InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Review/Gallery: BWTF brings us yet another review in short order, this time showing off Voyager Optimus Prime from the Movie line.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Video: This is one grandpa I wouldn’t want anywhere near my house on Christmas day. And somehow, I find it difficult to imagine that he only started acting like this now…

   Then again, it’s almost as hard to imagine someone deciding to put this up for the world to see, but I guess everyone wants to be a star in some way.

2. Pic: Some new retro art from the 5th turtle.
3. Blogging: Cheerios, yo. Is there anything better?

Video Power

1. Video: Sort of a neat music video here from Mega Man X3, featuring a guy from over at the Penny Arcade forums taking on the Boss Rush segment to different pieces of music for each boss, and using either the X-Buster or the boss’s own weapons against them to make the fight as hard as he can.
2. Gadgets: Capcom has decided to introduce some new nick-nacks, and in the process, totally punk out 1up on their release dates. Will they fire back?
3. Video: ScrewAttack.com checks out a slightly more modern classic in their Video Game Vault file on Power Stone.
4. Article: Are games today more violent than in days of old? Games Radar searches for the answer.
5. Video: And here we have what seems to be an interesting Super Smash Bros. Brawl fanmade trailer.
6. Pics: A pair of comics about Nintendo and their “green” ways.
7. Merch: If you’re into cel-shaded Link and Zelda, then has Play Asia got something for you!
8. Pics: So while Time magazine has named their own Person of the Year, that hasn’t stopped SomethingAwful.com’s Photoshop Phriday crew from naming a few of their own.
9. Video: Consider this a strong warning about being careful with Wii remotes. Especially if you’re using funky add-ons.
10. Video: A modern take on a classic story, and only three days late. Join us, won’t you, as we discover How (Shadow) the Hedgehog Stole Christmas.
11. Newsbit: And finally, in one Australian father’s darkest hour, a hopeful letter to Nintendo brought the touch, and now his daughter has Wii Power.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

So, TransFormers: Animated has had its debut on Cartoon Network, and everyone’s talking about it… which is a huge pain, because I don’t get to see it until New Year’s Day. Sigh. I hate crap like this, I guess the people in charge have no idea what a pain it is to essentially be divided from your friends online as a result…

In other news, I’m on a serious Wario kick lately. I wish I had one of the games. Land, Ware, World, I’m not so choosey. At least I’ll get some fix before TOO long, when Super Smash Bros. Brawl comes out.

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Pics: New pics, clearer now, of Japanese Classics Grimlock have surfaced, showing off his G1-ish paintjob.
2. Newsbit: Plus, the new Movie-version Robot Heroes Final Battle 5-pack has been revealed, featuring metallic versions of Optimus, Megatron, Blackout, Jazz, and Ratchet.
3. Newsbit: Wondering what’s what and what the deal is on all those upcoming Japanese TransFormers releases? Fear not, as you are now covered.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Newsbit: Beware, possible spoilers for Marvel Comics’ Spider-man “One More Day” storyline lie within.

   *ahem*

   “Dear Marvel,

   Get bent.

   Sincerely,

   PMO”

   Seriously, as many have pointed out, this messes up a LOT of things stretching far beyond just Spider-man, Mary Jane, and Aunt May.

2. Newsbit: Sounds like Hilton is alright… Barron Hilton, that is, Paris’ grandfather.

   “That money will be placed in a charitable trust that will eventually benefit the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, raising its total value to about $4.5 billion, the foundation said in a statement.

   The foundation supports projects that provide clean water in Africa, education for blind children, and housing for the mentally ill. Its aims, based on Conrad Hilton’s will, are “to relieve the suffering, the distressed and the destitute.”

   Makes sense to me. Paris has a career of sorts now, she can earn her own fortune.

Video Power

1. Newsbit: Capcom*Unity reports that the Bionic Commando site now has a blog to keep us abreast of the latest involving Nathan Spencer.
2. Newsbit: Remember the story yesterday, of Microsoft banning users from Xbox Live if they had a modded fan? Well, it gets worse.
3. Video: Normally, I accompany Virtual Console updates with videos for the corresponding games from GameTrailers, but yesterday, they simply were not available.

   Today, however… well, one is available. Check out Rolling Thunder 2.

