Microsoft has added another batch of original Xbox titles to the Xbox 360 Backwards Compatibility list. Here's the list of what titles have either been added or updated this time around;

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  
• Burnout 3: Takedown UPDATED
  
• Conker: Live and Reloaded
  
• Dead Or Alive Ultimate
  
• Destroy All Humans!
  
• Dynasty Warriors 4 / Shin Sangokumuso3
  
• Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick
  
• Ex Chaser (Japan Only)
  
• Family Guy
  
• Far Cry: Instincts
  
• Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy
  
• I-Ninja
  
• Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude
  
• Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
  
• MotoGP
  
• Incredibles/ Mr. Incredible (J)
  
• Muzzle Flash (Japan Only)
  
• MX Unleashed
  
• Open Season
  
• Pariah
  
• Plus Plumb 2 (Japan Only)
  
• Psychonauts
  
• Psyvariar2 Extend Edition (Japan Only)
  
• Rainbow Six: Lockdown
  
• Rapala Pro Fishing
  
• Rent-A-Hero No. 1 (Japan Only)
  
• Scarface
  
• Shark Tale
  
• Shenmue II
  
• Soul Calibur 2 North America only
  
• Splinter Cell: Double Agent
  
• Tenerezza (Japan Only)
  
• The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
  
• Ultimate Spider-Man
  
• Wakeboarding Unleashed: Featuring Sean Murray
  
• Whacked!
  
• Winback 2: Project Poseidon
  
• Xiaolin Showdown

While the addition of Psychonauts and Indigo Prophecy are certainly more than welcome, I'm still waiting to see ESPN NFL 2K5 join the ranks of the backwards compatible. Click here to see the full list of Xbox games playable on the Xbox 360.

Posted by nylatenite at 5:39 AM EST

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Sony has released another firmware update for the PlayStation 3. V1.31 adds some options as far as video output goes and makes a few changes to how certain PlayStation 2 games function on the system. Here's the text on what's changed with the v1.31 update;

"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 1.31 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].
    
• Game
  • New for 1.31: You can now play PlayStation®2 format software titles that must be installed on the hard disk.
    
• 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.
  • New for 1.31: Playability status with the PS3™ system has changed for some PlayStation® and PlayStation®2 format titles. To check on the latest status, visit the search site for compatible titles." - PlayStation 3 system update page

From what I can see, there's nothing overly harmful there this time around, though I really wish the search site for PlayStation 3 backwards compatibility issues was a bit more concise. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping the parts regarding output resolutions mean you can now select different default resolutions for different system functions.

The update can be obtained via direct download from the PlayStation 3 system update tab or via PC by downloading the update from the PlayStation 3 system software update page, copying it to a supported storage medium and then using that medium to copy the file to the PS3 hard drive and install from there.

Posted by nylatenite at 12:56 AM EST

Updated: Thursday, 14 December 2006 12:58 AM EST

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This week sees yet another original title for the Xbox Live Arcade finding it's way onto the marketplace. Early word on the street is that Wanako Studios Assault Heroes could be the first "must buy" Live Arcade game to hit the Xbox 360 in quite some time.

Title: Assault Heroes
Developer: Wanako Studios
Publisher: Sierra Online
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 12/13/06
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1-2
Xbox Live: Yes
HDTV Support: 720p
Full Game: 800 points ($10)
Demo?: Yes

Description as per Xbox.com

"In Assault Heroes, take on the role of the only surviving member of an elite special forces unit searching for a secret underground lab. Play the mission alone or fight side-by-side with a friend in the two-player cooperative mode.

Hop into a heavily armed 4x4, maneuverable speed boat, or trusty military-issue footwear, blasting your way through enemy-infested territory while being assaulted by waves of formidable enemies with unrelenting attacks.

• Multiplayer co-op mode: Two players may play co-operatively online via Xbox Live® or offline (same screen) with enhanced weapons and special attacks to encourage team-based campaigns.
• Dynamic gameplay: Operate an armed 4x4, speed boat, or simply fight on foot for a quick change of pace.
• Arsenal of weapons: Equip characters with miniguns, flak cannons, flamethrowers, grenades, and nukes to destroy everything in your path.
• Realistic special effects: Destructible terrain and advanced physics engine provide a truly engaging Arcade experience.
• Highly detailed graphics: Vehicles leave tracks in the sand, send parts flying when they explode, and leave smoke trails when taking damage.
• Action-packed experience: Challenging and graphically compelling levels (including bonus sublevels) for fast-paced and addictive play."- Xbox.com Assault Heroes product page

Posted by nylatenite at 12:05 AM EST

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Seriously, do people in the financial world do any kind of research before they jump into things? It appears that everyone's favorite vaporware producers, Phantom Entertainment, have found yet another patsy to pick up the tab for doing nothing but flushing cash down the toilet - here's a quote from a Phantom Entertainment press release I noticed the other night over at Yahoo Finance;

"The Company has closed a financing with John Fife, the managing partner of the Chicago Venture Partners, L.P. to help fund manufacturing and marketing of the Phantom® Wireless Lapboard and Phantom® Wireless Laser Mouse.

"I am excited about the opportunity to work with Phantom Entertainment and to be a financing resource to help the Company move forward with manufacturing the Phantom Wireless Lapboard," said John Fife, Managing Partner of Chicago Venture Partners. "I intend to consider additional infusions of capital to Phantom Entertainment as the company meets its manufacturing and revenue goals."

