…no turkey TV dinner for me Thanksgiving night then, eh?

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. The TransFormers The Movie “Rifftrax,” aka MSTing, is now available.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Looks like Toys R Us is planning to have “one outstanding deal each day” from Black Friday throught… Cyber Monday? What the hell is that?

   Here’s a summary of their Black Friday deals. I’m still weeping over the Galaxy Force Optimus Prime… and select DS and PSP games are half off, too.

Video Power

1. Capcom is having a holiday sale on their website, with some pretty good games at pretty good prices. Alas, no Mega Man Anniversary Collection for PS2 or MegaMan Star Force: Dragon… but, Mega Man ZX Advent is there.
2. Guitar Hero III on Xbox 360 now has a free Halo 3 theme download, which I’d imagine is exclusive. And to which I’d give major applause to Microsoft if it wasn’t.

   And if you’re interested, here’s the pic they asked me to do for the story on the front page.

3. Since the PSP is clearly doing so well as a multifunctional gaming device, it only makes sense that they would be enticed by the thought of a PlayStation phone.
4. Nintendo expects that Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Wii will keep their momentum going next year.

   Really, who’s going to seriously argue?

5. Meanwhile, over at Camp Sony, they expect that the PS3 will match the success of the PS2.
6. Yet another Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 teaser. Not as good as some of the others, but still worth a laugh.

   Plus, gameplay footage of Electrocution and Live Action Antics.

   And the official website has even more craziness built right in.

7. Smash Bros. DOJO!! brings a surprising addition today in the form of Saki Amamiya from Sin & Punishment, recently released on Virtual Console.
8. 1 year of Wii is celebrated, and now 3 of DS.
9. Dammit all. Super Mario Galaxy has fallen back to #2 behind The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time as GameRankings’ #1 game of all time.

   I suppose it’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I enjoyed Galaxy FAR more than I did Ocarina.

10. The Orange Box gets an Xbox 360 demo today.
11. Rise of the Video Games began on Discovery Channel last night, and I forgot all about it. Thank God they’re doing reruns. If only I could get a TiVo…
12. Though not doing so hot abroad for some reason (hey Europe, now you wonder why you get the short end on games?), Super Mario Galaxy is the fastest selling Mario game in the US.

    Given Mario’s history as a launch and pack-in title, plus Super Mario Bros. 3, that’s really quite incredible.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. The Allspark has updated their galleries to now include: TM-SP DX Convoy (aka Beast Wars Optimus Primal), TM-SP DX Megatron (Beast Wars Megatron), JBW D-7 Shadow Panther (early Beast Wars Ravage), JBW D-2 Skorponok, BWII C-19 Tonbot, BWII C-14 Tazmanian Kid, BWII C-22 Scissorboy, BWII C-18 Powerhug, and
   BWII C-16 Flash Lioconvoy (Leo Prime).

Assorted Mushrooms

1. “A Darker Ducktales.

   …this… it’s just… click it and see for yourself.

2. Wrong. That’s the word I was looking for.

Video Power

1. A Capcom Marketing intern dressed up as Cammy for Halloween. “Does that count as cosplay?” Inquiring minds want to know.

   And while it’s a nice costume… well, without the funky hair, let’s just say it’s a good thing they said who they were supposed to be.

2. Heatman at The Mega Man Network has found some samples from the various upcoming Rockman anniversary albums.
3. Today, GameTrailers goes behind the scenes of Ratchet & Clank Future‘s Story.
4. Games Radar presents: The Top 10 Excuses For Losing.

   Of course, camera can be a pretty legitimate issue.

5. Another feature they have today is the evolution of water effects in games. Surprisingly, Super Mario Sunshine is absent.
6. And their third today looks at why video game movies don’t need to suck.

   Don’t remember Street Fighter having an “Ultimate Battle” subtitle, though it did use it as a tagline.

7. Chris Kohler at Game|Life gives a retort to those who mock all the Guitar Hero players out there by telling them to play a real instrument instead.

   Why does it seem like people who don’t play games confuse them with reality more than actual gamers, who would allegedly go on killing sprees inspired by the Wii Zapper?

