First, apologies for the late update.

Second, I’m looking at possibly getting the Nyko Recharging Station for the Wii, as it seems Super Mario Galaxy is a real drain on the ol’ batteries. Seems I’ve heard a little good, a little nil on this particular device, however. Anyone reading this have it? Is it a good investment, or bad? Inquiring gamers want to know!

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. A seller on TaoBao.com has images of the new Fast-Action Battlers, including a strangely white Pulse Cannon Ironhide, Sonic Shock Smokescreen (who appears to be a Jazz recolor with a G1 homage color scheme), Fire Blast Optimus Prime, and Claw Slash Ramjet, who I think is a recolored Starscream.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. With all of the toy recalls and safety issues, I suppose it was only a matter of time before there would be a proposal for toy safety legislation.
2. Garfield.com is reporting that KFC is offering $3 rebate coupons in their “Laptop” kid’s meals towards… what else? Garfield DVDs.

   What’s more interesting to me, however, is this:

   In the US, kids will be treated to a laptop meal box which includes a bunch of fun activities, and participating international markets are offering Garfield toys with a purchase.

   Ouch, sounds like the US is getting the short end on that one. Seriously, in an age where kids can leave a fast food joint with SEGA games, TransFormers, Power Rangers, Wii toys, and more, who really gives a crap about “fun activities?” Those are just bonuses on top of the toy, if the kid even cares that much.

   Even K-Mart’s food courts topped KFC here, and at the same property! And yes, I’m sad there are no K-Marts in Canada.

3. Hmm, Revoltech Rei from Evangelion, available for import? I think I’ll just leave those interested alone with their thoughts.
4. Oh, DAMN.

   Due to the Writer’s Strike, this past Sunday’s Family Guy was supposed to be the last episode made. And it would have been… until Fox finished next week’s ep, and three more that were near completion, withOUT Seth MacFarlane, who’s rather pissed by the incident.

5. Christ on a cracker… I guess they really are serious about it this time.

   Justin Chatwin and James Masters have been cast for the “DBZ” movie, as Son Goku and Piccolo, respectively.

Video Power

1. It’s here, it’s here! The time is here! Contra 4 is here!

   CONTRA 4 BLASTS INTO RETAIL STORES NATIONWIDE

   Quintessential Action Franchise Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary With New Gameplay Elements, Full Cooperative Multiplayer Mode and Bonus Content Delivered in Larger-Than-Life Sequences on the Nintendo DS?

   EL SEGUNDO, CA ? November 13, 2007 ? Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc, today announced Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS? has shipped to retail outlets nationwide. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the popular action franchise, Contra 4 features 2D side-scrolling action that recalls the retro feel of the original fan favorite with the added bonus of massive battles that utilize both screens of the Nintendo DS?.

   ?In celebration of the franchise?s 20th anniversary, we wanted to bring back the retro look and feel of classic Contra while still providing fresh, compelling content,? said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. ?Well adapted to the Nintendo DS?s dual screens, Contra 4 provides an action-packed experience for seasoned Contra players as well as new fans of the franchise.?

   Taking place two years after the events of Contra III: The Alien Wars, Contra 4 forces our heroes into battle against an army of alien invaders, including the return of the terrifying Black Viper. Players must dodge, shoot, and jump over obstacles and enemies coming at them from every direction. Unique to the series, Contra 4 introduces a grappling hook accessory that provides players a means to grab onto structures above, allowing them to move seamlessly from screen to screen on the DS. Pushing the limits of the Contra franchise to new heights, the grappling accessory also grants players the strategic use of environmental elements for timely escapes, better vantage points for devastating attacks and it becomes crucial in defeating the massive bosses that take up both screens of the Nintendo DS.

   Contra 4 offers cooperative gameplay that allows up to two players to join forces and defeat Black Viper?s alien army for the continued existence of mankind. Recruit a friend and let the battle for Earth commence!

   Contra 4 also incorporates a wealth of in-game bonus content commemorating 20 years of the run and gun action franchise, including:

   ? 20th Anniversary Virtual Museum ? A virtual history of the Contra franchise since the 80?s, including box art, screen shots and information on every version of Contra from the US, Japan and Europe. The museum also features an unlockable gallery of bonus art.

   ? Unlockable Games ? The NES versions of the classic Contra and Super C are now unlockable.

