Sony today updated the PlayStation 3's online PlayStation Store with a smattering of games and trailers. On the game front are Sumo Digital's tilt controlled duck-centric Super Rub A Dub--available in both free demo and $6.99 full version form--and Sony Online Entertainment's $4.99 port of Midway's classic dungeon crawler Gauntlet II.

Following the system's newfound support of downloadable PlayStation games, 10 of the $5.99 PlayStation titles on the service were updated to be playable on the PS3: 2Xtreme, Crash Bandicoot, Destruction Derby, Jet Moto, Jumping Flash, MediEvil, Rally Cross, Syphon Filter, Tekken 2 and WipeOut. Those who previously bought said PlayStation games though the PlayStation Store can download an updated version for free.

As for trailers, PS3 owners will find glimpses of Housemarque's Super Stardust HD, SOE's version of Midway's Rampart, and Midway's BlackSite: Area 51, along with the theatrical trailer for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End feature film.

According to reports from the PlayStation.com forums, the North American closed beta test for SCEE's Home began today. Of the small number of PlayStation 3 owners who received an e-mail about the beta in April, the select few chosen to participate will find the Home beta client available for download from the PlayStation Store.

Publisher LucasArts and developer Day 1 Studios have announced Fracture, a sci-fi shooter focused on terrain deformation. Set for release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 during the summer of 2008, Fracture allows players to modify the landscape with their arsenal of weapons. For example, a tectonic grenade creates a towering pillar of rock, which can then be used for puzzle solving. Another example sees a stray rocket launcher blast resulting in a gaping crater, reminiscent of Volition's Red Faction series.

"LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience, and that's exactly what Fracture delivers," said LucasArts VP of product development Peter Hirschmann. "Day 1 Studios has done a phenomenal job of creating true next-gen tech that not only dazzles on a visual level but also serves as a core gameplay mechanic. Unlike many other next-gen games on the market, Fracture simply isn’t possible in the previous generation of consoles."

Nine screenshots and a trailer of the game can be found at the official website.

In celebration of feature film Tron's 25th anniversary, classic arcade games Tron and Discs of Tron are headed to Xbox Live Arcade care of developer Backbone Charlottetown and publisher Disney Interactive Studios. As with most classic Xbox Live Arcade releases, both will feature enhanced graphics and audio as well as the original assets and online multiplayer.

Originally released in 1982, Tron contains four mini-games based off the movie: tank battles, light cycle racing, a duel with the Master Control Program and grid bug extermination. Discs of Tron followed in 1983, building upon the Pong-like life-or-derez sport also glimpsed in the film.

Rated E for Everyone, both Tron and Discs of Tron are slated for release on Xbox Live Arcade this summer.

System 3's update of Dennis Caswell's beloved Commodore 64 platformer Impossible Mission will be the first original game on the Wii Shop Channel, Nintendo UK has confirmed. As in the the original, the remake has players avoiding deadly robots as they search through Professor Elvin Atombender's randomly generated fortress for the password pieces that will put a stop to his evil plan. As is the case with most modern remakes, the original version of the game will be included as well.

The System 3 edition of Impossible Mission is planned for a summer release on PlayStation 2, Wii, DS and PSP.

Publisher 2K Sports sent along word that St. Louis Cardinals All-Start first baseman and power hitter Albert Pujols will adorn the cover of Blue Castle Games' upcoming "over-the-top baseball action title" The BIGS. Formally announced last October, The BIGS is set to appear on PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PSP later this summer.

Insomniac Games has posted the fifth episode of its Full Moon Show podcast. Discussed in this edition are Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (PS3) production updates, the current happenings of the Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3) online community, an "I Want Your Job!" interview with Insomniac screenwriter TJ Fixman, and a segment with Old Grandma Hardcore.

Speaking to Gamasutra, Julian Eggebrecht of Lair (PS3) developer Factor 5 indicated that the independent studio is doing concept work on a new entry in the classic Turrican series of sidescrolling action games. "We've been concepting quite a bit internally," said Eggebrecht. "That's another universe creation thing. I was looking at Metroid Prime's reinventing of a franchise that had been out there for quite awhile, and we're facing the same thing with Turrican."

