Busy Gamer News

Namco is offering collectible t-shirts for those who pre-order Soul Calibur III, the PS2 exclusive due Oct. 26. The EB shirt depicts Nightmare with two newcomers, Tira and Zasalamel. Gamestop's shirt has Ivy, Kilik and Astaroth. Gamecrazy can hook you up with Mitsurugi and newcomer Setsuka. Buy anywhere else, and you'll just get the game - which is enough for some...

If you let your City of Heroes membership lapse, you can sign in for free between now and 11:59 p.m. CDT Tuesday, Sept. 6. Your existing characters will be intact, ready to explore the newest content update (Issue 5). You do need the full game and an existing account to take advantage of this offer..

If you're looking for a way to help Hurrican Katrina survivors, your first stop should be Redcross.org where you can make a donation or volunteer to help out. Another way to show support: Buy a Fight the Flood T-shirt from Bungiestore.com. All September profits from Bungie's online store go to disaster relief, though a direct donation still does the most good. Be wary of scams; you should only contribute through reputable sites and organizations...

If you have Steel Battalion with its hernia-inducing controller, you now have less than a month to beat the Campaign mode of its online sequel, Steel Battalion: Line of Contact. On Sept. 30, Capcom will pull the plug on its Xbox Live servers, meaning any missions and mechs you haven't unlocked in Campaign mode won't be available for Free Mission or system link play...

The SEC has approved the GameStop-Electronic Boutique merger. If approved by stockholders in early October (and considering the recent stock boosts, this is a no brainer), there will most likely be fewer choices for gamers this holiday. Let's hope that a smaller chain steps up to take on the new Goliath...

Activision is giving Spidey fans with a PS2 a treat: the Ultimate Spider-Man Limited Edition. For $10 more, you'll get the game plus a comic covering the Spider-Man vs. Venom story, a G4 "making of" video, developer tips on beating levels and combat, and the requisite special foil packaging, albeit signed by Stan Lee, the writer and the illustrator of the comics. Word is that this is a very limited edition, so get those pre-orders in now...

The F.E.A.R. Director's Edition DVD contains some extras for those with a DVD-ROM drive. In addition to the usual documentaries and interviews about the creation of this survival horror shooter, you'll get a machinima short from the guys who made Red vs. Blue. Some retailers are even offering $5 off if you pre-order this edition, due in October...

The demo for Age of Empires 3 offers single-player missions and skirmishs where you can build and battle as Britain or Spain. The download is a waifish 366MB; get it at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7610...

If you just can't wait for the rash of upcoming zombie games, download the Long Night PC total conversion for Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The mod offers up a new storyline, 20 missions, some new radio stations and plenty of undead action. Download it at gtagaming.com/vicecity... In related news, Take Two Interactive announced that the GTA: San Andreas recall due to the Hot Coffee fiasco cost them $28.8 million. The PC and Xbox versions will be re-released with M ratings next week; the date for the PS2 version hasn't been locked down yet. And Liberty City Stories for the PSP is due out by Oct. 31...

Pre-order Civilization IV from the usual retailers and you'll get a CD soundtrack, keyboard template, tech tree map and spiral-bound manual - all for no extra charge when the game ships in October. Just ask for the special Pre-order Edition... Likewise, there will be a Collector's Edition for City of Villains but you'll pay an extra $20 for it. Included are 7 limited-edition HeroClix figures and a preview deck from the City of Heroes card game (for offline play), exclusive in-game Arachnos chest emblem and cape, a map and an art book. You will need a DVD drive for this one... Hard-core shooter fans should pick up the limited-edition Painkiller: Black DVD, which includes the original game and expansion pack, Cyberathlete Professional League enhancements, a making-of video, music video, map/editing tools and artwork - all for $30...

After years of delays, Black & White 2 will be released Oct. 7. Yes, this year...

Sony has recalled some AC adapters included with new slimline PlayStation 2s, but so far only in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and Asia. It appears U.S. models are not affected, but if you've imported a PS2 recently or want to check the details, visit ps2ac.com...

Turns out the U.S. is affected by the overheating PS2 adaptor problem. If your slimline PlayStation 2 has an AC adaptor with date code 2004.08, 2004.09, 2004.10, 2004.11 and 2004.12 and a serial number beginning with "F3," call Sony at (888) 780-7690 or visit us.playstation.com/Adaptor...

The Official PlayStation 2 Magazine confirms the popular belief that Sony will launch the PlayStation 3 in Japan first in March 2006, with the U.S. and other countries getting it sometime in summer. An Xbox Live-type service will be included, complete with buddy lists and voice messaging. Top exclusive titles include Devil May Cry 4, the next Grand Theft Auto game, Killzone and Metal Gear Solid 4, though it's not clear yet which of these (if any) will be available at launch...

Remember the Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller for the GameCube? Well, it's nothing compared to the PS2 version due in October. Not just a ghastly shape, NubyTech's newest creation contains motion sensors so you can aim your weapons in the game by moving the chainsaw around. The cable is detachable so it can be placed in its dandy display stand between zombie attacks, and there's a ripcord that activates a nifty chainsaw sound effect. Retail is $50...

Microsoft revealed the Xbox 360 will launch Tuesday, Nov. 22 in the U.S., followed by Dec. 2 in Europe and Dec. 10 in Japan. You might want to submit those vacation requests now...

