Since there won't be a Late Night Consoling tonight as usual, I'd figure I would mention Gamespy has an interview with Sega about the Xbox game Jet Set Radio Future. They talk about all the new things, improvements, etc. Yesterday Electric Playground posted an interview as well.

So last night I finished up Shenmue II. Boy did I like it...in many ways this game delivers on the promise of the series. It's a vastly superior game to the first one, and dwarfs it in both size and scope. Look for my ShackReview soon. I'm not against the Xbox version, of course...I can't wait to see if they add anything to take advantage of the new hardware (I'm not holding my breath though). What I do dislike about it, is that it means AM2 is currently working on an Xbox port of Shenmue II, instead of concentrating themselves to cranking out Shenmue III this year. Hopefully this won't delay part three too long. Of course, with Shenmue II behind me, I'm now ready to move on to something else...on the console front, I've got Kessen II, Final Fantasy X and the rest of Grand Theft Auto 3, while over on the PC, I've got Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Soul Reaver and Anachronox. Anyone have any advice?

• Square has announced that Final Fantasy XI will be released on April 27th in Japan. The $50 price tag gets you two months of access, after which you'll have to pay roughly $3.75 a month to play.
• Spoilers be damned...if you want an advance look at Xenosaga, Gamersquare has posted the game's intro movie in its entirety along with a look at the opening battle sequence (thanks The GIA, who apparently can't get enough Gitaroo Man!).
• We've seen what the Xbox one will look like, but here's a glimpse at The Lord of the Rings for Game Boy Advance. It's a single-player RPG (there are others on GBA?) and it looks pretty good.
• Some kid in Japan was caught trying to steal Xbox accessories. Apparently nobody told him the system doesn't need a memory card.
• Much like their PSOne program, Sony has announced a new "Greatest Hits" line of lower-priced PS2 games. The first batch includes Twisted Metal: Black and Grand Turismo 3.
• Konami sends along word that they have shipped Zone of the Enders: The Fist of Mars for Game Boy Advance. Here's a bunch of screenshots.
• Game design guru Shigeru Miyamoto has been talking about his design philosophy again...as usual, he's emphasizing content over style. He also says there will be several new GameCube announcements at E3 (like we needed confirmation about that).

Console Game of the Evening: Fantasy Zone for the Sega Master System. This oddball game seems to be one of those Sega franchises that will never come back (aside from collectible toys in Shenmue, that is). It's a shame, because it's a really fun and visually unique game.

So by now chances are you've read my earlier story, which reports on Microsoft's decision to region-encode the Xbox after-all. I'm terribly disappointed by this...I don't doubt for a second that people will find a way around it, but I hate mod chips. Unfortunately, for every person who wants to chip their system to play legitimately purchased games from other regions, there are two or three who want to use it to play "backups" or pirated games. I don't like supporting these companies, which is why I usually wait a long time in the hopes that a simple system becomes available that doesn't cater to that market, such as the Dreamcast boot-CD or the ST-Key for Saturn. So despite what we had originally hoped, the most region-friendly company out there right now is Nintendo, whose Game Boy systems have never had region-encoding, and whose GameCube has the most half-assed region lockout ever created (it's literally a single circuit - on or off for each region).

• Of course, all this griping might be for no reason...Microsoft sold less than half of their initial Japanese Xbox shipment. To be fair, this isn't the holiday season...the real test will come later this year.
• Speaking of which, PS2.IGN has quotes from Sony president Ken Kutaragi on Microsoft's Japanese launch, who says that he welcomes the competition.
• So how is the GameCube doing amidst all of this talk? Apparently just fine, thanks for asking.
• GameSpot has posted text and video reviews of Jet Set Radio Future, as well as a Q&A with two people from Smilebit, the game's developer.
• Also at GameSpot is their Xbox 2002 preview, looking at all the big name games for the system this year. Grand Theft Auto III is on that list, but don't take that as a confirmation ...they're just guessing, like they are when they say that Project Ego will be out this year (yeah, right).
• PS2.IGN has a new preview of Superman: Shadow of Apokolips online, looking at this upcoming game based on the animated series.
• After 52 years in office, Hiroshi Yamauchi, the president of Nintendo (the Mean Old Man) may finally be stepping down (no, really this time!).
• The Microprocessor Report has given NVIDIA an award for their work on the Xbox.