4. Newsbit: Smash Bros. DOJO!! brings a new update for a new day, and a new way to get trophies: the Coin Launcher! A sort of game within a game.
5. Newsbit: Looking to stock up on some games, now that Christmas has come and gone? Then check out these deals.
6. Newsbit: Still trying to find a Wii? Maybe you should plan a trip to China. Seems they’ve got plenty of them– of ours– over there.
7. Newsbit: Apparently, some people have had issues with the Burnout Paradise demo. And to that, Criterion has a retort.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Newsbit: Seems there’s one lady who doesn’t cotton to the use of that “Bee-otch” air freshener seen in Bumblebee in the movie, but not for the reason you might think.
2. Info: TFormers.com has just launched a new database for the TransFormers: Animated series.
3. Review/Gallery: BWTF.com brings us another review today, this time for the Movie line figure of Recon Barricade.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Blogging: The 5th turtle has taken the opportunity to answer some questions about the upcoming “Forever War” trade.
2. Article: Ever wonder why so many world-renowned super heroes were created by Jewish folk? The answers await you.

Video Power

1. Article: Next Generation looks back, this time on the top 10 blunders of 2007. Some really great moments lie within; even if you remember the stories, give it another look.
2. Article: Games Radar has come up with ten things they want to see in online shooters. And really, who wouldn’t?
3. Merch: Available now, exclusively at Zeller’s in Canada, it’s… the Wiisaber!!
4. Newsbit: Best Buy in Baltimore took a peculiar approach to handling Wii sales recently.
5. Pics: This Wii made of Legos is pretty cool, but even cooler is that it literally has a game of Wii Tennis going on inside!

   What could be better?

   Maybe this Lego Portal.

6. Newsbit/Video: Now this is a seriously raw deal on Christmas morning. Thank goodness the kid had a good sense of humor about it.

   You can see the news report video right here.

7. Video: These kids, on the other hand, had their surprise go a little bit better.
8. Video: So Yahtzee’s on vacation this week for some reason (seriously, didn’t he just have one?), so in his place, The Escapist provides a World of Warcraft machinima music video by some guys calling themselves the Dingrats.
9. Video: If you’re going to kill yourself in Halo 3, remember to do it with style.
10. Article: Ever wonder what sort of lasting effect that Blade Runner, the Ridley Scott movie starring Harrison Ford, has had on video games?

    Well, I sort of wonder whenever I play Mega Man X, but I get the feeling that inspiration has started coming from elsewhere.

    Anyway, the wonderful team of Jenn Frank and Scott Sharkey have sought out those answers for us, which they present in this finely-tuned article.

    Sadly, though, I didn’t see any mention of Mega Man X in there at all.

11. Article: Interestingly enough, Associated Press (of all publications) have produced a list of their worst games of 2K7.
12. Pics: A full-blown home theater? That’s pretty cool, and I’d love to have one someday.

    A full-blown home theater that’s also the Batcave? THAT is what I really want.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

For some insane reason, I’ve opted to update tonight. But really, it’s more to keep stuff from piling up. Anyway, hope everyone had a happy non-denominational celebratory day of festivity.

Ho ho ho.

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Images: Lots of pics today: Japan’s Classics Megatron, with a nice Generation 1-styled appearance, the cover for IDW’s Movie comic book continuation, featuring a nice throwback to Marvel’s issue #5, a new cover for Spotlight: Arcee, and the “backcard pictures” for Big Daddy, Jolt, Divebomb, and Grindcore.
2. And, just a reminder: TransFormers: Animated debuts in the US on Cartoon Network today!

Video Power

1. Music/Newsbits: Smash Bros. DOJO!! celebrates Christmas strong with four updates.

   First, something I’ve been really hoping for and am thrilled to see: Wario, fighting in his classic attire! It’s just a shame it’s not made as detailed as Mario’s real-denim-looking overalls.

   On Christmas Day came an update on the Blue Blur from Christmas Island, Sonic, as his Final Smash was detailed, and a bonus update let us hear the remix of the Angel Island Zone theme song.

   And then tonight, we get the Smash Bros. equivalent to a Pokeball (outside of the actual Pokeballs) in the form of trophy stands.

2. Newsbit: Three new Virtual Console games this week, in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong’s Double Trouble for the Super NES, Rolling Thunder 2 for the Genesis, and Blades of Steel for the NES.

