Happy belated Memorial Day Weekend to everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed it, because as a result, there’s less news than normal!

1. TransFormers!

   The Allspark is hosting a gallery of the first wave of The Movie figures, and more international posters have surfaced. Elsewhere, Chevrolet has taken to using Bumblebee in newspaper advertising for their new product, and the site for The Game is updated.

   TFKenkon has a new gallery featuring Barricade from The Movie, and Target is showing off cutesy versions of Megatron and Ratchet.

   IDW is publishing a Compendium of Character Designs from the cartoons, as well as a trade paperback collection of the first five Spotlight comics.

   BotCon news is somewhat plentiful, as people are receiving confirmation letters for the event, and new pics of exclusive Classics figure Dreadwind.

   And finally, a hand for those lucky UKers who are getting the G1 toon back on the airwaves.

2. Nintendo hasn’t said as much on their site, but fortunately Evil Avatar has: New Virtual Console games this week include (what I hear is a dog in) JJ & Jeff for the TurboGrafx-16, Kid Chameleon for the SEGA Genesis, and the legendary Actraiser for the SNES.

   1up’s Jeremy Parish checks out these as well as last week’s releases, and XBox Arcade’s mix in Retro Roundup.

   RMC also decides to reminisce a little about Streets of Rage 2.

3. Circuit City’s website has Mario Party 8 for $39.99.

   I don’t think that does me a whole lot of good, though. Dag-nabbit. I need my fix of Wii-ified Mario, and as much as I love Super Paper Mario, that’s clearly a whole different nutshell.

4. The Wii-saber dream, soon to become a reality?
5. Finding a Wii might be getting a little easier…
6. Are Wii’s Friend Codes in actuality Mii Codes? Looks like.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. Not much TransFormers news today.

   If plaque infests your mouth like so many Scraplets and your breath smells like the Swarm, then maybe the TransFormers The Movie transforming toothbrush is for you.

   (Actually, bad analogy. To the uninitiated: either of the above would probably tear any TF apart, toothbrush or no.)

   Is time on your side? Find out, once you pick a side and get the accompanying TransFormers-themed Casio G-Shock watch, available in Optimus and Megatron flavors. More than meets the time.

   And finally, mugshot movie posters from all around the world, from Kiev to Carolina.

   Well, maybe not. They do look nice, though.

2. In the seldom-updated Power Rangers department, looks like our friends in the UK will soon be able to experience the thrills of Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive starting in July.

   But of greater interest to the oldschool would be this release of the entire first season… in Germany, with both English and German language tracks.

   Damned region coding. Someone needs to give Disney an enema or something so they’ll finally loosen up and release this over here.

3. Figures.com has revealed that PlayGround Maniacs are distributing the First 4 Figures Legend of Zelda statues. Details are within.

   I’d love to get these, but I lack a good place to put them. Even then, Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask aren’t among my favorites in the longstanding saga.

   Twilight Princess, on the other hand, that’d be slick.

   But what would really be nice is if they bring back the statues in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and then real-life statues were made based on those.

4. Seems like forever since they first reported that a new Fantastic Four cartoon was under way. In fact, I’m pretty sure it was announced around the time the first movie was out…

   Well, it’s finally happening in June, as Fantastic Four hits Toonami for about three episodes before being shunted off into a shadowy timeslot, never to be heard from again before a quiet cancellation.

5. Oh, wow.

   If you like Butters as Professor Chaos in South Park, then you may want to get your ass to a ‘con this summer, as the action figure of this bad boy isn’t going to be sold in stores, and is limited to 2000 pieces.

   Exclusivity bites, doesn’t it?

6. Sometimes, there’s just nothing better you can add:

   Microsoft to Buy Nintendo…’s Unwanted Land.

   “If MS does indeed buy the land, they need to put the entertainment division offices in a building right across the street from Nintendo. It’d be like the gaming equivalent of the 38th parallel.”

