for Xbox 360 Released

Xbox Live ArcadeVootMicrosoft's game is being ratcheted up something fierce this week. For starters, the Sega classic Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram is out, and it uses both analog sticks. So if you have a fighting arcade stick, you can't use it here. The game is 1,200 MS points, or $15. Sega has indicated it would like to make the twinsticks, but no plans have been announced to do so as of yet.

Either DLC or a new game depending on how you look at it, Sorry! has been added to Hasbro Family Game Night. If you already downloaded HFGN, the demo is already in there since it's part of the application you grabbed last month-- it was just locked for time. (Odds are the other two games are as well.) It's 800 MS points, or $10.

The third new game this week is Banjo-Tooie, a higher-res, more complete remake of the Nintendo 64 game from Rare. The game is 1,200 MS points, or $15. Plus it has a bear with a bird in its backpack, which is always good for a larf. Kudos to Microsoft for ramping up its digital releases this week!

Other new content added to the Xbox Live service includes: Bionic Commando Multiplayer demo from Capcom, Guitar Hero World Tour Nirvana tracks, a demo for Battlestations: Pacific, Rock Band Jane's Addiction tracks, and Max Payne in the Xbox Originals program for $15 a pop.

--AP

PS3: PSN Updates This Week

PSPMarvelousThis week's biggest most awesomest download for the Playstation 3 is also a bit flawed. A free Marvel vs. Capcom 2 demo is up for grabs right now, but here's the catch-- it's like the Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD demo. Local play only, no computer AI, and you can't even get in to see the game's look and feel without a second controller. Still, if you have two controllers, give it a whirl. A new teaser video has been released, and it's pretty high-res, but the file is so big we aren't going to host it here. Of particular interest is that The Touch by Stan Bush is played over the whole thing. You might recall the song from the original Transformers: The Movie in the scene in which Optimus Prime kicks some butt (before having his butt kicked) and at the end when Rodimus Prime throws Galvatron into space. (We loves us some Transformers.)

In addition to this, downloadable content (for a small fee) has been added to Killzone 2, Rock Band, Disgaea 3, Guitar Hero World Tour, Need for Speed Undercover, Burnout Paradise, and Little Big Planet. Check games for content and availability.

--AP

PSP: PSN Updates This Week

PSPPatapon 2!This week, the Playstation Network has a few goodies for your PSP. They are: a Patapon 2 demo and Battlefield theme, and a Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero level pack.

--AP

Bif Bang Pow! Expands Dexter to include Vincent Masuka

DexterVincent Masuka!While we don't watch the CBS/Showtime series Dexter ourselves, we have been informed that this Vincent Masuka bobble head is some kind of awesomely obscure addition to the line, so there you go. Lt. Maria LaGuerta was also recently announced by the company.

--AP

X-Men Origins: Wolverine In Theaters Today

MarvelVincent Masuka!The summer box office kicks off this week with X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Reviews are not kind, but that doesn't always matter to the box office take. Also coming this week: Battle for Terra, a CG movie with about twelve dollars worth of marketing budget, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and some other stuff in crazy limited release.

--AP

Sho' 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do
May 4, 2009
Star Wars Q&A, Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Q&A by Adam PawlusGalactic Hunter Star Wars NewsGalactic Hunter has posted a new Q&A column this week! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

Dr. EvazanFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson! Today: Dr. Evazan, the 2003 edition. This is the one that was supposed to come out in 2003, but got delayed, shuffled around, and ended up a 2004 Kmart exclusive. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Bestest Fighting Characters Ever? Gouketsuji Ichizoku: Matsuri Senzo Kuyou

Video GamesWeird!When we showed Power Instinct: The Ancestors Commemoration to our pals, they weren't as enamored with it as we were. In Japan, it's billed as Gouketsuji Ichizoku: Matsuri Senzo Kuyou and The Magic Box has a couple pages of pictures. It has old ladies, old men in boxer shorts, some dude in a gas mask, and other stuff that would probably cause us to buy the game were it released in the US market. Get to it, Atlus.

--AP

Toys "R" Us Getting Spider-Man, also Amazing Friends

MarvelSpidey, Frosty, Burney!At the Raving Toy Maniac, Hasbro revealed a few of the new Marvel 3-packs going to Toys "R" Us. Which we expected, but not quite in this format. One set is Spider-Man, Iceman, and Firestar, the other seems to be Yellow Daredevil, Silver Surfer, and another Iron Man. We'll take the Spidey one, thanks.

--AP

Xbox 360 to get Turtles in Time Soon

Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesWow!It's rare that a game gets announced and confirmed by a playable early build in a traveling road show, but that's exactly what's going on with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Turtles in Time, the spectacularly fun follow-up to the original arcade game. This new version, as revealed on the Ninja Pizza blog, is going to be an upcoming Xbox 360 Live Arcade title. No release date is known, and there seem to be some rumbles that it might see ports to the Wii or PSN.

What makes this port particularly interesting is that it seems to be the original game rebuilt for modern hardware. The viewing area is the full widescreen TV, and the graphics are updated 3D-style characters and backgrounds on a 2D-ish playing field. It's also worth noting that this is a port of the arcade version, not the Super NES port which contained additional levels and exclusive/moved around bosses.

--AP

Man or Astro-Man "New Releases" (But Not Really)

MusicLegal-ish!We're all very big fans of Man or Astro-Man here. The southern-based surf band put out dozens of LPs, 7-inches, compilations, and other wonderful releases in the 1990s which you either considered awesome levels of genius or utter rubbish. The downside is they had a lot of vinyl-only tracks and compilation tracks which were exceedingly rare-- some were released on CDs, others, well, not. We're not big fans of saying "hey just get it any way you can" but since the band hasn't put out a new release in years and it appears there is no money being made from these tracks in any format, we were a little surprised to see two collections of MP3s of these hard-to-find tracks on some dude's blog.

One fan-generated collection/den of pirated material is Vapor Nitemare, which features a lot of tracks you may have seen in the heyday of Napster like 10 years ago. We're not even sure where half of this comes from, in particular the so-weird-we-didn't-believe-it-was-theirs "Eisenhower and the Hippies." The same dude also posted Space Debris, which is also a mishmash of rare or odd material. We're not sure where/why the MST3K-dubbed tracks exist, but we're happy to see some of the Space Ghost stuff. And the really cool 1000x/Made from Technetium demos.

