If you take a look at this week's release list, the first thing you'll notice is that it's very short. Hopefully, the second thing you'll notice is that there are quite a few gems hidden in that small space. While the Wii gets the bulk of this week's goodies with Elebits, FarCry: Vengeance and Metal Slug Anthology and the PC gets Rainbow Six: Vegas, by far the happiest people out there have got to be the Gamecube owners who haven't upgraded to a Wii yet as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess finally makes it's debut on the system.

As one of those people, let me tell you I can't wait to get my hands on Twilight Princess on the 'Cube, especially since many of the comments I've heard regarding the Wii version stated that by design the game may actually play better on the Gamecube than it did on the Wii. It may be that Twilight Princess is going to be the last major release on the Gamecube, so enjoy it while you still can.

Here's what should be hitting store shelves this week;

• Chicken Little: Ace In Action - WII - 12/12/2006
  
• College Hoops 2K7 - PS2 - 12/12/2006
  
• Elebits - WII - 12/12/2006
  
• Far Cry: Vengance - WII - 12/12/2006
  
• Lionel Trains: On Track - DS - 12/12/2006
  
• Rayman: Raving Rabbids - PC - 12/12/2006
  
• Super Swing Golf - WII - 12/12/2006
  
• World Series of Poker: Tournament of Champs - WII - 12/12/2006
  
• Air Cargo Pilot - PC - 12/13/2006
  
• Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII - PS3 - 12/13/2006
  
• Blitz: Overtime - PSP - 12/13/2006
  
• Fly the Airbus A380 V2 - PC - 12/13/2006
  
• FullMetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy - DS - 12/13/2006
  
• Model Train 3D - PC - 12/13/2006
  
• Rainbow Six: Vegas - PC - 12/13/2006
  
• Rapala Trophies - 360 - 12/13/2006
  
• Shrek Smash and Crash - PSP - 12/13/2006
  
• Star Trek: Legacy - 360 - 12/13/2006
  
• Star Wars: Lethal Alliance - DS - 12/13/2006
  
• Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - PSP - 12/13/2006
  
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - GC - 12/13/2006
  
• World War II Online: Battleground Europe - PC - 12/13/2006
  
• Zatchbell: Mamodo Fury - GC - 12/13/2006
  
• Metal Slug Anthology - WII - 12/15/2006
  
• Alexey's Dwice - PC - 12/16/2006
  
• Football Mogul 2007 - PC - 12/16/2006
  
• Wizard's War Chest - PC - 12/16/2006
  

Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.

Posted by nylatenite at 12:36 AM EST

Updated: Monday, 11 December 2006 12:42 AM EST

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Well gang, the launch of Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is now right around the corner and Capcom has released a great cinematic trailer via the Xbox Live Marketplace. While the trailer doesn't strike me as in-game footage, if Capcom can deliver the same type of huge battleground experience the trailer shows, I think they'll have a sure-fire smash hit on their hands. Since I know many of you either don't have Live or don't use it to download videos, I've attached a YouTubed version of the trailer. Check it out below or via this link;

Those of you looking for more information on Lost Planet should head over to the game's official site and check out the background information and webisodes of the games storyline. After hearing the soundtrack on the site, you too may decide that you really need to get the collector's edition of the game. Lost Planet: Extreme Condition is scheduled for release exclusively for the Xbox 360 on January 13th, 2007.

Still no fixes for video in the archives, so use this link to check out the video. 

Posted by nylatenite at 2:51 PM EST

Updated: Sunday, 10 December 2006 2:55 PM EST

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ArsTechnica is reporting that Interlink Electronics has filed a patent infringement suit against Nintendo in regards to certain aspects of the Wii control scheme. According to Ars, the dispute arises from U.S. patent #6,850,221 which was granted to Interlink in 1997 covering the following;