Console Game of the Evening: After Burner for the Sega Master System. Right after I mentioned this game last week, I stumbled across it in Shenmue II. Like Space Harrier in the first game, it's an arcade-perfect emulation.

I'll skip the chatter and jump right into the first story tonight...Mortal Kombat fanboys be sure to read this:

• Here it is...the first footage from Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. It's a teaser trailer, so there's no way of knowing if the game will actually look like it, but speaking as a longtime fan of the series, I think it looks great.
• In addition to the trailer above, GameSpot has also posted a hands-on look at Soul Calibur II, based on their impressions of a demo of the arcade version of the game.
• Still more craziness at GameSpot, as they have a news story up reporting that SNK's Metal Slug series may live on past the current fourth arcade game being shown in Japan.
• Shigeru Miyamoto's making the rounds, with interviews up at Computer and Video Games and Planet GameCube.
• To go along with those interviews, here's a new batch of screenshots from various upcoming GameCube titles, including Metroid Prime (with a really nice third person shot) and Mario Sunshine.
• Even those who hate cel-shading may like this one...the first screenshot from the upcoming Robotech title for next-generation console systems is up at Cube.IGN, and it looks pretty darn cool.
• A high-res version of the recent Star Fox Adventures trailer is available at Rare's official site.
• A whole lot of details from Final Fantasy XI can be found at PS2.IGN tonight.
• The PS2 won't be getting any cheaper here any time soon, but the price might be dropping again in Japan.

Console Game of the Evening: Strider for the NES. A very different experience from the (far superior) Sega Genesis version, this game in the series is part action, part RPG.

Those crazy kids at HardOCP have created the world's first watercooled Xbox. Of course they didn't actually overclock the thing, so it's really just a supersized, extra-cool Xbox, making the whole thing a little pointless. Still, I applaud their efforts to make the Xbox an even bigger console. Obviously it wasn't big enough. Seriously though, this is kinda neat, and they say they do plan to make use of the extra-cool system by overclocking it somehow. I wonder if this will improve the less-than-stellar framerates during a few rare moments of Halo...?

• Sony did it, Sega did it, and so it's not too surprising that Nintendo has announced an arcade board based on their GameCube hardware. Interestingly enough, the partners in this little project are none other than Namco and Sega.
• Here's another article about Microsoft's rumored HomeStation system.
• Acclaim will be publishing Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future (god I love that title) and Headhunter for the PS2. The original Dreamcast version of Headhunter never saw the light of day in the US, so this is good news for those looking forward to the game.
• Is it just me, or is the idea of an air traffic controller game really creepy?
• Some ShakyCam footage of a Soul Calibur 2 arcade unit is up at Challenger AM.
• It ain't much, but some new info on the GameCube Zelda title and Mario Sunshine can be found at The GIA, including a confirmation that that weird thing on Mario's back is a watergun of some kind, and that the cell-shaded Zelda graphics are the same ones that will be seen when the game is playable at E3 in May.

Console Game of the Evening: Blue Lightning for the Atari Lynx. This game bares more than a passing resemblance to Afterburner, but in my mind that's not a bad thing.

Activision's value label Activision Value has announced Sega's Hundred Swords RTS is now in U.S. stores. It's a port of a Dreamcast game, and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99. Thanks Blues News.

My trek through Shenmue II continues. I'm having a blast with it...for the most part, the aimless wandering and part-time work that bogged down the first game is completely gone here. The subtle additions, like being able to "wait" for something (instead of coming back in twelve hours) and being able to save anywhere really go a long way. The core gameplay is the same, but it's much more refined this time around.

• GameSpot has posted a news item that contains new details on Superman: Shadow of Apokolips for the PS2, including word that the game's graphics use the cell-shading technique that's become popular of late.
• It may seem like an eternity from now, but Nintendo has announced that Star Fox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet, Eternal Darkness and their wireless Wavebird controller will all be released in June.
• Speaking of Eternal Darkness, the newly redesigned Cube.IGN has a new teaser movie online.
• Core Magazine has posted a report from Microsoft's Xbox Experience event in Japan, complete with photos from the show floor.
• If you're considering importing a game, this article at Dreamcast.IGN may be of interest...it's a report on several import shops (none of which are Dreamcast-specific, of course). I've used NCS for several years, and can happily recommend them to others.
• The actual image link seems to be fudged at the moment, but supposedly you can find new shots from Tomb Raider Next Generation at this page on PS2.IGN.

