Microsoft have revealed the winners of this years Dream-Build-Play competition, in which Dust: An Elysian Tail came first place.

For winning the competition developer Dean Dodrill got the grand prize of $40,000. Second prize went to Max Blastronaut with $20,000 in winnings, third prize of $10,000 went to Rotor’scope, and 4th place prize of $5,000 went to HurricaneX2 Evolution.

Unlike the first DBP '09 competition the winners were not awarded with contracts for the Xbox Live Arcade - but now "could have the opportunity to publish their games on Xbox LIVE Arcade".

Continue reading for trailers of each of the winners - it was a fierce competition, and each of these are definitely something to look forward to.

As one would expect from a nerd convention like PAX, card battle games like Magic: The Gathering are everywhere, and the Wizards Of The Coast brought along a build of the XBLA game with the new Magic expansion, dubbed Duel the Dragon, in tow.

Joystiq reports that expension will feature 3 new decks, 6 additional ladder levels, new challenges, and a new "boss" to fight. The game will also be given a title update, which will fix freeze issues and add a forfeit option.

There is currently no date set for the expansion pack, but expect it to drop soon.

Source: Joystiq - PAX 2009: Duel the Dragon DLC coming to Duels of the Planeswalkers

[We round up the top console digital download news of the last week from Gamasutra sister site GamerBytes, including brand-new game announcements and scoops from the world of Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, WiiWare, PSP Minis and DSiWare.]

The Penny Arcade Expo is just about finished, there were a lot of new announcements - did you catch them all? Then this post is just for you - a new Twisted Pixel game, Dream-Build-Play winners, the return of Bonk, and plenty of games to look forward to in the next year.

Here are the top announcements and major store updates across these digital download sources over the last seven days - check out our GamerBytes Twitter account for the latest updates every day:

Back at the end of July we discussed a leaked screenshot of a game called Lucidity, now X360a have received the list of achievements, revealing some new information about the title.

The achievements, which use artwork from the leaked screenshot, reveal that the game has you collect fireflies - 1500 to be exact. The game will be spaced out with 3 acts, with many bonus levels within it, and looking at some of the game icons it looks to be a 2D platformer of some kind.

If these are out I wouldn't be surprised if we see more very soon - keep watching GamerBytes for the latest on Lucidity.

Source: Xbox360Achievements.org - Lucidity

Tiny Australian developer Nocturnal Entertainment has revealed that their casual PC title FlowerWorks will be coming to WiiWare in the next couple of months.

The game has you play as Follie, a small plant-like alien that has fallen onto the planet who must collect pollen to feed her Flowerworks seeds for them to bloom. In essence, it's like Missile Command, but backwards and with a combo meter.

Judging by the PC demo the game feels perfect for the Wii remote. The game looks nice - nice and simple graphics that look very clean on the Wii. The video above is from the PC version Wii screenshots can be seen here.

The game is apparently all done, sent to Nintendo and ready for processing. It will be released in the US in the next couple of months.

Source: VGchartz forums via NintendoEverything

Sonic & Knuckles

"The blue hedgehog and the red echidna were sworn adversaries in Sonic 3, but in the platform adventure Sonic & Knuckles, Knuckles realizes that he's been just a pawn in the schemes of Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik). Knuckles, the former adversary, now supports Sonic to chase the common enemy, and each must use their strengths to acquire the priceless Master Emerald and save Angel Island."

Combine games: For the first time since the SEGA Genesis, combine with Sonic 3 to play as Sonic, Knuckles, even Tails, and unlock new secrets! Combine it with Sonic 2 and play with Knuckles and all his signature moves.

Sonic & Knuckles will be available this Wednesday for 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

Wallace & Gromit Episode 2 - The Last Resort

"When unrelenting rain ruins their holiday plans, Wallace & Gromit bring the beach to 62 West Wallaby with a makeshift resort — in their basement. Keeping customers satisfied is tricky business, especially when one of them is clocked on the head by an unknown assailant. Whodunnit? Find out... with a little help from Wallace's latest invention, the Deduct-o-matic!"

The game has been a long time coming - delayed due to this little thing called the "Summer of Arcade". The game will be available this Wednesday for 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

For this week Xbox Live Gold subscribers will be able to pick up Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for a mere 400 Microsoft Points ($5) - 50% off the current price. Long time XBLA users will remember that the game started out at 1200MSP ($15) at the end of 2007, so if you haven't played the game before this is now the time.

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here to add the trial download to your queue via Xbox web marketplace.