   For a little extra fun, here’s the listing, as told to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

3. Newsbit: So, your Xbox 360 tends to overheat. So the solution is simple enough, right? Get a better fan.

   Or not.

   Apparently, Microsoft is now banning consoles from Live who use better fans than they’re providing.

   Whew! I thought that we might have a problem there for a second, what with the possibility of systems not overheating. I’m sure glad we have MS protecting the honest, red-ringed folk who’d like to use Live.

4. Newsbit: Looks like PS3 isn’t the only system in town getting a Devil May Cry 4 bundle in Japan; it’s cohost of the title, Xbox 360, is pulling the same deal.
5. Preview: Next Generation has the latest peek at Ghostbusters. ‘Cause bustin’ makes me feel good.
6. Newsbit: Following in Nintendo’s footsteps (yeah, I know, someone else has probably done it, too), Microsoft is now allowing MS Points to be given to people with Windows LIVE accounts.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Blogging: Simon Furman pulls back the wrapping paper for us this year as he gives us a peek at the original Beast Wars mini-series he drafted for Dreamwave, before the company tanked. And it sounds like it might have been more different from IDW’s Beast Wars: The Gathering than I’d thought.
2. Info: Optimus Prime. Jazz. Starscream. Megatron.

   …Sourball?

   Apparently, not all TransFormer names were works of art, as The Allspark has a post which reveals some of the rejected titles which some unfortunate Autobots and Decepticons might have had to deal with, had fate (and in some cases, good sense) not intervened.

3. Info: Plus, some unused bios from the Marvel TransFormers Universe series have surfaced, highlighting the Omnibots.
4. Reviews/Galleries: BWTF.com brings us a whole bagfull of reviews, including: Cyber-Slammers Cliffjumper, Robot Heroes Ratchet and Megatron two-pack, G1 Pretender Iguanus, Robot Heroes Optimus Prime and Blackout two-pack, and Final Battle Jazz.
5. Pic: And then there’s the cover for the 2008 calendar from Cartoon Network, featuring their upcoming Robots in Disguise.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Video: Who says that Amish don’t know how to have fun?
2. Video: A favorite Christmas song of mine. Hint: the musician’s name rhymes with “Beard Gal.”
3. Video: CineMassacre (aka The Angry Video Game Nerd) takes a look at a holiday cult classic in Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.
4. Pics/Blogging: Two more updates to the 5th turtle’s series of blogs about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures‘ final chapter, The Forever War, with the last one giving us a six-page preview of the first part as a sort of holiday gift.
5. Pics:It really sucks that I can’t link to individual posts on He-Man.Org, as the latest one for December 25th has a ton of cool wallpapers, using art based on the various Masters of the Universe mini-statues which have come out.

Video Power

1. Blogging: This just in: movie-based games still have a penchant for sucking.
2. Pic: Ever wonder what the Bible would be like if Mary and Joseph were Reploids from the Mega Man games?
3. Video: Racketboy’s Retro Gaming has a series of videos which will make you feel like a total chump when it comes to Tetris.
4. Video: ScrewAttack.com takes a fond look back at the game which shows what happens when you cross Miyamoto’s star with Metroid‘s developers: you get Super Mario Land.
5. Video: The Angry Video Game Nerd’s NSFW Christmas Carol continues.
6. Pics: Next Generation takes a look, in pictures, back at the year that was 2007.
7. Video: And believe it or not, on a related note, the hell?

   Is this parody?

8. Article: Now here’s a doozy: Every Christmas Top 10 from the past 20 years.
9. Article: Still not enough? Then how about the Top 7 Christmas moments?
10. Video: Ladies and gentlemen; get ready to ROCK. THE. HALLS!
11. Video: Anyone remember that ridiculously-made game someone made based on Mega Man, designed to kill you in every way possible?

    No, not Mega Man Zero.

    Anyway, here’s a version that plays on Mario instead.

    …it… it gets amusing, after awhile. You really wonder just what they can do next.

12. Video: On another end of the spectrum, here we have Mariotroid, which appears to be a hack of some sort.
13. Article: For all the good stuff we got this year, there are still bound to be a few disappointments lingering in the minds of some.
14. Interview: Cool, it looks like Mr. KENNEDY… Kennedy is a Nintendo fan, too!
15. eBay: I really need to get a Virtual Boy on the cheap one of these days, mainly so I can play Virtual Boy Wario Land. But while I’ve heard the best way to play is to lay back and let the visor rest over your eyes, it’d be very tempting to have this display stand to keep it on, too.
16. Pic: Remember kids: besides smoking not being cool, it can pose a hazard to your DS. NSFW naughty word within.
17. Pic: When Bowser gets smarter, that’s when games get too long. If they aren’t already.
18. Article: According to The New York Times, Super Mario Galaxy is actually not that ambitious.

