Critical has released a new app for the GP2X, heres the details:

Drum tracker work in progress ported from David Olofson's DT-42 DrumToy code. A good base for a lot more work.

Screenshot and Download Via Comments ...

LiraNuna has updated his excellent RPG for the Nintendo DS, think back to the killer days when the Snes was easily (and still is) the worlds best console and those great RPGs like Zelda, anyway heres whats new:

I have finally completed the awaited saving system on Tales of Dagur.
It will save to any FAT compatible device such as the GBAMP.

Download Via Comments ...

Adam Roberts, executive VP of Vivendi Europe, has told GamesIndustry.biz that while the PS2 is not yet nearing the end of its life cycle, Microsoft must work with publishers to restore retail confidence in the Xbox.

In an exclusive interview, Roberts said: "I think Xbox probably needs help at the moment. We're in discussions with Microsoft to help generate some impetus."

"I think it's going to be a retail-led decision - if retailers lose confidence in a format, then it's very difficult to get that confidence back," he continued.

"A retailer is there to sell what people will buy, and there's no benefit to anyone to have product on the shelves that doesn't sell. Really it's up to us, in conjunction with other publishers and Microsoft, to keep the retailers' confidence in the Xbox as a business opportunity."

"It's not just the responsibility of the retailer... It's a partnership between the publisher, Microsoft and the retailer, not any one of those in isolation."

Roberts was more confident when it came to the future of the PS2, stating: "I'm a great believer in Sony and Sony's knowledge - they know where they are in the life cycle of the PS2, and they're not near the end of it."

"Having lived through the PSone to PS2 transition, it wasn't an overnight phenomenon - people are not going to stop buying PS2 games on the day PS3 comes out."

Roberts also highlighted the importance of reducing the number of filler titles on the market, reiterating Vivendi's strategy of focusing on quality over quantity: "We've made no secret in saying that we've spent the last year and a half refocusing our attention - we've really concentrated our efforts on fewer titles with bigger budgets, and ultimately with higher potential, and that will carry on."

According to Roberts, Vivendi's strategy is to produce "fewer, bigger, better games," since "There is nothing to be gained by having filler titles or just releasing products for the sake of it, just to fill a hole in the schedule."

"The games business is built around content, and you have to sometimes be speculative in the creative process to create something which people want to play, but that's no excuse for churning out filler titles," Roberts concluded. ...

Reports coming out of the US from the Games Developers Conference are suggesting that Nintendo's Virtual Console service (its planned retro classics downloads for Revolution) will lack some of the big name games belonging to the now Microsoft-owned Rare.
Apparently both Microsoft and Rare staff have confirmed to IGN that back catalogue Rare titles like Perfect Dark, Banjo-Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini and Conkers Bad Fur Day won't make it onto the retro download service. Perhaps most importantly of all the seminal Goldeneye will also be MIA, unless both Rare and new license holder EA manage to agree a deal.

That's got to be a major blow for prospective Revolution owners looking forward to some tasty retro treats, but looking on the brighter side, Rare titles which are owned by Nintendo including Donkey Kong 64 and Diddy Kong Racing will be making an appearance - although we suspect that won't be so much of a consolation.
So we urge EA and Rare to get together and make it happen with Goldeneye, a Virtual Console without Bond would be missing one of its major stars and by the gods of gaming, that's not something we'd like to contemplate on this wet Monday morning. ...

It's been an epic struggle for the hearts and minds of gamers at this year's GDC show, with both Nintendo and Sony fighting for the next-gen spotlight. Sony managed to grab the attention of show-goers with a plethora of demos and game announcements, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is unsurprisingly placing his bets with Revolution.
Speaking to the Seattle Times, the Nintendo president said that the Revolution was unaffected by Sony's recent PlayStation 3 delay. "Because what we are aiming at with the Revolution is much different from what Sony's aiming at with the PlayStation 3, I really don't think any changes in their schedule will affect Nintendo greatly," he said.

He continued: "we have never thought in terms of when they will make the PlayStation 3 available, but rather our hope is launching Revolution in 2006. In that sense, we really don't care what Sony is talking about with a launch delay."
Iwata also cast a retrospective look on the performance of the GameCube, which sold even lower than Nintendo's previous console the N64. Iwata said that he thought that the GameCube was not differentiated enough from the Playstation 2, but notes that company are working to correct the error in the next wave of consoles. "Because [the PS3 and Revolution] are going to be so different, I don't think consumers will wonder which one they should choose," he said.