8. Guitar Hero III… Will It Blend?
9. To speak, or not to speak… that is the question.

   Me? I prefer silence unless carried out by capable, fitting voice actors. Which I find easier to get into for a new character than an older one. Some bits are ok, though, such as how Mario and Link do it. Note that as soon as Sonic started talking, things began a decline for him…

10. The lovely Jenn Frank gives a recap about some time gaming with her mom, who seems pretty cool.
11. 1up.com has compiled an excellent gift guide to help with all your video game shopping needs this holiday season.
12. In honor of this day of giving thanks, Scott Sharkey over at 1up has compiled a list of the Top 10 Turkey Games; rather, instead of games about turkeys, these are good games which simply did not live up to their proposed hype.
13. And finally, last night (or rather, the night before) on The Rick Mercer Report, former Prime Minister Jean Chretien stepped up to show that he’s still got the stuff as he took on the show’s eponymous host in Wii Sports‘ Boxing to show that he’s back, and better than ever. You can see it for yourself here.

And with that, as I said before, I’m taking a few days off, since little is likely to happen over Thanksgiving weekend. But I’ll keep my eyes peeled, and if I can scrape together a report, I’ll do just that.

Enjoy!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

American Thanksgiving… things are going a little slow at this point this week, and of course, it’s bound to get worse. Me? I’ll probably take a break from reporting, but may glance around and do something if there’s enough to warrant it.

In the meantime, I anticipate my Thanksgiving Dinner may look something like this (minus the 7up), assuming we can even afford that. Feel free to donate to my Thanksgiving TV Dinner Fund for the wife and I on the left there with Mario and Luigi.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Looks like things have gotten ugly for Mattel and other toy manufacturers in California.
2. Official casting news for the Justice League movie could be imminent…
3. …while Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine flick might be delayed.
4. David Hasselhoff might be returning to his old role in the upcoming Knight Rider TV-movie.

Video Power

1. In a press release from Nintendo to boast of Super Mario Galaxy and its (well-deserved) praise from reviewers, they also make mention of a mall tour that will be going on that will allow gamers to try it themselves. The Nintendo Mall Experience runs across 25 malls across the country, and you can see if there’s one near you by checking this link.

   I tried for something similar for them up here last year. Didn’t get the job. Can you believe it? That’s like a punch to the gut, or at least a slap in the face, to be a Nintendo fan but not good enough to extoll the virtues of the platform of choice.

   Oh well. At least I got to go to Nintendo World for the launch instead, thanks to travelling pal Shinkuu.

2. Think I mentioned this before, but just to be sure: Microsoft’s free Halo 3 deal isn’t such a good deal after all.
3. It’s been mentioned plenty of times before, but now it’s official: Nintendo has two new DS Lite bundles hitting stores for the holidays.
4. Now thanks to Manhunt 2, Senators are calling for Wii games to be rated differnetly.
5. That new Halo novel, “Contact Harvest?” Now a New York Times Bestseller.
6. If you’re into Guitar Hero and don’t yet have a 360 (and the above Halo 3 deal doesn’t exactly meet your requirements), maybe Best Buy’s deal is more your speed.
7. And GameDaily is kind enough to list some other deals.
8. Ah, goodie, a new reason to own a PSP: you can shop the PS Store without the need of owning a PlayStation 3 to act as middleman.
9. Smash Bros. DOJO!! has added an update I’ve been eagerly awaiting: Color Changes!

   I’m glad Fire Mario’s color scheme is finally selectable. But I’d rather see Wario in Wario’s colors than Mario…

   Link’s new alternate is pretty awesome, and I like the “fusion” of a couple of Samus’ suits there. All in all, these are cool… and I hope there are more yet unseen for these characters (for some, there must be)!

10. Go Nintendo has found some new tidbits about the upcoming Ghostbusters game.

    I wonder if “cartoon-style graphics” alludes to the old TV show?

11. Buy Metroid Prime 3? Beat it? Nintendo wants to know what you think.
12. First the Wii, then Wii Play… now add the Wii Zapper to the hard to find list.

    I guess this one’s a little more understandable, since reviews of Link’s Crossbow Training have been all over the board… who’d know how it would do?