   ? 5 unlockable characters, including the Probotector from the European version of the Contra games.

   ? 2 unlockable digital comic books from longtime Contra artist, Atsushi Tsujimoto.

   ? An interview with noted Contra Producer Nobuya Nakazato.

   Contra 4 is rated ?T? for Teen and is now available on the Nintendo DS in retail outlets nationwide for the SRP of $29.99. For more information on the game and the Contra franchise, please visit: www.konami.com/contra.

   Now, I just need to actually GET a copy.

2. Smash Bros. DOJO!! has updated with an unexciting but perhaps “for the best” post in Handicaps.

   Naturally, the downside to handicaps is that if you use them, the person you’re playing with might take some offense.

3. A little word has come up to confirm that the Ghostbusters are coming to Wii and PS2. Rawksome.
4. Sounds like Wii shortages in the UK are getting worse.

   Nintendo UK Managing Director David Yarnton responds to complaints from customers (or potential customers) on BBC.

5. Sorry, no Bioshock on PS3.
6. If you’ve been kicking the ball back and forth, trying to decide whether or not to pick up one of those Nintendo WiFi USB dongles… better make up your mind, and quick.
7. So the good news is, Xbox is doing their own sort of Virtual Console thing with first-generation Xbox titles. The bad news is, they may not be perfect. Theoretically, shouldn’t they be about as good as if you were playing them through backwards compatibility?
8. Atari says good-bye to game development… again. And, their CEO has resigned.

   Sort of makes me want to go mourn at Chuck E. Cheese…

9. Well, who’s that handsome fellow writing this article? Oh, right. Anyway, details of LEGO Batman abound, as do many inside-jokes. How many can YOU spot?
10. AMN reports on a poll that reveals the downfall of society. With a nifty title that I bet you can’t say five times fast.
11. What the hell, Nintendo? I mean… just… what the hell? Dropping MP3 support on the Wii? Are you daft?

    Ok, I admit I don’t really use it, but if this affects something like custom soundtracks on Excite Truck, THEN I will definitely be pissed.

12. Looks like Konami and I are of like minds. I’ve figured that this generation, Sony has the most to loseWeight Exercise, Nintendo the most to gain, and Microsoft would probably stay the same, with perhaps some gain.

    I think it’s going to be a much closer race than last time.

13. Since Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law has been pushed back to early next year, it only makes sense that Capcom should keep our appetites ready with some new trailers.
14. A hilarious new trailer shows the best way to enjoy Rayman: Raving Rabbids 2: with friends.
15. So… what would they call this, then? DS Extra Lite?
16. Interesting. Capcom’s looking to open new arcades (probably all in Japan, mind), that are geared towards women and families.

    Sounds interesting. Makes me wonder in what ways Japanese arcades tend to differ from their American contemporaries insofar as to be “male oriented.”

17. Woohoo, Earthworm Jim (and MDK) look like they’re on the comeback trail! Hope this includes a revival of the former’s cool-looking, cancelled PSP title.
18. Toys R Us in the US is planning some Black Friday fun. Here’s what’s planned.
19. Note to people shopping Best Buy for the Wii. If they tell you that the one they have is the last, there’s a very good chance that they might be full of it.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. So there’s a poll that shows that TransFormers The Movie has helped raise the opinion of GM cars. And in more obvious to everyone but the producers news, people liked the TransFormers themselves more than the humans.
2. Ben Yee has a look at issue 2 of the Beast Wars Sourcebook by IDW, which he helped with and has drawn a LOT of heat and ire from fans for the shoddy work done on it. After the things I’ve seen and heard on it… well, here’s hoping the trade fixes things up.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. The 5th turtle has a few more neat tidbits, one being climbing claws for the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures by NECA, and the other being more non-retro retro art of Leonardo and Donatello.
2. Among the ever-growing number of signs that the world is nearing an end, Scott Adams, one of the world’s most prolific mockers of bosses and managers the world over through his comic strip Dilbert (and other assorted books), has become a boss himself.

Video Power

1. So, lately I’ve been digging around in the archives of Press The Buttons, and there’s some interesting, timeless stuff there in addition to comments about more recent happenings, which is also something I try to accomplish with “Points of Interest” here on PMO; columns which, barring sites going down or changing addresses, remain timeless and can be enjoyed no matter when you read them.

