Another item that I cannot verify is Facebook integration.  I have read on several other sites that there is some basic Facebook integration, but I could not find it anywhere.

If you want the latest firmware, just head to the System Update selection under the Settings section of the XMB.  It is a small update, and took about 15 minutes max to download and install.

Telltale Games announced today, that the final chapter in the Tales of Monkey Island series will release next month on December 8th.  The episode will be entitled “Rise of the Pirate God” and will follow up on the events that were presented in the previous episode. 

It seems that there are reports everywhere that the heralded pirate, Guybrush Threepwood is dead, and more innuendo followed that speculated on the reformed pirate, LeChuck having a hand in the evil-doing.  Confused.  Well, if so, head over to Telltale Games, where you can pick up each individually wrapped episoded for $8.95.

Check the jump for the highly amusing press release.

GUYBRUSH THREEPWOOD, MIGHTY PIRATE … REST IN PEACE?

Mysterious Happenings Plague the Caribbean as Denizens Anxiously Await Answers in “Rise of the Pirate God” on Tuesday, December 8

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — November 18, 2009 – Telltale Games and LucasArts today are reporting the purported demise of Guybrush Threepwood, one of gaming’s greatest heroes and the Caribbean’s mightiest pirates.

Details are sketchy and authorities have not named any suspects, but unconfirmed reports suggest that the recently reformed pirate LeChuck may somehow be involved. Investigators have not been able to locate the former demon pirate, or Threepwood’s wife Elaine Marley-Threepwood, for questioning.

As the chronicler of Threepwood’s recent exploits in Tales of Monkey Island, Telltale Games assures the masses that answers to many vexing questions will be revealed in the grand finale episode, Rise of the Pirate God, which releases on Tuesday, December 8 at http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland.

During his eventful lifetime, Guybrush stepped in as the Caribbean’s savior on many occasions, vanquishing his arch-rival LeChuck (in ghost, zombie and demon form) countless times. However, it was his uncanny ability to hold his breath for 10 minutes straight that truly set him apart from his pirate peers.

“He wanted what every young man wants – to loot, pillage, and sail the high seas in search of further looting and pillaging opportunities,” said Dave Grossman, veteran Monkey Island game designer and writer. “It’s a great tragedy to see such a productive life seemingly cut off prematurely. And I’m not just saying that because he owes me money.”

In honor of Threepwood’s heroic and adventurous life, Telltale is now offering the first four episodes of Tales of Monkey Island for individual purchase at http://www.telltalegames.com/monkeyisland. Each episode is priced at $8.95 USD each.

This is not the first that we have heard about this, as the recent EA layoffs had the rumor that Pandemic Studios and other divisions would either be shutdown or reduced in staff.  However, it was surprising at the timing of this closure, as Pandemic was readying their newest title, The Saboteur.  Why you would shut down a developer less than 20 days away from the release of their new title, seems questionable at best.

More importantly, what does this tell the community about The Saboteur.  Will Electronic Arts look to support this title beyond its release?  I would look at it as a vote of no confidence in the title from EA, and that those that buy it will never see much beyond its release to retail.  That is the thing that really upsets me, as Pandemic was trying to do something different with the World War II era, by having you as a covert operative, and with the coloring of the city, all of it was looking amazing.  Now we as gamers, are faced with a title that looks to never expand beyond its current state of development.

Just my two cents at EA, but for a company that sat their and said that they wanted to support creativity and emerging IPs, you certainly are not following through on the promise.  We have probably seen the death of Mirror’s Edge 2 with this latest round of updates, and now The Saboteur is gone as well.  Dead Space 2 may also be on the cutting block as well.  Where is that innovation and creativity now.  It sure as hell is not in EA Sports or The Sims, so where will it come from?  Bioware is about the only EA company that is still creating new and innovative titles, and all of them are making bucketloads of cash.  Maybe John Riccitiello should go up to visit to two Doctors at Bioware and find out how to be successful with new brands.

