Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children to release today
Well, this is one of the initial tests of the comment system for the site, so feel free to register and discuss Advent Children here. A few words before we start...

1.) Be respectful to your fellow posters - I have no problem beating the ban button like a bongo drum.
2.) If you're going to post a major spoiler, please indicate so. Don't make me come find you.
3.) If you've got something to say, say it - and back it up with well thought comments. Posts like "FF7 roxxors cuz square is the best and xbox sux - lol Advent Children FTW" doesn't tell us much except that you're stupid. Don't be that kid.
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Anyway, I'll be honest and say that I've managed to keep most of Advent Children off of my radar, so beyond knowing that somehow Sephiroth is back and that most of the characters from FF7 are involved, I don't know all that much about the story of AC.

Xbox Diamond Cards definitely shipping
I just received an e-mail from Microsoft letting me know my Xbox Diamond Card is being printed and should be arriving in 2-3 weeks. I'm not sure if the sudden printing of said card is due to an e-mail I sent to Microsoft Support regarding the Diamond Card and facets of the upcoming E3 free weekend, but it's nice to know my bling is in the mail.

If you've gotten your Diamond Card already, have you been able to use it anywhere? SIs it indeed make you the coolest guy at the party? Let us know!

New Super Mario Bros DS Site & Video
Nintendo sent word that their site for the upcoming DS title New Super Mario Bros. is now up and running. Better yet, the site also includes in game video footage of NSMB. You know, the desire to run out and buy a DS just keeps getting stronger and stronger. Must... hold... off... until... DS Lite...

As the news bit hints at, I still don't own a Nintendo DS. I was highly skeptical of the system when it first came out, but Nintendo has really put some effort into the DS in the last year or so, and there's a veritable pile of games I want to play on the thing. The problem is, with the DS-Lite coming sometime in the near future, I'd rather hold off and pick up the shiny when it hits stores. While thats normally not a problem, games like Resident Evil, Brain Age, Advance Wars, Castlevania, Mario & Luigi and now NSMB make that a very rough thing indeed.

So, how excited about the New Super Mario Bros are you, and more importantly, what are some of your favorite memories from the SMB series. Share with the class!

How to make your own Xbox 360 Arcade Controller
I've been looking for wiring diagrams for the Xbox 360 controller for awhile now as I'm intrigued with the idea of building a full sized Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved arcade cabinet. Anyway, while searching for said information, I came across this tutorial on how to build a working arcade controller out of a 360 wired pad over at GamersReports. While the example uses a Street Fighter II Anniversary Edition Arcade Stick for the controls, it shouldn't be too hard to just apply the same idea to regular arcade parts and make a custom one. Too bad, there wasn't a tutorial for the analog sticks, or I could have started planning to play Geometry Wars: RE in style someday! Click here for the tutorial.

If you've played Project Gotham Racing 3, you've probably noticed the Geometry Wars & Geometry Wars: RE arcade machines in the back of your garage. Well, everytime I look at them, I can't help but think how cool it would be to build a full sized machine using that design. It probably helps that I'm a Geometry Wars: RE addict.

Anyway, like the news bit says, I came across this tutorial for building an arcade controller for the Xbox and think it may be time to use a lot of those arcade parts lying around here that are earmarked for stalled projects.

So anyway, let's discuss both the tutorial article as well as building custom controllers here for a bit. Post some pics of your creations if you have them, and if you happen to know of a site that explains just how the analog sticks on the 360 controller work, please, please, please let me know. That GW:RE cabinet really would be nice.

INFINIUM LABS DELAYS PHANTOM LAPBOARD

As some may know, Infinium Labs is the company behind the now defunct and ever so aptly named Phantom game console. Back in February, Infinium finally stated what everyone knew - namely that after all the smoke and mirrors, the Phantom console was not going to be coming out - at least not anytime soon. Instead, Infinium stated that they were going to focus on their other product, the Phantom Lapboard - a custom made wireless keyboard/mouse combo that is designed to be sit in ones lap and be configurable for right or left handed use. Well, today Gamespot reports that Infinium has announced that the Lapboard will miss it's announced summer release window and instead slip to a "No later than October" release. Sound familiar? I thought it might. How these guys keep finding suckers to invest in their scam is beyond me. Does anyone really buy that they can't meet the deadline for releasing a keyboard? I wonder what they really spent the 5 million dollars in additional funding they got back in February on.

Check out the note about the Lapboard delay at Gamespot here and for further information, check out this news item from Gamespot back on February 21st when they opened the books and cancelled the Phantom.