13. Ok, this isn’t so bad. That Nintendo update that would nix the MP3s? Well…

    I can appreciate your concerns regarding the coming changes to the Wii Photo Channel. However, it?s important to note that this is an optional download and is not planned as part of any system updates to Wii. If your Photo Channel currently supports music files in the MP3 format, you can retain this compatibility by electing to not update your Photo Channel to version 1.1.

    Additionally, this update will not have an impact on Wii games which use MP3 music files. These Wii games will not be compatible with AAC files and will continue to use the MP3 file format.

    Works for me!

14. The original SEGA Saturn game NiGHTS Into Dreams is coming to the… PS2? Um, that’s sort of cool, I guess. Seems like it’d kind of divide the audience a little… maybe it’s included on the Wii title?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Assorted Mushrooms

1. One more reason living in Canada can be a colossal pain in the ass. Which is weird, because they’ve looked good in the past with music downloads. But for me to be able to watch Power Rangers at a time that’s not 6:03am (yeah, you read that right) on a weekend, when I’d rather be sleeping? Madness.

   There’s not a ton I want to watch on TV anyway, and to have to either schedule around it or do without (usually the latter) really sucks hard. Here’s hoping some sort of amendment goes through.

2. Miss the 2nd coming last night? Don’t worry, you can catch it (for the moment) on YouTube, with part 2 here.
3. A gent by the name of Rob Stone eats the world’s hottest chili pepper. And seems not to be aware of just what he’s gotten himself into.
4. IGN’s taken on the Death Note anime and manga… now, they’ve set their sites on the statues.
5. According to Bashcraft at Kotaku, it sounds like getting into Japan has gotten a lot tougher.

Video Power

1. Australia has funky ads for Nintendo DS’ Jam Sessions.
2. Sirlin.net has an article that I’ve agreed with for some time:

   Saving should be treated as one of the player?s natural rights, not an earned privilege or a game mechanic around which to make strategic decisions.

   Many systems of saving are compared within, taking the good and bad aspects from each. Personally, I question why games that deem necessary to save a certain way for the sake of challenge can’t simply utilize various saving schemes to accomodate the player.

3. Dude, wouldn’t Ninja Gaiden action figures just be awesome? Figures.com seems to think so, and here’s their idea on how to do it.

   Hell, spread it out to cover Dead Or Alive, too. I wouldn’t mind some good Hitomi and Kasumi figures to stand alongside Ryu, Ayane, and Rachel.

4. Capcom talks up the Rockman/Mega Man 20th Anniversary party a little bit more, along with reassurance that THIS cake is not a lie.
5. Ah, the Koopalings, how so many yearn for your return…

   Over at Press The Buttons, Matt laments the loss of Larry, Ludwig, and the lads in Super Princess Peach, and I give a few thoughts on the matter in the comments as well.

6. Racketboy’s Retrogaming looks back at games that, for many, defined their youth and the 16-bit generation itself. Sonic, Toejam & Earl, Golden Axe… these and more are the many Games That Defined The SEGA Genesis (or MegaDrive, if you prefer).
7. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction may not have sold 500,000 in its first week like Super Mario Galaxy, but that’s ok. According to Sony, they’re doing just fine and meeting expectations.

   This one, I would like to see reach a greater measure of success over in Sony’s camp, for sure.

8. The Angry Video Game Nerd takes on Dirk the Daring in the new review of the old animated title Dragon’s Lair.
9. GameTrailers continues their Behind-The-Scenes series on Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction for the PS3 with a look at Design.
10. William Shatner embodies the Shaman, and Mr. T pity the fool who ain’t down with his Night Elf Mohawk in World of Warcraft.

    Best ad campaign ever? Maybe if they throw in Chuck Norris to be safe… but, word has it that Verne Troyer, aka “Mini Me” may be in another one.

11. When I first got into wrestling, I sort of perceived it as something like this; that is, like a fighting game played out in real life (so to speak).

    That Guile is uncanny.

12. I think Achievements are kind of cool. Nothing to get wound up over, but sort of neat asides in games.

    But achievements for killing your own teammates? That’s just a bad idea.