"A device particularly for use with a computer comprises a housing for location at least partly between two fingers of a user's hand and an electronic circuit mounted on a board within the housing. The circuit includes a switch responsive to pressure selectively to open and close an electronic circuit, and conductive elements arranged on the board mounting the electronic circuit. A first control element is mounted with the housing and responsive to finger pressure such that pressure applied to the first control element causes the element to operate the switch. The first control element is movable with respect to a hinge such that finger action acts to cause the control element to swivel as a trigger about the hinge and thereby interact with the switch. The second control element includes a flexible material mounted such that pressure applied to the flexible material in different directions and positions acts to change the electrical relationship between the conductive elements on the board and thereby vary an output signal from the electronic circuit. The rear portion of the housing includes a receptacle for receiving removable battery means for powering the electronic circuit. There is an infra-red output signal transmitted to a receiver for operating the computer. The first control element is located substantially below the second control element, and the first control element being in a bottom face of the housing." - U.S. Patent & trademark office

I may be no expert on patent law, but while the ArsTechinca article points out that the Wiimote uses motion sensing and not finger pressure to move objects around the screen, they seem to forget that the Nunchuck is part of the Wii's control scheme and, unlike the Wiimote, would seem to fit that description quite well.

Perhaps the part that leads me to believe that Interlink is serious about the patent infringement (and not just looking for an easy payout) is that they've filed suit in their home state rather than seeking out an area known for excessive judgments in favor of plaintiffs. My guess is that if there's any chance of Interlink having a valid claim, expect Nintendo to attempt to settle the matter as soon as possible - the last thing they would need would be a cease and desist order on the sale of Wii consoles.

One last thing to note here in reference to the ArsTechnica article - ArsTechnica makes a point of highlighting Interlink's statement that the infringement has cost them money in "loss of reasonable royalties, reduced sales and/or lost profits as a result of infringing activities." while mocking the fact that no one most likely skipped the purchase of pointers made by Interlink in order to purchase a Wii. What they seem to have forgotten is that statement also mentions "loss of reasonable royalties" which Interlink would make on the sale of Wii consoles were the technology licensed by Nintendo.

So, who's right and who's wrong? I have no idea. Interlink made no specific explanation of just what part of their patent was infringed by Nintendo in their filing, but I can tell you that given what happened with Sony and Microsoft when they were sued by Immersion, I'm sure Nintendo will take this all quite seriously.

Check out the ArsTechinca article at this link for more details.

UPDATE: 12/09/06 4:30pm - I sent this one over to Kotaku as a tip only to find out that they had broken this story a bit earlier than even Ars had - and theirs was even a bit more balanced than ArsTechnica's was. Check out the original Kotaku article at this link for additional information on the story. That's what I get for missing a few pages of Kotaku yesterday due to work concerns - damn you, damn you all to hell you filthy employers!

Posted by nylatenite at 2:27 PM EST

Updated: Saturday, 9 December 2006 4:34 PM EST

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Electronic Arts has announced that they will be releasing one last Burnout title on the PlayStation 2 in the form of Burnout Dominator. As Burnout 5 will be taking the series in a new direction with a more open road, "sandbox" style of Gameplay, the company decided they wanted to close the series out on the PlayStation 2 with one final "closed track" experience that harkens back to the series' roots. As such, Burnout Dominator will also be taking a step back in the direction of Burnout 3 by removing traffic checking from the mix.

"Burnout Dominator is an all-new installment of the legendary and multi-award winning Burnout™ series, loaded with intense racing action and dozens of retina-searing World Tour events. Burnout Dominator challenges gamers to face off against a series of hot-blooded rivals in brutal tests of aggressive driving techniques where performing burnouts gives you the advantage and multiplies your score potential. For the ultimate nerve-wracking experience, Burnout Dominator takes you to the very edge of control, punishing the smallest mistakes and rewarding drivers for taking outrageous risks.

"The series was born on the PlayStation 2, and Burnout Dominator is about celebrating the essence of Burnout," said Nick Channon, senior producer of Burnout Dominator. "Burnout Dominator focuses on the reckless skill-based racing and fear of crashing that fuelled the first games." - Electronic Arts press release

That little bit alone is more than enough to make me burst into a chorus of cheers, as I felt traffic checking really took something away from the series when it was introduced in Burnout Revenge - it just took away some of the insanity generated by weaving frantically in and out of traffic.

