Busy Gamer News

• DS: Alice in Wonderland, Deca Sports DS, Flips: Terror in Cubicle Four (DSiWare), Globulos Party (DSiWare), Let's Golf (DSiWare), MLB 2K10, Quad Kings, Sonic Classic Collection, SpongeBob Boating Bash and VT Tennis (DSiWare)
• iPhone: Alice in Wonderland, Assassin's Creed II: Multiplayer, Astro Ranch, Colorbind, Dizzypad, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, Fly Kiwi Fly, Radio Flare Redux, Rayman 2: The Great Escape, Stinger Table Hockey, Transformers G1 Awakening, Vector Tanks Extreme and We Rule
• Mac: Youda Games Variety Pack
• PC: Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Masque Casino 5 Pack, MLB 2K10, Reel Deal Card Games 2011, Reel Deal Slots: American Adventure, Rhem 4, Silent Hunter: Battle of the Atlantic, Supreme Commander 2 and Youda Games Variety Pack
• PS3: Battlefield: Bad Company 2, MLB '10: The Show and MLB 2K10
• PS2: MLB '10: The Show and MLB 2K10
• PSP: Dante's Inferno, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, MLB '10: The Show and MLB 2K10
• Wii: Alice in Wonderland, Dart Rage (WiiWare), Fatal Fury Special (Virtual Console), Happy Hammerin' (WiiWare), Mega Man 10 (WiiWare), MLB 2K10, Project Runway, Racquet Sports (offered with and without camera peripheral) and SpongeBob Boating Bash
• Xbox 360: Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Lips: Party Classics, MLB 2K10 and Toy Soldiers (Arcade)

• WiiWare: Dart Rage ($6), Happy Hammerin' ($5) and Mega Man 10 ($10)
• Virtual Console: Fatal Fury Special for Neo Geo ($9)
• DSiWare: Flips: Terror in Cubicle Four ($5), Globulos Party ($5), Let's Golf ($8) and VT Tennis ($5)
• Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, March 2) "The Game," "Meaning of Life" and "Voices" by Disturbed, "Third Floor Story" and "White Falcon Fuzz" by The Mother Hips, "Panic Switch" and "Sort Of" by Silversun Pickups and "Downfall" by Trustcompany - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DS Demos (via Wii's Nintendo "Marketing" Channel): All repeats including Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, Avatar, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Deca Sports DS Cheerleading and Ping Pong, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Alpine Skiing, The Princess and the Frog, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing and Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion
• Game Videos: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Chicken Riot, Dance Sensation!, Dart Rage, Happy Hammerin', Mega Man 10, Rooms DS and Trauma Team

If you've bought or can quickly pick up a new copy of Darksiders for PS3 or Xbox 360 before this weekend, you can get Red Faction: Guerilla almost free even if the game didn't come with an offer redemption code.

We say "almost free" because you're actually on the hook for $5 in shipping charges, plus you need to dig out your original purchase receipt (no copies) and clip the barcode from the game box. Also, you need to reside in the U.S. and get your request and check into the mail before March 7 (so, realistically, by Saturday, March 6). Download the PDF form and get clipping.

If you do have a code, just follow the instructions to redeem it online (you still have to pay the $5)...

We're long overdue for an Instant Win, and we're going to change things up a little from past giveaways of this type. So if you won last time, you'll still be eligible for the next!

Rather than give the prize to the first person who enters, we'll do a random drawing from everyone who posts in the next hour - by 9:05 a.m. PST. (If no one enters by the deadline, we'll extend it until we get someone - in which case, it will go to the first person in!) Remember that comments are held in a queue - so if you don't see yours, don't panic.

The prize is the Sex and the City Movie on Blu-ray, suitable for playback on any PS3 as long as its not March 1 on an even-numbered non-leap year. If not for you, enter for a girlfriend, sibling or parent!

This giveaway is a bonus for those busy gamers who are vigilant and/or lucky. The usual rules apply except that the entry period is shorter. Follow me on Twitter if you want a head's up before we post Instant Wins.

To enter:

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PC via Steam, Greenhouse and Direct2Drive.

In a Nutshell: The titular Maw is a giant purple blob with a big, hungry mouth (get it?) and the brain of a dog. A sweet, stupid, really hungry dog. The game's opening scenes imply - but do not show - Maw in a laboratory, presumably about to get sliced and diced. He escapes with his buddy Frank, an adorable yet slightly creepy bug-like alien dude. That would be you.

Frank slaps a collar on Maw and off they go trotting around the globe in search of... well, I'm really not sure, but I assume it's to avoid Maw vivisection. As you journey, Maw eats everything in sight, allowing him to grow and eat even larger things. This isn't a Katamari knock-off, though. Maw gains special powers by eating certain wildlife. These vary by level, but include fire eyes (you heard me!), rhino-nose and flying.

The Maw is all about puzzles, starting with how you acquire those powers. Many delicacies require some preparation before Maw can chow down. If you feed him something prematurely, he'll spit it out faster than you can say Tom Colichio. But once Maw has the power du level, watch out.

Learning Curve: Mastering the moves is very easy. Nothing requires more than one button push, and most similar tasks are assigned to the same button. There are a few platformer moments that consist primarily of Frank jumping from one spot to another. Platforms are always spaced mercifully close together, meaning players don't have to spend long periods of time mastering the jump moves.

The more difficult aspect, for me, anyway, was keeping track of Maw's powers. It seemed like new wildlife appeared every level, requiring me to figure out a new process (how do I catch/cook/whatever it) and then determining what Maw could do after he ate the crispy critter. Some creatures/powers re-appeared late in the game, by which time I had forgotten what to do.

Certain puzzles were also insanely hard to me. That said our 7-year-old, Pikachu Fan, was able to guide me through them without breaking a sweat.

The Save Game: Very tough for busy gamers - the game only saves at the end of a level. No interim saves.

Family Factor: Subjective. The game is rated E for everyone and is mostly harmless. Some creatures, including Maw himself, might be scary to very small children. Also, note that there are guns (turrets and spaceships) used against Frank/Maw throughout the game. If Frank or Maw get hit, they just fall back and see stars - no blood, no deaths. Your heros never die, but copious authority figures (presumably security guys) do go down - and are promptly eaten by Maw. Some creatures are bonked on the head/see stars.

Buy or Skip? This one is not available for rent (though there is a free trial on Xbox Live Marketplace), so it comes down to buy or skip. I thoroughly enjoyed the game, although it is incredibly short. I beat it in two Saturday sessions totaling about 6 hours. I can easily see playing through it again to try to beat my best time and pick up a few achievements I missed the first go round. It's also a perennial Pikachu Fan favorite, so it will be in rotation for some time to come for that reason. There are three bonus levels (so called "deleted scenes") available for purchase if it leaves you wanting more, but they total $3.75 which is 37% of the total $10 game cost. So far, we've passed on them.

Overall, the game is a solid "buy" for anyone looking for an inexpensive puzzle game you can play with your kids.

On a Personal Note: Our 7-year-old discovered The Maw last year, and immediately started mimicking Frank's call (Maw? MAAA-AWWW!), even adapting it to call one of our cats, Mal. (Listen to our next Sunday podcast for an audio sample!)

I had no idea TwistedPixel was selling stuffed Maw dolls at PAX '09 until a friend mentioned it on Twitter. I went on a frenzied search for their booth, only to find out they had just sold the last one a short time before. They were planning to get some overnighted from Austin, however.

Long story short, the FedEx shipment did not come through - but TwistedPixel ultimately did. We gave them cash (with somewhat overestimated shipping) and a business card, and the following Monday received e-mail saying Maw was on his way.

He now resides in Pikachu Fan's room, where he scares the wits out of our cats.

More Busy Gamer Reviews:

• Assassin’s Creed II: Battle of Forli DLC
• Borderlands [BGN Game of the Year 2009]
• Lego Rock Band
• Assassin's Creed II
• Zuma's Revenge
• Halo 3: ODST
• Plants vs. Zombies
• Fallout 3
• Scribblenauts
• The Beatles: Rock Band
• Infamous
• Guide to kids and adult games

The long-awaited Rock Band Network - which offers downloadable tracks for Rock Band 2 that are authored by third parties and then peer-reviewed - launched today with about 105 songs. The service is Xbox 360 only, at least for now, though the best tracks are expected to be offered to PlayStation 3 and Wii owners via the usual weekly Rock Band Store releases some time after they've cleared 30 days of Xbox 360 exclusivity.

At this time, you have to launch Rock Band 2 and accept a patch to the game to access the Rock Band Network store, where songs are typically $1-2 each.

The separate Rock Band Store app did not offer anything but the usual weekly releases, though we expect it will be patched eventually to support RBN. Also, the original Rock Band and Lego Rock Band do not support either downloading RBN tracks or playing any that you have purchased (which is a real shame, because our 7-year-old, Pikachu Fan, would love to drum on Creepy Doll as part of his Lego Rock Band campaign!).

Note that there are free demos for each song in addition to audio previews. We found the RBN store cumbersome to browse, but if you view by decade you'll find the majority of songs in the '00s.

