1) Poor, poor Dragon Quest. It turned 20, and everyone forgot to celebrate the occassion. Well, everyone except Toastyfrog, that is.

Man, a LOT of stuff is turning 20… Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Mega Man, Dragon Quest… it’s like video gaming meets baby boomers.

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2) Seems that the Blue Blur is going back to doing what he was once so well known for, and that’s launching a new system, in this case the PS3. They say that Wild Fire should be out around that time(perhaps as a Wii launch title?), though Sonic the Hedgehog for PS3 and XBox 360 has been said to be “day and date” of the PS3 launch.

One can only hope that goes well.

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3) Non-news: While the DS and PSP are knockin’ ‘em out of the park in the hundreds and tens of thousands, respectively, from June 19th to the 25th, 360 sold a meager 1,169. Ouch.

As I believe storm_wolfe once said, lock up Dragon Quest, and they won’t be able to keep them in stock. I raise that by saying to lock up maybe some other titles of Japanese origin. How well is Lunar received there?

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4) A PSP-controlled French robot? Yeah, it’s cool and all, but what I REALLY want is a new ROB that works with the Wii.

(No, I still don’t have him in Mario Kart DS yet, thank you.)

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5) I wouldn’t normally mention this, but… IT’S RIDGE RACERS!!! RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RACERS!!!!

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6) You just KNOW there are people who’d rather this game starred Roll and Tron and Chun Li and co.

Incidently, wasn’t there another game like this already, but with cartoons and aliens?

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7) Ah, that crazy John Woo. He seems to get attached to damn near everything in Hollywood that didn’t originate there, from Spy Hunter to Metroid to He-Man to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Well, as it happens, IGN is able to address two of those, at any rate. Seems he’s still got an eye on He-Man, more to produce than to direct, but he left Spy Hunter about a year ago.

Strangely enough, despite the buzz around the movie firmly attaching The Rock to the lead role, and even a new game casting him as such, there’s a chance that the lead may go to someone else.

I’ve got to admit, I’d be kind of pissed at Hollywood on general principle there. Do they HAVE to change everything from the games every time they do a project? Sheesh.

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8) I don’t really care, but I know some people on this list will. N-Philes has the Final Fantasy III DS box art from Japan.

“Much better than black name on white box.”

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9) …PilotWiings?

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10) Slashdot links to a Gamasutra piece about SEGA’s plan to reinvigorate the arcade market. Godspeed, SEGA, Godspeed.

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11) Games vs. Movies continues, as Joystiq links to a piece looking at why there are no famous video game critics.

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12) Kotaku says: Winners never cheat, and cheaters never win.

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13) DBZ doesn’t sell in Japan? It’s the end of the world as we know it…

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14) Lousy Aussies, always getting everything…

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15) Superman Returns: 5 days, $84.3 million.

But, will it turn a profit?

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So, GoNintendo has reported that the unlikeliest of suspects has scooped all the big sites: IGN, GameSpot, 1UP, the whole damn lot.

Sports Illustrated For Kids reports that the Nintendo Wii will be available on November 6th.

Whether it’s true or not… well, I have my grain of salt right here, though other sites are saying that “insiders” are saying that may be the case, or at least tentatively; Nintendo wants to make sure they’ll be ready before nailing down a concrete date.

That, I’ll believe. But at least we may have some sort of timeframe to look at here.

Wii-hoo…

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Another format revision, inspired by my last post and one of its replies: numbers for the stories for easy replies.

Also, since I think some people may not realize it, the italicized passages are usually quotes I find noteworthy, often from within the links(unless otherwise noted).

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1) From First to Worst: DFC Intelligence examines Sony’s possible fall from grace.

“With the PlayStation 3 the company is going after the high-end power user. It is almost as if Coca-Cola not only decided to go with a new formula, but also decided to exit the low-brow soft-drink business to go into high-end wines,” DFC explains. “Of course, there is a market for high-end products but it is 1) a very different consumer type and 2) not nearly as big as the blue collar mass market. Wal-Mart sells more toys than FAO Schwartz and McDonald’s sells more beef than Ruth’s Chris Steak House.”

On a side note, I keep hearing Meowth saying that first bit.

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2) Oh, snap. Whatever Sony’s losing for each PS3 sold, add about $244 million on top of that.

Atari has seen better days, too.

“I may be crazy enough to take on Batman, but the IRS? No thank you!”–Joker, The New Batman Adventures

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3) Fantastic Four vs. The Silver Surfer? Could happen in the next movie. But what I want to know is, will we see Galactus?

Washington added, “You would think that the Silver Surfer would be its own movie franchise, because people really love that character.”

…yeah, that went really well the last time they tried to market him on his own…

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4) N-Philes’ Boss Month has concluded, and looking back, there’s a neat piece added since I last talked about it for Bowser and Jr.

Trespassing, theft (water backpack), treason, illegal chemical dumping and resulting in environmental hazards resulting in possible death, possession of unlicensed firearms and weaponry, defacing public property (Graffiti), kidnapping/abduction, attempted murder…

Well gee, when they put it like that, Bowser Jr. comes off as pretty hardcore.

Anyway, it examines the Koopa family more than anything, and is sort of funny in that regard.