13. For those who covet Club Nintendo’s latest prizes, Play-Asia will be selling them, too, at a considerable markup. Not unexpected, but…
14. Worst thing about pack-ins? Those dinky sleeves they give you to keep your game in. And they don’t exactly function well alongside your DVD-style cases as part of a display, either. And Link’s Crossbow Training is no different.

    Fortunately, there are custom sleeves, thanks to The Cover Project, which are also good for used games with no boxes (who DOES that, anyway?!). The downside is, where do you get more white cases like that?

15. So, this Altair guy from Assassin’s Creed? Word is, he’s a bit of a jerk. Just let them go about their business, already, you jerk!
16. Hmm, could Burnout: Paradise be taking the series too far from its roots?
17. So, Mass Effect has this new feature called a “dialogue wheel,” right? Lotta people like it; it’s a neat alternative to “yes” and “no” or various, slightly witty synonyms.

    But, as Jeff Bell points out in this video, Microsoft has actually been using it for some time.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Assorted Mushrooms

1. 

   Last night marked the second coming.

   Y2J is back, and I can’t wait to see what he does to mess with Randy Orton.

2. The Ranger Retrocenter has a sneak peek at 2008′s Power Rangers Jungle Fury toyline, as well as a blurb from the story:

   “For over ten thousand years, a spirit of pure evil, Dai Shi has been locked away and safely guarded by the secretive Kung Fu clan, Pai Zhuq, ?Order of the Claw.? But now, evil has escaped and the Pai Zhuq must select their three top members to fight this evil. Once selected, the three Kung Fu warriors are given the special gift of becoming Power Rangers, and are the Earth?s only hope to stop the army of evil animal spirits from overtaking the human world.”

   Guess someone’s gotta say it… “You seek to take over the Earth… now, we must KUNG-FU FIGHT!”

   Do like the outfits this time around, though.

3. He-Man.Org has an update regarding the 2002 Mike Young cartoon series, with word that it’s showing up in Navarre‘s search engine, set for a release on February 19, 2008 and a MSRP of $26.98.
4. Newsarama has been to the premiere of Futurama: Bender’s Big Score, to be released on DVD later this month, and here’s some stuff that was said.
5. Like clockwork, GameSpite gives us the lowdown on what’s new this week in anime, DVD, and games.

Video Power

1. Smash Bros. DOJO!! brings us three updates so far this week: the Ice Climbers’ Final Smash, Training mode, and the Smart Bomb from Star Fox.
2. Sony’s latest attempt to woo developers? Cheaper dev kits.
3. Xbox and Doritos’ “Unlock Xbox” contest now has a winner.
4. New Virtual Console games to celebrate 1 year of Wii and… well, Virtual Console!

   Sonic 3D Blast hits the Genesis, and was an ok title in its day, though not the best way for the ‘hog to leave the 16-bit platform, nor enter 32-bit.

   Super Air Zonk is the sequel to Air Zonk, starring the descendent of caveboy Bonk of the TurboGrafx-16, now in shiny CD form.

   And finally, Mario and Luigi appear as a pair of homewreckers of a different kind in Wrecking Crew, an old favorite from the NES days that I’d like to get my hands on.

   So, what’s good to buy, and what’s better to let lie? Toastyfrog rounds up the answers. That is, assuming that when you click the link, the page looks like something more than what a hacker threw up, as it does for me right now.

5. Halo 3 fans who’ve finished the fight now have something to look forward to… map packs, coming in December!

   …I wish Super Mario Galaxy was getting new maps.

6. The Rabbid Invasion draws near… and you can check out the opening cinematic and several gameplay videos via GameTrailers.

   And WiiFolders has tons of unlockable costumes!

7. Remember when Super Paper Mario came out in Europe, with that nasty glich?

   Good news: replacement copies are here! Er, there.

8. Looks like K-Mart’s a good place to get a limited edition DS bundle (featuring Zelda and Nintendogs).

   Or, go to Best Buy and get them with Over the Hedge and a starter pack.

