1. Wanna be in the TransFormers movie? Live around LA? Then check this out.
2. GameTrailers has a video for Banjo Threeie.

   I dunno, I may warm up to them, but I liked the old character models better.

3. Oh, wow, they’re finally putting Get Smart on DVD. Loved that show. Hefty pricetag, but undoubtedly worth it.

   …and because my wife would want to know, Kids in the Hall is getting similar treatment.

4. Wicked, the TMNT movie is coming out a week earlier. Works for me.
5. Damn. No 360 price drop is coming. Not soon, anyway.

   …and I thought the Neo-Geo was the most expensive system after 3DO? Does the PS3 outdo that?

6. Just a reminder for Pok?mon fans, tomorrow is when you can go to Toys R Us and trade a Pok?mon for the legendary Mew. Follow the link for all the details.
7. N-Philes has a scan for Itadaki Street DS, a board-style game with Mario and Dragon Quest characters.

   Most curious indeed.

8. So Nintendo has had to temporarily switch to cardboard boxes for DS games, at least in Europe, and Joystiq takes them to task.

   Personally, I disagree with them. Typically, cardboard boxes for games get thrown away, and probably not even recycled at that. Meanwhile, the DS cases provide a handy storage solution for both DS games and GBA games. And since the DS cards are rather tiny to begin with, it’s better to have something to put it in that’s easy to keep track of.

   And it seems people are less prone to throw away a plastic case. I’ve seen numerous video game cartridges and VHS tapes without any of the materials they came with being sold second-hand, but with DVDs and more modern games, it seems the cases are more often with them. Not always, of course, but more often than with the old styles.

   …now, if people were throwing away their plastic cases, that’d be another matter entirely.

9. A true dilemma, if ever there was one.

   Kotaku says you can get Gyakuten Saiban 2(Phoenix Wright 2 in the US) from Japan months before it hits the US, thanks to a handy English language option.

   …but, the question is, could doing so hurt the chances of further installments coming out here?

10. …gwah? Tails is playable in Sonic the Hedgehog?

    (Yes, egg, I know you linked me to the PA thread with the first pic, but I thought that could’ve been a cutscene or something)

11. Hmm, I imagine there are a number of frustrated gamers to whom this should be of interest.

    The question is, will they be too stubborn to buy into it?

12. Say, these new Happy Meal Bionicles look a lot cooler than the last ones they did.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. The Official TMNT Website has a link to Toy News International’s pictures of some of the toys for the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.

   Glad to see the articulation seems improved, and doesn’t look too bad overall, though I prefer the current animated designs. Only real grievance is that Donatello’s headband looks more blue than purple; I thought he was Leo at first glance.

2. egg points me to this Penny Arcade thread, which brings news that a 314mb Sonic the Hedgehog demo is available now on XBox Live Marketplace. The demo is reportedly rather short, covering the Kingdom Valley area, minus the parted sea sequence, and only takes about a minute or so to beat.

   “Already many complaints of collision problems, camera, lack of speed, etc etc all the typical bs.”

   GameSpot also goes hands-on.

3. Over at The Allspark are some reports of TransFormers Classics and Titanium wave 5 hitting store shelves, as well as some pictures of the upcoming Japanese release Masterpiece 03 Starscream and 04 Complete Convoy.
4. GameTrailers has added an extended version of the TGS06 Sonic the Hedgehog trailer, DOA Xtreme 2 character bios, and a look at the upcoming Halo Wars for the XBox 360.
5. Speaking of Halo Wars, GameSpot has a little info on that as well.

   If I ever get a 360, I might just give this a shot…

6. Regarding the issue of whether or not browsing the web on your Wii would be for free, Opera has said “si,” but for a limited time being the key. Similar to what Japan’s situation will be, Wii web fans have until June 2007 to shout with glee.
7. Superman Returns is coming to DVD on November 28th, and IGN has all the details.
8. Hmm, seems Watson may not reprise her role as Hermione in future Harry Potter films.

   The thought is enough to drive some people to tears, I’m sure.

9. Like Spider-man? Need a way to keep up on the latest Marvel happenings? Then step right up and get your copy of The Daily Bugle!
10. Awesome, Rare is prepping Banjo and Kazooie for a comeback!

