The Saga Continues With LEGO Clone Wars

LucasArts and TT Games continue to tear apart the Star Wars universe and rebuild it brick-by-brick with LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars.

I am continually amazed by the success of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, a stylized cartoon version of the events that take place between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. I know how it's going to end, you see, and all of these colorful new characters will be forgotten by the third movie. Still, it doesn't stop me from watching, and it doesn't stop LucasArts and Traveller's Tales from pumping out a LEGO game based on the series for fans to purchase and enjoy.

The Clone Wars will span both seasons of the animated series, with all of the characters from the show represented in LEGO form, along with some fan-favorites from the saga that haven't appeared in the series. The game will feature an upgraded level builder, new head-to-head combat moves, and new abilities for players to fool around with.

"LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment," said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. "The LEGO Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We're thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humor and fun players expect from this award winning franchise."

I love the humor and fun of the series, so that's good. I also love the animated look of the cartoon, which could be a problem. It's one thing to make live-action characters into LEGOs, but Star Wars: The Clone Wars already features stylized characters. Wouldn't putting them in LEGO form steal some of their charm?

We'll see come this fall, when LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars comes out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PC, DS, and PSP.

Click here to view the original story.

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars announced

Did you think that Traveler's Tales had done all it could do with the LEGO Star Wars franchise? If so, you have no idea how the videogame industry works, my friend. LEGO Star Wars III has just been announced, and it's taking us to the Clone Wars. 

LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars is coming to all the systems, obviously. DS, PSP, Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 all get their licks in. New battle modes will be included, as well as all the characters from the Clone Wars TV series. There will also be a few classic characters from the movies too. 

So, this is a thing that is happening. Good times.

LONDON, UK – 8th February, 2010 – LucasArts and TT Games today announced the development of LEGO® Star Wars™ III: The Clone Wars™. The next chapter in the award-winning LEGO® Star Wars videogame franchise, LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will combine the best elements of all previous LEGO® games while adding brand new gameplay to make it the most action-packed LEGO® videogame to date. Developed by the same team at Traveller’s Tales that created the critically acclaimed LEGO® Star Wars and LEGO® Indiana Jones™ series, the game will ship on the Wii™, Nintendo DS™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Xbox 360®videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows in the Autumn of 2010.

“LucasArts continues to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment,” said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. “The LEGO® Star Wars franchise is a massive hit with fans, bringing in sales of over 20 million units worldwide. We’re thrilled to extend this experience to LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, delivering the humour and fun players expect from this award winning franchise.”

“LucasArts is an amazing partner, and working with them on the next iteration of the LEGO® Star Wars series continues to be a great experience,” said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. “The team at TT is working hard at making this simply the best LEGO® game ever with all new gameplay and features never before seen in a LEGO® game.”

LEGO® Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will include all the characters from both seasons of the hugely popular animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as well as some fan-favourite characters from the beloved theatrical Star Wars Saga. The game will feature brand new battle modes, giving players unique, head-to-head combat and an upgraded level builder, allowing the creation of customized bases and in-game battlefields. Play either as a Jedi or Separatist with all-new character abilities, such as Squad command, Lightsaber slicing, Lightsaber jumps, long distance Jedi attacks and Grapple Tie-Ups, all within a new, easy-to-navigate hub.

Click here to view the original story.

Starship Defense Micro-Review: The Most HD DS Game

What was the promise of playing games in high-definition again? A sharper resolution was part of it, more details on the screen. In that respect, Starship Defense, a new game with a superb pedigree is the most HD DS game.

Starship Defense is the latest download-only tower defense game from Q-Games, which, for fans of tower defense is probably all the knowledge needed. Yes, the people who made PixelJunk Monsters have taken tower defense to the Nintendo DSi and put it in outer space, adding a dash of Galaga or Galaxian.

But for those who care not about tower defense, this game may be interesting instead for its look. It is a game set on what looks like tightly-lined graph paper, featuring an intensely detailed array of colorful ships and turrets engaged in the starship defense that gives the game its name. Why might you want an intensely-detailed 2D game full of small numbers, small figures and all kinds of tiny dots and shapes that a person with mediocre vision might not be able to see? Well, this game is the test of that.