   Or hijinx would ensue until the cleaning ladies snap from having to wipe butt-prints off the windows, leading to a prosecutor making a comment about how “games are serious business; do you think this is all supposed to be about having FUN?!”

   After which, we would all just put down our controllers, and walk away.

7. Clearly, I’m in one of “those” moods this morning.
8. Halo 3 = miracle?

   I’ve heard it said that it would take a miracle to make XBox turn a profit, and yet, here we are with the possibility put forth that Halo 3 could do just that.

9. Four more TurboGrafx-16 games that you’ve never heard of are coming to the Virtual Console in the next month.

   Bask in that obscure glory.

10. So, after a two-year wait, Capcom is poised to release Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories for the PSP in Japan.

    Now, I guess we just have to wait for them to get ahold of the PS2 port, and maybe, just maybe those little nubs in their minds will spark enough for them to get the idea to do the same thing for Mega Man Powered Up and Mega Man: Maverick Hunter X, and maybe then those two games will actually have a chance of survival and succession.

11. This is a clever bit of advertising that I wouldn’t mind seeing in person, despite the silly premise. Sadly, seems to just be a UK-thing.

    Does this mean Nintendo found a new ad agency already?

12. Perrin Kaplan speaks, and reveals some strong hints about the fate of Nintendo Power.

    Fortunately, thankfully, it doesn’t sound too bad. But I remain worried, slightly concerned.

13. Admit it, you can’t resist a game called Ninjabread Man.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Geeze, did I piss someone off? It’s like the number of visitors as of late have been cut in half. So I figure I either angered some people too much or not enough.

Oh well, on with the news.

1. The Smash Bros. Dojo just updated, with their newest old new character, the angelic warrior Pit!
2. TransForm your world, with the power of The Allspark! Hoo-yah!

   No, I don’t know why I said that, either.

   Good news for us Canucks.

   Let me rephrase that, good news for Canucks who aren’t as financially restricted as I am: Canadian Toys R Us stores are carrying Diamond Select statues and busts.

   $89.99 and up? I’d love to, I really would, but lack of space and lack of funds says that if I spend that kind of money on anything at Toys R Us, it’s probably going to involve me staring at a TV screen with a controller in my hand…

   …hell, not even then.

   Though I would definitely make an exception for Music Label Soundwave, apparently the official name of the Soundwave MP3 player. It’s shown off at Fan2Fan, but might be trickier for some of you to find, so here are the new pics of the bad-boy in color, as well as with the original, and they say he holds one SD Memory.

   Blue definitely looks better, and with that, Red can have her iPods.

   A little more news about Alternators Rodimus reveals that he’ll be 25 dollars at Hasbro’s online store, not at all shabby. They say “limited quantities,” but hopefully not as limited as Nemesis Prime last year.

   And speaking of Hasbro’s soon to be redesigned website, they have a new game up to hype The Movie, known as Flight of the Bumblebee.

   An amusing little Flash piece with nice music and graphics, but unfortunately, it seems to lack the titular music piece.

3. The Castlevania: Dracula’s Curse blog has once more been updated, so that we know that the crew are hard at work on making the best damn video game animated film since… um… Street Fighter II?

   Get back to me on that one.

   Anyway, he also goes on to reveal some other little tidbits that’ve been woven into the film’s tapestry.

4. Movie-making seems to be all the rage.

   Besides YouTube, of course, and Nintendo’s hunt, now StarWars.com is getting into the act.

   Ought to be interesting. Hope we see some good Troops-like material amongst those used.

5. Hmm, between Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Resident Evil 4 for Wii, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga and now Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, it seems the new trend is remaking games that are still effectively recent, rather than golden oldies.

   I’m not sure how I feel about this. I think it would make me a little more reluctant to pick up some titles, though. Of course, to their credit, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is as much a port as it is a remake, so they get some leniency.

6. GameTrailers has lots from Nintendo’s Media Summit, including an overview of the event.

   For absolutely everything (I think), be sure to check out Go Nintendo‘s coverage.