Everybody's freaking out, and it's easy to see why. The Nintendo Revolution controller, unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show, looks very much like a TV remote. But the wireless device actually uses sensors to translate hand and wrist movements into game control. The face features a large button and a D-pad for your thumb, and underneath there's a trigger-like button. Expansion devices can be added including a thumbstick that you hold in your other hand. So far, motion-sensitive controllers have failed to go mainstream but with such a big player pushing the technology, gamers won't be able to ignore this. Still, you have to wonder if there won't be at least some third-party controllers with more conventional designs...

In followup interviews, Nintendo revealed that its TV remote-style, motion-sensing controller for the Revolution (see below) will slip neatly into a standard controller shell for playing classic Nintendo library games and console ports that require a traditional control scheme. The motion sensors will still work, assuming any third-party developers want to make any use of them...

World of Warcraft players have been struck down by a plague. The disease originated from a new boss, Hakkar in Zul'Gurub, whose Corrupted Blood attack proved contagious and was carried to cities where it spread quickly. What's odd is that some players are lobbying to keep this apparent bug as a feature. Generally, these are folks leveled up enough to regenerate health faster than the attack takes it. Walk into a plague-ridden area with a character below Level 50 and you're toast. You might want to stay away from Azeroth for a few days while Blizzard prepares a vaccine...

The next generation of turn-based card battle stealth games will include stereoscopic technology. That's right, Metal Gear Ac!d 2 features a 3D viewer that clips right onto your PSP. The good news? You'll be able to switch off the game's 3D mode, so you won't have to look like a total dork playing it in public. The game and viewer are due out Dec. 8 in Japan; no word yet on a U.S. release...

Mindless shooter fans, rejoice! At long last, Serious Sam 2 is near release (due in October for PC and Xbox), and the demo is available now. Play solo or up to four-player cooperative with 15 weapons and a vehicle. Get all 236MB of FPS goodness at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7691. If third-person running and gunning is more your speed, try Total Overdose - a GTA-style action game set in Mexico that's due out any day now for PC, PS2 and Xbox. It's 309MB at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7693...

This week, you have two new choices in Game Boys at retail. The ultra-portable Game Boy Micro ships, but so does an update to the Game Boy Advance SP that offers a backlit screen (bringing it on par with the Micro and DS). Earlier units used front lighting, designed to preserve battery life. Reviewers detected a small amount of motion blur with the new screens, but also report improved color saturation and much better performance in places where bright light would normally wash out the picture. You'll also have a choice of two new colors: Graphite and Pearl Blue...

Recognizing the growing female fanbase for Nintendogs, the Big N announced it will finally release the Nintendo DS in pink and teal for U.S. retail. These special editions, due Oct. 24, contain the new Nintendogs "Best Friends" edition with the beagle, miniature dachshund, golden retriever, German shepherd, Labrador retriever and Yorkshire terrier unlocked at start and, no doubt, even more unique items to collect and trade (bet you can't get them all!). The bundle, priced at $150, also includes a nifty pawprint skin and a bone-shaped screen wipe. Aww, it's soooo cute...

If you're one of the 20 or so people who still has Shadow Warrior for the PC, 3D Realms has unearthed a lost add-on pack called Wanton Destruction that was fully developed and approved but never actually released. You can get the free download at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7633. If you don't have Shadow Warrior (a nifty ninja FPS based on the Duke Nukem 3D engine), try the 3DRealms.com store where they've dropped the price to $10...

The Call of Duty 2 demo is now available at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7733. What are you still doing here? So what if it's only single player. And 655MB. This thing won't download itself. It's set in Egypt. There will be guns and explosions and British soldiers dressed in khaki. You know you want it. Just do it already...

Microsoft is apparently scaling back the promised features for Perfect Dark Zero to make the Xbox 360 launch window in November. The plan for 50-player online matches has been reduced to a more manageable 32 - still better than most current gen console titles. Also gone is TV mode, where players could watch and share battle footage. Rare is saying these features might be added back later as Xbox Live downloads. More worrisome is the rumor that both Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3 may slip past launch day, leaving gamers with preorder bundles with little to no games to play...

As you'd expect, Dead or Alive 4 will feature faster action, flashier special effects and a similar control scheme to past installments. Online mode will be much like DOA Ultimate, but with a new lobby system where you choose a visual theme when you host. You can even buy decorations (using faux currency earned in the game) such as a TV for watching matches while you wait. Costumes will be limited since the developers are focused on getting gameplay perfected for the Xbox 360 launch. Rather than offering free download packs as they've done in the past, Team Ninja is toying with the idea of selling costumes in the new Xbox Live online marketplace. The game features three new characters: Kokoro, female wrestler La Mariposa and Gen Fu-protege Elliot. As with DOA3, there will be slick end movies as reward for completing story mode...

To help promote We Love Katamari, on the PS2, Namco released the Katamari Desktop Buddy, a free PC widget that rolls around your screen and displays marketing messages: news about the game, contests and Web site updates. You can even hunt around the Web site at katamari.namco.com for presents for your buddy. Whee!!...

There's a new F.E.A.R. multiplayer demo available at fileshack.com/file.x?fid=7745 and from other purveyors of fine downloads. It includes both a deathmatch and a capture the flag map for up to 16 players. Oh, and rumor has it that F.E.A.R. is quietly being ported to the Xbox 360...