Disney to buy Marvel for $4 billion

The Walt Disney Corp. will acquire Marvel Entertainment, according to the BBC. The deal will include Marvel's wealth of over 5,000 characters. It will be interesting to see how this deal will affect theme parks, as several Marvel character based rides are in Six Flags and Universal theme parks, rivals of Walt Disney World.

"We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation," Disney president and chief executive Robert Iger said. I'm sure this guarantees at lease a pair of mouse ears hidden in Spider-Man 4.

"Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Marvel chief executive Ike Perlmutter.

It's only a matter of time to see what impact the acquisition of a major company, by a major company, will have on the content.

PS3's EyePet debuting November 17th

EyePet will hit store shelves November 17, Sony has announced. EyePet allows for a virtual pet to live along side of you, similar to the best friend of the mid-90's, the Tamagotchi. Thanks to the PlayStation Eye camera, you will bring the pet into your environment, where you can interact and play with your cute and cuddly new friend.

The game will come bundled with the PlayStation Eye camera for $59.99 or sold alone for $39.99. Either way, you can have all the joys of having a pet come this holiday season, without the excess urine.

1UP

DC Universe Online, Green Lantern screenshots

Here are some new screenshots of the Green Lantern in action, for the upcoming PS3 and PC release of DC Universe Online. Additionally, below are a few key facts about the game.


• DCUO is an action-focused superhero game in a fully-realized DC Universe.
• Players can experience the intensity of a 3D world created in the artistic vision of legendary comic-book artist Jim Lee and WildStorm Productions.
• DCUO uses a state-of-the-art physics engine that turns the world into your weapon.
• Players will be able to create their own custom hero or villain.
• Players will embark on story-driven adventures penned by famous DC writers.
• DCUO game play is being optimized for the PC and PS3.
• The DCUO game world’s depth will span the entire DC Universe.

DCU

Today's Wii Shop and DSi Shop Downloads (8.31.09)

Nintendo has added a few new gems today (starting at Noon/EST) as well as a retro favorite. Read the official Nintendo press release below to see what games will be hitting WiiWare, Virtual Console and DSiWare today.

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: PIRATES, PUZZLES, RATTLERS AND ROLE-PLAYING

Aug. 31, 2009

"All for one and one for all" is an apt way to describe the latest lineup of downloadable games from the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop. Each of this week's new titles is a single-player affair, but they're all quite different in genre and style, offering something special for a variety of gaming tastes.

WiiWare™

Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 2
Publisher: Telltale Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Alcohol Reference, Cartoon Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Guybrush's adventures continue on the high seas as pox-plagued pirates lay siege to the innocent Mer-People. Between defending the Mer-People and dodging the persistent pirate hunter hot on his trail, Guybrush manages to catch up to his beloved wife and despised arch-nemesis, but the reunion is short-lived. Now Guybrush must focus on eradicating the Pox of LeChuck before more harm can be done. And as the Mighty Pirate draws closer to a cure, the waters will only grow murkier in this thrilling chapter of the epic saga.

3-2-1, Rattle Battle!
Publisher: Tecmo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: 3-2-1, Rattle Battle! is a party game packed with exciting mini-games. Intuitive controls mean that anyone can enjoy playing - just grab the Wii Remote™ and shake it to "rattle." Great fun for single players, but the party really gets started when you register high scores on Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to see how you measure up against players from around the globe.

Virtual Console™

Phantasy Star™
Original platform: SEGA Master System
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone 10 and Older) - Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Originally released on the SEGA Master System, Phantasy Star is a pioneer in the role-playing game genre. Alis is the fearless female protagonist out to avenge her brother's death at the hands of cruel dictator King Lassic. Players must guide Alis and her troops through the sprawling environments of the Agol solar system in an attempt to defeat King Lassic and liberate the people of Agol. Engage in dynamic turn-based combat with dragons, ghouls, giants and magicians by using unique weapons such as glowing daggers, crossbows and magic spells.

Nintendo DSiWare™

Puzzle League™ Express
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: The ever-popular Puzzle League comes to Nintendo DSiWare. As it is with all good puzzlers, the concept is simple: Connect blocks of the same color to clear them from the screen and prevent your stack from becoming too high. There are four single-player modes to choose from: Endless (survive to earn a top score), Clear (eliminate all blocks above the line), Score Attack (score as high as possible in two minutes) and Vs. COM (use items and combos to attack a computer opponent). You can choose from a variety of background music to help get you in the zone, and even play in horizontal or vertical mode by holding the Nintendo DSi system normally or like a book. Whichever way you play, you're guaranteed maximum fun.

New modes and characters for TMNT Smash Up announced

According to the Amazon listing for TMNT: Smash Up, the "Ninja Turtle Rabbid" is listed as a playable character. This sounds different from the original Raving Rabbid and the Splinter Cell Rabbids shown previously, making that three Rabbids.

