Via Joystiq

At first glance, this portable platformer shares an uncanny resemblance to the PS2 iteration. Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters takes advantage of the PSP's power very well. There were a few little nuances that stood out, but considering it was only a demo, it still means good things for platforming fans on Sony's portable.

At first, the PlayStation Portable that I tried out was loading the game so slow that the tech guy told me to check another one because he thought there must have been something wrong with the console. So I took a different spot and gave it a try.

One of the first things I noticed was the load time... again. The PSP isn't famous for lightning fast loading periods though, and considering some titles we've seen, this issue was quite negligible. The graphics were very good for the portable system. However the demo that I got my hands on didn't convey any other sort of innovation to the series. As far as bringing the look and feel of Ratchet and Clank to mobile gamers, Size Matters does a good job of that.

If you're hankering for a solid platformer on the PSP, here's your game. ...

Via Gamespot

One of the biggest attractions at this year's E3 is Nintendo's Wii, which features the motion-sensing controller many have nicknamed "the Wii-mote," because of it looks like a television remote control. Gamers aren't limited to just that controller, though. Additional peripherals can be used in its stead or even attached to it.

A separate analog joystick attachment has been known about for a while, and Nintendo revealed the classic controller yesterday, a pad that has two analog sticks as well as a more traditional button set-up.

Today, in the Wii section of Nintendo's booth, a new, unannounced peripheral was shown off in a display case. Dubbed "The Zapper," the new addition to the Wii family is a casing that houses the Wii-mote and the analog joystick in a configuration that looks like a gun.

The purpose seems simple--instead of holding both attachments in one hand (the analog joystick controls movement and the Wii-mote controls aim), one hand can control both.

Old school gamers will recognize the Zapper name. In 1985, the Nintendo Entertainment System was sold with a light gun named the Zapper, which was used to shoot hapless ducks and snickering dogs in Duck Hunt. ...

Via Eurogamer

There's just a couple of weeks to wait until Chibi-Robo arrives on European GameCubes - and as you'll know if you read our review, it's well worth looking forward to.

So hooray for the news that the houseproud robot will also be getting an outing on the Nintendo DS. Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol will see our hero leaving the family home and exploring his surroundings, specifically the local park.

It seems that playground equipment has been mysteriously disappearing of late, and evil monsters have been mucking about with all the flowers. Only Chibi can save the day and make the park worth visiting once again.

He'll get to ride buggies, cars and boats, racing round the park's lawns and cruising across the ponds. When Chibi dances, plants will come back to life and playground equipment will reappear, and if he has any trouble from those pesky monsters he can simply use his squirter to see them off.

Nintendo has yet to announce a release date for Chibi-Robo DS, but the GameCube version will be in the shops on May 26th. ...

Via Eurogamer

Good news for fans of Trauma Center: Under the Knife, the quirky, er, surgery sim for Nintendo DS - a new instalment in the series is currently in development for the Wii.

Our old friend Internet Reports has been hinting at this for weeks, of course, but now it's been officially confirmed. The game will be titled Trauma Center: Second Opinion, and will no doubt task you with using the Wii's remote controller to slice, dice and sew up your patients.

There's no word on whether our hero Dr Stiles will return, but Internet Reports reckons there may be some kind of feature which will involve linking up your Wii with your DS. He could just be having us on though, the scamp.

Trauma Center: Second Opinion is due out STAT. All right, it won't be here till winter at the earliest, and possibly 2007, but we just wanted to write that. And if anyone can tell us how to complete that stupid level in the DS game where all the aneurisms burst and you fix them but some more burst and IT'S JUST NOT POSSIBLE, we'd be very grateful. ...

Via Engadget

Looks like Nintendo didn't show us everything they're working on for the Wii yesterday. Safely ensconced under glass in Nintendo's booth is this little toy, a prototype "Zapper Style" shell for the Wii Remote. Needless to say, something like this will go a long way to adding some verisimilitude to certain games, or, as the Nintendo brass like to say, it's all about the feeling. Wonder if there's any recoil on this thing?

Screenshot Via the Comments ...

via cvg

While everyone's focus was firmly on the unveiling of the Wii and its games at this year's Nintendo media event here at E3, the company still managed to unleash a torrent of information on brand new games heading to its DS handheld over the coming months and further. Surprisingly, despite the quality on show, Nintendo didn't do much in the way of trumpeting their arrival, so it's entirely possibly you missed some of the gems buried in all that Wii hyperbole.

For your procrastinating pleasure, we've selected the very cream of the crop in our DS round-up below - you'll find all the information we currently know about these new games, alongside all the screens Nintendo has made available so far. Without further ado, let's get rolling!

Chibi-Robo: Park Patrol

Release: TBA
Type: Adventure
Players: 1-2
Developer: Skip

Eschewing the Sanderson household found in the brilliant GameCube game, this follow-up sees the diminuitive chore-bot taking to the great outdoors. Apparently, playground equipment is mysteriously vanishing and evil monsters have transformed the local flora into something unsavoury. It's up to you to restore the park to its former glory.

Apparently, you'll be able to ride buggies, cars and boats across lawns and ponds this time around, as well as using your squirter to vanquish foes, dance around to reinvigorate the plant life and build playground equipment to cheer everyone up.