Factor 5 was responsible for the Amiga ports of Manfred Trenz's original Commodore 64 games Turrican and Turrican 2. The company then fully developed a Genesis game in the series, Mega Turrican (Turrican 3 on Amiga), and two Super Nintendo games, Super Turrican and Super Turrican 2.

During its Nintendo 64 era, Factor 5 was developing a spiritual successor to the Turrican series, entitled Thornado. Development of the reportedly ambitious game was eventually moved to GameCube but was officially cancelled.

"There's aspects of the old games where people will feel betrayed if we don't transform them into the next generation," said Eggebrecht in this week's interview. "On the other hand, there's other stuff which is simply cheesy, let's face it. I don't think gamers will accept those things anymore. It's a fine line to balance."

Eggebrecht did not give any indication of a target platform for the potential new Turrican game, though on many occasions--including this Gamasutra interview--he has spoken very positively on the PlayStation 3's SPU-based architecture.

Following constant rumors and essentially official statements regarding a PSP version of SCE Santa Monica's God of War franchise, SCEA has launched an official site for the game, whose title has been confirmed as God of War: Chains of Olympus. Currently, the site contains only an offer to obtain a free "special edition demo" of the game delivered by mail on UMD for PSP. There is no indication as to when the demos will be sent out or how many are available.

Though the official site hosts no screenshots or videos, a short trailer has surfaced on the internets, consisting of cutscene and gameplay footage. It reconfirms that the developer on the project is Ready at Dawn Studios, which created last year's Jak & Daxter followup Daxter for PSP.

Prior to the release of Realtime Worlds' superpower-tinged action game Crackdown, the studio promised downloadable content for the game but declined to elaborate as to the nature of that content. Today, a community manager at the official Crackdown forums gave the first visual hint as to the contents of the...content, which apparently includes "a new game type and a new type of vehicle." Depicted in the screenshot are four gun-equipped dune buggy-like vehicles, one of which is awkwardly situated on top of another.

According to the forum post, the content will be delivered "soon." There was no word on whether it would fill in Crackdown's 100 missing Achievement points.

During the keynote in which Phil Harrison formally announced PlayStation Home, the executive revealed Media Molecule's PlayStation 3 effort, LittleBigPlanet. Mixing a cute aesthetic with physics-based gameplay, the game inspires both cooperative and competitive behavior as players navigate user-created challenges. Set to release in early 2008, a demo will be available later this fall. For more on LittleBigPlanet, check out our preview, screenshots and video.

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule got its start following the success of Rag Doll Kung-Fu (PC), released via Steam in October 2005. As reported in December 2005, Mark Healey, who had developed the game mostly in his free time, announced he had left his position at Lionhead Studios to form an independent development studio. Joining Healey in his endeavor were fellow Rag Doll Kung Fu developer Alex Evans and Dave Smith.

Harrison also announced the PlayStation 3 edition of SCEE London Studio's SingStar would hit Europe in early June, with a North American release in the fall.

Newly-formed studio Renegade Kid unveiled their initial project, a first person shooter for the Nintendo DS titled The Ward. Calling to mind the spooky atmosphere of Konami and Team Silent's Silent Hill, the game begins as the main character awakens in an abandoned hospital full of grisly trimmings. A dynamic real-time flashlight, controlled via the touch screen, can only illuminate one portion of an area at a time, adding to the tension.

Renegade Kid is currently seeking a publisher for the project, which will hopefully release in the fall. The studio also released screenshots with today's announcement.

Sony Computer Entertainment today announced plans to share first-party development libraries with all PlayStation 3 developers. Revealed during the company's keynote address at the Game Developers Conference, the development suite is known as PlayStation Edge. SCE Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison expressed hope that the Edge program would streamline development for third parties and allow them to take full advantage of the PS3's RSX GPU and Cell processor.