    Even though I’ve never really gotten the chance to play the games, I’ve always had some sort of affinity for the characters.

11. I really gotta read this book.
12. Next-Gen reports that Wii anticipation has exploded in Japan, leaving the PS3 behind, at least on Amazon.
13. Following up on the announcement of Halo Wars, Next-Gen runs down all the big stories from X06 today.
14. Ok, so Resident Evil 5 is still going multiplatform. Panic buttons off.
15. A law has been proposed that would have the ESRB play games through to the end. One has to wonder how well that would work…

    …but not nearly as much as one wonders how a guy with a smile like that gets elected in the first place.

16. Awesome, Reggie is handing out the first Wii units at launch.

    Go Nintendo provides a link to the video interview where this is said.

17. Go Nintendo says that Pringles is on board this whole “Wii” thing with a contest for people to win one of 100 of the ease-of-use units.
18. Kotaku also reports that preordering a Wii is easy… if you live in Ireland.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. As I’m sure most of you know, I could give a rat’s ass about the Madden games. Sure, I think it’s a boon to the Wii’s lineup, but that doesn’t mean I have to like the game itself.

   That said, despite my disinterest in the games, I do find the associated curse to be quite intriguing.

2. Yesterday(sorry, couldn’t pull the site up), Slashdot reports that the PSP’s PS1 emulator is finally available.

   I’ll be honest, I can’t think of many PS1 games I’d want on the PSP that I didn’t already get during the PS1′s era. Croc, maybe?

3. Kotaku examines what’s up with Capcom and Microsoft regarding Resident Evil 5. Might it become an exclusive?

   And I didn’t even know that Inafune was producing that one.

4. High-end PS3 to adopt dual-HDMI ports?

   …I really think Sony is overestimating the adoption rate of this stuff.

5. N-Europe gets the dirt on Nintendo’s Wii advertising campaign.
6. 1UP takes a look back at 10 years of “NINTENDO SIXTY-FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUR!!!”
7. IGN covers Metal Gear news to come out of TGS, including books, websites, endorsed fanfic, and… Metal Gear Solid 5?

   Well, the books and websites are good for me, anyway.

   For others, the PSP bundles for Portable Ops sounds pretty wicked.

8. Toys R Us is running some game-clearance specials, at least in the States. Sigh…

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. Interesting news for TransFormers fans this weekend, as Don Murphy has said that the movie has finished filming, and now the post-production work begins.

   In addition, TFW2005 has the first look at the Autobot Jazz’s production art, which I think may just be my favorite thus far.

   And if you’re planning on attending BotCon, maybe you can be a part of the TransFormers documentary which is being produced.

2. GameSpot takes their first look at Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and they seem to like what they see so far.
3. Well, this should cast aside any doubts: Sony doesn’t care what you think if you’re not in Japan.

   As I said, I’m sure the American audience has been every bit as vocal about the PS3′s pricing as their Japanese gaming brethren, but despite what the mainstream media has reported, the prices outside of Japan remain as they were before TGS. The only silver lining here is that all the lower-end PS3s are being equipped with HDMI ports now.

   Oh well, as I said, they don’t have anything I want yet, but it still sucks a bit if you do. Ironically, I suppose, one might consider importing the Japanese PS3 as it’s region free(thanks, Nintendo) for games, but not for movies, which seems to be where the bulk of the cost for the unit may be coming from.

   GameSpot also has a Q&A with Kaz “Riiiiiiiidge Racer!!” Hirai, which covers some details of the US launch.

4. Nintendo announces that the new batch of Game Boy Advance Player’s Choice games are now available for $19.99 USD, and includes Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Pok?mon FireRed & Pok?mon LeafGreen.

   A nice batch if you don’t have them already. My only question is if Mario Kart: Super Circuit includes that insufferable Blue Shell. Hate that thing…

5. Addicted to MMOs? Maybe GameDaily can help…

   MMOs, MMORPGs specifically, have always been a conflict with me. I want to play them, but I truly fear what might happen if I do, so I keep my distance, though the allure of some titles such as Ragnarok Online and City of Heroes is hard to resist…

6. N-Philes brings word from IGN(which won’t load for me at the moment) that Nintendo will have one million consoles available for the Wii launch in November.