Heh, heh… “foofer”…

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5) Over on Slashdot, they mention another analyst’s prediction about the next-gen, citing that XBox 360 will rule through 2K9, with PS3 just behind and Nintendo trailing well behind, at least in North America.

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6) Joystiq recaps their favorite webcomics for the week.

My personal fave is this one.

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7) Joystiq also mentions the early release of the TransFormers movie trailer, and adds the following:

“I wouldn’t count on the multi-platform game launching ahead of schedule next Spring. It has been six months since Activision acquired publishing rights, and they still haven’t announced a developer.”

Incidently, I’d love to see an all-original TransFormers game. That is to say, not based on any particular series or continuity, so that the developers can basically adjust the characters as-needed. Last time they tried making one on the current line, it was pretty good, the consensus goes, but unfortunately, it came out halfway into the next line. This would avoid that.

And hell, if they can make original Star Wars material for games, why not TransFormers?

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8) Kotaku links to Toastyfrog’s blog regarding this whole racial blow-up that’s stemmed from Loco Roco.

You’d think there would be SOMEONE at these companies that would tell the developers “that shit ain’t gonna fly once it hits the water.”

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9) Btw, seen the new GTA game? I think flipping the school bus is the best part.

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10) German preorders for the PS3 get a game with the deal, all for the low, low price of ?600, or around $765. Formula 1, Motorstorm, SingStar or Genji are your picks.

“People who don’t know exactly how hard Europeans get boned on games and console always just try to translate the US price into the stronger currency at whatever the current exchange rate is, then maybe rounding it up a bit. This is not how it works: companies instead translate by assuming that one dollar is equal to one euro when pricing for European release. Considering a dollar is worth ?0.79 or thereabouts, it’s a big price jack.”

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11) Play Station: for mature gamers only.

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12) “Shit. There goes the Castle(vania).”

At least it’s confirmed that the lead Belmont will have a whip. But dammit, Hollywood, leave well enough alone for a change!

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13) Sales news: Dell cuts $50 off of 360, Blockbuster/GameRush clearance gets better, GB Micro for $65 Canadian at Toys R Us, and unadvertised $10 deals at EB Games in Canada.

God, wish I had money.

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Someone key just saw Spider-man’s press conference.

I don’t think this can be good in ANY way.

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Oh yes.

New Rockman anime… ZX! ROCK On!

I hope we get this over here. Or in lieu of that, hope that we at least see a sub… ??;;

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No comment. Just no. Fucking. Comment.

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Here’s hoping it’s more Mortal Kombat than anything else. And I don’t mean Annhilation.

First off, Paul W.S. Anderson won’t shoot this film until after he finished Deathrace 3000, which you can read more about below. As for the plot? “It will integrate Dracula’s origin story with the story of the Belmonts,” he tells B-D, “[There are] a fair amount of references [to the original NES games].” He continues, “[This will be] a whole new spin to ‘Castlevania’,” and the best part, “The whip is still in it.”

So far, so good…

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I’m not sure how good this is, though it does sound better than XBox 360 pricing at $69.99.

Then again, I expect it’s a matter of Canadian pricing fucking up my perspective.

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OH, GEE. #9 IS A REAL FUCKIN’ SURPRISE, AIN’T IT?!

Can’t say this list impresses me as a result…

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“Every time we go down a path, we look behind and they’re right there – we just can’t shake these guys.” Um, wait. I thought XBox was first to the next gen, how are they following here?

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What do you guys think? Is a lower price on the Nintendo Wii a bad thing?

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Captain Kirk Crowns Canadian Coders

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Sony may be having a tough time winning the home crowd, from the sounds of things.

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More regarding the PS3 with Hideo Kojima, Yoji Shinkawa, Tetsuya Nomura.

Some interesting thoughts, including the notion that the best thing would be “a PS3 with controls like the Wii.”

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It’s like “The Wizard” all over again.

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The GameCube’s Legacy: a look back to determine just how successful it was.

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WiiTF? Nintendo’s getting a little trademark crazy here…

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Wow, SEGA’s really on the ball, already planning their second-generation Wii software.

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Mario Gets Canned.

Or, “Souper Mario,” if you prefer.

Color me pissed off that I didn’t get to go see that.

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Casual gaming is a hardcore pursuit.

Whatever. I’m just posting this because of the cat playing GBA.

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DS Opera browser gimpy as hell. Meh. Browsing the internet via a portable game system’s always been kind of “meh” for me. Rather do it on DS due to the interface, but whatever.

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Interesting bit from Kotaku, about the shortcomings of the Talkman PSP language translator.

So we’re not quite to Star Trek level yet, I guess, but at least it might be handy if you want to score with a cute Spanish girl.

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Ok, I think that Hot Coffee was just as stupid as anyone else does, but I think this is just a wee bit ridiculous.

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Looking for a DS screen protector? Watch out!

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Comedian goes oldschool with NES routine.

God, that last bit is SO true, ain’t it?

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…and this is why I don’t bet on sports.

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And finally, Blockbuster/Game Rush is having a 75% off clearance sale on current-gen stuffs.

But probably not in Canada.

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…this could be interesting…

Yes…

…and since you probably won’t have much luck as I type this getting it from the above link, well, here’s another.

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So, after the big reveal, we all knew there would be repercussions…

…and here’s the one many people have anticipated most.

YES, there are spoilers.

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Spider-man 3 trailer, for realz.

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