Rumours have flared up about two new Nintendo DS colours headed for North America. According to reports on GottaDeal.com, a Sear’s catalogue due out on Black Friday shows two new Nintendo DS bundles.

The first bundle contains a metallic rose DS marked by a paw print and comes bundled with Nintendogs while the second bundle contains a gold DS marked by a triforce logo and comes bundled with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. The bundles are reasonably priced at $149.99, amounting to almost $15 less than what one would normally pay for a DS and a game sold separately but the same price as the Brain Age 2 bundle which boasts a crimson and onyx DS with the Brain Age 2 game.

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and traditionally marks the beginning of holiday spending in the States with consumers heading to retail stores in their droves to score deals. While the Nintendo Wii is sure to be this season’s ‘must have’ item, the Nintendo DS will no doubt also prove popular this festive season.

Japanese gamers are already happily DS’ing on a metallic rose DS in the land of the rising sun so it is plausible that Nintendo would release a similar colour in the US. Also plausible is the gold theme matching Zelda which has also popped up in the past. In addition, a Nintendo rep commented to GameSpot “Unfortunately, I don’t have any info at this time. Stay tuned.”

Just a matter of time then.

Capcom is riding the wave of success with its popular Resident Evil franchise. First it reveals that Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition has shipped one million units worldwide and now it announces a collaboration with Sony Picture Entertainment Japan to bring a full length Resident Evil CG movie to the big screen.

Scaring audiences everywhere

Resident Evil fans must think Christmas has come early with this announcement as Capcom took the wraps off Biohazard: Degeneration (the Resident Evil series is known as Biohazard in Japan), the first full length CG animation feature based on the Biohazard series of games and movies that features a new storyline and groundbreaking visual effects. Biohazard: Degeneration is currently in production and is scheduled to be released in 2008.

Capcom created the Biohazard video game franchise which went on to debut on the big screen as a live action film titled Resident Evil. Resident Evil lays claim to the first trilogy of live-action movies to have been based on a video game franchise.

Resident Evil and Resident Evil 2: Apocalypse have each grossed over $100 million at the international box office while Resident Evil 3: Extinction is the biggest hit of the series to date.

Survival Horror at its best

The Biohazard series of games was first released in 1996, with many believing it established the survival horror genre, and has since shipped more than 33 million units worldwide. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is due to be released on the 13th of November while Resident Evil 5 for the Xbox 360 and PS3 is so far undated.

Capcom has announced that Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition has shipped more than one million units worldwide.

The first Resident Evil game was released in 1996 and since then the popular series has shipped more than 33 million units.

Step into the shoes of Leon Kennedy and be prepared to explore a spooky town inhabited by cultists, mutants and mid-controlled villagers. Gamers can look forward to the same intensity of the original RES 4 but with the Wii Edition boasting a new play experience as players aim, slash and avoid enemies with the Wii Remote as well as the additional content included in the PS2 version.

Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition is rated M and retails at $29.99. Survival Horror fans should also keep an eye out for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles which is due to go on sale on the 13th of November. Resident Evil 5 for the Xbox 360 and PS3 still remains undated.

Want to find out more about Resident Evil? Head over to EL33TONLINE’s review of the GameCube version of Resident Evil 4.

LucasArts and BioWare Corp. have entered into an agreement to create an interactive entertainment product. Details of the product will only be revealed at a later date but it is known that it will be developed and published by BioWare and LucasArts and is said to ‘push the boundaries of the gaming market by utilizing the strengths of both companies to deliver an innovative, high-quality experience.’

“LucasArts has a deep commitment to developing compelling stories and characters for the unique medium of interactive entertainment, and we have been searching for a developer that shares this value. We found this in BioWare,” said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts.

“Through our previous collaborations, we know that BioWare has an impressive ability to blend gripping stories with technological advancements, and we believe that our upcoming product will deliver an experience that will span the traditional boundaries of video game entertainment.”

“BioWare’s mission is to deliver the best story and character-driven games in the world, delivering powerful emotional experiences to our fans.” said Ray Muzyka, chief executive officer, BioWare Corp.

