Gamespot has coverage of the appearance on an official Korean Xbox site of a "Halo 2 X-Pack". The possible expansion is another possible way for Bungie and Microsoft to get the heavily foreshadowed ending to fans of the series. From the article: "Such a Halo 2 expansion could be a twofold boon for Microsoft, adding another incentive for gamers to join its online service and squeezing further dollars from the nearly 7 million gamers who already have Halo 2." ...

Fangorn has released v1.0 of his Spectrum emulator for the Tapwave Zodiac, heres whats in this release:

Features:

Emulates the 48k, 128K and Plus2 hardware, running at full speed
Supports images SNA, Z80, TAP, SP, TZX (limited).
Displays SCRshots.

Download Here. ...

The Nintendo DS emulator DSemu has been updated, heres whats new:

I've ported the sprites from gladius' GPU, so there should be a lot more working GBA demos than there were yesterday. I know for a fact that at least a few sprite-based demos do work fine. I did have to add a double check for Y-coordinate bounding, on top of gladius' code, though; that seems strange.

I only have one DS demo that uses sprites, really, and that's Nibbles. However, it doesn't even start; it jumps to 0, just as many other DS demos do. It feels like a core bug to me, and until I fix that, I probably won't get much DS output.

Download Here ...

Desktopman has released updated versions of his 2 homebrew Nintendo DS Games, Nibbles DS and Tetris DS, heres the news from this release:

Minor update to both Nibbles and Tetris. Both now uses the template from bottledlight, although with a different makefile for the arm9 part. You can now compile both emulator (arm9) binaries and hardware (passthrough) binaries easily.

Also fixed some logic bugs in Nibbles, and slowed it down a bit. And now you can eat cherries aswell Nibbles now comes with (messy) source, due to requests.

Download Nibbles DS and Tetris DS. ...

Yoshi's Touch and Go is very nearly the best thing on DS. For all its charm it is just a bit too short to beat Wario and Mario.

Still, if you can't wait until May (when it hits the UK) and you're toying with the idea of importing it, you'll find a minor classic and one of Nintendo's most original games of recent times. Fact.

It's a game of two parts, reuniting Yoshi with Baby Mario in similar fashion to Yoshi's Island on SNES and GBA. The first part of the game is an extension of the old DS demo that showed clouds being drawn under a plummeting Mario to break his fall. Here you've got to draw clouds with the stylus to avoid enemies and collect coins.

The second part of the game has Baby Mario being carried by Yoshi and, again, you've got to draw clouds and platforms so Yoshi can continue on his merry way.

The Yoshi bit has more to it though, as tapping the stylus over an enemy lets you chuck a saurian bum-egg at them, a move that can also be used to collect coins and egg-bestowing fruit. Tapping on Yoshi makes him leap, and doing so again enables his flutter jump. Finally, blowing into the microphone destroys all the clouds you've created.

It's all incredibly simple and brilliantly implemented, offering both unparalleled use of both the touch pad - there's absolutely no way you could control this game in any other fashion - and the dual screens. Enemies, coins and fruit appear over both screens, so you'll be frantically drawing platforms and egging things. It all gets very hectic.

It's also a game of great subtlety, as going for high scores (which is pretty much the aim of the main mode) requires lightning-fast stylus use and dazzling accuracy.

To be the best you'll need to egg-snatch, dispatch enemies and grab coins with a single projectile. It's the very paragon of the Nintendo ethic - anyone can play it but it's as deep as an ocean and very challenging.

Where the game falls down, though, is that it's small. The main mode contains only two levels - the Baby Mario and Yoshi elements we've just discussed.

This isn't a sprawling adventure at all, and as such seems a little mealy-mouthed, offering the unique experience you can only get with DS on the one hand, but a jarringly small portion of it with the other.

It's a disappointing realisation, but that's not really the be-all and end-all of Touch and Go, as the three other modes - Endless, Time Attack and Challenge - offer distinct riffs on the main template.

Endless is particularly good. You take Yoshi on an endless and increasingly difficult journey, with every 1000 metres reached seeing you swap over to a differently hued Yoshi. Like tackling Tetris' Marathon mode, it's hugely addictive and brain-meltingly enjoyable.

Touch and Go is a new breed of platformer, and while it doesn't quite reach the heights of Wario Ware and Mario 64 DS, it is still an essential DS purchase.

Yoshi's Touch and Go is out now in Japan and will be out for DS in the UK later this year

Overall: 4/5 ...

Mobile Nintendophiles who fancy poker and off-roading got a double dose of godo news today. Majesco has announced that it will be releasing two titles for the DS, Texas Hold 'Em Poker and ATV: Quad Frenzy. Both titles are slated for release "later this year".

Texas Hold 'Em Poker follows the Game Boy Advance game of the same name, also from Majesco. The card-slinging game features no limit and limit variations, as well as competition against 10 computer opponents or five human opponents in a tournament via the Wi-Fi capabilities of the DS.