    Um, ok. Hell, let’s run with that. If it were as ambitious as they seem to want, then it probably wouldn’t be much of a Mario game, would it? Or we’d end up with another Sunshine…

19. Interview: 1up gets some time with Street Fighter IV art director Daigo Ikeno to discuss the direction the game is taking.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Whoops! Almost forgot there’s an update to do today. But first…

One gift I got for Christmas (hi Lyra!) was a copy of the second volume of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, which you can’t really get here in Canada, and so I’ve been watching it with the wife, reliving some good memories with the music redubbed. Incidently, each DVD in the set has a “bonus episode” that’s just the cartoon; no Lou or Danny live-action fun. This had me curious, and searching on Wikipedia revealed the following:

…on the second volume, due to legal issues, four of the animated episodes were presented as “bonus episodes” without their respective live-action segments. Other than the four “bonus” episodes, the other episodes were arranged in production, not, broadcast order.

Now, I’m curious as to what sort of legal issues would prevent these from being rebroadcast. Probably something silly; for example, they don’t use the original “featured songs” here, as they were also removed for syndication, but when released on VHS (and I think on the Family Channel), they still had them. And apparently in some other countries still. Legality a crazy, crazy thing when it comes to stuff like this.

But in any case, it’s those four live-action segments that have my curiousity piqued. If anyone can direct me to where I can find some answers to satisfy my curiousity, I’d be very appreciative.

And now, on with the update!

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Newsbit/Pics: More Allspark Power toys are on the way, including a recolor of Cybertron Downshift into fan-favorite Big Daddy! Gotta get me that one. I’ve heard nothing but good about the mold, but these colors look far better to me.

   But dammit all, they’re Wal-Mart exclusive. Guess that counts me out.

2. Pics: New images have arrived for Animated Cybertron-Form Optimus Prime, and three of TakaraTomy’s versions of the Classics.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Newsbit: Scarab found this one for me: Looks like the Oscars and the Golden Globes will be cancelled. If I watched either, I might care far more. But the significance of it does interest me a bit.
2. Newsbit: The Build-a-Bear Workshop is going to be helping the Marine Toys-For-Tots charity by donating one toy for every stuffed animal sold through Christmas Eve. And so we applaud them for their action.

Video Power

1. Pics/Newsbit: More info about the first in a line of Metroid gunship statues, which apparently have light-up features as well.

   Looks better than what we saw before, but for that money, I’ll have to hold off for the version from Prime 3, or maybe Fusion.

2. Newsbit: So, word has come down through Capcom’s Bionic Commando “Top Secret” podcast session with Keiji Inafune that Mega Man is not in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, though there is still time…

   Personally, I think he’s bluffing, stalling for time.

3. Newsbit: So, Red Steel 2, or whatever they’re calling it, is officially announced, for realz this time.
4. Newsbit: Guess Wii shortages aren’t so bad everywhere, as in the UK, they’re abundant enough for prices to drop on eBay.
5. Newsbit: EA botches Canadian Rock Band launch. All there is to say.
6. Newsbit: Getting a Wii at a fair price isn’t easy, and some chain called “Slackers” (apt enough) are said to not be helping one little bit. But according to Kotaku, they deny it… mostly.

   But then, on Game|Life…

7. Newsbit: A man stabs his uncle in a dispute over a PlayStation game. And the world collectively shakes its head.
8. Newsbit: “Chun-Lang” for the next Street Fighter movie?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Pic: What if Decepticons celebrated Christmas?
2. Review: The Allspark now provides their very own spoiler-laden review of the first episodes of TransFormers: Animated, of which I am avoiding due to the aforementioned spoilers.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Video: So Brit’s sister got knocked up. It’d be funny, if it weren’t so tragic, in its own way.
2. Blogging:And so the 5th turtle presents his fourth part of the falling-out of himself and Archie Comics over Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures. Of note are the ironies involved. Sad, sad fate…
3. Blogging: Wow, yet another anniversary, but this time not for a game. 70 years since Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs landed in theaters.
4. Blogging: Seems that no matter how many solar panels you’ve got, you still aren’t going to be able to get off the power grid yet.
5. Video: The return of Brawndo, the Thirst Mutilator, on sale now.

