Strong Bad Episode 5: 8-Bit Is Enough

Wii Points: 1,000
Game Type: Adventure
Players: 1
Publisher: Telltale Games

"Trogdor, the beefy-armed dragon of legend, has shaken free from his video game and is running through the countryside, "burninating" everything in sight. With a dragon on the loose and 8-bit classics leaking into the real world, it's all fun and games until the proud land of Strong Badia falls to Trogdor's fiery wrath. Now Strong Bad must take back the night by sending this scorching menace back into his arcade cabinet once and for all. Just one problem: Does anybody know how to kill a dragon?"


Big Kahuna Party

Wii Points: 700
Game Type: Puzzle
Players: 1-4
Publisher: Reflexive Entertainment, Inc.

"Embark on a tropical adventure with the explosively charged Big Kahuna Party. Looking to make the ultimate party game, we started with a concept that's accessible to the whole family-the popular match-three game. On top of that, we crafted a unique multiplayer experience in which you can choose to work together to complete the challenging levels before the timer runs out, or go head-to-head and compete in a frenzy of fun. To top it off, we added 99 uniquely free-flowing levels, the challenging Tiki Pole, 20 hidden tropical sea creatures to unlock, the strategic Fish Net and more. The result is a family party game like no other, easy to pick up but impossible to put down. Play alone or with friends, and unleash the Tiki spirit within."

From the creators of Katamari Damacy comes a game perhaps too bizarre to explain. Noby Noby Boy is coming to the PlayStation Network, and 1UP have the scoop.

Throughout the week 1UP will be spotlighting the game, complete with an interview with the creators and a spot on the 1UP Show. Today 1UP have released Matt Leone's preview of the game, detailing just what the game is. An excerpt:

"The first time I played, it was at about this point that I realized it was fun to simply move around, which is something I don't tend to notice about games that aren't Super Mario Galaxy or Mirror's Edge. As you may have guessed by looking at the character design, you move the left analog stick to control BOY's head and the right to bring up his rear, and before you stretch yourself out too far, this setup works extremely well -- move the two sticks in the same direction to walk quickly, move them in opposite directions to stretch like chewing gum, and snap the sticks back together to flip around and perform ad hoc stunts."

The game has also been revealed for a Japanese release of January 29th, 2009 and for only 800 Yen, roughly $9US. It has also been revealed to be getting released in Europe early 2009, and at €3.99.

Read the entire preview below to get a full understanding on what this game is, and we'll be spotting 1UP's updates throughout the week.

Source: 1UP.com - Matt Leone's Noby Noby Boy preview

On the 1UP Show this week, the crew check out thatgamecompany's game Flower. Check out their impressions of this experimental game above, or download the video from the link below.

Source: 1UP Show - Flower Preview

The episodic game companion to Zack Snyder's take on Alan Moore's Watchmen universe was well detailed in EGM's previous magazine. Now at the SpikeTV Game Awards the first trailer has also been unveiled, and it's looking very nice.

Check it out above or download it from the link below. An offside, but I also noticed that the trailer has this logo at the very end:

A new Xbox Live Arcade logo? Looks a little inspired by Pac-Man, but I think I like the previous style a little better.

Watchmen: The End Is Nigh, the first of two episodic episodes for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, will be released in March 2009.

Source: Gametrailers: Watchmen: The End is Nigh - Spike VGA World Premier Trailer HD

A2M (Artificial Mind and Movement), have revealed that they have bought Wanako Studios, the workhorse of the now defunct Sierra Online XBLA initiative.

With this transaction, A2M is expanding its offering across Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network using Wanako's TONGAS game framework, while entering a growing market segment complimenting its portfolio.

Wanako Studios had been Sierra's major creative output for the Xbox Live Arcade, creating the popular Assault Heroes series, the dungeon hacker Arkadian Warriors, and doing the dirty work on bringing the half-finished 3D Ultra Mini Golf to the platform as well.

While A2M are now the owners of the development studio, they continue to work on Sierra and Activision projects. In the press release A2M specifically mention that Wanako are currently working on 3D Ultra Mini Golf Adventures 2, as well as an unannounced XBLA / PSN title. Going by our own hunches and leaks, we could believe that the game might be a new Incredible Machine game, as well as possibly a port of Assault Heroes to PSN.

