My PS2-to-GameCube adapter arrived the other night, and although I was somewhat nervous after reading some comments posted here about similar devices, I'm pleased to report that it works like a charm. The two games I heard didn't work with such devices are Soul Calibur II and the GBA Player, and since those are precisely the two I bought this for, I was really quite worried. But work it does, and it's a godsend. For those curious, I'm using the one sold by Lik-Sang, and at only $10, I can easily recommend it to anyone frustrated with the size of the GameCube's d-pad. Since I'm only using this for games I use the d-pad with, I had originally planned on using my first-generation PSOne controller, but apparently the device only works with Dual Shock 1 or 2 gamepads. That's not a big deal, but it does mean my old PSX gamepad is going to sit around unloved for a bit longer. My beef with the GameCube's d-pad is that it's too darn small. Teeny is more like it, and the one on the Dual Shock is an improvement in every way imaginable. I don't see myself using this for anything but games where the d-pad is important, since Nintendo's games are always tweaked extensively for use with their gamepads, but for these two it makes a world of a difference.

	GameCube Outsells PS2 in Japan It's only by a very slim margin, but the latest Media Create numbers out of Japan put the GameCube at 35,600 units sold for the week ending August 31st, while the PS2 sold a mere 35,300. This sudden upswing in GameCube sales is being attributed to the release of Tales of Symphonia and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, which marks the first release of two major RPG series for the platform (Japan has always been a very RPG-obsessed market).
	Eidos Drops GameCube Support It's not all good news for Nintendo today, as Eidos Interactive formally announced that they are dropping support for the GameCube platform. Eidos has informally been pulling out of the system all year, and in their announcement CEO Mike McGarvey is quoted as saying the GameCube is, "a declining business."
	More Eidos Wackiness In other Eidos news, I was one of many people that was left with my jaw hanging open as I read that the company has actually managed to pull a profit for the fiscal year ending on June 30th. But that wasn't nearly as strange as after reading that this profit was due to four million sellers (Championship Manager 4, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, TimeSplitters 2, and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness), that the company is actually dropping two of them! For reasons only Eidos management is privy to, the company will not be publishing the next game in the TimeSplitters series, and they have also severed ties with Sports Interactive, the developer of the million-selling Championship Manager series. While Eidos doesn't own the IP behind TimeSplitters (allowing Free Radical to go where they please), they do own the rights to Championship Manager, so that series will continue with a different developer at the helm.
	Final Fantasy VII at TGS? Rumors have started circulating that either a remake or sequel to Final Fantasy VII will be unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show at the end of the month. LNC readers may recall Square's previous debunking of such rumors, where they said that even if they did want to make a FFVII-2, the fact that it would require 100% new assets would make that a futile task, and their time would be better spent on an entirely new game. But a remake could theoretically allow them to make two games for the price of one (or 1.5, anyway). But I still wouldn't hold my breath.
	Front Mission 4 Announced Well one game SquareEnix has announced will definitely be shown at TGS is Front Mission 4, an all-new PS2 title in this series of strategy RPGs that features battlin' robots.
	MGS: The Twin Snakes Interview A new interview with Denis Dyack of Silicon Knights is up at IGN tonight, talking with the president of the studio about The Twin Snakes, their upcoming GameCube remake of the original Metal Gear Solid. Accompanying the interview is a crapload of new media, and some hints that this will not be the only Nintendo/Silicon Knights/Konami collaboration.
	Project Gotham 2 Q&A and Geometry Wars Revealed Computer and Video Games has posted a Q&A with Chris Pickford of Bizarre Creations, which is the first in a series of Project Gotham 2 Q&As the site will be publishing over the course of the next week. In addition to other things, this interview reveals that a Robotron-style shooting game will be an unlockable bonus included with the racing game, and it will feature an Xbox Live powered scoreboard.
	UK Console Price Drops Revealed CvG is reporting that all three consoles are going to be getting a price drop in the UK in the very near future. Their leaked numbers put a new PS2 package that includes the EyeToy and Groove at £169.99, the bare PS2 system for £129.99, an Xbox package that includes the Xbox Live kit and one free game for£149.99, an Xbox package that includes two games for £129.99, the bare Xbox system for £99.99, a GameCube package with one game for £129.99 and the standalone console for £79.99. Before you get all excited about price drops here, note that these numbers bring the UK in line with the rest of the world (if still slightly more in some cases). If that's not enough for you, even more PS2 bundles are listed at gamesindustry.biz, including ones featuring Gran Turismo 4, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and GTA: Vice City (although not all at once).
	Xbox Live Trial Games Revealed Once you ignore the story reporting on a Halo 2 delay (sorry guys, but it hasn't been a 2003 game for some time now), you'll find a list of games that are going to be shipping with free Xbox Live trials over at Eurogamer. The list includes such notables as Ninja Gaiden, Unreal II and Sega's ESPN line of sports titles, and each of the games on the list comes with two months of free service, although presumably you can only do this once per console.
	"Million Seller" Revealed? It would appear that the GBA game hinted at by one Japanese magazine to sell "a million for sure; maybe even two" is...a new Pokemon. Video Fenky spotted a mention in another Japanese magazine, which said they'll have more in an issue coming out on October 3rd. If true, that would certainly justify those expectations.
	Pikmin 2 Delayed It's official: Nintendo has pushed Pikmin 2 into 2004. Surprisingly, this isn't just one of those delays where the game will narrowly miss the holiday season...it's been pushed into the second quarter of 2004, in an attempt to "ensure the final product meets the high standards that Nintendo fans deserve."
	Stan Lee Signs with Activision In an apparent attempt to keep their games from becoming as reprehensible as Acclaim's Marvel licensed shovelware during the 8 and 16-bit eras, Activision has signed Stan Lee as a consultant on their various Marvel titles. I wonder if ol' Smilin' Stan will be able to tell them how to make Marvel Online without everyone playing as Wolverine? (Okay, not everyone...I want to be freakin' Galactus).
	Killzone Interview UGO has conducted a new interview with an unnamed representative from Guerilla Games, the people bringing you Killzone (and you have to imagine they're sighing at actually being able to talk about this game at long last). Thanks HomeLAN for the tip.
	Misc. Media/Previews GameSpot swung by Konami's Editor's Day event, and so they have posted a slew of screenshots and impressions from various titles across all platforms (here's a list of all of 'em). Also at GameSpot is a look at The Simpsons: Hit and Run (PS2, Xbox), a new preview of NHL 2004 (GC, PS2, Xbox) and new shots from Rogue Ops (GC, PS2, Xbox). IGN has new movies showing off Geist, 1080: Avalanche and Mario Kart: Double Dash (all GC), a hands-on look at Banjo Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge (GBA), the box art from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA), a hands-on look at Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest (PS2), new shots from Battlestar Galactica (PS2, Xbox), the first screenshots and the box art from the just announced Grand Theft Auto Double Pack (PS2, Xbox) and a new preview of Sega GT Online (Xbox). IGN is also the latest mainstream site to launch an N-Gage-specific site. Elsewhere online, The Magic Box has new shots from Gotcha Force (GC) and Astro Boy (GBA) and Gamers.com links to a new Japanese commercial for the game that will be released here as Drakengard (PS2).