9. Plus, Best Buy is dropping some titles to $20. Can’t speak for bowling and fishing, but Resident Evil 4 and Sonic and the Secret Rings are well worth that price.
10. Seems that Square-Enix still has no idea when Dragon Quest IX will be released.
11. Another report of Best Buy scamming customers. Well, in a manner of speaking. Not like they’re charging more or forcing you to buy, just lying like bitches in heat about how much stock they have. Sneaky, conniving, yes, but bad? Guess that’s for the courts to decide. Remember: just because they have it, doesn’t mean you have to buy it.
12. If you’re down with buyin’ Guitar Hero III, then I’ve got two words for ya’: WATCH OUT!!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Wonder if that Chevy Aveo TransFormer giveaway, Swerve, was any good? Ben Yee gives you the score.

   A pity he’s so limited, I still love the basic sculpt.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. The 5th turtle’s blog talks a little about the general Mirage policy of avoiding political statements and the like when it comes to their licensing. Clearly, this presents something of a problem. Read on, and see how they stuck to their guns in spite of strongarming.
2. Scott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert, ran a contest for comments on his latest book, the type of which you might see on the back cover praising the contents. Here are the results.

   Wish I’d known of the contest, maybe I’d have entered— wait, Americans only? Dagnabbit.

3. Any political platform that involves Chuck Norris is a surefire winner. Mike Huckabee’s got this one in the bag.
4. Colbert’s team gives a look at the executive side of the strike.

Video Power

1. Dr. Mario vs. Dr. Robotnik. No matter who loseWeight Exercises, we win.
2. To clear up some of the confusion surrounding Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, David Sirlin via Capcom has released this FAQ.
3. Over at The Mega Man Network, Heatman has brought us the latest from the Rockman 20th Anniversary party, and further notes reveal some interesting tidbits, such as the planned March release of Rockman & Rockman X Official Complete Works (whether together or seperate is unknown); hopefully UDON’s Mega Man Zero Official Complete Works will do well enough to see this brought over as well.

   In addition, Inafune reveals his desire to make a new Mega Man game, as well as where the inspiration for Zero and Vava (Vile) came from.

4. If you’re cool with spoilers, then Press The Buttons checks out similarities between Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Galaxy, many of which I’ve noticed myself. Particularly the progression of the series.
5. Is the Wii immune to recession? Reggie thinks so.
6. A new study seems to show that Halo 3 has gained interest from casual gamers, in addition to the hardcore.
7. Now here’s an NES oldie: Slalom, by Rare. Never got a chance to try this one.
8. Suspect a spouse of cheating? Maybe it’s time to call Detective Wii.

   But in all seriousness, that really, really sucks, and I feel for the guy. At least he was able to find that one irrefutable piece of evidence… though I wonder if he’s any happier for it.

9. More often that not, when it comes to product replacement, Nintendo is your friend.
10. Tell me that this isn’t just heartbreaking.

    Joystiq even found a YTMND that uses the format to add to the effect.

11. On the opposite end of the spectrum: badass Samus cosplay.
12. “Thank you, Mario, but our Princess is in another GALAXY!”
13. Mario & Sonic: a platform mover?
14. Sounds like Happy Hippo might’ve taken a sound cue or two from Donkey Kong Country.

    And yet, I can’t find it in my heart to hate the guy. I mean, look at him! He’s a hippo… and he’s happy! With his little tourist outfit and camera and such… he didn’t mean it.

    …I’m gonna buy him a present.

15. Sony Computer Entertainment of India would actually welcome Nintendo into the marketplace. Isn’t friendly competition grand?
16. Ben Judd, on the official Bionic Commando site (that I cannot access) has added a new podcast wherein he shows understanding towards those who hate remake changes.
17. Only two words can best describe this custom Samus figure: Freakin’ sweet!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Wow, almost forgot it’s Saturday. Guess I ought to maybe update or something, huh?

Been playing a bit of Super Mario Galaxy lately, too. Anyone want a PMO review? Or are the gushings of every other gaming site on the web enough for you?

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Prototypes of the Movie-based “Trans-Scanning” line have been revealed. It’s hard to tell from the pics, but these look like they might have the potential to look as good or better than the regular toys.
2. If you’re going to Toronto, Canada’s TransFormersCon next year, then it might interest you to know that there will be a Hasbro Q&A. Sounds fun, hope I can go!