Loved
Monsters In Space: PixelJunk Monsters, Q-Games previous tower defense game, has two great attributes. It can be played in co-op. Okay, no match for that here. Starship Defense can't. It's levels are specific, memorable and devilishly difficult. Starship Defense has got that. Across as many as 30 levels, you use the stylus to arm an armada of ships to stop enemy attack swarms. Your armada takes different shapes in each level, sometimes one big capital ship with some smaller ships flying at each side, sometimes a flotilla of saucers. The ships are all covered with potential turret points, places where you can spend your limited currency to build a variety of lasers, guns, black-hole cannons and other fun stuff. From the top screen, in different configurations in each level, rain 10 waves of enemy fighters. The fighters will stream into the flightpath of your armada, hopefully not surviving or blowing up your ships, if you placed the towers well enough. Each level plays differently, some focusing on evasive, ghost ship enemies, others on waves of tougher enemy saucers or even giant space snakes. The levels make you think and sweat. The variety of towers and the wide range of available strategies makes the tower defense in this game top of the line.

The Squint-Worthy Graphics: The game is almost too-detailed, a comment that might cause confusion for those looking at the screenshot atop this review. With spaceship and space art rendered in white and grays, and with enemy ships and towers rendered as simple with simple colors and shapes, the game probably doesn't look like the graphical stand-out I'm saying it is. But in motion, Starship Defense renders battles that are as populated with detail as a cloudless starry night. What's surprising is how specific and finely-detailed the graphics are. Small dabs of color indicate special tendencies in towers that have been upgraded. A tiny splash of blue, for example, means a missile launcher will fire faster. Minuscule enemy bullets firing from an incoming squadron and the game's World Smallest Health Bar are as crucial as tiny numbers in the menu screens that identify costs of the towers, or the little red "S" icons you might miss the first time but are crucial to a winning strategy. I've never seen so much activity and information scrunched into such a small screen, something I worried was going to be an eye-straining design flaw but instead makes Starship Defense an exciting hint of the potential of more finely-rendered handheld games.

The Q-Games Touch: The music is good in this game, reminding me of some of Star Wars' gentler themes. Good music is a Q-Games hallmark. More specific to Q's work on the DS, from the studio's Digidrive and Trajectile releases to this one, is the inclusion of an on-screen clock and battery-life indicator. What Q seems to do by choice and tradition would best be an option offered by all DS game-makers. It's nice to be able to see how much battery I have left on my portable system in terms of bars, without having to pause the game. Same with knowing what time it is. Who wants to stop playing to look at their watch?

Starship Defense is going to be most enjoyed by fans of tower defense games. It deserves to stand out from its dense genre pack. But it's also a successful visual experiment, one that sacrifices color and texture to intensify detail and activity. It's worth a play for some and a look for others, hopefully satisfying to all.

Starship Defense was developed by Q-Games and published by Nintendo exclusively as a downloadable game for the Nintendo DSi on January 18. Retails for $5.00 USD. Played through to the final, 30th mission, during two weeks of subway rides, perfecting 16 levels some after many, many tries.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

Click here to view the original story.

Must Resist Adorable Hamster Baby

Resisting a Nintendo DS game about cute little robot hamsters might be possible, but when Activision packs in a tiny stuffed hamster baby into the collector's edition of Zhu Zhu Pets, even the strongest man's resolve begins to falter.

Zhu Zhu Pets, announced back in December, is a game based on the mechanical hamster toys that frustrated the living hell out of so many parents during the holiday season. The demand for these fuzzy little bastards went through the roof, and why not? They are, essentially, robot hamsters, two of the greatest words in the English language, brought together in one toy.

I actually picked one up at a Wal-Mart a couple of days after Christmas. It's been terrorizing my cats ever since.

The game is a maze-racing affair, in which the player steers his or her hamster through a twisting course, collecting coins and new hamster friends along the way. Friends like the collector's edition baby hamster, packed in the initial shipment of the games at no additional cost.

His name is Baxter. It's times like this I wish I could write in big-eyed emoticons.

I believe I can still resist, as long as the first screens from the game aren't similarly adorable.

Dammit.

Click here to view the original story.

Medabots DS is still happening, here's some concept art

We haven't heard about Medabots DS since last September, but a small update has recently surfaced in the form of some funky new concept art. The doodles show off the character Kabuto, and feature a range of quirky designs for the yellow robot. Kabuto will be the eponymous character in one of two versions of Medabots.