Hit the jump for the very long list of launch tracks:

• Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 1 and 2 bundle ($15)
• Dante’s Inferno Dark Forest Pack ($5) and Relics Triple Pack ($3)
• Resident Evil 5 Desperate Escape ($5) and Costume Pack 2 ($2)
• Topatoi Pillar Of The Skies ($8)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Quest Pack 1 (free)
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 1 (free)
• MLB 10: The Show 6 Classic Stadiums ($10) and for-pay cheats Franchise Funds Increase and Road to the Show Training Points ($1 each)
• Guitar Hero 5 Blink-182 Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "First Date," "All The Small Things" and "Adam’s Song"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Disturbed Pack 2 ($5.50 or $2 each) with and tracks ($1 each) "Third Floor Story" and "White Falcon Fuzz" by The Mother Hips and ($2 each) "Panic Switch" and "Sort Of" by Silversun Pickup and "Downfall" by Trust Company - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Demos: Just Cause 2, MLB 2K10 and MotoGP 09/10
• The Beatles: Rock Band track ($2) "All You Need is Love"
• Game Videos: Dante’s Inferno, Fallout: New Vegas, God of War III, Uncharted 2 and Vancouver 2010 plus The Tester Episode 3 and Pulse
• Themes: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (free), MLB 10: The Show (free), 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Dynamic ($4), Abstract Premium ($2), Clover Fractals ($1.50), make.believe (free), Nightmare Before Christmas ($1.50) and Vintage Comic Mickey ($1.50)
• PSP: Dante’s Inferno ($40), Digi-Tiles ($3), Earthshield ($3), Legend of Kunoichi ($3), Lunar: Silver Star Harmony ($30), MLB 10: The Show ($40), MLB 2K10 ($30), Smashbreak ($3) and Vector TD ($4), plus Buzz! Quiz World Sci-Fi Movies Pack ($3) and LittleBigPlanet PSP Canyons Costumes Pack (free) and Canyons Theme Pack ($3)
• PSP Demos: Patchwork Heroes
• PSP Game Videos: Dante’s Inferno, Echoshift, God of War III, The Tester Episode 3 and Pulse
• PSP Themes: MLB 10: The Show (free), 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ($1.50), Bad Business 2 ($1.50 each) and Clover Fractals ($1.50)
• PlayStation Home Items (usually priced $0.50-7.50 each): More Star Wars and Indiana Jones, the Irem Seaside of Memories public space and seaside mansion and yacht private spaces

• Arcade: Toy Soldiers ($15) plus Buku Sudoku Puzzle Pack 13 ($2)
• Forza Motorsport 3 Benchmark High Speed Ring ($5), Sidewinder Proving Grounds ($5), Motorsport Legends Car Pack ($5) and VIP Car Pack ($10)
• Dante’s Inferno Dark Forest Pack ($5) and Relics Triple Pack ($3)
• Resident Evil 5 Desperate Escape ($5) and Costume Pack 2 ($2)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack 2 (free)
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 1 (free)
• Guitar Hero 5 Blink-182 Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "First Date," "All The Small Things" and "Adam’s Song"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Disturbed Pack 2 ($5.50 or $2 each) with and tracks ($1 each) "Third Floor Story" and "White Falcon Fuzz" by The Mother Hips and ($2 each) "Panic Switch" and "Sort Of" by Silversun Pickup and "Downfall" by Trust Company plus 105 Rock Band Network tracks for Rock Band 2 only - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Lips tracks ($2 each) "Mr. Vain" by Culture Beat, "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd and "Hip Hop Hooray" by Naughty by Nature
• Games on Demand: Fallout 3
• Demos: Just Cause 2 and MotoGP 09/10 plus all Xbox Live Arcade and Indie games
• Indie Games (usually $1-10 each): Autumn, Ava the Firefly, Globoid, Last Line Of Defence, Maze Haze, Mega Monster Mania, MotorHeat, Mouse Maze, Pixelkiller, Santa Bomber, Soulcaster and Zatacka 360
• Game Videos: Army of Two: The 40th Day, Fallout: New Vegas, Halo: Reach, Iron Man 2, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, Lazy Raiders, Lips: Party Classics, Medal of Honor and Supreme Commander 2 
• Themes: St. Patrick's Day ($3) and Mazda (free)
• Pictures: Mazda (free; some enter you in sweepstakes)
• Avatar Items (usually priced $1-5 each): MLB 2K10

In honor of Final Fantasy XIII coming out this coming week, we have the lush Final Fantasy XII Collector's Edition Guide if you:

• need help getting through the previous game in the series
• just want to enjoy the beautiful artwork

This version has one of the nicest covers we've seen on a game guide, so you may just want to display it prominently on your coffee table.

The guide itself will tell you everything you want to know about Ivalice with a full walkthrough of the game and details on weapons, magicks, items, side quests, secrets and more.

To enter (and show how much you love free stuff!):

This week have an audio tour of The Maw (with a brief cameo by Pikachu Fan!), GrrlGotGame shares her BioShock 2 multiplayer experience and we examine the Sony PlayStation 3 A-clock-alypse and pick apart the Rock Band Network launch for Xbox 360- all in about 12 minutes!

We also have two bonus codes to award but you'll get the details in the podcast.

Our goal is to provide a short (typically 10-15 minutes) summary of news and helpful commentary every Sunday so that you'll have a great jumping off point for your busy gamer week. Here's what we pack into each episode:

• The week's game releases
• A quick look back at the previous week's releases, news and downloadable content highlights
• What we're playing/mini-reviews
• Giveaways
• Comment of the week

• DS: 4 Travellers: Play Spanish (DSiWare), Chocolatier, The Daring Game for Girls, Dracula: Undead Awakening (DSiWare), Dream Chronicles, Elemental Masters (DSiWare), Flips: The Bubonic Builders (DSiWare), Foto Showdown, Let's Play Ballerina, Pokemon HeartGold and Pokemon SoulSilver
• iPhone: Chalkboard Stunts, Cocoto Magic Circus, Gundead Defense (free), Mole: Quest for the Terracore Gem, Radio Flare Redux, Ragdoll Blaster 2, Raging Thunder 2, Sparkle, Spirit, Tilt to Live and Volkswagen Think Blue Challenge (free)
• Mac: None
• PC: Assassin's Creed 2, Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans, Project Runway, Sam & Max 2: Beyond Time and Space and Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War II - Chaos Rising
• PS3: Final Fantasy XIII, Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition and Yakuza 3
• PS2: None
• PSP: BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
• Wii: Calling, The Daring Game for Girls, Dracula: Undead Awakening (WiiWare), Final Fantasy II (Virtual Console), Let's Play Ballerina, Let's Play Garden, Max & the Magic Marker (WiiWare), Sam & Max 2: Beyond Time and Space and Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games
• Xbox 360: Final Fantasy XIII, Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition and Scrap Metal (Arcade)

• WiiWare: Dracula: Undead Awakening ($10) and Max & the Magic Marker ($10)
• Virtual Console: Final Fantasy II for Super NES ($8)
• DSiWare: 4 Travellers: Play Spanish ($8), Dracula: Undead Awakening ($5), Elemental Masters ($8) and Flips: The Bubonic Builders ($5)
• Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, March 9) "Decent Days & Nights" and "Hounds of Love" by The Futureheads, "Walk Away" by The James Gang, "The Hockey Theme" by Neil Peart, "All of This" and "Tie You Down" by Shaimus and "Fell in Love with a Girl," "Seven Nation Army" and "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told)" by The White Stripes - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DS Demos (via Wii's Nintendo "Marketing" Channel): Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects and the usual array of repeats including Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, Avatar, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Deca Sports DS Cheerleading and Ping Pong, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games Alpine Skiing, The Princess and the Frog, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing and Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion
• Game Videos: Dracula: Undead Awakening, Elemental Masters, The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest, Max & the Magic Marker, Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Trauma Team

Harmonix announced Rock Band 3 is coming out. Later this year, in time for the holidays. Oh, and it "will innovate and revolutionize the music genre once again." That's it, that's all we know. We could conjecture what this means (and it's tempting to do so!). But it's better just to wait for a real announcement, the kind with a press release containing dates, pricing, and actual feature details. We're fans of the games they've released so far and even we have to call this one: Fail...

Our little Busy Gamer Podcast received some recognition this week. It's been featured on This Week in Podcast, which is a podcast about... podcasts! Each week, Nick McKinney scours his Google Alerts looking for up-and-coming podcasts, which is how he found us. He spends a lot of time separating the signal from all of the noise, and we're so glad we ended up on the signal side of things!

He features our March 7 show with The Maw review (one of our best!) and includes the whole thing since it's so short (normally he just excerpts podcasts).

He also says some very nice things about Busy Gamer News. For instance, "You will fall in love with the site." Wow, thanks Nick!

You can listen to This Week in Podcast right on his site, or download it from iTunes by searching on "this week in podcast nick" (we're Episode 43) - and while you're there, you might as well give him a rating, right? We're going to see what other little known but excellent podcasts we've been missing...

I've been reviewing iPhone apps for some time, and one thing I've noticed: There are very few that I actually use on a regular basis or, in the case of games, continue to play months later.

But there are some that persist and get daily or at least weekly use. Here are the apps that have lingered and seem worthy of a place on most people's iPhones (prices may fluctuate):

Related articles:

• Bejeweled Blitz
• Rock Band for iPhone
• Skee-Ball, Ramp Champ, Spider, Buckingham Palace, Harbor Master, Dungeon Scroll and Dr. Awesome+
• Wolfenstein RPG
• Which Version? - Peggle
• Flight Control, Treasures of Montezuma, Wolfenstein 3D, iDracula and more
• Payback, Silent Hill, Downhill Bowling, Pocket God and SlotZ
• Jetset, WordSearch and Textropolis
• Poker Quest, Tap Tap Revenge, Solebon, Frotz, Tangram and iBowl - plus other general apps

Sony officially announced what everyone already knew since E3 last year, that it's jumping into the motion controller fray. Now we have a name and details.

The PlayStation Move ("they want to move it, move it"!) will launch this fall. The motion-sensing peripheral works in conjunction with another PlayStation peripheral, the PlayStation Eye Camera, which is already on shelves and possibly in your home. The Move, which resembles – well, let’s say a very special microphone - is likely to usher in a new wave of sports, mini-games and family-friendly fare not unfamiliar to Wii owners.

