Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Collector's Edition announced

Tecmo has announced that a Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Collector's Edition will release, bundled with exclusives. In North America it will be a GameStop exclusive starting September 29, while in Europe, the special edition will be available exclusively at HMV, starting October 2nd. Here's what it comes with:

• A copy of Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, exclusively for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.
• Limited Edition 80 page ‘Ninja Gaiden Treasury’ featuring:
- Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 prologue comic written and designed by Team NINJA, which sheds more light on the intriguing storylines of Ninja Gaiden.
-Character and Concept Art Gallery .
- Lite-Strategy Guide including: Weapon Profiles for the 4 playable characters. Combos & Ninpos. Hints and Tips for Story Mode and Team Missions.
- Commentary from Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 producer Yosuke Hayashi, the Lead Artists behind the game and one final Tidbit from Team NINJA….
• Complete, limited edition original soundtrack CD.
• Exclusive downloadable costume available through the PlayStation Network.

Today's Nintendo Shop Downloads: 8.10.09 (New VC, WiiWare & DSiWare Releases)

WiiWare

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits
Publisher: Over The Top Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Experience the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You will need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds as you wish. By making your own wrist movements and pointing to the game screen, you will be able to achieve these and many other feats. Fly, aim and shoot using your Wii Remote™ controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods.

Rock N' Roll Climber
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Prepare to "rock out" like never before in Rock N' Roll Climber. Climb rocks using the innovative control scheme, which has you controlling your character's movement using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ controllers. If you want an even more immersive experience, optional support for the Wii Balance Board™ is also available. Make your way up an array of courses, ranging from the Pop level's indoor rock wall to the Heavy Metal level's waterfalls (watch out for those moss-covered rocks - they're slick). In addition to the sense of accomplishment you'll feel upon reaching the top, you might just be rewarded with your own guitar.

Virtual Console

Super Star Wars
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Risk your life as a Jedi Knight. Join Luke, Han and Chewbacca in their fierce war against the Evil Empire. Battle treacherous aliens. Pilot two vehicles in high-speed, first-person 3-D sequences. Rip through the desert in Luke's landspeeder. Clash with aliens in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Blast menacing boss monsters and Imperial stormtroopers. Attack TIE fighters in the trenches of the Death Star. Fight your way through the wastelands of Tatooine to the hostile streets of Mos Eisley and beyond. Grab your blaster, strap on your lightsaber and take on the fight for galactic freedom.

Nintendo DSiWare

Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Language
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: This edition of the popular Brain Age series offers players a mix of new and familiar exercises, all with an artistic focus. Test your spelling in Word Attack, enjoy literary classics in Reading Aloud and tune your musical skills in Piano Player. A new Themes mode challenges you in drawing, photography and voice acting and lets you share your creativity with friends and family. And if you need a break, the always-enjoyable Virus Buster makes its return. Prepare for another round of training your brain in minutes a day.

-Nintendo PR

Bleep Bloop: A rock band using NES to play music?

CollegeHumor

Watch the above video from Bleep Bloop to witness the band Anamanaguchi, using a Nintendo to play music. The end result is nothing short of phenomenal. Check it out!

Amazon posts (then removes) LittleBigPlanet: Game of The Year Edition

The few of you that haven't played LittleBigPlanet for the PS3 may have reason to purchase the gamesoon. Amazon earlier posted what appears to be a new special edition titled LBP: Game of The Year Edition. Amazon since removed the post, since it was presumably before Sony and Media Molecule had time to announce it.

Not only will the game boast a lower price of $49.99, it will include 30 bucks worth of bonus content, presumably various back cataloged DLC. Sounds like a steal to us!
Joystiq

New Spyborgs Trailer

If you've been jonesing for an old school-ish beat 'em up experience, Spyborgs may be the answer. This new trailer hot from Capcom shows off powers, upgrades, tag team moves, and lots of beat 'em up-ins.

The characters (Clandestine, Stinger, and Bouncer) all look over the top, but so does everything else. The combination of whimsical and high octane could turn into a good time... Look for Spyborgs on Wii next month.

You can stop waiting, that R4i update isn't coming

Those who use an R4i card on their DSi handhelds, but desperately wanted Facebook compatibility are as screwed as a ...screw.

Apparently there is no way to work around Nintendo's recent flash cart blocker, which comes bundled with the latest 1.4 Update. Instead, however, is the creation of the new R4i Gold, which will indeed work with the new firmware. The R4i Gold will go on sale starting Monday.

While this is a huge victory for anti-piracy, it is amazing how quickly people can find a way to continue beating the system.
TC

Club PlayStation on the Horizon?

US Nintendo fans begged to receive the Club Nintendo love that many other countries enjoyed, and their prayers were heard. And while Club Nintendo USA may not be thrilling gamers with its prizes, competitor Sony is looking to start up an incentives program of its own.

