It's been a long time coming, but Wipeout HD is finally being released on September 25th in North America, and for just under $20USD.

The game will include:

- Full HD Visuals
- 5 Game Modes - Single Race, Tournament, Time Trial, Speed Lap and Zone Mode
- Online play that supports up to 8 racers competing on a track at a time
- 2-player split screen (horizontally and vertically) offline
- 8 reversible tracks and 12 teams
- Optional use of SIXAXIS motion controls to steer your ship
- A great soundtrack remixed in Dolby 5.1 AND the option for custom playlists that allow you to race to whatever playlists you have on your HDD
- And more, including Trophy support, which we’ll outline for you in a future post - so keep your eyes peeled.

I can't wait. I'll have to start playing more of my copy of Wipeout Pulse in anticipation. Hopefully Europe gets it on the same day.

Source: Blog.PlayStation - WipEout HD Officially Dated, Priced

The weekend PEGI rating update bears fruit - it looks like the rumored Brain Challenge PSN / Wii ports are now true, with both popping up under their separate banners.

While I was there, I also noticed that Switchball has also been rated for the PlayStation Network. We've known about this from the ESRB website for some time, but I don't believe it had popped up anywhere else since. Hopefully it's still coming - certainly one of the best Sierra titles on the Xbox Live Arcade.

Source: The PEGI Rating System

Right on time - the second episode of Strong Bad, titled Strongbadia The Free is now available for WiiWare for 1,000 Wii Points.

Strong Badia the Free is the second of five monthly episodes starring Strong Bad-the self-proclaimed "coolest person ever"-and the rest of the cast from the popular Homestar Runner Web cartoons. When Strong Bad fails to obey the King of Town's totally unfair e-mail tax, he's placed under house arrest. Once freed from his wrongful imprisonment, Strong Bad goes on a mission to unite the local warring factions under the Strong Badian flag. Is Free Country USA ready for such an awesome ruler? Strong Bad Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free also has the Videlectrix arcade classic "Math Kickers Featuring the Algebros," plus all-new achievements, collectibles, costumes and Teen Girl Squad comics. You can even use Strong Bad's Lappy to send e-mails and pictures to your Wii Friends™. So what are you waiting for? Fire up Strong Badia the Free and get ready to kick some doughy King of Town butt.

Check out brand new screenshots of Strong Bad Episode 2 here.

Second this week is the new puzzle game Potpourrii for 800 Wii Points, a take on the Puzzle Bobble gamestyle, but now in 360 degrees.

In the puzzle game Potpourrii, everything revolves around the seasons. For centuries, the seasons have followed a set pattern. But then things start to go awry in the forest. Suddenly it's snowing while the sun shines and flowers bloom while leaves are falling. Then a strange purple goo appears. The leprechauns are stunned. Even worse, the magic oak of life loses its power. It all turns out to be the fault of an evil wizard. You must help the leprechauns defeat him and restore natural order. To do this, you need to collect seasonal spirits. Pick them up with the spirit cannon, shoot them at the center of the screen, group them and make them disappear. But watch out-they get faster and faster. In short: Potpourrii is a puzzle game that keeps you hooked with its colorful visuals, beautiful effects and easy-to-use controls using the Wii Remote™ controller. Play alone or with a second player, and even use your Mii™ character.

Check out new screen shots of Potpourrii here.

And for you fans of the Virtual Console, a little treat - Mega Man 2 has finally made its way to Wii owners!

The first official trailer for Duke Nukem 3D popped online today. It's looking really nice - and it finally shows off some classic Dukematch action.

1UP.com were also able to have a look at a final build of the game. You can check it out here.

The final Multiwinia Monday, showing off the new Assault Mode. The game comes out on PCs next week - hopefully we won't have to wait long for the Darwinia+ Xbox Live Arcade version.

Chomp your way through an underwater mystery in Feeding Frenzy® 2: Shipwreck Showdown™! Play solo or with friends to dodge predators and eat your way up the food chain to save the sea in this sequel to the popular Xbox LIVE® Arcade game Feeding Frenzy. Play wild, wacky party games, and try to stay alive in Time Attack mode! Sixty spectacular levels, brand-new fish, and underwater scenes await!