Added Greg Zeschuk, president of BioWare Corp. “The collaboration with LucasArts allows us to combine our passion for creating high quality and innovative experiences with those of a company dedicated to bringing only the finest games to market.”

We are sure more information will be revealed in the coming weeks so be sure to keep your eyes on their cobranded website www.LucasArtsBioWare.com.

Rockstar Games has announced that Manhunt 2 for the Wii, PS2 and PSP is now available across North America, and just in time for Halloween too!

“Manhunt 2 has gone through much to reach this day,” said Sam Houser, Founder and Executive Producer of Rockstar Games. “We are very excited that fans will finally get a chance to experience the magnificent horror experience we’ve crafted with Manhunt 2.”

Described as a ‘dark and disturbing psychological story,’ Manhunt 2 centers around the evil events of a secretive research project known as The Pickman Project. The controversial stealth horror game was originally slapped with an Adults Only rating by the ESRB but was later rated as Mature (suitable for consumers aged 17 and older) after the game was modified.

The game did not fare so well in the United Kingdom where the BBFC refused to classify it, effectively banning sales of the game in the UK, and later rejected the revised version of Manhunt 2 as well. Rockstar Games are currently appealing against this decision.

Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that the Wii Zapper will launch across Europe on the 7th of December.

This exclusive Wii accessory houses both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, providing gamers with a new way to play the Wii. The Wii Zapper comes bundled with Link’s Crossbow Training and will retail at £20 / 30 Euros. It will also be compatible with other upcoming titles including Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

Link’s Crossbow Training will see players using the Wii Remote in the Wii Zapper to aim at targets on the screen while controlling movement with the Nunchuk. Use the trigger (B button) on the Wii Remote to fire, applying pressure for a more powerful shot, and aim the pointer off-screen to turn in different directions or re-position yourself.

Players will step into the shoes of Link and face a series of challenges set in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The game enables players to get accustomed to the Wii Zapper, practice Target Shooting and try out the Fixed Combat and Free Movement Combat modes in various stages over nine levels.

Players are challenged to achieve the highest score before the time limit expires in each stage. Players will notice that in Target Shooting as players’ progress through the stages the difficulty level increases and the bulls eye target moves across the screen for an even greater challenge.

In Fixed Combat mode players will use the Nunchuk to navigate levels and take on enemies while using the Wii Zapper to look around and take aim. Free Movement Combat mode sees players remaining stationary but aiming in any direction as they defend attacks around 360 degrees. Multiplayer mode sees players passing the Wii Zapper around, with players taking turns as they compete for the highest score in a time limit.

A football title has landed the number 1 spot on the UK All Format Charts for a fourth straight week. Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (some might remember that it would have been known as Pro Evolution Soccer 7) debuts at the top spot in the same week as last year with somewhat lower but almost identical sales to PES 6.

PES 6 debuted on three formats (PS2, Xbox 360 and PC) with the PS2 dominating the week one sales with 73%. PES 2008 debuted on four formats (PS2, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC) with the PS2 still leading the charge although its lead is somewhat lower at 42% of week 1 sales while the Xbox 360 moves up to 30%.

EA’s FIFA 08 hangs on to the number 2 spot for a second week (+14%) after spending two weeks at the top while Sega’s Football Manager 2008 (-38%) drops to number 3 after debuting at the top of the charts last week.

Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for the Nintendo DS remains at number 4 (-11%) for a second week since its launch while THQ’s Ratatouille moves up two places to number 5 (+35%). EA’s The Orange Box moves down three places to number 6 (-40%) as Nintendo’s Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii debuts at number 7.

Microsoft’s Halo 3 (-26%) is at number 8 this week while Disney Interactive’s High School Musical: Makin’ The Cut for the Nintendo DS is this week’s highest climber, moving up nine places to number 9 (+62%). Cooking Mama from 505 Games rounds off the top ten (+35%) after 28 weeks on the chart.