That still leaves titles such as Switchball PSN, Zombie Wranglers and Red Baron Arcade up in the air in terms of Sierra's XBLA portfolio, as well as what the deal is with Sierra's Shanghai Studio, which was their other XBLA developer. It will be interesting to see what Activision's next move will be.

Source: PR, via Shard.

Doritos' Dash Of Destruction

"Doritos' Dash of Destruction is a fun and fast-paced racing game. Blast your way through cities as a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex, as you chase a speeding Delivery Truck full of tasty Doritos. Or, try zooming in and out of the T-Rex's path of destruction as the speedy Delivery Truck in search of your Doritos drop-off points. For even more racing madness, Chaos mode lets you and three friends charge through cities eating Trucks or trying not to be eaten. In Zen mode, eat the Truck to become the Truck!"

- Great gameplay: Take control of a rampaging Tyrannosaurus Rex as he destroys cities in a quest for Doritos, or maneuver a ramped-up Doritos Truck at high speeds trying to make your deliveries and outsmart the T-Rex.
- Game modes: It's fast-paced single and multiplayer gameplay with Zen and Chaos mode for crazy fun.
- By popular demand: The game idea was created by Mike Borland, and was chosen by popular vote as a part of the Doritos' Unlock Xbox Challenge.
- Free: Oh yeah, did we mention that? This game is free!

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Bomberman Live

Also available this week is a price cut for Bomberman Live/ For this week only, Bomberman Live will be available for 600 MS Points, a saving of 200 MS Points.

[These regular XNA Community Games overviews are being done in official association with XNA review site XNPlay, and will link to their impressions and reviews of the latest XNA titles.]

Back once again with the renegade linkmaster, it's another weekly look at what's hot and what's really, really not on the Xbox360 Community Games circuit. A rather lackluster collection this week folks, but we managed to glean some enjoyment out of throwing our balls around (with Petanque, obviously) so it's not all bad.

XNPlay's XNA Game Highlights

Adventure Pets HD (Price: 200 Points)

"Adventurer Pets HD is a nicely presented 2D platformer which features various pet animals as main characters."

Petank Party (Price: 800 Points)

"Pétanque is a game where you throw a ball into a playing field, then try to land other balls as close as possible to it. Heathcliff Huxtable played it in exactly one episode of The Cosby Show"

XNPlay's Best Of The Rest

World Molder (Price: 200 Points)

Mould the world around you with nodes and hoods.

RPaints (Price: 200 Points)

"Fairly below average paint package. Could keep a kid quiet providing you remember to center the cursor which has an awful habit of disappearing."

Tower Revolution (Price: 400 Points)

"Looks like Tower Defence is the new Match-3; everyone wants to try and make one. Since the tower defence genre came into being, we’ve had a few decent games and far more uninspired, generic clones. Tower Revolution falls firmly into the second group."

Retro One (Price: 400 Points)

"Perhaps better named Basic One"

Bomber Boing (Price: 400 Points)

"We'd love to tell you about the game, but due to the obnoxious demo we were unable to even test it. Jolly grand show."

Cosmos (Price: 400 Points)

"Grab a series of satellites to create larger firepower than your opponent and let him have it. It sounds far more interesting than it is, unfortunately."

Sea Blast (Price: 200 Points)

"...described in both the blurb and the video (that’s after the cut, vid fans) as “a fast paced shooter” to discover that there was a certain untruth being told in that statement."

Updated

As there's currently no patching service available to XNA Community Games, should anyone wish to update a game the only way to achieve it right now is to pull the entire game down from the service, patch and resubmit.

We've been keeping a track of the resubmissions, so if you've previously downloaded any of these titles in the first days of their appearance - you might want to grab them afresh to ensure you're up to date.

Plasma Spheres
Weapon Of Choice
Classicard
Funky Punch XL

Over the last week there have been a few podcasts mentioning downloadable games, so I've kindly thrown them in an article for your listening pleasure.

On the 1UP FM Podcast they discuss upcoming PSN titles, including Flower and Nobi Nobi Boy, as well as their thoughts on PlayStation Home. The Bionic Commando podcast interviews Seth Killian and Rey Jimenez about Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix. Finally the Player One Podcast discuss Meteos Wars on Xbox Live Arcade as well as having Anthony Vaughn as their special guest - made famous by being part of the creation of Shrek 'n Roll for Backbone Entertainment.

