Via Insert credit

It's the Tengai Makyou game which appeared on the Sega Saturn and is being ported to PSP, as we've mentioned already, and it just got an official website today. The good news it's that the screens confirm truly updated graphics, with a larger visible area on screen instead of upscaling the original graphics like almost every conversion these days, especially on PSP. Those who buy this version will also get a brand new intro (one of the original game's strongest points was the superlative FMV animation highly responsible for making the characters so memorable) along with a new scenario with its new characters. July 13th is the release date, and this time with serious possibilties to see a US version due to the recent Hudson Soft comeback in that country. They're localizing the blatantly awful Ziria for the 360, after all. ...

Many of you have already heard of these cheap DS design rip-offs. And they are everywhere, but this one has got to be my favorite, I mean it’s like they are not even trying. This is the “COMPACT G” being modeled by the lovely Misako. And boy does this thing look fun. Let’s get a closer look.

Via 4-color

Screens Via Comments ...

Want your Hello Kitty fix on something beside an ear cleaner? How about this Hello Kitty iPod Dock. An otherwise plain dock, save for the Hello Kitty-ness, this supports any iPod that fits the standard dock in 3-5G iPods. There’s even a line out jack for plugging into another stereo system or headphones.

More info ...

Sony could well be planning an online service similar to Xbox Live Arcade for PlayStation 3, as one developer has confirmed that it is working on a game that will be available for download when PS3 launches in November.

Developer thatgamecompany has revealed that it's porting its free - and soothingly mellow - web game Flow and that it'll be available through a service that will offer PS3 gamers downloadable casual games.

This certainly seems to suggest that Sony will indeed be trying to compete head-on with Xbox Live Arcade, which has proved extremely popular amongst Xbox 360 gamers.

Sony will officially announce more details of PS3's online service in the run up to the console's launch.

Via Gamesradar ...

More than a decade ago, Myst became a PC gaming sensation with its minimalist approach to gaming and impressive graphics. The series has gone on to be one of the best selling of all time, and the most recent edition, Myst V: End of Ages, was released late last year.

Earlier this year, Sega revealed its intention to revitalize the Myst craze for the portable market in Japan, with Myst for the PlayStation Portable, due in June. However, there were no plans to bring the game to other regions.

Enter Midway Games. The company's London-based branch today announced that it will be publishing the PSP version in the European market. American Midway reps were unavailable as of press time to confirm a release in North America, but a stateside release is likely. No date has been confirmed for the game.

Via Gamespot ...

The Legend of Zelda series has won numerous awards in its near two-decade run, but one magazine is calling out the game's hero, the boyish elf Link, as a perfect 10. The June issue of Out, a magazine focusing on gay and lesbian culture, named the green-leotard-wearing hero as the Hottest Video Game Character in its "What's Hot Now" section for his role in the upcoming GameCube and Wii release, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

From the mag: "When darkness enshrouds the land, Nintendo's sexy farm-boy-turned-wolf sets out to save the day in this upcoming game. His weapons: a sword, a bow, arrows, and kick-ass grooming skills."

This isn't the first time Link has been associated with gay culture--he was the inspiration for Xandir P. Wifflebottom, the homosexual video game character in Comedy Central's Drawn Together.

Gay characters have largely been passed over by game designers, with many leading men and ladies being the prototypical alpha male or buxom sexpot. The Sims, Fable, and a few others allow same-sex marriages, but most games fail to even broach the issue.

Via Gamespot ...

When Nintendo named the first DS installment of its 3D space-based shooter series as Star Fox DS earlier this month, it appeared the company was tapping into the same well of creativity that produced titles for Tetris DS, Super Mario 64 DS, and Mario Kart DS. Now it appears that the Star Fox DS moniker was only temporary, as Nintendo's Web site now lists the game as Star Fox Command.

Star Fox Command puts players through a branching set of missions in the familiar Arwing fighter. There's also multiplayer co-op and competitive game modes for up to four players on the Wi-Fi Connection, or eight players locally. Co-op mode will also allow a player designated as team leader to plot out a course through the level using the system's touch screen.

Star Fox Command is set for release August 28, according to the Web site. Nintendo reps were not immediately available to confirm the new name.

Via Gamespot ...

