via Joystiq


A small slip-up on the Nintendo of Japan website has revealed three previously unannounced characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Fan favorites Ness and Jigglypuff will be returning from the previous Smash Bros. titles, while the pokémon Lucario will also be joining the ever-growing ranks.

Nintendo of Japan recently posted a 5-minute video explaining the many features of Brawl. In one section of the video, the sticker-collecting feature is shown off. A small set of icons along the bottom shows which character can equip each sticker, and originally showed small icons depicting Ness, Jigglypuff, and Lucario.

Nintendo of Japan has since updated the video, conspicuously whiting out these icons and effectively assuring us that this is "for real." More than simply confirming new characters, this news also confirms that the Brawl roster will exceed those characters announced on the official blog, which is just good news for everybody. Check out the original, unedited footage after the break. The icons appear very briefly around 4:20. ...

via Joystiq


Do we continue to write Lost Planet posts no matter how insignificant simply because the headlines practically write themselves? No. Don't be ridiculous: We're professionals. Now, do we post about Lost Planet because our collection of Photoshops based on it continue to make us laugh? ... Yeah, OK. You got us on that one.

But hey, don't scroll away just yet, this is Lost Planet info that you might actually find pretty useful. Capcom has announced that the PS3 version of the shooter will be arriving on February 26. In case you've forgotten, this version also ships with a new playable female character, Luka, in tow. We're just happy to hear she got off the second floor. ...

via Joystiq


We, much like our friends at Nintendo Wii Fanboy, don't have a lot of substantiation for this rumor, but we thought we'd pass it along anyway: Nintendo Power has been speculating that Super Smash Bros. will arrive on the Wii's Virtual Console alongside Super Smash Bros. Brawl's March 9 release date. Similar timing was used for Metroid and Super Mario Bros. 3 with Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy respectively.

We understand those tie-ins, each of the new games are markedly different from their predecessors, but we have a hard time believing we'll be enjoying Brawl in March and wish that we could play a shittier version. But hey, maybe that's just us. ...

via Computer and Video Games


A demo of Exit DS - a brilliant puzzle game in which you have figure out escape routes from a series of dangerous buildings - is now available for you to play.

Use the stylus to guide your long-coat-wearing dude through the hazards and dangers of the building he seems so prone to get himself stuck in, while trying to figure out a way to reach the exit using the items at hand.

It's pretty damn cool, and don't worry if you don't have a DS because the demo is actually played on your PC. Those clever people at Taito have constructed the little taster using Flash, playable on your web browser.

Just hit this link to go straight to the game itself.

We hope it gets a western release soon - the Japanese version is out this month and we don't even have a date yet. ...

via Computer and Video Games


A demo of Exit DS - a brilliant puzzle game in which you have figure out escape routes from a series of dangerous buildings - is now available for you to play.

Use the stylus to guide your long-coat-wearing dude through the hazards and dangers of the building he seems so prone to get himself stuck in, while trying to figure out a way to reach the exit using the items at hand.

It's pretty damn cool, and don't worry if you don't have a DS because the demo is actually played on your PC. Those clever people at Taito have constructed the little taster using Flash, playable on your web browser.

Just hit this link to go straight to the game itself.

We hope it gets a western release soon - the Japanese version is out this month and we don't even have a date yet. ...

via IGN


Ask any Gran Turismo 5 Prologue player what's missing from the GT5 sampler, and they'll likely answer with Moon Over the Castle. The franchise theme song didn't make it into the Prologue version, suggesting that we'd have to wait until the real GT5 release before hearing it again.

Today, we learned that this won't be the case. The new version of the theme song, titled Moon Over The Castle GT5 Prologue Version, will be included in an upcoming soundtrack for the game which was announced today in Japan. The theme song was newly recorded in Los Angeles.

Set for Japanese release on February 20, the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Original Game Soundtrack will include a total of 18 tracks. Village Music will publish the soundtrack, which will retail for pre-tax 2,200 yen.

Here's a list of tracks, listed with composer/lyricist.