12/15/2008 | 1UP FM - Podcast

It's a PSN symposium! Shane, Alice, and Matt L. join us to go a little more on-depth on Flower, Noby Noby Boy, and Home, while Giancarlo laments Rise of the Argonauts in Shelf Life, Tina drags Ray into the Mailbag, and the Backlog crew takes a third pass at Beyond Good & Evil.

Click here to download the podcast or join the RSS feed.

POP Ep.112: Do you get to play as Jimmy Smits?

"This week special guest Anthony Vaughn joins Phil and CJ to talk games, CompuServe, sushi and Back to the Future. Games discussed this week include Mirror's Edge, Left 4 Dead, Fable II, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels, Prince of Persia, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, Rock Band 2, Meteos Wars, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, LEGO Batman, 1942 Join Strike and Amateur Surgeon."

Click here to download the podcast or join the RSS feed.

Top Secret File 028: Seth Killian and Rey Jimenez, Street Fighter HD Remix

"New challengers approach in the form of Seth Killian, Capcom's Community Manager, and Rey Jimenez, producer of Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix, who join the Top Secret team to discuss the latest child in the Street Fighter family. Find out what's been changed, what's stayed the same, what game it might have been, and more in this bumper fighting game-related podcast!"

Click here to download the podcast or join the RSS feed.

Bplus have revealed new screenshots and a trailer for their upcoming WiiWare title Niki - Rock 'n' Ball, in which WiiWare World is claiming will come to Europe this friday.

Niki RNB is a 2D platformer of sorts. You control Niki, a ball-like character who can change from his floaty normal self into a rock. Using this ability, you must smash enemies whle also grabbing everything around the screen. It's a little like Bomb Jack meets Pang, if we're going by the video.

You can check out the new website here. The game is set to be released for only 500 Wii Points.

The Australian Classification Database has recently updated with a new game coming to Xbox Live Arcade - Gel: Set & Match from Gastronaut Software.

Gastronaut Software's previous releases include Fuzzee Fever for the original Xbox's Live Arcade, as well as Small Arms for the current Xbox Live Arcade. Small Arms was released back in November of 2006. Since then we've practically heard nothing from them.

What Gel is is currently unknown. We've searched the bowels of the internet but nothing appears to have come up. I'm not particularly a fan of Small Arms, but I'm certainly interested in whatever they've got coming out.

Source: OFLC - Gel: Set & Match

Doritos' Dash of Destruction

Developer: NinjaBee
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Action
Price: FREE
Availability: Everywhere

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page

Click here to download Dash Of Destruction from Xbox.com marketplace



Bomberman Live

This week brings a price cut for Bomberman Live. For this week only, Bomberman Live will be available for 600 MS Points, a saving of 200 MS Points.

Click here to buy the game from the Xbox.com marketplace.

Here's something odd - it appears that Dig Dug has also been priced down to 200 Microsoft Points this week. No announcement (Xbox PR doesn't seem to be all up-and-up on this as much as they should) but you can grab it right now for this low low price.

Click here for the Dig Dug Xbox Marketplace page to buy the game for 200 MSP.

This week on Xbox Live Arcade you can grab yourself a free game title - Doritos' Dash of Destruction! On WiiWare you can grab the final episode of Strong Bad or Big Kahuna Party, and for the PlayStation Network you can get Astro Tripper if you're in Europe, or PowerUp Forever in the US.

This week has really been about Nobi Nobi Boy for the PlayStation Network. Throughout the week 1UP will be updating with new details about the new title from the creator of Katamari Damacy, and it's looking weirder than that somehow.

Xbox Live Arcade

Free Doritos' Dash Of Destruction And Bargain Bomberman Live and Dig Dug This Week On XBLA
If you want the quickest 200 Gamescore outside of making yourself play Avatar for 2 minutes, check out this weeks FREE Xbox Live Arcade game Dash Of Destruction. Bomberman Live is also only 600 MSP and, possibly by marketplace error, Dig Dug is now 200 MSP. Grab it quickly!

Community Games Round Up W/XNPlay: Underwater Saganisms
GamerBytes and XNPlay check out this weeks latest releases of XNA titles.