ATV: Quad Frenzy brings four-wheeling action to the dual-screen DS. Gamers will race across 40 different tracks and upgrade their ride using the DS's stylus. The racer will also feature Wi-Fi support for multiplayer racing. ...

News from Lik Sang

Big and hairy, he's been around since the dawning of videogame history, a famous Nintendo in-house creation and for that as much a recognizable character brand as superstar Mario. No surprise, since it all began with a standoff between Donkey Kong and the cheerful Italian plumber (initially called "Jumpman") in the arcades of 1981 on a dedicated machine named after the famous ape. None other than Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto was responsible for the birth of these characters, which should appear in a myriad of games on many different systems over the years, never losing their tremendous appeal for gamers.

Now Donkey Kong is back on GameCube again, with two titles that make use of the official Tarukonga Controller, a Bongo drum-like peripheral that provides a whole new take on how you navigate the action on screen. While the music game Donkey Konga 3 naturally asks for a great tool like this to handle the groovy rythms thrown at you, Donkey Kong - Jungle Beat lets you have a go at a frantic Jump'n Run in a very unique way: your drum beats and claps guide the big gorilla through the lush, level based environments! Let us give you the gist of these beauties below, where we talk about features, gameplay and more...

Note: Both games are in stock and shipping within 24 hours, while all preorders have been cleared and new orders are very welcome, of course eligible for our Free Shipping Worldwide promotion.

So Hot it's Cool: Bang Away with Donkey Konga 3 JAP

Similar to the Taiko no Tatsujin line of games where you follow and try to match the in-game music, Donkey Konga allows you to manage the on-screen rythm frenzy with the above mentioned Tarukonga Controller, representing a Bongos peripheral that features a microphone for picking up clapping sounds along with your drum beats. Apart from Mr. Big Ape himself, Donkey Konga 3 stars monkey celebrities Diddy Kong and Funky Kong, the latter turning his back on the travel service he's heading to join his mates, who devote themselves to spinning conga beats. Some of the included mini-games will see the appearance of Funky as well.

Players can indulge in a variety of modes in Donkey Konga 3. Shuffle Mode presents you with a tricky challenge, since the notes of a given song change each time you have a go at it. Or nourish a tree by playing well in a mode called Rythm Banana Island. Here you're able to unlock a new Taru-taru mini game, allowing you to fly through the air and hit a tree. Save data (such as bought patterns) from the first two Donkey Konga games can also be accessed via a memory card. Please watch the recently posted Donkey Konga 3 TVCM or head over to Nintendo's DK3 site to view another wierd Japanese commercial which was just released.

The colorful graphics sure match the superb music in this ultimate edition of Donkey Konga released so far; it's a great opportunity to obtain fresh song material to bang your bongos to. Gameplay is straightforward enough to guarantee an easy entry to Donkey Konga 3, while Bemani veterans will love to squeeze every drop of game content out of this more than worthwile expansion.

Ideal for any music game and Donkey Kong fan alike, the third installment of the series offers an enormous update through a huge songlist of 50 fine tunes now, even more than the first expansion, Donkey Konga 2: Hit Song Parade. You can take a look at the list of melodies on Nintendo's official site, or view the translated version here:

Donkey Konga 3 songlist:

J-Pop:
1. Hana
2. Kimi ni Bump
3. Happy Days
4. Rokoroushon
5. Ignited (Gundam Seed Destiny opening theme)
6. Start (Detective Conan opening theme)
7. Seishun Kyousou Kyoku (Naruto opening theme)
8. Baka Survivor (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo opening theme)
9. Relight (Fullmetal Alchemist opening theme)
10. Go!!!
11. Kore Ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi
12. Tomorrow

Anime:
1. Kite Kite Atashinchi (Atashinchi ending theme)
2. Mezase Poke-Monster (Pockemon opening theme)
3. Ora-ha Ninki Mono (Crayon-shin-chan opening theme)
4. Cha-la Head-cha-la (Dragon Ball Z opening theme)
5. Touch (Touch opening theme)
6. Ashita ni Nattara (Donkey Kong opening theme)
7. Banana Tengoku (Donkey Kong ending theme)

TV:
1. Doremifa Daijoubu (Hajimete no Otsukai theme song)
2. Fire Emblem

Variety:
1. Youderu Tabe Houdai
2. Iiyuudana
3. Makkensanba II

Western:
1. Entertainer
2. La Coocoo Racha (I can't figure out how to spell this)

Classic:
1. William Tell
2. Aine Kuraine Nahatomajiiku

Games:
1. Smash Brothers DX
2. Kochira Monopiza (Mawaru Made in Wario)
3. Jungle Beat
4. Star Fox
5. Donkey's Groove (Donkey Konga 3 theme song)

Children's Music:
1. Te no Hira wo Taiyou Ni
2. Bingo

Famicom:
1. Super Mario Brothers
2. Mappy
3. Zelda no Densetsu
4. Tower of Doruga
5. Hoshi no Kirby: Yume no Izuumi no Monogatari
6. Doctor Mario
7. Pacman
8. Digdug
9. - 15. unlockable songs


Jump'n Drum: Donkey Kong - Jungle Beat US

...