As a guide to a collector to see what you missed, this is neat. We're also fairly sure that this sort of thing can't last forever, given the hubbub surrounding music distribution outside the iTunes store or Amazon, if you catch our drift. We post this because we know a few of you are huge fans/collectors of the band who might be curious to see that there is indeed material being distributed which is not available in any realistic capacity. But go and buy their stuff, it's fantastic, worth listening to, and it's important these guys get paid. As they put out a couple hundred really great songs... seriously, if you don't own 1000X you're some sort of horrible human being.

--AP

Brand New Special and Unique
May 5, 2009
Review: Puzzle Quest Galactrix

Xbox 360Hot Engineer LadyWe're new to the series, so Puzzle Quest Galactrix for the Xbox 360 is an entirely new experience for us. The game mixes casual puzzle play with a fairly in-depth RPG featuring countless upgrades and things to go and do, which is either great or annoying.

The good: Great graphics, reasonably easy to grasp, fairly long quest with side quests to keep you busy.

The bad: Keeps the grinding part of RPGs as well as a story, lots of time is spent just unlocking the map, story could be more compelling.

As a hybrid of two great gaming genres, one would have to assume it was great, right? Read on to see what we had to say!

--AP

Wallace & Gromit Hits PC Now, Xbox 360 In The Future

Video GamesWallace & GromitWe've been enjoying the heck out of the Strong Bad games Telltale Games put out, and now they wrote in to tell us the PC releases of Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures, specifically The Last Resort, is now available.

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsBib FortunaFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 1997 Bib Fortuna figure, which was pretty swell in its day. Today, not so much. It still has its charms, though, like legs. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Star Trek at Burger King: Toys, Glasses

Star TrekDrink Me Up, Scotty!Starting this week, you'll be able to buy collectible glass tumbers at Burger King based on the new Star Trek film which opens up this Friday. Also, the kid's meals have super-deformed toys of movie characters and vehicles. If you're interested in Sulu, though, he seems to be missing-- but there's still a diverse selection of toys being given away here. If we get any good ones, and we're going to try, we'll post a video or something.

--AP

Nintendo Wii Downloads This Week

WiiJUMP!Wii Ware this week has Penguins & Friends ­ Hey! That's My Fish!, and it's 800 points/$8. We had no idea what the heck this was so we looked it up. "You can become the fishing king! The penguins are hungry and need your help to feed themselves. There ya go.

Virtual Console fans, it's the Commodore 64 game Tower Toppler. We're sorry. It's 500 Wii points, or $5.

--AP

Nintendo DSi Downloads This Week

Nintendo DSAnimals are Cross!Got a DSi? If you love Animal Crossing more than money, there are 2 $2/200 point options. One is Animal Crossing Clock, another is Animal Crossing Calculator. They're pretty self-explanatory apps, but there they are.

--AP

I Know Where The Ham Hides
May 6, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsChewbaccaFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2000 Dejarik Champion Chewbacca figure, in a way the last of his kind as he was the final release of the Wookiee co-pilot in the smaller size. He's much bigger now, but this release had a swell table that could plug in to the 1978 or 1995 releases of the Millennium Falcon. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Gets Dated, Sort Of

MarvelThanks, Wall Street!While the ESRB and achievement sites have been ideal about leaking news, there's another oft-overlooked source of data. Wall Street! Marvel's Q1 Earnings Report has buried in its black-and-white lines of boredom a wonderful secret. According to this, the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 release date will be June 29, 2009. While likely an estimate given that the Xbox 360 releases after midnight on Wednesday mornings and PSN updates whenever on Thursdays, it's probably just a ballpark week-- but hey, this means you know when to have points sitting in your account, right?

--AP

Ad: New Star Trek Goodies Are At Entertainment Earth

Entertainment EarthAd: The new Star Trek movie hits theaters this week, and Entertainment Earth's Star Trek Shop has over 180 unique items! From action figures to prop replicas, and from the original series to the new original movie, there's something for everyone.

Thanks for your repeated purchases! (We get a chunk of the sale, you see.)

Star Trek Tiberius Cologne Star Trek Movie Electronic Phaser Star Trek Movie 3 3/4-Inch Figures Set

--AP

Arkanoid, Space Invaders, Zombie Wranglers for Xbox 360 Released*

Xbox Live ArcadeDOH IT AGAIN DAMMITOh, what a glorious day! The week, Taito has a whopping two games released, both of which are probably going to be great. For starters, the updated classic Arkanoid Live should be ready to download right now for 800 points, or about US$10. According to our Taito interview last month, it should have DLC either today or in the future, and was not designed to support the existing spinner controllers. But we still want it.

Taito's significantly more famous franchise also gets an update, supposedly being more than a port of the DS/PSP game from a few years ago. Space Invaders Extreme adds crazy Jeff Minter graphics, power-ups, and huge pixel characters in a game that appears to both celebrate and lampoon the classic title. We look forward to it. It's 800 MS points, or $10.

The third new game this week is Zombie Wranglers, a title we didn't even hear about until yesterday. According to Xbox.com, "Armed with a trustworthy Wrangler-Pack and your own unique special abilities, play as one of the four gallant apprentice Wranglers and rescue your neighborhood before it's too late." The design seems to be pretty neat, plus it boasts co-op play over Live or locally, so give the demo a shot.

* - This went live about an hour before the scheduled posting of the games, so they are merely expected to be up when you read this. Also, if anyone knows if you can make a good custom arcade-quality spinner controller for the 360, do let us know so we can share with the rest of the class.

--AP

Xbox 360 Turtles in Time First Footage

Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesNot much to say here other than "here's some cell phone footage for you to gawk at." It looks pretty good, actually.

CLICK HERE

No release date is known but one is expected to be announced... some day.

--AP

Little Floating Hearts
May 7, 2009
Review: Baddest of the Bands for the Nintendo Wii

WiiThe Redder, The BetterWe dug the first game in the series, so this week we look at the sequel. Yes, that's right, it's the 16bit.com review of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands for the Nintendo Wii and the PC. We're looking at the Wii version, as that is our way.

The good: Significantly better script, funnier gags, excellent mini games, and the ability to light all kinds of things on fire.

The bad: It's basically more of the same with new stuff to do and a new script.

We made sure to actually finish the game, which we prefer to do, and we enjoyed it to the point where we'd suggest you try this one over the first episode if you're short on cash. Read on to see what we had to say!