New features: New fish and 60 new levels are included. And now, your fish has the ability to jump out of the water.
Multiple game modes: Play wacky party games, try to survive the Time Attack mode, or take on the main challenge and eat your way up the food chain.
Multiplayer: Try co-op campaign play on the same console for up to four players, or try the four player mini-games. Everyone can get into a Feeding Frenzy!

Feeding Frenzy 2 will cost 800 Microsoft Points.

It's dominos with all the bells and whistles in Domino Master®! Play solo or against friends and family in any of five exciting game variations including Mexican Train, All 3's, All 5's, Straight Dominos, or Bergen. See if you have what it takes to move up the ranks and score the coveted spot at the top of the Leaderboards or grab the exciting achievements in this great family game sure to please all ages.

Variable difficulty levels: The single player mode features three levels of difficulty for the A.I. players, including Beginner, Master, and Guru, to provide exciting game play for all ages.
Five game modes: Play Straight, All 3's, All 5's, Bergen, or Mexican Train.
Leaderboard support: See your name in lights as you check the leaderboards for each game type.
Exciting multiplayer modes: Play Player Match or Ranked Matches. The ultimate party game comes to life when up to four players compete to see who can become the Domino Master.
Custom rules: Modify the rules to create your own personal dominos game.
Multiple domino sets: Choose from double sixes, double nines, or double twelve domino sets.

Domino Master will cost 800 Microsoft Points.

Finally this week, the second expansion for Ticket To Ride has been released - the 1910 expansion will only cost 400 Points.

[Every week, Gamasutra sister weblog GamerBytes' editor Ryan Langley will be summing up the top console digital download news tidbits from the past 7 days, including brand new game announcements and scoops through the world of Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and WiiWare.]

Man, that title sounds painful.

This week it seems that WiiWare wins with an abundance of content for both Europe and North America - Bomberman Blast, Strong Bad Episode 2 and more, while we also get the facts on two big comers - Duke Nukem 3D and Wipeout HD.

Xbox Live Arcade

Feeding Frenzy 2, Domino Master and Ticket To Ride Expansion This Week On Xbox Live Arcade
Finally the sequel to the original XBLA game Feeding Frenzy is here, after being announced almost a year and a half ago. Want to play classic Dominoes? Domino Master is your go. But the question remains - where did Zombie Wranglers go? It was announced as coming this week...

Giant Bomb Get Drunk And Play Age Of Booty"
The fellows over at Giantbomb.com got together with the guys over at Capcom to play some Age Of Booty while also getting smashed on Rum. Good times, I bet.

Interview: Beatnik Games on Plain Sight and Dealing With XNA
We interview Beatnik Games about their upcoming XNA title Plain Sight and discuss how they've dealt with the XNA structure, and how this multiplayer game is coming along.

Official Duke Nukem 3D Trailer, Shows Off DukeMatch, Coop, and Date
The official Duke Nukem 3D Trailer has been released, showing off some awesome cooperative play. Just a week to go until this game come out!

PlayStation Network

Wipeout HD Out In The US On September 25th
Wipeout HD is coming out in just over a weeks time - and for the bargain basement price of 19.99USD!

PSN NA Store Update - Jeopardy and PAIN Amusement Park Are Now Available
This weeks US Store Update brings Jeopardy into the fray for $14.99, as well as the brand new PAIN expansion pack.

EU PSN Store Update - 1942: Joint Strike Finally Makes Its Way To Europe
It's only taken seven weeks, but 1942: Joint Strike is now finally available in Europe. Come on SCEE - stop treating us like second class citizens.

Bionic Commando Rearmed - A Post Mortem, Part 1
In the Bionic Commando Podcast, Producer Ben Judd and the team at GRIN have a post mortem discussion about the recently released Bionic Commando Rearmed.

WiiWare

NA WiiWare Store Update - Strong Bad Episode 2 and Potpourrii
Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People has released its second episode this week, along with a new puzzle game Potpourrii. It's nice to see that Nintendo are keeping up with Telltale Studios with getting those releases out.

EU WiiWare Update - Bomberman Blast, PLÄTTCHEN Twist 'n' Paint And Midnight Pool
Bomberman Blast has suddenly been released on WiiWare in Europe! Along with Midnight Pool and puzzle game PLATTCHEN, it's certainly a huge week with WiiWare.