The latest media for Sega Sammy's upcoming Jissen Pachinko/Pachislot Hisshouhou! Sammy's Collection Hokuto no Ken (Wii) revealed a pleasant surprise in the form of Mii support. Though Nintendo-developed titles such as Wii Sports have employed the user-created Miis since the system's launch, this represents the first instance of a third-party developer implementing the abstract avatars. As pachinko titles traditionally do not perform well in North America, a domestic release of the game is unlikely, but this bodes well for Mii support in future third-party games.

Following today's unveiling of PlayStation Home, Sony released several sets of screenshots illustrating various aspects of the online social environment coupled with mandatory descriptive captions.

- Character Customization: "Each person can customize their clothes and facial characteristics, with millions of potential combinations."
- Games Space: "The Games Space is where you can meet and relax with your friends with free casual games such as bowling, pool and retro arcade games."
- Basic Apartment/Luxury Apartment: "Your Home Space is your private apartment where you can invite your friends and family. Your free, initial apartment can be decorated and upgraded to the height of luxury with furniture, accessories, pictures and videos from your own collection."
- Virtual PSP: "Your Virtual PSP gives you access to all the navigation, features and options of Home."
- Lobby: "Both game and non-game brands can strengthen their user communities in Home by custom building their own spaces."
- Central Lounge: "The Central Lounge is the large social meeting space and is your initial starting point in Home. Communication is key in Home, and there are many simple ways to get to know people. Emotes are animations that get your point across fast. You can access short phrases using Quick Write, or if you have something big to say you can type with a Virtual or USB keyboard, or talk with a Bluetooth headset."
- Hall of Fame: "The Hall of Fame is the space where your game accomplishments are stored as 3D Trophies and video for public and private display."
- Home Theatre: "The Home Theatre is a shared viewing area for the latest trailers, films and user-created content."

Sega is currently running a poll on its site asking visitors which franchises they would like to see return. Choices include NiGHTS, Streets of Rage, Samba de Amigo, Flicky, and Virtua Cop.

GameSpot highlights excerpts from Koji Kondo's GDC session, in which the composer of Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda fame discusses the elements behind his work.

In recent weeks, internet denizens noticed a now-removed product page on EBGames.com/GameStop for an Xbox 360 game entitled Battlestar Galactica Online--likely a working title--published by Vivendi Games. Based on that title, as well as the current popularity of the massively multiplayer genre among publishers, many speculated the game is an MMO. Multiple sites have reported the product listing, though definitive details, or even confirmation, from Vivendi seems to be lacking.

Shacknews contacted Vivendi for comment on the matter, and received neither a confirmation nor a denial. A company representative referred to the product page as "not accurate" and stated that Vivendi has nothing to announce at this time, but stopped short of denouncing the rumor. Vivendi is known to have a Battlestar Galactica game in development for Xbox Live Arcade, so it is quite likely that the company's video game rights to the property extend to full retail releases. Presumably, the company is working with the rights to the current Sci-Fi remake of the series rather than the original 1978 series, but as Vivendi has yet to officially comment on the matter, that has not been confirmed.

According to the removed retail page, Battlestar Galactica Online is set for release in October 2007, but it should be noted that retailer release dates are very rarely accurate months in advance.

In a move that is becoming less rare by the week, two more well known industry figures have left their long time development studio. Chris and Tim Stamper, the fraternal founders of legendary UK-based Rare, have left the company they founded in the age-old pursuit of "other opportunities" and "future endeavors." According to a 1UP report, the pair left Rare late last year. They will be succeeded by long time Rare veterans Mark Betteridge and Gregg Mayles, who will assume the respective roles of Studio Director and Creative Director.

The Stampers are not the first notable departures from Rare; during development of Perfect Dark, key members of the Perfect Dark team left to found Free Radical Design, best known for its TimeSplitters series of first person shooters.