EA Montreal will be performing mop up duties on The Saboteur.  EA Montreal is the developer for Army of Two: The 40th Day.  Pandemic Studios, we wish all of your hard working developers the best in your unfortuate situations, and hope that all of you find work at other developers that might give you the chance to show off that creativity that you gave us gamers over 10 years.

Well, in case you have been living under a rock, you may have heard of a new game called Tony Hawk: Ride.  Not content with just having you controller a skater via a controller, Activision has upped the ante with a new skateboard peripheral.  Full of sensors and gyroscopes, the new Skateboard controller allows you to interact with Tony Hawk: Ride in all new ways.

I think that all the analysts and game companies are going to be watching this release to see how it does, kind of as a barometer for the future of plastic peripheral based games.  So far, we have watched as DJ Hero has debuted to less than stellar sales, and Tony Hawk: Ride could be the nail in the proverbial coffin if it does not sell extremely well.  Word of advice to Tony Hawk – find out how to buy out your contract and hit up the guys working on the skate. franchise at EA.  It is what your games use to be oh so long ago.

Tony Hawk(TM): RIDE(R) Rolls Onto North American Retail Shelves

Innovative Board Controller Gets Kids and Families Off the Couch and Into the Game

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov 17, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ – It’s time to get off the couch and into the game with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Tony Hawk: RIDE, the ground-breaking new entry in the popular action sports franchise. Featuring a revolutionary skateboard controller, players of varied skill levels can physically control the action by stepping on board to perform movements and gestures that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game; from grinds, grabs and ollies to Tony Hawk’s signature tricks.

“Tony Hawk: RIDE is THE new way to play. It gives a whole new meaning to game night by allowing the entire family to challenge one another to competitions that are as fun to watch as they are to play,” said Rob Kostich, head of marketing, licensed products, Activision Publishing, Inc. “It’s the perfect activity for the entire family this holiday season … and anytime of the year.”

“This is the game I’ve always wanted to make,” said legendary pro skater Tony Hawk. “The skateboard peripheral opens up a whole new level of interactivity and physicality, allowing players to control the action with their whole body. I can’t wait for everyone to jump on the board and ride.”

Tony Hawk: RIDE takes the popular action sports video game franchise in an all-new direction. The wireless skateboard controller was designed in conjunction with the game to offer a dynamic gaming experience built from the ground up. The innovative motion sensing peripheral offers a completely new way to play games. Without complex button combinations or analog sticks, gamers of various skill levels can literally step on the board and play.

Tony Hawk: RIDE is developed by Robomodo for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system. Buzz Monkey developed the Wii(TM) system version. The game is rated E10+ by the ESRB. For more information, fans can visit www.THRide.com, www.Facebook.com/TonyHawkRIDE and www.Twitter.com/THRIDE.

About Tony Hawk, Inc.

Tony Hawk, Inc. is a world leader in its field with the unprecedented ability to bring alternative sports and their unique lifestyle to the masses while maintaining an indispensable edge of authenticity with the market’s hard-core, trendsetting audience. Founded by Tony Hawk in 1998 and based in Vista, CA, the company is organized into five segments: Merchandising, Events, Endorsements, Film and Digital Media. These lifestyle sports include skateboarding, BMX, Motocross, surfing and snowboarding. Consumer goods bearing the Tony Hawk brand have dominated several markets, including interactive games, skateboard hard goods, lifestyle apparel, toys, publications and more.