Clubhouse Games

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Card, Board and Leisure games
Players: 1-8 (via Wi-fi Connection, DS Download Play or Multi-Card Play)
Developer: Agenda

This looks like one of those non-gamer games Nintendo's been churning out lately. Apparently, there's over 20 classic board, card and party games at your disposal - including checkers, darts, poker, bowling, backgammon, bridge and billiards. There's multiplayer functionality for up to eight players via online or DS to DS and it features a PictoChat-style conversation interface. Probably won't be top of your list, this one, but we thought we'd share anyway.

Custom Robo Arena

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Action RPG
Players: 1-2 (via DS Download Play, DS Multi Card Play and Wi-fi Connection)
Developer: Noise

Custom Robo comes to DS with Wi-fi Connection support! You'll explore a sci-fi universe in your bid to win the Custom Robo champonship, acquiring new parts and weapons for your Robos on your way. Nintendo says there are literally millions of possible part combinations available and you'll use the touchscreen to customise your charges. There's one-to-one multiplayer available too, either online or via DS LAN.

Diddy Kong Racing DS

Release: TBA
Type: Racing
Players: TBA
Developer: TBA

A bit of a mystery this one, thanks to a lack of official fact sheet. Although it's clearly based on the excellent Rare-developed N64 game, it's unclear if this is a simple port or a brand new racer featuring the most annoying monkey in the world. Either way, it looks like we can expect multiplayer action, including Mario Kart-style online racing.

DK: King of Swing DS

Release: TBA
Type: Action
Players: 1-4 (via DS LAN and Download Play)
Developer: Paon

By the sounds of it, this one's pretty much the same as King of Swing on the GBA - this time though, the pole swinging action is spread across both screens, meaning you'll have more play area to monkey around in. Apparently, there's a new sub-character, new moves, items and mini-games and you can go head-to-head with your mates in 1-4 player challenges via DS Download Play and DS LAN. Characters here, if you're interested, are Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong and Funky Kong.

DS Air

Release: TBA
Type: Flight Simulation
Players: 1-4 (via DS LAN and Wi-fi Connection TBC)
Developer: Nintendo

Hell's Bells! It's a realistic flight sim for DS developed by Nintendo, this one. It says you play a team of elite strike fighters here, and it's your job to bring down a mad dictator intent on taking over the world. You can customise your fighters with state of the art weapons, dogfight over land and sea and play co-operatively via DS LAN and online.

Elite Beat Agents

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Rhythm Action
Players: 1-4 (via DS Download Play)
Developer: iNiS

Okay, brace yourselves here. It's Ouenden, but not as you know it. It seems the absolutely amazing rhythm action title has undergone a complete overhaul for western audiences. The team of ninja cheerleaders from the Japanese version has been turned into secret-agent types (called Kahn, Derek, Morris and J, tentatively) and it looks like all the original situations, artwork and music has been redone as well. We can't say we much like the stuff we've seen - but as least the addictive underlying gameplay has been left in tact. Nintendo says you'll be able to assist a lost dog in finding his way home and help a babysitter charm her hunky football playing friend - we'd rather make pots and save the world from giant rats but hey.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

Release: Q4 2006
Type: Graphic Adventure
Players: 1
Developer: Cing

The second DS from Cing, the team behind Another Code sees players taking on the roll of Kyle Hyde, an ex-cop turned salesman trying to track down a missing friend in 1979 Los Angeles. Apparently, you'll find yourself led ...

Via CVG

Sweep away the recent tirade of movie punch-ups (Freddy Vs. Jason? Pfffrt), sparring off fat plumbers against a giant ape is where it's at. Continuing an age-old rivalry that started almost since the dawn of pixels, Nintendo has announced Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2 for DS.

Fully named Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March Of The Minis, this action puzzler is a sequel to the GBA game of a similar name. It's a bit different though - here you'll control the Mini Marios rather than big Mario himself, using the stylus to guide them through danger-infested courses.

The game also comes complete with a map editor, with creations trade-able via wi-fi, and features original Donkey Kong-kidnapped star, Pauline. It's set to release on September 25, 2006.

Awesome Screens Via the Comments ...

Via CVG

We thought that the thick triple-raspberry iced bun we had at lunch was sweet, then we smacked eyes on Yoshi's Island 2 and that really made us feel like we'd overdone the saccharine. Bucket, please.

This ultra-cutesy platformer features Baby Mario, Baby Peach and Baby Donkey Kong, as they investigate missing kids and a mysterious hovering islands. Super-colourful, platforming fun across two screens - it's out at the end of the year.

Check out the awesome screenshots Via Comments ...

Via CVG

Too Human is the first in the trilogy from developer Silicon Knights, where as the cybernetic god Neo, sorry we mean Baldur, players assualt war machines hell bent on the annihilation of the human race - think along the lines of The Matrix, or Terminator.

Featuring plenty of action and using the Unreal 3 engine, players can experience a "non-stop barrage of action powered by the seamless integration of melee and ranged firearms combat and fuelled by breathtaking visuals".

As well as single-player, prepare for four-player online co-operative play. So if you haven't already, check out the new batch of screenshots with haste, human scum! ...