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Could the GI Joe comic book be finding its way to a new home? Maybe, as the license is up for renewal, and Newsarama’s laying odds on who could walk away with the Real American Hero.

Video Power

1. Good news! You can get Halo 3 free with the purchase of an Xbox 360!

   Bad news! There’s a ton of red tape that really cuts down on the shine of the deal.

2. The new Ghostbusters game has a new teaser, a look at the game in action, and some screens.
3. Toys R Us will soon have a special on Wii games, buy two, get the third free. Cool deal.
4. Come Black Friday, Sam’s Club will have a nift Wii bundle for sale.
5. Pity it won’t be out in time for Christmas; The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters heads to DVD on January 29th, for just under 20 bucks.
6. Whoops! Happy belated Birthday to Mr. Miyamoto, who turned 55… um… I guess it’s Friday? Dammit, Go Nintendo, won’t you PLEASE get that date issue fixed already?
7. Also, Happy Birthday to the PS3! For your birthday wish, may you get smarter mouthpieces and more advertisements that continue the cool ones you now have.
8. Holy crap… Happy Birthday to the webcomic Dueling Analogs as well, now celebrating two years!
9. This reminds me… I need to give my mother a call… it’s almost her birthday…

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Cougar has himself some cool cover art for his upcoming comic.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. The Official TMNT Web Site has posted images of several of the recent action figures, including the mail-order promotional Bigfoot, a Foot Ninja, Master Splinter, and movie-style updates of the old “Mutations” figures for Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael.
2. Furry beer?
3. Ever seen those hilarious newspaper Spider-man comics that are completely rewritten into NSFW hilarity? A poster on scans_daily alerted me to their origin, and seems there’s more where that came from, too.
4. Would you hire this man? Ways to Ruin a Job Interview.
5. Interested in becoming a part of the comic book industry? This man might be able to help you out.
6. Death Note hits DVD next Tuesday, and IGN takes a look at the anime lives up to the manga.
7. Director Colin Brady gives us an idea of what to expect from his upcoming Astroboy CG-animated film.

   …”his creator, Dr. Tanner”? The hell?

Video Power

1. A clip from the recent South Park episode, “Guitar Queer-o,” showing Stan screwing up. Bet it was the orange button what did him in.
2. Capcom seems happy that GameSpot is digging Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. And I am, too, though I wonder if a remote-nunchuck combo for the Wii version was REALLY necessary…

   And as much as I like Ace Attorney, I think I like Mentok the Mindtaker just that much more than Phoenix’s Judge.

3. Everyone’s been writing various Mario features in celebration of Super Mario Galaxy‘s release. Trust me, I know… and Press The Buttons? Doesn’t even need to, as there’s plenty of past articles to choose from.
4. Nintendo’s starting to get just a little tired of half-baked third-party Wii games. And who can blame them?

   And rather than complain that Nintendo’s own software outsells damn near everything else, maybe they should try to focus on outdoing Nintendo…

5. Sick of all the crap that’s been going around lately surrounding video game review scores, Joe Keiser at Next Generation gives his thoughts on when they matter.
6. Ah, now here’s a subject not touched upon as often as you might think: old video game print ads, these from the SNES-era.

   Just a shame the fine print isn’t easily legible here.

7. Games Radar makes a bold statement (ok, not really, I’m sure many would agree with them), saying that Super Mario Galaxy is damn near perfect, and developers need to take a hint.
8. Two decades after the release of the original Ghostbusters movie, GR asks if there’s any point to making a game based on the franchise now.

   Of course we know, the answers are “yes” and “hell yes.” Hell, we still get new Star Wars games, and The Warriors on top of that. To not do Ghostbusters would be borderline criminal.

   Sort of like not taking advantage of what we have now to finally do a good Back To The Future game.

9. The Toronto Star has a review of Super Mario Galaxy, plus an amusing pic of Mario whomping the competition paired with a piece about Wii’s innovation catapulting it to the top, and you can check it all out here.
10. The New York Times talks to Reggie about being Reggie.
11. The reason why Mario hasn’t married Peach.
12. Looks like Super Mario Galaxy has just become the best reviewed game ever, knocking longtime champ The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time off its lofty throne.