About Robomodo

Based in Chicago, IL, Robomodo is a video game development studio focused on producing top-tier products on current and next generation console platforms. Robomodo’s team has a strong track record for marrying solid game design with an innovative artistic style, as well as harnessing the power of current and next-gen consoles. The core Robomodo team has proven its abilities in the Mortal Kombat, NBA Street and Fight Night franchises. The company’s first game for Activision Publishing, Inc. is Tony Hawk: RIDE, which will be released in 2009 simultaneously on the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system and Wii(TM) system.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

Activision Publishing maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Russia, Japan, South Korea, China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Activision Publishing generally uses words such as “outlook,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “might,” “remains,” “to be,” “plans,” “believes,” “may,” “expects,” “intends,” “anticipates,” “estimate,” future,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “project,” “remain,” “scheduled,” “set to,” “subject to,” “upcoming” and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include, but are not limited to, sales levels of Activision Publishing’s titles, shifts in consumer spending trends, the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, the seasonal and cyclical nature of the interactive game market, Activision Publishing’s ability to predict consumer preferences among competing hardware platforms, declines in software pricing, product returns and price protection, product delays, retail acceptance of Activision Publishing’s products, adoption rate and availability of new hardware (including peripherals) and related software, industry competition, rapid changes in technology, industry standards and consumer preferences, protection of proprietary rights, litigation against Activision Publishing, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, customers, licensees, licensors, vendors and third-party developers, counterparty risks relating to customers, licensees, licensors and manufacturers, domestic and international economic, financial and political conditions and policies, foreign exchange rates and tax rates, integration of recent acquisitions and the identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities, and the other factors identified in the risk factors section of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

A(C) 2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision is a registered trademark and Ride is a trademark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Tony Hawk is a registered trademark of Tony Hawk, Inc. All rights reserved. Wii and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo.

The update brings the social interaction features that were ballyhooed at this year’s Microsoft E3 press event.  You will now be able to twitter from your console, check out your Facebook friends, listen to some music via Last.fm and of course, stream movies instantly at 1080p via the Zone HD marketplace.

If you are curious about what is in this new Dashboard update, take a look at our preview of all of the new features.  And sorry folks, no Mafia Wars, Vampire Wars or Farmville are available via the new dashboard update.

The Night Elf Mohawk is back, and this time he is bringing in ranged support to help his cause.  Yes, World of Warcraft has brought back Mr. T to promote the hugely popular MMORPG title, and he has a new weapon.  The Night Elf Mohawk Grenade apparently rains good looks upon the world, according to Mr. T.  Of course, that is only if you think everyone looks great with a Mohawk.

There is a downside to this commercial.  Where is the “Shut up fool!” or “Sucka” quotes that regularly follow Mr. T.  I feel a petition is in order to have Blizzard add these comments into the trailer pronto.

Kenka Bancho follows the story of Sakamoto, a man that comes to town to bring order, while kicking ass and taking names from the local riff-raff.

Kenka Bancho allows players to roam through seven days in the city, while playing out as a cross between an adventure game and a flat out brawler. 

Hit the jump to read up the full press release from Atlus, USA.

KENKA BANCHO: BADASS RUMBLE™ FOR PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) SYSTEM IS IN STORES NOW AND AVAILABLE ON PlayStation®Network

You want to be a bancho? Let’s get physical! …Or download from PSN!

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — NOVEMBER 16, 2009 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc., publisher of badass games, today announced that Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble™ for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) System is now available in stores and on PlayStation®Network.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is the simple story of a young man and his quest to reach the top of the ranks of high-school delinquents, preferably by climbing up a pile of his enemies’ mangled bodies. Take control of (Player Name Here) Sakamoto and guide him through the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, you’ll learn about life, love, and laser eyes. The tourist-trap city of Kyouto becomes both your playground and your stomping grounds as you pummel your way through over 47 bancho rivals in this free-roaming brawling melee.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble is now available in stores and on PlayStation Network with an MSRP of $39.99. For more, visit the website www.atlus.com/bancho

About Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble

As a high school misfit on a class trip, your mission is clear: claim your territory, beat the crud out of anyone who says otherwise, and make a name for yourself as the most dangerous, most intimidating, most lethal teenage miscreant loose on the streets of an unfortunate Japanese city. Fights are mostly what you’d expect from such a premise, meaning they are filled with extreme, wanton violence and deft fist-foot-forehead management. Oh, and lasers shooting from your eyes.