All this hubbub comes from a Sony filed patent for a service called "P.S. Thanks." A description from the patent page describes the service as an, "incentive rewards program geared toward quantifying, identifying and motivating top consumer base with the goal of promotion and sale of video game hardware and software."

Ideal swag from P.S. Thank You.

Sounds pretty Club Nintendo-ish to me. With Sony themed prizes a looming possibility, I'll go ahead and start dreaming of my Crash Bandicoot boxers.

Where The Wild Things Are: Trailer 2!

If you have a heart, soul, or sliver of imagination you should be excited about this movie!

Batman: Arkham Asylum Demo is Live

Can't wait til August 25th to get your hands on Batman: Arkham Asylum? Then don't! The Arkham demo is now available for download on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. So fire up your trial version bat signal and let us know what you think!

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming arrives on iPhone

Gamers looking for a farming friendly title on-the-go will find comfort in Natsume's just released title, Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming. The puzzle based game takes place in the world of Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness, presenting different challenges that test your speed and smarts. The game is also available for the Nintendo DS.

Guitar Hero: Van Halen trailer

Video Games | Guitar Hero: Van Halen | Exclusive Reveal Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Check out the new trailer for Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Something of note, as revealed in the trailer, is that the band will be featured in their 80's hayday attire, as well as their recent updated look. So you'll get the best of both rocking worlds.
GameTrailers

Nyko to debut new Wii, Xbox, PSP and DS peripherals at GamesCon

Nyko, the leader of quality gaming peripherals (according to me) is going to debut their newest console peripherals at the Games Com convention in Cologne. Here's what they'll debut:

Type Pad Pro for Wii:
The ergonomic wireless keypad for Wii features Nyko’s Trans-Port Technology allowing players to control, type, and browse with ease. Nyko’s Type Pad Pro cradles either the Nyko Wand or Wii Remote, allowing for pointer functionality while utilizing the full QWERTY Keyboard to chat, type, search and more. The Type Pad Pro communicates with the Wii wirelessly up to 25 feet away using a USB dongle and is fully compatible with applications that utilize keyboard functionality like the Opera® Browser and Wii friend messaging. When used with the Wand Wireless Controller, Trans-Port Technology allows for both the A and B buttons to be replicated directly on the Type Pad Pro for smoother and easier scrolling, zooming and clicking while browsing your favorite web sites.

SpeakerCom 360
Xbox 360 gamers can now customize how they communicate over Xbox Live® with SpeakerCom 360, which provides the choice to talk and listen over a loud speaker or through a traditional headset, giving players two communication options in one device. In Headset mode, the SpeakerCom provides a comfortable, stereo, in-ear solution. When switched over to the Loud Speaker mode the self-muting microphone and volume-controlled speaker are activated so everyone in the room can hear and participate via one headset. The patent pending design allows for easy switching between both headset and loud speaker mode.

Zoom Case for Nintendo DSi™
Nyko’s Zoom Case, a protective case with an 8x zoom lens for the DSi, significantly magnifies the handheld’s external camera. The Zoom Case wraps around the DSi, protecting it from bumps and scratches while the removable 8x optical zoom lens allows for closer, clearer shots from a greater distance. The zoom lens easily locks onto the Zoom Case, and when not in use can be safely stored in its own hard case for easy travel. The case’s textured grip provides a more comfortable hold for extended game play sessions.

Charge Grip Flex
A new level of comfort awaits the PSP 2000 and 3000 series with Nyko’s Charge Grip Flex with built-in rechargeable battery. The Charge Grip Flex provides 1.5 times more play time and a more familiar, customizable grip. With a sleek black look that complements the PSP, the Charge Grip Flex features a unique fold-out, lightweight design making it ideal for travel.

First 10 minutes of 'Batman: Arkham Asylum'

MTVMultiplayer has been nice enough to show off the first 10 minutes of Batman: Arkham Asylum. If you don't mind spoilers, go ahead and watch! They are broken down into 2 parts.

Part 1:

MTV Shows

Part 2:

MTV Shows

Toy Story Mania! Wii boxart

Triple Dip of Disney Boxarts: Sing It, Hannah Montah & Wizards of Waverly Place

Check out the newly released boxart for Disney's Sing It: Pop Hits for PS2 and PS3, Wizards of Waverly Place for the DS and Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show for the PSP.

Arkham Asylum Comes to Life on PC

Batman: Arkham Asylum is quickly approaching and many a batfan is eager to penetrate the most deranged place in Gotham. According to developer Eidos however, the craziest thing in Arkham's walls may be its insanely awesome physics. At least for the PC version. Eidos' PR gurus had this to say:

Hardware accelerated by supported NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, PhysX technology provides an even deeper level of engagement for players of Batman: Arkham Asylum by utilizing the processing power of the NVIDIA GPU to render stunning in-game physics objects in the environment that not only add to the overall look of the game, but create an immersive and believable world.