   Plus, Game|Life has a first-hand look as well.

7. A lot of people have said that Blu-Ray would be the PlayStation 3′s downfall, but I don’t think this is what they meant.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Looks like the Smash Bros. Dojo has JUST updated, bringing with it a look at a new weapon: The Gooey Bomb, an adhesive explosive that’s tricky to get rid of.

Not exactly a blockbuster announcement, but hey, it’s something.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. TransFormers: The Movie. It’s not even out yet, and the parodies have begun.

   But oh, what worthier place to start than with a tease for Rayman: Raving Rabbids 2.

   Popular bunch, aren’t they? Me, I still need to play the first.

   You can see more videos of the Nintendo-exclusive title, including a Spider-man and Naruto-garbed Rabbids, at GameTrailers.

   Other news has it that the awesome Alternators Rodimus is a SDCC exclusive after all, alongside Titanium Menasor. Says they should be on Hasbro’s online store as well, but I think holding one’s breath for that would be ill-advised.

   And for those who love pics, Remy has a new gallery up, this time for The Movie Brawl.

   jackscarab just tossed this my way: Grimlock in the movie?

2. Smash Bros. Dojo has updated again, though with not much.

   But if you ever wondered who those “Mario” and “Link” guys were (with some new screens), well, you’re in luck.

3. TMNT is coming to home video on August 7th.
4. Holy crap, not only are we supposed to get Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Metroid Prime 3 Corruption in 2007, but Reggie’s confirmed Super Mario Galaxy as well.
5. Just think.

   Somewhere, there’s someone paying him for this.

6. By the Power of Grayskull, He-Man’s getting a new movie!

   Hmm, sounds like they’re looking to all the past–wait, four cartoons? Guess they count She-Ra’s series, perhaps. Anyway, hope they do it justice.

7. From the moment I first heard about Virtual Console, Paper Mario has been my most-wanted game, and now, it sounds like it’s coming!

   Oh, happy day!

   For proof, Go Nintendo has Nintendo Power scans of the item in question here.

8. I thought this was announced already.

   But Jackass: The Game is coming this fall, to the PS2, PSP, and Nintendo DS.

   What, no PS3 release? No Wee-Man crunching his boys in HD? This is madness.

9. Yes, yes I did set that one up for you.
10. I’ve been a baaaaad boy.
11. Looks like EB/GameStop is going to have a massive sale.

    Wouldn’t mind the Castlevania Double-Pack, at least for Red, but I doubt they’re having the sale up here in frosty Canadia.

    I love how the part about “this is confidential, don’t let this leak out” is right at the top there, too.

12. GN reports of Lunar Pool and Mega Man coming to the VC in Australia, and goes on to mention:

    “I guess this is the start of all the classic NES Mega Man games coming to the Wii. I wondered if they would do this seeing that the compilation disc came out on the Cube. Capcom milking the Mega Man series?I don?t believe it!”

    A few points:

    1) Last I heard, Mega Man Anniversary Collection was North America only.

    2) Atomic Planet did a craptacular job of porting the games, and the GameCube version is known to be the worst, in part because…

    3) They botched the controls, which would hopefully not be an issue for the Virtual Console versions.

    GameCube’s Mega Man Anniversary Collection, or the releases on Virtual Console. Well, assuming the PS2/XBox version doesn’t factor in, I’d take the VC versions.

13. Under any circumstances, do not click.
14. Crap, I should’ve thought that one through a little better…
15. Blizzard has done a good thing for a dying child.

    World of Warcraft? More like World of Wishcraft, am I right?

16. If you like Frosty’s and you like floats and you don’t have a Wii, well, I guess this contest is for you.

    Me, I’m not a big float man, and I already have a Wii, so… good luck!

17. And while we’re on the topic of Wendy’s, Wii toys are here! And we finally know what they do, too!

    Myself, I’ve got the cool Spinning Mario, an Excite Truck, and the Wii Sports base/pinball game. Sadly, that’s all they had; they were practically wiped out!

