Cocoto Platform Jumper

Wii Points: 700
Game Type: Platformer
Control Type: Wii Remote, Nunchuk
Players: 1-4
Publisher: Neko Entertainment

"A long time ago in a faraway land, strange little creatures lived in the depths of Abyss. Cocoto, his little devil friends and the mysterious Fairy protect the secret of the magma — the source of their power — in a magic cauldron. Meanwhile, Zaron, the god of lightning who lusts after this force, is up to something. He can count on the rulers of the other kingdoms that Cocoto must cross. The tragic kidnapping of Shiny, Baggy and Neuro has left Cocoto alone to watch over the cauldron. Refusing to leave his friends, he will set out to find them with Fairy."

Nobunaga's Ambition

Wii Points: 800
Game Type: Turn-based Strategy
Players: 1-8
Publisher: KOEI
Original Console: Super Nintendo

"Nobunaga's Ambition is a game set in Japan's Warring States period, a turbulent age when feudal warlords battled for control of the country. As the ruler of a fief, the player chooses his or her own path to conquest: Will you wage war on your neighbors or rely on diplomacy? Use economic sanctions or send ninja assassins? Use all of your ingenuity and resources to unite Japan under your banner."

"The arcade classic CYBER TROOPERS VIRTUAL-ON ORATORIO TANGRAM comes to Xbox LIVE Arcade! Keeping the classic mech fighting style, Virtual-On returns enhanced with intense HD graphics and a thrilling 1-on-1 online multiplayer battle mode."

Virtual On will be on sale this Wednesday for 1,200MSP.

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page

Click here for screenshots of VOOT

Click here for footage of the game in action

"For Banjo-Tooie's return in 2009, the responsibility of porting the game to Xbox Live Arcade has once again fallen to 4J Studios. This means you can expect the same level of audiovisual gloss applied to Banjo-Kazooie in 2008 – and Tooie was already several steps above Kazooie on the technological ladder even back in the day with its interactive soundtrack, overhauled camera system and ramped-up textures and lighting effects.

"The original Tooie dev team have also been involved and suggested some updates of their own, mainly UI tweaks that they felt were right to introduce given the benefit of hindsight. The framerate has been given a boost, the addition of Leaderboards and Achievements goes without saying, and extra Stop 'n' Swop connectivity is also promised for the XBLA version to soothe the anxieties of those still haunted by the mystery eight-and-a-half years on."

Banjo-Tooie will be available everywhere for 1,200MSP.

Click here for screenshots of Banjo-Tooie

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

This week the next latest addition to Hasbro Family Game Night - Sorry! will be available. It will be available everywhere for 800MSP.

Twisted Pixel have announced that the third and final DLC for The Maw called "Speeder Lane" is coming out next Wednesday, April 29th for Xbox LIVE Arcade at the usual price of 100 MS points or $1.25. "We saved the best for last, as this level has a new speeder vehicle mode, new boss battle, and new scenes showing Maw being his dumb hungry self."

Click here to watch the trailer for Speeder Lane

A recent update to the Korean game rating boards has revealed that Tower Bloxx Deluxe might be on its way to the Xbox Live Arcade.

Created by Digital Chocolate, Tower Bloxx is a popular casual game that's made its way to many mobile systems, iPhone as well as Facebook. It's a somewhat simple puzzle game where you drop floors onto a building making it taller and taller - and the taller it gets the more it sways around. You can then build a city and gain the most amount of people you can or try and create the tallest building possible.

You can check out a trailer for the PC version here. While this not complete confirmation our previous hint with Fatal Fury: MOTW coming to XBLA via the Korean rating board was correct, and this seems like something that would definitely work in the XBLA's favour for small casual games like this.

[Edit: As mentioned by user "Genie" below, the official trailer actually states that it is coming to XBLA in 2009 - it's just never been officially announced.]

Source: Korean Rating Board

Marvel has seeminly blown the worst worst kept secret a little early - Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 has been confirmed for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

50 Characters, wide screen presentation, online play, 1200MSP / $14.99, Summer 2009. Awesome.

And that's not all - due to the process that the PlayStation Network does to deal with demos, a demo will be available this week, while the full game will be available in the coming months.