With PhysX technology enabled, players can explore darkened corridors packed with volumetric fog which reacts to Batman’s movement and cobwebs which tear with his passing. Combat becomes a maelstrom of motion as office papers are thrown into the air alongside soda cans and litter as Batman lands each punch upon The Joker’s henchmen. Throughout the game, the decaying gothic architecture is realized to an incredible detail with wall tiles chipping and breaking, stone pillars crumbling upon impact, and particles from breaking glass and debris shattering and falling down around Batman’s feet.

Batman: Arkham Asylum hits stores August 25th.

Nintendo brings DSi tour to Ohio State Fair

If you haven't gotten to play with the DSi, and live in the Columbus, Ohio area, you can do so between August 6 (today) through the 8th. Nintendo will be showing off the handheld with their U.S. bus tour. Mostly, you'll get to play a few games and play with the new dual cameras. Nintendo will also print out a nice picture of you as a souvenir. Here are the details:
Columbus-area adults, teens, festival fans and consumers of all kinds

WHEN:
Thursday, Aug. 6 - Saturday, Aug. 8
9 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

WHERE:
Ohio State Fair
Ohio Expo Center
717 E. 17th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
(The Nintendo DSi Mobile Tour will be located just north of 17th Avenue in front of the Rhodes Center and near the north entrance to the SkyGlider.)

VISUALS:

• Consumers trying the new Nintendo DSi for the first time aboard a customized interactive tour bus
  
  
• Festival attendees snapping and manipulating photos of each other with a Nintendo DSi system
  
  
• Spectators gathering around the Nintendo DSi Mobile Tour bus for live demonstrations from Nintendo ambassadors
  
  
• Visitors enjoying unusual photos they created using Nintendo DSi

-Nintendo PR

NBA 2K10: Anniversary Edition bundle pics

As we previously mentioned, NBA 2K10 will also be released in a special Anniversary Edition that includes a special game locker, Kobe Bryant action figure and a poster. 2K Sports has just released what that edition of the game will look like. Check out the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game bundle:

Video Game shoes, how much would you pay?

Blogger BrassMonki has a website showing off a boat load of custom shoes he has created, and they are freakin' incredible. Unfortunately they aren't for sale, but you can offer a bidding price to which he can either accept with glee or deny and laugh in your face. Either way, it's worth a shot. These shoes are works of art! Seriously, just browse the website. If you aren't drooling after 4 seconds, you aren't human.
via Kotaku article

UPDATE: I spoke too soon. As stated on his website, "those seen on my website are photoshop mock ups. I do paint them but i use Nike id to custom the soles and tongues!"

Well ain't that just a barrel of monkeys. I feel duped!

Guitar Hero: Van Halen, the tracklist & release date revealed

Activision has just released the track list for the much anticipated (by me) game Guitar Hero: Van Halen. The game was also given a release date of December 22nd. This holiday season we shall officially all be broke. Enjoy:

Van Halen Songs
“Ain't Talkin Bout Love”
“And The Cradle Will Rock”
“Atomic Punk”
“Beautiful Girls”
“Cathedral” (solo)
“Dance The Night Away”
“Eruption” (solo)
“Everybody Wants Some”
“Feel Your Love Tonight”
“Hang ‘Em High”
“Hear About It Later”
“Hot For Teacher”
“Ice Cream Man”
“I'm The One”
“Jamie's Cryin”
“Jump”
“Little Guitars”
“Loss Of Control”
“Mean Street”
“Panama”
“Pretty Woman”
“Romeo Delight”
“Running With The Devil”
“So This Is Love”
“Somebody Get Me A Doctor”
“Spanish Fly” (solo)
“Unchained”
“You Really Got Me”

Similar Tracks Also In The Game
Alter Bridge - “Come To Life”
Billy Idol - “White Wedding”
blink-182 - “First Date”
Deep Purple - “Space Truckin”
Foo Fighters - “Best Of You”
Foreigner - “Double Vision”
Fountains of Wayne - “Stacy's Mom”
Jimmy Eat World - “Pain”
Judas Priest - “Painkiller”
Killswitch Engage - “The End Of Heartache”
Lenny Kravitz - “Rock And Roll Is Dead”
Queen - “I Want It All”
Queens of the Stone Age - “Sick, Sick, Sick”
Tenacious D - “Master Exploder”
The Clash - “Safe European Home”
The Offspring - “Pretty Fly For A White Guy”
Third Eye Blind - “Semi-Charmed Life”
Weezer - “Dope Nose”
Yellowcard - “The Takedown”

P.S. - Is it just me or is Weezer now an unfortunate standard on every Guitar Hero disc?

MTVMultiplayer