   “If he turns out to be right, the Wii will be the “most plentiful launch” of a console in Nintendo history. Bertram also claims that “all signs are extremely positive” in regard to Nintendo’s ability to meet its launch unit expectations.”

7. I was tempted to look into this, but “will suit a student” makes me wonder if it’d really be what I need. Anyway, Next-Gen is doing a little bit of hiring for their site, mainly things like transcribing audio-taped interviews, if anyone is interested.

   Do well, and maybe you’ll get a chance to write other content as well, such as this feature about Capcom’s affinity for the undead.

8. If you’ve been watching TV lately, such as Adult Swim or 4Kids.tv, then you might have seen the commercial for Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis. But if you haven’t, then Go Nintendo has your hook-up.
9. Go Nintendo also has some new info about Sonic and the Secret Rings, including that there will be 70 missions, and only Sonic will be playable.
10. Joystiq digs into Sony’s interviews about the DS trailing the PSP, and how the PS3 price has a “mainstream appeal.”
11. From the sound of things, Wal-mart will not have Wii demo kiosks until next year. Most unfortunate.
12. Gaming Edge, via Kotaku, takes a look at Kutaragi’s keynote speech from TGS, and points out that “it’s almost point-for-point the same damn speech he delivered 6 years ago.”
13. Ok, Uwe Boll’s movies may suck, but I never held any outright malice towards him, but after reading this, I think my opinion may just change.

    Incidently, I had a strange dream the other night that I was working for him(and he was pretty much a dick), and we were in Mexico trying to sell copies of his movies. Weird stuff.

    It’s not much, and it may well be too late, but if anyone wants to “criticize” Uwe Boll and his movies to see if they can get a shot at him(take note of the above comments from Lowtax, and be prepared), I’ll gladly post anyone’s stuff here. Just try and keep it semi-clean, ok? Just use the News Submission link on the left, and we’ll hook it up.

    On the one hand, I’ve not watched any of his movies, nor have I had enough interest in the properties to, so having that content will be nice. On the other hand, I doubt PMO is enough of a blip on the radar yet to even register in his mind. All the same, however, the offer stands.

    Kotaku also reports on a BBC report on the matches.

14. On a more upbeat, positive note, here we have how to draw Samus Aran.
15. Man, that Koji Igarashi has one bad-ass business card.
16. This past weekend was someone’s birthday… and a big PMO congratulations to them.
17. …wow. What a horrible, horrible waste. Here I am, trying to build my classic console collection and such, and here this guy… just… *sobs* IT’S NOT FAIR!!!
18. Press The Buttons takes a look back at some earlier eras of video game merchandising, Nintendo specifically.

    Me? I’ve got that CD pictured. And the Killer Instinct poster mentioned. Oh yeah, that’s right. That poster still makes me laugh just thinking about it.

    I’d still love that Super Mario 64 shirt, though. In black, of course.

    The screensaver/mouse pad combo might be nice, too.

    …incidently, though, I’d love to know how anyone would be swinging the Master Sword around during the NES era, since it never appeared until the SNES era.

19. N-Europe meets the voice of Mario, and even gets to record him giving the European Wii launch details in his Mario voice. Must have been a fun day.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

Ok, sorry I missed out on the update yesterday. There have been… complications. But this page isn’t about that, it’s about stuff going on, and so I’ll get on with that.

…and before that, let me just add that I have NO plans for this to be a regular occurrence. Today’s update is taking me FOREVER to do. TGS doesn’t help, nosiree Bob.

1. NinjaTurtles.com, the official TMNT website, has an update that might interest you if you collect the figures, specifically the Fast Forward bunch:

   “The latest shipments of Fast Forwart TMNT and Splinter figs have been packing extra weapons in the clamshells (the first waves only packed them with their regular Ninja Tek weapons and that’s it) ..the latest packs seem like a better deal and i guess are kinda ‘variants’.

   Dunno for sure. Leo for example comes with 2 extra sets of blades ..a naginata style staff blade and 2 shuriken.”

   Personally, I’ve yet to even see the regular TMNT Fast Forward figures in my area, which is too bad, as they’re more affordable than most stuff I get and I’d really like a Leonardo.