React! Games Working On 80's Arcade Remake
Job listing sources possible retro remake coming to XBLA.

First Watchmen: The End is Nigh Trailer Available For Download
Check out the first footage of WB's Watchmen prequel.

A2M Buys Wanako Studios, Reveals 3D Ultra Mini Golf 2
Sierra's big XBLA development studio bought by A2M, and are currently working on two new XBLA and PSN projects.

Small Arms Developers Working On Gel: Set & Match For XBLA
Australian classification board shows off Gastronaut Software's next title.

PlayStation Network

Flower Media Explosion Relaxes All Game Journalists
Thatgamecompany's upcoming zen game Flower wins over game journalists across America.

EU PSN Store Update: Puzzle Tripper
Astro Tripper released this week for Europe's PSN Store, along with Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords.

NA PSN Store Update: Powering Up Booty
PowerUp Forever rounds up this weeks American PSN releases - plus some High Velocity Bowling and Age Of Booty DLC .

WiiWare

NA WiiWare Update: Final Strongbad Episode, Big Kahuna Party
Strong Bad: 8-Bit Is Enough rounds up the set of 5 downloadable Strong Bad episodes, plus Big Kahuna Party, a Connect-3 puzle game with a multiplayer twist.

New Trailer For Fun! Fun! Minigolf, Release Date Announced
Fun Fun Minigolf coming out soon for WiiWare, and it's looking fantastic. Check out the trailer inside.

GameTrailers Presents The Next Great Game Gods
Spike TV and GameTrailers post excellent look at World Of Goo, Braid, Audiosurf and PixelJunk Eden in this full TV episode.

1UP have added their second and third updates for their week long Noby Noby Boy.

First up, three new videos have been uploaded to GameVideos, showing off this game's gameplay. See if you can make any sense of it - I certainly can't, but I can see it's bizarre enough that I'll dive in and try it.

Secondly is a user Q&A session where 'Reader Questions' Preview, where Matt Leone grabs questions from 1UP readers to try and help people understand just what the hell this game is. Do they succeed? Read the session here.

Continue reading for the other two videos of Noby Noby Boy.

It seems the Xbox.com splash pages updated early this week. Puzzle Arcade has popped up, complete with a release date for the 24th of December 2008. Just in time for Christmas.

Source: Xbox.com - Puzzle Arcade

[Over at big sister site Gamasutra, we've just opened nominations for the 2008 Choice Awards, so if you're a developer and would like to vote on the best games of the year, with winners showcased at the big GDC ceremony in March - now's the time.]

The 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards has now opened nominations for the best games of 2008, with awards given out at GDC 2009 and Gamasutra members able to help decide nominees.

Next year’s 9th Annual Award Ceremony, will be hosted on March 25th, 2009 in the Esplanade Room in the South Hall of San Francisco’s Moscone Center, as part of Game Developers Conference 2009.

The Choice Awards, the most prestigious honors in video game development, are now available for you to nominate, after logging on with your main Gamasutra.com user ID. (You can register for free if you do not currently have one.)

The Game Developers Choice Awards recognizes excellence in the art of game creation in any genre or platform. Last year's event saw Valve's Portal the recipient of three major honors, including Game of the Year, with three awards also going to 2K Boston/2K Australia's BioShock.

The 2009 award categories currently open for nominations until January 5th, 2009, are:

DK Games have announced Equilibrio for WiiWare and iPhone - a new ball rolling puzzle game which uses the Wii Remote or Balance Board.

"Set in a colorful world the challenge may look simple but Equilibrio tests not only your reflexes but the old gray matter and is in perfect synergy with Wii. The basic concept of getting your ball to the exit pod to finish the level is turned upside down, literally, as you use your Wii Remote™ or Wii Balance Board™ to rotate the play area varying degrees in either direction. Players carefully, skillfully move the spinning ball through corridors, along ledges to complete levels that are fraught with dangers. Move the ball too fast and it can shatter, leaving you to pick up the pieces and restart the level. Go too slow and the ‘equilibrio’ of the ball will not be powerful enough to spring to the desired spot!"

