Late Night Consoling

June 20, 2003 8:00 PM

So a quick poll...how many of you are planning on picking up a GameCube Game Boy Player next week? Prior to E3 I was like on the edge of my seat waiting for this thing, but after seeing it at the show, my enthusiasm has dropped significantly. It's not that it's bad per se, but a lot of really good looking GBA games looked washed out and ugly on those big E3 monitors, which makes me wonder if I really want to play something like Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow on my 27" TV, or on my perfectly lit GBA SP. I'm also shocked that it's not possible to play multiplayer games between a GameCube and GBA. The only way to do it is to have two televisions and connect the two Game Boy Players with a GBA link cable. How stupid is that? (not true, you can connect GBA's and GBA Players just fine - Jack) But all the same, I can easily see myself walking to my local GameStop next week and picking up this and Advance Wars 2. I'm so weak.

	New Ideas in Mario 128? According to a report out of Japan, Nintendo' upcoming Mario 128 will feature "a new idea that's never been seen before in a game" and Nintendo decided not to show the game at E3, out of fears that this idea would be stolen. How great an idea is this? Damned if I know, but hopefully it'll be more than just Mario with a water hose.
	"Cell" Nearing Completion? GamePro is reporting that at a shareholders conference in Japan today, Sony announced that their "Cell" processor, which is widely believed to be at the heart of the PlayStation 3, is nearly complete, and the first chips will be rolling off the line as early as March. This does not mean we'll definitely see the PS3 in 2004, of course, but it does seem to knock down those rumors that the PS3 would feature a less powerful technology, with more time being needed to complete the cell technology.
	Phantom Beta Testers Needed Infinium Labs, who keep pushing forward with their closed box PC "console," have posted a notice on their web site that they are looking for beta testers. You must have a broadband connection in order to qualify, and the more hardcore you are the better.
	New EQ Online Adventures Content Available Sony Online Entertainment has announced that a new area, called the Isle of Dread is now accessible from within EverQuest Online Adventures. There's no download necessary, as it is apparently already on the game disc, but be warned as it's said to be for high-level characters.
	New PS2 EverQuest RPG Snowblind Studios, best known around these parts for their work on Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, has announced Champions of Norrath, a new single player and four player multiplayer action RPG set in the EverQuest universe. Unlike Dark Alliance this will feature online multiplayer, and it will apparently use the same matchmaking service as the upcoming PC title Lords of EverQuest.
	New Xbox PSO Content Available According to Games Are Fun, new content is now available for Xbox Phantasy Star Online users. Specifically there are two new quests, and while walking through town you'll see some classic Sonic characters, which are there in celebration of the birthday of the franchise.
	Nintendo Wins Lik Sang Case The headline says it all...Nintendo has won their case against game retailer Lik Sang over devices which could be used to copy Game Boy Advance hardware. As part of the ruling, the Lik Sang will have to pay $5 million HK, which is roughly $640,000 USD.
	Halo RTS Footage If you missed the documentary that aired on the Discovery channel tonight, another clip from the show is up at IGN, and it features some of the Halo developers talking about the evolution of the game. Apparently there's even footage of an early version of Halo which was originally planned as an RTS. If memory serves me right, Halo was originally supposed to be a next-generation Myth before they decided to make it a third person, and then later a first person action title.
	PS2 Rumors Addressed A great article is up at IGN tonight, addressing ten of the top rumors making the rounds about the PlayStation 2. A nice range of subjects is covered, including Final Fantasy VII-2 (which they speculate will happen, but for Sony's handheld and not the PS2), whether or not there really is a sequel to Ico on the way, whether StarCraft: Ghost is going to be an Xbox exclusive and lots more.
	Broken Sword for Xbox Revolution Software has announced that in addition to the previously announced PS2 and PC versions, an Xbox port of Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon is in development. Details and the first Xbox screenshots are up at GameSpot, along with new shots from the PS2 version.
	Xbox Interview Computer and Video Games has posted a great interview with Peter Moore, who was formerly the president of Sega of America, and is now in Microsoft's Xbox division. The interview covers a lot of ground, including their plans for Xbox Live, his thoughts on EA's lack of support for said service, and what he thinks of Sony's online strategy.
	Tomb Raider Interview Also at CvG tonight is an interview with Jeremy Heath-Smith of Core Design, who is probably sleeping soundly tonight for the first time in a year, having just shipped Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness for PC and PS2 earlier this week.
	Misc. Media/Previews GameSpot has a hands-on report from the SNK vs. Capcom Chaos beta (NeoGeo/Arcade), plus new shots from EverQuest Online Adventures: Frontiers (PS2), and new shots from F-Zero AC (arcade) and F-Zero GX (GameCube). They also have new media from Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (to celebrate the fact that it finally shipped), new shots from Pitfall Harry (GC, PS2, Xbox), a first look at Rugby League (PS2), hands-on impressions of NFL Fever 2004 (Xbox), and new shots from the PS2 version of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Over at IGN they have a hands-on look at Gladius for GameCube, some new screenshots from Altered Beast (PS2), new shots from Gran Turismo 4 (PS2), a hands-on look at XGRA (PS2), footage from Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction (PS2, Xbox) and their own NFL Fever 2004 preview (Xbox). Elsewhere, Games Are Fun links to a commercial for Shining Soul II (GBA), Computer and Video Games has a pair of Project Gotham 2 shots (Xbox), GamerFeed links to a new trailer for Dino Crisis 3 (Xbox), Gamers.com has details and screenshots from the just-announced Shadow Hearts 2 (PS2) and GameSpy Daily has some new rendered images from Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (PS2, Xbox). And tonight's good n' wacky bit of media...check out these images over at Gamers.com that show off Tecmo's new Xtreme Swimwear line, which is an actual clothing line inspired by the miniscule outfits worn by the babes of Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball.

Console Game of the Evening: Blaster Master for the NES. "Unique combination of side-scrolling action with your tank and "first person" shooting with a fixed above-and-behind view. Great graphics and sound for its day too!" (submitted by schroermr).

jason bergman

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