While I've only mentioned the PlayStation 2 version so far, EA has confirmed that Burnout Dominator will be coming to both the PlayStation 2 and PSP. Those of you looking for a little more on the game should check out the full EA press release here and this article over at Gamespot, as they've posted some nice screenshots of the game.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:06 AM EST

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MAME32, the Windows GUI version of MAME, has also been updated to incorporate the u5 changes listed below. As with the regular version of MAME, MAME32 110.5 centers around a lot of background updates, so you may want to hold off on upgrading until the next full release - just to be on the safe side.

Check out the official MAME32 page here for more details and the download links.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:05 AM EST

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The fifth interim update for MAME v.110 is now available. MAME v.110u5 centers around some behind the scenes fixes, so unless you've been having problems with the most recent build or are into testing the changes in each update, you may want to consider holding off for the next full release. According to the MAME development team, this will most likely be the last update before MAME v.111.

The updated files can be found at the official MAME page at Mamedev.org. You can Click here to see what's new in this update.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:04 AM EST

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Sony has issued another firmware update for the PlayStation 3 and according to reaction around the 'net, it would seem they've screwed the pooch yet again. Here's the text on what's changed with the v1.3 update;

"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.30 update includes the following:

• Settings
  • You can now register the BD remote control in [Register Bluetooth® Device] under [Accessory Settings].
  • [BD/DVD Video Output Format (HDMI)] has been added as an option under [BD/DVD Settings].
  • [Backup Utility] has been added as a feature under [System Settings].
  • You can now select the hard disk format method in [Format Utility] and [Restore PS3™ System] under [System Settings].
  • The method of selecting output resolution has been changed in [Video Output Settings] under [Display Settings].
    
• Other
  • The compatibility of USB devices with PlayStation®2 format software titles has changed. For details on USB devices that can be used with system software version 1.30, select here"- PlayStation 3 System Update Page

While at first glance, that all seems quite innocuous, it's that "The method of selecting output resolution has been changed" message that has everyone up in arms. If you click the available link what you'll find is that Sony has changed the PlayStation 3's order of preference in regards to available resolutions. Previously, the PS3 would look for 1080p first, and if it were unavailable, check for 720p, then 420p and finally 1080i. Now, 1080i resolution has been moved ahead of 720p in an attempt to fix some of the issues the PS3 has been experiencing. The problem here is that while this may fix the Blu-Ray playback issue for those without 1080p capable televisions, most games run best in 720p.

My guess is I've lost many of you at this point, so I'll try to make this a bit clearer - hell, even I'm not sure if I fully understand what's going on just yet, so cut me some slack if I'm off target on this one...

• The PlayStation 3 has issues playing Blu-Ray movies in 720p (Blu-Ray Discs are produced for 1080p resolutions and scaled down to 720p if needed - which apparently the PS3 has problems doing right now)
• On televisions that only support 1080i or 480p, the PlayStation 3 tends to display games at 480p instead of 1080i. 480p is not a high-definition resolution, but is rather just considered "Enhanced Definition Television" (EDTV)
• In an attempt to fix the problems surrounding 1080i support, Sony made some changes to how things are handled with 1080i and set the default options on the PS3 to look for resolutions in the following order: 1080p - 1080i - 720p - 420p (EDTV) - 420i (standard definition)
• This would fix the issues with Blu-Ray movies on most non-1080p capable HDTV's (they would now show in 1080i not 720p as a default) and would mean that on tv's that only support 1080i or 420p, games would display in 1080i.
• There wouldn't be a problem, except that the PlayStation 3 does not have an option where you can set one maximum resolution for games and another for Blu-Ray Disc playback. As such, if you have a HDTV that doesn't support 1080p, but supports both 1080i and 720p, you'll have to change the options of what resolutions you want the PS3 to support each time you want to switch from playing games to watching movies or vice versa. (Because while the movies may look better in 1080i, the games don't because they're designed to run under 720p or 1080p)
• This is of course, not a user friendly option and strikes me as a bit of a pain in the ass.

So while it certainly is a welcome temporary fix for many, the ideal fix would be to either;

1. Correct the issues regarding 720p Blu-Ray Disc playback, so those who have and/or prefer 720p over 1080i could set their maximum resolution to 720p and still get the best of both worlds.
2. Make some changes to the PS3's system settings so users could choose one maximum resolution for games and one maximum resolution for movies. While not as ideal as actually fixing all the issues with different resolutions, this would at the very least take the pain in the ass factor created by having to flip between resolutions via the menu for the two out of the equation.