2. After a brief downtime, The Allspark is back with a new frontpage, and on that front page they have an exclusive interview with the legendary voice artist Frank Welker, who’s voiced everyone from Megatron to Soundwave, Rumble, Dr. Claw, Bowser, Freddy from Scooby-Doo, and various animals for numerous shows and movies, including The Simpsons.
3. Also from The Allspark’s forums comes a bit of good news for fans of SatAM Sonic the Hedgehog, as the show is finally coming to DVD in early 2007, and with bonus features in tow.

   …but it probably won’t be found in Canada. NAFTA my ass…

   Anyway, it’s being produced by Shout! Factory(who made the C.O.P.S. and Super Mario Bros. Super Show DVDs) as a 4-disc set encompassing all 26 episodes

4. The Mega Man Network brings word from the Tokyo Game Show regarding Mega Man news, naturally. Unfortunately, there have not been any new games announced, but Ryuusei no Rockman finally has a US title.

   Behold, MegaMan: Star Force!

   So far, I’m the only one who seems to like the name. I guess after various Power Rangers incarnations and TransFormers Galaxy Force, I’m used to it, and what with some of the similarities to the former…

5. Atomic Fire also brings further news for the Ryuusei no Rockman website, including some movies of the game from TGS.
6. GameTrailers brings all sorts of new stuff. And believe it or not, some of it here is NOT related to the Wii!

   Phoenix Wright: Justice For All TGS trailer, Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded(I’ve never known a trailer for a game to promote cheats before…), Spy Hunter: Nowhere To Run review(despite the reviews it’s getting, it doesn’t sound particularly BAD, per se), Ninja Gaiden: Sigma TGS trailer, Sonic the Hedgehog TGS trailer, and DOA: Xtreme 2 TGS trailer.

7. And speaking of XBox 360′s upcoming Sonic title, egg was kind enough to link me to another trailer which shows off more of the gameplay, and even a glimpse of Blaze the Cat.

   The video is also hosted at Sonic Style, along with some Sonic Rivals art and a new Sonic and the Secret Rings trailer.

8. GameSpot adds more Sonic love with two new gameplay movies from the PS3 version of the title, both featuring Silver.
9. Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is reviewed by GameSpot, getting a respectable 8.2 out of 10. Unfortunately, they gave the original an 8.0, but that was from a different guy, so I’m still uncertain on this one.
10. Some details about the Ninja Gaiden port/upgrade to PS3 have arisen, thanks to GameSpot and Famitsu.
11. More GameSpot trailers: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, MegaMan: Star Force(placed under MegaMan Battle Network 5 Double Team for some reason), and Gyakuten Saiban 4(Japanese name for the Phoenix Wright games).
12. Hmm, now this is good. IGN rips into Sony on their TGS presence, and about the PS3-PSP connectivity specifically here.

    IGN: “And your boss, he told you to make wave motions with your hands, gesturing from the PS3 to the PSP, and call it a technical demonstration?”
    Booth Babe: “Hai! Ah, yes!”
    IGN: “And other people have passed by here for two days now without questioning this?”
    Booth Babe: “Hai!”
    IGN: “…Please marry me anyway.”

13. Remember how, in a way, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children was supposed to be a killer app of sorts for the PSP?

    Well, it seems they’re trying it again for Blu-Ray with a special edition “director’s cut” style edition.

14. You thought Battle Network was over? Well, you were wrong.

    Eh, sorta. IGN covers Rockman.EXE 6: Beast Link, possibly a Japan-only release with few available details that sounds reminiscient of Rockman.EXE 4.5.

    Dammit, I wanted a DS version of Battle Network 6 akin to the one for 5.

    IGN also takes a peek at MegaMan: Star Force as well.

15. Also at IGN, they take a closer look at Sonic the Hedgehog for the 360, with a little bit of hands-on as well as a better look at Shadow’s role, which seems to be more vehicles and less weapons than his last outing. This seems to do away with the idea that he’d be PS3-exclusive, and also serves to seemingly justify why he would commandeer vehicles in the first place.

    And as one of about… 4 Shadow fans out there, lemme say I’m glad, though it sounds like he may have a rougher road ahead of him.