In another interview this weekend conducted with the Taipei Times, Iwata made some interesting comments on Nintendo's intentions - or lack thereof - to follow Microsoft and Sony's lead in conducting a simultaneous worldwide launch for their console. "We don't think it's necessary to do the simultaneous worldwide launch simply because others are doing this," he said.

The Nintendo president has previously said that he hopes to bring the Revolution to "as many countries as possible at the same time," but the company has thus far been hesitant to commit to any kind of simultaneous launch in Europe. We can only hope that Nintendo doesn't follow previous console trends - such as the Nintendo DS - and condemn Europe to a 2007 release for the Revolution.

As usual, we'll have our fingers crossed until May's E3 show, where more Revolution launch details will no-doubt be divulged. ...

Source - CVG

All hail the US patent office, source of stories galore on a wet Monday morning, and its latest collection of gems unveiled today, reveal what looks like the next incarnation of the mighty GTA series on handheld platforms.
Yup, it's GTA Vice City Stories a-go-go today as Rockstar publisher Take 2 has filed three patents in the US last week with that name. The first covers a future GTA Vice City Stories game, the second secures associated rights for t-shirts, headgear and assorted merchandising and finally and perhaps most intriguingly of all, a third trademark suggests either a Vice City Stories TV series or movie is in prospect.

After the success of Liberty City Stories (still our number one PSP game, though it's only just edging Fight Night Round 3), it's hardly a surprise to find that Vice City will be getting the full-on handheld love, given that's exactly what happened with Liberty City. It means Rockstar won't have to totally rebuild its original Vice City game world, but can take the Vice City erm, city and remodel and populate it with new stories, characters and missions for your delectation.
No word on when we might expect Vice City Stories to appear, but we'd hope to see it happening before the end of this year as a splendid PSP Christmas offering. Perhaps even more intriguing is the prospect of a GTA movie or TV series, suggestions for leads and movie treatments welcome in our comments field below. ...

Sony's recent PlayStation 3 announcement was a welcome and indeed much needed boost to capture headlines and build momentum for the Japanese giant, but once the dust had settled and the cold hard light of day intervened, most industry watchers suspected that with a global November launch planned, Europe might be once again on the short end of the stick in the PS3 global allocation game.
But not according to Sony Europe boss David Reeves, who told respected trade mag MCV that "The US, Japan and Europe will be equally served, It's my job to make sure Europe gets equal billing. I can't specify the numbers but we'll work hard to ensure that it's equal." Good news for PS3 lovers then? Well maybe, especially when Reeves added, "Europe is on track and I think the third party publishers should recognize that. But for us, we'll have four to six [first party] titles at launch."

However while Europe will get an equal share for a change, it looks like we could still be searching for that elusive PS3 when we open Santa's sack on Christmas morning. SCEE UK boss Ray Maguire almost confirmed as much when he said that the November launch is almost guaranteed to lead to hardware shortages.
"Of course the launch is important but we are looking at a long term business plan. It is impractical to believe you can fulfil every single order. But we are going to do the best job we can to deliver what we hope will be a world beating console."

Looks like Sony will run into exactly the same problems as Microsoft did last Christmas, but at least all major territories will be equally disappointed - if that's any consolation. ...

New Commercial Nintendo DS Game:



Take on the role of Tao, a young magical student trying to master the Magical Arts. One day, the Demon Seal from the nearby Monster Tower cracked and let loose hoards of ferocious monsters. An extremely powerful monster curses the townspeople, including Taos family, turning them all into stone. Tao must find a way to master the art of magic, repair the Demon Seal, destroy the curse and save his family.



More info --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...1&lsaid=219793 ...

New Commercial Nintendo DS Game:



Take on the role of Tao, a young magical student trying to master the Magical Arts. One day, the Demon Seal from the nearby Monster Tower cracked and let loose hoards of ferocious monsters. An extremely powerful monster curses the townspeople, including Taos family, turning them all into stone. Tao must find a way to master the art of magic, repair the Demon Seal, destroy the curse and save his family.



More info --> http://www.yesasia.com/?/info.php?pro...1&lsaid=219793 ...