To: Crecente
From: Bashcraft
RE: Don't Leave Us Hanging

Tonight's Night Note is kinda long, so I put it after the jump.

What you missed last night
What Are The Top Selling Games Of 2008 So Far?
Fallout 3 Refused Classification In Australia
Patapon 2 Announced, Let's Look At It
Mega Man 9: Cheap As $US 10 Chips
Cliff Bleszinski Wants Fewer Buttons
This Wii Hard Drive Is So Damn Phony (And Funny)
Does This Banjo Kazooie Video Confirm An Xbox 360 Motion Controller?

Capcom's classic arcade shooter 1942: Joint Strike hits the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in just two weeks, the company announced today.

PS3 owners get the game on July 24, while Xbox 360 owners get it on July 23.

The new 1942: Joint Strike will include 2-player online cooperative play, updated graphics and music by Backbone Entertainment and a new score by Norihiko Hibino, a composer best known for his work on the Metal Gear Series.

1942: Joint Strike takes inspiration and influence from the '80s 194X series of World War II-themed vertical arcade shooters. The art, sound and gameplay of the new game take cues from the original 194X games, but will stand out as its own unique entry. Gameplay will resemble the classic 2D style that gamers expect, but the game utilises a fully 3D engine. Set in a World War II-themed locale, stages, vehicles and weapons have the look and feel of WWII with some stylistic differences.

In less than a week Electronic Arts will be showing off Rock Band 2 to the world's gaming press at this year's E3. To get your motor running a bit early, Harmonix dropped this fat fact sheet and these images on us.

First things first: If you already own Rock Band and you buy Rock Band 2 all of your songs will transfer over automatically and free o' charge.

Rock Band 2, which hits the Xbox 360 this September and the PS2, PS3 and Wii later this year, includes a number of new tweaks both to the software and hardware. Some highlights:

The new and improved drums and guitar peripherals will be compatible with the original Rock Band and original instruments will work with Rock Band 2. The new guitar will have a sturdier strum bar, quieter buttons and be wireless. The new drum kit will include a metal reinforced pedal, quieter pads, velocity sensors and... be wireless.

New Mini-Campaigns
Custom Set Lists
Online World Tour
Drum Trainer

That's right, Rock Band 2 will literally teach you how to play drums.

We weren't allowed to play with the new instruments when the game was showed off to press last month, but I did manage to grope the drum kit for a few seconds when no one was looking. The pedal looked like it would stand up to more abuse and the drums themselves had a thicker rubber like feel to them. I'm certain they would be much quieter. The guitar, well the guitar looks just kick ass.

Hit the jump for tons of details and a pic of the fancy new instrument.

We're slightly at the half-way point, so it's a good opportunity to look back. What games have been selling in Japan? And how many copies? The latest issue of Famitsu has crunched the numbers and drawn up a list of the biggest selling games of 2008. Let's take a look at the top ten:

People liked Patapon so much that Sony Computer Entertainment Japan went and decided to put out another. That's right, this summer Japan will see Patapon 2. While the previous title was single player, the sequel will feature four player multi-player mode as well as new characters. PON-PON-PATA-PON!

Hit the jump for another look at Patapon 2.

If it was up to me (and it's not), and I could combine Google Earth with one thing, I would combine it with zombies. Well, that's EXACTLY what upcoming Sony Computer Entertainment title The Last Guy does — it's like they read my brain! Details are scant, but the top-down PS3 game has players use Google Earth to rescue large numbers of people by having them follow you to safe escape zones and avoiding grey matter eating zombies. Sounds like it'll be a PSN game and sounds like it will be totally awesome.

The Last Guy [Official Site]

Suda's No More Heroes is violent. It's also really, really stylish. Those are the two things the game's probably most renowned for, so when a Japanese mobile version of the game turns up looking neither stylish nor violent, should you care? Yes! Because there's not just one mobile game, there's three of them, they take Travis and co. and turn them into fat-headed children, and because each game only costs ¥100 ($US 0.95).