The two versions are Kabuto and Kuwaga. We're not sure what the difference between the two games will be, but we're sure it'll work exactly like Pokemon. Either way, Medabots DS will feature three-on-three battles and full 3D graphics. Hopefully developer Rocket Company can give we nostalgic folk a nice little game. 

The announcement of this game brought a surprising about of Dtoid readers out of the woodwork and I was legitimately surprised that people were as excited as me for the game. At least I won't be short of opponents when this game finally releases.

Medabots DS Concept Art Gives Color To Kabuto [Siliconera]

Click here to view the original story.

Scribblenauts sells a million

It looks like 5th Cell's Scribblenauts for the Nintendo DS isn't just entertaining us media types and "core" crowd on the toilet. Earlier this afternoon, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced that the colorful, uh, "word" game has sold over one million units and "became on of the hottest games of the holiday season."

Speaking via the press release, WBIE present Martin Tremblay called Scribblenauts a "strong original brand," and added that WBIE looks "forward to bringing consumers more quality gaming experiences as part of our portfolio game strategy." Good. A portfolio gaming strategy that focused on delivering bad games wouldn't make us happy campers, or at least inclined to give WBIE's stuff a spin on the toilet (or the bus or wherever).

Click here to view the original story.

Scribblenauts Sells A Million

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment proudly announces today that 5th Cell's word-based wonder, Scribblenauts, has sold more than one million units worldwide. That's more copies than you can shake a fig leaf gourd at!

Scribblenauts, 5th Cell's innovative DS title that has players solve problems using written words, is not your average million-selling title. It's innovative. It makes you think. It's not the sort of title gamers generally flock to in droves. Still, it deserved the attention, and it's good to a DS game that's not a sequel and doesn't feature licensed characters make it big, especially without a huge marketing campaign. It sparked the imagination of the gaming press as well as the gaming public, and that spark set sales on fire.

"We are extremely pleased with the sales of Scribblenauts and credit the game's innovation and wide appeal in making it a hit with gamers of all skill levels," said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Scribblenauts is one of our strong original brands, and we look forward to bringing consumers more quality gaming experiences as part of our portfolio game strategy."

That's great, Martin! We'll just sit here patiently until you announce Scribblenauts 2.

Click here to view the original story.

Beyonce, Style Saavy, behind the scenes... yup

function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf", "mplayer", "620", "375", "8", "#000000"); so.addParam("swliveconnect", "true"); so.addParam("allowscriptaccess", "always"); so.addParam("allowfullscreen", "true"); so.addVariable("pid", "dest002"); so.addVariable("siteId", "357"); so.addVariable("videoId", "119583"); so.addVariable("file", "http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/357/3/119583/"); so.addVariable("pageUrl", document.location); so.write("flashcontent_357_dest002_single_119583"); }

You know who's style savvy? Beyoncé, that's who. Did you see her at the Grammy's? Sasha Fierce got fierce all up on the mic, covering an Alanis Morissette song of all things. And then she threw Elton John into a hole and he turned into Lady GaGa who then covered a Pink song while suspended from Star Wars sheets.

When that's not happening, Mrs. Knowles is shilling Nintendo's Nintendo DS and DSi title, Style Saavy. You know, the clothing game, designed specifically for Destructoid's demographic. Which is why I'm writing about it, obviously. 

Here's some info for your brain's Useless Videogame Fact Bank: Designs from Beyoncé's real-life clothing line, Deréon, will be available as DLC in Style Savvy in the coming months. Now go on, impress a middle school girl with that fact. Just don't tell them you heard it from me.

Click here to view the original story.

Nintendo's Iwata denies DS2's motion sensing comment

Nintendo's Satoru Iwata on the Nintendo DS successor having motion sensing capabilities: "What? No way. That's stupid."

I'm kidding. He didn't really say that. But it was said before that Iwata mentioned motion sensing capabilities for the DS2 or whatever the hell they're going to call it. Turns out he was misquoted. Stupid ass journalists.

Iwata claims that the Japanese newspaper Asahi said to him in an interview: "The next DS will need to have high resolution graphics and include a motion sensor, wouldn't you say?"

Iwata replied: "Those are naturally considered requirements. However, do you believe it will sell with just this?"