Video: Bit of advice: never turn to LARPers to take part in your nativity scene. It becomes nothing but trouble.

6. Video: Never anything good on Christmas morning, is there? Also: an update on the “three PS3′s.”
7. Article: IGN presents their Top 10 Anime of the Year!

Video Power

1. Pics: A few holiday-themed pics up on Deviant Art. Here is another look at UDON’s Konami Christmas card that was mentioned a few days back, and here is a steamy Princess Peach pin-up (nothing showing) that Sigurd Hosenfeld drew. Timon Hakuna Matata has Blaze and Cream in winterwear, and even some Yuletide Cheer from the Zelda gang, courtesy of Sigurd Hosenfeld again.

   Toad gets his turn with Santa, thanks to Baull04, and Hulk has some bad plans for Whoville, thanks to Tentu. And finally, instead of using someone else’s character, JigglyPuffGirl built her own Robot Master for the job.

2. Video: So, should you get the PS3 or Xbox 360 version of Devil May Cry 4? Here is what Capcom thinks.
3. Pics: Kotaku and other outlets were apparently blown away by Hitoshi Ariga’s Mega Man image on the new cover of Swedish magazine Level.

   It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but I like his manga covers better.

4. Newsbit: So, after Gamecock stormed the stage during Ken Levine’s acceptence speech for Game of the Year (for BioShock) at the VGAs, what does he have to say?
5. Interview: Gamasutra talks with Koji Igarashi about the finer points of designing a Castlevania title, and taking revenge on God of War.
6. Video: Happy Holidays from Aperture Science. Will you be getting cake, or coal?
7. Video: Ever wonder what it must be like to work on a show like Game Head?
8. Article: So with all this crap between Rockstar and the BBFC over Manhunt 2, Games Radar asks if it even matters any more?
9. Merch Pic: Interesting shirt Nintendo seemingly approved for Target. Maybe the person in licensing was the one hammered?
10. Pics: Steampunk Wii remote? Awesome. The other Photoshop Phriday stuff is pretty cool, too.
11. Pic: The mystery of why Nintendo can’t ship enough Wiis has finally been solved!
12. Video: An interesting fan-made DS Lite redesign. I wonder if it would work?
13. Video: And next on Can’t-See TV is Stephen Totilo’s attempt to play Wii Sports with the Zapper.

    Truth be told, I’m more interested in how it’d work with Wii Play, the Duck Hunt game specifically.

14. Article: Ten video games that should be movies, and who should direct them. As I click to read this and see that #10 is Duck Hunt, I am now assuming this to be parody.
15. …yeah, definitely parody.
16. Pics: Many, many examples of cosplay gone wrong (and a few that are alright).
17. eBay: DAMN! DAMN! And DAMN!

    Keeping an eye on the cel, at least. I have a soft spot for “Jumpman.” Watch it get too high…

18. Pic: Looks like Nintendo of Europe had what Games Radar might feel to be a better Christmas card than their American counterpart.
19. Pic: Wow, I thought the Crimson/Black DS Lite was cool, but adding a dragon makes it all the better! Pity it’s only in China.
20. Article: 2007 was a pretty strong year for gaming, but still had some disappointments. Game|Life looks back to bring you their ten greatest.
21. Article: Game|Life readers share their varying experiences getting Wii rainchecks, and varying situations regarding the limited-edition DVD cases that one is supposed to get.
22. Pics: This is what happens when video game boxes go honest.
23. Article: 1up finishes its look back at Street Fighter with WTFiction?!, which more or less nails down the key aspects of the games’ stories.
24. Article: And finally, to close out for the holiday, the 1up staff tells what they really want for Christmas.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Video: A new clip from the upcoming TransFormers: Animated cartoon has been posted on Cartoon Network’s Podcast, and on YouTube for the benefit of us foreigners not worthy enough to watch free cartoons.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Pics: Linear Ranger has added some scans from Tomart’s Action Figure Digest, showing off some of the new figures and toys from the Power Rangers Jungle Fury line. Plus, there’s a Lord Zedd and a Green Ranger figure (the original) that I’d love to get my hands on.
2. Newsbit: From He-Man.Org comes a little info from Toyfare which I only just saw myself:

   In the February 2008 issue of ToyFare Magazine #126 a He-Fan asks ToyFare about the possibility of seeing the rare Snake Armor He-Man in mini-statue form.
   Cornboy of the Four Horsemen stated that such a mini-statue was a great idea and a definite possibility.