Hi all, i'm ade, i bought a PSP with 1.5 fw about a week ago and it's amazing!

I made this LUA game the last few days, Alchemist. Here's a screenshot


The idea is to get the whole board "gold", by placing a symbol in each square.
You can only place symbols near a matching symbol or color. See the in-game tutorial for more info.

Readme.txt:

Alchemist v1.0 - by ade.se - Release 1


TYPE: PSP LUA Game
PLATFORM: PSP fw 1.5, may or may not work on other firmware
Coded for LUA Player 0.19 (www.luaplayer.org)

SIZE: 1.03 MB in 13 files
AUTHOR: ade
SOURCE: http://www.ade.se/psp
RELEASED: 2006-05-27

FEATURES: [X] Sound (with mute option)
[X] Battery indicator
[X] Clock
[X] Tutorial


DESCRIPTION
-------------------------------------------------------
This is my first LUA and PSP creation. In case of bugs, please send a report
describing the problem and how to recreate it to [email protected] !
My favourite puzzle game created for PSP. The rules for gameplay are outlined in the
in-game tutorial. Even though this version does not support it, i may implement
an option to customize graphics. All the files in the themes/original folder may be customized
and put in a new folder in the themes/ directory. If someone makes a pretty theme i'll edit
the code and add support. My original Photoshop (7.0) files can be obtained at
- http://www.ade.se/psp
for ease of editing. There is also some extra documentation on editing in that archive.

Thanks Nevyn and Shine for the awesome LUA Player, and everyone in the PSP Homebrew community.


INSTALLATION
-------------------------------------------------------
Just put the whole directory, contained in the .zip-file, in your LUA Player/Applications
directory, and load it up.

Enjoy

Download and Give Feedback Via Comments ...

The Retail Radar has picked up a handful of incoming bogies from Activision on EBgames' Web site today. Online retailers have a history of leaking publishers' announcements, putting up product pages for games that haven't yet been confirmed to exist. While these listings should not be taken as official confirmation about which games are coming out for which platforms, they are frequently an accurate indicator of what might be coming just over the horizon.

While the MTV show Pimp My Ride has appeared in games before (the show had a tie-in deal with Midway's racer L.A. Rush), it hasn't been the basis for a game itself. That oversight might soon be remedied, as EBgames has listings up for a Pimp My Ride game on the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and PSP. The pages are virtually blank, but Activision is given as their publisher, and the 360 game's category is listed as "Racing, Online." The PS2 and PSP versions are listed for an October 2 release with prices of $29.99 and $39.99, respectively. The 360 edition is slated for November 1 with a $39.99 price tag.

Activision apparently has a need for speed, as the retailer also lists it as the publisher for Harley Davidson Motorcycles for the PS2 and Xbox 360. As with Pimp My Ride, the PS2 version is listed at $29.99, with the 360 one at $39.99 and sporting the "Racing, Online" descriptor. Both versions of the game are given a November 1 shipping date.

Anyone who's played the publisher's Spider-Man games knows fossil fuels aren't the only way Activision has of getting from point A to point B, and the publisher looks to be set for another bout of web-swinging. In addition to the already announced game adaptations of Spider-Man 3, EBgames is accepting pre-orders for Spider-Man Origins on the DS and GBA. Each game is priced at $29.99 and carries an October 24 release date.

Finally, the publisher is also listed as handling a pair of new hunting games on the retailer's site. Cabela's African Safari is scheduled for a November 1 release on the PS2 and the Xbox 360 for $29.99 and $39.99, respectively. Hunters more accustomed to colder climes can instead look forward to Cabela's Alaskan Adventure, listed for August 1 on the PSP, PS2, Xbox, and Xbox 360. All versions of that game are priced at $29.99, except for the 360 edition, which rings up at $39.99.

And for cost-conscious gamers concerned that EBgames' and GameStop's Web sites list the majority of their Wii titles for almost $60, there is some potentially good news today. A GameStop employee today told GameSpot that on the company's internal databases, the standard Wii game pricing weighs in at $50.

Once again, retailer listings, whether internal or publicly available, should not be taken as final confirmation of a game's existence, nor should the absence of a listing be considered as proof that a game isn't coming to a given platform.

Via Gamespot ...