It seems that they might have swapped the original rabbid for the Ninja Turtle version, as Amazon is offering the original Rabbid as a special pre-order only character (as seen above). I'm not sure how I feel about the Rabbids cutting in on the Turtle franchise fun. It seems more like a Ubisoft fighting game than a TMNT fighting game.

Here is the listing for preorder bonuses you'll get when you buy the game from Amazon:

Pre-order Bonus: Exclusive "Smash Up" Unlocks
Unlock an Amazon.com exclusive Technodrome mode and Rabbid character with your pre-order. A code to unlock the extras will be sent no more than 10 business days after the game releases. Must be sold and shipped by Amazon.com. Does not apply to products sold by third-party or marketplace sellers. We reserve the right to discontinue this promotion at any time.

Technodrome mode sounds amazing! The game releases September 15th.

TMNT Turtles In Time Reshelled to hit PSN this November

Although not a solid release date, it's been announced that the remake of one of the best arcade games of all time will hit the PSN this November. The game released on XBLA in early August, unexpectedly to some not so great reviews. No word yet if the PSN version will be any different.

Source

Playboy Playmates DO Guitar Hero 5

You're welcome.

TMNT Smash Up: Online Play discussed

Don't think that TMNT: Smash Up is just some half-shelled (see what I did there?) multiplayer experience. The developers worked hard to implement a solid online mode for next month's brawler. Watch the GameTrailers Developer Diary below to get a feel for what you can expect:

So what's $299 get ya, Microsoft?

As we reported earlier, Microsoft is dropping the price of the Xbox 360 Elite tomorrow (Aug. 28), to $299. However, the price isn't as low as it seems in the console wars. Your Elite will no longer come bundled with the HDMI cables necessary for HD gaming. You'll have to pick them up elsewhere. Additionally, no Wi-Fi adapter is included, so you'll have to spend an additional $99 for that.

Compared to both the PS3 at $299 and Wii at $249, both consoles include Wi-Fi. Xbox 360 requires gamers to pay a fee in order to download and play games over their Wi-Fi server, but Wii and PS3 offer Wi-Fi gaming for free.

At the end of the day, I guess it all depends on the games you want to play, and whichever console has them. But if you want to play them in HD and online, don't think you're going to be paying $299.

Halo 3: ODST Firefight Video Doc

NBA 2K10: Draft Combine launches today

2K Sports has announced the release of Draft Combine, a new downloadable game for PS3 and Xbox 360. The game launches prior to this fall's release of NBA 2K10. Today, that downloadable game is available on Xbox 360, and will launch on the PlayStation Network September 3rd.

Draft Combine allows players to build teams with customized players to take on different challenges and drills. The game will include over 300 different signature customizations. Online leaderboards will track your rankings, as well as full trophy support for PS3 and special achievement support for Xbox360.

The best news of all is that your creations are not limited to this game, as you'll be able to use all your content in the new My Player career mode, included in NBA 2K10. Draft Combine is available starting today on Xbox 360 for 400 Microsoft Points, and next week for PS3 users for $4.99.

Examiner

Microsoft confirms Xbox 360 price drop for Friday

Since Sony's PS3 price drop, eyes have been glued on Microsoft to see whether they'd adjust their prices to reflect the shift in all other next-gen consoles diving below the 300 dollar mark. After rumors, speculation, and retail circular ads, Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox 360 Elite will get a $100 price cut, starting tomorrow, for a price of $299.

The 120GB Elite is the same size as the new PS3 Slim, which also has a $299 price point. Additionally, Microsoft announced that the 60GB Xbox 360 Pro models, which has secretly been discontinued, will be reduced to $249.99 while supplies last.

It is very interesting to see all current Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft next-gen consoles under the $299 mark, however in this economy, this should prove to be a wise move for the industry.

Examiner

Section 8 pre-order goodies announced

GameStop has released details on special pre-order goodies you'll get with Section 8, the upcoming sci-fi shooter. Check out the item descriptions and images below:

[Reserve Secion 8 and receive GameStop exclusive Captain's Armor for both Section 8 and their adversaries - the Arm of Orion. If you choose to play as Captain of Section 8, you'll proudly wear the Imperial Eagle of the USIF on your shoulder plate; as a Captain of the Arm of Orion, you'll stand out with the rampant Lion of Orion emblazoned on your helmet and gold trim on your power armor.]

[Reserve Section 8 and receive GameStop exclusive SIW7 "Black Widow" Combat Pistol. With its deadly accuracy and effortless reloading, this rapid-fire pistol is the preferred handgun of Special Forces reconnaissance teams across the galaxy. Few have seen the Black Widow in combat and even fewer have lived to tell about it.]