Console Game of the Evening: Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System. I can't believe I waited this long to spotlight this game, one of my favorites of all-time, and the best reason to own a SMS. While it's nothing like the most recent game in the series, it's still a wonderful 8-bit RPG, and worth checking out if you're curious about the series' heritage (or just looking for a great game).

So after all the prerelease hype (mostly from Xbox.IGN, in yet another attempt to justify their existence), Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions looks like it's a decent, but hardly spectacular game (although the current ShackReviews poll says otherwise, so I could be wrong). I think the game looks nice, but it lost a lot of its edge as far as I'm concerned when it came out that you can't actually run people over. I also think it's been unfairly compared to Grand Theft Auto 3. If anything, it has a lot more in common with the first two games, but even those were much more open-ended. I haven't completely ruled this game out of course...I would love to own another great Xbox game (I have high hopes for Buffy being my next one), but I'd like to read some reviews by people who voted this game as "Exceptional" (or at least hear some more from them over the negative comments).

• Yikes! Nike's suing Sega. Good thing they didn't use "put a tiger in your tank" in that same commercial.
• GameSpot has posted a list of characters from the previous games that will be appearing in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. I'll admit it...the MK fanboy in me is really excited by this. I just hope it's better than MK4 or the recent rehashes of the other games in the series.
• Also at GameSpot are a whole bunch of screenshots and movies from Onimusha 2.
• Cube.IGN has some new high-res shots from StarFox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet, along with more media from Resident Evil and six movies showing off the GameCube port of Agent Under Fire.
• Speaking of Resident Evil, yes, the series is still a GameCube exclusive.
• Here they are...screenshots from the Britney's Dance Beat for the GBA.
• Xbox.IGN has conducted a Q&A with the development team at Argonaut on Malice.

Console Game of the Evening: Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion for the Genesis, Sega Master System and Game Gear. This is a solid platformer on all three platforms. It's a shame there hasn't been a Mickey Mouse game in so long...he's such an instantly likable character, especially when well-animated.

Remember when I said I thought Sega was going nuts with their cross-platform expansion? Well, this story takes the cake...Duke Nukem Forever sent along this story at PalmInfocenter that reports on Sega's new 3D gaming API for Palm OS handhelds. It's actually a really cool thing, and it sounds like the next generation of Palm handhelds are going to be good for more than just Bejeweled and Pilot Frotz (not that there's anything wrong with those, of course). Fortunately this stuff won't be out any time in the immediate future...which gives me time to pummel on my Clie' before upgrading yet again.

• Yesterday we received a tip that subscribers of Sony's PS2 Underground magazine were sent an e-mail with an application to beta test the PS2 ethernet adapter. Some details on this are up at PS2.IGN.
• Boy someone's really scraping the dregs of classic gaming...Aero the Acrobat is coming back for the Game Boy Advance. Yay?
• Xbox.IGN has posted some preliminary details on the extra stuff in the Japanese version of Dead or Alive 3 that's shipping later this month. All I know is I really want that Japanese controler.
• Core Magazine has some quotes from Microsoft's Robert Bach online, taken from a press conference he gave for the Japanese gaming press. He basically outlines the Microsoft Xbox philosophy.
• Not only will the GameCube Resident Evil be shipping on two discs, Capcom will be releasing a special version that includes its own memory card. I wouldn't be at all surprised to read that this is because the game uses the entire memory card...I don't know what kind of crack Nintendo was smoking when they decided to make their standard cards come with 0.5 MB of storage space.
• The GIA has gone bonkers for Kingdom Hearts, posting 78 (!) screenshots from the game.

Console Game of the Evening: Jet Set Radio for the Dreamcast. Cool to the extreme, this game looks great, and plays great as well. Although I will never call it by its American name (it just doesn't sound right to me).

Having polished off Medal of Honor: Allied Assault over the weekend (great game, terrible ending), I've moved on to Shenmue II. So far it's basically more of the same, but I've already noticed some excellent gameplay tweaks, the most important of which is that the game just moves along much, much faster than the first one. I'll post more as I keep going through it, of course.

