Noted Japanese developers Yoshiki Okamoto of Game Republic and Tetsuya Mizuguchi of Q Entertainment have both signed up to develop Xbox 2-exclusive titles for Microsoft Game Studios.[br][br]The announcement follows last week's revelation that Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguichi has committed his Mist Walker studio to developing a pair of RPGs for the next-generation platform, and is expected to greatly increase Microsoft's standing in the Far East.[br][br]As with the Sakaguchi announcement, however, it does not appear that the two designers and their respective studios will be limiting their entire output to the Xbox 2 platform, as some may fear glancing at headlines.[br][br]As a former Capcom executive, Okamoto has of course been involved with Xbox before - Capcom being one of the few Japanese firms to lend support to the console in its current incarnation - but Game Republic is still a feather in Microsoft's next-gen cap regardless.[br][br]Equally, there's no question of how important Mizuguchi's involvement will be to hardcore gamers around the world who have come to love his distinctive work, which includes the likes of SEGA Rally, Space Channel 5 and Rez.[br][br]Microsoft today argued that the announcement underscores "a growing preference... for the next generation Xbox platform" among developers. VP Peter Moore reckons "Gamers will be riveted by the experience enabled by such creators when given the proper canvas and tools."[br][br]Okamoto, whose previous life at Capcom included spells on Street Fighter and Resident Evil, amongst other things, said his goal "is to make completely fresh and riveting experiences that gamers have never had before," and like Sakaguchi last week he said that he felt with Xbox 2 he could "turn this vision into a reality".[br][br]Mizuguchi, meanwhile, said that he hoped to graduate from games that brought "ultimate fun" to games that would "give gamers the most emotional and thrilling gaming experience possible - joy, thrills, sympathy and speed". [br][br]Mizuguchi and Sakaguchi's shared emphasis of "emotion" in describing their goals for next-gen Xbox titles in the last week is an interesting and Microsoft will hope symbolic reflection of the rhetoric surrounding the launch of the industry-leading PlayStation 2 four years ago, when the "Emotion Engine" was the hype du jour. [br][br]Xbox 2, which Microsoft plans to launch in late 2005, will be the first next-gen platform to market, and the company hopes to capitalise on the significant gap in the market before PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Revolution appear in 2006 - just as they believe Sony did with the PlayStation 2, which emerged long before Xbox and GameCube.[br][br]"The power and advanced technologies of the next-generation Xbox platform will enable winning games with powerful emotions, high-quality graphics and sound," Mizuguchi concluded. Whether that's true or not remains to be seen, but with names of this calibre on the credit list we can at least say that Japan will be waiting to see this time around, too, rather than just staring on indifferently.[br] ...

Just a few days after the announcement that the creator of the Final Fantasy series was joining Microsoft Games Studio, Voodoo Express has the news that more venerable designers will be joining the company. Yoshiki Okamoto and Tetsuya Mizuguchi will be teaming up with Microsoft Games to produce titles for the next generation Xbox. From the article: "Microsoft is now happy to announce that the driving creative minds behind the likes of Resident Evil, Rez, Street Fighter and Space Channel 5 have joined forces with the company to create exciting new titles for the Xbox Next, primarily designed to attract Japanese gamers to the system:" ...

News from Lik Sang [br][br] We guessed it right in the past issue of our Weekly Gaming Update, the Pepsi NDS from Suntori was the avant-premiere for a complete new line of Nintendo DS flavors to come out. In just a few weeks from now, on March 24th, Nintendo of Japan will launch two additional colors of Nintendo DS Systems in the land of the Rising Sun, Pure White and long time rumored Graphite Black.[br][br]Nintendo DS (Pure White) 110V[br]Nintendo DS (Graphite Black) 110V[br][br]One month later, on April 21st, two more special editions will be launched. The Turquoise Blue edition will trigger some memories for those of you who had Nike Air Max sneakers in the same style during the nineties, while the Candy Pink edition will save male lives when it will come to use the last 200 US$ of the monthly budget either in a Nintendo DS system or to buy a cool gift for the girlfriend for a special celebration. Nintendo comes up with a solution for such dilemmas with this girly pink DS. The latter might very well sound as a joke to you, but I can tell you for fact that our sales curves for the Gameboy Advance SP Pearl Pink Edition does indeed show some jumps both around the 24th of December (Christmas) and in the couple of weeks ahead of February 14th (Valentine's Day).[br][br]Nintendo DS (Turquoise Blue) 110V[br]Nintendo DS (Candy Pink) 110V [br][br]More information at Lik Sang ...