    The Wii remote notations on the images are funny as well. You’ll know what I mean when you see these things in person.

18. Gyakuten Saiban/Ace Attorney 5? I’m so there.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Ok, so this week has been off to a lousy start, personally. For more info, you can read all about it in my LiveJournal (link’s over on your left, there).

Since I missed work today, doing what I can about this and other stuff, I’m going to have to catch-up on it tomorrow when I go in, and for now, I’ll catch up on updating tonight and try and get the rest tomorrow.

1. I suppose the big news to kick off with this week is the grand re-opening of the Smash Bros. Dojo.

   Some say that this version of the site (which will update daily) has less info than the preceding one, but I disagree. We basically had some info regarding characters that we had already seen in the trailers from TGS and E3, and not much else. I don’t think even Fox was listed, despite the reveal.

   This new version has both videos, some new screenshots demonstrating how to play (keep in mind, a lot of Wii gamers probably will not have played either preceding version, so a primer makes sense).

   Another new part (with more new screens) looks at the new-and-improved Battlefield stage, which will now see different phases of the day as time passes (tho whether or not in real-time is unknown). As a bonus, you can even hear the music for the stage, a remix of the menu theme from Melee.

   And that brings us to the big update of the site: the musicians. A large number and wide range of musical talent are on board for this one, and coupled with the comments at the top, it leads to speculation.

   What exactly is risky? The sheer number involved? Or the implication that by showing who is working and what they’ve done before, that they might be tipping their hand as to other characters to expect?

2. Other news from the Big N includes the latest additions to the Virtual Console library: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest (SNES), Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis), and Blazing Lazers (TG16).

   Not a bad haul this week. And ignore the critics, DKC2 is a fine game.

3. Not content to stop there, Reggie’s Boyz have also revealed what’s coming this summer to the Wii and DS, including Mario Strikers Charged and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, just to name two. Click the link to see the full list; I don’t think we can call this summer a drought.
4. By the Matrix, have I got my work cut out for me. TransFormers, ho!

   Wait, wrong cartoon. Anyway. Try and make this quick.

   Radio controlled Movie SpyChangers = kick-ass, as do galleries of Voyager-size Movie Megatron, Barricade and Brawl, Wreckage, and Rhinox.

   More Fast Action Battlers; non-transformable Robot Replicas in packaging and out; a nice new website for the movie toys, showing them transforming and in action; more images of Ultimate Bumblebee, with a first look at Leader-Class Brawl; an update of the game website, more Robo-Vision goods from Target; bios for the Target-exclusive Movie toys; and finally, a scan of a game preview from Nintendo Power.

   Whew! I just wish my Nintendo Powers were as timely.

   BWTF.com chips in with reviews of Timelines Laserbeak, Movie Ratchet, Cyber-Slammers Bumblebee, Real Gear Robots’ Speed Dial 800, Movie Barricade, and Cyber Slammers Optimus Prime.

5. Hmm, interesting.

   Marvel and Fox are running a contest to find Silver Surfer-emblazoned quarters, spread all across the country.

   The real question is, will these be seen as a threat to national security? These quarters do foretell the coming of Galactus, after all…

   Hmm, I wonder if they can be redeemed for Power Cosmic? “The Silver Nytetrayn” has a neat ring to it…

6. New news from Atomic Fire says that we can expect some returning characters in Mega Man ZX Advent, definitely welcome news, among other tidbits. Here’s hoping for unlockables!

   Rockman Perfect Memories also brings word of a Star Force price drop, not to mention this odd tidbit.

7. Something I didn’t get to touch on this past weekend was the rumor surrounding the close of Nintendo Power magazine.

   But, new word has come up in another rumor that Nintendo may just be looking to move operations outside the US…

   …for reasons I just don’t understand. That is to say, I can’t see what the advantage would be over having it across the street and in-house.