• If you've finished Final Fantasy X (or don't mind the major spoilers), The GIA has posted info on the extra epilogue included with Final Fantasy X International, the re-release of the game in Japan.
• In handheld news, Sonic Advance has shipped, along with Columns Crown and Puyo Pop, which are also Sega games for the GBA.
• A new hands-on preview of GUNVALKYRIE is up at GameSpot tonight, featuring screenshots, impressions and other goodies. It sounds like the game has a really funky control scheme.
• It's almost certainly too late to make any difference, but if you want to voice your opinion, Nintendo has a poll up on their website asking which version of Zelda you prefer: the realistic style from Super Smash Bros. Melee or the cell-shaded one revealed last summer (thanks Planet GameCube).
• In case you were worried: yes, the PS2 port of Skies of Arcadia will be released in America this summer. Maybe I'll actually finish the game this time.

Console Game of the Evening: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask for N64. For some reason I just couldn't get into Zelda 64, but I loved this one...I'll probably give that first one another shot eventually, since I'm pretty much in the minority there.

Keeping with my Sega theme of the evening (see below), I'm pleased to announce that we now list Sega Saturn games in our ShackReviews database. This is the first older console we've added since starting this little thing, and don't worry, it won't be the last...we have a long way to go still. Here are our inaugural Saturn games to start things off:

• NiGHTS into Dreams
• Panzer Dragoon
• Panzer Dragoon Saga
• Burning Rangers

Incidentally, as we move into older platforms and games, user submissions will be come more and more important. In order to get these games in I had to dig through my own collection, and while I have a good stock of Saturn games, I don't have a lot of the original packaging, etc. I'm planning on expanding the game submission form tomorrow to include stuff like descriptions and release dates, and any help you can provide in digging that info up for older games is much appreciated.

You know, I'm really starting to get the feeling that Sega totally opened the floodgates after announcing their plans to make games for other platforms. Besides their already announced titles for PS2, Xbox, GameCube and Game Boy Advance, they have just announced Crazy Taxi 3 and a port of Skies of Arcadia for PS2, and I was very (pleasantly) surprised to read that Sega Swirl is now available for Palm OS handhelds. As long as I get at least one new Panzer Dragoon title in the next few years (hopefully a second RPG while they're at it) I don't care what they do...but some of these are really, really cool, like the aforementionedSoA port and Shining Soul for GBA. Hopefully they'll wind being up as successful as they've always deserved to be.

• Speaking of Sega's ambitious cross-platform plans, the Toe Jam & Earl sequel, like many recent games, has moved from the Dreamcast to an unnamed console system.
• A whole week has gone by, and so it's about time for yet another preview of Final Fantasy XI.
• Choosing to ignore the game's all-caps title, GameSpot has posted a hands-on look at GUNVALKYRIE (at least they don't call it a "Metroid Prime-killer like IGN did).
• Also at GameSpot are some new shots from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a preview of Mister Mosquito (AKA Ka, that wacky mosquito game) and still more media from the GameCube Resident Evil remake.
• A preview of Worms World Party for GBA is up at Pocket.IGN tonight.
• Xbox.IGN has a new preview of Wreckless: The Yakuza Mission, said by some to be the Xbox-equivalent of Grand Theft Auto 3.
• In a Q&A from Famitsu (translated by Core Magazine), Enix's Keiji Honda confirmed that the company plans to support the GameCube, although they haven't decided what titles will be released for it.
• Also at Core tonight by way of Famitsu is a Q&A with Namco's Youichi Haraguchi, who discusses cross-platform development, their involvement with Square's PlayOnline network and more.

Console Game of the Evening (concluding Sports Games for the Non-Sports Fan week): Mutant League Football for the Sega Genesis. By popular demand, this oddball sports game certainly fits the bill as a game for non-sports fans.

