Late Night Consoling

1UP found out new details regarding the PS2 and GameCube versions of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and none of it was good news. While we all knew the GameCube version would not have any online mode, the PS2 version will not have a robust one as well. The Versus mode was crippled in that the PS2 version will basically be an expanded version of Pandora Tomorrow's Versus mode as it won't feature the new stuff to be included for the Xbox and PC. The GameCube won't even include a Versus mode. Both the PS2 and GCN will have a co-op option; it's offline and split screen.

Weekly Famitsu published some unannounced details on EA's The Godfather and most revealing is that the game will take after Grand Theft Auto. The game world will be an open-ended version of Little Italy, the movie's setting. Gamers can go wherever there please and pick up missions whenever they want. Your role in the game is to rise in the ranks of the family. You'll play an original character and EA says the way you make your character will be unprecedented. Another interesting bit is that characters will remember how you interact with them; someone you mugged may be afraid of you in a future encounter. EA says the game is only 15% complete and will reveal more sometime next month.

Earlier this week, Nintendo met with Japanese retailers and discussed at length their upcoming lineup, divulging new details on a few titles. For instance, the DS version of Harvest Moon will take place in Mineral Town, the same as the recent GameCube and Game Boy Advance releases. If you have your GBA cartridge in while playing the NDS game, the two will interact. Other tidbits were that Touch! Kirby will ship with a pink stylus and Star Fox Assault for GameCube will have unlockable NES games: Xevious, Battle City, and Star Luster. More details on other games can be found here.

ScanSoft announced that their SpeechWorks software, a program that allows developers to incorporate speech recognition into Nintendo games, is now available for use for all Nintendo developers. The software is supposed to be the first speech recognition solution geared towards children's voices. Currently, there is no other known developer using SpeechWorks for their game(s).

In 2002, a technology company called Immersion sued Sony for patent infringement for the use of the rumble feature in the Dual Shock controllers. On Monday, a judge ordered Sony to pay over $27 million annually over three years, equating to about $82 million. Microsoft was stuck in a similar predicament in 2003 but settled out-of-court through a licensing deal.

GameGossip noticed that Sega of America updated their website for Shining Tears with a hard release date. The RPG is now set for release on March 22. The game is based within the Shining Force universe as you take the role of a young man with no memory of his past (shocking!) who harnesses the power of two mysterious rings to win a war and uncover his past.

Electronic Arts announced a bonus for gamers that pre-order Oddworld Stranger's Wrath at either EBgames, GameStop, Game Crazy, or GameRush. They will be treated to a DVD that features 60 minutes of animated movies from the Oddworld series, a behind-the-scenes featurette, and other goodies.

Desperate to try out a new camo suit for Solid Snake no matter how ridiculous or untimely it may seem? You're in luck as Konami released a new suit yesterday that dresses our favorite mullet-wearin' master of stealth as... wait for it... Santa Claus! You can find some screenshots here at IGN. As for how the suit benefits Snake, it's unclear at the moment.

IGN interviews the assistant producer of Champions: Return to Arms, Clint Worley.