Just a mix-up. I'm telling you right now: If I have to wave the DS2 around while looking at a little screen, I'm passing on it. Hopefully that won't be the case.

And here's the real word: "If there were no rival makers in the world, I'd could give examples of the things that we are considering. However, for competitive reasons, I cannot give specifics today on the what or when of the things we're considering."

Iwata denies DS2 motion statement [CVG]

Click here to view the original story.

Nintendo vs. Japanese Newspaper, It Continues!

In early January, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata gave an interview with Japan's second largest newspaper The Asahi Shimbun. The printed article has been a source of dispute.

In the original article, the Asashi Shimbun quoted Satoru Iwata as stating the Nintendo DS successor will have "highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing".

Nintendo of America told Kotaku that the Asahi Shimbun had "misinterpreted" Iwata's remarks. "Mr. Iwata did not make any comments regarding the functions of Nintendo's future hardware systems," Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo of America's senior director of corporate communications told Kotaku. "The answer to the reporter's question was misinterpreted."

The Asahi Shimbun stands by its reporting and issued a statement to Kotaku Japan that read: "The article quoted Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment accurately." The actual quote in the article is a fragment of a longer sentence.

During a recent investors Q&A, Iwata was asked about new hardware. "Naturally, we are always developing new hardware," Iwata replied. However, Iwata says he is not in a position to talk specific details about upcoming hardware. The exec went on to address the issue with the Asahi Shimbun, asserting that the reporter stated, "The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?" Iwata claims he then replied, "Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?" Iwata emphasized that this last part was left completely out.

Now it seems as thought Nintendo is saying that these features (better graphics, motion sensor) are being viewed as basic requirements — and Nintendo is probably correct in this assertion. Most likely all future handhelds will have motion sensor tech and improved graphics. The issue here is whether or not Nintendo brought this up or the Asahi Shimbun is putting words in Iwata's mouth when the exec was speaking indirectly and not necessary divulging Nintendo's plans.

This is where a recording would be helpful! Perhaps the Asahi Shimbun has one, hence the paper issuing a statement that it stands by its reporting. Perhaps, it does not, but trusts its reporter's work.

While the Asahi Shimbun article did not touch on an HD Wii, Iwata also took the opportunity to clear the air, stating he has never mentioned an HD Wii. Speaking hypothetically, Iwata also mentioned that if he heard Wii getting HD, that it would need more than simply high definition to get new customers around the world to purchase the console. "I would ask, 'Can it be sold with just this? It needs something new." But what?

Click here to view the original story.

Accio brickus: LEGO Harry Potter out in May

function getVideo() { var so = new SWFObject("http://cdn.springboard.gorillanation.com/storage/xplayer/yo033.swf", "mplayer", "620", "375", "8", "#000000"); so.addParam("swliveconnect", "true"); so.addParam("allowscriptaccess", "always"); so.addParam("allowfullscreen", "true"); so.addVariable("pid", "dest002"); so.addVariable("siteId", "357"); so.addVariable("videoId", "119123"); so.addVariable("file", "http://cms.springboard.gorillanation.com/xml_feeds_advanced/index/357/3/119123/"); so.addVariable("pageUrl", document.location); so.write("flashcontent_357_dest002_single_119123"); }

Fans of bricks and Hogwarts, good news -- LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 is out this May. If you've got a Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, or Windows PC, you're in luck -- Warner Bros. is putting it on every platform it can. 

As expected, this is a traditional LEGO action title that takes players through the events of the first four Harry Potter books... with bricks. And stuff. The game features over 100 playable characters, along with cooperative play, which can be played online with pals if you're on a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. 

Neato. 

Click here to view the original story.

Living the Dream: Work in a virtual convenience store

At Destructoid we're always talking about "Living the Dream." The phrase refers to a lot of different things for us. In its most general form, it's about how we love that we do this for a living. It's about ow we've made jobs and a web company doing this. Amazing. Other times it's a bit more tongue-in-cheek, like in the old days where we'd sleep 10 to a room to cover an event. We'd use a Doritos bag as a sleeping bag.