Non-console news: for those of you who took guesses as to which of the games I posted last night in my Monday Night ShackReviews post are among my favorites of all-time, the games are Outlaws and Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (or in this case, Battle.net Edition). The gameplay in Outlaws is pretty much by-the-numbers for an FPS of that period, but the soundtrack, storyline and absolutely incredible cut-scenes (which even in their low-res state are several times better than most CGI cut-scenes) make it an unforgettable experience. And Warcraft II...well, jeez...it's friggin' Warcraft II! Not only is this my favorite strategy game of all-time, it's one of my favorite multiplayer games as well. I once played a never-ending match with a friend of mine...every time it looked like I was toast, I managed to get a single peon out alive and start up all over again.

• Moving on to actual console news, CoreMagazine has a Q&A with Square's Yoichi Wada online. The questions deal with a number of interesting subjects, including the challenge Square faces in getting people to buy into their PlayOnline PS2 network and what chances exist for Xbox and GameCube games from the company.
• GameSpot has posted 33 new shots from Soul Calibur 2, along with the news that it will be fully playable at next month's AOU Expo in Japan.
• It looks like Resident Evil is going to be the first multi-disc game for Nintendo's GameCube. This is due to the fact that GameCube DVDs can hold 1.5 GB, which is a lot, but not quite as much as the 4.7 GB on Xbox and PS2 discs.
• A brief hands-on preview of Grandia Xtreme is up at PS2.IGN tonight.
• Calling the game "Sega's Metroid Prime killer," Xbox.IGN has posted some new shots and details from GUNVALKYRIE.
• Team Xbox has some new shots and box artwork from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which may end up being the next Xbox game I buy.
• So, will more than half of the GameCube titles this year support GBA connectivity? Nintendo seems to think so.
• And finally, the Super Mario Bros. show is coming out on DVD. Heaven help us all.

Console Game of the Evening (continuing Sports Games for the Non-Sports Fan week): Blades of Steel for the NES. This is the way a hockey game should be...good and violent.

It's been a few weeks since I've done a theme for my console games of the evening, so in honor of the Super Bowl (which I couldn't care less about), tonight kicks off Sports Games for the Non-Sports Fan week, spotlighting games that are so good, that even I liked 'em.

• Square has registered trademarks for Chrono Break and Unlimited SaGa. Are these their next two RPGs?
• I reported on this last week, but it's now official: Nintendo will be selling the GameCube in Europe for half the price of the Xbox, and about 50 euros less than the PS2 over there (it's still slightly more expensive than here in the US though). Also, Cube.IGN is reporting that the PAL GameCube will support 60 Hz video and RGB SCART.
• GameSpot and Pocket.IGN have each posted hands-on looks at Shining Soul, Sega's upcoming GBA revival of their Shining series of RPGs.
• Good lord, Nintendo's dropping the price of the Game Boy Advance. Maybe now they can afford to release a more expensive one with a backlight...
• Midway has formally announced Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance for Xbox, GameCube, GBA and "other platforms." This is just an announcement though - no screenshots are available yet.
• More Bomberman games for GBA and GC are on their way to America, courtesy of publisher Majesco.
• The year's just getting underway, but GameSpot has written an article that looks at the big PS2 games coming in 2002.
• Hey look, Japanese gamers have to deal with Xbox bundles too.
• And just in case you'd forgotten what it looks like, here are some more screenshots from Xenosaga.

Console Game of the Evening: Joe Montana's SportsTalk Football for the Sega Genesis. In retrospect I'm not quite sure why I liked this game, but it's the only football game next to Tecmo Bowl for the NES that I've ever liked.

So Eidos has announced Fresh Games, a new label that will bring quirky Japanese games to the US. As glad as I am to see Ka get an American publisher (it will be known as Mr. Mosquito over here), I have to wonder how long this is going to last. Few companies have been as obsessed with their bottom line as much as Eidos lately, and no matter how nifty these games may be, they're not big sellers, so enjoy it while it lasts. Still, I'm eager to know what else they will be publishing after their first batch (which consists of the aforementioned Mr. Mosquito, as well as Legaia 2: Duel Saga and Mad Maestro). Hopefully they'll pick up great games like Vib Ribbon and avoid the dating, roommate and horse racing simulators that are so prevalent in Japan.