16. GameDaily takes their shot at The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and gives their two cents on what they think, which actually casts the first shadow of real doubt on the game from the press.

    Will the GameCube version be the way to go, after all? Maybe not, as Matt from IGN seems to feel the game is fine.

17. Next-Gen reports that “Microsoft has confirmed that failure rates for the Xbox 360 launch batch were ?higher than usual,? but the company is offering free repairs and refunds to make up for it.

    Good news, generally speaking.

18. Proof that Sony doesn’t care what you think?

    They’ve recently announced that they are lowering the price–in Japan only– of the lower-end model, and adding HDMI to it as well, due to consumer outcry over the pricing.

    And are being ridiculed for it. No pleasing some folks, I tell ya’.

    …granted, I don’t follow Japan all that much, believe it or not, but I think people in America and around the world have been pretty damn vocal about this as well, no doubt every bit as much as Japan has. Where’s our price cut?

    I bet no one would bad mouth it here, either.

    Oh well, whatever. I’d rather have a 360, anyway.

19. Don’t remember if I mentioned this before, but to be safe: If you didn’t get ahold of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow for the Nintendo DS, then you’ll soon have another chance.
20. Go Nintendo also links to some neat Ubisoft stuff, including a peek at their GBA TMNT game.
21. For those digging sound systems and such, you might be happy to know that Dolby is supporting the Wii.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. Allspark reports of a Toys R Us TransFormers 2-for-1 sale, and might there soon be a TransFormers “Risk” board game?
2. GameTrailers videos: Excite Truck(1 Gameplay), Wii event gameplay compilation(Features), Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz walkthrough(Feature), and tumor surgery in Trauma Center 2(Gameplay).
3. Wow, THQ is in some kind of trouble. GameSpot makes it sound like an “as usual” thing.
4. Grand Theft Wii? Seems Reggie wouldn’t mind that, or any other M-rated games.
5. Go Nintendo points us to Eurogamer’s Super Mario Galaxy impressins, as well as an MSN article on Wii.
6. Slashdot reports that “Reviews don’t matter,” a study finds.

   I believe it.

   They also link to an article by BusinessWeek asking, “Will the Wii Work?”

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. The Allspark has several new pieces of news up, including a BotCon schedule(featuring Peter “Optimus Prime” Cullen’s own 45 minute panel on Saturday), the June 2nd release date of the TransFormers movie toys, an IDW Thunderwing “Stormbringer” desktop wallpaper, and an interview with one of the men behind the original TransFormers, Bob Budiansky.
2. Atomic Fire links to a Game Watch article that shows some art and stuff from Ryuusei no Rockman, and in a move that’s sure to cause anguish, the logo for the 20th Anniversary of Rockman.
3. GameTrailers has updated with a bevy of new videos that include Super Mario Galaxy‘s Robot World and more(4 Gameplay), Wario Ware: Smooth Moves(Feature), and Wii Zelda gameplay.
4. GameSpot has a movie up for the upcoming SEGA Genesis Collection on PS2.
5. The Wii will be playable on the Nintendo Fusion Tour. Sadly, there is no date for Toronto.
6. Yesterday, Capcom released Capcom Classics Mini-Mix for the Game Boy Advance.

   From my POV, a must-have.

7. GameSpy, like so many before it, offers their opinions on Wii as they preview Super Mario Galaxy, Zelda, Metroid Prime 3, Red Steel, and more.
8. Next-Gen quotes Iwata from an interview with Bloomberg:

   “We want to appeal to mothers who don’t want consoles in their living rooms, and to the elderly and to young women. It?s a challenge, like trying to sell cosmetics to men. If we can do this, the Wii could break all the boundaries in terms of user rates for game consoles. We are not battling Sony or Microsoft. Our enemy is consumer indifference to games.”

   …I want to argue the notion that this can’t possibly be as hard as selling make-up to men, but in this day and age…

9. Go Nintendo reports that Konami has finally opened its Japanese site for Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin.
10. They’ve also pried and discovered the real reason why Amazon and Nintendo World have stopped taking Wii preorders.

    So maybe there’s still a chance…

11. Seems that Excite Truck is going to be 2-player only.

    That’s fine by me, for the reasons Kotaku stated.

