Wii Sports Resort Gets A Release Date!

Wii Sports Resort and the Wii MotionPlus were announced during E3 2008, and according to Reuters they will finally release in June in Japan and later in July overseas. Wii Sports Resort is sure to be the biggest hit of the Summer (and probably the entire year) and Wii MotionPlus will put a new spin on how game developers incorporate Wii motion controls to new games to make Wii games more accurate, and a new take on how we ourselves play Wii games.

Source: Reuters

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Video Walkthrough of Batman Arkham Asylum

There's really not much to report about Rocksteady's upcoming title Batman: Arkham Asylum. So its a good thing that Joystiq has gotten their hands on a very nice video walkthrough of a level in the upcoming Eidos action game. The video is footage of the "Silent Knight" challenge stage, and in it Batman blows up walls, glide kicks and sneaks around all Sam Fisher-like.

There's only so much screenshots can convey. So it's pretty nice to finally be able to show you what people have been hyping on about via the magic of video -- and not just any kind, this is (at last) actual gameplay.

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Rumor Addiction: PSP2 Brings Dual Analog Nubs and Touch Screen This Christmas

Rumors about the PSP2 (sometimes called PSP-4000) seem to be getting more and more exciting as the days go by.

Speaking to an anonymous hardware developer, Pocket Gamer is reporting that a PSP 2 is indeed in development. This device will feature a touch screen and be generally more compact, similar to the iPhone. The PSP 2, however, will apparently feature the ability to slide open to reveal buttons, a D-pad and two analog nubs. This portable console will not have a UMD drive, instead making games available for digital download via the PlayStation Store.

If we're following Sony's usual timeline of events, we'll see the new hardware unveiled at E3 -- just like the PSP-2000 and PSP-3000 in the previous years.

A successor to the PSP has been rumored since late 2008 which at the time was denied as a misinterpretation of a hardware revision, while others claimed them to be mere fabrication. Not soon after, however, David Perry claimed certainty in a UMD-less PSP 2 coming, backed up by an anonymous development source, though Sony publicly reaffirmed its UMD business. Some argue that the success of the iPhone/iPod Touch has pushed Sony to make this move, though SCEA's Peter Dille claims they are not competing with Apple.

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Wiispray Makes Virtual Graffiti

Have you ever thought, "Man, I wish I could be hip and graffiti walls, but not have to deal with cops chasing me after I do it?" Well Martin Lihs, a student at Bauhaus University in Germany, has come up with the perfect solution for you. I present to you: Wiispray.

Martin has modded a Wiimote to look just like a spray can, and surprisingly made it work like one, too. Created for his thesis project, Wiispray allows users to paint digitally.

The custom Wiimote enclosure is the first tagging simulator from Interactive Art and many are hoping that the next step is something that will go into production.

After plugging the Wiimote into the virtual spray can, users can "spray" onto a projected surface, change colors, choose and manipulate stencils, and even save their work to a server for further editing at the time and place of the user's choice. Let's see you try that with a wall. Check out the video below for a demonstration!

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Assassin's Creed 2 Drops A Few Details

HipHopGamerShow has learned some surprising information about Ubisoft's upcoming title, Assassin’s Creed 2. The game hopes to improve on the success of the first one but this time around has included some very important new gameplay features as well a mixure of new gameplay.

For starters, the game will take place during the Italian Renaissance and will feature a new character named Ezio. Ubisoft has also hinted that you will get to control three other characters but it is not confirmed if you will control these characters through the Animus or through the real world. Some of the new gameplay features are the highly demanded ability to swim, disguises, and quick time events. The first Assassin Creed was a lot of fun, but its missions got repetitive after a while. With all these improvements and changes coming to Assassin's Creed 2, it seems Ubisoft has listened to fans and will no doubt make this another must have game of 2009.

Head over to HipHopGamerShow for more details on Assassin's Creed 2 and check out the teaser trailer below.

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Transformers 2 Robots Announced

Slash Film has posted an article on full listing of Autobots and Decepticons in the upcoming Transformers sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. A few highlights from the list:

Arcee: A female Autobot that Megan Fox uses as her hot-pink motorcycle.
The Doctor: A spider-like droid that transforms into various implements of torture.
Megatron (Still unannounced, but sources say that he is in the movie)

The only thing that has me sad is that Soundwave won't be transforming into his iconic Cassette deck mode. Click the link below for a full list of the Autobots and Decepticons in the upcoming movie: Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.