Rare--which has also gone by monikers such as Ultimate Play the Game and Ashy Computer Graphics over the years--was founded by the Stampers in 1982, and after a few years of developing for computer systems such as the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64, the company began focusing on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It produced dozens of games for the system, but hit its stride on the Super NES with its well known Donkey Kong Country series. Soon after, Nintendo invested significantly in the studio, and it became an exclusive second-party developer for Nintendo consoles. On Nintendo 64, Rare developed acclaimed games such as GoldenEye, Perfect Dark, Jet Force Gemini, Blast Corps, and Conker's Bad Fur Day. About a year into the life of the GameCube, on which Rare had released Star Fox Adventures, it was revealed that Microsoft had acquired Rare and Nintendo had divested its stock in the company. Microsoft was reported to have paid some $377M in the deal, a record sum for a game development studio. On Xbox, Rare released Grabbed by the Ghoulies and the Bad Fur Day remake Conker: Live & Reloaded. It delivered two launch titles for Xbox 360, Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power, and recently released Viva Pinata. Since its acquisition by Microsoft, Rare has continued to develop games for Nintendo portable systems, which have been published by THQ. The company is known to be working on a new entry in its Banjo-Kazooie series of platformers.

According to 1UP's report, the departures are unrelated to Viva Pinatas' sales performance, which has been lackluster despite the game's strong critical reception. "Chris and Tim have helped shape Rare into the world-renowned development studio that is it today and their impact on the videogame industry as a whole is well known," said a Microsoft representative. "They are simply leaving to pursue other opportunities and we wish them luck in their future endeavors." It is unclear if the Stampers plan to continue working within the games industry.

According to GamePro.com, the February 2007 issue of the GamePro print publication contains an advertisement for Real Time Worlds' upcoming Crackdown informing readers that "specially marked boxes" of the upcoming game "[include] invitation to Halo 3 multiplayer beta." Last year, Microsoft announced the beta program, which is still accepting applications at Halo3.com and which is said not to be operating on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Microsoft-published Crackdown is set for release in February 2007.

Though the latest full sales data has not yet been released, CNBC has reported on market research firm IDC's preliminary numbers for United States sales of the three current generation consoles over the 2006 holiday season.

Xbox 360 took the lead, undoubtedly due to a fleshed out game lineup and plentiful supply, selling 2 million units in November and December. Somewhat surprisingly, Nintendo's Wii was close behind, moving 1.8 million units in that same time frame despite not being released until November 19. Supply constraints continue to plague the console, however. Finally, PlayStation 3, which was known to be the most supply limited of the three machines, sold 750,000 units. Like Wii, only about five weeks of sales are represented, as the machine launched on November 17.

Along with today's holiday season home console sales figures, the top ten selling games of 2006 were revealed courtesy of USA Today. The games were spread across only three platforms--PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS--with PS2 titles making up fully half of the chart. Two editions of EA Tiburon's Madden 07 (and one of NCAA Football 07) made the list, with Madden 07 for PS2 taking #1, giving Electronic Arts the biggest presence. EA was followed by Square Enix with two games--Kingdom Hearts II (PS2) at #3 and Final Fantasy XII (PS2) at #6--and Nintendo also with two games--New Super Mario Bros. (NDS) at #2 and Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (NDS) at #10. Other notable entries included Epic's Gears of War at #4 and Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (X360) at #5. The list is as follows, with developer and publisher included after game titles:

#1: Madden NFL 07 (PS2), EA Tiburon/EA Sports
#2: New Super Mario Bros. (NDS), Nintendo/Nintendo
#3: Kingdom Hearts II (PS2), Square Enix/Square Enix
#4: Gears of War (X360), Epic/Microsoft
#5: Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (X360), Ubisoft Paris/Ubisoft
#6: Final Fantasy XII (PS2), Square Enix/Square Enix
#7: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (PS2), Rockstar Leeds/Rockstar Games
#8: NCAA Football 07 (PS2), EA Tiburon/EA Sports
#9: Madden NFL 07 (X360), EA Tiburon/EA Sports
#10: Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! (NDS), Nintendo/Nintendo

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts held its annual video game award ceremony this week, awarding honors to seventeen games in categories such as Innovation, Artistic Achievement, Character, and others, as well as an additional "Gamers' Award" selected by readers of publication The Sun. This year, Ubisoft Paris' Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (PS2, Xbox, X360, PC) took the highest prize of Best Game, as well as another win for Technical Achievement. It was nominated in a total of eight categories including, somewhat surprisingly, Strategy. Ubisoft celebrated the win with a press release headlined, "Ghost Recon is Officially the Best Game."