   Makes me wonder, though, how this could affect the product if it were to happen? How would the price be affected? How many other publications tend to do this for a North American audience? Is Canada a possibility?

8. Looks like Geometry Wars is Wii-bound.
9. Grand Theft Auto IV sounds like it’s getting a pretty sweet special edition.
10. I’m not sure how credible Japanese magazine Famitsu is these days, but it’s still worth noting they gave Resident Evil 4 for the Wii a perfect score.
11. Do we really need two video game ratings systems?

    Reading the Common Sense Rating, though, it seems more like a slower spelling-out of what’s in the game for those parents who don’t have a clue; I can practically see their lips moving in my mind.

    Somehow, I doubt this will help get the message across, as Little Johnny has played Grand Theft Auto over at his friend’s house, and is no doubt desensitized to all that bad stuff by now.

    And he’s mature for his age, too.

    And smart. Did we mention smart? He sleeps all day in class because we let him stay up watching late-night TV in his room and he still manages to pull in a C-minus. Smart, I tells ya’!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. Nertz.

   I tried to submit the newsbit showing the image from the TransFormers/New Avengers crossover to The Allspark, but it didn’t go through. So much for getting a plug over there.

   Looks like there are already plans for a TransFormers 2 in the works. TransFormers.com is showing off the second wave of The Movie toys. Remy has a new gallery of Blackout, and The Allspark has a gallery of their own of BotCon 2002 exclusive CatSCAN.

   It looks like Target gets yet another exclusive, this time a 3″ Titanium 3-pack, featuring The Movie Optimus Prime in three forms.

   If you’re going to be in Japan when the movie comes out there, maybe you’ll want to pick up one of these special edition Bumblebee figures while you’re there.

   And finally, would you want to see the movie a day earlier? Sounds like Mr. Bay is really pushing for it, and I rather enjoy his enthusiasm for it.

2. NECA has finally decided to show off their classic colors He-Man statue, an exclusive item from SDCC and Wizard World this year.

   It’s a neat hybrid of the original design and the more recently reborn model, but featuring an “updated” (if only slightly) version of the original Power Sword.

   Even though I grew up on He-Man, I preferred the newer version more, and would love to see a version with the 2003 Power Sword.

   Oh, wait, maybe that’s what this is. Pity the pose is different.

3. So Tomb Raider is back.

   Not to the form that it was when it initially came out, but at least you can hear that a new one is coming out now without wanting to run your gut into a doorknob.

   So it’s with that in mind that news of a GameTap documentary and animated series sounds like alright news.

4. Unlike many people, Peter Moore feels that Rare is pulling its Lose Weight Exercise.

   Good, fine. Now, where’s Super Battletoads or Killer Instinct on Live Arcade, then?

5. Granted, death in comic books has become little more than a joke.

   But despite that, X-Men: Endangered Species still resonates with a sense of ominous tidings for the mutant superhero team.

6. He’s robotic, he fights for justice, and he is celebrating 20 years in 2007.

   That’s right, it’s Robocop!

   Who were you expecting?

   Looks like a heck of a DVD, coming out in August. Maybe this will be the way for me to see the movie for the first time.

7. A poster has been revealed for the upcoming Star Wars: Clone Wars CG series, and– wait, didn’t they already do this? But without the CG?
8. GameDaily’s Media Coverage takes a look at how the print medium is faring.

   I still say it can work, but not if they keep doing what they’re doing now.

9. The “international publishing boss” of Electronic Arts says “I believe the biggest fight will be in Europe. Whoever wins the hardware war in Europe, most likely will be the overall winner.”

   The question is, who, if anyone, will act upon it?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. TransFormers!

   The new trailer is out. Yahoo got ripped-off on this one, but Cybertron Phillipines has picked up the slack.

   And “my god…” it’s Megatron, with images and a review.

   Over at IGN, they have an exclusive image from the upcoming TransFormers/New Avengers crossover.