Transformers 2 Robots Listings

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Things Go Boom In New G.I. Joe and Terminator: Salvation Trailers

Usually video games based on movies end up in the bargain bin faster the latest copy of the new Hanna Montana DVD. But these game trailers actually don't look half bad. I'm usually not a big fan of movie video games because the development team is often so rushed to get the game out in time with the film, that gamers suffer with a poorly unpolished product. So we'll have to wait and see if these games are going to be any good, I just hope G.I. Joe has at least one PSA included in it.


Check out the trailers for G.I. Joe and Terminator: Salvation below.

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Ken Block Signs On for Dirt 2

Ken Block, rally car driver extraordinaire, is the new face of the DiRT franchise. He explains why he decided to get involved in Codemasters' racer in the video below. Using inspiration from the late (and sorely missed) Colin McRae, the new kid on the block regales his story of getting involved in the sport of rally racing and how he hopes to fill the enormous shoes left behind by Colin. The video shows Ken's influence on the sport and even a few glimpses of the gameplay. Expect lots of big air opportunities in DiRT 2, as is Ken's trademark style.

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Battlefield Bad Company 2 Trailer

The latest trailer for Battlefield Bad Company 2 has been released. The trailer doesn't show any gameplay, but does picture enough explosion to make Michael Bay happy. I'm guessing EA will drop more details about the game at upcoming E3 this June.

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Dead Rising 2 will render 6,000 zombies on screen at once

In a recent GDC presentation about the over powered graphics engine behind Dead Rising 2, Izmeth Siddeek, the game's character art lead, made a rather shocking announcement: "Dead Rising 2 deals with the rendering of the greatest number of characters ever seen in a video game," he said. In laymen terms words, the insanely massive amounts of on-screen zombies featured in the original Dead Rising will apparently increase by a huge margin in the upcoming sequel.

The bloated zombie processing power can be accredited to developer Blue Castle's implementation of new visual technology called Mental Mill, which is capable of rendering large groups of characters without sacrificing graphical quality. Mental Mill product manager Laura Scholl claimed the new software will allow over 6,000 zombies to appear on-screen at once! This will provide multitudes of the undead that will surely be easy on the eyes.

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Pixel Addictions: Flash Game of the Week

Another Friday, another flash game of week. This week, Kongregate offers us up another free game to waste time with. Don't Shi* Your Pants is fun and easy to play. The concept is simple, don't shi* your pants. It's a text adventure game so don't expect to find any hard controls or mouse movements here. One unique feature the game does offer up though is the inclusion of "achievements". You achievement addicts will find yourself playing over and over again to get everyone. I just hope you don't shi* your pants in the process.

Play Don't Shi* Your Pants

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Rides the Rails in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Nintendo has just dropped word of their latest upcoming title: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. It will feature everyone's favorite wide-eyed hero of time exclusively for the Nintendo DS. Showcased in some very brief footage shown at the Nintendo GDC 2009 keynote, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks has cel-shaded Link abandoning talking boats and the beloveded Epona for a train, that's right a train. However, this train comes equipped with a huge cannon, making this the franchise's first on-rails shooter.

It's set to be released later this year, but I wouldn't be surprised if this got delayed for a while.

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Modern Warfare 2 Coming Nov. 10

First person shooter fan’s everywhere have been anxiously waiting for a first look at what Infinity Ward has been working on these past months. Well, GDC has provided IW with the first opportunity to let the cat out of the bag. The teaser trailer provides us with a first look at how epic Modern Warfare 2 will be.

The last Modern Warfare was one of my favorite games ever, so I'm pretty much ready to throw my arms open and hold it forever and ever. Am I alone on this one? You'll have to check the video to judge for yourself. Look out for Modern Warfare on the Xbox 360 and PS3 this November.

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Hide Your Sheep, Flock Arrives on April 9

Flock's release dates have finally been confirmed. The game will be out the same week as its PC and Xbox 360 counterparts. I've been looking forward to this game ever since I first saw footage of it at E3 last year, so I'm very glad to get my hands on it soon.