• Well it looks like those Sega Smash Pack rumors are true...Sega will be bringing it to the Game Boy Advance. Before you start jumping for joy, you should know that only three games will be on the cart: Golden Axe, Ecco the Dolphin and Sonic Spinball. Sorry, no portable Phantasy Star just yet.
• Sony's been really, really quiet, but PS2.IGN has posted an update on the state of PS2 online gaming, which apparently is moving along despite Sony's silence. On a related note, Core Magazine has a Q&A with Sony Japan's Kenichi Fukunaga, who answers some questions about their online plans over there.
• The press conference isn't until Monday, but details about the European GameCube launch have leaked out already.
• GameSpot has posted new text and video previews of Virtua Fighter 4, and still more from the game can be found at PS2.IGN.
• Here are some new shots from Pinball of the Dead, Sega's oddball GBA game.
• Sorry Nintendo fans, Grand Theft Auto III ain't coming to the GameCube anytime soon.
• Hey, go fig. Xenosaga will be shipping on a single, dual-layered DVD-ROM.
• Well, here it is...Britney on PS2.
• PlanetDrakan has conducted an interview with Todd Clineschmidt, a designer at Surreal Software on Drakan: The Ancients' Gates.

Console Game of the Evening: The Final Fantasy Adventure for Game Boy. Despite its American name, this is the first game in the long-running SaGa series, and while it's a bit primitive, it was pretty cool for a handheld RPG when it was first released.

I'm currently playing through Medal of Honor: Allied Assault on the PC, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. One thing that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere is just how much this feels like a Medal of Honor game. Having played both the original and MoH: Underground, I can safely say that if nothing else, this is a fine addition to the series.

• Speaking of Medal of Honor, PS2.IGN has some new shots up from MoH: Frontline, the series' PS2 debut. Ignore that "February or March" comment though - it won't be out until June.
• GameSpot has some new details and shots online from Terminator: Dawn of Fate, the upcoming FPS for PS2 and Xbox. Also, a Q&A with the game's producer can be found at Xbox.IGN.
• Um...okay? Capcom has announced that they are planning on releasing no less than five Resident Evil games for the GameCube in 2002. Most of these will of course just be cookie-cutter ports of the existing games.
• This isn't too surprising...Volition and THQ have announced that Summoner 2 is in the works, and will take place 20 years after the original.
• Microsoft is gearing up for their Japanese Xbox launch, and they recently held a press event to show off their Japanese-only game Have a Mice Day (yes, that's really what it's called).
• Cube.IGN has posted some new media from Rune, the upcoming GameCube RPG from From Software. Let's hope it's nothing like King's Field (ick).
• In true Sega fashion, a new revision of Virtua Fighter 4 is headed to Japanese arcades. It's this version (dubbed "C") that will be ported to the PS2, and will apparently use the PS2 HDD to save data, although why such data can't be stored on a memory card is a mystery to me.
• Good lord, yet another special edition Game Boy Advance has shipped in Japan, this time for the release of King of Fighters EX Neoblood. There's also a Silver colored one now available as well.
• GameSpot has posted a new preview of Deus Ex: The Conspiracy, the port of the wonderful PC game that has been reworked slightly for the PS2.
• Sony is now selling a PSOne package that comes with a bundled LCD monitor. You'll still need a power adapter to play it anywhere, but they're also shipping an adapter to let you plug it into any car's lighter (or DC outlet...do cars still come with cigarette lighters, or is that anti-PC?).

Console Game of the Evening: Donkey Kong 64 for the N64. Not everyone liked this game, but I loved it, and played it all the way to the end.

Thanks for all the comments about my Xbox review. Good, bad or somewhere in between, I love the feedback. As much as I'd like to say that a GameCube equivalent is on the way, I'm afraid that it won't be anytime soon. As I've mentioned before here, I'm in Save Money for Wedding mode, and any significant purchases are on hold for the time being. But hey...there's nothing that says a wedding registry has to be all china and crockware. :)

• Despite the gloom and doom rumors of Retro Studios, the company is hiring a new programmer. Of course, you'll need at least a year's worth of programming experience with the GameCube, which kinda limits the number of people qualified for the position.
• archon sends along this link to an Xbox VGA box at Lik Sang. Has anyone tried this? It has a monitor pass-through, but I question whether or not that'll degrade your normal PC image quality.
• Pocket.IGN is reporting that Dark Arena, a first person shooter for the Game Boy Advance from Majesco, has shipped to stores.
• GameSpot has posted new text and video previews of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle for the GameCube.
• PS2.IGN has two more of those fun Japanese Virtua Fighter 4 commercials online this evening.
• Also at PS2.IGN tonight is a new preview of Xenosaga, which while not hands-on, does contain the latest info on the game.
• According to GameSpot, Robotech is coming to the Game Boy Advance as a side-scrolling action game from TDK Mediactive.
• The GIA has some new shots from Shining Soul, the revival of Sega's Shining series.
• A few quick reviews: Shenmue II (Import) at The GIA (4 out of 5), Parappa the Rapper 2 at GameSpot (6.6) and Star Wars: Episode One: Jedi Power Battles at Pocket.IGN (4.0 out of 10).