News from Lik Sang [br][br] The Nintendo GameCube is definitely becoming a serious platform for Music&Rhythm gaming enthusiasts. On March 17th, the third installment of the massively popular Donkey Konga series will see its Japanese release. The official name, Tabe-houdai! Haru Mogitate 50 Kyoku, hints at a real feast of music game action, the huge songlist counting 50 hot tunes now! Donkey Konga 2: Hit Song Parade, the game's first expansion, featured less than 30 songs, so Donkey Konga 3 should make for an enormous update for those looking to use their bongos once more. For Japanese-capable importers, Nintendo has just recently posted the songlist of Donkey Konga 3 on their dedicated site; go there and have a look at how much content there will be this time![br][br]New to the series? Here's the gist of it: Donkey Konga offers a videogame experience similar to the Taiko no Tatsujin line of games where you follow and try to match the in-game music. Although you can use a standard controller to navigate the on-screen rythm frenzy, it's best enjoyed with the official Tarukonga Controller, representing a Bongos peripheral that features a microphone for picking up clapping sounds along with your drum beats. Donkey Konga 3 will be perfect for any music game and Donkey Kong fan alike. Please view the official Japanese trailer here (Windows Media Player):[br][br]• Donkey Konga 3 TVCM[br][br]In this latest incarnation, Nintendo icons Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong will be joined by none other than Funky Kong! Spinning conga beats are all the rage now, so Funky says goodbye to his travel service and accompanies his mates Donkey and Diddy, who all love to indulge in hip melodies. In addition, Funky will star in a couple of the included mini-games himself. Visually, the title orients itself somewhat closely to earlier Donkey Konga releases, which will help loyal followers of the series to jump right back into the action again. Typical for a Nintendo game, players having their very first go at the franchise with Donkey Konga 3, will find it easy to get going as well. [br][br]If you can't wait to expand your songlist with Donkey Konga and need some new material to bang your bongos to, then Donkey Konga 3 will certainly deliver, absolutely being the ultimate edition released so far. Secure your copy and preorder now for only US$ 59.90, this title is of course eligible for our Free Worldwide Shipping promotion. Grab the official Tarukonga Bongos Controller in addition, if you still lack one, to dig Donkey Konga 3 the way it was meant to be played.[br][br]It's just fantastic that GameCube owners get showered with so much Bemani game goodness all of a sudden, since apart from the fantastic and innovative Donkey Konga department, there are also some other titles worth mentioning:[br][br]Featuring the big ape himself as well, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is basically a platform title which is played entirely with the DK Bongo controller. Guide Donkey Kong through wild jungle environments dealing with a myriad of enemies and challenging obstacles by tapping the bongos, doing a drum roll or controlling him by clapping! Battle enormous beasts this way or get into boxing matches with rivals. Furthermore, you can ride animals and vehicles in a jungle gone wild![br][br]While being big, hairy and a banana addict isn't everything, the announcement of Dance Dance Revolution with MARIO sent noticeable ripples through the entire Bemani community. Finally we'll get a full-blown DDR game for GameCube! It's on preorder already for only US$ 59.90, with a release expected in the first quarter of this year. Dance along with your favorite characters of the Mushroom Kingdom, treat yourself to a decent workout with 2 player versus mode or simply have fun with several unique mini-games included. [br][br]For fans of the oversized monkey that originated as the kidnapper of Mario's girlfriend in arcades of gaming yesteryear, we even carry a number of current games for the GameBoy Advance and have more still on preorder. And that's not all: additionally there are some cool toys you should definitely check out as well, which feature Donkey Kong in a R/C cart, by himself and in a group of other famous Nintendo characters in dedicated Capsule Toy form. ...

News from Lik Sang [br][br] Another Code for the Nintendo DS is the systems first true fantasy title, and with such a review, they couldn't ask for a better start. Playing as a thirteen-year old named Ashley Mizuki Robbins, you must uncover the mystery of what happened to your parents after their device named "Another" went wrong during development in a secret government lab. The game opens you up to a detailed and lush looking 3D world, complete with many puzzles that make use of the touch ability. [br][br]A 3D birds-eye view takes the bottom screen, while you use either the d-pad or stylus to move around. Many NDS players find the stylus a poor substitute for an analogue stick, but in Another Code at least, it actually works surprisingly well and bodes great for future adventure games. At the same time, the top screen displays beautifully pre-rendered shots of the location you're in, and points of particular interest. The title is now shipping, while the US version awaits a release date for sometime later this year. ...

The Internet abounds with reviews of games and other software, and even of hardware platforms themselves. However, when you're looking for something simpler, like a good case or screen protector, you're quite often left to take your chances alone. Therefore, as an owner of a number of random game accessories, I've decided to start reviewing some of the ones people are more likely to consider. Today's entry: the Pelican starter kit for Nintendo DS.