Contra Rebirth

Nintendo Points: 1,000
Game Type: Action
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-2
Publisher: Konami

"Chief Salamander and his Neo-Salamander Force travel back to 1973 AD to invade Earth. They land in Central America and take control of the Shizuoka ruins on the Yucatan Penninsula. There, the aliens plan the destruction of all the "Contra" on Earth. The Galactic President calls on Lance Bean, a member of the elite "Contra" warriors to save the Earth, but his sudden disappearance jeopardizes the safety of the planet. Now, Bill Rizer and the samurai, Genbei Yagyu are the last hope for Earth and must pick up their weapons and defeat the evil Neo-Salamander Army before all is lost. Experience the fast paced action packed 2D side-scrolling adventure that pioneered the run-and-gun genre."

Click here for a quick look at the first stage of the game.

Colorz

Wii Points: 700
Game Type: Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote, Nunchuk
Players: 1-3
Publisher: Exkee

"With ColorZ, go forth in your spaceships on a mission to clean up virus-infested planets. Immerse yourself in a new gaming experience that will reveal mind-hand-eye coordination skills you never knew you had. Absorb viruses of your own color, but steer clear of the others. If necessary, you can cleverly merge your ships together to create new colors. Buzz past your enemies to keep your combo and clock up a new high score. Explore an extra dimension with the game's multiplayer mode and share the unique experience of cooperative play between friends. Pool your forces, synchronize your movements and become a unified team of up to three players to meet the challenge together."

Click here for the official Colorz trailer.

Super Return of the Jedi

Original platform: Super Nintendo
Publisher: Lucasarts
Wii Points 800

"Join the Rebellion and crush the Death Star in a giant universe filled with all the action and adventure of the Star Wars finale. Take command of five different characters - from Wicket the Ewok to Princess Leia - and go up against the Empire's worst, from Jabba the Hutt to the Emperor himself. You're going to need every ounce of Force you've got in you. Battle in actual movie locales, from Jabba the Hutt's palace to the Forest of Endor and the Emperor's Tower. Cross sabers with the darkest of the dark side: Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt, the rancor, Darth Vader and the Emperor."

Click here for a video of Super Return Of The Jedi in action.

Clubhouse Games Express: Family Favorites

Nintendo Points: 500
Game Type: Card Game
Players: 1-8
Publisher: Nintendo

"Choose from five family-friendly games in this DSiWare version of the popular Clubhouse Games. Play classic card games like Hearts and Contract Bridge, connect bones to other bones in Dominoes, think strategically in the simple, but addictive Dots and Boxes, and move your pieces towards a common goal in Ludo. Play by yourself or use DS Download Play to host as many as seven friends."

[Ryan Langley examines August 2009's Xbox Live Arcade debuts, from Trials HD to Shadow Complex and beyond -- including charts and leaderboard data -- to find out what soared and what faltered during the Summer of Arcade.]

The second Xbox Live Summer of Arcade has now finished, with a number of high profile Xbox Live Arcade games debuting. But how well has each of the new, promoted titles done? And how well have they done as a whole in comparison to last year's fantastic list of games?

This is the focus of this month's GamerBytes sales analysis. We're taking a look at Ninja Turtles Re-Shelled, Trials HD, Shadow Complex and 3 more releases for the month. We also examine last month's games to see how they've been able to keep up, sales-wise, and analyze results for the month's only Deal of the Week promotion -- for R-Type Dimensions.

As always, we look at two different sources for our analysis – the weekly ranked top 10 list released by Larry Hyrb on MajorNelson.com, and, when applicable, the online Leaderboards included in every title.

The full charts for August's top-ranked XBLA games by week are as follows:

We mentioned two weeks ago that the German USK rating board had added High Stakes Texas Hold'em from Hudson as upcoming DSiWare, but now a challenge has appeared - Downtown Texas Hold'em from EA.

While not officially announced for DSiWare, the game has been announced for the iPhone, and has been EA's staple Texas Hold'em title for J2ME mobiles for many years.

So we've got Downtown and High Stakes. What's the bet Gameloft will announce their own version very soon?

Gamearts have revealed the first official screenshots of Shadow Walker, their new WiiWare title.

Shadow Walker is a platformer where the main character can only move along shadows, and must solve puzzles in order for him to progress.

It's got a very simple style to it, but despite this it looks like one of the best looking WiiWare titles out there - like Lost Winds, sort of.

Check out the new screenshots here. The game is set to be released sometime next month in Japan with a stateside release later this year.

[In this article, Ryan Langley examines the performance of August 2009's PlayStation Network debuts, including Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Crystal Defenders and Smash Cars.]