   One such piece I found linked to a since-relocated interview with the creator of The Oregon Trail, which helps put some perspective on some things like the hunting subgame and “inadequate grass.”

   It also lead me to think that they ought to remake The Oregon Trail for Wii Ware. It’s have a sort of retro value/appeal of its own if priced right. And just think, you could send Miis from your plaza to Oregon or their deaths, whichever comes first! And maybe leave tombstones that could be found and sort of trickle-down through WiiConnect, not unlike the Miis themselves. Keep the price fair, and I bet it’d see a few downloads.

2. Capcom*Unity has found a cool mash-up video for Mega Man, with commercials and other fun stuff blended into the video. Too bad they have that stupid “Retrojunk” watermark at the start. In fact, I left a comment with a link to the original, without the watermark, in the hopes that it might be fixed.
3. Now here’s something I haven’t given much thought to: The Cheapest Atari 2600 Games Worth Your Time.

   I thought they were all pretty cheap. I guess with retro being an “in” thing now, however, that maybe that’s since changed.

4. Toastyfrog pays tribute to one of the greatest video game enemies of all time, and the first many people ever saw: the Goomba.

   Not only a favorite enemy of mine, but also a favored ally.

5. A recent poll shows that more Canadians recognize a photograph of Mario than they do their own political leaders. And in Europe, more than the likes of Hilton, Timberlake, and more.
6. One year after launch and just in time for Christmas, ScrewAttack.com tells us what the Top 10 Exclusive PS3 Games are.

   …and it’s actually quite funny in all the wrong ways (or all the right ones, if you’re an anti-Sony zealot).

7. Hey, it’s another Mario retrospective! And this one’s from GameSpot!

   What makes this one any different? Mouse-over comparison pics, for one, and “then” consisting chiefly of Sunshine for another.

8. If there’s one thing Mario doesn’t lack in the slightest, it’s female companionship to rescue. Hence, IGN’s look at Mario’s Ladies.

   Hmm, so Rosalina has two names between here and Japan now? Why, Nintendo? Did you learn nothing from “Peach Toadstool?”

   …wait, “Smash Bros.‘ Daisy?” Did I miss an update or something? Or did IGN inadventently spill the beans?

   My choice for pairings, though: Mario and Peach, Luigi and Daisy. I see Rosalina as a more platonic relationship (unless playing further reveals otherwise), and Pauline… well, that’d be telling.

9. In their never-ending quest to stay on the Mario bandwagon, Game Daily has a new piece highlighting the most neglected characters in the franchise.

   For Toad, though, I wonder if Nintendo in Japan even considers him a proper character, or just a species?

10. Games Radar Presents: Fan Films Gone WRONG!
11. Another awesome wedding; nice touch, pairing Luigi and Daisy. The napkins rock, too!
12. Part of an interview with Gamasutra reveals how NeoGeo games reached the Wii Virtual Console.
13. Well, if there were still any questions about GameStop’s lack of competence…

    I’d really hate to be working there and have some strict regulation telling me I’m not allowed to sell the game to a kid. I wonder how this even happened? Maybe a little too much X-Play?

14. MTV Multiplayer lists the Top 10– you guessed it– Mario games. Pre-Galaxy, of course.
15. Yahtzee has another Zero Punctuation review up, this time of Clive Barker’s Jericho.

    And if seeing him tear apart games isn’t your cup of tea, maybe you’d like to tear apart one of his… that is, assuming you don’t actually like it.

16. Game|Life brings word of another Mental Floss NES quiz, on which I scored 72%, or 18 out of 25. Damn sports games…
17. Guess not everyone likes Super Mario Galaxy.

    Personally, I like the Wii control arrangement. Matter of opinion there, I suppose, but to say it looks “lifeless?” Huh…

18. Brazil has a neat little item for SEGA fans. Sort of like Plug-n-Play controllers, but better! And a bit pricier, too.
19. Um… Wow. Is this art?

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Furman’s blog has updates regarding a couple of Movie-based UK items, one a comic and the other a sort of souveneir magazine with details surrounding the film’s characters, sort of like trading cards but more in-depth.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Looks like Marvel is helping move comics into the new millenium by offering up thousands of their back-issues online for a fee.
2. GameSpite, as if on cue, presents this week’s new releases in DVD, anime, and games.

Video Power

1. The DOJO!! has added Ike’s Final Smash and three different taunts to its listings. I think a lot of bets have just been won by those who called the box as one of Snake’s.