12. Ok, fine, so it’s not.
13. Ninja Gaiden: Sigma, exclusively on PS3.

    …with Rachel as a playable character.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. GameSpot finally gets to the bottom of the whole Wii region coding debate.
2. GameTrailers has yet more Wii video footage:

   On stage Virtual Console, Mii channel, and internet functionality demonstrations(3 Trailers), and Sonic and the Secret Rings “Dino Jungle”(GamePlay).

3. EA to challenge Tony Hawk?

   Pfft, who cares? I want KONAMI to challenge Tony Hawk. Bring back Skate or Die.

   We want Lester!!!

4. Crap.

   Hey Shinkuu, bad news. I think our little party has just been cancelled.

5. “You have your HD DVD in my BluRay!”

   “You have your BluRay in my HD DVD!”

   “Would you two just shut up and get out of my standard DVD?”

   “Guys, guys, can’t we all just get along?“

LBD “Nytetrayn”

Why the “Plus?” Because it was an insomnia weekend, and I didn’t do any stories, so I’m covering anything that’s gone on over the weekend, PLUS anything thus far today. Enjoy.

1. First things first, over at Scans Daily on LiveJournal, I posted a little blast from the past in the form of the 10th Anniversary edition of The Adventures of GamePro. Check it out for nostalgia’s sake.
2. Over at Ben’s World of TransFormers, Ben Yee has begun reviewing figures from the TransFormers Classics line, including photo galleries.

   So far, it’s just Astrotrain, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and “Rodimus,” aka Hot Rod in the 80s.

   If you’re unsure about whether you want to bother or not, Ben’s reviews are pretty good at telling you everything you need to know.

3. Newgrounds has an interesting piece up for Weird Al fans in You’re Pitiful, a parody of James Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful.” Evidently, Blunt was cool with it, but his record company wasn’t.

   And that is why record companies are evil, folks. Anyway, it’s a fun song and video, so be sure to check it out.

4. From a reader by the name of Ben tells me that Kingdom Hearts Ultimania has news that Square-Enix is going to be releasing a new version of Kingdom Hearts 2 entitled Kingdom Hearts 2: Final Mix, which includes plenty of new features.

   No idea if there’s any plan to release it over here, but I imagine if you’ve held off on this game and can play imports, this might be the one to get.

5. Allspark has word that the first full trailer for the TransFormers ’07 movie will be released sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.

   And while on the subject of TransFormers movies, they also have linked to IDW’s page for a look at a page from the new comic re-adaptation of the original movie.

   As usual, Don’s art never fails to impress me, making the characters come to life, taking the best of both the toy designs and their animated counterparts and and combining them into one awesomely detailed piece of art.

6. A little bit of Mega Man ZX news today. I think it’s fair to say that Kyouryuu is someone who’s had quite a bit of a love/hate affair with Mega Man over the past several years, and so it is with that in mind that I link you to his look at the game, as I think it offers the kind of view some people might be looking for.

   On a related note, Atomic Fire brings a bit of news concerning the Japanese release of the game’s soundtrack, due on October 27th, and seemingly sporting some pretty nifty cover art.

7. Speaking of Atomic Fire and Mega Man, they’ve got some news from the new CoroCoro regarding Ryuusei no Rockman.

   I’m still not convinced this is a game that warrants three versions, though.

   Makes me curious how the two-version Battle Networks have done over here. One might argue well enough if they’re still doing them, but then that might just be Capcom’s semi-characteristic laziness(not counting Robert Johnson and his boys’ work, keep up the great job, fellas!). Even then, that’s for two versions, nevermind three. I can’t help but wonder if it wouldn’t be worthwhile to have a choice of versions all on one cartridge here in the US…

8. Hmm, seems GameTrailers has seen a productive weekend. Some videos of interest include:

   Reggie giving the Wii price and release announcement, an on-stage photo demonstration, and a system walkthrough(2 Trailers, 1 Feature), Zelda Wii show floor walkthrough(Feature), and some more Metroid Prime 3)1 Feature and 2 Gameplays).

   Here’s hoping that Nintendo keeps the “Fish On!” part. I’d have liked Super Mario Sunshine just a little more if they’d kept “Shine Get!” It’s that kind of thing that becomes legend.