You will also be able to use another device (that we won’t call a nunchuk) to play more traditional games. In other words, when you want to shoot something, like in SOCOM 4. Both the Move and the not-a-nunchuck (they call it a Subcontroller) include rumble functionality and use a Bluetooth connection to your PS3. One small advantage over the Wii: The two Move wands are not wired to each other.

Sony plans to offer three packages at launch:

• Move and PlayStation Eye Camera bundle, priced at $100
• Standalone Move (for those who already have the required PlayStation Eye Camera) - price not known
• PS3/Move bundle with PS3 console, Move and PlayStation Eye - price not known

Sony has announced there will be about 20 titles available for the Move this year. They did not say what will be available for launch, however. The Move titles in development are:

• Motion Fighter
• Move Party
• The Shoot
• Slider
• Sports Champions
• TV Superstars

In addition, some previously released PS3 games are expected to offer Move support including EyePet, LittleBigPlanet and SOCOM 4. Also, some 36 developers have indicated they will support Move including Activision, Capcom, Disney, EA, Konami, Ubisoft and Warner Bros...

• Mega Man 10 ($10)
• Feeding Frenzy 2 Shipwreck Showdown ($10)
• MAG uniforms (free)
• BioShock 2 Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack ($5) adds a new rank cap of 50, 20 trials, 2 playable characters and 5 masks
• Resident Evil 5 Untold Stories Bundle ($12.50) with Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape
• Dragon Age: Origins Return To Ostagar ($5)
• Grid Prestige Pack ($10) with 10 cars and the Mount Panorama Circuit
• Guitar Hero 5 OK Go Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with ($5.49) "Here It Goes Again," "Do What You Want" and "Get Over It"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 The White Stripes Pack 2 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Fell in Love With a Girl," "Seven Nation Army" and "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You’re Told)" and the Roadrunner Records Pack 1 ($8.50 or $2 each) with "Clouds Over California" by DevilDriver, "Constant Motion" by Dream Theater, "My Curse" by Killswitch Engage, "Aesthetics of Hate" by Machine Head  and "Sleepwalker" by Megadeth - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Demos: Feeding Frenzy 2, Mega Man 10 and MLB '10: The Show
• Game Videos: The Eye of Judgment: Legends, Feeding Frenzy 2, FIFA Soccer '10, Gran Turismo 5, ModNation Racers, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes , Super Street Fighter IV and Yakuza 3 plus The Tester Episode 4 and Qore Episode 22 ($3) featuring Final Fantasy XIII, Dead to Rights: Retribution and Lost Planet 2
• Themes:  Darksiders (free), Feeding Frenzy 2 (free), MLB '10: The Show (free) and Atomic Blast ($1.50)
• Wallpaper:  Grandia, Section 8 and Topatoi
• PSP: The Eye of Judgment: Legends ($30), Rock Band Unplugged Lite ($5 for five songs, more available as DLC)and Rocket Racing ($5)
• PSP Game Videos: The Eye of Judgment: Legends,Gran Turismo 5 and The Tester Episode 4
• PSP Themes: MLB '10: The Show (free) and Atomic Blast ($1.50)
• PlayStation Home Items (usually priced $0.50-7.50 each): Final Fantasy XIII, more Indiana Jones and the Luxury Race Box personal space

• Arcade: Scrap Metal ($15) plus FunTown Mahjong Zen Garden Theme ($2)
• BioShock 2 Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack ($5) adds a new rank cap of 50, 20 trials, 2 playable characters and 5 masks
• Resident Evil 5 Untold Stories Bundle ($12.50) with Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape
• Forza Motorsport 3 Jalopnik Car Pack ($5; one sample car is free)
• Guitar Hero 5 OK Go Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with ($5.49) "Here It Goes Again," "Do What You Want" and "Get Over It"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 The White Stripes Pack 2 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Fell in Love With a Girl," "Seven Nation Army" and "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You’re Told)" and the Roadrunner Records Pack 1 ($8.50 or $2 each) with "Clouds Over California" by DevilDriver, "Constant Motion" by Dream Theater, "My Curse" by Killswitch Engage, "Aesthetics of Hate" by Machine Head  and "Sleepwalker" by Megadeth - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Rock Band Network tracks (Rock Band 2 required to download and play): "Bleeder"by Alchemilla, "Stick Stickly" by Attack Attack!, "Cali Girl" by Ballyhoo!, "Push Push (Lady Lightning" by Bang Camaro, "Mordecai" by Between the Buried and Me, "Push Me" by The Carsitters, "Code Monkey" by Jonathan Coulton, "Moonboy" by Dirty Love Band, "Day to Day" by Eulogies, "Demon Woman" and "The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)" by Flight of the Conchords, "Car Windows" by The Main Drag, "Do You Feel Like Breaking Up?" by Mark Mallman, "Destructive Device" by Mindflow, "Second Best Friend" by The Nebraska Sailing Authority, "Descend Into the Eternal Pits of Possession" by The Project Hate MCMXCIX, "Africa" by Quartered, "Shiny Dark Bar" by James William Roy, "So Says I" by The Shins, "Makeup/Breakup" by Super Gravity, "Roll Over" by Uniform Motion, "Life Unworthy of Life" by Warpath and "Approach the Podium" by Winds of Plague
• Lips Commodores Song Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Brick House," "Easy" and "Three Times A Lady"
• Games on Demand: Condemned ($20)
• Demos: Xbox Live Arcade and Indie games
• Indie Games (usually $1-10 each): Ask Angela, Bush Hunt, Cocktails: Shake It Up!, Colony Defense, Convextrix, Drooop!!, Experiment 13, GoonyCru Day One, Jewelry Master Twinkle Light, MagicalCube, Ninja Chop!!, Puzzle Drop: Mountain Set, Space Nuggets, Spot The Difference, Toad Man's Bizarre Quest, Word Duelist and Zombie Armageddon
• Game Videos: Alpha Protocol, Bakugan, End of Eternity, Metro 2033 and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
• Themes: Encleverment Experiment ($3), Super Street Fighter IV Premium ($3) Discount Tires (free), Discovery Life (free) and South Park ($3)
• Pictures: Mass Effect 2 ($1), Super Street Fighter IV ($1), Discount Tires (free, enters you in sweepstakes), Discovery Life (free), Recession Proof Gaming (free, enters you in sweepstakes) and South Park ($2)
• Avatar Items (usually priced $1-5 each): Toy Soldiers

With God of War III coming out this week and dominating PS3 gamers, we thought we'd offer a choice. An out-of-print God of War II Limited Edition Guide and Art Book we've been saving for the occasion, or - if you just don't have a PS3 and could care less about the series, wear it proud by playing for The Art of Warcraft.

The choice is yours, but you can only win one.

Don't care for either? Surely you could throw a rock and hit someone who does, so play on their behalf! If you win, they'll be in your debt. Yeah, that rocks too.

To enter (and show how much you love free stuff!):

This week we review the music of Silent Hill, examine iPhone apps with lasting appeal such as Twittelator, Ping!, SpringFling, Jigsawed and Tweet Defense, discuss the PlayStation Move announcement, Rock Band 3, the Blur beta and the ending of BioShock 2 (spoiler free), and give a shout out to This Week in Podcast for featuring us as their podcast of the week - all in just less than 16 minutes!

We also have three more Blur beta codes to award; details in the podcast.

Our goal is to provide a short (typically 10-15 minutes) summary of news and helpful commentary every Sunday so that you'll have a great jumping off point for your busy gamer week. Here's what we pack into each episode:

• The week's game releases
• A quick look back at the previous week's releases, news and downloadable content highlights
• What we're playing/mini-reviews
• Giveaways
• Comment of the week

• DS: 101 MiniGolf World (DSiWare), Bakugan: Battle Trainer, Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs – Fight For Survival (DSiWare), Car Jack Streets (DSiWare), Infinite Space, Let's Draw!, Sonny With a Chance, Spectral Force Genesis, T.A.C. Heroes: Big Red One and Zoo Frenzy (DSiWare)
• iPhone: Eliminate: Co-op, The Graveyard, The Hero, How to Train Your Dragon, Kerplinkus, Pool Pro Online 3, Puzzle Quest: Chapter 3 (in-app add-on; requires Puzzle Quest: Chapters 1 & 2) and Street Fighter 4
• Mac: None
• PC: Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight, Dragon Age: Origins Awakening, Metro 2033, Mount & Blade: Warband, Prison Break: The Conspiracy and Wings of Prey: WWII Air Combat
• PS3: Dragon Age: Origins Awakening, God of War III and Resonance of Fate
• PS2: None
• PSP: None
• Wii: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (Virtual Console), Family Gameshow, Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon, GTI Club: Supermini Festa!, Hall of Fame Ultimate Hoops Challenge, Rage of the Gladiator (WiiWare), Smart Series: Jaja’s Adventure, Sushi Go Round and Triple Shot Sports (WiiWare)
• Xbox 360: Dragon Age: Origins Awakening, Metro 2033, Perfect Dark HD (Arcade), Prison Break: The Conspiracy, Resonance of Fate and Supreme Commander 2 

• WiiWare: Rage of the Gladiator ($10) fighting game and Triple Shot Sports ($5) featuring archery, pistol and rifle target shooting
• Virtual Console: Castlevania: Rondo of Blood for TurboGrafx16 ($9)
• DSiWare: 101 MiniGolf World ($5), Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs – Fight For Survival ($8), Car Jack Streets ($8) and Zoo Frenzy ($5)
• Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, March 16) "It's Not My Time" by 3 Doors Down, "Bad Romance," "Just Dance," "Monster" and "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga plus "Poker Face (Cartman version)" by South Park, "Control" by Mute Math and "Oh Yeah" and "Rock & Roll Queen" by The Subways - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DS Demos (via Wii's Nintendo "Marketing" Channel): Rooms DS plus repeats including Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, Avatar, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects, Deca Sports DS Cheerleading and Ping Pong, The Princess and the Frog, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing and Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion
• Game Videos: 101 MiniGolf World, Alice in Wonderland, Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs – Fight For Survival, Calling, Car Jack Streets, Cave Story, Monster Hunter Tri, Rage of the Gladiator, WarioWare D.I.Y. and Zoo Frenzy

We thought the ModNation Racers beta was meh, mainly because they locked us out of all of the cool customization options. The racing itself seemed fine (a tad pedestrian without any online friends to challenges - all of ours are on Xbox Live). But like LittleBigPlanet before it, we know there's more to this game than just running around (in this case, a track). Overall, the beta just seemed like a missed marketing opportunity.