Hudson's Next WiiWare title - Cue Sports - Snooker Vs Billiards
The Australian classification website has updated with a possible look at a new WiiWare title - Cue Sports from Hudson Soft.

Operationsports.com have revealed that Take 2 have announced that MLB Stickball is real - and have decided on a release date already - October 8th.

In MLB® Stickball, gamers can buy and collect packs of Topps “Big Head” Major League Baseball cards. Each time a pack is opened, those players are unlocked and added to each Major League team to play!

Part of the fun of stickball is the custom rules for each city, just like the rules kids create when they play in their own neighborhoods! MLB® Stickball can be played on the streets of a number of big cities, including New York, San Francisco and Boston. In addition to scoring runs in the stickball game itself, there will be objects scattered throughout each environment that serve as targets or hazards for the batter. Smack the ball off the fire hydrant and get it to spray water into the street and your team will be richly rewarded; break a window, though, and you’re out!

Sounds interesting, but no screenshots as of yet. We'll see something very soon.

Source: Operation Sports - 2K Sports Announces MLB Stickball

Sister site Gamasutra have confirmed with The Behemoth that Castle Crashers is selling incredibly well - and that its well over 250,000 players now.

“I’m pleasantly surprised that so many people are playing the game,” says Behemoth lead artist Dan Paladin to Gamasutra, confirming that a quarter of a million players are now on the game's leaderboards. “I was optimistic and hopeful for Castle Crashers but I wasn't prepared for the reception it got."

They've also confirmed that they've been working very hard on a patch for the game - as many people (including myself) have had a lot of difficulty getting online, with people dropping out or the game freezing before hand. I love the game - but I'm waiting for a patch before I get back into it.

Source: The Behemoth: Castle Crashers Hits 250k Players, Fixes Coming

Geon: Emotions, previously an Xbox Live Arcade title, will be heading to the PlayStation Network in the future. The guys over at Strawdog Studios have released new information about the new features available in this version, and how its being redesigned.

- Redesigned single player maps, - Introduction of a new League mode - Players have attack and shield as standard (instead of only via a power-up) allowing for greater interaction with (thumping the hell out of) your opponent, - New goal scoring system make it essential to stop your opponent scoring, - Redesigned Power-ups with the introduction of new ones such as Bliss' ghost cubes (which collect pellets for you) and Rage's extra attack – it's one angry cube. - Introduction of PSN trophies, - Dramatically improved AI to handle the new game-play.

Geon PSN features a variety of single player and multi-player modes including:

- Single player League - progress to the top of the four Geon leagues, and become King of the Grids!
- Duel – Go head to head against AI opponents
-Time Attack - a game of pure speed as you compete to win medals and set the fastest time for clearing a grid.
- Multi-player: Up to 4 player compete on-line or off-line (split screen)
-o Duel: Go head to head against a friend and inflict some pain!
-o Last man standing: Up to 4 players battle it out – who will be the last man standing?
-o Team Geon: Team up with a friend to battle your enemies in this 2vs2 mode

Source: WorthPlaying.com - 'Geon' (XBLA) Also Coming to Wii/PSN - Screens & Trailer

Feeding Frenzy ®2: Shipwreck Showdown™

Developer: Gastronaut Studios LLC
Publisher: PopCap Games Inc.
Genre: Family Games
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Not available in Hong Kong, Singapore or Taiwan.

Check out the official Xbox.com splash page here.

Click here for screenshots of Feeding Frenzy 2.

Domino Master®

Developer: TikGames, LLC
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Card and Board
Price: 800 Microsoft Points
Availability: Everywhere

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here for screenshots of Domino Master.

Finally this week, the second expansion for Ticket To Ride has been released - the 1910 expansion will only cost 400 Points.

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased)
1 Castle Crashers
2 Samurai Shodown II
3 Braid
4 Geometry Wars Evolved²
5 Fable II Pub Games
6 UNO
7 RocketBowl
8 BC:Rearmed
9 DOOM
10 Alien Hominid HD

Castle Crashers continues to go strong, in fact all of the Summer of Arcade games (except for Galaga Legions, thanks Mat) are still in the Top 10. Of the three releases last week, Samurai Shodown makes a great start with getting the number 2 spot, while RocketBowl Debuts at 7. Shotest Shogi doesn't appear at all, however its base was segregated - as Shotest Shogi was released in Japan some weeks ago.