   Cornboy also revealed that the He-Man prototype seen in the Mattel display case as this past 2007 San Diego Comic con was part of a pitch they had made, and Mattel snuck it into the case to gauge fan response. No word if anything is being done in regards to that prototype.

   Check out issue #126 of ToyFare for exactly what was said!

   I would so love that Snake Armor figure.

3. Newsbit: Christmas shopping for the young ones just got a bit more interesting, as Toys R Us has announced that it’s going to start putting 2008 toys out before Christmas.
4. Newsbit: For Canadian toy lovers, it may interest you to know that The 2008 Canadian 80s Toy Expo has been announced, and will be held March 16th, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and Conference Centre.

   Maybe I’ll see about covering it… provided finances allow.

5. Newsbit: Following the late-night guys, it seems that Stewart and Colbert are returning, too! Wonder what those two will be like, since they rely more heavily on writers…

   Plus, Stewart and Colbert issued this press release to coincide with Comedy Central’s:

   “We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence.”

   – Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert

6. Newsbit: And now, two more are signed on for the GI Joe movie, plus a look at Rachel Nichols with Scarlett’s red hair.

   And it looks like Heavy Duty is part of the cast. I don’t get it, why don’t they like Roadblock any more?

Video Power

1. Newsbit: Capcom is offering a pretty good incentive for preordering Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

   I’d enter, but the shipping charges for Canada are usually tabulated in rape dollars.

2. Newsbit: God…

   Ok, so the story is two teens who were babysitting the 7-year old sister of one of them beat the holy hell out of her, supposedly imitating Mortal Kombat, and wound up killing her.

   Clearly… clearly this is a case of (pardon my saying it) pure fucking stupid. That ANYONE could ever possibly NOT think this was a bad idea, a dumb idea, a stupid idea, ANYTHING but a good idea, is clearly not all there, and needs to be locked away until, if possible, they are taught to be able to be a working part of society that isn’t so friggin’ braindead. Longer, even.

   Geeze…

3. Newsbit: Sigh. Moving on… Emergency Mayhem is on track for a Q2 release in 2008 on the Wii. Personally speaking, it sounds rather fun.
4. Newsbit: Ok, so maybe there’s new Kirby on the way after all, but that’s just in Japan at the moment.
5. Newsbit: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword should be cutting up the DS in March of 2008.
6. Newsbit: Wow, where will this go next? Now, Activision wants compensation for Guitar Hero compatibility.

   Evil Avatar puts it best: “Man, this really makes Activision look like a bunch of money grubbing bastards.”

7. Video: Smash Bros. DOJO!! updates with a new trailer to tease the Adventure Mode, The Subspace Emissary.

   Not bad, though I wish we’d gotten a peek at Sonic and Snake…

8. Pic: The final map for Burnout Paradise has been revealed, and boy, is it big.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Review: BWTF.com takes a look at Spotlight: Ramjet.

   “A lot of eyebrows were raised when it was announced Ramjet of all characters would get a Spotlight story.”

   Very true here. And likewise, having Classics Skywarp, I was indifferent to having Ramjet. But after reading this, well, I’d sort of like to have the guy.

   Also: Mini-Constructicons rock.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Merch: For the Power Rangers fans, some new products have been added to the store at Jungle Fury NET.
2. Blogging: The 5th turtle continues his tale about what happened with Archie involving the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures comic, and its final story, “The Forever War.”
3. Blogging: Dilbert creator Scott Adams discusses a story wherein a man was fired for posting a Dilbert comic.

   I haven’t checked the comments, but I bet there’s at least one that says something about “free speech.”

4. Interview: Newsarama has a discussion with April Stewart, the voice actor who provides the voices for nearly all the females in South Park.
5. Article: IGN takes a look back at one of the craziest years in comics, 2007.

   And movies.

   And anime.

   And DVD.

   …and a bunch more, including games.