Here's to hoping Sony can get this all straightened out before an angry mob complete with torches start showing up outside Sony's headquarters.

Posted by nylatenite at 4:23 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, 7 December 2006 4:38 AM EST

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Just a quick note here - a demo of College Hoops 2K7 is now available in the Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox Live Gold members. The demo weighs in at 961.64mb and should be made available to Silver members within a week or so.

Basketball is not my thing, so I'm really not one to mention else about this one. What are the odds of me posting three stories in a row about titles that really don't suit my tastes? Wow.

Posted by nylatenite at 4:18 AM EST

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A single player demo of Splinter Cell: Double Agent is now available for download to Xbox Live Gold members via the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo weighs in at 505.86mb and would appear to be the same demo as the one I tried back at Digital Life '06. What this means is that the demo itself isn't really representative of the main gameplay elements (at least in the earliest missions, as I'll freely admit that I didn't get all that far into Double Agent) of the single player campaign. The demo focuses heavily on the action elements of the title while really downplaying the stealth aspects - so those of you who aren't really fans of sneaking around may find the demo a load of fun to play, but will ultimately find that the full game itself still requires a lot of stealth. (Mind you, that's not a bad thing if you're into stealth action games. Double Agent is certainly a great game - it's simply a case of it not being something that suits my tastes.)

As mentioned above, the demo is currently only available to Xbox Live Gold members - those of you with Silver accounts will have to wait about a week for the demo to trickle down. Unlike the Eragon demo, this one is good enough that I can't see it being removed before then.

Posted by nylatenite at 4:17 AM EST

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Another original title comes to the Xbox Live Arcade with Naked Sky Entertainment's RoboBlitz. This is another title that hasn't seen much in the way of hype, so I'm really not sure what to expect from the game. Based on it's description and the available screenshots, I'd have to say that the game plays like a cross between an adventure game and a platformer. While the game itself may not be familiar to most, the engine behind it is - RoboBlitz is the first Live Arcade game designed using Unreal Engine 3 - which probably accounts for it's high price.

Is it worth buying? Having tried the demo, I can tell you I'll probably be passing on this one. The controls seemed a little too loose and as I'm already not a fan of platformers, the game just really isn't my thing. I'd strongly advise downloading the trial before you buy it.

Title: RoboBlitz
Developer: Naked Sky Entertainment
Publisher:
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 12/06/06
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1
Xbox Live: Yes
HDTV Support: 720p
Full Game: 1200 points ($15)
Demo?: Yes

Description as per Xbox.com

"Experience the power of the Unreal Engine 3 for the first time in an Xbox Live® Arcade game with RoboBlitz™. Independent developer Naked Sky Entertainment created RoboBlitz using the latest in game technology to deliver an innovative, high definition experience.

RoboBlitz is a fast-paced, 3-D action game with unique physics, inventive gizmos, creative weapons, and robotic characters. Take on the role of Blitz, a multi-talented robot who must activate an aging space cannon to save his world from a band of maladjusted space pirates. Set in seven distinct environments, RoboBlitz features 19 levels of puzzle-solving and high-intensity action. .

• Multiple levels: Play 19 levels of puzzle-solving and high intensity action set in seven distinct environments.
• Interactive demo: The free trial version consists of three engaging levels.
• Action and puzzles: RoboBlitz is a new breed of game blending fast-paced action, puzzle solving, and a playground of interactive physics.
• Advanced physics: Advanced physics simulation gives you real freedom to solve problems in creative and unexpected ways.
• Unique weapons: Use unique weapons including Fire-Cracker Rocket and Point-to-Point Tractor Beam.
• Changing difficulty: Choose your difficulty level for ease of use and high reparability. The Master Technician mode lets you unlock new achievements and bonus content.
• Content downloads: Expect premium downloadable content for this title in the future, providing new game play elements and unique challenges for RoboBlitz fans." - Xbox.com RoboBlitz page

Posted by nylatenite at 4:16 AM EST

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