Look out for Flock on the PC on April 7, then rolling out to XBLA on April 8, and finally landing on PSN on April 9.

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Punch-Out Hits Hard In New Trailer

Nintendo has released a new Punch Out!! Trailer, and in it you can see Little Mac training with some familiar faces (and scenarios).

One of 2009's most-anticipated titles for the Nintendo Wii has finally got a new trailer, showcasing some of iconic character Little Mac's training methods (even Rocky had a montage!), as well as some familiar faces and classic scenes. Will the game live up to the prestigious lineage of past titles, or go down in the first round?

Punch-Out is scheduled for release on May 18th. Check out the latest trailer to see how the upcoming game looks so far!

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Need For Speed: 'SHIFT' Trailer

Earlier today, Major Nelson released news a new trailer from the upcoming racing sim Need For Speed: SHIFT. The teaser trailer manages to give us a glimpse of the high speed racing action we've come to expect from the series. Personally, I think the NFS franchise should return to its roots and make a sequel to Most Wanted. Something about out running police in epic 20 minute car chases across a city never gets old. Lookout for Need For Speed: Shift releasing on the xbox 360 and ps3 on September 17.

Add to your Xbox 360 download que

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Fight For Every Yard In Madden NFL 10

Fresh from EA Sports Peter Moore's blog, the very first screenshot of Madden NFL 10 has been released. Pete mentions in his blog that, "From everything I have seen in Madden NFL 10 so far this year, the authenticity of gameplay is showing striking improvement in physics, realism and responsiveness. Having recently sat through a full product review from our team in Orlando, it's abundantly clear that this could be the deepest, most graphically-rich Madden ever, and a stunning testament to the talented development team who have had a maniacal focus delivering a landmark title to Madden Nation in 2009." That's a mighty big compliment coming from Peter Moore. He hasn't been the easiest guy to please in the past. However, judging from the screenshot, Madden NFL 10 is shaping up to be a beautiful looking game.

Source: Peter Moore's Bolg

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Max Payne 3 coming to Xbox 360, PS3, PC this winter

Rockstar Games announced today that Max Payne 3 is currently in development and scheduled for a winter 2009 release on the Xbox 360. Developed by Rockstar Vancouver, Max Payne 3 will tell the story of a retired police detective caught up in a world of corruption, backstabbing, and intense violence.

The award-winning franchise is known for putting players in the role of Max Payne, a hard-boiled New York City detective with a thirst for violence, out to avenge the death of his family. The latest installment delivers more of the classic elements and hyper-intense action that fans have come to love, while moving the story of Max in a new direction.

Here's what Rockstar head honcho Sam Houser had to say about the upcoming sequel: "We're starting a new chapter of Max's life with this game. This is Max as we've never seen him before, a few years older, more world-weary and cynical than ever. We experience the downward spiral of his life after the events of Max Payne 2 and witness his last chance for salvation."

I think I speak for everyone when I ask this but. ... More cynical? Really? Like, is he just stealing candy from babies and choking them to death with the wrappers?

Source: TakeTwo Interactive

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'Scratch: The Ultimate DJ' Trailer

MTV Multiplayer posted the first-ever trailer for the upcoming 7 Studios/Mix Master Mike project, Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. The trailer gives us a glimpse of what to expect in the game. Everything from gameplay footage (multicolored buttons on a track), a few of the featured contributing musicians (Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys and Kanye West) and a some of the characters with which you'll be spinning vinyl with (albeit horrendously grotesque urban stereotypes). Check out the video below and see for yourself.

MTV Shows

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What's in the Box Blows Up Internet

A small group of Dutch filmmakers is setting the interwebs on fire with their nine-minute video titled What's In the Box? When it first made rounds online, many believed it was some part of a viral marketing ad for Half-Life 2: Episode 3 because of the use of Half-Life 2 sound clips and imagery -- Combine soldier chatter, the large Citadel looking structure, and even those weird airplane things. However, the video also includes other popular culture references, such as the music from Lost and the initial isolation scene in 28 Days Later.

The official site for the short film indicates that the story isn't finished yet, and honestly I can't wait to see what happens next in the story. Check out the incredible video below.