Source: Chart Track

EA has announced that a new course for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

For 400 Microsoft Points golf fans can try better their handicap on the famous Doral Golf Resort Blue Monster Course. Players will be able to play both online and offline as well as post their EA Sports GamerNet clips as they navigate one of the most challenging PGA Tour courses.

Microsoft has announced that new downloadable content for RPG Blue Dragon is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace.

Pack two is titled ‘6 Treasures’ and expands game play with six handy items such as the ‘Way of the Thieves’ which allows Shu and his companions to steal rare items possessed by enemy creatures while fighting.

Also look out for Nothing Glasses, Spring Breeze Kerchief, Devee Phonograph, Whimsical Heart, Master Thief Manual and Shuffle Helmet. The pack will cost you 200 Microsoft Points.

Released in late September, package one was a difficulty package which added new game modes. The third downloadable content pack titled ‘Shuffled Dungeon’ will be available on the 16th of November and will cost 400 Microsoft Points.

In celebration of Halloween, Mutant Storm Empire is launching on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. It will be available for 800 Microsoft Points.

Enjoy the frenzy

Expect sci-fi action in Pom Pom Games latest shooter as players face the evil emperor’s gangs of robots, UFOs, aquatic monsters and enemy bosses. Players will need to master ‘Blastikkidoo,’ the art of blasting, in this sequel to Mutant Storm Reloaded that features 16 unique levels in four varied worlds.

Mutant Storm Empire boasts offline co-op, multiplayer Live support for two people as well as no load screens and twelve achievements ranging from easy to difficult.

Microsoft has released details of upcoming titles for Xbox Live Arcade. Here is a peek of some of the games that will be coming to XBLA in the next few weeks (descriptions as per Microsoft).

N+(Slick Entertainment and Metanet Software) – Play as an acrobatic ninja in this addictive action-puzzle platformer. N+ features inadvertently homicidal robots, stylish graphics, a level editor and intense multiplayer awesomeness.

Screwjumper! (THQ) – Players take the plunge in “Screwjumper!” and free-fall into the depths of the chaotic underworld as a Screwjumper, driving aliens back to their home world by destroying their precious mining equipment.

SHREK-N-ROLL (Activision) – Gamers join “Shrek,” “Fiona,” “Donkey,” “Puss in Boots” and 20 other twisted fairy tale friends in this hilarious puzzle game designed for ogres of all ages.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Underpants Slam (Nickelodeon and THQ) – In this quick and fun game, players search the kitchen of the Krusty Krab, the Flying Dutchman’s ship and the Armoury of Atlantis for 99 pairs of underpants.

Switchball (Sierra Online) – Based on real-world physics, “Switchball” is an intricate puzzle game set in a stunning 3-D world where players control an ever-changing ball along a narrow, winding course suspended in midair.

Undertow (Chair Entertainment Group) – This fast-paced action-shooter sends gamers underwater as they battle up to 16 players for control of the oceans! Players race to upgrade their units as they engage in non-stop conquest-style battles through multiple levels of combat action with some of the most stunning graphics ever seen in an Xbox LIVE Arcade title.

Word Puzzle (InterServ International) – The classic pen-and-paper word search game is brought to a new level of excitement on Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360, complete with combos, high-score achievements and the ability to compete against others online.

Nintendo of America today added three new spooky games to the Wii Shop Channel in anticipation of Halloween.

This week’s new games are (descriptions as per Nintendo):

Castlevania II Simon’s Quest (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points): In this one-player adventure, you’ll take on the role of Simon Belmont once again and duel to the death with Count Dracula. Grab your legendary whip, Vampire Killer, and roam freely through Transylvania on a quest to find the count’s missing body parts-these are the key to breaking an evil curse. This quest won’t be easy, though, for you must battle hideous fiends who stalk the land. In addition to the intense action and tight control the Castlevania series is known for, this sequel also introduced several unique game-play elements into the fold. Build experience the longer you play, buy weapons and items from merchants, or talk with villagers to get clues (some of which are false). Watch as day turns to night and then back again. Take a deep breath, steady your nerves, and help Simon end his curse and defeat the count once and for all.

