InFormers: Robots in the News

1. If you’re in the UK and want to win tickets to see TransFormers: The Movie at IMAX, here’s your chance.

   Here’s a little more info about it to get you revved up.

2. In addition, there’s a bit of Movie merchandise news, including an Ultimate Bumblebee with a Titanium series figure, and Optimus Prime water globe, Target’s tie-in comic, and the Voice-Changer Optimus Prime helmet, now with a T.E.C.H. Toys Digital Dagger for stabby-stabby action.
3. The new ToyFare hit newsstands recently, and one item spotted within was new pics of the toys for the upcoming TransFormers: Animated, including Starscream, Bumblebee, Prowl, and Bulkhead.
4. Finally, a new preview from IDW has come for the Beast Wars sourcebook, showing off Maximal lieutenant Apache.

   Frankly, I’m a bit disappointed they seem to be going with “Lio Convoy” over “Leo Prime” for the big bot’s name. I just see no good reason for it, and it makes little sense here without the Japanese context. Just don’t care for it.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. In sadder news, rally racer Colin McRae and his son died in a helicopter crash this past Saturday, September 15th. In addition, the publishers of his games, Codemasters, also give their thoughts on these recent events.

   I don’t really know much about McRae, but am still a bit saddened by this. Of course, our condolences go out to the surviving members of the McRae family.

Video Power

1. Act now with this coupon code, and you can save a whopping $20 off a used Nintendo DS Lite at GameStop/EB Games. But it only lasts until the 20th.
2. Though it won’t be here until practically Christmas, you can read the solicitation for the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog #183 right here at the BumbleKing Comics forum.

   The ‘Jak is back!

3. A little closer to the “now” is that Sonic Rush Adventure ships today, so keep an eye out for it!

   For those interested, it’s doing pretty well on Game Rankings, too.

4. The Castlevania: Dracula’s Curse screenplay is done, and stands poised to make cinematic history.
5. Smash Bros. DOJO!! updates with a new item… from the past!

   The Golden Hammer… full of golden smashing goodness. But where’s it from?

   Check it out… we’ll know for sure if it plays that music, but it even has the funky pedestal.

   Thanks to Tig from the PA forums for making the connection… I’d forgotten all about that item! But I do remember that mashing the button for the hammer quickly enough in Wrecking Crew would let you “walk on air,” just as the Golden Hammer does, which seems to solidify the connection.

   Better still, however, is today’s news: Wi-Fi Play!

   Making the fights online even sweeter are the new verbal taunts… though, one has to wonder if there will be a limit to what you can say. Does this mean it won’t be a part of local multiplayer, though? That’d be too bad.

   Best of all? As Wi-Fi is concerned, this seems to be only the beginning…

6. New games hit the Wii Virtual Console today, including World Class Baseball for the TurboGrafx-16 (pass), Super Thunder Blade for the SEGA Genesis (hmm, maybe… not), and one I’ve been eagerly awaiting for quite some time, Yoshi’s Story for the Nintendo 64.

   …yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before, how everyone hates Yoshi’s Story. Know what? I don’t care. The biggest complaints I’ve heard are that it’s too easy and too short, but that otherwise, it’s a fun game. And I am totally cool with that. 1,000 Wii points may be a little steep, but unless I can get the game for less in its original format, which is unlikely, then it’s not that bad a deal anyway.

   GameJew tells you what he thinks with his weekly Mushroom Singdom.

7. Eh, timing. That’s something Nintendo might consider working on for future press releases:

   Pok?mon Trading Heats Up, Spreads Worldwide with Global Trade Station

   REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 17, 2007 – They invaded. They evolved. And now they’ll be traded – across oceans, and without regard for national borders or native tongue.

   Nintendo today announces the Pok?mon? GTS (Global Trade Station) Web site goes online worldwide Sept. 15 and will be a great resource for Pok?mon fans interested in learning more about trading their favorite characters.

   The Global Trade Station already allows the trade of millions of Pok?mon between trainers worldwide. Pok?mon? Diamond and Pok?mon? Pearl are the fastest-selling games in the history of the series, with worldwide sales in excess of 10 million games. Players use their Nintendo DS? portable game systems to link wirelessly to Nintendo? Wi-Fi Connection, allowing them to scan which Pok?mon are available from different nations and offer to trade with other players.

   The new Pok?mon Global Trade Station Web site, www.pokemon-gts.net, can be reached via any Internet-connected computer. The site will let users see which Pok?mon are the most popular to trade, provide statistics about the number of trades completed and allow them to bookmark their favorite Pok?mon. The site will operate in seven different languages and inform users about the nation they’re “visiting” electronically. Visitors can even listen to audio files to learn how to say “hello” and “thank you” in select countries languages.

   “Pok?mon is now truly global in nature,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “A Pok?mon Trainer from Chicago can be traveling in Sydney and trade one of their Pok?mon with another owner in Helsinki.”

8. So now Sony has a new jackass to put his foot in his mouth.

   Ok, ok, maybe I’m being too hard on the guy, but I can’t say that Sony’s precedent exactly inspires me when it comes to what they look for in their mouthpieces. But in fairness, despite the first thought that ran through my head when I read about it, I’ll give this guy a chance.

9. A new look at Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games reveals new games and a larger roster, including yet more familiar faces, ready to engage in some heated… sportsmanship.

   I have to admit, I do wish the trailers were a little… zanier. Granted, a bunch of mascots taking over the Olympic games is kind of zany, but… well, you know what I mean. It’s not Camelot Mario sports zany.

10. If you are like me and have no hope of getting your hands on your own PlayStation 3 anytime soon AND enjoy Ratchet & Clank, then it may behoove you to know that GameStop/EB will have a first level demo from the upcoming title available on their kiosks.

    And hey, maybe by the time you read this, Gamespot will have something more than “add a new page to this story” in the text field of this article.

11. Well, damn.

    I never got to participate as much as I’d have liked on Nintendo’s NSider Forums, and now they’re gone.

    Sounds like something else may be in the works, however. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to get in on the ground floor for this one.

12. A new video of Power Rangers: Super Legends has appeared, along with rumor that maybe it’ll still be on the Wii after all.

    Part of this is the Ranger fan in me speaking, but it looks like a fun little romp, if not especially deep. Sort of like the old TMNT arcade games.

13. Uh-oh… this glitch could mean trouble in paradise for PAL Super Paper Mario players. If you qualify, be sure to check the link for the workaround… it’s fairly simple, thankfully.
14. A man in China dies after gaming for three days.

    Friends, don’t let this happen to you. I’m looking at you, Warcraft players.

15. Wow, I feel bad for Major Nelson. Missing TGS due to a lost passport? That has to suck in all directions.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 4:44 am and is filed under The Daily 'Shroom. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.