The Company is continuing to work closely with its contract manufacturer, Itron Technology Inc., to meet manufacturing production schedules for shipping Phantom Lapboards to Alienware for bundling with its PC Media Center, to distributors and to consumers.

The Company is continuing sales planning for distribution of the Phantom Wireless Lapboard and Phantom Wireless Laser Mouse through Global Marketing Partners' distribution channel with Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM - News), the world's largest technology distributor and a leading technology sales, marketing and logistics company." - Phantom Entertainment Press Release

The first thing that comes to my mind when I read the above statement is "How the hell did Alienware get themselves mixed up with these clowns?" I'm really not sure what I find funnier, that Phantom Entertainment isn't apparently even capable of creating a wireless PC keyboard or that they can somehow still find people willing to actually invest money in them. At some point, the check has to come right?... right?... Bueller?

For those of you just starting to play the home version of the Phantom Entertainment / Infinium Labs game, here are some links to our previous coverage of the situation - it's a lot of reading though, so be sure to grab a snack.

• INFINIUM LABS DELAYS PHANTOM LAPBOARD (4/20/06)
• THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE DO INDEED TURN... JUST VERY SLOWLY (05/16/06)
• THE SCAM THAT KEEPS ON SCAMMING (5/27/06)
• MORE ON THE INFINIUM NAME CHANGE (5/28/06)
• THERE REALLY MUST BE A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE (8/17/06)
• DL'06 – THE PHANTOM ENTERTAINMENT BOOTH - OR LACK THEREOF (10/15/06)

All this leads me to wonder ... should Phantom manage to somehow get the Lapboard to retail this spring, wouldn't it be great if they were to let us all in on their business plan by titling their ad campaign something like "Springtime for Phantom"?

Check out the latest press release from Phantom Entertainment here.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:34 AM EST

Updated: Wednesday, 13 December 2006 1:54 AM EST

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In his blog, Xbox Live Director of Programming, Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb, addressed the complaints surrounding the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset that have been springing up across the 'net since it's release. For those who aren't aware or haven't encountered the issue on Xbox Live, The major concerns (no pun intended - honest!) center around the headset not properly synchronizing with the console, issues regarding incompatibilities between the headset and older Xbox 360 wireless controllers as well as situations in which the headset's mic transmits a ton of interference over Live in the form of constant static that can be heard by those playing with the user.

While the Major didn't really give any indication of a timeframe regarding a fix, he did note that those experiencing the issues should call Microsoft's 1-800-4MY-XBOX customer support line to see about having the headset repaired or replaced. Certainly not an ideal situation, but at least it's something. It would also tell me that Microsoft may have found a issue with the headset's hardware, as I would assume many of the problems listed above would be replicated if the exact same version of the headset was sent out.

For more information, check out the Major's post at this link - and if you're having any issues with the wireless headset, be sure to call that support number - just don't expect to speak to anyone overly knowledgeable about the hardware - my experiences with 1-800-4MY-XBOX have pretty much been a waste of time in the past, unless you're looking to discuss a billing issue.

Posted by nylatenite at 1:33 AM EST

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Following in the footsteps of the command line version, MAME32 v.111, the Windows GUI port of MAME v.111 is also now available.

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

Posted by nylatenite at 1:32 AM EST

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The latest version of the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator is now available. Version 1.11 incorporates all of the changes made in the last series of interim updates, so if you were having problems with anything in v.110, the new version may be the answer to your problems..

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

Posted by nylatenite at 1:32 AM EST

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That's the question. If you're Jon Robinson of IGN, it appears the answer you have to that question would be a resounding yes. In an article over at IGN (found by way of Kotaku) , Robinson seems to have information that would confirm that 2K Sports long-rumored Football Legends game is apparently a reality - and is slated for release some time in 2007.

"What I'm here to tell you (actually I broke the 2K Legends story back in 2005, but I'll tell you again) is that this year is going to be different.

Competition is coming back in 2007, and that means two things.

2K fans need to brush up on historical players (how can you play a game with legends if you can't tell Steve Young from Steve Bono?). And EA Sports is going to come out blazing with new features in Madden to try and hold off the throwback phenomenon Visual Concepts will finally announce sometime after the new year.

I have no idea what the 2K game will be called, look like, or feature beyond historical players, but I can tell you this, the surprising (I would even say shocking) sales numbers of Blitz: The League prove that the market is ready for some football outside of Madden." - Jon Robinson, IGN

Should this turn out to be true, and isn't just another false alarm coming from 2K Sports, I'd have to say that this news makes for one hell of a Christmas gift for sports gamers. Whether you're a fan of the 2K series of football games or a Madden fan, this means that true competition is returning to console football - and that means both sides are going to be trying their damndest to get your gaming dollars by putting out the best product they can - and that's always good for gamers.

So let's all hope that this isn't just another attempt by 2K Sports to "test the waters" and see how the public would react to the Legends concept, but that the game is already in development and just waiting for a chance to take EA's behemoth on. Thank you 2K, thank you.

Those looking for more details about this story should check out the original IGN article here, the Kotaku article here and the 2K Sports football message boards (which seem to be filled with additional links and interviews) here.

Posted by nylatenite at 2:15 AM EST

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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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