Source - Joystiq

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Guitar Hero Metallica, Hero of the Day

Just when you thought that the rhythm action genre wasn’t punishing enough, a demo for Guitar Hero: Metallica has been released. Anyone with any bit of knowledge of who Metallica is, can only dream of the pain and agony that awaits them once they get an over dose of metal action from the legendary rock band. All that’s stands between you and utter enjoyment, or in most cases, utter defeat, is a 1.02 GB download to your Xbox 360. Either way, utter defeat is free, for now. We should mention that there are a few other bands on the demo, but we all know why you're gonna pick this one up. The question is, are you willing to show up and face the pain or are you going to be one of the those who fades to black?


Click here to add the Guitar Hero: Metallica demo to your Xbox 360 que

Source

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South Park Does Watchmen and The Dark Knight

The latest episode of South Park, called Dark Times, takes aim at Watchmen, The Dark Knight, and The Spirit. It also hints at the new trend in Hollywood to make dark superhero movies. Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns even makes an appearance in this week's episode. Watch the clip above or the full episode over at South Park Studios.

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Pixel Addictions: Flash Game of the Week

It's Friday! So you know what that means, another addition of Flash Game of the Week. This one comes to us by way of Kongregate, and its a classic beat em up from the guys who brought us Castle Crashers. Portal Defenders as its so aptly named plays exactly like Castle Crashers and even features some of the same art styles and weapons. Expect lots of power ups, blood, and cheap moves in this one. Take a break from work (we know you're not doing work anyway) and check it out.

Portal Defenders

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Pixel Addictions: Best Thing You've Heard All Week

Okay, so we all know that Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time is one of the best games ever made. Doubt as may, Hip Hop is also one of the most popular forms of music today. So in the rare instances when these two worlds collide, its pretty much gives us a visual and audio orgy blowing the mind. Okay, so that was an exaggeration. But, in quite possibly the best thing heard all week, Team Teamwork has created a mash up of tracks from the Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time and blended them with lyrics from hip hop giants such as Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Common, Mike Jones, and Snoop, to name a few, and the end result is exactly what you think. AMAZING!

I wish more people would offer fans media like this. Listening to these tracks brings back so many memories of playing Ocarina of Time and bouncing along to these songs on the radio. Download the full album below and enjoy the audio bliss.

Download the full mix tape: Team Teamwork

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The Behemoth Reveals New Trailer

Game developer, The Behemoth has released the trailer for their third game. Details about the new game are scarce, with The Behemoth continuing to say that the game is in very very very very early stages. No price, console, release date, or game details have been announced yet, but from the looks of the trailer, the game looks to include a level of multiplayer, that The Behemoth is known for.

The trailer does say that we should expect a release in the 2010 time frame, but considering the delays with Castle Crashers, I'm putting 2010 in the section of wishful dreaming for now. I just hope that any online play actually works this time around. Check the video for an idea of what to expect from The Crying Block Head Diamond Trading Ga....okay I'll stop. That's how rumors get spread.

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Pixel Addictions Review: Peggle XBLA

Peggle finds a home on the Xbox Live Arcade bringing with it the super powered pachinko-esque, point and shoot gameplay to Xbox 360s. It's insanely addictive, just like the majority of PopCap's lineup of games.

The concept of Peggle is a simple one: shoot balls from a cannon to destroy colored pegs all the while being guided by talking unicorns and skateboarding beavers, ultimately resulting in a screen clearing orgy of points, rainbows, and a feel-good blast of Beethoven. It's all very rewarding work, and the end result never gets old. Peggle features what you'd expect from the an XBLA game, including online multiplayer, voice chat and Achievements, all while retaining its original core gameplay.

I should note that Peggle was originally a cell phone game that was later ported over to the PC. So the question now is, should you catch the extreme fever of Peggle addiction, or should you skip class at the Peggle Institute?

Everything that made the original Peggle so fun and addictive is here in the XBLA release: the peg hitting fun, the crazy Peggle masters, the challenges that test your skills, the over saturated colorful presentation, its all here.

Peggle is fantastic, casual, and relaxing fun. It's also one of the better deals on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The Adventure mode alone can take up to six hours or more to complete. Throw in unlockable challenges, master duels, and a solid multiplayer support, and you'll see why Peggle pushes itself into the ultra extreme value zone. For casual fun on the Xbox 360 it's nigh impossible to overlook Peggle. Needless to say, it is the most addictive substance since crack.