A strange little piece of information popped up in the latest Famitsu magazine - a new WiiWare RPG titled Sorcery Blade.

Apparently based off a mobile RPG titled Sorcery Sword, but obviously many steps above, it's being developed by Kemco and will be available for 1,000 Wii Points.

Looks vaguely like Phantasy Star Online to me, but apparently has several gesture based attacks.

Source: Kemco reveals WiiWare action RPG Sorcery Blade

The Angry-Gamer.net crew have gotten the exclusive first look at Death Tank for the Xbox Live Arcade in their latest focus test podcast!

This week the gang play some killer 2D games. Up this week: Worms Open Warfare 2, Geometry Wars 2 and OH @#$% SON ITS DEATH TANK!!! DEATH TANK ON XBLA ANGRY GAMER EXCLUSIVE!!!!!

Download the podcast here or join the RSS feed.

Cam and Clint seem to really love it, but George is incredibly hostile to fun. We don't listen to George.

Source: Angry-Gamer.net

Somehow this didn't get into the regular release list, but today there is a new expansion pack for Double D Dodgeball - the "Get Bent" pack.

The in-game content will feature Curver, a new player with enhanced ball-curving capabilities and a super shot that causes the ball to disappear, challenging the opposing player’s catching skills, as well as a new court style - Orion East and West.

The "Get Bent" DLC pack is available now and is priced at 100 Microsoft Points.

Developing an indie game for the PC is hard enough - but on the Xbox Live Arcade? It's a whole other thing in itself. There are rules to deal with, code to regulate. You've got your TRCs to follow, as well as hope everything is all dandy when releasing.

Little Boy Games, the people behind the XBLA title Go! Go! Break Steady have done a postmortem on their title on Gamasutra - what went right, and what went wrong during the development.

It's a great little read, and a great tool for those who want to get into the business of downloadable games on consoles.

Source: Gamasutra - Postmortem: Little Boy Games' Go! Go! Break Steady

Konami have announced that Sandy Beach will be coming to WiiWare - A sand castle creation tool.

Sandy Beach. Sandy Beach is a fully 3D sandcastle building game that utilizes the Wii remote to form and detail elaborate sand castles, images of which can then be captured and saved to your photo gallery. Players will be able enjoy co-op play as they design their sandcastle on the tranquil shores of Sandy Beach.

Watch out for the invading crabs in Crab Battle mode as they storm your sandcastle. Players will need to strategically build their sandcastle and defend it with cannons as the crabs seek total destruction of your mighty sand creations.

After successfully defending your castle use your metal detector to search for hidden treasures to adorn your sandcastle or even find additional cannon to aid in warding off the pesky crabs.

Seems interesting - hopefully the creation tools are fairly robust. The crab mode sounds kind of cool - like your own Tower Defense map. It's also being made by Frozen Codebase, who are making the upcoming Zombie Wranglers for XBLA.

Click here for some more screenshots of the game.

Capcom have announced the release dates for the WiiWare, PSN and Xbox Live Arcade versions of Megaman 9 - all of them different.

The WiiWare version, at least in America, will be coming out this week on Monday, September 22nd. The PlayStation Network version will be released later on in the week on the 25th. The Xbox Live Arcade version on the other hand, will be released a week later - on October 1st.

They have also announced that the game will also have downloadable content. The first pack, which will be out on October 6th, will allow players to play as Proto Man, says Gamesradar:

Proto Man can deflect most bullets with this shield, but larger blasts will still cause damage and push him back twice as far as Mega Man. Being struck also interrupts his charge shot. All the Rush adaptors change to Proto adaptors as well – Proto Sled, Proto Coil etc.

Sounds awesome. The XBLA version being delayed sounds like it's purely because Duke Nukem 3D is coming out next week. Certainly not stopping the PSN though - Wipeout HD AND Megaman! Being in Europe I certainly hope that these titles become available as soon as possible for me.