• 4 Game Modes: Conquest, Random Level, Challenge and Multiplay
• Simple and intuitive game
• Can be played with the Wii Remote or Wii Balance Board
• Up to 4 players can play simultaneously
• High score table
• 25 rewards with unlockable prizes
• Difficulty settings that is automatically adapted
• High score table
• Low price point

Now they're claiming that the game is coming out in 2008 in Europe, which means it may be out in less than 24 hours, which will make me look like a bit of an idiot. They had announced the iPhone version a few months ago - even worked with our sister site Fingergaming to produce their three developer diaries. It does look kind of neat, like a puzzle version of Unirally for the SNES. Let's see how it plays out.

Check out the official site here.

Soldner-X: Himmelssturmer (€9,99 | £7.99)

"Set in the distant future, Soldner-X: Himmelssturmer is a fast and furious shoot ‘em up with state-of-the-art graphics, driving soundtrack and classic fun gameplay sprinkled with fresh innovations. In the storyline, planet Earth’s resistance aims to stop a deadly infection consuming both life forms and technology alike, oddly having to rely on an anti-hero mercenary and bounty hunter to pilot a mighty prototype star fighter."

Click here for the official PlayStation Page.

Crash Commando (€9,99 | £7.99)

"Crash Commando is a fast-paced, side-scrolling humorous multiplayer action game with over-the-top, slap-stick action that features exaggerated gore and effects. Combining the thrill of frenzied multiplayer combat with the straightforward nature of a classic side-scrolling platform title, Crash Commando is the perfect combination of modern, sophisticated technology and traditional arcade gameplay.

"The player controls a commando soldier and navigates through the maps on foot and with a high-powered jet pack. Each map consists of two gameplay layers the player can seamlessly move between via portals in the environment. Enemies will attack from the sides, as well as from above and below. With a host of both multiplayer and single player modes included, players can enjoy Crash Commando either on or offline."

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars (Price drop to $9.99)

New Update, From PS3 Fanboy:

1. New "Cosmic" arena
2. Improved performance in network games
3. A server browser has been added during matchmaking
4. Players can now view leaderboards during matchmaking
5. News updates appear on the online page
6. Meters added to evaluate players' connection speed
7. Headsets can be plugged-in or swapped during gameplay

Crash Commando ($9.99)

"Crash Commando is a fast-paced, side-scrolling humorous multiplayer action game with over-the-top, slap-stick action that features exaggerated gore and effects. Combining the thrill of frenzied multiplayer combat with the straightforward nature of a classic side-scrolling platform title, Crash Commando is the perfect combination of modern, sophisticated technology and traditional arcade gameplay.

"The player controls a commando soldier and navigates through the maps on foot and with a high-powered jet pack. Each map consists of two gameplay layers the player can seamlessly move between via portals in the environment. Enemies will attack from the sides, as well as from above and below. With a host of both multiplayer and single player modes included, players can enjoy Crash Commando either on or offline."

Click here for Tips and Strategies for Crash Commandos

Penny Arcade Adventures: On The Rainslick Precipice Of Darkness: Episode 2 ($14.99)

"The second installment in the RPG-adventure game series based on the web comic Penny Arcade. Create your character in the classic comic style, arm yourself with your trusty gardening tools and join Gabe and Tycho in the alternate 1920s universe of New Arcadia, where you’ll combat savage enemies, solve mysteries, meet bizarre new characters, and discover their distinctive adult humor for a 100% authentic Penny Arcade experience. What are you waiting for? Your hoe awaits!"

Click here for the Penny Arcade Episode 2 Announcement

High Velocity Bowling
High Velocity Bowling - Darryl ($0.99)

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Darryl “Stringbean” Johnson to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Darryl hails from Memphis, Tennessee, and can put a real mean hook on the ball. Download includes Darryl’s special ball the Melonballer, plus his favorite alley, Loading Dock Lanes."

High Velocity Bowling - Gage ($0.99)

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Gage “cutter92″ Mason to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Gage hails from Washington, DC., and knocks the pins down with pinpoint accuracty on the lanes. Download includes Gage’s special ball, Pain Magnet, plus his favorite alley, Dark Carnvial."

High Velocity Bowling - Beatrice Holiday Costume (free)

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Beatrice the bowler is ready to bowl through the holidays in style with this festive sweater dress and cute reindeer antlers and ears. Download this free costume today."

High Velocity Bowling - Carl Holiday Costume (free)

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Carl the mailman is ready to bowl through the holidays in style with this Santa hat and beard, and festive shirt and pants. Download this free costume today."