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsChewbaccaFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2007 Rebel Honor Guard figure, a pretty spectacular figure for a first-attempt at a trooper. Sure, we'll never see a revised version, but this one is so good that won't matter. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

There Is No Cookie
May 8, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsGreedoFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 1999 Greedo, which was a huge upgrade at the time. He has since been repainted and resculpted, but hey, he's still not at all bad. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Contra ReBirth Announced-- Rejoice, Damn You

WiiBill, Lance Back!Did you think that the final outing you'd ever see of the Contra series in a quasi-16-bit mode was the awesome Nintendo DS title, Contra IV? Well, guess what hippie? YOU'RE WRONG!

It appears Konami's largely wonderful Gradius ReBirth did so well that the company announced Contra ReBirth [Japanese], which of course has no US release date. And snuck under the radar. Whatever happened to hype? And the Xbox 360 and PSN, where are the ports for them? Anyway, this $10 title will be hitting Japan on May 12, which probably means you can expect a US release around December 2009.

We just picked up Gradius ReBirth last week and it alone makes us glad we held on to the Wii rather than selling it off. As such, we've got high-ish hopes for the new Contra.

--AP

PS3: PSN Updates This Week

PSPQuestiousWe reviewed the Xbox 360 version of Puzzle Quest: Galactrix earlier this week, but now you can try it on the Playstation 3 for the same price-- $19.99. Other PS3 content added includes: Street Fighter IV costumes, LittleBigPlanet mythology pack, Trivial Pursuit TV pack, more Sonic Unleashed stuff, and more goodies for Disgaea 3 and Rock Band.

Also up for grabs at $6 a whack: PS1 titles Bowling, R-Type Delta, and Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage. These are also on the PSP.

--AP

PSP: PSN Updates This Week

PSPPatapon 2!Last week, you had the demo. This week, a full Patapon 2 can be yours for a mere $20. Pursuit Force was also released for $23. Also up for grabs at $6 a whack: PS1 titles Bowling, R-Type Delta, and Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage. These are also on the PS3.

--AP

Duke Nukem Forever Cancelled?

Video GamesSay it Ain't So!In a move that will likely surprise no one, it appears Duke Nukem Forever will never see release. We found a great article on the Retronauts Blog on this one, reminding us all that this oft-delayed game was announced in a pre-Xbox world. Also, a pre-Dreamcast world.

As the reigning joke/vaporware champion that it was, it's strange to consider a world where we won't have this game to kick around any more. But here we are, apparently, unless someone else picks up the IP?

--AP

DVDs: Sarah Connor Chronicles S2 & Dollhouse Coming

Star TrekCancelled! We think.First up: TVShowsOnDVD.com brings us news of the second season of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on DVD and Blu-Ray. No release date, no word on extras, and unless we're mistaken, no confirmation of a third season either.

Also for the cult of Whedon, the Blu-Ray/DVD releases of Dollhouse are pretty much confirmed for July 28. Once again, TVShowsOnDVD.com has the cover art.

--AP

Star Trek In Theaters Today Yesterday

Star TrekSPOOOOOCK!This week's-- and possibly year's-- biggest release is Star Trek, a movie which somehow manages to be a reboot, sequel, prequel, and more all in one. We're going to go see it shortly, so don't ruin it for us.

Also opening is Next Day Air and a few other movies in limited release. Just go see Star Trek.

--AP

Thanks For the Recyclables
May 11, 2009
Star Wars Q&A, Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Q&A by Adam PawlusGalactic Hunter Star Wars NewsGalactic Hunter has posted a new Q&A column this week! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

Endor Rebel CommandoFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson! Today: Rebel Commando, the 2006 tin edition. This was a 1998 figure with a new head-- why bother, you ask? Good question. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

10 Years Late? USA to get a localized Sakura Wars

WiiLATE!The dating sim/strategy game/endless licensing opportunity Sakura Taisen/Sakura Wars is finally coming to the USA in English. The Magic Box has images and pictures of Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (Sakura Wars V) which will be coming to the hardest of the hardcore game systems, the Wii and the Playstation 2 this Fall. Better late than never, right?

--AP

Bootleggers Pinch TFW2005 Logo for Knock-Off

TransformersBoombox, baby, boom!Over at TFW2005.com, an interesting twist on pirated toys can be seen. While bootleggers frequently grab whatever images they can grab for use on their products, this time they actually snagged art of the site's mascot-- without permission, of course-- making for one of the more amusing such releases to be made in years. Also, this pretty much guarantees free publicity for the product. In this case, it's a G1 Devastator, with some slight modifications.

--AP

Comic-Con Exclusive Movie G.I. Joe Destro Revealed

G.I. JoeWow!As previously reported, Comic-Con is going to have an exclusive movie Destro-- except now, there are pictures. Joe Battle Lines has shots of the figures and accessories, and damned if they don't look great. Over the years Hasbro has done some excellent work, but this may be some of their best in terms of capturing a likeness and then shoving it full of good extras. Which is why it's gonna be a little more expensive.

--AP

Elisabeth Branctorche, Mature in King Of Fighters XII Home Releases

Video GamesBabe-tastic!Who are these players? We don't know, because we didn't do our homework-- but with these characters, we do see eye patches and riding crops, which generally means someone was having fun. Famitsu has the story-- in Japanese-- but we're told it basically says "they'll be in the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 releases, and maybe someone else too." Neat. We're down.

--AP

Close Enough for Jazz
May 12, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsBib FortunaFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2008 FX-6 figure, a new old medical droid which was used in the creation of the bionic Darth Vader. Is he pretty swell? Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

First Review: Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Prime

TransformersNew Prime vs. Prime ClassicBecause nobody but Hasbro cares for release dates, the great David Willis has a great early review of the Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Optimus Prime toy-- the big expensive one. Turns out it's quite the improvement-- click through to read all about it!

--AP

Nintendo Wii Downloads This Week

WiiFamily Pirate PartyWii Ware this week has Family Pirate Party, and it's 500 points/$5. If we're going to a pirate party, it's going to have lusty wenches and grog and whatever. Introducing a family into it seems like it might suck the fun right out of the whole shindig.

Virtual Console fans, it's the Sega Genesis game Galaxy Force II. It's 800 Wii points, or $8. As a space shooter, you might think we'd be enthusiastic, but it's a first-person shooter from like 1991. So no, thank you.

--AP

Nintendo DSi Downloads This Week

Nintendo DSReal Soccer 2009Got a DSi? You can download Real Soccer 2009 this week for $8 (800 points) which, we believe, makes it the most expensive download on the console to date.