Both pre-order exclusives are available for online and in-store customers, so hurry up and reserve your goodies before the game ships September 1st.

Examiner

Pro Evolution Soccer boxart (UK)

Mario & Sonic Olympic Winter Games dream events screenshots

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is just around the corner. Check out some new screenshots of the Dream Events, some of which include Alpine Skiing and Snowball Fighting, Snowboard Cross.



SEGA

South Park's Tower Defense XBLA screenshots

Check out these new screens of the upcoming South Park Tower Defense title for XBLA.

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles Wii Zapper packaging

Here's the Wii Zapper bundle for Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles bundled with the Wii Zapper. Makes me want to shoot up some zombies.

A Boy and His Blob GameStop preorder gift announced

I have a feeling that more people are going to want to pre-order their purchase of the re-imagined remake of childhood favorite, A Boy and His Blob. GameStop has announced their pre-order gift and it is... a Blob stressball! That's a pretty great gift if you ask me. Additionally, the game is only $39.99, which is a refreshing price for not only a Wii game, but a video game in general. This looks like a must buy.

via GoNintendo

Today's Nintendo Shop Downloads (8.24.09)

Every Monday, Nintendo adds a new selection of digital downloads to Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop Channel. Here's Nintendo's press release for today's games, which will be available at 12p/EST:

Virtual Console

Super Empire Strikes Back
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) -- Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Pursued across the galaxy, Rebel forces now marshal new strength on the remote ice world of Hoth. Though tracked by probe droids, attacked by ice monsters and confronted by an army of gigantic Imperial Walkers, you must not give in. You are the Alliance's only hope. Learn the ways of the Force, then test your skills in this fast-paced, action-packed sequel to the hit game Super Star Wars.

WiiWare

Mr. DRILLER W
Publisher: NBGI
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) -- Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Mr. Driller W is the newly updated version of the exciting game that challenges players with level upon level of frantic underground drilling action. Experience more than 20 varied stages and missions. Drill through a seemingly endless onslaught of colored blocks while avoiding falling obstacles and strategically managing your air supply. Multiple degrees of difficulty now challenge everyone from novices to hardcore Mr. Driller veterans. A tutorial will even help first-time players learn the rules quickly and easily. Vibrant graphics, engaging game play and loads of characters make this a modern twist on a gaming masterpiece.

Nintendo DSiWare

Pop + Solo
Publisher: Nnooo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Pop bubbles, build chains and try to keep the timer alive in this awesome puzzle/shooter. Pop your way through 16 waves of bubbles in Adventure, Normal or Advanced modes. Race against the clock in a one-, two- or five-minute run. Try the new Bonus Round mode, where each bonus round can be played in three, five or 10 rounds of increasing difficulty. Or just chill out in the relaxing Chill mode with no score or time pressures to worry about. Pop + Solo comes to the Nintendo DSi system with eight modes and five bonus rounds, plus plenty of new badges to collect. Adventure mode introduces some new elements to the game with mines, golden fish, jets of water and four boss battles. The new Challenge mode lets you create and customize your own challenges to play again and again.

Source: Examiner

Mac OSX Snow Leopard will arrive this Friday

The new Snow Leopard operating system will be available for Mac this Friday, Apple stated today. The company will be offering the upgrade for just $29 for a single user or $49 for a family. The OS has a ton of features and improvements, many of which we discussed previously.

Get Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 on the cheap

Amazon right now is offering EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 for Wii at the low price of $39.49. For PS3 owners, you can get the game at $48.99. But hurry, these deals don't last long people!

Media Molecule announces LittleBigPlanet water beta

Media Molecule, as previously announced, will be bringing water to LittleBigPlanet. This exciting new addition however will get a trial run to test out the kinks before its big debut. By signing up on the MM website, you can register yourself for the chance to test out the water beta.

It's ironic how excited I am about the arrival of water, considering water levels in video games are notorious for being hell on earth.

Back to the Future & Jurassic Park triologies coming to Blu-Ray?

NERD ALERT:

Someone in cahoots with Universal Studios (if truthful) is going to be getting a giant hug for letting some very exciting news slip. According to Nuke The Fridge, an inside source has revealed that both the Back to the Future and Jurassic Park trilogies are going to be getting their well deserved HD debuts next year.

"'Nuke The Fridge,' you didn't hear this from me, but I just got word from Universal of a upcoming release of Back To The Future and Jurassic Park Blu-Ray release," said the source.

So can we trust this insider? Well, he didn't know to use "an" instead of "a" when preceding a vowel. But the news is just too tempting to not believe. The source claims that both sets will be released between October and November 2010.