1. SURV1V3 (daiki kasho/ayesha cole)
2. ROAD STAR (Nittoku Inoue/-)
3. Back 2 U (MAKOTO/-)
4. Love&Peace (KENMMEI/-)
5. Flatout (Mitsutoshi Sato/-)
6. Constructor's Blues (Mitsutoshi Sato/-)
7. When The Rains Come (Satoshi Bandoh/-)
8. Farewell (Satoshi Bandoh/-)
9. Are you ready? (Yudai Sato/-)
10. The Last Helping (Mitsuharu Ura & FUNAI/-)
11. GT-FORCE (cargo/-)
12. Current of the times (Yudai Sato/-)
13. Wind from Rio (Yasuo Sako/-)
14. twieky 4 (naomee/-)
15. sky high mountain breeze (naomee/-)
16. EDGE OF THE WORLD (daiki kasho/Jonathan Underdown)
17. GET AWAY (Nittoku Inoue/-)
18. Moon Over The Castle GT5 Prologue Version (Masahiro Andoh/-) ...

via Games Industry


Activision has announced that its Guitar Hero franchise has set an industry record, surpassing USD 1 billion in North American retail sales in just 26 months.


Since its initial release in fall 2005, the Guitar Hero franchise has sold in excess of 14 million units in North America alone, according to The NPD Group.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock was the number one title in units and dollars for calendar year 2007, making it the number one best-selling video game of all time in a single calendar year according to Activision.

In the ten weeks since the game's launch, consumers have already downloaded more than five million songs. ...

via Computer and Video Games


Despite the fact it's already been sitting on the shelves for over a year on PS2, another ruckus is being kicked off over Rockstar's Bully, reignited thanks to the upcoming release of Xbox 360 and Wii versions of the game.

The Daily Telegraph describes the updated version, Scholarship Edition, as an "even more realistic" take on the 2006 original, which "encourages players to act out assaults on pupils and teachers." Beating a dead horse much?

The game's also sparked additional rows by changing its name from Canis Canem Edit back to Bully, which in itself is enough to get Daily Mail readers all riled up.

Niall Cowley, of the charity BeatBullying, said: "We're disappointed this game was created in the first place. Some mindless people thought this was a fun, interesting piece of software to create, but it undermines all the hard work that organisations like ours are seeking to do."

Cowley said that when the original was launched last year, Rockstar tried to persuade his group to back Canis by offering a donation. "It was the most distasteful thing in the world - the idea that we could be bought off like that," he said.

"We have the interests of the children of this country in our mind, not of the shareholders of this company."

PC World and Currys have already refused to stock the Xbox 360 and Wii updates, as they did with the PS2 original. The National Union of Teachers meanwhile has called for a wider ban on the game.

In a statement, a Rockstar spokesperson said: "It is a comedic romp. The last game sold fabulously in the UK and was critically acclaimed.

"It is not a game about playing a bully. It is about the trials and tribulations of a boy in his first year at school. He protects children against other characters. People have to be able to make their own decisions and to judge for themselves, with an open mind."

Is it really worth wasting our words over this anymore? Anyone who's actually played the game will realise it's a very tongue-in-cheek action game which mostly has you protecting people from bullies rather than picking on pip-squeaks at random.

It's one of Rockstar's better games in recent times, so we definitely recommend a look when it arrives in the UK this March. ...

via Eurogamer


THQ has declined to confirm or deny rumours the PlayStation 3 version of Frontlines: Fuel of War has been canned.

The rumour began via that ever-reliable fountain of truth, the Xbox.com forum.

The flames were fanned by an administrator posting on the Kaos Studios boards. "Please do not overeact to rumors or, like with release dates, take what retailers say as truth," he advised.

However, the admin didn't go so far as to deny the rumour, stating, "The timing of this was unfortunate as it was the weekend but there will be actual info shortly."

Another poster claiming to be from Kaos sought to offer reassurance Frontlines is still in development for at least one console. "Don't fret," he wrote. "The Xbox 360 version is great!" Great.

We went to publisher THQ for clarification - but went home disappointed. "THQ does not comment on rumour and speculation," a spokesperson said.

Frontlines: Fuel of War is due to arrive on PC, Xbox 360 and possibly even PS3 on February 29th. There's already a demo on Xbox Live and you'll find all manner of screens, videos and typing about it over on the gamepage. ...