Speaking of Doritos: There's a dream that I'd like to live that's even more personal. I'll come right out and say it: I love convenience stores. I love the candy, meat snacks and varied drinks. Even more than the convenience stores that you and I are used to, I love Japanese ones. Konbini, they call 'em. Where else can you get porn mags, hair gel, a hot lunch, beer, and a tiramisu for dessert, all in one place? As a kid, I'd walk to the same Japanese konbini about 3 times a week just to hang out and buy weird candy. Fond memories.

I'd love to work in one to see what it's like. Temporarily. That's the idea behind upcoming Taito DS game Minna no Konbini, or Everyone's Convenience Store. You'll see in this video that you can stock onigiri (rice balls), rip the top of the vending pack of gum, vend frozen drinks [fail for not mixing melon and strawberry] and so much more. How exciting! Catch falling goods in a basket, but avoid the rats (?!). Finally, check customers out and warm up their meals in the microwave. Inspiring.

You even vend oden, the boiling stew that both Nick Chester and Jim Sterling are highly opposed to. Jim said, "God, I can still smell that stuff."

Click here to view the original story.

THQ making Wheel of Fortune, JEOPARDY! games

THQ and Sony Pictures have signed a considerably huge multi-year licensing deal that grants the former full rights to create games based upon the ludicrously popular game shows JEOPARDY! and Wheel of Fortune. Obviously, these games are primarily being made for the Wii and DS. Y'know, so the idiots will buy them. 

The deal grants THQ the ability to publish these games on multiple systems, so you can possibly expect from Natal-flavored stupidity to arrive at some point as well. THQ plans to release the first games based on these properties later in the year. Let's all look forward to that, shall we?

Seriously though, while we sane individuals couldn't care less, this is a massive coup for THQ. The publisher will most likely be able to print money with this agreement, and if that means more cash for hot properties like Dawn of War and Darksiders in the future, then it's a good deal all round, right?

AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Feb 01, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Sony Pictures Consumer Products, Inc. today announced two multi-year licensing agreements granting THQ the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and publish video games based on Sony Pictures Television's popular game show properties, "JEOPARDY!" and "Wheel of Fortune".

The new agreements give THQ rights to publish interactive games based on the two properties for the Wii(TM) video game system, Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo DSi(TM), and grants THQ options for additional platforms.

"We are excited to add two iconic properties such as 'JEOPARDY!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' to our Kids, Family and Casual Games portfolio," said Doug Clemmer, Executive Vice President, THQ Kids, Family and Casual Games. "The opportunity to implement new features such as Wii Speak(TM) will re-imagine how these games are played and engage fans with a whole new level of interactivity."

"'JEOPARDY!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' are extraordinarily popular across the globe and it was important for us to find a partner with an international vision," said Mark Caplan, Vice President Licensing, Sony Pictures Consumer Products. "THQ's focus and proven success within the family market made them the most logical team to bring these renowned properties to new platforms, and we look forward to working with them to create family-friendly interactive experiences."

THQ plans to release the first video games under this agreement later this year.

Click here to view the original story.

Try A Little Miles Edgeworth On For Size

Capcom takes advantage of the Nintendo DS's download capability today, putting up a demo for Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth two weeks ahead of the game's release date.

Sometimes I forget that I can download things to my regular old DS. Hell, sometimes I forget I can do it with my DSi, and I write The Nintendo Download every week. It's nice to be reminded of the capability now and then, and a demo of Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth seems like the perfect way to remember.

Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth lets players take a turn at crime scene investigation, searching for clues and using logic to combine facts to create new facts, eventually (hopefully) cracking the case. It's a whole new kind of Ace Attorney game, with the same flair and style of the Phoenix Wright incarnations.

Having trouble imagining what that's like? Then download the demo, silly. That, or buy the game when it comes out on February 16th. Your choice!

Click here to view the original story.

Dragon Quest VI DS Remake Racks Up Big Sales

If Square Enix shipped, say, a million copies of the DS Dragon Quest VI remake at launch, how many copies would Japan buy?

Approximately 910,000 copies. In the first four days that the game was on sale, 909,981 copies of Dragon Quest VI were sold in Japan, making it the highest selling DS Dragon Quest remake.

In the first week that Dragon Quest IV DS went on sale in 2007, the game moved 602,000 units. The Dragon Quest V DS remake sold 679,000 in its first week back in 2008.

?????????VI?????????91????????????? [Famitsu]

Click here to view the original story.