Art Style™: ORBIENT™
Wii Points: 600
Game Type: Action, Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1
Publisher: Nintendo

"Explore the universe like never before in Art Style: ORBIENT. Take control of gravity and anti-gravity and carefully maneuver your small star through 50 stages set in multiple galaxies. Collide with other stars to absorb them and make your own star expand in size, or capture the stars in your orbit and have them become your satellites. Space isn't empty, though, and you'll have to avoid bumping into obstacles or getting pulled into a black hole. If you feel like relaxing while still being challenged, this is the game for you. Its combination of simple controls, atmospheric sound and unique environment make for an experience unlike any other."

World of Goo™
Wii Points: 1,500
Game Type: Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-4
Publisher: 2D Boy

"World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game made entirely by two guys. Grab living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore—but they don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. World of Goo Corporation is contractually obligated to state that everyone is a winner, and is enthusiastic to celebrate everyone's Goo building opportunities equally."

Sudoku Challenge!
Wii Points: 500
Game Type: Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.

"Now's your chance to play the brain-busting puzzle game taking the world by storm. With over 100 million Sudoku puzzles, you'll never see the same puzzle twice in Sudoku Challenge! You can select the classic nine-by-nine Sudoku game boards as well as Grand Sudoku, which challenges you to complete five intersecting Sudoku boards simultaneously. Just a beginner? Don't worry-with three difficulty options, even a novice player can complete a Sudoku with ease. But if you're a seasoned pro, challenge yourself in Expert mode and test your true skills. It's time to get your thinking cap on and see how many Sudoku puzzles you can conquer."

Niki: Rock and Ball
Wii Points: 500 Wii Points
Game Type: Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 2
Publisher: Bplus

"Now that the black Shadow Plättchen had failed to stop the birth of the ZeLeLi, they began to thrive in the wide expanse of far-flung space, spreading havoc. A planetary system far away from ours was not spared either; these creatures paid a visit. All the living creatures there were transformed into balls and attacked by the monsters created by the black Shadow Plättchen. Niki, a small ball-shaped lad, stood up against the monsters to protect his village, but hardly stood a chance with his spherical form.So far, that is! During one of his battles he comes across a mysterious ZeLeLi amulet, which gives him the ability to change into a hard rock and thereby free his village from the monsters."

If there is one thing that needs to come to Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network, it's Sega's range of classic arcade titles. The first step in that direction is OutRun Online Arcade, another excellent collaboration with Sumo Digital.

OutRun Online Arcade brings the latest version of OutRun 2, titled Coast 2 Coast, to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, allowing players to race in classic Outrun style though 15 different stages of drifting gameplay, as well as including

OutRun Online Arcade will also include the online multiplayer modes from the game - up to 6 players can play the classic OutRun, Heart Attack and Time Attack modes, now in glorious HD.

Sumo Digital previously did all ports of OutRun 2 to the original Xbox and PS2, and did an incredible job considering the hardware they were working on. Sumo also just released GTI Club+ to the PlayStation Network for Konami, so they certainly know their way around the platform.

It appears that this version will only include the Coast 2 Coast levels, while the tracks from the original Outrun 2 seem to be left out. Whether the challenges from the Xbox version are also included is also unknown.

Sega have been very quiet on the downloadable front lately, outside of some really nice Master System games coming out for the Virtual Console. Hopefully this will begin a trend for them - I'd love to see the PS2 versions of Nights, Panzer Dragoon and Virtual On make their way to downloadable spaces. - not to mention Scud Race, Sega Rally and Daytona USA.

In this round-up, we highlight some of the notable jobs posted in sister site Gamasutra's industry-leading game jobs section, including positions from Rockstar San Diego, Mind Control Software, Namco Networks America, ArenaNet, and more.

Each position posted by employers will appear on the main Gamasutra job board, and appear in the site's daily and weekly newsletters, reaching our readers directly.

It will also be cross-posted for free across its network of submarket sites, which includes content sites focused on online worlds, cellphone games, 'serious games', independent games and more.

Some of the notable jobs posted in each market area this week include:

[Edit: It has been revealed that this is not an MMORPG like this article suggests, instead it is a "beat them all" style game based in the world of Wakfu]

Microsoft have announced a new deal with French based Ankama Games to port its upcoming flash based, pay to play MMORPG Islands of Wakfu to the Xbox Live Arcade service.