SAMURAI-GHOST (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): This action platformer features a samurai ghost from the depths of the underworld. In a past war, Kagekiyo managed to defeat the shogun Yoritomo and his clan. However, their evil spirits were not completely destroyed, and now, in the world known as Dark Side, they seek the time of their rebirth. In order to shatter those ambitions, Kagekiyo must make his way across seven zones and head for “The Heart of the Darkside” where Yoritomo lies in wait. Use spirit weapons to power up your sword, or other items, such as candles to recover health, and defeat the endless hordes of enemies. Each zone is not only protected by a boss but also includes demons as well as real samurai from 12th-century Japan. Get ready for some intense one-on-one combat action.

MAGICIAN LORD (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1990 and regarded as one of the NEOGEO’s earliest signature games, this side-scrolling platformer mixes action with the mystical world of fantasy. A magician named Elta, last descendant of the famed Magician Lord, takes on an epic adventure to save the world from the evil Gul-Agieze. Elta must battle through eight stages, collecting the eight tomes of power that are key to defeating Gul-Agieze and his evil plans. By obtaining orbs in one of three colors (elements) that appear during the game, Elta’s offensive powers and jumping abilities can be strengthened. The effect varies considerably depending on the combination of elements, though, and Elta can transform into six different forms: Waterman, Dragon Warrior, Shinobi, Samurai, Raijin or Poseidon. Can you help Elta to become the new Magician Lord?

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced the final song list for the upcoming music game Rock Band. Rock Band features the most master recordings of any music game, including 58 tracks from top artists such as Rolling Stones, Metallica, The Police, Foo Fighters and Radiohead and spans various genres ranging from alternative to classic rock to heavy metal and punk.

Rock Band features multiple instruments and challenges players to master the lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals. The game features different online and offline game modes where players can choose to rock cooperatively as a band or individually as solo artists.

Rock Band is scheduled to be released on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PS2 in the first quarter of 2008 in Europe. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game will hit North American shelves on the 20th of November with the PS2 version following on the 18th of December. Check this out for more information about RockBand.com.

Cross section of music from four decades

“Our goal with Rock Band was to give players the chance to experience an amazing cross section of music from the last four decades, and our final list of tracks includes everything from emerging bands to iconic artists,“ stated Paul DeGooyer, MTV’s Senior Vice President of Home Entertainment, Music and Games. “The overwhelmingly positive response from artists, music publishers and record labels made the final selection process challenging, but extremely exciting. As a result, 51 out of 58 of the final selections are based on original masters, giving fans an unprecedented way to get closer to the music they love.”

Eric Brosius, Harmonix audio lead stated, “Now that the disc track list is locked and Rock Band is being prepped for manufacture, we are working with our music partners to set an exciting download schedule, both for launch and beyond. Through DLC, players will have the ability to take a deeper dive into the music of the artists featured on the Rock Band disc, or further explore different genres of rock or additional bands if they choose.”

Set List

The Rock Band set list is listed below. The game will feature the 45 tracks listed below as well as 13 songs ranging from various established bands to up-and-coming independent artists that can be unlocked.

1960s

Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”

1970s

Aerosmith “Train Kept a Rollin’”*

The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

Boston “Foreplay/Long Time”

Mountain “Mississippi Queen”*

The Police “Next to You”

David Bowie “Suffragette City”

Black Sabbath “Paranoid”*

Blue Oyster Cult “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop”

Deep Purple “Highway Star”

KISS “Detroit Rock City”

Molly Hatchet “Flirtin’ With Disaster”

The Outlaws “Green Grass & High Tides”*

Sweet “Ballroom Blitz”*

1980s

Rush “Tom Sawyer”*

Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead or Alive”

The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go”

Faith No More “Epic”

R.E.M. “Orange Crush”

Iron Maiden “Run to the Hills”*

1990s

Foo Fighters “Learn to Fly”

