via Nintendo Wii Fanboy


Filipino site GameOPS found that pirates are up to their old tricks again, copying GameCube games onto DVD discs and packaging them as Wii releases. Titles like Luigi's Mansion, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition are advertised with new covers that've been rebranded with Wii logos and boxart elements. Unlike official GameCube-to-Wii ports, these don't even feature tacked-on waggle controls!

When asked about the "Wii" copy of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on display at ShopesVille, a department store in Manila's Greenhills Shopping Center, one of the salesladies explained that it's the same Metal Gear Solid release as the upcoming PS3 game. We bet that all the people who argued about the Wii not being able to handle next-gen graphics feel a bit silly now! Check past the break for a couple more photos of the counterfeit case jackets.


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via engadget

It would seem that the first-ever iPhone game has been written and is available to download to your Jail-broken device, and true to the natural form of the Microsoft vs. Apple debate, it's all based around blowing up Zunes. Jason Merchant, a clever (and possibly very bored) iPhone hacker has coded a small game app for the phone wherein you target floating Zunes with your onscreen mini-iPhone, and then blast away with missiles. The Microsoft-fanboy-incensing shooter was written in objective C, and obviously requires that your device has had Jailbreak run on it to allow for the install. The creator says he's working on an aquarium app which will allow you to drop fish-food to an underwater iPhone, which pretty much makes no sense at all.

More Info ...

via engadget

Look, we're gonna be up front about this. You probably won't want to do this iPhone hack -- it requires special equipment, it's a little difficult (to say the least), and it may not even work for data apps anyway. There, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's talk about what's at hand.

So we saw something similar to this before, but Hackint0sh user Sassha apparently managed to "unlock" his iPhone and post a guide to using a SIM writer device, SilverCard, a SIM with accessible Ki number, and, of course, some some software so you can do the same. Basically, you have to specially reprogram your new SIM's IMSI to match your AT&T SIM, essentially tricking your iPhone into thinking it's using the real deal SIM when it's actually on a different network entirely. Then, after a few (read: many) more steps and a sprinkling of fairy dust your iPhone could be carrier-free -- but with no guarantees data will work (since it's not like Apple gives you a place to configure your EDGE connection). In other words, caveat emptor, use at your own risk, and heed word to the wise: just wait for the real unlocking-hacks to be released. The iPhone's pretty good, but it's not good enough to jump through these kinds of hoops for no certain outcome.

More Info ...

CycloDS Evolution firmware v1.2 BETA has been released along with an update to the CycloDS Evolution Moonshell package. Both releases are available for download. Please note that this is a BETA firmware release, and as such may contain bugs. As a precaution, please backup your MicroSD contents before installing this firmware update.

Some of you may be wondering why we decided to release a public BETA rather than holding off for the final v1.2 release. The primary reason for this is that support for custom cheats codes, which is a feature scheduled for inclusion in the v1.2 release, has not been finalized yet. Unfortunately this means that the custom cheat codes feature is not included in this BETA. However, we have been working on a number of other new features and fixes and felt it was unfair to keep our loyal customers waiting just because this one feature is incomplete, so we decided to do an interim firmware release. The secondary reason for the BETA is that the firmware has undergone many changes “under the hood” and we felt it would be better to allow our users to assist in testing before releasing the final stable build. This is why we must stress that you should only use this BETA if you know what you are doing and accept the risks involved.

Changes for the firmware include:

* Fixed Wii connectivity (Pokemon Diamond/Pearl and Pokemon Battle Revolution)
* Moonshell soft reset is now supported
* Several game compatibility fixes
* Multiple skins are supported, selectable in the settings menu
* RAM pack for Opera (clean rom) supported via CycloDS Mini/Micro and EZ3in1
* Rumble for EZ3in1 supported
* DSLinux is now supported
* Ingame menu changes:
o Multi-lingual
o Slowmo adjustable
o Realtime cheat enable/disable
o Improved stability
o Supported for more games
* Added new file view mode - "list view"
* Improved file list sorting method
* Completely new translations: Dutch, Greek, Indonesian, Malaysian, Russian, Tagalog
* All text is now completely translated (GUI, ingame menu and the updater)
* GUI clean-up:
o Buttons for various dialog boxes
o Press B to exit settings screen
o Stopped game list from displaying invalid items
* Loader now reboots into GUI if there is an error (no longer locks on "Loading..")
* Many other miscellaneous fixes/improvements

Changes for Moonshell include:

* Soft reset back to CycloDS Evolution main menu is now supported via RESET.MSE
* Removed redundant warning screen



http://www.teamcyclops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1216 ...

via Computer and Video Games


The latest entry in the free-roaming blast-em-genre has been revealed in the pages of UK Official Xbox Magazine.