   Frankly, I think that delaying Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the right thing for Nintendo right now… it seems like the attention for Super Mario Galaxy just went right through the roof after that, and no doubt for good reason.

2. Speaking of which, Nintendo offers the following statement for the release of Super Mario Galaxy:

   REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 12, 2007 – The amazing new Super Mario Galaxy? game launches for Wii? in T-minus 3 ? 2 ? 1. The hottest game for the hottest system fills players and observers with an otherworldly sense of wonder, and demonstrates the skill and imagination of legendary Nintendo video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.

   Video game icon Mario? launches into space and encounters a multitude of crazy creatures on unbelievable planets. Players master the changing gravities they encounter while exploring each planet and collecting Power Stars. For the first time, Super Mario Galaxy lets a second player lend a hand in “co-star” mode. Using the revolutionary motion-sensitive Wii Remote?, the co-star can point at the screen to collect starbits to shoot at enemies, deflect incoming attacks or stall enemies to help Mario. It’s a way for the newcomers that Nintendo has brought into the world of video games to play right alongside their more experienced peers.

   “Super Mario Galaxy is a game that everybody can play, whether you’ve been a Mario fan for 25 years or you just started playing Wii Sports,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “It’s an easy favorite for game of the year and should stand as one of the best – and most beautiful – games of all time.”

   In the game, Bowser? crashes the star festival and carries Princess Peach’s castle into space. On a curious new planet, Mario learns a powerful spin move that players pull off by shaking the Wii Remote. Mario also has an arsenal of new transformations at his disposal, including the Boo Mario, which causes him to float and fly through walls, and Bee Mario, which turns him into a beyond-adorable flying bee.

   Super Mario Galaxy is Rated E for Everyone. Once you pick up a copy and you’re in the mood to throw a party to show it off to all your friends, you should check out the new Mario-themed Evite at Evite.com. It shows how Mario’s look has changed through the years, and it’s a great way to rally your friends for a Wii party.

   Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

   Plus the typical company info and such. As for me, I’m officially on blackout until I get my hands on a copy of the game, probably (hopefully) this week; I may report some stuff about it, but that doesn’t mean I’ll have seen/read/watched it.

3. Word is that we could possibly see a 3D remake of Zelda: A Link To The Past…

   Might be alright… I think I’d rather they just kept the gameplay the same, and updated the graphics, though. Maybe if it looked like TP from a top-down perspective, and panned around for cutscenes…?

4. Banjo for Xbox is still on track…
5. John Davison, formerly of Ziff-Davis, has formed a new site called What They Play, designed to help better educate parents about the games that are coming out.
6. Are you ready to Check Mii Out?
7. Holy interlocking bricks, Batman! It’s the new LEGO Batman trailer!

   Wow, Fall 2008 feels SO far away…

8. New on Virtual Console this week are Volleyball for the NES, Blue’s Journey for the NeoGeo, and Axelay for the Super NES.

   But are any of them worth getting? For THAT, we turn to the Retro Roundup…

9. Want to take on Mr. Kennedy in WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008?

   No, not just the character in the game, but the real deal playing the game? IGN tells you how.

10. Companion Cubes: Now available in plush.
11. Seems that Guitar Hero III for the Wii has a slight problem.
12. And for Canada, Rock Band has a problem of its own.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Thanks to Frash for finding this cool custom protoform Optimus Prime figure on eBay.
2. Tformers has a review of the US-released Masterpiece Starscream.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. Someday, before I die, I must eat in Japan.

Video Power

1. Capcom goes behind the scenes of Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix to give us a better look at how they’re fine-tuning the game to make it more balanced.
2. Rare discusses why they continue making games for Nintendo’s portables.
3. “Majority of Parents See Gaming with Kids as Waste of Time”

   1) This explains a lot.

   2) Screw them.

4. ScrewAttack is back with a fine “hasta la vista, baby” to you as they take a look at Terminator 2.
5. Not every idea is a winner, obviously. But which gaming ideas are the absolute worst? Next Generation digs deep to find out, and these don’t even look at the games themselves!

   Incidently, however, I appreciate backward compatibility.