Metallica “Enter Sandman”

Nirvana “In Bloom”

Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”

Weezer “Say It Ain’t So”

Smashing Pumpkins “Cherub Rock”

Radiohead “Creep”

Beastie Boys “Sabotage”

Hole “Celebrity Skin”

Garbage “I Think I’m Paranoid”

Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun”

2000s

The Hives “Main Offender”

Queens of the Stone Age “Go With the Flow”

The Strokes “Reptilia”

Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”

OK Go “Here It Goes Again”

Nine Inch Nails “The Hand That Feeds”

Pixies “Wave of Mutilation”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps”

Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California”

Coheed & Cambria “Welcome Home”

Fallout Boy “Dead on Arrival”

The Killers “When You Were Young”

New Pornographers “Electric Version”

* Indicates a cover song, all others songs are original master recordings

The PS2 celebrated its seventh year anniversary this past Friday and SCEA toasted its success with the announcement that 120 million PS2s have been sold worldwide since the console’s launch in North America on the 26th of October 2000. The console hit Japanese shelves in March that year, followed by Europe and the UK in November.

In addition more than a billion PS2 software units have been sold worldwide, earning the PS2 the prestigious title of the best-selling gaming platform every released. The PS2’s success story is testament to Sony’s commitment to a 10 year product lifestyle as well as testament to this console’s design and technology. The original Xbox’s 24 million units and the GameCube’s 22 million units pale in comparison.

To infinity and beyond

“While today’s anniversary celebrates PlayStation 2’s past, we’re very excited for its future,” said Jack Tretton, President and Chief Executive Officer for SCEA. “We look forward to the platform’s continued growth and expect to sell approximately 12 million units worldwide by the end of March, leading us to anticipate that PlayStation 2’s lifecycle will exceed that of the original PlayStation. Never before has an in-home game system experienced this type of worldwide success on such a long-lasting scale.”

It is clear that Sony have not yet thrown in the towel for this popular console just yet as they plan to release over 160 software titles in North America for the PS2 as well as a new limited edition hardware mode. Such titles include Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, High School Musical: Sing It, Madden NFL 08, Manhunt 2, NBA ’08, Rock Band, and Buzz.

North American gamers can look forward to the release of a limited edition Ceramic White PS2 bundled with SingStar Pop and two USB microphones. Expected to hit the shelves as early as the 4th of November, this bundle will sell for $149.99.

The latest news from the Super Smash Bros. camp is that Brawl fans can look forward to a Stage Builder.

That’s right folks, you can create your own stages by selecting the initialize setting before choosing details including the stage size and background pattern as well as music from songs you have available. Players can then move on to the edit screen where they can choose parts from the palette on the side before placing them in the field. Players will be able to flip parts left to right, enlarge or shrink parts, zoom in or out on the screen, swap palettes and erase.

Fun of sharing

After creating the stage, placing terrain wherever you choose and modifying it to perfection, players can test the stage before saving a name and comment for the stage. The save screen enables you to change the music.

Brawl fans will be happy to know that the stage builder is compatible with SD cards so size is not important here and you can make stages to your hearts content. In addition players can send these custom stages to people registered as both a Wii Friend and a Smash friend so you can share the love!

A Stage a day…

And just when you thought the good stuff had ended, Masahiro Sakurai also announced that players can use their Wi-Fi connection to send their stages to Nintendo. However, he does ask that you do so ‘maybe just once per day’ and points out that you cannot submit repeatedly. Nintendo will then choose one stage from the entire daily collection which will be sent to your Wii once a day.

Sakurai commented “That’s the shocking truth. This means you’ll be able to experience a new stage every day—the flavor of the day, if you will. However, the plan is for that stage to vanish once one day has passed. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.”

Players can submit stages in the Snapshots mode as well as the Stage Builder mode. Sakurai closes by saying “This is our ideal current plan. We still don’t know the exact service period. And future tuning may result in changes to the spec.”

Rest easy Smash fans, rest easy.

Head over to the official Super Smash Bros. Brawl website for more details.