--AP

Use The Flag
May 13, 2009
Review: Dangeresque 3 for the Nintendo Wii

WiiThe Redder, The BetterWe can't get enough of these games, so once more it's time for a review. Next up, it's the 16bit.com review of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 4: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective for the Nintendo Wii and the PC. We're looking at the Wii version, because to deviate from this would be illogical.

The good: Excellent music, clever reuse of existing character models and sets, wonderful use of video tapes as media to tell the story. Kids growing up today who take film or game classes in college will probably be able to mine this entry for papers, it's a surprisingly rich game in terms of style given its humble origins. There's a lot more going on here than simple gags.

The bad: You may need some film snobbery or knowledge of the characters to get the most out of the game. It's also significantly easier than the other entries.

From start to finish, this game consistently delights and amuses. The "game" takes a back seat to the story and its style, but that's OK-- this is an amazing piece of work and it's a shame that it wasn't longer, or an entire "season" of episodes. Who knew you could get so much out of a game based on a parody of action films?

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsR2-D2Figure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2002 electronic R2-D2 figure, complete with lights, sounds, and death bugs. He's not too great by modern standards, plus a barely modified version of this figure with superior electronics has been in stores since 2005. So... how about this one? Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Lunar Returns to PSP

PSPThere you are, Alex!During the Sega CD days, a lot of fans played the RPG Lunar: The Silver Star Story from GameArts which got ported and remade several times over. And guess what? It's coming to PSP now, so says a Japanese game magazine scanned on the Gamespite forums. It appears to be using the elements used to make the Sega Saturn (Japan) and Sony Playstation (US/Japan) releases. The PSOne release in the USA (and its sequel) had the most ornate packaging of its generation, with hardcover art book manuals, soundtrack CDs, and other bonuses you won't see with the Playstation Portable.

If you never played these games, they're basically your typical 16-bit role-playing adventure, except they had more voice acting and in battles your characters were a little more mobile. So there you go.

--AP

Ad: New Star Wars Goodies Are At Entertainment Earth

Entertainment EarthAd: The new Star Wars toys are coming, and Entertainment Earth's Star Wars Shop has hundreds of unique items! From action figures to prop replicas, there's something for everyone. (In particular if you dig the toys.)

Thanks for your repeated purchases! (We get a chunk of the sale, you see.)

Star Wars Clone Wars Action Figures Wave 7 Star Wars Clone Wars Commando Droids Battle Pack Darth Talon Mini Bust: Star Wars Legacy

--AP

Transformers Autobot Drift To Get (Fan-Made) Toy

TransformersOh GoodyWhile not necessarily the most beloved character in the franchise's history, Drift has made quite a splash since appearing in the IDW "All Hail Megatron" comic book series. Basically, the goal was to make something very Japanese, and it sort of worked. As a rule, a large number of Transformers fans prefer the American-developed fiction over that of Japan, which makes a lot of sense if you've read up on how they treat the characters.

The transforming figure will be released in kit form as a sort of a convention exclusive. It's said to have a fair amount of articulation, and you can read more on SGCollect. We can't imagine there are going to be too many more fully-transforming toys based on Hasbro's IP, but hey, who knows.

--AP

Moons of Jupiter
May 14, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsSuper Battle DroidFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2003 Super Battle Droid Builder figure, designed as a sort of a partial figure which was completed through a specially colored can of Play-Doh. If you've ever wanted to impale a droid on a lightsaber, this figure lets you do it-- very clever thinking on Hasbro's part. Too bad this was one of the toughest figures to find in its day. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Happy Birthday! Nintendo WiiWare Service Turns 1

WiiWiiWareNintendo wrote in today to let us know we totally forgot their birthday. We apologize. The WiiWare service launched a year ago, and in that time we've had a mix of wonderful releases like Mega Man 9, Gradius Rebirth, and the entire Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People series. This is not to be confused with DSiWare, which launched about four weeks ago.

They actually have some more goodies planned (anyone surprised?) and we have some details for you. Well, Nintendo wrote these, we're just sharing.

  • Cave Story from Nicalis, arguably the best-known indie game of all time. Cave Story takes players into a world where a race of rabbit-like creatures runs free on a serene island.
  • Icarian Kindred Spirits from Over the Top Games, where players control Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl, who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend Icarus.
  • Super Meat Boy from Team Meat, an indie game in which players take the role of a cube of raw meat who must save his princess from the clutches of evil.
  • BIT.TRIP CORE from Aksys Games, the follow-up to the well-reviewed BIT.TRIP BEAT with a similar graphic style and rhythm component, but featuring a completely different retro game mechanic.
  • Final Fantasy IV: The After Years from SQUARE ENIX, the long-awaited sequel to Final Fantasy IV that takes place over a series of nine episodes.

We did some research because we never heard of Icarian Kindred Spirits before. Turns out it isn't a Kid Icarus sequel, but rather a fairly gorgeous 3D game inspired by ancient Greece. Interesting! We'll let you know more as we hear it. Here's hoping Nintendo hypes games on the service more before their releases-- it's easy to lose track of something that comes and goes, but anticipation makes the games like twice as fun when you finally get them. Isn't that right, Mega Man 9?

Finally, Nintendo also posted a highlight reel of the service on Wiiware.com, which we had no idea existed until about now. Spoiler alert: most of the stuff that came out is not shown there.

--AP

Star Trek DAC, Texas Cheat 'Em for Xbox 360 Released

Xbox Live ArcadeCheat Me Up, ScottyFirst up: the oddly named Star Trek DAC is up for grabs for $10/800 points. We hear mixed things. It's a top-down space shooter loosely inspired by the movie you all saw last weekend.

Or for the same price, you could also get Texas Cheat 'Em, where (as Microsoft says), "Play casino-themed mini-games to activate one of 15 cheating abilities‹then make your own luck" Well. We'd never.

--AP

Transformers Movie Wal-Mart Exclusives Magically Appear Early

TransformersConeyNot only are stores ignoring street dates for Revenge of the Fallen product, but exclusives are showing up early too! Wal-Mart's Ramjet and Skywarp toys are hitting Wal-Mart stores, so says TFW2005.com. Keep your eyes peeled, but be warned-- these repaints of old $20 toys will set you back about $30 a pop.

--AP

Squeenix Releases iPhone Crystal Defenders Vanguard Storm

Video GamesAgain?First, it hit Xbox Live Arcade for $10-- then WiiWare for $8. Now its sequel on the iPhone for $5, and arguably it's a new game. There's a demo too, or so Square-Enix told us.