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe was the strongest publisher represented at the show, picking up a total of five wins from 19 nominations for games such as LocoRoco (PSP), Shadow of the Colossus (PS2), SingStar Rocks! (PS2), and Buzz!: The BIG Quiz (PS2). Notably, SCEI's Shadow of the Colossus won both Artistic Achievement and Action & Adventure. Nintendo grabbed 10 nominations; of those, it scored two awards, Innovation for Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain? (NDS). Ubisoft was next with eight nomations, every single one for Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter. Electronic Arts tied with eight nods, winning Sports with EA Chicago's Fight Night Round 3 (PS2, Xbox, X360, PSP).

Other notable wins included a deserving Screenplay award for Double Fine's Psychonauts (PS2, Xbox, PC) and a perhaps unexpected Gameplay award for Traveller's Tales' LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (PS2, Xbox, GCN, X360, NDS, PSP, GBA, PC).

The full list of nominees and winners is available here.

Speaking to Reuters yesterday, Ubisoft's North American head Laurent Detoc expressed his company's desire to climb to the top of the video game publishing heap. "Our goal is not to sell to EA but to beat EA," said Detoc. Electronic Arts is currently the world's most successful video game publisher; Ubisoft holds the #4 slot worldwide and #5 in North America. In 2004, EA purchased a 19.9% stake in Ubisoft, an action Ubisoft considered hostile. Detoc's statement this week is more confident than statements made last year by Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, who admitted that "it would be difficult to block" a full scale hostile takeover attempt by EA.

Part of Detoc's enthusiasm comes from Ubisoft's early investment in Wii development, which is seeing the company release more launch titles for the system than even Nintendo's own first party development, and puts it leagues ahead other third party publishers which have only more recently begun stepping up Wii support. Speaking on the controller, Detoc explained, "You get it right away" when picking it up for the first time. "The Wii is unlikely not to succeed," he continued. "The curiosity factor is going to help [Nintendo] and it's an impulse buy for most people." Detoc hopes that Ubisoft Paris' upcoming launch title Red Steel (Wii) can achieve a similar reception to Rare's bestselling GoldenEye 007 (N64).

One of the most common rumors about any video game console is that a price cut is coming any day now, and PSP has been getting its own share of such rumors recently. However, according to a Reuters report sourced from Sony representatives, Sony's portable system won't be getting one this year. Sony is currently selling the machine in its standard $250 package, as well as at a $200 price point which does not include pack-in items. Sony is banking on the system's library of games, which will have grown to about 230 by year end, to move units.

Publisher Groove Games, which has released titles such as Digital Extremes' Pariah (PS2, Xbox, PC) and Cyberlore's Playboy: The Mansion (PS2, Xbox, PC), has announced the formation of its new fully-owned flagship development studio. Bedlam, based out of Toronto, will develop games for next-generation consoles that are based on original intellectual property. Bedlam's in-house talent hails from studios such as EA Canada, Ubisoft, and Rockstar, with credits on games such as Silent Hill, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Manhunt, The Warriors, and others. "At Bedlam, we promote creativity and empower our employees to take daring new strides when designing games," said director of game development Zandro Chan. "The growing team brings triple-A development experience to the table, and we look forward to releasing details about our first project shortly." No information regarding any of the team's projects has yet been announced.

EA Sports games on Xbox 360, like many other titles on the system, have long featured downloadable gamer pics and themes available for purchase via Xbox Live Marketplace. Now, EA plans to start offering more practical content for sale on Marketplace, including in-game content and strategy guides. Today, content for EA Tiburon's Madden NFL 07 and NCAA Football 07 went live.

Four Madden video strategy guides are on sale, each available for 160 Microsoft Points ($2). The four guides are dedicated to passing, running, pass defense, and run defense; they are available in 720p. Similarly, there are four video guides available for NCAA at the same price, focusing on the same subjects as the Madden guides. Classic stadiums of the former LA Rams and the Seattle Seahawks are also available to purchase for Madden at 300 Microsoft Points ($3.75) each.