Video Power

1. Video: Following yesterday’s mention of the Street Fighter merchandise feature posted at 1up, does anyone remember this commercial for the GI Joe/Street Fighter II action figures? It was really something… NOT!

   Man, how far can Duke fall? Just the same, something deep down inside wants to giggle at the mere thought of M. Bison and his flunkies working for Cobra…

2. Pic: Over at The Mega Man Network, Tabby has created a lovely Christmas-themed banner for us, if you’d like to check it out.
3. Article: While Racketboy’s Retro Gaming has assembled a strong list of multiplayer Dreamcast games, I feel that it is remiss in discluding Capcom’s Cannon Spike.
4. Article: Following on the news earlier about the girl murdered by a pair of Moron Kombatants, Ripten games looks at why people link violence to video games.

   Joystiq also makes some good observations.

5. Video: ScrewAttack.com looks back at Hydro Thunder, a motorboat racing game which I simply do not remember.
6. Video: GameTrailers does a little sizing-up, comparing the Xbox 360 version of The Orange Box to its late-arrival PS3 counterpart.
7. Article: Geeze, GameDaily is STILL doing Mario features? This time, it’s the Facts on Mario.

   Good to see some further confirmation on Mario’s height, however, but I think Mario and Luigi are still twins in some sense of the term.

8. Interview: GameDaily sits down with Adam Sessler of X-Play, and they discuss the show’s changes, as well as that of “gaming network” G4.
9. Pics: Game journalists have gotten a lot of swag over the past year (not me, though, ha ha. Sigh), and GameDaily is no exception. Here, they look back at all the “crap” they got.

   Hey, if you guys don’t want the Super Mario Galaxy Flight Team patch…

10. Article: Super Smash Bros. Brawl is adding a lot of new features into the game we know and love. GameDaily picks their ten favorite so far.
11. Pics: Yesterday, we got to see what Rare was sending everyone for a Christmas card. Today, Games Radar shows us that, and what everyone else had sent, too.
12. Video: Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros., two great tastes that taste great together!

    …yeah, I don’t know, either. It’s an interesting bit of cross-promotion, that’s for sure.

13. Article: On a related note, GameDaily talks to Nintendo about how well Super Mario Galaxy is doing.
14. Pics: I can empathize with this Games Radar editor, whose car has apparently been broken into three times.

    People who do stuff like this just make me sick.

15. Article: And, the winners of the Game|Life Vaporware Games of 2007 are…
16. Articles: Yep, that’s right, articles. Game|Life has been running a series about Futurama and gaming, and it seems now was a good time to link to the most recent, which contains a video of cutscenes from the game, and links to the other four articles. Now you can check it all out in one go.

    Unless there’s another part tomorrow.

    At any rate, it’s encouraged that fans check it out so that the “73rd episode” might be properly restored to its original glory.

17. Pic: Great Christmas stocking, or greatest Christmas stocking?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Newsbit: Looks like Mirage is the next TransFormer in line for a Spotlight.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Newsbit: Storm Shadow and Scarlett have been cast for the upcoming GI Joe movie. And there’s a rumor about a Wayans joining, too.
2. Newsbit: Speaking of martial arts cartoon characters converted to live action movie stars, Chow Yun-Fat will be Master Roshi in the Dragon Ball movie.

Video Power

1. Video: And now, our feature presentation.

   …man, Duke’s not quite sounding himself. Think he’s getting on in years. Or cobwebs.

2. Newsbit/Pics: Smash Bros. DOJO!! has a pretty good update today, and one I’d have thought we already had: Kirby’s Special Moves.
3. Newsbit: Sorry, Sony owners: you’re going to remain Homeless for the rest of the year.
4. Rumor: There’s a bit of buzz going around that Nintendo of Japan’s website might be hinting at two new Virtual Consoles. But what could they be?
5. Newsbit: Seems that there might have been a misunderstanding about that “no Kirby game for Wii” bit from before, and Nintendo has elected to clarify the matter for us a little.
6. Merch: First 4 Figures has unveiled the first image of their Samus’ gunship statue, with preorders opening on the 21st.

   I dunno, it’s not bad, but something seems a little off…

7. eBay: Want a custom, fully-posable Samus action figure? It can be yours… if you’ve got $600 to spare.
8. eBay: Want a special 1-in-1000 Nintendo 64 Millenium controllr? Now’s your chance.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”