Get a bunch of warriors, spread 'em out, and pound on enemies. Then, repeat. The demo for the first title was fun enough, but as we are not among the iPhoneratti we won't be trying this one. Let us know if you try it and like it. Apparently the big deal here is that now you have characters to support other characters... which sounds good, we suppose.

--AP

Bonus Awarded
May 15, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsAmanin WarriorToday we look at the 2009 Amanin Warrior figure, a pretty swell Wal-Mart exclusive that if you hurry, you can still get it at retail. Rather than going off the existing Return of the Jedi model, Hasbro made an all-new figure based on the comic series. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

Also, George Lucas just turned 65, meaning that the man who shaped many of our youths is now able to get in to see his own movies for a few bucks cheaper. Happy birthday, oh flanneled one!

--AP

Tony Hawk by way of Guitar Hero

Video GamesReal?As proud owners of Super NES mouse, the Super Famicom Capcom Pad Soldier, an Xbox 360 MAS Systems arcade stick, a Dreamcast Fishing Rod, and lots of other dippy controllers, we probably shouldn't talk-- but really, is this necessary?

Activision has decided that the Tony Hawk franchise needed a shot in the arm, so now there's going to be a giant board controller device. Interestingly, Nintendo was predicting more specialized controllers during the early GameCube days, but it seems that only recently are we seeing these on a mass-market level with the likes of Rock Band and now this. No price yet, but if it's going to be less than $100 with the game we'll be shocked.

Perhaps this is all part of Activision's scheme to clean out gamer's closets of old hardware, replacing their Sega Master Systems with big boxes of peripherals.

--AP

PS3 Hardware Revision Leaked

Playstation 3Real?After numerous denials to the media, some pictures got out of what appears to be a revised Playstation 3 got out of China. New packaging and a slimmer, slightly less awesome looking console were revealed around the web but they seem to be pointing to this guy. Obviously Sony has not yet commented on it (otherwise we would have said "announced") but there you have it-- take it as you will. And expect an announcement probably two weeks down the road.

--AP

Happy Birthday! Telltale Games Turns 5

Video GamesWiiWareBorn from the ashes of the LucasArts Adventure Game, game developer Telltale Games is celebrating its fifth anniversary. One of the reasons you should care is that you can now buy the entire Strong Bad series (PC) on Steam for $17.50, the Wii episodes are normally $10 a pop. The company is selling individual episodes for about $5, so check their site and Steam for whatever it is you wanted to buy.

The site also has a cryptic announcement concerning their next game. No, there are no hints as to what it will be, but we're hopeful it'll be awesome.

--AP

Thanks For the Recyclables
May 18, 2009
Star Wars Q&A, Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Q&A by Adam PawlusGalactic Hunter Star Wars NewsGalactic Hunter has posted a new Q&A column this week! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

C-3POFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson! Today: C-3PO, basic 2002 edition. Modeled after the 1999 prequel version but with lots of extras and a lower price, how could you not want this one? Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

Also, we wrote an article for Entertainment Earth's new blog concerning vintage figures which haven't yet been modernized.

--AP

Apparently USA to get Tatsunoko vs. Capcom

WiiFight!Have you ever wanted the dude from Gatchaman to fight the lady with the big rack from Darkstalkers? Boy, are you in luck... if you bought a Wii. We're stunned, but apparently Nintendo Power confirmed that this bizarre team-up is making its way to the states for reasons we're not entirely sure about. There have been very few games that would appeal to the hardcore/otaku market on the Wii, but this one seems to be gunning for that market. We totally want to try it, as it's been a while since a particularly strange team-up has hit the market.

--AP

Most Likely Botcon Exclusive Banzai-Tron, Takara-Tomy Device Label Revealed

TransformersBanzai!Over at hk-tf.com, a gallery of a repainted Energon Mirage in what seems to be Banzai-Tron colors is up for a glimpse. It's positively gorgeous, if you like late-era Generation 1 toys. (And you should.)

Have you seen the Device Label toys? These are great. Blaster turns into a USB hub, Ravage and Tigatron are thumbdrives, Grimlock (?) and Trypticon (?) are mice, so it's a whole mess of USB awesomeness. You really need to see these.

The unofficial TF Club group is making some repaints of "Battle Rollar" if you're in to that sort of thing.

Over at Xbox 360 Achievements.org, they posted the full list of Revenge of the Fallen achievements for... go ahead and guess. Neat news!

--AP

They Got a Lot of Nice Girls There
May 19, 2009
Review: Lode Runner

Xbox 360Lode RunnerIt's no secret older gamers-- you know, the ones older than 12-- were looking forward to Lode Runner for the Xbox 360. The puzzles range from easy to difficult, but the core game play is a wonderful way to spend countless hours.

The good: Decent music, if repetitive, good character designs, old-timey gameplay. Also, fun. Good puzzles for local co-op require coordination.

The bad: Could stand to have a little more variety in the textures, seems like it might be unplayable on a smaller, non-HD TV, nobody online to play with whenever we tried it out.

Like R-Type Dimensions, the game is immediately fun, soon frustrating, and fun again later. Is it ultimately a rewarding experience, or a nightmare from which there is no escape? Read on to see what we had to say!

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsSaesee TiinFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2008 Saesee Tiin figure, complete with armor and helmet. But he didn't have a cape, so we stole one from Mandalore. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Japan to get more Animal Crossing Toys

NintendoAnimal Crossing Watashi no Uchi Collection FiguresWe love licensed toys!

Online game importer NCS has shots (and orders open) for a set of Animal Crossing Watashi no Uchi Collection Figures. What does this mean? You can get some little plastic figures from the game series that are a hair over an inch tall, with some pretty groovy accessories. Remember, Japanese collectible toys like this tend to be fairly short run items, so if you want them don't say we didn't warn you.

--AP

iGear Toys To Provide G1-Style Ark, Nemesis Playsets

TransformersAvailable in Good, EvilOn our short list of things we wanted but thought we'd never get was a playset scaled to Transformers Classics and Universe toys which replicated the animated series' bridges for the heroes and villains. And someone is doing it! Check out these awesome development shots of what will probably be the most expensive thing we'll buy for our toys to play with this year.

--AP

Nintendo Wii Downloads This Week, Majora's Mask

WiiMajora's MaskWii Ware this week has Crystal Defenders R2, and it's 800 points/$8. If this sounds familiar, it should-- the original "R1" game was released a month ago. Nintendo also tells us that the game "offers several new, challenging maps containing multiple entrances and exits. It also introduces three varieties of Power Crystals, allowing you to enhance the abilities of your units, while new jobs, including Flintlock and Tinker, set the stage for even more complex strategies." There ya go.