Both IGN and GameSpot have interviews with EA VP of online commerce Chip Lange, discussing EA's plans for purchasable game content. The company promises that it will bring more content for further games, with examples such as classic jerseys for Madden and NCAA, or courses and pro shop items for Tiger Woods PGA Tour.

Eidos has revealed a new action game for PSP from developer Deadline Games. Entitled Chili Con Carnage, the game puts players in the role of Ramiro Cruz, who must avenge his father's death by exacting a particularly extreme brand of mayhem on drug lord Cesar Morales and his cronies. It will also include a local wireless multiplayer feature of some kind. The game appears to be a port of last year's Total Overdose: A Gunslinger's Tale in Mexico (PS2, Xbox, PC), as it features the same main character and storyline, and is made by the same development team. Eidos also used the phrase "Chili Con Carnage" as a marketing tagline for Total Overdose. Oddly enough, today's announcement made no reference to that game. - Screenshots.

"The blend of exaggerated over-the-top action, diverse environments and comedy make Chili Con Carnage the best choice for a PSP action game," said Eidos associate marketing manager Mike Schmitt. "The variety of game modes allows the game to be accessible to a wide variety of gamers, allowing them to enjoy both a single player and multiplayer portable experience."

Deadline Games' Chili Con Carnage is set to ship in spring 2007.

Citing "retail reports out of Japan," IGN is reporting that Sony Computer Entertainment's series survival horror series Siren will be getting a third entry. The Siren development team had been recently ramping up staff for next generation development, suggesting another game in the franchise. Those speculations were confirmed with this current news.

The original Siren was released in North America in 2004, but its sequel shipped only in Japan and Europe. No details or release estimates were revealed regarding this upcoming Siren title.

IGN has a breakdown of the latest installment of "Iwata Asks," a series of interviews published by Nintendo between company president Satoru Iwata and the core development team on the Wii console. In an article overloaded with the words "Wii" and "Mii," IGN's summary has exceprts detailing the system's Wii Parade, an online community inhabited by the Mii caricature characters created by owners of the system.

Microsoft has released a playable demo of EA Black Box's Need for Speed Carbon for Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Marketplace. The free demo is a monstrous 1.06GB, and offers a sample of the game's autosculpt customization feature as well as the chance to try out Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 1X MR Edition, Chevrolet Camaro SS, and Lamborghini Gallardo in various game types.

After having released the free F.E.A.R. Combat for PC, Vivendi also announced today that Monolith's full F.E.A.R. game will be coming to PlayStation 3. In May, the publisher announced that the well received shooter is also heading to Xbox 360. As with that version of the game, the PS3 port is being developed by Day 1 Studios. Vivendi sent along some screenshots of the PS3 build.

According to today's announcement, the game will ship in November of this year, though the press release stopped short of claiming that the game would launch alongside PlayStation 3 on November 17.

Ubisoft today announced that it has entered a long term licensing agreement with Star Wars video game licensor LucasArts. Though the full details of the deal were not disclosed, Ubisoft did reveal the first game under the agreement. Star Wars: Lethal Alliance is being developed by Ubisoft Casablanca for Nintendo DS and Ubisoft Montreal for PSP. Set between the events of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and the original Star Wars film, players take the roles of both the acrobatic Twi'lek Rianna Saren and the defense-oriented security droid Zeeo. Saren and Zeeo, in the service of the Rebel Alliance, must discover the Death Star and inform the Alliance. Presumably, they will not die to bring them that information.

Chief creative officer Serge Hascoet stated that the games will "take full advantage of the unique capabilities of both the PSP system and the DS," though the announcement did not elaborate on how they would do so. - Screenshots (PSP).

Ubisoft Casablanca and Montreal's Star Wars: Lethal Alliance is set to launch in December 2006 for Nintendo DS and PSP.