   And I’ll be frank. While I am looking very forward to this, I can’t say the art on this image strikes me as any of the most impressive TransFormers art I’ve ever seen. I freely admit that I cannot do better, but, I do know several artists who are already doing comics that can.

2. It has begun… Microsoft’s crackdown on region-violating 360s.
3. Joining American Idol (bleh) and 24 (meh) on Fox this Spring will be The Sarah Conner Chronicles, a spin-off of the popular Terminator movies.
4. Muppets rock.

   Ergo, The Muppet Show rocks.

   Thus, it can be easily surmised that The Muppet Show season 2, coming to DVD this August, must also rock.

   It’s just common sense.

5. “Frosty Float your way to a free Wii.”

   Sounds like a Wendy’s contest to me. And maybe a new product.

   Too bad I’m not big into floats. But then, I have a Wii anyway, so it sort of balances out. Though it’d make a dandy gift.

   Or contest prize, if I could offer such luxuries here.

6. Sounds like Capcom is ready and raring to go with original Wii downloadable content, but needs Nintendo to start the ball rolling.
7. You know, if ever there were evidence that the youth of America need to vote…

   Really, I think he’ll be very happy to know that no stores will be carrying that crappy game.

8. Jack Tretton is justifying the PS3 cost.

   Me? I’m too preoccupied by the picture to read.

   The problem with a system that’s all nice and shiney and reflective is that in the picture, at first glance, it looked like the PS3 was made of cardboard and Scotch tape.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. Saw this on the transit newspaper earlier, and had to dig for an online source. I guess you could say I had joint sources.

   But to be blunt, I guess we can safely call him “Bud” Bundy again.

2. Friend Shinkuu passed this tip along to me. PokemonCenter.com has a nice Pok?mon Diamond & Pearl DS Lite bundle, about which he says the following:

   The special edition Pokemon DS Lite that sold out in Japan in, like, seconds, is finally available domestically. The bundle may seem pricey at $330, but let’s consider this:

   -The rest of the bundle would have been $100, and so the DS Lite is worth $230 here, $100 more than a regular DS Lite.
   -The Japanese version of this special DS Lite typically sells for $450 these days (if you can find it).
   -Thus, the domestic version is cheaper than the Japanese version, EVEN IN THE BLOATED BUNDLE.

   Good stuff, if you don’t have any of it. And even then, you can sell off what you do. Be a hell of a gift for the Pok?mon lover in your life, too.

3. NinjaTurtles.com reports that a new TMNT comic book has been launched in the UK, which looks geared towards fans of the cartoon and recent movie…

   …about which, they also mention is due out on VHS August 7th.

   Wait, they still make VHS?

4. TransFormers news from The Allspark!

   If online ordering is your thing, then a visit to Hasbro’s Toy Shop can knock off 25% from your order, plus free shipping if you use the code.

   New pics are up of some Movie toys, as well as TransFormers Risk, which could very well turn out to be the first version of Risk I try.

   And finally, IDW has a nice update about many of their titles, including the upcoming Megatron: Origins mini-series.

5. So, for action figures… where does the Halo license lie?
6. From IGN, it looks like Thomas Jane won’t be returning for Punisher 2.

   It is regretful, but in trying to see things from his point of view (as he sounds rather dedicated to the character and its fans), I wonder what they did to make him back out?

7. Ok, so let me get this straight.

   A guy brings a Lara Croft dummy holding a gun home from work.

   His neighbor sees a silhouette or something, and calls the police.

   The police raid his frickin’ home on account of it.

   …and yet he spends the night in jail for it?!

   I think I’m marking UK off of my “places I’d like to visit” list.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Sorry folks, couldn’t access the site last nite, and so no update. Which means double-duty time. Your pleasure, I’m sure.

1. A belated Happy Birthday… to video gaming!

   Our favorite pasttime turned 40 yesterday, and 1up even has a feature.