The Pelican kit for DS looks like a good deal right from the start--for $15-$20 (depending on where you purchase), it provides just about every accessory you can think of out of the box. It includes 2 extra stylii, 2 multi-game "armored" carrying cases, a car adaptor, headphones, screen protectors, and a carrying bag.

Pelican has a bit of a reputation for pushing products to market and then not offering any customer support to back them up...but things like these generally do not need tech. support--and besides, Pelican is responsible for my favorite GameBoy accessory: a very comfortable, rubberized, snap-on battery & ergonomic backplate for the original-model GBA.

Back information about the company aside, let's take a look at the individual components of the kit:

Car Power Adaptor
This is probably the main reason most people would buy the kit to begin with. The plug unit is very small and compact (especially when compared with the behemoth that is Nintendo's first-party version), and comes in a straight black design that will fit just fine with your DS or SP. The 6-foot cord should be long enough to fit most needs, so long as you're not trying to play from the back seat of a minivan. Though there is nothing remarkable about the unit, the build quality seems fine, and there were no problems getting it to plug in and work immediately and reliably. As an additional plus, the fuse is also removeable, so the unit is not worthless if your DS suffers a power surge.

Headphones
To be honest, I have never been a particular fan of "earbud" style headphones, and generally just end up using the traditional-styled headphones that came packed in with my Sony Discman. The sound quality is passable--I've certainly heard worse, but they still leave something to be desired (especially in the bass range). The cord is roughly 5 feet long, which should be more than adequate either for playing games, or for using the DS as a music player from your pocket (via Play-Yan or GBA Movie Player).

Headphone Bag
This is a small, black nylon bag with a clasped drawstring and the Pelican logo emblazoned across the front. Designed for carrying the earbuds (why?), it almost seems like an afterthought thrown in for the sole purpose of upping the number Pelican could advertise as "items included" in the kit. The bag is too small to hold anything other than the headphones or an assortment of game cartridges (roughly 4-5 GBA carts, or a small handful of DS games). However, since the clasp is made out of a very cheap plastic, I'm not sure I'd entrust my games to this bag...and stowing the earbuds in here hardly seems worthwhile. This is probably the most useless item in the lot.

Stylus
As I mentioned earlier, the kit comes with 2 extra stylii for your DS. These are notably longer and slightly thicker than the first-party DS stylus, and thus much easier to hold and manipulate. They also have a more pointed tip (making it easier to see what exactly you're pointing to onscreen), and a top clip for latching onto a pocket or other edge. The entire unit is very lightweight, and made out of a single, solid piece of plastic. These would actually be far preferable to the pack-in ones, were it not for the fact that they do not actually fit into the DS. They are too wide to fit into the stylus slot on the back of the DS, and thus must either be carried separately, or clipped precariously onto the outside of the unit. I ended up using these as extras for my Tapwave Zodiac, and keeping the factory originals with my DS.

Game Case
Cartridge cases have been a very frequent and popular addition to the GameBoy market, ever since Nintendo stopped including first-party clamshells after the end of the original generation. The two "ESL" multi-cartridge cases included will do a great job of protecting your games from the elements, and are a great idea for camping trips or other outings where unwanted substances may take a shot at your games. The outside is a very thick, durable plastic, and the inside is lined with removable rubberized holders. One side of each case holds three GBA games, and the other holds three DS cards and has an additional slot for one of the included stylii (see above). However, since these inserts are removable, you could very easily modify them to have one all-DS case and one all-GBA case if ...

The Tapwave Zodiac gets a nice slice of MAME Action with the release of PMAME thanks to Vilmos, this release supports 100s of games, download from Here. ...

how can i do for burn pvcs(atari 2600 for ps2) on a cd?
some people told me to crate a txt file called files.txt, i use pefu alpha 2( this program is used to create files.txt files)but the cd don´t load.

obs1: in the manual of pvcs, says: load on memory card and cdrom, but, dont work on cd(when i buy som usb to usb cable, i will try use the naplink)

obs2: when you downloaded the emulator from the oficial pvcs website(http://pvcs.ps2-scene.org/)the zip or rar files don't contains the file system.cnf. i am not a hacker or a programmer, but some people told me and i belive the cd rom doesn't work without these file.

please help me, if some one has a tutorial in english or portuguese, please post or send for this email: [email protected].

thanks ...

Woogal has released the first ZX81 emulator for the Gamepark 32, heres some info:[br][br] Here is my very basic port of z81 to the gp32. It's a port of an older version because it had less files and I'm lazy .. [br][br]Download Here ...