Videogames Lead to Behavioral Addiction Mike Tyson’s Paparazzi Punch-Out!! Video GameStop Buys Majority Stake in Video Game Digital Distributor Jolt Miyamoto: 3D Isn’t Everything Are You A Video Game Junkie With Mad Writing Skills? Write For Ripten NFL Super Bowl Champion Steelers Connect with Soldiers in Iraq for Guitar Hero Competition

DICE is currently performing maintenance on the soldier profiles in the recently released Battlefield 1943, so you may have noticed that your stats have been reset. Not to worry, my friends, as this is temporary. Read more…

Battlefield 1943 hit XBLA and PSN this past Wednesday with three maps – Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Wake Island. When the global kill count on one of the services reaches 43 million, a fourth map, Coral Sea, will be unlocked for that service. While 43 million is quite a bit of kills, it’s coming faster than you think. Read more…

In an interview with Kombo, PopCap Games’ PR director Garth Chouteau has noted that the highly acclaimed Plants vs. Zombies will follow its cousin Peggle onto other platforms: XBLA, PSN- even the DS and iPhone. Chouteau is quoted by Kombo on the matter:

…Peggle for XBLA is a good example of a game that we took that was popular on the PC and we spent probably twice as long as anyone else would have figuring how to make that game really good for Xbox and Xbox Live Arcade, and I think you will see that with Plants Vs. Zombies–I don’t know the exact order in which that game will make its way onto other platforms, but it’s certainly been successful enough, quickly enough, that we’re looking at other platforms and deciding where we’ll take that game next…

Since PvZ was such a success, both commercially and critically, it can only be good news that it can come to a bigger audience. I only hope that they make a DS version as good as Peggle DS.

Destructoid reports that the full XBLA release of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will happen on none other than July 29, 2009. The PSN release is not known at this point, although it is likely to be a very similar date. The game is also set to be sold at a price of 1200 MS Funbux™, and likely a similar price on the PSN but in actual Dollars/Pounds/Euros/Yen/Your currency.

I remember seeing this game in the shops when I was a kid. At the time, I wanted to buy it because it had Marvel characters in it. Now, I want to buy MvC2 because it has Capcom characters in it. Time changes things, especially the relative coolness of Ryu in my mind.

A few years ago I found a magic lamp on a beach and a genie told me I had three wishes. I asked to be rich, handsome, and to be able to play Turtles in Time on my Xbox 360. I may still be poor and ugly, but at least he kept his promise with Turtles in Time. Read more…

After news that Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was being released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, resale values of the original game for PS2, Dreamcast, and Xbox plummeted. The original release is one of the most expensive and sought-after games for collectors and is hailed by many to be one of the best fighting games ever released.

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For a couple of years now, we’ve been hearing rumors of Capcom and Marvel rereleasing Marvel vs. Capcom 2 online, but had never heard anything substantial, due to Capcom keeping a tight leash on any info they had. Well too bad, Capcom- an hour ago, in one fell swoop, Marvel announced Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes for XBLA and PSN, and even post a trailer to go with it.

While the original Marvel vs. Capcom 2 for the Xbox and Dreamcast are considered rare because of their extremely limited print- even used copies in stores can run you upwards of $80- fans have been waiting for a reprint of the game for five years. As one of the most popular crossover fighting series of all time, people have even been holding their breath for a MvC3 announcement, even though Capcom has promptly shot down those dreams. Well they can’t shoot down this one- Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is back this summer, with the same menus, characters, fighting styles, that so many of us maybe a few of us know and love.

When Rare announced Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts for the 360, they alos announced that the original games would be coming to XBLA eventually. A couple of weeks ago, the first of the two hid Xbox Live Arcade, and Rare promised that the second would hit sometime this month, complete with an enhanced frame-rate and full Stop N’ Swop functionality. Luckily for all Banjo fans (and fans of good games alike) that day is only two weeks away!

Rare’s forums today brought news of 4J Studios’s Banjo-Tooie port, announcing that it would hit XBLA on April 29th. Rare also posted images of the new gamerpics that would hit XBLA alongside the game’s release, which you can pick up for 80 MS Points, or $1. For those of you not familiar with the N64 blockbuster series, Rare also opened a section on their site devoted to the game. I don’t know about you guys, but this is a definitely buy for me.

Source: Destructoid

Although Banjo & Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts was released 4 months ago, it still has yet to recieve any of the DLC Rare had promised. Recently, Rare announced the first DLC for the game, entitled L.O.G.’s Lost Challenges, as well as the release date and price, April 7th for 400 MS Points. The DLC is pretty heavy too- it comes with 250 extra achievement points, 7 new multiplayer games, and 12 new challenges. After completing the challenges, you also gain access to Klungo’s arcade game, which is shown above.

Rare also mentioned that you’ll be able to unlock the winning vehicles from their design contest via Banjo Tooie’s Stop N’ Swop when the game is released on XBLA in the spring. For so many challenges and such a low price, I assume a lot of people will be picking this up. I’ll probably buy the DLC, once I buy the actual game. It’s on my to-do list, right after publishing a thesis in astrophysics. There’s also a trailer for the DLC after the jump.

Source: Destructoid

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Shacknews reports that Telltale’s excellent Sam & Max series will be heading to Xbox Live Arcade as full-season packs. Season one is entitled “Sam & Max Save the World”, and the second season is entitled “Sam & Max- Beyond Time and Space”. Two promo posters have been released: one for season one and one for season two.