Virtual Console fans, it's a good week for you. The Nintendo 64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is up, and it's Nintendo's 300th release on the service. We're pretty sure there are like 21,318 games in Japan, but hey, it's something. The classic adventure involves a creative use of time, masks, and the anger of a vengeful moon. It's a mere $10/1,000 Wii Points, and you know you want it.

Finally, to follow up to our Monday story, Capcom confirmed Tatsunoko VS Capcom: Ultimate All Stars is coming to the USA. We're pleased-- plus it's a great way to introduce non-Otaku to a wide variety of pop culture icons from another land. Hooray!

--AP

Nintendo DSi Downloads This Week

Nintendo DSPictobitsGot a DSi? You can download Art Style: PICTOBiTS this week for $5 (500 points) which seems like it might be totally worth it. The game is a puzzle title which involves falling pieces and old NES sprites (shown, specifically Ice Climber.) Sold! Or rather, we'd be buying it if we had a DSi, which at press time we do not. Pity us. It looks like a solid purchase, possibly.

--AP

Stay Hungry
May 20, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsLuke Skywalker Dagobah FatiguesFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 1996 Luke Skywalker in Dagobah Fatigues. In his day, he was the first-ever action figure of Luke in this costume. And then, he went on to being one of the biggest blights at retail. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Jiggle Left In US Release of Ikki Tousen (Battle Vixens)

PS2The Redder, The BetterIf you love smut (and nothing but), this Siliconera posting is for you. Also if you're the right kind of otaku, you'll dig this one.

The ESRB got ahold of this upcoming Playstation 2 title, which features "frequent depictions of panties, cleavage, and exaggerated breast jiggle." You can now all breathe a sigh of relief-- but the game carries an "M" rating, which is either a warning or some form of guarantee that it's going to be fan service-tastic.

We must confess we are largely unfamiliar with the game and show, but we see plenty of the increasingly risque Japanese statues [NSFW depending on where you work].

--AP

Single Transformers Universe Mini-Cons Hit Big Lots

TransformersAs you may have missed these-- we did-- we're just letting you know they're out for an even $4.00 a pop. In 25th anniversary packaging, these pricey single repaints include vehicles and more from the original "Classics" Mini-Con 3-packs from a few years ago. We did not pick any up, but odds are these are going to be skipped over by most people so there you go-- go looking before it's too late!

--AP

Ad: New Star Wars Goodies Are At Entertainment Earth

Entertainment EarthAd: The new Star Wars toys are coming, and Entertainment Earth's Star Wars Shop has hundreds of unique items! But that's not the news-- these new Hasbro Star Wars figure cases are worth a look.

Thanks for your repeated purchases! (We get a chunk of the sale, you see.)

Star Wars Legacy Collection Action Figures Wave 8 Star Wars Clone Wars Action Figures Wave 8  Star Wars Clone Wars Galactic Heroes Figures Wave 7

--AP

Transformers DVD Set Revealed, Mostly

TransformersMatrix!Shout! Factory's upcoming boxed set of the entire US Generation 1 Collection is loaded with goodies, and this rough site shows the box art and what it might have-- we're hearing this isn't finalized yet. Set to include a 60-page book, 16 DVDs, and restored animation, it sounds a heck of a lot better than the Rhino releases currently in the 16bit.com archives.

--AP

Escape from Perugia
May 21, 2009
Review: Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

Xbox 360Sonic's Ultimate Genesis CollectionSpanning 1989-1995, Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 is a decent look into the system's life. You get some of the chief pack-ins like Altered Beast and Sonic the Hedgehog in addition to late-era releases like Comix Zone and Vectorman 2.

The good: Great emulation, roughly 50 games, emulated nearly perfectly, and made so they look decent on a big HDTV. You can remap buttons, too.

The bad: A lot of the games are fun for less than five minutes, numerous heavy hitters aren't included, and does anyone really want Fatal Labyrinth?

The collection makes good use of achievements to get you to try out the many games for more than 30 seconds before going on to the next one, which is really a neat little metagame. We're continuing to enjoy this collection, and if you can score it for under $20, it's really a no-brainer to anyone who owned a Genesis back in the day.

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsA'Sharad HettFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the A'Sharad Hett figure, the only one so far. He's the first-ever Tusken Jedi figure, and because of this, he is awesome. Super awesome. Get one. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Gel Set & Match, Blazing Birds for Xbox 360 Released

Xbox Live ArcadeGel Set & MatchFirst up: the puzzler Gel Set & Match is available for $10/800 points. We just spent about an hour with it and it's pretty good so far-- a review, as always, is coming shortly. You control a little character which is basically an anteater that reminds us of a few Dark World denizens from A Link to the Past, so it's quite endearing. You pick up big jelly cubes and throw them at other cubes while a giant vehicle goes from left to right, so it's your job to clear the path. Try the demo.

Or for 400 points ($5), you could also get Blazing Birds, a crazy badminton game with robots and stuff. Sounds intriguing! We'll let you know how it is later.

--AP

Ghostbusters Xbox Achievements Revealed

GhostbustersWe Came, We Saw...With the game bowing on all the platforms next month, it's no surprise that Xbox 360 Achievements.org has a full list of the Ghostbusters achievements-- minus the secret ones. If you want a glimpse into the kind of tasks you'll be undertaking, go click through and check them out.

--AP

Playmobil Divers Line hits USA... Recently

PlaymobilAgain?In case you missed it, the Diver line of Playmobil toys is now in stores. And by "stores," we mean those educational dives which rarely stay open long enough for us to be able to go there more than a few times (AND YES WE'RE BITTER DAMMIT.) New releases include a sizable sperm whale, a number of rays and fish, plus boats galore. We're so wanting these.

The 4500 Shark Diver hit Toys "R" Us stores last Spring, so that one you've possibly seen-- the rest are new to the USA.

--AP

LEGO Real-Time Strategy Game Coming to Nintendo DS

LEGOAgain?There's not much more to say, other than Kotaku has impressions of the game from Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment. Check it out!

--AP

Slipstream
May 22, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsLeektarToday we look at the 2008 Leektar figure, a decent Ewok and its first release as an action figure. He also forgot to put on pants. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Box Art Revealed

G.I. JoeNintnedo DSEA sent along the packaging art for the Nintendo DS and Xbox 360 ports of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra video game based on the movie.