Following our recent look at Xbox Live Arcade sales for August 2009, we now look at the top 10 digitally downloaded PlayStation 3 games for PlayStation Network, using ranked charts supplied to us through Sony's press representatives, plus extra Leaderboard data for context.

For August the PlayStation Network got five new downloadable titles, including Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, Crystal Defenders and Smash Cars, and also received seven new PSOne Classics, including the first two Tomb Raider games.

In this analysis, we'll see how each of these games performed based on the Top 10 and any Leaderboard data that was made available. How did the PlayStation Network fare against Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion?

Here's the North American Top 10 for PlayStation Network games published on the PS3 for July 2009:

SONIC & KNUCKLES

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Console Classics
Price: 400 Microsoft Points ($5)
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions
File Size: 29 MB

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here to add the game to your queue via Xbox web marketplace.

Unfortunately Wallace & Gromit Episode 2 is NOT coming out this week, for some reason Major Nelson was wrong on this count. Don't really see why Sonic & Knuckles gets its own single release this week, even if it is 9/9/09, but whatever. Should be soon!

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords

For this week Xbox Live Gold subscribers will be able to pick up Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for a mere 400 Microsoft Points ($5) - 50% off the current price. Long time XBLA users will remember that the game started out at 1200MSP ($15) at the end of 2007, so if you haven't played the game before this is now the time.

Click here for the official Xbox.com splash page.

Click here to add the trial download to your queue via Xbox web marketplace.

Buku Sudoku - Puzzle Pack 7, 8, 9 & 10

Price: 160 Microsoft Points ($2) each.

"Extend your Buku Sudoku experience with 1200 new Sudoku puzzles! per pack!"

Click here to add the trial download to your queue via Xbox web marketplace.




Texas Hold 'em - Environment: Casino & Environment: Hip Hop

Price: 160 Microsoft Points ($2) each.

"Liven up your Texas Hold 'em game with some new scenery."

Click here to add the trial download to your queue via Xbox web marketplace.

Man, these Buku Sudoku and Texas Hold'em DLC must have been sitting around for ages.

Icon games have revealed that their upcoming WiiWare titles - Arcade Sports, Arcade Darts and Stunt Cars, will be making their way to the PSP minis program.

Stunt Cars is a game which appears to have quite some similarities with PlayStation Network's Smash Cars - little remote control cars with a boost mechanic. The WiiWare version will include 24 tracks and 4 player split-screen, and the PSP minis version appears to be missing the multiplayer, but otherwise staying intact. You can check out the screenshots of the game at the official website.

WiiWare's Arcade Sports will be split up into two applications on PSP minis - Air Hockey & Bowling, and Pool & Snooker. You can check out screenshots here.

Arcade Darts is Darts. Six variants included. No screenshots, but what you're imaging a darts game to look like it probably very accurate.

All of Icon's titles are intended to be released by Q4 2009. Stunt Cars is currently up in WiiWare submission with Nintendo, so expect it to suddenly pop up in the near future.

Sega have announced that a new Sonic title will be popping up in 2010 - but little is known about it. All we know is that it's a 2D adventure with high definition graphics.

Now we would assume that the game is somehow a part of the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, but again nothing has been officially revealed.

As a rabid Sonic fan in a past life, I can't help but look at the good ol' Sonic cycle. I didn't like the Sonic Unleashed 2D sections at all, so unless there are some big changes (and they slow Sonic right down to the point where I feel like I'm in control) I'll be staying put in a snarky, dismissive mood.

Those fellows who leaked the Sonic Unleashed trailer a couple of years ago better get on it.

Two Tribes, those fellows behind bringing Toki Tori to WiiWare, have revealed their next title - Rubik's Puzzle Galaxy: Rush.

It's a puzzle game that requires you to position arrows on the play field in order for colored blocks to reach their destinations - but they cannot collide with each other. It's very much like the classic Sega game Chu Chu Rocket, but extends from the limits of a 2D play field to include various different levels of play, as well as new kinds of tiles to drop down.

Looks fun! The game should be out by the end of the year.

Ghostfire Games have released a new trailer for Rage of The Gladiator, their upcoming "Punch Out goes Medievil" game of giant boss battles. The new trailer features Ixthid, a floating Medusa-esque cyclops monster which you fight against.

I had a few questions about the game - story, how the controls work and so forth, but apparently they've answered everything in this handy dandy press kit. Continue reading for the lay down on this game.

Last month Sony revealed PSP minis, an effort to create smaller, more affordable games on the PSP as the PSP Go gets launched. One of the first companies on board is Halfbrick Studios, a small Australian development studio who recently made a name for themselves by developing games for the Xbox Live Indie service.