Key Features

•How will you choose to spend your time? — You have 7 days to wander through the city of Kyouto and discover all it has to offer a teenage hoodlum like you; every minute counts! Travel around and interact with a diverse population. Pick a fight with virtually anyone, but beware the consequences… and the cops. With too much to see and do in a single playthrough, you’ll definitely need to plan on return visits.

•Badass gameplay — Becoming the one bancho to rule them all requires a wide repertoire of fighting moves, and you have an entire nation’s worth to learn and incorporate into your strategy. Fling insults and hurl punches as you try to take down Japan’s 47 banchos. Then, customize your fighting menu with their region’s special moves!

•Extra game modes — Two-player co-op ad hoc mode lets you run around with a friend to gain additional experience. Night Out mode lets you sneak out of the hotel after curfew to challenge Yakuza roaming about the town.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble has been rated “T” for Teen with Animated Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, and Violence by the ESRB.

About Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

Located in Irvine, California and founded in 1991, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. is renowned for its proud tradition of publishing exceptional role-playing games with strong niche appeal. The Atlus library of critically acclaimed video games includes Odin Sphere, the Trauma Center series, and the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei series. For more information, visit http://www.atlus.com.

For breaking news, special promotions, insider info, and more, visit http://www.atlus.com/faithful to join the ranks of the Atlus Faithful!

©2009 SPIKE CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Licensed to and published by Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

I have to admit that this game was nowhere on my radar, as I just never really watch many Wii releases, but after I got a chance to try the game out, I was hooked.  I am going to get this game as soon as I have extra cash, because it looks like it will be a ton of fun.  It may also be the game that drives me to get two more Wiimotes.  CURSE YOU NINTENDO!

Nintendo Brings Multiplayer Excitement to the Mushroom Kingdom with New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Mario’s Newest Adventure Offers Simultaneous Four-Player Mode, In-Game Guides

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– From fans who grew up playing the NES™ console to gamers with a passion for the Wii™ console, generations of Americans have enjoyed the imaginative fun of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros.™ video game series. Now the launch of New Super Mario Bros. Wii heralds the first time in the history of the series that up to four players can compete at the same time, either cooperatively or competitively.

Packed with beloved characters and remarkable new features, New Super Mario Bros. Wii takes the classic side-scrolling adventure of the Super Mario Bros. series and gives it a manic multiplayer boost. Featuring free-form multiplayer action, players can save their companions from danger or literally toss them right into it. While controlling Mario™, Luigi™ or one of two playable Toad™ characters, players can jump in and join a friend’s Story Mode game at the start of any level. The game also features two dedicated multiplayer modes, Coin Battle mode and Free For All mode, that let players easily select their favorite stages and compete across a variety of objectives. Each copy of New Super Mario Bros. Wii comes in a red case with a foil-stamped cover.

Among the new features in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is Mario’s ability to transform into Penguin Mario, which allows him to toss snowballs and slide on his belly at breakneck speed. Players also can hop onto a Yoshi™ character and use his tongue to eat enemies, items and fireballs. The game also makes use of the Wii console’s unique motion controls, allowing players to tilt the Wii Remote™ controller to control seesaw platforms or shake it to send Mario skyward in his new Propeller Suit.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii introduces a new feature called Super Guide that offers players optional game-play tips if they are having trouble getting past particular parts of the game. Super Guide lets players watch as a computer-controlled Luigi character makes his way through any stage that the player finds difficult. At any time in the video, the player can take control of Luigi and complete the stage at his or her own pace.

“As the holiday season draws near, it feels especially appropriate to offer consumers a new Mario adventure that they can enjoy together with family and friends, for the first time in the series’ illustrious history,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “New Super Mario Bros. Wii has something special for everyone, and lets players of all abilities explore the imaginative world of the Mushroom Kingdom like never before.”

Since the series’ debut in North America on the NES in 1986, more than 222 million Super Mario Bros. games have been sold worldwide. Mario remains one of the most recognizable characters in the entertainment world, and stands as a symbol of fun worldwide.