But all that just went out the window. It's no longer a matter of "if" but "where" to buy this game when it launchs May 25 for PS3 and PSP.

In a word: Pre-order goodies in the form of Sony iconic character racer avatars. Here's what you'll get, depending on where you plunk down your dinero:

• Amazon.com: Ratchet and Clank from Ratchet and Clank
• Best Buy: Nathan Drake from Uncharted
• Gamestop: Kratos from God of War

Plus, all pre-orders get "mystery mods" which are random accessories for your car and racer. OK, we're sold (probably the Ratchet and Clank set because Pikachu Fan won't know who those others are - and we want to keep it that way!)...

Reviewed On: Xbox 360. Also available for PC and PlayStation 3.

In a Nutshell: At its most basic level, BioShock 2 is a first-person shooter set in a dystopian steampunk aquarium under the sea. The game builds and improves on the original in some ways, introducing duel-wielding (plasmids such as telekinesis in one hand, weapons in the other) and some new goodies courtesy of your status as a prototype Big Daddy.

The world itself is essentially the same, but with new locations to visit and ponder. You're still faced with the occasional moral choice that will impact the remainder of your game, and finding/playing tape recorders remains the main way that the backstory unfolds. You can also be assured that your favorite (and most loathed) enemies are all here, with some notable additions in the form of a fat-but-still-bad-ass splicer and the much-touted Big Sister, who does NOT play well with others. She's mean even if you play nice!

The game also introduces a sort of escort mission that, thankfully, doesn't involve walking for hours protecting someone who's important/wounded/profoundly stupid - which is why the words "escort mission" no doubt made your stomach churn a few seconds ago. In this case, Mr. Bubbles, you shoulder the burden - which makes it an easy thing to do, most of the time.

There's no denying the scenery is still gorgeous - and if you skipped the first one (shame on you!), you're likely to have the same sense of awe it inspired. The downside: The story also feels somewhat familiar, even though it deals with a completely different set of Ayn Rand-esque wackos.

On the plus side, BioShock 2 introduces multiplayer - and does it right. It takes favorite online gaming staples and improves them. For instance, a "Capture the Little Sister," which takes old-school CTF and adds a screaming, bitchy twist: "Just WAIT until my DADDY gets his HANDS ON YOU!" Frag fests are easy to find online as well, although your weapon/plasmid choices are severely limited until you level up. Alas, what happened to split-screen?! I'd love to take on Gamewatcher in the multiplayer games, but not enough to drop another $60 on a second copy.

Learning Curve: First-person shooter vets will have no problems picking up the game controls. The in-game tutorials do an excellent job of explaining the basics, and plasmids are introduced gradually enough that even newbies will be able to catch on. BioShock fans will enjoy some of the new plasmids and game dynamics with expanded environments available for destruction. The hacking scheme has been changed to a simple but eventually challenging stop-the-needle game that is a welcome change from the game-interrupting build-a-pipeline project of the original.

The Save Game: You can save anywhere, which I recommend doing early and often. You'll have unlimited save slots (well, at least until you run out of hard drive or memory card space), so use them! In addition, you'll find Vita Chamber checkpoints throughout the game. If you die, you respawn at the nearest one with the world in the same shape as you left it. Enemies retain damage done, although Splicers do have the ability to heal themselves at any health stations that you failed to hack or destroy.

Family Factor: This game is strictly for grown-ups. As with the original, even adults may have nightmares. It's nothing you can't handle - probably.

Buy, Rent or Skip? The game is worth playing - the question is whether or not it deserves a slot in your collection. The single-player story is relatively short and can be beat in about 15-20 hours, depending on your level of expertise and OCD. Explorers and completists chasing the game's three different endings will take longer (and can justify the purchase), but those who want to beat it and street it can tear through the game in a rental period.

If you're a multiplayer fan, it's a buy. Multiplayer is a blast, and goes far beyond the typical dump-me-in-a-game-with-a-weapon approach to online deathmatching. It's worth noting that there BioShock 2 downloadable content coming out, which will enhance both online and single-player - though it remains to be seen whether this will improve the "buy" factor. If anything, it may be a reason to wait for the inevitable Game of the Year edition.

On a Personal Note: I was absolutely floored by BioShock, and therefore approached the sequel cautiously. I think that may have enhanced the experience for me since lowered expectations are easier to meet. This game did touch me in ways that the first one did not. To explain how would be to give away core surprises and the few story points that were enjoying. However, suffice it to say I will be building a Little Sister costume for PAX West this summer.

Sadly, overall the story itself does not live up to original. While I applaud the attempt to make an entirely new, standalone adventure, it still somehow feels like a poorly executed rehash. The final battle is repetitive, and the so-called "good" ending left me wondering how bad it was going to turn out for me when I play again for the dark side. For the record, there are three endings this time: good, not so evil, and just plain satanic. Oddly, there is little difference between the "bad endings" given what you must do to get one versus the other.

If you do pick up BioShock 2 and need a little help getting through it, here are some tips:

• Desperate for health but don't have cash? Bash (melee) a health machine to quickly access a full health pack - but you won't be able to pay to get better. This trick doesn't work with the ammo machines. Hacking the health machine and hitting the blue zone will also generate a health pack, and it will make the machine zap wounded enemies who try to use it. You can still bash it later for an extra pack, if you need it.
• Do a final sweep before entering any mode of transportation (i.e., leaving the level). This is a prime time to beat the hell out of far-flung health dispensers (check your map) to stock up on health packs, re-check corpses for loot you couldn't pick up previously and leisurely look for any major stuff you missed (tape recordings and tonics).
• Focus on upgrading one weapon at a time. The rewards are exponential. There's some debate on which ones are best, but I found the shotgun and rocket launcher the most helpful in the long run.
• Each Little Sister can visit two "angels" max, so be sure you get both gathers in before "taking her home." You have a limited number of Little Sister per level, which means missing a gather equals a permanently lost Adam opportunity.
• Achievement hounds should show mercy whenever the opportunity presents itself. As far as I can tell, there is no reward for being wicked this go round.
• Before returning your last little darling home, stock up on health and ammo - even if it means hacking or destroying those health machines. Also, try to save some cash. When you do take her home, look for the nearest (unbusted) health machine. Run like hell to it as soon as you can. Bonus points if there's a friendly camera around. Trust me.
• Use caution when picking up stray tonics in the wild. Press the standard action button and it will replace something in your active inventory. Take the time to consider what it does versus what you have, and then decide if it's going into rotation or storage. Can't figure out how to get to a tonic you can see? Use the map to find areas that you haven't visited, even if it's far away from the tonic.
• This game is made for people who like to mess with the environment. See oil? Use fire. Near water? Electricity. Something that goes boom? Shoot it or send it flying.

And finally: Explore, explore, explore. Take time to press every button, search every nook and, again, check your map for areas you missed. Because, despite its flaws, this is just one cool game.

Related:

• First Impressions and Tips: BioShock 2
• Busy Gamer Review: BioShock
• BioShock audio tour in Busy Gamer Podcast 19

More Busy Gamer Reviews:

• The Maw
• Assassin’s Creed II: Battle of Forli DLC
• Borderlands [BGN Game of the Year 2009]
• Lego Rock Band
• Assassin's Creed II
• Zuma's Revenge
• Halo 3: ODST
• Plants vs. Zombies
• Fallout 3
• Scribblenauts
• The Beatles: Rock Band
• Guide to kids and adult games

The Blur beta answers the age-old question, "What would happen if Project Gotham Racing and Mario Kart had a baby?"

Offering a public beta for any game can be risky business. While developers legitimately need to see if their servers can handle the punishment handed down by the online gaming masses, it also opens companies up to having still-in-development games discussed in blogs. Like this one.

In this case, Blur developer Activision need not worry... about me, anyway. I love this game, and have forsaken my second pass through BioShock 2 in favor of logging some serious thumb-numbing hours online.

The game is basically Project Gotham Racing with a Mario Kart twist: weapons and power ups. You won't see any flying turtle shells hurtling toward you, however. Instead, lighting storms rain down, mines are planted, and when all else fails, you can just ram your opponent's car hard. This being a beta, what's online now may not be the same when the game comes out.