Earlier in March we found that Lost Citieshad suddenly disappeared from the Xbox Live Marketplace. We pondered why this might be but the latest issue of Official Xbox Magazine sets it all straight:

"Truly Lost: Lost Cities isn't on our list because this engrossing card game is no longer on XBLA. When Vivendi merged with Activision, the Lost Cities license reverted back to the licensor."

There you have it, it was a licensing issue. This happens all the time in retail games. For example Batman: The Dark Knight was canned for consoles because they couldn't complete the game within the allotted time EA had the license for it. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on the original Xbox became quite rare after EA got the Marvel license for fighting games soon after its release and could no longer print new copies.

Depending on the each games original contracts, this could end up happening a bit. SpongeBob Underpants Slam by THQ, Shrek 'N Roll by Activision, Watchmen by WB, heck even UNO all use licenses owned by other companies, which only last a few years or so. This was usually fine in the days of retail as there was no need to reprint titles years after a game was released, but in this downloadable age this all might end up changing. Could even happen again with Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 on XBLA and PSN, but we certainly hope not.

Source: OXM.

A new development studio going by Smashmouth Games have revealed that they will be releasing their first title Ongaku to WiiWare sometime this year.

Ongaku is a rhythm game where you control a sentient musical note through a collection of onscreen actions. You control both the note itself, where you must make it go up and down within the music "stream", and at the same time you must respond to the action on screen.

Currently there is a flash based version of the game which you can play here. The WiiWare version should be a more fleshed out version of that.

Smashmouth are also in the planning stages for a game called Neon Blaster Reloaded for Xbox Live Arcade, but going by the language use on the website it sounds like it has not officially been given the go ahead by Microsoft at this point. We will keep you updated if it gets officially announced for XBLA.

Check out their official site for some early screenshots of the Ongaku, and check out the demo if you can.

Source: Smashmouth Games - Ongaku

Noby Noby Boy has just got its first giant patch update, adding several brand new features that were not in the original game.

The game now supports offline multiplayer with you and 3 other people joining in on the fun of stretching yourself out, and eating your own butts. The update also mentions something about "Fart Boy", which you can happily guess at what that is.

The update also includes some new sound effects, as well as music which you can now switch to at any time. Boy's house can also add several new hairstyles, as well as a lot more not specified in the update.

The patch is free and comes in at a whopping 563MB, simply start up and game and begin to download.

Source: o--o.jp

The game should only be a week away, but last week all facets of the media got the chance to play Star Trek D.A.C, the tie-in title to the J. J. Abrams Star Trek film.

While not really having much to do with the film, D.A.C is a top-down space shooter with your favorite Trek ships. Check out the numerous videos and previews from the websites below.

IGN.com - Star Trek: D-A-C Videos (X360)
IGN.com - Star Trek: D-A-C Hands-on

GameSpot - We Just Played Star Trek: D-A-C

GameTrailers - Star Trek D.A.C. - Walkthrough Part 1: Introduction HD
GameTrailers - Star Trek D.A.C. - Walkthrough Part 2: The Romulan Flagship HD
GameTrailers - Star Trek D.A.C. - Walkthrough Part 3: Team Death Match HD

1UP.com - Star Trek D-A-C Hands On

French mobile developer Exkee have revealed the first trailer for ColorZ, their upcoming WiiWare title.

While the title may make you think this is some sort of Match-3 puzzle game, Colorz actually has more in common with games like Ikaruga or Mercury. You pilot a little space ship around a level where you must avoid anything that is not the same color. You can then change the color of your ship by hitting certain blobs much like Ikaruga and and in cooperative modes you can merge with other ships to create a mixed color just like Mercury did.

Check out the video above to really understand the premise of the game. There is currently no set release date for it but it has been given a rating in Europe, so expect a Worldwide release.

Dutch website SegaOnline has gotten its hands on some supposed leaked screenshots of Sonic & Knuckles for Xbox Live Arcade. Much like their previous leaks they've turned out to be quite real.

The screen shot simply shows the interface of the Sega Vintage Collection design, but clearly shows the ability to "Lock-On" with Sonic 1, 2 or 3 from within the game. This ability was completely omitted from the retail Ultimate Genesis Collection with a large outcry from fans who wanted the feature, to play Sonic 3 & Knuckles like it was meant to be.