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.

For more information about New Super Mario Bros. Wii, visit www.mariobroswii.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.2 billion video games and more than 535 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.Nintendo.com.

For those of you are looking for more titles to fill up your memory cards on their DSi, there are a handful of titles for you to enjoy, including a new bowling title.

Check out the jump for the full release schedule, and pricing.

Nintendo Download – Try Before You Buy: Nintendo Offers 5 Game Demos to Guide Holiday Shoppers

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– There’s never been a better time to check out the extraordinary lineup of downloadable games from Nintendo. This week, Wii™ owners who connect their Wii consoles to the Internet can enjoy demos of five exceptional games for the WiiWare™ downloadable game service for zero Wii Points™: BIT.TRIP BEAT, FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a Darklord™, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits, World of Goo™ and a brand new entry in the Pokémon™ game series, Pokémon™ Rumble. To get a taste of any or all of these tremendous titles before downloading the full versions, go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel and search for “Demo.” For more information, please visit www.nintendo.com/wii/wiiware/demo.

This week’s launch of Pokémon Rumble for WiiWare delivers more than just a fun-packed new addition to the beloved Pokémon universe. Anyone who joins Club Nintendo™ – or is already a member – will have the opportunity to unlock an exclusive Toy Pokémon character that can be used in the game. Simply connect your Wii Shop Channel account to your new or existing Club Nintendo account, use Wii Points to download Pokémon Rumble and watch for an e-mail containing a special password that lets you access the character in the game. More information about this offer can be found at us.wii.com/wiiware/pokemonrumble/register. The offer is available only through April 30, 2010.

In addition to the WiiWare demos and a new Pokémon adventure, visitors to the Wii Shop Channel this week will also find a pair of classic Virtual Console™ games – one offering irresistible action with the iconic Indiana Jones® series, the other featuring the timeless thrills of Capcom’s Street Fighter™ series. Meanwhile, Nintendo DSiWare™ users can visit the Nintendo DSi™ Shop to discover an eye-popping new Art Style™ game, a fun, arcade-style bowling title and a robot-themed logic game, all available for easy download and playable anytime, anywhere on the hand-held Nintendo DSi system.

WiiWare

Pokémon Rumble

Publisher: Nintendo

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence

Price: 1,500 Wii Points

Description: Available exclusively for the WiiWare service, Pokémon Rumble is an action game in which you control Toy Pokémon (referred to as “Pokémon”) and take on wave after wave of other Pokémon in a variety of stages. You can befriend some of the defeated Pokémon along the way, which lets you add them to your collection and grants you the ability to use them in battle. Switch between collected Pokémon at any time, taking advantage of the fact that the amount of damage you deal depends on the type of move used and the type of Pokémon hit. Be the last one standing to gain the right to compete in the Battle Royale and test your skills against many Pokémon at once. You can also team up with three people for some multiplayer action (additional Wii Remote controllers required), working together to take down tough Bosses and earning points that can be used toward recruiting or training Pokémon. You can even save your favorite Pokémon to your Wii Remote™ controller for exchanges with friends. Combining beautiful cel-shaded graphics and exciting game-play features, this is one rumble you won’t want to miss. Note that a demo version of Pokémon Rumble is also available for zero Wii Points.

BIT.TRIP BEAT Demo

Publisher: Aksys Games

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: BIT.TRIP BEAT brings retro action back as you use the Wii Remote controller’s motion sensor to bounce beats in this rhythm game. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. Pay attention, though: As with most classic games, the challenges are mighty. If you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you’ll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord Demo

Publisher: SQUARE ENIX

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord’s daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest role-playing game. Filling your demonic tower with monsters and traps called Artifacts is your only hope to keep the adventurers from destroying the Dark Crystal on the top floor. Fly your tower across the land and conquer every stage on your way to dominating the entire world.