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Ali and Tyson Square Off in Fight Night Round 4 Trailer

IGN has uploaded a shiny new gameplay trailer for the recently announced Fight Night Round 4 and it's pretty much full of what anyone would expect, overgrown men beating each other senseless. This time around the cover's boxers showcase the legendary Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, both of whom are featured in the video below, Fight Night Round 4 claims to be even more realistic than any previous fight nights. I just hope they make it super realistic and give players the option to bite opponents ears off.

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Thor and Avengers Movies Get Delayed

Bad news everybody. Latino Review is reporting that the release dates for the highly anticipated 'Thor' and 'The Avengers' movies have been extended by almost a year. Marvel is reporting that the new release date of the multi-character superhero film 'The Avengers' has been pushed back to May 4, 2012 instead of the original July 15, 2011.

'Thor', is also being extended to June 17, 2011, up from July 16, 2010.

"This new schedule strongly sequences Marvel's movie debut dates, big screen character introductions and momentum. It maximizes the visibility of our single character-focused films, leading to the highly anticipated release of the multi-character 'The Avengers' film in 2012," said David Maisel, Chairman, Marvel Studios.

I'm willing to wait as long as it takes for Marvel to film these movies, just so long as they get it right. With the recent release of Watchmen and the upcoming releases of Transformers 2 and X-Men Origins, studios have finally begun to get comic book movies right. It seems that every year these movies get better and better. This is something I'm sure fans won't mind waiting for. After all, we wouldn't want these movies turning out like Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li.

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Pixel Addictions: Flash Game of the Week

What I hope can be a main stay here at Pixel Addictions is Flash Game of the Week. Every week I will feature a new flash game that is sure to keep you addicted for weeks on end. First up is Music Catch 2. It's a beautiful masterpiece with moving music and super addictive game play. Just don't let your boss catch you playing games at work.

Music Catch 2

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New Batman Arkham Asylum Trailer

Remain calm folks! MTV Multiplayer just debuted a brand spanking new trailer for Batman Arkham Asylum. This is definitely a game that's shaping up to be one of this summer's biggest hits. The trailer focuses on Batman’s Invisible Predator stealth combat techniques. I can't wait to drag some poor unsuspecting henchman into oblivion.

MTV Shows

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Is Resident Evil 5 Racist?

In a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, Jamin Brophy-Warren tackles the racial implications that many are claiming to see in Capcom's upcoming shooter, Resident Evil 5. The game's producer Jun Takeuchi recently said, "There is no racial element to it all," and Capcom's Chris Kramer expands on that point, stating to the WSJ that the game adopts an "anti-colonialist" stance. Mr. Kramer is referring to white protagonist Chris Redfield, shooting his way through RE5's African non-zombies, and the imagery it represents with regards to traditional Western colonialism on the continent.

The theme of the article is one of finding out if whether or not the game is racist, rather than starting with a condemnation and then going forward like we've seen so many times in mainstream video game coverage. Jamin speaks to an array of major game developers (including Fallout 3's Todd Howard) and even broaches the topic of racism in American society being perpetuated by a largely Caucasian game industry.

RE5 begins with Chris Redfield walking through an African village that appears uninfected. He sees some men kicking something in a sack. The implication here is that even before the infection, these people are portrayed as bad people. If RE5 were set on another continent and these characters had white skin, no one would give it a second thought. Typical “village full of bad guys” gaming cliché? Possibly, but these characters are black and such an imagery can be perceived to have racist undertones.

Does this image and the fact that the core gameplay has you shooting black men and women make RE5 racist? The answer is going to vary greatly from one person to the next and, perhaps more significantly, from one region to the next.

In Japan, for example, it’s unlikely that the events depicted in Resident Evil 5 will be viewed as racist in any way. Japan and other Asian nations never experienced centuries of racist oppression against blacks.

In Europe and America, where racism continues to be an issue to this day, and where, less than two centuries ago, slavery was legal, the imagery will likely resonate more substantially.

I’ve played the first half of RE5 and through those three chapters gamers spend a good majority of time shooting people with dark skin. There are moments that some will never connect with racism, but some others will definitely see a clear use of racist iconography.

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