Xbox 360Other ports are coming, but this is what they sent along for now-- we presume the others will be similar. Enjoy! The game comes out this August and reportedly features 11 playable characters.

--AP

HOWTO: Turn Image Into GameBoy Camera Still

Video GamesHoboThe wonderful geniuses of the Retronauts Blog added a Photoshop tutorial you might enjoy. It lets you change any image into a GameBoy Camera-styled image, so if you ever used the ancient gadget you might be in for a real treat. See what we did with our mascot there? Fancy.

--AP

Ad: New Star Wars Gentle Giant At Entertainment Earth

Entertainment EarthAd: The new Star Wars toys are coming, and Entertainment Earth's Star Wars Shop has hundreds of unique items! But that's not the news-- these new Gentle Giant Star Wars figure cases are worth a look.

Thanks for your repeated purchases! (We get a chunk of the sale, you see.)

Star Wars Animated Wicket Maquette Star Wars Oola Mini Bust Star Wars Luke Skywalker in Bespin Fatigues Statue

--AP

PS3: PSN Updates This Week

PSPQuestiousLike demos? This week you can snag Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Up, and inFamous. The PSOne games Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Ford Racing were also added for $5.99 each.

--AP

PSP: PSN Updates This Week

PSPPatapon 2!You can now grab the Monster Hunter Freedom Unite from Capcom. That, and some themes. So get the demo.

--AP

Yamato USA Producing Starship Troopers Toys

ToysWhile no pictures have surfaced (yet), online retailer Entertainment Earth posted a listing for a new Starship Troopers Marauder Action Figure. We have no idea what it is.

--AP

Thar Be Whales Here
May 25, 2009
Star Wars Q&A, Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Q&A by Adam PawlusGalactic Hunter Star Wars NewsGalactic Hunter has posted a new Q&A column this week! Be sure to click through and read up on the latest!

Anakin SkywalkerFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson! Today: Anakin Skywalker, 2005 edition-- with slashing action, and red lightsaber! It's a winning combination based on what seems to be an unused deleted scene concept. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Animated Star Trek DVD $15 at Wal-Mart

Star TrekBeam us up!We've never seen the original Filmation Star Trek series. Or rather, we haven't, until just now. We picked up this set at Wal-Mart for a hair under $15, and it features the whole series. Which, in our books, makes it a great deal.

It's really quite fascinating to watch-- we're almost done with the first disc, and its combination of extremely limited animation and the original series' key voice actors makes it a particularly special show. If you like cartoons, and have a passing interest in Trek, we think you'll like it.

--AP, tip from Fetts

Target Exclusive Movie G.I. Joe Toys Leaked

G.I. JoeSCUBA!The stunner? They're pretty cool, and include oversized accessories (or small vehicles, depending on your point of view.)

Check out the Cobra Eel, Snake Eyes, Air Viper, and Grand Slam action figures. We won't say you'll love them, but it's a nice preview of what Target has in store for you in about a month and a half.

--AP

Complete Metroid Prime Series Wii-Make Boxed Set Coming

NintendoThe Last Metroid is in Captivity!According to 1up.com, the Metroid Prime series is being collected as a surprisingly cheap $50 boxed set for the Nintendo Wii. Each title will sport Wii-specific controls, and we assume this means it won't have much in the way of upgraded visuals.

The third game in the series was a Wii title, but the previous two started life as GameCube titles. The disc should be out August 24.

--AP

Uploaded For Her Pleasure
May 27, 2009
Review: 8-Bit Is Enough

Nintendo WiiHomestar EnderWe've been going through the wonderful and awesome Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People series, and the fun basically ends here-- because, as of today, there are no plans for additional episodes. Thankfully, they've largely all been pretty fantastic, and this one is no exception.

The good: Tons of video game in-jokes, strong script, lots of wonderful new character and stage designs.

The bad: Felt shorter, not exactly a slam-bang finish. Definitely leaves you wanting more, which is more of a compliment really.

Did we have a good time? Of course! Read on to see what we had to say!

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Anakin Skywalker Obi-Wan Kenobi

From left to right: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Taito's Got More Retroish Games Coming

Video GamesAvailable in Good, EvilTaito sent us a big press release of upcoming titles for various systems. Mostly really good stuff, too. Here's what you can expect and the details.

  • Arkanoid Plus, Wii, Summer
  • Bubble Bobble Plus, Wii, Now
  • Bust a Move Plus, Wii, Summer 2009
  • Cooking Mama, Nokia OVI, Now
  • Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!, Wii, June 15
  • Space Bust-A-Move, Nintendo DS, Summer
  • Space Invaders Extreme 2, Nintendo DS, Fall
  • Super Puzzle Bobble, Nokia OVI, Now

Other titles are in the works for the Xbox Live Arcade as well, but they didn't send us info or dates on those yet.

--AP

Hasbro to produce Transformers Toaster

TransformersEjectorSo are you complaining that the movie Transformers toys weren't weird enough? Well, The-Arker has early shots of a packaged sample of Ejector, a toaster. Yes, a toaster. And it has one of the freakiest heads we've ever seen in one of these toys. Do check it out.

--AP

Nintendo Wii Downloads This Week

WiiAdventure IslandThis may be the best week for Wii Ware in ages. Adventure Island: The Beginning is 800 points/$8. Apparently, it combines the gameplay of the original with new collection whatnots. It sounds fun enough-- we'll let you know if we get a chance to try it.

Meanwhile from Taito, for 600 points is Bubble Bobble Plus!, complete with the extra punctuation. Up to 4 players, classic gameplay... what more could you ask for? It sounds really fantastic... which is not what usually comes up with Wii Ware as there's little in the way of retro stuff to be had.

Virtual Console fans, it's Clay Fighter. There are several games in this series, and this is the first one-- just be aware one of the sequels could show up in the future!

--AP

Nintendo DSi Downloads This Week

Nintendo DSPictobitsGot a DSi? You can download American Popstar: Road to Celebrity this week for $8 (800 points). There's also Photo Clock for $2/200 points... in case you need a clock.

--AP

Playmobil Magazine Exists, Is German

PlaymobilDinosaursWe're not sure where to begin on this one, so we'll begin with what we know for sure. There is a magazine being made for the Playmobil toy line in Germany, and you can see it here. At press time we do not know how to obtain a copy, but we see that it includes an exclusive figure as well as the Triceratops skull from the T-Rex set.