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits Demo

Publisher: Over The Top Games

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits is the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You’ll need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds at will. Fly, aim and shoot using the Wii Remote controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one player controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods.

World of Goo Demo

Publisher: 2D BOY

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game made entirely by two guys. Use living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore, but they don’t know that they are in a game, nor that they are extremely delicious.

Virtual Console

Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures™

Original platform: Super NES™

Publisher: LucasArts

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence

Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: Grab your trusty whip and slash your way through all three Indy classics in this no-thrills-barred adventure. If it happened in the movies, it happens here: the giant boulder from Raiders of the Lost Ark, the mine-cart chase from Temple of Doom, the three trials from Last Crusade, Rene Belloq and Colonel Vogel – it’s three times the action, all in one fully loaded game.

STREET FIGHTER II’: CHAMPION EDITION

Original platform: TurboGrafx16

Publisher: Capcom

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Blood, Violence

Price: 700 Wii Points

Description: This is the classic PCEngine (TurboGrafx16) version of the two-player fighting game that started it all. At the time, a large capacity HuCARD was used to allow faithful recreation of the dynamic arcade game and its features, including bonus stages and sound effects. In the game, players select one of 12 characters and face opponents in a no-holds-barred battle to decide the top fighter. Master a character’s special moves and combos to defeat your rivals around the world. In “V.S. BATTLE” mode, there’s a convenient handicap feature. Using this feature to adjust a character’s performance, a novice player can be evenly matched against a seasoned player to enjoy an intense, head-to-head combat experience.

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style™: DIGIDRIVE™

Publisher: Nintendo

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: It’s traffic control with a twist as you try to direct identical cars down the same road in Art Style: DIGIDRIVE. This constantly moving puzzle game combines an easily understood playing field (an intersection) and a simple goal (create fuel), challenging you to properly guide a never-ending stream of cars. Stack similar cars five deep to create some fuel, then use that fuel to continue your progress in the game. Play in ENDLESS mode to see how long you can last, or compete against the computer or a human opponent in VS mode. Use combos to your advantage and see if your reflexes can handle the intensity of Overdrive mode. When all is said and done, you may never look at gridlock quite the same way again.

Arcade Bowling

Publisher: Skyworks Interactive

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: From Skyworks comes another addictively classic game, Arcade Bowling. It was designed by video game legend David Crane, one of the original founders of Activision and one of the most critically acclaimed game designers of all time. In the tradition of everyone’s favorite Boardwalk bowling game, use your stylus and steady aim to flick “laser” balls down the alley and up the ramp into the scoring holes. The farther away the scoring hole is, the more points you’ll get. Arcade Bowling features three futuristic sound tracks, state-of-the-art 3-D graphics and two addictive game modes, Classic and Progressive. In Classic Mode, roll up to nine balls to score as many points as you can. In Progressive Mode, enjoy multiple levels of game play with increasing score plateaus and bonus targets.

Robot Rescue

Publisher: Teyon

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief

Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: Robot Rescue is a fun logic game based on a simple but entertaining concept. Your mission is to free robots trapped in 45 evil computer labyrinths while avoiding deadly traps. Sound easy? Not so fast. Each robot shares linked controls, so when you move one, you move them all. It will take clever planning and nerves of steel to pull off this electronic escape. You’ll need to avoid many traps, such as mines or electrical circuits, and take advantage of special elements like glue stains. Choose one of three difficulty levels and get ready for a challenge.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

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

Also, how does a little title like Halo ODST keep its numbers looking sharp from its stellar debut.  Also, we head off on a few tangents about TV, reviews at work, and of course Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

This week, we have some new music brought to you by the sounds of Alan Paz and his band, Lasyitis.  The title of the track is “Droid Girl”.  Still the same, and mashing it all together as he does each week is our mixologist, Stephen “Han Solo shoots first” Munn.

Download the podcast from here or subscribe to the podcast using one of the services below.   Also make sure to review us on iTunes.