via Kotaku


It's Friday, so if you don't have any plans yet and are already feeling left out, then the following information might send you over the edge. Japan, who is already the family favorite when it comes to getting games first, has already got its list of upcoming games for Nintendo from Famitsu which are as follows:

July 2007: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Fuuketsu no Grimoire (NDS, Square Enix)
July 2007: MushiKing Super Collection (Wii, Sega)
July 2007: Wii Health Pack (Wii, Nintendo)
July 2007: Mario Party 8 (Wii, Nintendo)
August 2007: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (NDS, Square Enix)
October 2007: Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo)
November 2007: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 (NDS, Nintendo)
November 2007: Dragon Quest IX (NDS, Square Enix)
December 2007: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii/NDS, Sega)
In late 2007: Wii with DVD playback (Nintendo)
2008: Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Capcom)

Not many surprises here, but I'd really like to know when EXACTLY the Japanese are getting Mario Galaxy and Umbrella Chronicles. Clearly, as the adopted sons and daughters of the unit, we should expect to receive our hand-me-downs (gently-used and pre-shrunk) in the far-off distant future. ...

via Kotaku


It's Friday, so if you don't have any plans yet and are already feeling left out, then the following information might send you over the edge. Japan, who is already the family favorite when it comes to getting games first, has already got its list of upcoming games for Nintendo from Famitsu which are as follows:

July 2007: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Fuuketsu no Grimoire (NDS, Square Enix)
July 2007: MushiKing Super Collection (Wii, Sega)
July 2007: Wii Health Pack (Wii, Nintendo)
July 2007: Mario Party 8 (Wii, Nintendo)
August 2007: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (NDS, Square Enix)
October 2007: Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo)
November 2007: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 (NDS, Nintendo)
November 2007: Dragon Quest IX (NDS, Square Enix)
December 2007: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii/NDS, Sega)
In late 2007: Wii with DVD playback (Nintendo)
2008: Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Capcom)

Not many surprises here, but I'd really like to know when EXACTLY the Japanese are getting Mario Galaxy and Umbrella Chronicles. Clearly, as the adopted sons and daughters of the unit, we should expect to receive our hand-me-downs (gently-used and pre-shrunk) in the far-off distant future. ...

via Kotaku


It's Friday, so if you don't have any plans yet and are already feeling left out, then the following information might send you over the edge. Japan, who is already the family favorite when it comes to getting games first, has already got its list of upcoming games for Nintendo from Famitsu which are as follows:

July 2007: Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Fuuketsu no Grimoire (NDS, Square Enix)
July 2007: MushiKing Super Collection (Wii, Sega)
July 2007: Wii Health Pack (Wii, Nintendo)
July 2007: Mario Party 8 (Wii, Nintendo)
August 2007: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (NDS, Square Enix)
October 2007: Super Mario Galaxy (Wii, Nintendo)
November 2007: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon 2 (NDS, Nintendo)
November 2007: Dragon Quest IX (NDS, Square Enix)
December 2007: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii/NDS, Sega)
In late 2007: Wii with DVD playback (Nintendo)
2008: Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (Capcom)

Not many surprises here, but I'd really like to know when EXACTLY the Japanese are getting Mario Galaxy and Umbrella Chronicles. Clearly, as the adopted sons and daughters of the unit, we should expect to receive our hand-me-downs (gently-used and pre-shrunk) in the far-off distant future. ...

via Kotaku




Wii Fanboy has a picture up of some pretty damn cool looking Wii remotes hand-painted by one of their readers. It looks like the reader just took the thing apart painted it and then put it back together. If I had any, and I mean any, artistic talent I'd be all over this. But alas, I don't. ...

via Computer and Video Games


A fresh set of Grand Theft Auto: IV rumours have been spilled across the internet suggesting that the recently revealed lead character dies early on in the game and you assume the role of his Russian cousin.

Via way of various forums and discussions comes what many are claiming to be new GTA: IV details. Rockstar obviously won't comment either way on what rumours are doing the rounds this week, but if these turn out to be true, it looks like the NYC-based publisher tried to lead us up the garden path with what it revealed in the debut trailer (which you can see here, just in case you missed it).

Apparently the lead character Nikko Bellic (the bloke from the trailer) is murdered early on in the game during a dodgy drug deal that goes horribly wrong.