   The Metroid Prime look is actually a bit funny as the guide from GT gets a bit frustrated trying to get a door open(you have to be back away from the door before you can grapple it and yank it off. Makes sense to me.).

9. IGN has a cool story about an association known as the “Hero Foundry” donating about $600 in comic books and graphic novels to libraries, schools, and hospitals in an effort to get more people reading.
10. I love Batman.

    I love kittens.

    So of course it saddens me that I can’t take part in this, but maybe you can.

11. IGN takes another look at Super Mario Galaxy, dubbing it “the Wii’s flagship experience.”

    They also check out Zelda, and assess the sword-swinging mechanic, which isn’t 1:1, but “not particularly bothersome.”

12. “She said, He said” continues as Next-Gen tries to get to the bottom of the Wii region question.

    And evidently, Perrin didn’t just give that line to Wired, as you’ll see near the end.

    All the while, Go Nintendo is trying to figure out what GameSpot knows, which seems to be leaning towards a “yes, it is.”

    Even Wired themselves are trying to figure out what’s going on, to limited success.

13. Go Nintendo also has a link to this local newscast in the UK which takes a look at the Wii, and also a a bit from an interview with Eiji Aonuma on Zelda, stating ?Of course, I like Link in that shape[,] too, and I have no intention to stop producing cel-shaded Link??
14. Go Nintendo runs some pricing comparisons to see how Wii stacks up against the competition presented in XBox 360 when you start buying your add-ons.

    In the end, it seems that the Wii comes out a bit less.

15. Slashdot links to a pair of editorials looking at how it’s come to “Do or Die” for Nintendo in this next console generation.

    They also have a link to an interview with a cheater, “shining a light into the dark recesses of a conflicted mind. The article explores why the cheater cheats, and the great excuses they use to be able to look themselves in the mirror.”

16. GN and NGCFrance have reported that the Sonic and the Secret Rings website is updated, and showing off some new pics.

    Never thought I’d see the day when Sonic actually wears a ring…

17. The best game store in Japan?

    I am in no way qualified to answer, but it looks good just the same!

18. Joystiq brings word that Canadian news website Canoe has interviewed the Super Columbine Massacre RPG creator following the events in Montreal.

    The interview is worth watching for the way Ledonne behaves himself. Like watching Marilyn Manson in Bowling for Columbine, Ledonne handles himself professionally with word choice precision; meanwhile, the Toronto Sun columnist being used as the counter, who “tried to play” Ledonne’s game, comes off like the stereotypical out-of-touch old man — because he is.

19. Remember that story about EB/Gamestop only taking games as down-payment for a Wii or PS3? Joystiq follows up, revealing that it’s only in Hawaii and Guam, as a test of sorts before expanding it elsewhere.
20. Kotaku has an interesting bit of news regarding the poor condition of Lego Star Wars II for the Nintendo DS.

    I do so hate it when companies will sacrifice quality all in the name of making a tie-in.

21. Extra! Extra! Hobbits Hate Uwe Boll!
22. (Don’t tell my wife, but I wish my wedding cake looked like this.)
23. Kotaku and various others have linked to this(mirrored due to Digging), a video of the first level of Super Mario Bros. 3, in Lego form!

    Google also has it in lower quality, but I don’t think that’s so big a deal. This is really incredible. Would people think of stuff like this if we didn’t have the internet as our grand exhibit hall?

24. Wow, I’d all but forgotten about the fighting Senator.

    I’m surprised SEGA hasn’t done anything with Eternal Champions lately. We need a fighting lawyer representing you-know-who to kick the stuffing out of.

25. Nintendo vs. Sony and Microsoft? No, friends… Toastyfrog reveals who Nintendo’s REAL opponent is.

    He also reveals that they both want your mom.

26. C3 reveals Nintendo’s decision to make Zelda: Twilight Princess a “T” title.

    …nevermind the fact that it’s not Nintendo who decides, but anyway…

27. And this has simply been everywhere. If you were planning to pre-order a Wii from Amazon.com… don’t. They sold out within a day.