After months of rumours, a 'soft' launch last October and a barrage of mysterious advertising on television and the internet, it has finally been released. Almost.
Gizmondo goes on sale tomorrow in the UK. Tiger Telematics' pretender to the handheld gaming throne has certainly had an interesting run up to launch, not least because it's been an absolute nightmare for anyone to get their hands on a unit, thus limiting the kind of coverage websites and magazines can give it.

This has led to all sorts of reactions. "It must be rubbish," we've heard, as well as "It could be great...". Add in some of the rumours that have been circulating - including the famous 'Halo coming to Gizmondo' episode - and you've got one of the most enigmatic, if not high-profile, handheld launches ever.

Well, we finally got hands-on with Gizmondo yesterday. It was an extremely interesting experience. Since we won't get a full review unit until after the launch tomorrow we'll hold off on an in-depth dissection of the handheld, but we thought we'd offer some first impressions just in case you've got 229 burning a hole in your pocket.
That's how much a Gizmondo will set you back. It's a difficult pricepoint, especially coming so close after Nintendo's sub-100 DS launch last week. At least you get plenty for your cash: Gizmondo is the classic jack of all trades. As well as playing games on it's 2.8" LCD screen the Giz handles MP3 music and MPEG 4 movie files and comes complete with a digital camera, Global Positioning software, and GPRS and Bluetooth connectivity for email, downloads and wireless multiplayer gaming. SD cards are used to store and transfer data, and there's also a USB connection.

Jack of all trades, but master of... well? It certainly feels nice, and looks much, much better than we expected. It's smaller and thinner than you'd expect, and fits into your hands with a far more ergonomic snugness than Nintendo's DS. The D-pad in particular feels smooth and accurate under your finger, while the face buttons and strangely erect shoulder buttons are as comfortable as you'd hope for portable gaming.

The rubberised exterior is pleasing to hold and also inspires a fair bit of confidence. We wouldn't expect to see the chips, scrapes and flakes afflicting our DS and PSP causing the Gizmondo many problems.

Of course, it's nowhere near as cool looking as the PSP, but it is far more practical if you're chucking it in your bag or lugging it in a pocket populated by spiky keys and coins.

The operating system at Gizmondo's front end is equally surprising. Attractive and easy to use, the Windows CE-powered OS is quick and clear. You can access all your data from this one central hub, and quick SD card switching means you're never more than five seconds from your film, music or game.

Music playback is solid enough, but on first glance it doesn't seem that there's a great deal of features other than pressing play and listening. We're told that Gizmondo has a 20 percent better bit rate than Apple's iPod, which is nice, although you're unlikely to notice the difference unless you've got ears like satellite dishes.

We were pretty impressed by the movie playback. Watching snatches of I, Robot was pleasant enough, even if the screen isn't as impressive as the PSP's. Still, for movies on the move Gizmondo looks like it'll do a functional, if unspectacular, job.

But let's be honest - for Gizmondo, it's the games that will make or break it. While the system seems to be set up quite nicely for playing them, we worry that there won't be enough big or impressive titles available. We had a little pop on Trailblazer (a puzzle/racer hybrid based on an eighties arcade game), a preview version of Richard Burns Rally and the original Sonic The Hedgehog drawn from the Sega Classics Pack. All were fine as far as they go, but it's not Metal Gear Acid or Wario Ware, is it?

One title that does interest us is Colors, a gang-based shooter that draws on the Gizmondo's GPS system (which can also be used to find your position, tell you your nearest, say, hotel, and even alert the authorities if you get yourself snatched). The idea is that you set a GeoFence around your house, and every time someone blunders into that area with a Gizmondo and a copy of Colors you fight them wirelessly. In theory it's a great idea. In practice it sounds a little ambitious. For one thing, it's unlikely we'd drag our arses off the couch to 'invade' someone else's territory, but then it is a portable system.

With a solid game line-up Gizmondo could do alright, but it doesn't have it yet. The launch line-up is especially sparse, with only the Fathammer Classics Pack available tomorrow. That worries us. It's certainly a nice little piece of kit, and much more covetable than we expected, but it needs a lot of things to go its way before it's going to get close to muscling in on DS, PSP or iPod.

Once we get our review unit we'll give you a more detailed account ...

Natrium 42 the man behind the Passme device has released his first homebrew game for the Nintendo DS called Battle Ship DS, Check out the Screenshots and download Here http://nintendo-ds.dcemu.co.uk/battleshipds.shtml ...