Whether or not this screenshot is real like the others is currently unknown, but considering the track record of things getting leaked for Xbox Live Arcade it would not be surprising at all.

Source: SegaOnline.NL - Sonic & Knuckles (& lock-on functionaliteit) naar XBLA

Back in February we spoke about a strange game called Karate Phants which was popping up on several rating boards around the world. At the time we were unsure if it was a downloadable title, but developer SnapDragon Games have revealed through a German press release that Karate Phants - Gloves of Glory is coming to WiiWare in just a couple of months.

Karate Phants is based off of popular German cartoon characters The Ottifants, which were popular in the 1970's by appearing on the album covers of the comedy albums of Otto Waalkes, their creator. Later in 1993 they had a cartoon series and then a movie in 2001.

Unlike the original Ottifants game released back in 1993 for the Megadrive, Karate Phants is a Beat-Em-Up for up to two players where you must win fights against each other. From the little information we can gather on the official website the game has might be more boxing like in nature with the press release claiming "The virtual blows will be dynamically linked with the
Wiimote" with Special and Power moves also available.

The game is currently set for a May 2009 release date. We should see some video or screenshots before its English announcement.

After many days of teasing through their facebook page Q-Games have revealed PixelJunk 1-4, a subterranean exploration game.

1-4 expands on the concepts originally laid down by the classic Atari arcade game Lunar Lander. As a space ship you must traverse caves to save other explorers, but you also must solve dynamic puzzles using the landscape, such as having water pour on boiling lava to create a platform.

Like Lunar Lander you have gravity constantly weighing you down, so you must continually thrust around in order to stay away from the hot lava. The game will also include enemies and boss characters, which you can shoot at using your ship.

You can check out the official trailer above or check out the lovely 1080p screenshots here. Q-Games have also announced a competition to actually name the game. The competition will end on May 11th with the winner getting their name in the credits as well as a T-Shirt.

Click here to enter the naming competition.

Banjo-Tooie

Developer: 4J/Rare
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Console Classics
Price: 1,200MSP
Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page

Click here to download the trail via the Xbox web marketplace


Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram

Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Action
Price: 1,200MSP
Availability: Not available in India

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page

Click here to download the trail via the Xbox web marketplace


Hasbro Family Game Night

Price: 800MSP

"Download this Trial Version of Sorry! and you'll be able to play the original Hasbro board game. The full version includes new variation – Bonus Cards and custom modes! You'll have access to party games, unlockable items, leaderboards and achievements!"

Click here to download the trial version of Sorry! via the Xbox web marketplace


The Maw DLC - Speeder Land

Price: 100MSP

"In this "deleted scene" from The Maw, Frank steals a Bounty Hunter Speeder and uses it to break through their blockade. This part of the story takes place before the Mesas level."

Click here to download The Maw - Speeder Land DLC

The latest update to the German USK rating board has revealed a very startling title will be coming to the Wii via GameLoft - Sexy Poker.

Sexy Poker Gameloft's strip poker series on mobile phones where winning causes ladies to get another piece of clothing off. MobyGames has some screenshots of some versions of the game, but beware - this link is Not Safe For Work.

GameLoft have ported new versions of a lot of their mobile titles to WiiWare including Brain Challenge, Midnight Bowling, Midnight Pool and Wild West Guns. It's quite surprising that this would even be considered for downloadable consoles, especially WiiWare.

Microsoft recently had a similar kind of title appear on their XNA Community Games platform - Break One Out was an Arkanoid clone with near-pornography underneath. It only lasted several hours before it was removed from the platform.

Will Nintendo go ahead with this release? Will it be a game that only comes out in Europe? What are they thinking? I imagine we'll know very soon.

Source: USK Rating Board

Housemarque, the finnish developer behind the PlayStation Network title Super Stardust HD and the Xbox Live Arcade title Golf: Tee It Up, have revealed to Gamasutra that they working on three new IPs for digital download platforms.

While they're not discussing much about them yet, they have revealed that one of the games will be a Playstation Network exclusive, further strengthening the bond between them and Sony after Super Stardust HD and Stardust Portable, one of the few digitally downloadable games for the PSP. This game will be officially unveiled in the German GamesCom 2009 trade show, though since it's in Germany we should probably get a sneak peak weeks beforehand thanks to the German rating board.