6. Wow, yet another Mario gallery at Game Daily.
7. Not to be left out, Games Radar has their own lists of top 20 galactic moments and the top 7 Mario spin-offs…
8. …which lead me to discover Caleb Elijah’s awesome guitar tabs of various video game themes.
9. The Super Mario Galaxy launch at Nintendo World was this past Sunday night, and Game Daily was in attendance, camera in hand. Here’s what they saw.
10. And while Game Daily has the photos, Go Nintendo has the video.
11. This was my dream as a kid. It’d beat the bus, for sure.

    …come to think of it, I can pretty much say the same thing now.

12. The commercial for Mario & Sonic.

    Can’t wait for it in better quality, but very nice choice of song, at any rate.

13. More Rayman: Raving Rabbids 2 spoof art.

    The lack of a Super Mario Galaxy piece is simply disappointing.

14. If you’re like me and were lured to the Toys R Us with the promises of candy and funny stories for getting Super Mario Galaxy there, then you probably didn’t get this phone call, either.
15. So, what do you think? “Video game” or “videogame?”
16. The New York Times looks into a troubling issue, the survival of print media for games.

    As I’ve said, adapting is key. More in-depth content in the magazines, rather than “news” is the best way to counteract, as well as not giving away your stories for free on the internet.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. This ought to be good. TransFormers The Movie is poised to be MSTed… er, “Rifftraxed.”
2. That Michael Bay is more clever than he’s given credit for. From here on out, don’t believe anything about TransFormers 2.
3. Images galore for Jungle Bonecrusher, Allspark Power Stockade, and Deep Space Starscream.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. The Jones Soda Company is at it again, bringing you the most god-awful holiday flavored sodas with the profits going to charity. Just think, if you drink it, then it’s like you’re being punished for giving!

   Looks like they’re ditching the “Turkey & Gravy” flavor (I still have mine from last Christmas) in favor of “Christmas Ham” and “Latke.”

   Wow, a “Happy Chanukah Pack?” I know what I’m bringing to the in-laws’!

2. Sounds like Marvel Toys has a real monkey on its back as they’re forced to recall some Curious George toys.
3. IGN has an update on the Writer’s Strike, and it sounds like The Governator is getting involved.

Video Power

1. Think I forgot to mention this over here… the 360 has finally outsold the PS3 in Japan. It’s a small victory, but a victory nonetheless, despite the handhelds and Wii slaughtering both.

   The question now is, will they do anything to keep this small momentum?

2. Are you ready?

   THQ is almost ready to break it down in just a couple more days as D-Generation X struts their stuff in WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008.

   And if you’re not down with that, then they’ve got just two words for ya’…

3. Unfortunately, it seems that WWE on Wii is lacking in features.
4. Won’t be long now! GameTrailers features a Japanese montage of gameplay from Super Mario Galaxy.
5. Ok, so Nintendo isn’t upping Virtual Console output after all.
6. If you think you can hold out until Black Friday, then you can save $15 at Circuit City on Super Mario Galaxy.
7. If you’re in the UK and preorder/purchase Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games at Play, then you can get a cool Team Mario or Team Sonic t-shirt.

   Might have to hit up eBay for one or two of those…

8. …well, I liked Croc… the character, anyway.

   If Fox Interactive is getting back into games, I wonder if we’ll see more of the little guy.

9. Ok, so the Hitman movie will be rated R after all.

   Not that I especially care, but a little less stupid in the world is always nice.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Assorted Mushrooms

1. For centuries, a truce has existed…
2. A kitty has to fight to protect its kill.
3. IGN takes a look at the fall of Geneon, and what it means to fans of anime.

Video Power

1. While browsing the archives over at Press The Buttons, I came across two interesting pieces.

   The first linked to a look at the internal structuring at Nintendo, and why certain games were produced in certain ways, such as Wario taking over the Super Mario Land titles and branching off into his own series on portables, or why the return of Samus in Super Metroid on a console was more the exception than the rule for so many years.

2. The other presents an interesting look at the evolution of NES boxart by various companies such as Nintendo, Capcom, and Konami, and how they eventually lost their notable distinction to such a degree that, short of their titles, you wouldn’t know one company’s games from another.
3. Coin Heaven takes a look at villainy in the Mario universe, and if many are as bad as they seem.
4. Hence its release 10 years ago, Goldeneye for the Nintendo 64 is still considered a pivotal game in the genre of First-Person Shooters, earning it a closer look at Racketboy’s Retrogaming.
5. …what the hell?