Dubbed Prototype, and from Scarface dev Radical, it'll put you in the demented shoes of Alex Mercer, a genetically engineered hoody who can, among other things, slash baddies in half and climb up the side of skyscrapers.

Put him in the middle of a bustling New York (we're already debating in the office whether it's prettier than GTA IV's Liberty City) where a human-mutating virus has caused a battle between mutants and the military, and you've got something that's a bit like Crackdown meets The Darkness.

Vivendi is wheeling out the "living, breathing world" line for Prototype's version of New York, although we have to say the amount of NPCs visible in the screenshots is ridiculous.

If they can actually manage to put some decent AI on Prototype's pedestrians, it'll at least be very impressive technologically.

Alex's big bag of tricks include super-human strength, the ability to cover himself in scale-like shields and the ability to send matter through the ground, impaling baddies on giant spikes.

He can also shape shift into the identity of his victims, which OXM notes can be used to take the guise of an army officer and call in air strikes.

It's still a ways off (it's currently penned for winter 2008), but if Radical can emulate the freedom and outright fun factor of Crackdown, it could be on for a winner. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Microsoft has responded to an experts' evaluation of the Xbox 360's heat problems, in which a major design flaw is claimed.

The evaluation, carried out by Japanese news source Nikkei, had a thermo design expert analyze the 360's heat radiation system. The test found that a flaw in Xbox 360's design means that it could achieve temperatures of over 100 degrees in the summer (that's hot enough to make a cup of tea).

The expert pointed out that, "the heat sink on the graphics LSI is so small, I wonder if it can really cool down the board." Apparently, Microsoft downsized the graphics LSI heat sink so that the DVD drive could be placed on top.

Worryingly, as well as a launch console Nikkei also tested a machine repaired in May 2007, and the heat sink was still the same downsized unit.

Responding to the report, a Microsoft spokesperson told CVG, "There is no single root cause or systemic issue with any of the Xbox 360 consoles."

With such a complex consumer electronic product that contains more than 1700 different components and 500 million transistors, there are obviously many things that can malfunction at any given time. The vast majority of customers who own Xbox 360 consoles continue to have a terrific experience. "As Microsoft didn't participate in the test, we cannot comment on any findings."

It'll be interesting to see if PS3s then, which also have plenty of transistors and technical innards, start breaking down in the same quantity as Xbox 360s. In the meantime, we're keeping an extra fan on our consoles until the autumn arrives. ...

via Computer and Video Games


It all started when Dead or Alive mastermind Tomonobu Itagaki started talking about Sony's PS3 stunner, Heavenly Sword...

He may have a point but we didn't have a problem with those similar action sequences in the mighty God of War games. In fact, we kind of liked them...

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via Computer and Video Games


It has finally been confirmed that you won't have to buy a thousand-pound PC to play Unreal Tournament III with proper controls because the PS3 version will support mouse and keyboard. Get in!

Epic's all-knowing Mark Rein confirmed the good news on the official UTIII forums. "I checked with Steve Polge [the lead designer] and he said that YES we are supporting keyboard and mouse in Unreal Tournament 3 on PS3," he firmly stated.

This must have been a recent development because Rein had "no idea" about it when we spoke to him last week, although he questioned whether or not it's fair to give people the chance to play with a mouse and keyboard set-up, which would allow you to severely thrash anyone using a comparatively restrictive control pad.

We say its great news to know we'll be able to play the game with PC-quality control on PS3, and anyone who falls victim to the pin-point aiming of a mouse-user; serves you right. Get the equipment and play it properly, or don't whinge about it. ...

via Games Industry


High Street retailer HMV has admitted a pre-order listing for Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on the Xbox 360 was a mistake by its online admin team.

The listing caused a stir over the weekend, with websites and forums assuming it was evidence that the anticipated PlayStation 3 title was no longer a Sony exclusive.

"In his enthusiasm, one of our online games team indicated that hmv.co.uk would start taking pre-orders for MGS4 on Xbox 360, when, in fact, he simply meant to ask customers if they wished to receive an alert in the event of this title one day coming out on this platform," admitted the retailer to GamesIndustry.biz

"We're sorry to have caused such a stir - the oversight has now been corrected."

Although Konami maintains that the latest title in the Metal Gear franchise is a PlayStation 3 exclusive, numerous reports and rumours - some from Konami employees themselves - have hinted that it may not remain on a single format in the future. ...