We have no idea if this is a regular thing, if the toy is included with every issue or just the one, or why they're doing a free Dinosaur-themed figure now that the line, in Germany, is nearly 2 1/2-years old. If you have any more dirt on how to get these, do let us know.

--AP

We Kill Evil
May 28, 2009
Review: Zombie Wranglers for Xbox 360

Xbox 360Zombie WranglersWe've had a heck of a time trying to figure out how to write about Zombie Wranglers, a game which seems half-finsihed, polished, good, bad, jokey, and humorless all at once.

The good: Solid online play, no pop-in or draw-in problems, distinctive design for a horror-themed game, the undead are homeless and can throw up on you.

The bad: Repetitive in music and gameplay, bosses are punishingly difficult, multiplayer is basically a necessity.

While our reviewer basically had a good time, those he roped into multiplayer tests did not. Read on to see what we had to say!

--AP

Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsHoth Rebel TrooperFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2009 Hoth Rebel Trooper, the bearded, skirted version. After about a decade, Hasbro finally nailed this one. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Nintendo Wii Punch-Out!! Swag

WiiA good friend of ours informed us he got a Punch-Out!! swag box for the new Wii game. Naturally, we demanded pictures to share with the rest of you. Here's what our pal Zac sent along.

From left to right: T-Shirt (front), T-Shirt (back), Bumper Sticker.

--AP

Wallace & Gromit & Yosumin for Xbox 360 Released

Xbox Live ArcadeWallace & Gromit Episode 1: Fright of the BumblebeesFirst up: the episodic Wallace & Gromit Episode 1: Fright of the Bumblebees, the first of four episodes of a new adventure game that's already on the PC. We haven't had the time to give it a spin at press time but it looks fantastic. It's $10/800 points, and if it's anything like the Strong Bad games on Wii it'll be great.

(PC users, Telltale wrote in to tell us they have the episodes on sale. In the off chance that they are no longer on sale, go here for the latest pricing.)

Or for the same price you could also get Yosumin! LIVE, a puzzler from Square Enix which we have not yet heard of. It looks appealing and appropriately old-school, but hey, we gotta try it still. Square Enix wrote in to inform us it's also on the PC for $19.95, so apparently you'll want the Xbox port.

Also, Capcom sent in a note to say that Bionic Commando Rearmed is on sale for 400 points if you have an Xbox Gold account. It's freaking tough, but a gorgeous remake of an NES game which is a bargain at this price.

--AP

Ad: New Transformers Jenga At Entertainment Earth

Entertainment EarthAd: Tons of new items have been added to Entertainment Earth, including Transformers Jenga, a killer exclusive Transporting Spock Bobble Head which has an insanely bright LED in it (we've seen it, it's gorgeous), and also the talking Jesus Action Figure from The Big Lebowski which will be a Comic-Con exclusive. It's great, too. These are some amazingly fun items and that's why we're forcing you to see them.

Thanks for your repeated purchases! (We get a chunk of the sale, you see.)

Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Jenga Battle Game EE Exclusive Transporting Spock Talking Bobble Head EE Exclusive The Big Lebowski Talking Jesus 8-inch Figure

--AP

Our Pal Pete Goes to China

16bit.comPeteEverybody needs a good friend named Pete. We have one, and he just got back from China. Since we've known him for like 20 years it seemed only appropriate to link you to his adventures in China, which he is now posting on his blog.

--AP

Toys "R" Us Buys Both FAO Schwarz Stores, Web Site

Toys R UsWAKKA WAKKA WAKKAA press release went out, but since we aren't on the right lists we'll just pass you to The Action Figure Insider for coverage of the story. After snagging the assets for eToys and Kay-Bee Toys, Toys "R" Us now bought up FAO Schwarz, a former legend in the industry which is now down to a couple of stores and a web site. What are they going to do with it, you ask?

"Following the acquisition, ToysłRČUs, Inc. will continue to operate the two FAO Schwarz retail stores, including the flagship location in New York City and a store at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. In addition, the company will operate the FAO Schwarz e-commerce and catalog operations. Each of these businesses will continue to operate under the legendary FAO Schwarz name. All merchandising, management, distribution and marketing operations will immediately begin to transition to ToysłRČUs, Inc. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed."

Give it to us straight, doc-- does this mean more or less access to Playmobil?

--AP

Did Your Heart Just Stop?
May 29, 2009
Star Wars Figure of the Day Updated at Galactic Hunter

Galactic Hunter & Star Wars NewsHan Solo in Stormtrooper DisguiseFigure of the Day has updated once again! The daily feature on figures you might have but might not-- either way, here's what you've been missing! Spanning from the original Power of the Force series of 1995 to the latest of The Legacy Collection, it's almost like a history lesson!

Today we look at the 2009 Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise, and it's the first-ever carded release of the character in this outfit. Yes, ever. Go to Figure of the Day for the next update, with the latest installment in our ongoing series!

--AP

Botcon Begins, Coverage Elsewhere

TransformersExclusivesBecause we can't be in Pasadena tonight, we're going to direct you to Altered States Magazine's Botcon 2009 Gallery, which presently has all the exclusive figures and add-on sets. Numerous nifty Transformers are available to attendees, including Leozack, Banzai-Tron, the Sweeps, and numerous others.

In related news, you can now download Stan Bush's song "The Touch" in Guitar Hero World Tour for free.

--AP

Sega Announces Kart Racer, And Yes It's 2009

Video GamesPeteAfter countless mascot-based kart racing games, Sega is finally trying it out with their cast of characters. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing covers Sonic characters and a lot of mascots from the Dreamcast era and beyond, featuring characters from Samba de Amigo, Super Monkey Ball, and probably something else with monkeys.

Also, a pretty swell looking 8-bit style Mega Man game is being made for phones, so says Siliconera. It's called Mega Man Rush Marine and we really want to play it on something that isn't a phone. It looks cool!

--AP

PS3: PSN Updates This Week

PS3Die, Die AgainLike demos? Crash Commando can be downloaded for free. The PSone game Resident Evil: Director's Cut can be downloaded for $9.99. There's also a ton of new DLC on Rock Band, Chronicles of Riddick, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2, Saints Row 2, and Resistance 2.

--AP

PSP: PSN Updates This Week

PSPBadmanIn addition for Resident Evil: Director's Cut ($9.99), you can score demos for Holy Invasion of Privacy Badman and Rock Band Unplugged.

--AP

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