   Man, some of these companies will say ANYTHING to avoid living up to a warranty, won’t they?

   “Too much dust inside?” Give me a friggin’ break.

6. Newsweek‘s N’Gai Croal poses an interesting question: what would you rather loseWeight Exercise, a $60 game or a save file?

   I suppose it would largely depend… if it’s simple progress, like how far you are in a game, or something simple like scores, I guess I’d give it up then. But if it were like Super Smash Bros. Melee, with a ton of stuff unlocked and earned…

7. Looks like Aqua Teen Hunger Force is here, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force sucks. But then, there are only two reviews so far. I doubt it’ll get any better from here, though. Too bad, the premise seemed entertaining enough.
8. This week, IGN picks on Square Enix for who they think should be in Brawl.

   I favor the original generic “class” characters, myself: Black Mage, Fighter, Red Mage, Thief, etc. But then, I dig 8-Bit Theater, so therein lies my bias.

9. I normally wouldn’t link to one of IGN’s Cosplay Galleries, but this excellent cosplay of Eirika from Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones demands that I do.
10. Games Radar does a little investigating to see whether or not the PS3 is really that difficult to work with.
11. Mario and Sonic, such an amusing pair. Here’s more photos of their hijinx in promoting their Olympic Games title.
12. See, RMC knows what I’m talkin’ about. Hardcore gamers dying out? Hardly.
13. Aww, c’mon, Gary… say it ain’t so! No man, not even a Coleman, should have to go through this.
14. Sounds like the name of the Super Mario Galaxy game is variety.
15. 2chan’s perspective on the whole “360 outsells PS3 in Japan” thing.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. New Fast Action Battlers from the Movie line are on the way.
2. Plus, more Animated prototypes can be seen on eBay.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. The 5th turtle has another sneak peek at the art designs for the 2K8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show, this time showing off April and Casey.
2. Build-a-Bear has added some new items for the holiday season.

Video Power

1. The final update of the week at Smash Bros. DOJO!! reveals a more in-depth look at a stage we got a peek at during E for All: Norfair.

   This one actually looks to have some hilarious possibilities.

2. Sounds like the UK might be in for a rough holiday season, as hardware shortages for all platforms are expected.
3. Oooh, goody. The Discovery Channel is going to air a documentary on the 21st titled Rise of the Videogame. Hope it’s good.
4. Those expecting/hoping for a Wii DVD player this year may have to wait a little longer.
5. Xbox LIVE: Now celebrating “5ive” years.
6. Gamecock defies South Carolina, encouraging Stephen Colbert to get back in the race, starting with Texas, going so far as to offer their own offices for a campaign HQ.
7. Just two more days until Check Mii Out debuts.
8. There have been rumors running lately that the 40GB PS3 has, ironically, a 40% failure rate. Now, Sony has stepped forward to deny it.
9. GameTrailers has a ton of different Wii Fit demonstrations. And you’re nuts if you think I’m linking to all of them.
10. The Mooninites hit up the green in Aqua Teen Hunger Force to bring about the sort of excitement and Boston-pants-crapping excitement that only they can.
11. Sony USA’s CEO has declared that the Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD format war is at a stalemate.
12. Spike TV announces their Video Game Awards nominees.

    Am I the only one who thinks it seems a little… odd that Super Mario Galaxy isn’t on for a Game of the Year contender? Bear in mind that it IS on the ballot for “Best Action Game” and “Best Wii Game.”

13. Speaking of which, more screens, probably the last we’ll see before launch.
14. A scan wherein Future Shop and Best Buy are matching US prices.
15. More details on the Toys R Us Super Mario Galaxy deal, which we do not yet know if it’s valid in Canada or not. The guy on the phone I spoke to had never heard anything about it.
16. Computer and Video Games has a new preview available for Mario Kart Wii.
17. The Atari 2600 has finally been inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.
18. With a new campaign for Super Mario Galaxy, Nintendo is “looking to return Mario to the masses.”

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. If you’re into Dinobot, the Predacon-turned-Maximal from Beast Wars, you might be interested in the new pictures that Ben Yee has added of the original toy to his review.

Video Power

1. IGN celebrates the impending release of Super Mario Galaxy with a look back at The History of Super Mario Bros.

   They need to play more Super Mario Bros. 2 if they think there are no secrets, however. There are some other inaccuracies, but I’m not going to name them all here. Suffice to say, it comes off a knowledgable about Mario’s evolution in gaming, but less so about the Mario games themselves.