LBD “Nytetrayn”

1. The Allspark brings word that KoolToyz.ca has the deluxe TransFormers Classics toys in stock now, so that means it shouldn’t be long before they begin popping up elsewhere.

   Ever seen a grown man cry? ‘Cuz I’m about to.*

2. Atomic Fire has a further update regarding Ryuusei no Rockman‘s Japanese homepage update, which now includes the option to be able to see one of the “Wave Battles” in action.
3. GameTrailers continues the Wii love with a flurry of gameplay videos from the Nintendo World Wii event:

   Wario Ware: Smooth Moves(Gameplay and Trailers), Excite Truck(2 Gameplay, 1 Trailer), The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess(1 Trailer, 3 Gameplay), Wii Sports(1 Trailer, 1 Gameplay), Metroid Prime 3: Corruption(2 Gameplay), and DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 2(Gameplay).

4. Good news if you’re a Euro, the Wii arrives there on December 8th for ?179/249 Euros, and the Aussies are getting it a day earlier for AU$399.95.

   I can honestly say I have no idea how good or bad that sounds. Further details are behind the link there, but it sounds like the Commonwealth are getting the same bundle as the Americans.

5. The Rock talks a little about the Spy Hunter movie, which is currently in “development hell” right now.

   Dang.

6. IGN brings forth a little bit of news about SEGA’s Wii adaptation of Bleach, including the inclusion of an original character.
7. And so, the world thus shouted out “damn!” as Nintendo of Europe’s General Manager David Yarton sayeth “NO, the Wii shalt NOT be region-free!”

   Then, with a turn of his cape and through a deep British accent, he laughed evilly as he ducked back into the shadows, shouting that “for as long as the world remains seperate, the power shall be…” and then he was out of earshot.

   All the same, you can rest assured that this now-contradictory piece of info does indeed suck(unless the cat was let out of the bag early yesterday, and this is damage control). Hope Wii-Fi still works worldwide.

8. Sounds like the game included in the Wii remote bundle in Japan, translated as My First Wii may yet make it here as Wii Play. No word on if the bundle part will happen here, though. Dangit.
9. Oooh, now this is interesting.

   Like Metroid? Sure, who doesn’t? Ok, so there’s you. And you over there.

   Anyway, there’s plenty who do, myself included, so moving on.

   N-Philes reports that First 4 Figures, creators of that cool Fierce Deity statue, are bringing out two variants of a new Samus statue for $99.99, one featuring Samus in her Varia Suit, and another rarer version that shows off her Gravity Suit colors.

   Full details on release are behind the link, but others slated for the series include the Light, Dark, and Phazon Suits as well.

10. Hmm, after yesterday, Nintendo’s stock has seen a slight drop.

    I’m not terribly worried, though.

11. Hmm, want a Wii or PS3 from GameStop/EB? Maybe you should read this.

    Dunno how true it is, but, well, I can believe it. This would suck for me, as frankly, if I own it, I have little to no intent of parting with it.

12. Go Nintendo clears up the topic about what sort of cable will come with the Wii.

    Sounds like it may be the same one that came with the SNES, the N64, and the GameCube. Gotta love that consistency. Now, if only the OTHER systems were compatible…

13. Hello! This looks like a good deal for preordering Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, but is it valid at EB, too? Because we don’t have GameStops here in Canada.

    We need more preorder bonuses like this. I can’t imagine they cost all that much to make(being CDs and all), and it might help entice some people…

    Throw in some art booklets like the Japanese ones, and we’re really rolling.

14. FINALLY, the DS demo download stations have been updated.

    And it even has March of the Minis on it.

15. Re: Wii’s price in Canada.

    I’ll be damned.

    Of course, I may yet buy mine in America still, but for other reasons…

16. Thanks to BPM Omega for this one. Nintendo’s press site has an interesting tidbit available regarding 3rd-party Wii releases available from launch day through the first quarter of 2007, ending March 31st.

    Most, if not all of the games listed have come up before, save for one…

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, by Ubisoft.

    Being Ubisoft, this is no doubt going to be based on the upcoming movie, TMNT. But how will the Wii itself play in? It could be very interesting.

    Dare I ask, could this become a reality?

LBD “Nytetrayn”

* Ha-ha, this is the internet, so you still can’t see it anyway.