SEGA theme park opens in Dubai

I am moving to Dubai. Everything I read makes it seem like heaven. Case and point? SEGA Republic, a SEGA theme park, has opened at the Dubai Mall. Click to read the official press release:

With nine adrenaline-pumping attractions such as Spin Gear, Sonic Hopper, Halfpipe Canyon, Storm-G and Initial D4 Limited, Sega Republic is sure to thrill all visitors from the young to the young at heart.

The various attractions are spread over five themed zones - Speed, Adventure, Sports, Cyberpop and Redemption - featuring a huge array of everything from action packed motion-simulators to simulated sports games, classic carnival games and one of the region’s largest selections of prize-winning redemption games.

Combining the latest in leisure technologies with high entertainment value, Sega Republic represents a milestone in indoor theme park development. While the Speed Zone offers thrills for the adrenaline seeker on attractions such as the 9-metre drop ride Sonic Hopper, the Adventure Zone has the keenly awaited SPIN Gear, a spinning coaster replete with sound and visual effects, themed on the story of an evil attempt to capture Sonic the Hedgehog by his arch nemesis Dr. Eggman.

The Sports Zone is the place to test one’s skills and win at the latest trendsetting sports simulation games that are based on real world sports. One of the highlights of this zone is Halfpipe Canyon, a hi-tech snowboarding half-pipe that gives riders the thrill of throttling up and down a 7-metre incline at speeds of up to 40 km/hr. The Cyberpop Zone offers cutting-edge interactive entertainment through a variety of next-generation gaming equipment, virtual experiences and light-hearted fun.

The Redemption Zone hosts one of the region’s largest selection of redemption games as well as a huge selection of winnable merchandises for all ages.

Xbox 360 price cut coming this month?

In a move that surprises no one, Microsoft may be looking to steal Sony's price drop thunder. Wal-Mart's latest circular ad is showing the Xbox 360 Elite with a new lowered price tag of $299. As reported, Sony last week announced that the PlayStation 3 would receive a $299 price tag.

Additionally, Microsoft is said to be dropping the "Pro" line of Xbox 360 models all together, focusing their efforts now solely on the $249 Arcade model and the Elite. While no exact date is announced for the price drop, the leak of the Wal-Mart ad would likely bring it later this month.

Engadget via
Xbox 360 price cut coming this month?

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Sir Paul McCartney: musician and gamer

Paul McCartney may be entering the video game world with the upcoming September release of The Beatles: Rock Band, but the musical mastermind is no stranger to gaming. In a new interivew with Game Informer, McCartney proves he knows a thing or two about gaming.

"I have a son who's 30, so he's a big gamer, he gamed through a lot of the early stuff," McCartney said. "I was thinking the other day, 'God, that's a long way from ping pong.'"

McCartney continued, "...his generation went through stuff like — I like Pilotwings and stuff like that," he continued. "I liked the way you used to crash on purpose: 'No!'" It's very refreshing to hear an entertainer not only refer to himself as a gamer, but without the cliche Pac-Man or Galaga references.

"So those are great, and I say I played a bunch of that along with them, so I know the excitement of it. I just never got into it as much as the guys did, because I was doing other stuff." Ha, yeah, other stuff.

Another notch of coolness has been added to your belt, Sir Paul.

Sir Paul McCartney: musician and gamer (Examiner)

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PS3 Slim shipping next week?

According to GameStop's online pre-order listing for the PS3 Slim, the console will ship August 25th. Unless the mode of transportation is camel, you should receive it well before the "first week of September" time frame Sony announced at GamesCom '09 earlier this week.

The console will include the same features of the current PS3 models, while being more energy efficient, cheaper to product and of course boasting a sleek new look.

via Examiner: Source, Joystiq

Section 8, GamesCom'09 gameplay footage video

Video Games | Section 8 | GC 09: Shoot & Survive Gameplay (Cam)

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

GT has provided a gameplay video of Section 8, the next in badass next gen shooters. Enjoy.

Mario & Sonic Olympic Winter Games, hockey gameplay footage

Video Games | Mario & Sonic Olympic Winter Games | GC 09: Hockey Gameplay (Cam)

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Check out this video of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, showing an off-camera look at the hockey mini games. Looks like fun to me.

Fable III, the teaser trailer

Video Games | Fable 3 Teaser Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Gametrailers via 5pappy

GTI Club Supermini Festa! screenshots (Wii)

Konami is bringing their latest GTI Club racer to the Wii, GTI Club Supermini Festa! starting Spring 2010. The game will feature your favorite compact cars in a race through the street of Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Can't wait.
Check out these new debut screens.

MadCatz signs deal with Nintendo for accessory line

MadCatz has decided to work with Nintendo is creating a line of authentic accessories for Nintendo DS Lite, DSi and Wii consoles. The line will include the highly protected trademarked characters from the Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Donkey Kong universes.

This is great news, especially since licensed Nintendo products for the DSi are few and far between. Hopefully the products will become available later this year!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash Up screenshots