Their second title will be their first multiplatform game this generation, and are working with a publisher in order to get it released. While no publisher has been announced, Housemarque did work with Activision for Golf: Tee It Up, so I would not be surprised if it is with them.

Their third title they have revealed a little bit about - Rope, a a physics-based puzzle/problem solving game which they are self publishing. Using rope physics you attach a player to various objects, attempting to get several other characters to get to the goal.

Currently Rope has been approved for PlayStation Network but Housemarque are in discussions with Microsoft to bring it to the Xbox Live Arcade as well, possibly with WiiWare and iPhone games later on.

Source: Super Stardust HD Developer Housemarque Working on Three New IPs

Brain Challenge
Brain Challenge Bundle

Price: €12.99 / $19.95AU

This bundle includes the PlayStation Network version of Brain Challenge as well as the PSP downloadable version of Brain Challenge. for a discounted price.

Marvel Vs. Capcom 2
Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 Trial

"Fans asked, and Capcom listened! One of the most popular fighting games of all time returns! MvC2 brings legendary characters from throughout Marvel and Capcom history to duke it out in an insane tag-team fighting experience. Featuring an unprecedented 56-character roster and now with HD support and online play, one of the best fighting games ever just got better! Download the exclusive PSN demo today!"

BIT.TRIP BEAT

Wii Points: 600
Game Type: Arcade
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-4
Publisher: Aksys Games

"BIT.TRIP BEAT is a rhythm game that brings retro action into the present, letting you use the motion-sensing Wii Remote controller to bounce beats. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. The challenges are mighty, but if you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you'll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga."

Click here for the official BIT.TRIP BEAT page.

Oh Xbox.com splash pages, how we missed you. We knew of everything getting released for the past 6 weeks and we never had that sense of not knowing what was coming out the next week. But now the Days of Arcade are all over, and now we have the first official news on the second collection of Sega Vintage games on Xbox Live Arcade.

Both Comix Zone and Altered Beast (arcade version) have now appeared on the Xbox.com splash page list, which generally means they're only a few weeks away from release. The other titles mentioned in the several leaks include Phantasy Star II, GunStar Heroes, Sonic 3, Shinobi and Sonic & Knuckles. These games, along with the original Vintage collection, also appear to be coming to the PlayStation Network acording to the USK and ESRB rating websites.

We should expect some sort of announcement in the next week or so. Keep a lookout for more news from us in the future.

A few weeks ago there were hinted at Perfect Dark coming to XBLA through a preview of a Banjo Tooie theme. Now we've got even more proof, courtesy of Destructoid.

The above image, sent to Destructoid anonymously, shows the very same icon as before but now with a name next to it. It also shows Tower Bloxx Deluxe which we recently discussed.

Hopwfully we'll see more come information in the weeks up to E3. It's only a month away!

Source: Destructoid - Someone tapes something they shouldn't have, Forza 3 confirmed

In this round-up, we highlight some of the notable jobs posted in big sister site Gamasutra's industry-leading game jobs section this week, including positions from Raven Software, Infinity Ward 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:

This year is the 25th anniversary of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and currently there is a TMNT Road Tour Van crossing America.

According to the Ninja Pizza blog a remake of TMNT: Turtles In Time is currently in the works. The game is set up the game is currently in Alpha, and plans to be released on Xbox Live Arcade, with a possible Virtual Console release of the original in the works as well.

Ninja Pizza have also posted several screenshots of the game, including screens from "Alleycat Blues" and "Skull and Crossbones" levels. It's complete with the purple foot soldiers of yore, and it is certainly riding on the classic vibe of the original cartoon. According to the blog characters Tokka and Rahzar are in the "Skull and Crossbones" level, which is how the Arcade version was handled.

Considering the huge popularity of TMNT 1989 on Xbox Live Arcade it's not surprising to see more Ninja Turtle games showing up on the service, but a complete remake is more than expected, and it doesn't look too bad for an Alpha build.

Make your way to the Ninja Pizza blog for the other screenshots. I really hope this remake will end up being good.