2. Not to be outdone, Eurogamer has one, too!
3. AMN turns back the clock again with part two of Nintendo vs. SEGA: The Console Wars.

   Incidently, regarding SEGA’s mascot concepts, they’ve since denied that Cream has anything to do with the rabbit shown at the time.

   A dark part of my soul wishes to see how the “Sonic & Madonna” idea would have come to fruition.

4. Game Daily has a piece that complements it nicely as they assemble a gallery of Mario vs. Sonic: Battle of the Mascots, pitting similar characters on both sides of the fence against one another to see who comes out on top.
5. ScrewAttack.com opens the vault again to peer deep into Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

   I think a friend of mine had this on NES at one time…

6. GameTrailers has an in-depth interview that explains the differences between each system’s version of WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008.
7. Heh… Next Generation has a new feature up…

   THE MAKING OF: Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness

   Me: “Meh… wait, wasn’t that…?”

   An in-depth analysis of a game that went horribly wrong.

   Me: …NOW we’re talkin’!

   The only thing greater than seeing what people were thinking when making a great game is what the hell went wrong when making a bad one.

8. Go Nintendo has an awesome exclusive video looking at Rayman: Raving Rabbids 2.

   Well, near-awesome; the host starts talking just a bit too soon and abruptly for my liking. Still, coolness.

9. Reggie Fils-Aime’s appearance on FBN (Fox Business News?).
10. Still sucks that Project H.A.M.M.E.R. was canned, but at least some last screens have popped up.
11. Mario and Sonic decided to show up in person in the UK to promote their Olympic Games title.
12. Behold, the World’s Most Expensive Games, compiled into a handy Top 10 format for easy reading.
13. What’s better than ten? How about eleven? As in, eleven unreleased NES games.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

InFormers: Robots in the News

1. Want a TransFormers: Animated prototype? How about two? Then please, come right this way.

Assorted Mushrooms

1. So, yeah. Best be careful of Bindeez/Aqua Dots this Christmas…
2. No idea if the movie is ever going to happen, but in the meantime, a preview for FREDDY vs. JASON vs. ASH #1.
3. Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane talks to IGN about the strike in some down-to Earth, frank terms. Also, when to expect the last completed episodes of Family Guy and American Dad.
4. Box art and bonus feature information abound, as IGN tells us about Futurama: Bender’s Big Score.
5. It’s here, it’s here! It’s finally here! Get Smart on DVD– all of it!

   …and hella-expensive, to boot. $200? Yikes! So worth it… but so out of reach…

6. IGN reports that Dragon Ball Z will shoot in Mexico, rather than Montreal. This sort of disappointed me… until I remembered the description of the movie.

Video Power

1. If you’re in the San Francisco area, you might be interested in being part of a focus group that Capcom is putting together for a new game.
2. Smash Bros. DOJO!! updates with information on the Special Moves of Lucas, and a little grim foreboding of whether or not Ness may make the cut…
3. Further details have come down regarding the midnight launch at Nintendo World for Super Mario Galaxy. I really recommend going, if you’re out that way and looking to get the game. The Wii launch was a blast, and I’d love to make it to this one if it were possible.

   Oh, and speaking of which, if you just haven’t been able to find a Wii, you’re in luck: Nintendo World will have 250 for the launch.

4. More Aqua Teen Hunger Force Ninja Pro-Am footage.
5. Ubisoft is aiming high as they seek to have a “Nintendo-like quality.”

   Sounds like the right idea to me, instead of constant bitching about how Nintendo steals all the moneys and running off to hide under the skirt of a console with an arguably less-reputed first-party development setup.

6. The Virtual Console sits pretty at 166 possible downloadable titles, and Nintendo has revealed that they are aiming for 200 by year’s end.

   Game|Life has surmised the following: That means Nintendo will have to release an average of 4.25 games per week to hit their year-end target.

   Since the crack Virtual Console team is currently on a steady three-games-per-week schedule, that means one of two things is going on:

   1) They’re about to (semi)permanently ramp up the number of Virtual Console games
   2) They are a liar :_:

   I’m pulling for #1, personally, even though the rate at which I download VC games remains infrequent, because they still cost money. But the option is nice, especially when a game comes along that I can’t resist.