Now their Xbox Indie Games are getting a second wind by being some of the first titles on PSP minis. We talk to Phil Larsen, Marketing Manager at Halfbrick Studios about developing on the PSP, their plans for the future, and how the recent Xbox Live ratings system has helped their Xbox Live Indie Games' sales.

Tecmo have revealed the first screenshot of NBA Unrivaled, an upcoming Basketball game for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network that isn't just half of another retail game.

The game will support games of 5v5 Basketball, so this isn't exactly like NBA Jam, but it appears to keep the arcade dunking style intact.

You can check out some more screenshots at the NBA Unrivaled Facebook page. Hopefully we'll be seeing some videos soon. The game is set to be released by the end of 2009.

Famitsu have revealed the first true screenshots of King of Fighters: SkyStage, the game that mixes King of Fighter characters with... vertical shmups. It's so crazy that it just might work!

When it was revealed back in April the press release came with screenshots with nothing but elaborate effects in the background, but these new screens show off a new logo, new HUD and the actual stages. A train yard! Never seen one of those before in a top-down shooter, but I'm being overly cynical.

The game's arcade version will be showed at the Japan AM show between the 17th and 19th of September. Hopefully we'll hear more about it soon, along with some news on that Metal Slug 7 port.

Source: Famitsu - KOF SKY STAGE characters appeared in the arcade

Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos

Category: Point-and-click Adventure
Publisher: TikGames
Players: 1
Price: £7.99 / €9.99

"Track down the evil and destructive fugitive Dr. Chaos, as you hunt down clues in the exciting seek and find game Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos. As an elite agent for Interpol, it is your mission to eradicate his trail of corruption as it takes you around the world from one international city to the next. Use your investigative skills to quickly gather the evidence needed to bring him to justice."

Check out a trailer of the Xbox Live Arcade version here.

George Takei Character Pack

Price: £1.19 / €1.49

"Guess who’s in the PAIN launcher now…yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s the one and only George Takei. Oh, my!…or is it “OW, my!”? The legendary star of such hits as the “Star Trek” series and the UK version of “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here” is ready to bring the PAIN, and the game will never be the same. Complete with 3 costumes and original voice-over from George himself, we’re proud to welcome this add-on launchee into our world of hurt!"

High Velocity Bowling Heather

Price: £0.79 / €0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Heather Haughtfer to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Heather is an 8th grade teacher who never has trouble keeping her male students’ attention. She exhibits excellent speed control, but with guys always volunteering to do things for her, she doesn’t have much power behind her throws. Download includes Heather’s special Gimm-n-A ball, plus the new Afterschool Playground lane."

High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Graphic Patterns

Price: £0.79 / €0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Graphic Patterns” theme bowling balls."

High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Back To School

Price: £0.79 / €0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Back 2 School” theme bowling balls."

Fat Princess Demo

"Rescue your beloved princess through teamwork in this comic medieval battle royale. There’s a catch, though—the other team has been feeding her magical cake, making her harder to escort back to your castle. Choose from five distinct character classes and switch at any time to best help your team as you work to save your princess. Demo now available!"

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time Re-Shelled

Category: Beat-em-up
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1-4

"The Turtles are back! The game has been recreated in beautiful full 3D HD graphics and enhanced animations but still has all of the favorite moments and gameplay from the original."

Click here for the official trailer for TMNT Re-Shelled

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

Price: $5.99

"Kain is out for vengeance, and nothing but blood will shake his thirst!"

Silent Hill

Price: $5.99

"Celebrating the franchise’s 10th anniversary, Silent Hill is back instilling the fear of the creepy town in you once again."

Syphon Filter 2

Price: $5.99

"Deadly Espionage in a World Held Hostage!"

George Takei Character Pack

Price: $1.99

"Guess who’s in the PAIN launcher now…yes, ladies and gentlemen, it’s the one and only George Takei. Oh, my!…or is it “OW, my!”? The legendary star of such hits as the “Star Trek” series and the UK version of “I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here” is ready to bring the PAIN, and the game will never be the same. Complete with 3 costumes and original voice-over from George himself, we’re proud to welcome this add-on launchee into our world of hurt!"

High Velocity Bowling Heather

Price: $0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Add Heather Haughtfer to your High Velocity Bowling roster. Heather is an 8th grade teacher who never has trouble keeping her male students’ attention. She exhibits excellent speed control, but with guys always volunteering to do things for her, she doesn’t have much power behind her throws. Download includes Heather’s special Gimm-n-A ball, plus the new Afterschool Playground lane."