That said, here's how you can shake, rattle and roll your fellow drivers... at least today (we still have three bonus beta codes, by the way - let us know if you want one!):

• Shock: Drops EMP fields in front of the race leader. Keep in mind that you're not just setting up the leader - anyone close behind the leader will also be endangered. If you're in second or third place, that might include you. Best to use these when you're so far behind you just need to slow down the leaders of the pack.
• Mine: Drops a mine in front or behind you. I've found behind to be safer, having driven straight into my own mine several times. A well-timed, well-aimed mine can hit a competitor.
• Barge: Issues a sort of super-air blast that damages anyone close by. Best when passing someone, or to combat aggressive drivers trying to run you into the wall or off the course.
• Bolt: The closest thing to a batmobile gun in the game; you get three shots, which can be used in rapid succession or over a period of time. Can also be used to shoot competitors behind you, a nifty trick when someone is preparing their own assault!
• Shunt: A homing missile that can do major, major damage when it connects (think red shell, Mario Kart fans!). The targeted car gets a heads up in the form of a blinking red bumper-light. Astute drivers have plenty of time to activate a shield or just get out of the way.
• Nitro: A brief but super-powered burst of nitro that can send you flying past competitors... or into them. Or, if you're not careful, careening off the course. This is a good one to hang on to until the finish line is in sight. I've won close races by simply hoarding Nitro and then cutting loose to pass the leaders in the last few seconds of the event.
• Shield: Creates a freaky, vibrating egg around your car, complete with vaguely sci-fi sound effects.
• Repair: Even the best driver will eventually get hit by a competitor or the highly-destructible environment. Activating repair immediately fixes everything wrong with your car.

Beta testers have (to date) been able to play four types of games online:

• Skirmish Racing: 2-10 players participate in "intense racing."
• Powered Up Racing: 4-20 players participate in "extreme racing." (I haven't noticed any difference between this and skirmish, except there tends to be more players in this one.)
• Motor Mash: Drive around and destroy your fellow drivers for points. A personal favorite!
• Super Car Racing: Racing with "High-speed, Class A cars," which are about as obedient as my cats. I did this once. Once.

I had to unlock most of these by leveling up. The beta capped my level at 10, meaning the level 10 competitors in your race may be just christened newbs or a 12-year-old who has raced every free moment of the day since the beta was released. It's made for some lopsided races that will presumably be fixed with a much-higher level cap once the game is released. In addition, there are four events/game options that can be seen but not played in the beta. These events do NOT have descriptions, just names. That will not stop me from speculating, however:

• World Tour: Presumably, this is a single-player campaign.
• One-on-One: Please, please, please let this be local multiplayer!
• Hardcore Racing: I got nothing... but I suspect I won't be playing this one.
• Community Events: The Blur Web site has a Community section marked “Coming Soon.” Presumably, these two are connected.

The answer to these and other questions will be answered when Blur is released for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year...

• Groovin’ Blocks ($10)
• Dragon Age: Origins Awakening ($40)
• Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse pre-order ($30) - save $5 by paying a month before you can download the first episode
• Aliens Vs. Predator Multiplayer Swarm Map Pack ($7) with four maps
• Heavy Rain soundtrack ($10)
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 2 (free)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Quest Pack 2 (free)
• Need for Speed: Shift Exotic Racing Series ($10)
• PS1 for PS3/PSP: Jigsaw Madness and One ($6 each)
• Guitar Hero 5 Flogging Molly Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Requiem For A Dying Song," "The Seven Deadly Sins" and "(No More) Paddy's Lament"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Lady Gaga Pack 1 ($7 or $2 each) with "Bad Romance," "Just Dance," "Monster" and "Poker Face" plus tracks ($2 each) "It's Not My Time" by 3 Doors Down, "Control" by Mute Math, "Oh Yeah" and "Rock & Roll Queen" by The Subways, "The Who Super Bowl S-mashup" by The Who and the South Park version of "Poker Face" performed by Eric Cartman - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Demos: Brain Challenge
• Game Videos: Army of Two: The 40th Day, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Heavy Rain, MLB '10: The Show, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Sam & Max: The Devil’s Playhouse, SOCOM 4 and The Tester Episode 5
• Themes: Heavy Rain Dynamic ($3), World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars ($1) and Acid Trip ($1.50)
• PSP: BreakQuest ($4), Luxor Bundle ($10), Patchwork Heroes ($10), The Red Star ($15), plus add-ons LittleBigPlanet PSP Metropolis Costumes (free), Metropolis Theme Pack ($3) and Buzz! Quiz World Rock Idols Quiz Pack ($4)
• PSP Game Videos: Heavy Rain, SOCOM 4, The Tester Episode 5
• PSP Themes: Abstracted ($1 each), Acid Trip ($1.50) and Underwater Disco ($1.50)
• PlayStation Home Items (usually priced $0.50-7.50 each): Infamous, Resistance: Fall of Man and Twisted Metal plus the Tropical Apartment

• Arcade: Perfect Dark ($10)
• Dragon Age: Origins Awakening ($40)
• Army of Two: The 40th Day Chapters of Deceit ($10) with two co-op campaign maps
• Need for Speed: Shift Exotic Racing Series ($10)
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 2 (free)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack 3 (free)
• Dante's Inferno Relics Triple Pack ($3) with relics that boost your stats
• Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing all characters and tracks unlock ($5)
• DJ Hero Jay-Z vs. Eminem Mix Pack ($8) with "Can I Get A..." by Jay-Z featuring Amil & Ja Rule vs "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, "Shake That" by Eminem featuring Nate Dogg vs. "Show Me What You Got" by Jay-Z and "Without Me" by Eminem vs "Encore" by Jay-Z
• Guitar Hero 5 Flogging Molly Track Pack ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Requiem For A Dying Song," "The Seven Deadly Sins" and "(No More) Paddy's Lament"
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Lady Gaga Pack 1 ($7 or $2 each) with "Bad Romance," "Just Dance," "Monster" and "Poker Face" plus tracks ($2 each) "It's Not My Time" by 3 Doors Down, "Control" by Mute Math, "Oh Yeah" and "Rock & Roll Queen" by The Subways and the South Park version of "Poker Face" performed by Eric Cartman - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Rock Band Network tracks (Rock Band 2 required to download and play) "I'm Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?" by A Day To Remember, "Days Without" by All That Remains, "What A Trip" by Analogue Revolution featuring First Be, "I Know What I Am" by Band of Skulls, "Dirty King" by The Cliks, "50,000 Unstoppable Watts" and "The Mob Goes Wild" by Clutch, "Collapsing" by Demon Hunter, "Bodies" by Drowning Pool, "Under Water I Drown" by Edge, "Business Time" by Flight of the Conchords, "Dirty South Rock" by Hyro da Hero, "My Favorite New Disaster" by Megaphone, "Midnight Ride" and "One Bad Man" by Midnight Riders, "One Step Further" by MxPx, "Nothing There" by Oliver Pride, "You're a Wolf" by Sea Wolf, "Remedy" by Seether, "Rise" by Solarcade, "Dance With Me" by Stewart, "Being Here" by The Stills, "Elements" by Texas in July, "Semi-Charmed Life '09" by Third Eye Blind, "We Are Not Anonymous" by Unearth, "Dragonfly (Symbion Project Remix)" by Universal Hall Pass, "Moonshine Hollar" by Zack Wilson, "Battle Royale" by The Word Alive and "Still Alive" by World Minus One 
• Lips tracks ($2 each) "Breathless" by The Corrs, "Happy Hour" by The Housemartins and "Sexy Love" by Ne-Yo plus the free "Lips: Number One Hits Song Medley"
• Games on Demand: Baja: Edge of Control ($20)
• Demos: Splinter Cell: Conviction plus all Xbox Live Arcade and Indie games
• Indie Games (usually $1-10 each): Avatar Street Basketball, Catch Me If You Can, Classic FreeCell, ColorBox, Dark Seal, Dysnomia, Euphorium, Masters of Belial, Medal of Honor, Shake!, The Spirit Box and War of Words
• Game Videos: Army of Two: The 40th Day, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Brink, Crackdown 2, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, Medal of Honor, Metro 2033, Might & Magic Clash of Heroes, MLB 2K10, Need for Speed: Shift and Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Themes: Kick-Ass and Porsche (both free)
• Pictures: Hot Tub Time Machine, Kia, Kick-Ass and Porsche (all free; some enter you in sweepstakes)
• Avatar Items (usually priced $1-5 each): Alan Wake and Perfect Dark

Last weekend, we attended Emerald City Comicon and picked up some extra goodies just for you. Two of you, actually.

The grand prize winner will take the big bag of swag containing:

• Halo Reach poster
• Assorted buttons (7)
• Green Lantern plastic ring
• Dark Horse Comics Celebrates 20 Years of Manga lithograph
• Dark Horse clings (3)
• Mass Effect Redemption comic poster
• American Vampire poster
• Star Wars Invasion poster
• Dark Horse Celebrates Star Wars poster
• Dark Horse One Shot Wonders poster
• Rat City Rollergirls sticker
• Ben 10 Alien Force #42 comic
• Demo: The Waking Life of Angels #1 comic
• The Authority: The Lost Year comic
• Daytripper #1 comic
• DC Superfriends #20 comic
• WildCats #19 comic
• Looney Tunes #179 comic
• Bob the Angry Flower one sheet
• DC Direct Collectibles catalog

The runner up also gets a Halo Reach poster, a set of buttons and a Green Lantern ring.

For more details, click the left picture above for a gallery of images and the right picture for a close-up of the poster.

To enter (and show how much you love free stuff!):

This week we review BioShock 2 complete with audio tour, look at ModNation Racers upcoming release and preorder offers, discuss Perfect Dark, Wolfenstein, Words with Friends, Tweet Defense and Social City, hear from Twisted Pixel's CEO on our recent podcast review of The Maw and play as Eric Cartman singing Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" in Rock Band 2. 

Get all of that - plus game release news and giveaways - in about 14 minutes!

We also still have three Blur beta codes to award; details in the podcast if you want one!