Console Game of the Evening: Parappa the Rapper for the PSOne. Scoff if you will, but this game is all kinds of fun.

Jason pointed the way to this really interesting history of videogames piece over on GameSpot for you folks to check out while we all sulk over the Oakland loss.

The history of video games is not just about people. It's also about companies and ironies. Atari was an American company with a Japanese name, and the Japanese company Sega was started by an American. Magnavox, the company that started it all, is owned by Phillips, a company that is over a century old, and Nintendo, the company that made video games popular again, is just as old. And who would have ever thought Sony, the company that invented all types of electronics, from transistor radios to video recorders, would release a video game console that would become its top-selling product of all time?

Great reading material, and nice to get a good laugh over things like the Virtual Boy all over again.

I watched the great new Tron DVD this evening...it's been at least 10 years since I've seen the film (probably more like 15), and I was surprised at how well the movie holds up, despite the advances in CGI since then. I'm sure people seeing it for the first time now may not understand what it was like to see back then, but I remember thinking it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I'm not sure what I'll think of Tron 2.0 (currently in production, although , but I can say that I'm really, really, really excited about Monolith's Tron 2.0 FPS. Hopefully neither will be rushed to make their planned 2003 release date. And for those interested in a tease, this site's URL is flashed on the DVD's intro screen.

• The Mean Old Man of Nintendo is saying that he's getting ready to retire, possibly as soon as this Summer. Among other things, Hiroshi Yamauchi is the thing standing between Square and the Game Boy Advance, and holding back any substantial plans for online gaming.
• GameSpot has posted video and text previews of Jet Set Radio Future, Sega's upcoming Xbox title. The preview(s) are accompanied by a slew of new shots and movies from the game.
• Cinemaware's three GBA revivals have been given release dates: The Three Stooges will be out in March, while Wings Advance and Defender of the Crown will be out in May.
• Good news for strategy RPG fans...Tactics Ogre Gaiden (could there possibly be a worse name for this game?) will be released in America later this year by Atlus after Nintendo passed on it.
• And more good news...Vib Ribbon 2 is in development. Does this mean it'll come to American shores? Well, no...but there's a chance!
• While the Romancing SaGa 4 artwork floating around has been proven to be a fake, GameSpot is reporting that this doesn't mean Square isn't considering a PS2 entry in the series.
• While PC gamers get to enjoy Medal of Honor: Allied Assault next week, PS2 fans will have to wait a bit longer for their next game in the series...Frontline is currently set for release on June 6th, otherwise known as D-Day.

Console Game of the Evening: Tron Deadly Discs for the Atari 2600. This game wasn't nearly as cool as the two Tron arcade games, but it was a great deal of fun regardless.

The Art Institutes International at San Francisco has announced that their Game Art & Design bachelor’s program is now underway. This program has been designed with input from companies like LucasArts, Sega of America, BioWare, Konami of America, PDI/DreamWorks and the International Game Developers Association. Here's what is being offered to those partaking in the program

The commercial art and design school is offering its unique new program to bring a new generation of talent to the computer and video game industry. Students in the Game Art & Design program study art fundamentals, 3D modeling, animation, texturing, scripting and other aspects of game level design. Courses include “Storytelling,” “3D Character Animation,” “3D Modeling,” “Life Drawing,” “Interface Design for Games” and “Interactive Game Prototyping,” as well as a variety of general education courses in mathematics, the social sciences, art history and the humanities.

A similiar program is being offered at The Art Institute of Los Angeles and The Art Institute of Phoenix. Will people with a degree in game design really have that much of an advantage over other people? Or will it still be about experience and just making cool things?