High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Graphic Patterns

Price: $0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Graphic Patterns” theme bowling balls."

High Velocity Bowling Ball Pack – Back To School

Price: $0.99

"It’s time to bowl – High Velocity style! Spice up your bowling game with this cool pack of six custom “Back 2 School” theme bowling balls."

In our latest employment-tastic 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 Rockstar North, Turbine 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 this week include:

Spaceball: Revolution

Nintendo Points: 800
Game Type: Puzzle
Control Type: Wii Remote
Players: 1-2
Publisher: Virtual Toys

"Test your reaction skills against the clock in this intense action-puzzle game. In solo mode, share your scores via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and aim to be world champion, or challenge a friend in split-screen two-player mode!"

Solomon's Key

Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: Tecmo
Wii Points 600

"This classic arcade game from TECMO is a challenging mix of action and puzzle elements. As a lone hero you must negotiate a series of fiendish enemy-infested rooms to reach the fabled Solomon's Key that holds the power to save the world."

Click here for a quick look at Solomon's Key.

Rygar

Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: Tecmo
Wii Points 600

"Experience the original arcade version of Rygar. Tecmo's legendary side-scrolling action game - a huge hit back in 1986. Use your strength, agility and your trusty Disk Armour to save the human race from the evil Beast Lord."

Click here for a quick look at Rygar on Youtube.

2-In-1 Solitaire

Nintendo Points: 200
Game Type: Card Game
Players: 1
Publisher: Nintendo

via ONMUK - "2-in-1 Solitaire (200 DSi Points) brings two of the most popular versions of the card game - Spider and Klondike - to DSi. In Spider, the aim is to arrange cards in piles of a single suit from King down to Ace. When all cards are removed, you win the game. The goal of Klondike is to arrange cards from Ace to King in piles, one for each suit, on the four foundations. You win when all cards have been moved to the foundations."

Click here for a look at the Japanese version of the game.

Final Fantasy: My Life As A Darklord DLC

Nintendo Points: Between 200-500

via ONMUK - "We have new items for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As A Darklord. The following items will expand your darklord's evil arsenal and are available for 200-500 Wii Points. They are A Fateful Clash, Gloomy Armband, Wailing Doll, and Kain."






Final Fantasy IV: The After Years DLC

Nintendo Points: 800

via ONMUK - "Chapter 9 of Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. In The Crystals - the final chapter of the role-playing game - the world is on the brink of destruction and the heroes converge at Baron Castle. What has become of the stolen Crystals and what is the true nature of the Mysterious Girl? You'll find out as you play through this massive final episode."

LucasArts upcoming puzzle-platformer Lucidity has finally been revealed, thanks to the latest episode of GameTrailers TV.

The game revolves around Sophie, a little girl in the search for her Grandmother as she skips and jumps through 30 different levels, with secret ones to find along the way. In Lucidity you don't control Sophie at all, but instead must place objects in her way for her to continue on her quest - steps, fans, springs and so forth.

Check out the trailer above, or for more check out GameTrailers.com Apparently the game is very close to release, later this month in fact, so watch out for it.

MTV Games was created back in 2005, and have since become huge with the addition of Harmonix to their catalog - making it big with Rock Band and the recent The Beatles Rock Band. They haven't published anything else on console since, but now the German USK says they're planning to release SpongeBob and the Nicktoons GravJet Racing to the Xbox 360.

THQ has been the only publisher for Nicktoon based games since 2001, producing many SpongeBob games, but now Viacom, who own both Nickelodeon and MTV, may be kicking THQ to the curb.

While there is absolutely nothing to say that this is an Xbox Live Arcade title, in the past the lack of a pre-announcement usually means a game will come to digital platforms. It would make sense for a company like MTV games, who are quite well aware of the power of digital distribution with Rock Band, to go the digital route here.

So for now this is all speculation for Xbox Live Arcade - but MTV are getting their hands dirty with Nickelodeon properties.

Source: German USK

In a recent update to the ESRB games rating list, a new Square-Enix title called Gyromancer appeared, in what seems to be a new downloadable title coming to the Xbox Live Arcade and PC.

Gyromancer is described as a puzzle game where you play a Mage who is tracking down rebels responsible for murdering the royal family. The combat involves the manipulation of colored crystals much in the way of a Bejeweled or Puzzle Quest game which when matched together create "attack moves" that take a hit from the enemy's health meter.

The game received a Teen rating for red blood splatter and slashes across the screen, so this sounds nothing like a Final Fantasy mage at all.

Hopefully we'll hear about this soon - I'd love to see a Japanese take on the Puzzle RPG formula.

Source: ESRB