Our goal is to provide a short (typically 10-15 minutes) summary of news and helpful commentary every Sunday so that you'll have a great jumping off point for your busy gamer week. Here's what we pack into each episode:

• The week's game releases
• A quick look back at the previous week's releases, news and downloadable content highlights
• What we're playing/mini-reviews
• Giveaways
• Comment of the week

The big news this week is the launch of the Nintendo DSi XL, priced at $190 and available in bronze and burgundy. As promised in the Busy Gamer Podcast, here is the complete list of games due for release this week for PC/Mac, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that slipped out when we weren't looking):

• DS: America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking, Build-a-Bear Workshop: Welcome to Hugsville, Cheer We Go!, Dawn of Heroes, Drift Street International (DSiWare), Game & Watch: Chef (DSiWare), Game & Watch: Judge (DSiWare), Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory (DSiWare), How to Train Your Dragon, Imagine: Gymnast, Libera Wing (DSiWare), Monkey Madness Island Escape, My Little Helper: Spring Cleaning, PopTown, Rooms: The Main Building, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Squishy Tank, WarioWare: DIY and Zhu-Zhu Pets Special Edition
• iPhone: Aftermath, Bit Pilot, Blast Off, Castle Fantasy, Crystal Cave: Lost Treasures, Cubetrix 3D, Devil Invasion, Flick Bowling 2, Frogman, iEscaper 2, iJumpman, Phantasia, Sailboat Championship Pro, Tilt to Live, We Rule (free) and ZombieSmash
• Mac: None
• PC: Hello Kitty, Just Cause 2, Mystery PI Hidden Object Collection. Painkiller Pandemonium, The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom and Zhu Zhu Pets
• PS3: How to Train Your Dragon, Just Cause 2 and MotoGP '09/'10
• PS2: None
• PSP: None
• Wii: Build-a-Bear Workshop: Friendship Valley, Cave Story (WiiWare), Pizza Delivery Boy, Red Steel 2, Rooms: The Main Building and Winter Blast: Snow and Ice Games
• Xbox 360: Game Room (Arcade) with official launch titles still yet to be announced, How to Train Your Dragon, Just Cause 2 and MotoGP '09/'10

• WiiWare: Cave Story ($12)
• Virtual Console: None
• DSiWare: Drift Street International ($8), Game & Watch: Chef ($2), Game & Watch: Judge ($2), Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory ($2) and Libera Wing ($8)
• Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, March 23) "Outer Space" by Ace Frehley, "Am I Crazy," "Bang Bang" and "Darling Dear" by Little Fish, "Stop & Stare" by OneRepublic, "All-American Girl" by Carrie Underwood, "Blue Spark," "The Hungry Wolf," "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts" and "Los Angeles" by X - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DS Demos (via Wii's Nintendo "Marketing" Channel): All repeats including Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, Avatar, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects, Deca Sports DS Cheerleading and Ping Pong, The Princess and the Frog, Rooms DS, Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing and Women's Murder Club: Games of Passion
• Game Videos: Again, America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking, Cave Story, Drift Street International, Monster Hunter Tri, Red Steel 2, Rooms: The Main Building, Trauma Team and WarioWare D.I.Y.

Here's another Instant Win giveaway courtesy of teujip: a code for Konami's Rhyme Player for iPhone/iPod Touch.

According to the description, players must tap into their inner rhythm master and touch the song lyrics along with the beat. Songs include "Just Dance" from Lady Gaga, "First Time" from Lifehouse, "ABC" from the Jackson 5, "Poison" from Bell Biv DeVoe and "Show Me" from The Cover Girls.

Rather than give the prize to the first person who enters, we'll do a random drawing from everyone who posts in the next hour - by 1:10 p.m. PDT. (If no one enters by the deadline, we'll extend it until we get someone - in which case, it will go to the first person in!) Remember that comments are held in a queue - so if you don't see yours, don't panic.

This giveaway is a bonus for those busy gamers who are vigilant and/or lucky. The usual rules apply except that the entry period is shorter. There's no longer a restriction on entering consecutive giveaways.

Follow me on Twitter if you want a head's up before we post Instant Wins.

To enter:

Maybe this should be filed under "Stupid Marketing Tricks." I mean who announces a successor to a product the week BEFORE they launch its next version? But that's just what Nintendo has done with the Nintendo 3DS.

We don't know too much about it. There's not even an official picture. All we really know is that it will be backward compatible with today's DS games and supports "3D effects without the need for any special glasses."

The actual release will happen sometime in the next year (by March 2011) though it will almost certainly debut in Japan and then release even later in the U.S. Expect more details at E3 in June...

If phantom gaming hardware has you down, here's something you can order or pick up now - or at least in the very near future - for your Xbox 360: the 250GB standalone hard drive, formerly available only with special edition console bundles.

Microsoft announced this expanded storage option finally can be purchased separately for $130, which was the 120GB drive's former price point. Amazon.com lists it as in stock March 28, though supposedly retailers began selling it today. Let us know if you see one out in the wild...

The much-touted Game Room launched today, though according to reports it isn't functioning properly on either Xbox 360 or PC. (It's been hit and miss all morning.)

Here's how it works (when it works): The Game Room download itself is free, but serves as a shell for buying, downloading and playing classic arcade and console games. If you previously purchased a title on Xbox Live Arcade, you will need to buy it again if you want it in your Game Room. Each game offers one free demo play, and then you can either pay to play individual games (50 cents a game), buy unlimited play for it on your console or PC ($3) or get a pass for both console and PC versions ($5). As an incentive, games are offering free "mascots" when you buy them, but only for a "limited time."

Before you start, download the two Game Packs. Be sure to get Game Pack 001 first, since Game Room doesn't seem to load without it. You can customize your game space (some themes are unlockable as you achieve levels through gameplay), try a one-time free demo of any game (which is capped at 10 minutes and can only be played once - even if you quit early), or buy games and issue challenges to your friends. Once it gets started, it seems pretty full featured - though you don't walk around your virtual arcade, it's more like you scroll around.

Here is the launch line-up (now verified):

• Adventure for Atari 2600
• Armor Battle for Intellivision
• Asteroids Deluxe for Arcade
• Astrosmash for Intellivision
• Battlantis for Arcade
• Centipede for Arcade
• Combat for Atari 2600
• Crystal Castles for Arcade
• Finalizer for Arcade
• Football for Intellivision
• Gravitar for Arcade
• Jungler for Arcade
• Lunar Lander for Arcade
• Millipede for Atari 2600
• Mountain Madness Super Pro Skiing for Intellivision
• Outlaw for Atari 2600
• Realsports Tennis for Atari 2600
• Red Baron for Arcade
• Road Fighter for Arcade
• Scramble for Arcade
• Sea Battle for Intellivision
• Shao-lin's Road (aka Kicker) for Arcade
• Space Armada for Intellivision
• Space Hawk for Intellivision
• Star Raiders for Atari 2600
• Sub Hunt for Intellivision
• Super Cobra for Arcade
• Tempest for Arcade
• Tutankham for Arcade
• Yar’s Revenge for Atari 2600

We're picking up Adventure, probably Tempest (tip: don't use the analog stick, just tap left and right on the D-pad!) and maybe Scramble. What are you getting, if anything, at this stage? Any games you're pining to replay? We're hoping for Gorf, Venture and Moon Cresta...

Here's another Instant Win giveaway: the Hello Kitty Online game distributed at Penny Arcade Expo 2009. We have two copies thanks to Ballardgirl1, so that's two chances to win!

The game is technically free to download, but you Hello Kitty fans will want the collectible game box and disc, right? This was quite the hot item after PAX last fall - I recall several people requesting spare copies! Win it for yourself or the Hello Kitty fan in your life.

Rather than give the prize to the first to enter, we'll do a random drawing from everyone who posts in the next 2 hours - you have until 2 p.m. PDT. (If no one enters by the deadline, we'll extend it until we get someone - in which case, it will go to the first ones in!) Remember that comments are held in a queue - so if you don't see yours, don't panic.

This giveaway is a bonus for those busy gamers who are vigilant and/or lucky. The usual rules apply except that the entry period is shorter. There's no longer a restriction on entering consecutive giveaways.

Follow me on Twitter if you want a head's up before we post Instant Wins.

To enter:

Years ago, while shopping at Target, I walked into the following discussion. OK, so maybe I was eavesdropping. Here's how it started:

Mom: I'm looking for a racing game my 11-year-old wants... it's called GTA III or something like that...

If you heard those words come out of a clueless but loving parent's mouth at Christmas-time, would you say anything? I've encountered this situation a handful of times in the past 20 or so years, and usually leave it alone. But on that occasion, for some reason, I felt the need to (as the lady would soon put it) "butt in."

To be fair, the clerk was the first one to "butt in" on her business by asking, simply, "Do you know what 'GTA' stands for?"

The conversation continued thusly:

Mom: Yes. 'Good Times Ahead.' My son already told me to say 'GTA' and you'd know what he meant.

Clerk: No ma'am, it stands for 'Grand Theft Auto.' It's rated 'M' for Mature. You said your son was 10?"

Mom: He's 11. I told you he's 11.

Clerk: This really isn't a racing game...

Mom: My son wants it. And he says you can be a good person, a policeman or fireman.

The clerk then shrugged and headed off to get the game. The store was busy. She didn't want to hear it. And that's when I decide to "butt in."

THIS. REALLY. HAPPENED.

Me: Pardon me, I'm a gamer and...

Mom: You're a girl.

Me: Yes ma'am. I also play games and...

Mom: I can't wait to tell my son! He says none of the girls at school want to play videogames.

Me: About GTA. It's really a pretty grown-up game. Do you know what it's about?