    Found out at Go Nintendo, but linking to Joystiq as well just due to the total appropriateness of their chosen pic.

13. Mario is a man of the ladies.
14. WiiWii has a video interview with Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario, Luigi, and more.

    You gotta admire how the man loves his work.

15. Hey, lucky London– they got Luigi at their Super Mario Galaxy launch! And who’s that guy in the middle…?
16. A video of a most awesome Rayman Raving Rabbids 2 mini-game: Rabbids in school!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. TransFormers: Animated is set to debut Wednesday, December 26th at 8 PM on Cartoon Network, in the form of a “movie,” which will no doubt be three or four eps strung together.
2. Man, times like this, I HATE being in Canada: Black Friday TransFormers sales, with Toys R Us knocking the Cybertron Optimus I wanted, “Galaxy Force Optimus Prime,” down to a mere 20 bucks. Damnation. A sale we won’t have in a place I can’t get to for an item I still can’t afford. I sense a divine form of mockery here…
3. Thanks to Joost, you can now watch Generation 1 online, for free.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. It’s pretty cool that with the strike going on, Letterman is covering his staff’s salaries for the time being.
2. Screenwriter Justin Marks talks to IGN about his plans for a major motion-picture adapatation of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
3. Dragon Ball is coming next summer.

Video Power

1. Smash Bros. DOJO!! picks things up a little with the Special Moves of perennial fan-favorite Meta Knight, and to double the fun, there’s a preview of the song Meta Knight’s Revenge to go with it.

   The closing update of the week, however, is a little less exciting as Spectator mode is revealed. But interesting is the fact you can actually bet on the outcomes of matches.

2. Press release from SEGA, revealing the release date for Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for the DS:

   SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (November 15, 2007) – SEGA? of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced that Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games? for the Nintendo DS? will be shipped to stores on January 22, 2008. This exciting game is part of an exclusive partnership between SEGA and Nintendo and brings one of the most legendary competitions – an epic face-off between Team Mario and Team Sonic – to Nintendo’s immensely successful handheld system. Coming out for the Nintendo DS? with exclusive new content, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games was also released on the Wii? home system on November 6.

   Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, created specifically to take advantage of all the features the DS has to offer, boasts 16 official Olympic challenges including two new events that are exclusive to the handheld game – 10m Platform Diving and Cycling. Using the unique Touch Screen and stylus, players can interact with the game as they jump, swim, run, shoot, pedal and flip their way through authentic competitions to win Gold medals. The Nintendo DS edition also features eight Dream events – five of which can only be found on the handheld game. Each Dream event takes an Olympic sport and brings it into a video game-inspired world filled with obstacles, power-ups and familiar opponents from the worlds of Mario & Sonic to challenge even the best players. These exclusive DS Dream events are: Dream Canoe, Dream Boxing, Dream Basketball, Dream Long Jump and Dream Shooting(Skeet).

   Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games presents DS players the chance to play as any one of 16 video game characters – eight from the world of Mario? and eight from the world of Sonic – each bringing their own talents and athletic capabilities to the competitions. The game is filled with challenges for all kinds of gamers thanks to the three gameplay modes – the Single Event Mode where players can choose one specific event to play, the Circuit Mode where players can choose a series of events to compete in, and the Mission Mode where players have the opportunity to fulfill a series of solo challenges that test their athletic capabilities, timing and reflexes. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games finishes up with the Gallery, where mini-games and Olympic trivia come together to bring more addictive DS fun.

   Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for the Nintendo DS also offers irresistible multiplayer opportunities by taking full advantage of the DS wireless capabilities that offers both Single-Card and Multi-Card gameplay options. The multiplayer gameplay can be enjoyed in Single Event Mode – including the Dream events – as well as in Circuit Mode for up to four players. For gamers looking to see how they do on an international level, DS players can use the Nintendo? Wi-Fi Connection system to upload their scores to the worldwide rankings and check how they rate against players around the world.

   Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for the Nintendo DS will be shipped to stores across North America on January 22, 2008. The game is also currently in stores for the Wii home system. For more information about the game, please visit the website at www.sega.com/mariosonic. For screenshots, videos and art, check out the SEGA FTP site at http://segapr.segaamerica.com.

   You can see screens of the game here.

3. Amazon’s planning another killer Black Friday special, and as it was last year, you’ve got to vote on what you want to be had at pretty ass-kicking prices.
4. Looks like DS is getting ports of the first two Summon Night games. Too bad the third is where my interest lies.
5. Skate or Die on Virtual Console? That’s the very definition of nostalgia right there. Pity EA and Konami have since let the title languish in obscurity. Something to match up with the Tony Hawks and such would be neat.
6. Kotaku has a glimpse at the new Ghostbusters game, along with some info about co-op and multiplayer (though with the former, one would assume it also involves the latter).

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Ben Yee has a review/gallery of the stylin’ Decepticon pickup, Dropkick.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Pizza-cutting perfection. What else would you expect from a laser?
2. It’s Not The Daily Show, but close enough.
3. IGN interviews The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels, about his career and more as WWE Survivor Series looms near and WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 heads to stores, with Heartbreak and Triumph going to DVD soon as well.

Video Power

1. Capcom has posted the winners of their “Ace Attorney lolcats” contest. Be sure to check the Flickr archive for the whole lot, as that’s where the real jewels are.

   Had I thought about it, I’d have entered with this.

2. Can’t say I remember Pac-man: The Board Game, but I have an incomplete Donkey Kong somewhere, and I remember wanting the Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda board games. Still do, actually, if only for the old art.
3. AMN’s review of The Simpsons Game reveals the typical way of licensed games: more fun for fans than for non-fans.

   But it’s hard not to find the Simpsonized Matt Groening at least a little charming.

4. Retromags: helping preserve our gaming culture, and what you can do to help.
5. ScrewAttack shows themselves as gluttons for punishment as they take a look back at Mortal Kombat for Game Boy. This should be interesting.
6. For your viewing pleasure, the opening movie from Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn.
7. IGN whips out Nintendo’s two biggest baddies in Ganondorf, King of Evil and Bowser, King of the Koopa as they ask you to vote for who’s baddest. Be warned, if you’ve not played Twilight Princess yet, then it shows off what the big G looks like here.

   While Ganondorf is no doubt the favorite in this, I do have to say that Bowser’s been more impressive to me in recent years than he had been in some time (a pic from Super Smash Bros. Melee or Brawl would’ve been more flattering, however).

   “Ganon may have magic, but Bowser’s got cajones.” Too true, but let’s not forget that the Koopa are a tribe renowned for their black magic, which has been more apparent in the likes of New Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Galaxy.

8. Three more reasons to hate Japan, courtesy of Club Nintendo.
9. Ah, Camy Pro Gear’s “Hero Pack” of attachments for the Wii Remote and Nunchuck, based on The Legend of Zelda‘s Master Sword and Hylian Shield, are finally here. And IGN just so happens to have a look.

   $24.99 is a little steep for my tastes for a couple of cheap pieces of plastic and foam, but this is one set I’d probably get if I were to pick up such a thing for the Wii.

   Oh, and if you watch the video… make sure to stay past the “hope to be available in stores” bit near the end.

10. Turns out, Sony’s actually HAPPY about the Wii shortages. Now, that just doesn’t make any sense, does it?
11. EBGames.ca description for the Nintendo DS. Truly a winner, there. With a blurb like that, how can PSP ever hope to compete?
12. Game Critics has an interview with Jerry Holkins, one half of the Penny Arcade duo, about PAX and a few other things.
13. More photos of Sonic and Mario at a UK event.
14. Photos have surfaced of the PlayStation 3 that Sony dubbed “too dusty to fix” under warranty.

    Make your own call.

15. When is a Wii Remote not a Wii Remote?

    When it’s a DS, apparently. Ah, those crazy Rabbids…

16. The next time you pass on a Capcom playtesting session, think of what you could be missing.
17. N’Gai Croal has a new article that postulates that complex controllers effectively ruined the “pick up and play” mentality, starting with Street Fighter II in arcades and working from there.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”