2. TransFormers via The Allspark, who have fun and games.

   If you have Cingular as your telephone service, then good news for you as they’re offering some movie-themed goodies for your phone; Remy has a new gallery featuring the Target-exclusive Robo-Vision Optimus Prime, a spiced-up version of the movie figure, plus Ratchet; Spider-man 3 and Shrek the Third are premiering two new TransFormers The Movie trailers; deluxe The Movie toys are now officially out at retail; want Jazz for your very own? Maxim provides; more Scout recolors are on the way; Pepsi’s promotion has gone live.

   And TransFormers The Movie is Michael Bay’s highest-rated movie yet.

3. From Newsarama, looks like Robots in Disguise aren’t all that Steven Spielberg is looking to put on the big screen.

   Alongside Peter Jackson, it looks like Tintin is coming, too.

4. Charges were dropped against the two guerilla marketers who scared the pants off of Boston in promoting Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

   Sadly, no hair talk this time.

   Though the day will live on in infamy, at least the conflict is resolved.

   Then again, though, it still stinks that the whole “hoax” BS stuck.

5. Spider-man soft drinks?

   “Cott has launched three flavors of the beverage in 12-pack 8 oz small portion cans. Green Apple, Blue Raspberry and Orange Spider-Man? 3 sodas, under license from Spider-Man Merchandising L.P., are available in all Wal-Mart stores across the U.S. The products have 33% less sugar than regular soft drinks and are fortified with eight vitamins and minerals, satisfying both moms and kids alike.”

   The hell? What kind of bullcrap tie-in is this? Where’s the Spectacular Spider-Cherry? The Pep-Symbiote Cola? New Goblin Grape?

   Bah.

   Shameless marketing is one thing, but being uncreative to boot? The hell with that.

6. SOTA has announced that they’re lowering the price of their new DarkStalkers action figures, but removing some accessories as well.

   It’s a nice drop, though, I just hope nothing will be missed.

7. The countdown has begun as time ticks away towards “a major update” to the official Super Smash Bros. Brawl website. But what could it be?

   Evil Avatar has some theories… but a GameCube version of Brawl? I’ll believe that when I see it.

8. On Virtual Console this past Monday, new titles were added in the forms of Pac-Man and Ninja Gaiden for the NES, and Ninja Spirit for the TurboGrafx-16.

   But, which titles are worthy?

   …that opening remark about Nintendo sounds familiar, hmm…

9. In other Nintendo news, they are seeking out “brilliant” filmmakers for the Nintendo Short Cuts Showcase.

   The winner will receive $10,000, an audience with industry execs, and a gala premiere at Rockefeller Center on June 19 through the 22nd.

   Damn, and me without a camera.

10. Blah, blah, Sony this, blah, blah, losses that.
11. Awesome news: You can get Konami tunes, such as those from Contra and Castlevania, on your iPod.

    Horrific news: I lack an iPod.

    I wonder if this would work with that transforming Soundwave MP3 player at all…

12. Halo 3.

    September 25th.

    Worldwide launch.

    Well, sort of.

    I can only hope that they do a big launch event around here again.

13. “Wii would not like to play.”

    Another way of putting it: Nintendo UK’s ad agency is no longer Nintendo’s ad agency.

14. Ah, so Tomb Raider: Anniversary is coming to the Wii after all.

    Good to know.

15. Huh.

    So the mayor of Boston wants more developers in the city.

    But he backs Jack Thompson.

    And as we all know, just the mere sight of a video game character is enough to drive half of Boston into a terrorist-alert frenzy.

    So, yeah. Good luck with that, Tom. We’ll see how it goes.

16. If you’re taking a plane trip with Delta sometime soon, you may not want to forget your Nintendo DS.
17. More Microsoft douchebaggery.

    This time? Refusing to remove someone’s credit card number from her ex-boyfriend’s XBox Live account.

    And being sarcastic about it, to boot.

18. Not how I’d want to remember Luigi.
19. It seems that a lot of gamers do not crave creativity so much as more of the same.

    What do you think?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”