Mom: It's a racing game.

Me: Well, there is racing, but there's also a lot of killing, robbing, stealing... it's pretty violent.

Mom: Are there any naked girls?

Me: I don't think so...

Mom: Do they have sex?

Me: You can hire a prostitute for health.

Now, let me note here that I expected the light to go on over her head. Oh! This is the game where you "have" to hire prostitutes and then kill them for money, like the nice lady on TV said. Instead, she said this:

Mom: Well do they (have sex) with the prostitute or what?

I swear I am not making this up.

In the end, she decided to buy the game for her son purely on the basis that he's played it at his friends' houses (and they might ridicule him for not having it) plus it's the only thing he wants for Christmas (shopping = done!). Oh, and next time, she informed me, I shouldn't butt into other people's business.

After she left, the clerk came over to get my game. I apologized for almost costing him a sale. The clerk wasn't upset, however. Instead, he told me that it happens all the time - and it's really frustrating. The clerk thought working in games, a personal passion, would be a boon. Instead, he was limited by corporate to showing customers the ESRB rating, correcting titles (e.g., "Grand Theft Auto," not "Good Times Ahead") and answering direct questions.

Could he have told the customer there was sex/violence in the game? Yes, if she asked. Otherwise, all he could do was point out it was rated M for Mature, which, frankly, doesn't appear to mean much to anyone.

At this point, you're probably expecting this to veer into a lecture/rant about responsible parenting, use the Internet/twitter/whatevs to research the damn game before you buy it, etc. And yes, I do feel that way. But I know that some people simply aren't going to do that. If you're reading this site, odds are you will. Both Gamewatcher and I have received queries via Twitter asking for info about a particular game. Other parents at Pikachu Fan's school will ask me about titles as well. There are responsible parents out there.

The question is how can we help those who won't help themselves? Or should we? To me, the answer is yes. Because I have no doubt that the first time that woman in the big box store walked in on her son getting serviced by a prostitute, or overheard him discussing the lesbians making out in the game, or anything else remotely sexual, she freaked. That's how we end up with the "Won't someone please think of the children!" nuts on TV ranting about getting games banned. Because they didn't think before they bought.

I'm not suggesting you hang around videogame areas looking for the obvious non-gamers sent on a mission by their children. The store managers will probably think you're a pedophile and call the police. But there are things you can do:

• Take a few minutes to learn what the ESRB ratings mean. I know, they're lame. But they do offer guidance.
• Let non-gamer parents know that you're a gamer and that you love to talk games! And if their kids want something they've never heard of, they can ask you for advice.
• Don't be judgmental, no matter how inappropriate the game. Just offer an honest assessment of what's in it. Ultimately, they need to decide for their children, at least up until the point when the state revokes their custody.
• Don't want to be the source of game advice for every parent you know? Keep Web sites in your back pocket. If all else fails, tell them to google "game name" +sex or "game name" +violence (etc.) They can pick whatever is offensive to them and quickly find a detailed list of what sorts of things their little one is likely to encounter in a given game.

And finally, remember that everyone has different ideas about what is appropriate or not. I'd let my 7 year-old son see the jiggle-fest that is Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball but not the Dead or Alive fighting games - because I don't want him to see people beating each other down.

And please, don't buy Grand Theft Auto games for your tweens and young children. There will be plenty of time for them to jack cars, hire hookers and rise up through the mob-du-jour later.

Society will thank you.

We have one more Instant Win giveaway this week. It only seems appropriate with our big Emerald City Comicon swag bag giveaway closing today to offer up a copy of The Guild #1 comic, which debuted this week.

If you're not a fan, you should be. The popular Web and Xbox Live Marketplace series centers around Codex, the redheaded heroine pictured on the cover, and her band of dysfunctional guild members as they attempt to relate in real life after playing together in a World of Warcraft-style MMORPG. (We actually met three of the cast members at Comicon!)

Rather than give the prize to the first person who enters, we'll do a random drawing from everyone who posts in the next 9 hours - by 5:01 p.m. PDT. Remember that comments are held in a queue - so if you don't see yours right away, don't panic.

This giveaway is a bonus for those busy gamers who are vigilant and lucky. The usual rules apply except that the entry period is shorter. There's no longer a restriction on entering consecutive giveaways.

Follow me on Twitter if you want a head's up before we post Instant Wins.

To enter:

• Section 8 ($30)
• Blue Toad Murder Files Episode 1-3 ($7.50 each or $15 for bundle)
• Hamsterball ($10)
• Anarchy: Rush Hour ($8)
• God of War III: Unearthing the Legend ($6)
• LittleBigPlanet Sonic Costumes and Stickers Kit ($6, or $2 per costume)
• MAG Trooper Gear Pack (free)
• Zen Pinball Earth Defense Table ($2.50)
• PS1 for PS3/PSP: Perfect Weapon ($6)
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 2 (free)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack 3 (free)
• High Stakes Poker Connelly Card Club ($3)
• Hustle Kings Time Savers Pack ($1.50)
• Guitar Hero 5 80s Track Pack($5.50 or $2 each) with "We Got The Beat" by The Go-Go's, "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Motley Crue and "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 X Pack 01($7 or $2 each) with "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts," "Blue Spark," "The Hungry Wolf" and "Los Angeles" plus (free) "Am I Crazy" by Little Fish and additional tracks ($1-2 each) "Outer Space" by Ace Frehley, "Darling Dear" and "Bang Bang" by Little Fish, "Stop & Stare" by OneRepublic and "All-American Girl" by Carrie Underwood - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DJ Hero Jay Z Vs. Eminem Pack ($8)
• Game Videos: Blue Toad Murder Files, Gran Turismo 5 Night Racing, Groovin’ Blocks, Medal Of Honor Extended Release, MLB 2K10, Resonance of Fate, Section 8, Yakuza 3 and The Tester Episode 6
• Themes: Heavy Rain Dynamic ($3), Groovin’ Blocks (free), Mega Man 10 Dynamic ($3), Section 8 (free), AK Premium ($2), Bare Elements ($2), Miss Kawasaki Hook-Ups ($2) and Nurse Girl Brandi Hook-Ups ($2)
• Wallpaper: Groovin’ Blocks
• Avatars: Heavy Rain ($0.50 each)
• PSP: Adventures To Go! ($15), Alien Zombie Death ($4), Cho Aniki Zero ($20), Rengoku: Tower Of Purgatory ($12) and Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N. ($12) plus BUZZ! Quiz World PSP Space Quiz Pack ($3), LittleBigPlanet PSP Easter Costume (free) and Easter Theme Pack ($3) and Batman: Arkham Asylum Digital Comic: The Road to Arkham (free)
• PSP Game Videos: Gran Turismo 5 Night Racing and The Tester Episode 6
• PSP Themes: Miss Kawasaki Hook-Ups ($2), Nurse Girl Brandi Hook-Ups ($2) and Vintage Comic Mickey ($1.50)
• PlayStation Home Items (usually priced $0.50-7.50 each): Aliens vs. Predator, plus Assassin's Creed game space, SingStar VIP Room and Anime and Pharaoh's Tomb personal spaces

The big news this week on Xbox Live Marketplace is Game Room (details and confirmed launch titles). Grab the main shell app under Games on Demand (I know, it doesn't make sense to us either) and then download the two available game packs to get started with single-use 10-minute trials for each of the 30 launch titles.

Here's what's new on Marketplace:

• Mass Effect 2 Alternate Appearance Pack 1 ($2) with new looks for Garrus, Thane and Jack
• Dragon Ball: Raging Blast Ultimate Warriors Pack 2 (free)
• Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce Pack 3 (free)
• Guitar Hero 5 80s Track Pack($5.50 or $2 each) with "We Got The Beat" by The Go-Go's, "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Motley Crue and "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger
• Rock Band/Rock Band 2 X Pack 01($7 or $2 each) with "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts," "Blue Spark," "The Hungry Wolf" and "Los Angeles" plus (free) "Am I Crazy" by Little Fish and additional tracks ($1-2 each) "Outer Space" by Ace Frehley, "Darling Dear" and "Bang Bang" by Little Fish, "Stop & Stare" by OneRepublic and "All-American Girl" by Carrie Underwood - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• Rock Band Network tracks ($1-3; Rock Band 2 required to download and play) "Scavengers of the Damned" by Aiden, "Energy" by The Apples in Stereo, "I Know What I Am" by Band of Skulls, "Past Lives" by The Bronx, "First We Feast, Then We Felony" by Circus Circus, "Roll the Dice" by Damone, "Anything" by Kristin Dare, "Too Hot to Handle" by Carl Douglas, "I Don't Think That's OK" by Josh Freese, "I'm Alive" by Kid Beyond, "Do Not Disturb (Tell Me How Bad)" by Let's Get It, "Taking Apart a Gigantic Machine" by The Main Drag, "Gravitate" and "Not Your Enemy" by Megaphone, "A Thousand Nights" by Mile Marker Zero, "The Girl at the Video Game Store" by Parry Gripp, "Hot Sexy Girls" by Joe Sibol, "Hook, Line, and Sinner" by Texas in July, "A Little Faster" by There For Tomorrow and "Trash Candy" by Tijuana Sweetheart
• Lips tracks ($2 each) "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies, "Do You Believe In Love" by Huey Lewis & The News" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now" by Simply Red
• Games on Demand: Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth ($20), Game Room (free shell app, $3 per game) and Sega Superstars Tennis ($20)
• Demos: All Xbox Live Arcade and Indie games (Game Room titles offer a one-time 10-minute free play)
• Indie Games (usually $1-10 each): Are You Fast Enough?, Avatar Bumper Cars, Avatar Cannon, BlindGiRl, Falling, FlipSide, Flotilla, The Impossible Avatar Getaway, Missile Escape, Newton's New Tones, Spiders! Why Spiders?, Star Chart, Stick 'Em Up and World War Toon
• Game Videos: Blood Bowl, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, How To Train Your Dragon, Red Dead Redemption, Skate 3, Split/Second and Transformers: War for Cybertron
• Themes: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ($3)
• Pictures: Blood Bowl ($2), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 ($1-2 each), Two Worlds II ($1-2 each), Call to Arms 2 (free; enters you in sweepstakes) and Konsole Kingz ($2)
• Avatar Items (usually priced $1-5 each): Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing

This week's giveaway is another Pick and Win. Do you want to think, or just smash stuff?