Sam & Max are, sadly, the only truly great point-and-click games out there at the moment. Having played most of season one on the PC, it’s great to see that even more people will be able to experience these games. Fans of laughing will most likely enjoy Sam & Max as much as I did, as it’s possibly one of the best written game series out there, and certainly one of the funniest.

In an attempt to market the Xbox Live Arcade game Go! Go! Break Steady, marketing firm ‘Taxi’ invited a bunch of B-Boys (and Girls) and pop-n-lockers to a fake audition. The dancers showed off their skills, but were then asked to do it again while solving a puzzle, emulating what you do in the XBLA game. Hilarity ensued. Check out the video. Read more…

Edge reports that the PSN version of Capcom’s Super Street Fighter II HD Remix has been delayed “and has no official release date” in the UK. The Xbox Live Marketplace version’s release remains unchanged in the UK, and releases today along with the US versions of the game. No reason was given by Capcom as to why this is the case. Any ideas why the Xbox and US versions remain unchanged but the UK PSN version has been delayed? I’d hazard a guess at a licensing issue, but perhaps there is a more… sinister explanation. Probably not. Anyway, let us know what you think in the comments.

For our readers in the US, rejoice! The demo for Dead Space, EA’s recent horror shooter, will hit the Playstation Marketplace and the Xbox Live Marketplace service on the 25th of November. For our European readers, rejoice slightly less! The demo for Dead Space is heading to Xbox Live Marketplace on the 25th as well, but the PSN release is set for the 27th. Still, it’s better than nothing, eh? Speaking of which, our readers in Asia may now begin not rejoicing- there is no date set for the demo on either marketplace, at least as far as Shacknews reports. PC gamers should also note that there hasn’t been any word of a demo for said platform.

Dead Space is a game that tends to garner mixed reactions; a demo is the perfect way to have a go at the game before you decide to buy. Roly’s review is another safe bet for those of you who need even more persueding. In any case, how do you feel about the game, or even the demo? Worth full price, or not?

Steam owners can now download the public demo of Left 4 Dead, Valve’s upcoming zombie shooter. Xbox 360 owners can also get their zombie freak on via XBLA, as the demo has been released there as well. This of course comes a week after the release of the pre-order demo, available to those who had pre-ordered the game. As you can see, I feel that this demo is much better than most full games out there, so I strongly urge all zombie fans (and everyone else) to download the demo and try it out. Look forward to the Ripten review of the game in the near future!

What the ding-dally is Plain Sight, you ask? Well, dear reader, just take a seat and I’ll run you through it. Before the Eurogamer Expo, I had no idea about this game either, but after discovering and playing this gem I’m sure more people need to know about it.

The game is developed by six Londoners collectively known as Beatnik Games, and will be available at the start of 2009 on PC and later Xbox 360. I’m sure what you really want to know is what the fuss is about- hit the jump for the full preview. Read more…

20,000 years in the future mega corporations control the galaxy–and we mean the whole galaxy! There will be a lot of sci-fi flavored puzzle questing to be had, via many warp gates, when Puzzle Quest: Galactrix drops in Q1 of next year for XBLA, DS, and PC.

If you missed our E3 hands-on, check that out, but read on for an updated impression and a few details on crafting and other mini-games. Read more…

You know, I think I was wrong about you, Soulja Boy. When I first heard your music, I thought you were a talentless punk who got rich from a dance that my two year old cousin could perfect. But, now I see the real you. You’re a thoughtful gamer who’s passionate about the medium. I now know that you can, at a moment’s notice, coherently gather your thoughts to defend it. Why didn’t you tell me you loved Braid, and gaming, so much? Read more…

After the abomination that was Double D dodgeball, I can’t imagine anyone getting too excited over this; but for lovers of pirates and ninjas, they’ll be dodging balls on XBLA this coming September 3rd. Read more after the break. Read more…

Who says gamers are cheap and/or tasteless? Despite sizable Internet uproar over its 1,200 Microsoft point asking price, the artsy puzzle-platformer Braid has managed to win the credit card digits of over 27,000 downloaders, earning it a gross of $405,000, according to a recent glance at the game’s leaderboards. That makes it the 2nd best selling XBLA game in its first three days, no small feat for a game like this, especially considering the paltry fate of similar indie-grown titles like N+.

Strong word of mouth, an awesome demo and some extremely positive reviews (the game has a 92.4% on GameRankings) most likely drove the game’s sales. And it’s not hard to imagine that the publicity from the pricing controversy eventually ended up doing more good than bad, as it visibly increased the game’s profile. I’m sure plenty of people went from “WTF is Braid?” to “what the hell could be worth 1200 points” after which they tried the demo, loved it, and bought the game.

Creator and lead designer Jonathan Blow had previously defended the game’s price as a necessity:

“There is a significant possibility that Braid would have been the next Psychonauts or Beyond Good and Evil (critically acclaimed but nobody played it), even at $10. If that happens at $10 then I am in debt and have to get a job and can’t make games any more. If that happens at $15, maybe I can still make games.”

Guess you can make games, and buy a new car, eh Jonathan?

Though the game was announced for an August 6th release at E3, it seems that Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 has already sped through certification for a July 30th release. Yeah, that’s next week.

This morning, Bizzare Creations’ community leader Ben Ward let loose that 6 days from now, the sequel to Bizzare Creations’ hit XBLA SHMUP will be available for purchase on Xbox Live Arcade.

Ward also announced that the game’s trial is not as limited as other XBLA trials, as it will feature the full version of the game’s Deadline mode, in which you score as many points as you can in a limited amount of time. This mode also has 4-player local multiplayer support, in both the trial and full game.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 will be available for purchase on Xbox Live Arcade for 800 points ($10).