7. So details about the Onimusha movie have begun to surface.

   Now, I’ve never played any of the games except for Blade Warriors, which was ok and I was only interested in because it had Mega Man characters. So I know little about the plot, except that it’s something about Japan. Feudal, I believe.

   But judging from the comments, would it be safe if I threw a guess out there that this is not how the games were?

8. And, the new line of Nintendo clothing by Torrel is available now!

   …and expensive as Hell, yikes!

–LBD “Nytetrayn”

Assorted Mushrooms

1. From the Onion News Network: Where are our damn flying cars?

   And just to keep the topic going, here’s the Kevin Smith take on the subject.

   Me? I don’t trust people on the roads, nevermind over my head.

2. So Jack Nicholson is furious over the new portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight?

   “They never asked me about a sequel with the Joker. I know how to do that! Nobody ever asked me,” Nicholson said. “It’s like, in any area, you can’t believe the reasons things do or don’t happen. Not asking me how to do the sequel is that kind of thing. Maybe it’s not a mistake. Maybe it was the right thing, but to be candid, I’m furious.”

   Sheesh, you’d think he originated the character or something. Is he aware that this isn’t the same thing he played in?

   Plus, sounds like Hong Kong is being kind of a jerk. But, maybe we don’t know the whole story.

3. Wow, this takes me back to a place I wasn’t especially eager to return to…
4. …but man, Kelly sure was hot, though, wasn’t she? Wonder how she looks now…

Video Power

1. Lolfighterz.
2. Racketboy’s Retrogaming looks into what the best Game Boy Advance games are today… even if you own a DS. And many of these are truly fine games, some of which I still need to add to my collection (Minish Cap, Wario Land 4, Gunstar Super Heroes, Castlevania).
3. Games Radar has a credible theory that Snake is returning to Outer Heaven in South Africa for Metal Gear Solid 4, as well as some guesses as to the other undisclosed location.

   Be neat to see the classic “I feel asleep!” stomping grounds, reimagined in a more realistic 3D…

4. AMN has a guest editorial that speaks out against Nintendo’s “refrigerator” analogy for managing Wii memory. Plus, it seems to confirm what I had wondered, whether or not deleting a game would delete its save files as well. Unless it means saves for Wii games, like Sonic and the Secret Rings rather than Sonic 3.

   I haven’t run into the issue yet myself, but that doesn’t make the points any less valid. Nintendo ought to listen a little more to the consumer and their wants and needs here.

5. Another looks into Ignorance: The World’s Fight Against Games, as people continue to try and put a stranglehold on the content the industry is allowed to have, all for no good reason.
6. Remember The Last Starfighter? Well, now you can finally play the game.
7. Super Mario Galaxy: the GameTrailers video review. Might be some slight spoiling stuff therein, especially if you’re on a blackout until the game’s release– there was at least one thing new to me there.
8. A little more light is shed on the whole controversy of uncredited staff on Manhunt 2 from one of the producers.
9. What will it take for microtransactions to be successful? Next Generation has a few ideas.
10. It seems the boys at GameDaily just can’t get enough of our main man, Mario. Which is why they’ve put together yet another gallery to highlight the superstar plumber’s athletic achievements.

    I’d really like to see something like Mario’s Ice Hockey, as sort of a new take on the old Mario-less NES title. In the meantime, I still need to find a copy of Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour for the Cube.

11. So, why haven’t we gotten any good 1:1 swordplay/lightsaber action yet? Jonathan Smith from TT Games explains.
12. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has been talking about Super Mario Galaxy with many of the people who worked on the title. And now, he moves on to the big man himself- Shigeru Miyamoto.
13. It’s been 20 years of Mega Man, and Inticreates has thrown something special into Mega Man ZX Advent to celebrate.

    It’s not much compared to Contra 4, but still a nice little nod.

14. If you don’t mind a bit of down and dirty language, then check out ZeroPunctuation’s review of The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for a few laughs. Laughs enough that I was distracted from doing this for quite some time, going through his archive and effectively watching every single video that bore any relevance to any game I have ever shown any interest in among his listings.

    Hell, now I’m doing it.

15. 1 + 1 = Pikachu.

    Ok, maybe not, but Nintendo has begun to use Pokemon for educational purposes.

16. Nintendo of Europe has a quick look at two of Mario’s newest power-suits from Super Mario Galaxy.

–LBD “Nytetrayn”