Scrabble Journey is the classic word game with unlockable maps (essentially boards set around the world) and more than 100 rewards to collect.

Magic Ball Adventures is a 3D arkanoid-style game with pirate, medieval, wild west and fairy tale worlds you can blast to bits with a paddle, ball, and some awesome power-ups.

Both are great in their own way. But you can only pick one this week, for yourself or the wordsmith or digital Bam-Bam in your life.

To enter (and show how much you love free stuff!):

This week, GrrlGotGame takes on JackThompson, non-gamer moms and GTA III (aka Good Times Ahead!), Pikachu Fan reviews the Avatar The Last Airbender games for Nintendo DS, we examine Game Room for Xbox 360 including the now busy gamer-friendly Atari 2600 classic Adventure, discuss the strange appeal of Isowords for iPhone and see how Batman: Arkham Asylum transcends its brawler foundation and legacy of bad superhero games.

Get all of that - plus game release news, DLC and giveaways - in just 17 minutes!

Our goal is to provide a short (typically 10-15 minutes) summary of news and helpful commentary every Sunday so that you'll have a great jumping off point for your busy gamer week. Here's what we pack into each episode:

• The week's game releases
• A quick look back at the previous week's releases, news and downloadable content highlights
• What we're playing/mini-reviews
• Giveaways
• Comment of the week

As promised in the Busy Gamer Podcast, here is the complete list of games due for release this week for PC/Mac, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that slipped out when we weren't looking):

• DS: Again, Disney Fireworks (DSiWare), Disney's Stitch Jam, Jigapix: Wonderful World, Instrument Tuner (DSiWare), Let's Play Flight Attendant, Love is in Bloom, Metronome (DSiWare), Monster Rancher, My Pet Chimp, Save the Turtles (DSiWare), Secret Files: Tunguska, Super Yum Yum Puzzle Adventures (DSiWare), T.A.C. Heroes: Big Red One and World Championship Spelling
• iPhone: BioDefense: Zombie Outbreak, Bounce On 2, GravSpace, Hottie Hookups and Zenonia 2
• Mac: None
• PC: 727 Captain, Bicycle Texas Hold 'em, City Builder and Mount & Blade: Warband
• PS3: Prison Break: The Conspiracy
• PS2: Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love Premium Edition
• PSP: Dead or Alive Paradise and Mimana: Iyar Chronicle
• Wii: Dance Sensation!, Diner Dash (WiiWare), Cabela's Monster Buck Hunter Gun Bundle, Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (Virtual Console), Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, Secret Files: Tunguska and WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase (WiiWare)
• Xbox 360: Mega Man 10 (Arcade) and Samurai Shodown Sen

• WiiWare: Diner Dash ($10) and WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase ($8) for playing games and other content created with the DS version on your Wii
• Virtual Console: Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber ($10)
• DSiWare: Disney Fireworks ($8), Instrument Tuner ($2), Metronome ($2), Save the Turtles ($5) and Super Yum Yum Puzzle Adventures ($8)
• Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, March 30) "Up From the Skies," "Spanish Castle Magic," "Wait Until Tomorrow," "Ain't No Telling," "Little Wing," "If 6 Was 9," "You Got Me Floatin',""Castles Made of Sand," "She's So Fine," "One Rainy Wish," "Little Miss Lover," "Bold As Love" and "Valleys of Neptune" by Jimi Hendrix - Note: "Family friendly" tracks also work with Lego Rock Band.
• DS Demos (via Wii's Nintendo "Marketing" Channel): America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking Roasted Red Potatoes and Pots de Creme plus repeats Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, Avatar, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects, Deca Sports DS Cheerleading and Ping Pong, The Princess and the Frog, Rooms DS and Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing
• Game Videos: America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking, Diner Dash, Disney Fireworks, How to Train Your Dragon, Monster Hunter Tri, Rage of the Gladiator, Save the Turtles, Super Yum Yum Puzzle Adventures and WarioWare D.I.Y.

In an ill-timed system update, Sony announced it will patch the PlayStation 3 firmware Thursday to v3.21, which will remove the option to install another operating system (e.g., Linux) from older models that still supported it.

If you don't know the history of this feature, Sony seemed to think it could reduce import prices on its consoles in some markets by having them classified as PCs - and what better way to prove you were shipping PCs than to let you put a real OS on it. The governments didn't buy it, and now Sony is dropping it on the pretense that it's a security concern. (PS3 Slims already lack this feature.)

If you do have another OS installed and chose to accept the update, be sure to back up the PC partition before you lose access to it. If you prefer to keep your PS3 as a PC, you'll lose access to the PlayStation Network (including online game support) and any PS3 game or Blu-ray movie titles that require v3.21 or later.

Don't believe it? You can read the official news here. Naturally, the hacker community - already adept at circumventing homebrew restrictions on the PSP and iPhone - is already looking at workarounds, though chosing this route means you'll be unsupported if anything goes wrong...

Contrary to popular demand, I do not spend all of my free time blowing things up and killing creatures. I also run people off the road in Blur. (Just ran someone off a bridge last night: Challenge complete!)

But for those times when I need to give my thumbs a rest or just want a quick game fix, I turn to word and puzzle games. Here are three games that caught my attention in recent weeks on my iPhone. Two of these have earned an honored place in the first two screens, meaning they get nightly play. The third, not so much - but it's still worth a look.

IsoWords

Price: $2; lite version offers full gameplay minus a few modes and features.

I'll admit I didn't get this game at first. You start with a cube covered in smaller letter cubes, which you must turn into connected words. Using a letter cube three times removes it, revealing more sides of the adjoining cubes.

You play to score either against a timed mode or endless mode. Color coding indicates how far along you are in eliminating a cube: Light blue is not used, dark blue is used and red is one click away from being removed. Yellow shows the word you're spelling, which also appears at the top.

I played the game once and put it away, then picked it up a few weeks later on a second-try whim. And now I am completely addicted! I love the strategizing involved with picking off cubes, and the ability to twist and turn around the cube to make words.

I was frustrated with orphaned cubes that couldn't be eliminated – or so I thought. After mentioning it on a recent podcast, developer Opetopic tweeted us that tapping a cube three times will remove it, along with my frustration. Thank you for thinking through the player experience... it doesn't happen nearly enough! Did I mention I love this game?

Speaking of games I love, it looks like it's my turn in...

Words With Friends

Price: $3; free with ads displayed between moves

This virtual word game, which happens to look a lot like another game but totally isn't (see, the name is different!), is my other major game crush right now.

Words With Friends is exactly what it says: a word game you play with friends, assuming you have friends who like word games and happen to have this particular iPhone app. The game is exactly like Scrabble (there, I said it...), complete with Double Letter, Double Word, Triple Letter and Triple Word tile locations and a giant star in the middle to show you where to start.

You know the drill: Player 1 puts down a word using up to seven tiles, Player 2 makes a word using one of those letters somewhere, etc. Tiles are played. Points are earned. Trash is talked. What? Your EA Scrabble app doesn't do that? Well this one does. The "Chat" option in the upper right hand corner allows you to leave a message for your opponent, which will be delivered when they boot the app. It's a nifty little extra, and I appreciate the developers including it here. Another nice addition: Notifications for when it's your turn, which you can allow or block if they annoy you. The app also displays the number of games in your court on the app icon, so you don't have to open the game to see if it's your move.

The main limitation is finding opponents. Words With Friends has a convenient option to send a message out to your Twitter and Facebook friends. I hooked in several people this way, but a few weeks later and only a couple friends are still playing. The game has a solution for that, too. The "Random Opponent" option will connect you with a stranger who happens to have an iPhone and the app.

And if anyone wants to start a game with me, I'm GrrlGotGame.

AlphaBattle

Price: $1; lite version available

This is a sort of stealth puzzle game buried in a timed spelling challenge. The screen is divided in two by a glowing white line that looks like the opening of The Twilight Zone. Vowels descend from the top, consonants rise up from the bottom. All are on a collision course with the big white line.

If a letter slips into the Twilight Zone, it becomes inactive. Only YOU can stop them from going into the light by screaming "Carol Ann!" – oh wait, that's Poltergeist, which was actually entertaining. No, you make words and then slide your hand to the right to submit, which is probably way easy if you're right handed, or slide left to wipe out your word. Being left handed, I can tell you that sliding left is real easy. This is why I've never come close to winning a game. Yes, it's that rant again – a simple lefty flip might make the game enjoyable, or at least feasible for me to play.

The developers say your goal is to make as many long words as possible. My experience is that your struggle to make as many elementary school words as you can before losing, even on Easy, I found it just too difficult to move back and forth, up and down the screen and find the letters I needed to form a multi-syllabic word. Three power ups at the bottom will shuffle your letters, freeze the board or clear the top row. Unfortunately, they are right next to the consonants, making accidental activation a major hazard.

The alternative: Wait for the letters to creep up screen, losing time in the process. Or, better yet, go play another game.

Word up.