Nikko is said to have fled Estonia to escape some dodgy Mafioso types and the rumours suggest that the story centres on a turf war between Italian and Russian families. Once this news reaches Bellic's mother land his cousin, Roman Petronov, takes the news very badly and sets sail for the US of A.

Petronov is said to be disturbed by the news of the murder and wants his revenge. But he doesn't just wade in there with sideways-pointing pistols and a bad attitude. He decides to do a bit of a Tony Montana, and work his way up the gangsta food chain first, before confronting those responsible for his cousin's untimely end.

Word is that playing as Roman Petronov you have to choose which gang to join to rise to the top of. You could be mugged, begged or jumped on to join the warring factions of Liberty City.

That rumour alone suggests that the game could turn out to be pretty open and non-linear, if you get to choose between three gangs. Presumably you'll have the chances to jump from gang to gang if things weren't going your way - with a bit of bloodshed thrown in along the way, of course.

Details that six motorcycles vehicles and three helicopters would make the final cut, though there will be no planes, were also hinted at.

Don't expect Rockstar to comment on the above at all. We'll just have to wait and see. ...

via Xbox 360 Fanboy




It seems like the game industry just isn't as solid as it once was. Games are discovered long before they are officially announced and street dates are broken left and right. Case in point: if the photo above is indeed genuine, it looks like Target has broken the street date on the Xbox 360 Elite. Not only has the street date been broken, but it has been broken by more than a week. Way to go, Target! The picture even includes a receipt, which we have magnified so that the $479.99 price is clearly visible. Granted, it could be a display box and some Photoshop trickery, but it looks awfully legit to us.

What's more, it appears that the owner of the Elite is selling it on eBay. The listing even has images of the serial number. The opening bid is $600. Of course, if Target is routinely breaking the street date, you could pick one up for a lot less.

Anyone else out there manage to snag an Elite from Target (or elsewhere)? We're assuming you aren't planning on winning one.


The eBay auction can be seen here. Leave feedback via comments. ...

via Kotaku


In Taylor, Michigan, Officials are trying to make retailers of used gaming equipment to take sellers' fingerprints and identity details. The proposed statute went before their City Council yesterday and would result in $500 in fines and up to 90 days in prison for retailers who do not comply.
The statute is supposed to lower the rate of crimes related to video games, according to Taylor's director of police services, Jac Desrosiers:

"It tightens up the whole process. We're doing this because there are instances where those type of items are stolen from homes, and we want to make it harder for thieves. ... There are games out now or video game systems that cost several hundred dollars. If you had a burglary and they take it to one of these chains, they could get $50-$100."

Fingerprinting and showing forms of identification are already standard process at places like pawn shops, but this law seems a little overkill for trade-ins that are usually worth less than $20. ...

via IGN


Microsoft's oft-rumored plans for a portable Xbox may have just been spoiled. The latest peripheral from the same folks that brought the world the Onimusha sword controller and the Final Fantasy X-2 gun controller promises to deliver true Xbox 360 gaming on-the-go. Assuming you've got a bag big enough to house an Xbox 360.

Hori finalized today release plans for the Compact TFT Monitor EX, an LCD monitor that can be attached to your Xbox 360 with minimal effort. The 36,750 yen 12.1 inch monitor outputs 720p and gets its signal from the 360 via analogue RGB. Sound is output via stereo speakers below the monitor, or you can plug in headphones.



The only thing keeping this from turning your 360 into a true portable unit is the power. You'll have to find a place to plug in the power adapters for the 360 and the monitor. Yes, as should be expected of an LCD monitor, this unit has its very own AC adapter.



Japanese release is set for July. If you manage to get one of these, we'd suggest a backpack with sturdy straps. ...

via Nintendo DS Fanboy


For gamers in the U.S., tax time has passed, and that means that some of you are just about ready to relax with a shiny new game. If that's the case, we sure hope you like word and number puzzles, because that's the dominant theme this week.

US releases

• Classic Action: Devilish
• The New York Times Crosswords
• Sudokuro
• Toon-Doku

European releases

• Diddy Kong Racing
• Zendoku

Japanese releases

• Gakuen Alice: WakuWaku * Happy Friends
• Lise no Atelier: Ordre no Renkinjutsushi
• Nodame Cantabile
• San-X Chara Sagashi Land
• Shichida Shiki Training Unou Tanren Unotan DS: Otona no Sokudoku Training
• Wi-Fi Taiou: Sekai no Daredemo Asobi Taizen

Australian releases

• Diddy Kong Racing

...