"ANKAMA group has announced its partnership with Microsoft for the development of Islands of Wakfu, its 1st offering for the latest generation of game consoles. Islands of Wakfu, which is the most recent addition to Ankama’s crossmedia universe, retains DOFUS and Wakfu’s graphic touch, but adds the feel of an animated cartoon. This adventure/beat'em all style game can be played by two players in team mode and will reveal never seen before background content from the world of DOFUS and Wakfu.

Ankama Play, ANKAMA group’s newly created, independent next gen video game development studio, have recently finalized a deal with the software giant Microsoft."

Microsoft haven't been doing particularly well to bring the MMORPG space to the Xbox console as of late. True Fantasy Live and the Marvel MMORPG were both canceled due to too much pressure and difficult work to make these titles working on a console. However bringing Islands of Wakfu, a part of the DOFUS universe, to the console arena is perhaps a much better step than trying something of World of Warcraft Proportions.

Something akin to Disney's Club Penguin, which is a huge program for millions of kids on the PC, into the Xbox Live space isn't only cheaper but perhaps a much more casual option than, say, a Marvel Comics MMO.

You can check out the brand new screenshots of the Xbox Live Arcade version here. The game is currently set for a late 2009 release date. It is currently in open beta for the PC.

The PlayStation Network catchup continues - PopCap's incredibly popular puzzler is making its way to the PlayStation Network very soon.

In Sony's latest PlayStation Newsletter in the USA, this tiny tidbit (pictured) was at the very bottom of their "coming soon" section.. Much like Prince of Persia Classic, which was casually revealed in a press release of several games on the UK PlayStation site, this news seems to be coming quite quietly. Not surprising, after all - the game was released way back in 2005 for the Xbox 360.

However, it is the first endeavor of Popcap to spring past Xbox Live Arcade. They have released both Feeding Frenzy games and intend to release Peggle in early 2009 for XBLA. It's the first project outside of that that market, and it will be interesting to see if people on the PlayStation Network can connect with the puzzle craze of 2005.

Source: PlayStation 3 Newsletter. Big thanks to Sean Mooney for forwarding the newsletter to me.

I'm not usually one who posts funny videos in exchange for actual news stories, but this I'll make an exception for.

Someone over at NicoNico, the Japanese equivalent of Youtube, posted this back in July. It really is an excellent recreation of Pac Man CE using NES hardware. Props to the creator of this video.

When the XNA Community Games were revealed back in November there were some quality titles that came out. However the standard trial version of any of the games had a strict time limit set into them - your demo could only last four minutes.

This left some games, such as Blow and In The Pit, with a less than desired trial limit. Blow has a long tutorial, and its more calm pace had some people not even finish the tutorial before time ran out. In The Pit specifically mentions in the tutorial that time will run out, and suggests you boot up the game again in order to get through it all.

Now things have loosened up a little - from right now all trial limits have been extended, you can now play the games for eight minutes before notified to buy the game.

Source: XNA Blog - Trial Mode Increasing From Four Minutes to Eight Minutes

The latest ESRB update has added several new platforms to some older, classic games from Sega.

Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage 2 have all added the PlayStation 3 to their platforms. They have all previously been released for the Xbox Live Arcade last year through Sega's Vintage Collection games.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Comix Zone, Phantasy Star II and Gunstar Heroes have all been added for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, games that have only appeared on the Virtual Console beforehand, now coming to XBLA and PSN.

It's certainly very nice to see Sega picking the slack back up after a year of next to nothing, but if this is all accurate I would be incredibly disappointed with the inclusion of Sonic 3 - only because it lacks the Sonic 3 & Knuckles handle - the way the game should be released. Gamerbytes had previously written up this article in our old "What needs to be on XBLA / PSN?" segments, in which we hoped for a fully realized Sonic 3 & Knuckles release complete with all the levels and new time attack modes. Hopefully this may be a little bit of a mistake much like Samurai Shodown's I & II mentions on the ESRB.

It's good to see some separate releases like this once again, but with the upcoming Ultimate Genesis Collection coming to retail there is little need - though having online for Gunstar Heroes would certainly get me to buy it again.

Source: Shard via NeoGAF.