Veteran UK developer System 3 has announced that it has acquired the rights to the Epyx brand and game library, which consists of Commodore 64 classics such as Impossible Mission and California games. With its new acquisitions, System 3 will be developing visually revamped (but mechanically unchanged) versions of several Epyx titles, bringing them to Nintendo DS, PSP, and Wii. The currently announced lineup is as follows:

- California Games (NDS, PSP), May 2007
- California Games (Wii), June 2007
- Gottlieb Pinball Classics (Wii), November 2007
- Impossible Mission (NDS, PSP), January 2007
- Impossible Mission (Wii), February 2007
- Last Ninja trilogy compilation (NDS, PSP), April 2007
- Leaderboard (Wii), November 2006
- Super Fruitfall (Wii, NDS, PSP), Q4 2006

Several of the games will be published by Play It!; others do not yet have a publisher announced.

Namco Bandai Games today announced that NanaOn-Sha is developing a sequel to its shopkeeping sim Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop (NDS). Unsurprisingly titled Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2, the game will allow players to run a dozen different types of businesses, including bowling alleys, sushi bars, flower shops, and concert halls. The game will support local wireless for item trading and two-person multiplayer, and will also allow players to exchange screenshots. Amusingly, the DS microphone can be used to sing along at in-game concerts. - Screenshots.

NanaOn-Sha's Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 2 is set to release for Nintendo DS in winter 2006.

Today, Sega released the fact sheet for its recently announced Sega Genesis Collection, and included in the feature list was a full confirmation of all 28 games. They are as follows:

- Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle
- Altered Beast
- Bonanza Bros.
- Columns
- Comix Zone
- Decap Attack starring Chuck D. Head
- Ecco the Dolphin
- Ecco II: The Tides of Time
- Ecco Jr.
- Kid Chameleon
- Flicky
- Gain Ground
- Golden Axe I
- Golden Axe II
- Golden Axe III
- Phantasy Star II
- Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom
- Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium
- Ristar
- Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi
- Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Super Thunder Blade
- Sword of Vermilion
- Vectorman
- Vectorman 2
- Virtua Fighter 2

Sega Genesis Collection is slated to ship for PlayStation 2 and PSP this holiday season.

Sega today announced its lineup for Leipzig's upcoming Games Convention, running from August 23, 2006 to August 27, 2006. The list consists of games spanning nearly every current- and next-gen platform. Oddly, though there was no explanation offered in the press release, it seems that the upcoming Sonic Wild Fire for Wii has received a name change to the rather uninspiring Sonic and the Secret Rings. (Personally, I seem to remember those rings being pretty out in the open in most of the Sonic games I've played.) The complete lineup is as follows:

- The Creative Assembly's Medieval II: Total War (PC)
- Sonic Team's Sonic The Hedgehog (PS3, X360)
- Sonic Team's Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii)
- Amusement Vision's Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz (Wii)
- Sega AM3's Virtua Tennis 3 (Xbox 360, PS3)
- Sega Driving Studio's Sega Rally (PS3, X360, PC)
- Amusement Vision's Yakuza (PS2)
- Sonic Team and Total Entertainment's Phantasy Star Universe (PS2, X360, PC)
- Pseudo Interactive's Full Auto 2: Battlelines (PS3)
- Backbone's Charlotte's Web (NDS, GBA, PC)
- Backbone's Sonic Rivals (PSP)

According to SCEA's official site, Game Republic's upcoming historical giant crab battle simulator set in ancient Japan, announced simply as Genji 2, has been renamed Genji: Days of the Blade. The game is currently set to launch alongside PlayStation 3 on November 17, 2006.

Shacker -mu- sends word about his website The Rabbit Snare, on which he posts personally translated interviews with gaming industry notables from Japan. So far, he's translated pieces on Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, Katamari Damacy designer Keita Takahashi, Okami director Hideki Kamiya and producer Atsushi Inaba, and Ico and Shadow of the Colossus director Fumito Ueda and producer Kenji Kaida, as well as other assorted tidbits.

IGN has an interview with Red Steel (Wii) artistic director Stephane Bachelet, speaking on the visual style and atmosphere of the upcoming shooter.