NO MORE HEROES FLASH ゲーム [Game Watch]

For the week ending July 5. Here's the basic gist: Metal Gear Solid 4 continues its free-fall out of the top 10, Super Smash Bros. Brawl maintains its iron grip on top spot and, across the board, Wii games dominate the charts. None more alarmingly so than THQ's Big Beach Sports, which fresh from knocking off MGS4 last week moves up to second place this week. Look, I know the British charts are always a little on the new/casual side of things, but Big Beach Sports? Really?

David Hayter does not have problems with the Metal Gear Solid franchise or Hideo Kojima. Sure, he might've disagreed with the some choices, but hey, that's natural. Hayter's a creative guy, not some mindless drone, and there are bound to be times when people don't see eye-to-eye. Setting the record straight, Hayter writes over at the IMDB boards:

This is patently ridiculous. I love those games immensely and have nothing but massive respect for Mr. Kojima. I did mention one disagreement I had regarding the climax of the game, a question of character, but this is just par for the course when many people work on the same piece.

From the videos we posted, it certainly seemed like Hayter was joking. And besides, what's wrong about disagreeing? A man's entitled to his opinion, and Kojima is free to make the game however he sees fit. That doesn't mean there's any ill feelings! Hit the jump for the full message:

If you haven't had enough PAIN, Sony and developer Idol Minds are bringing more with an amusement park themed add-on. In PAIN: Amusement Park, players can fling their ragdolls around, well, an amusement park. As Sony producer Travis Williams explains:

Yes, the rumour was true. The Office of Film and Literature Classification has handed an RC to Bethesda's Fallout 3, making it illegal to sell the game in Australia. It's not known at this stage if the ban was for drug use, as the original rumour states, or gore as I was predicting.

I was ready to dismiss the rumour when I first heard it, but my suspicions were raised when Red Ant failed to confirm or deny it. It's not unusual for a publisher to do this, but it seemed particularly odd as Red Ant had no problem in the past commenting about Fallout 3 and the OFLC.

We'll be on Red Ant and Bethesda's backs to see what they plan to do. Most likely the game will be edited to remove the offending content and resubmitted, as AFA Interactive did with Dark Sector.

Even if it is edited, I don't think it'll stop some from importing the title, as was the case with Grand Theft Auto IV after it was censored for Australia.

Update #1: According to Bethesda's Pete Hines, the developer has no comment regarding the ban. [Thanks briosafreak]

Update #2: A leaked OFLC report reveals exactly why the game was banned.

Fallout 3 Game (Multi Platform) [OFLC]
Rumour: Fallout 3 Refused Classification Because Of Drug Use? [Kotaku AU]

More rumours, Microsoft-style. If you'll remember a few weeks back, we heard that the 20GB 360 might be on the way out, to be replaced with a 60GB unit. Today, Xbox Family have posted what they claim is a GameStop distributor's email, which if correct provides a few more details on the rumoured move. According to the email, the 60GB unit - which will replace the 20GB model - will indeed be released to the market in July, and will be followed by a standalone 60GB HDD in October/November, which will retail for $US 100 and come with 3 months of Xbox Live and a headset. No confirmation on this, of course, but if Robbie Bach gets up next week and says all that to the accompaniment of some large, green powerpoint slides, try and at least act surprised.

Leaked Info on 60gb Starter Kit and 20gb's Death [Xbox Family]

Capcom has released a couple new Mega Man 9 (Rockman 9 in Japan) screenies. The game would be out this September and will cost a somewhat charitable 1000 Wii Points (or US$10 in real money). Check out the screens below in all their 8-bit retro glory.

As announced late last year, Fire Emblem is coming to the DS. The tactical RPG's first entry in the franchise, Fire Emblem: Shadown Dragons and the Blade of Light, is getting a DS remake, complete with online features, enhanced graphics and dual screenage. Players will be able to duke it over the Nintendo's WiFi connection. No word whether this will see a Western release. The game's out August 7th for ¥4,800 ($US 45) in Japan.

Game On, the ACMI's tribute to all things gaming, is drawing to a close. July 13 is its last day - and your final chance to check it out.

That's not all. Including its adventures in Chicago, London, Hong Kong and other cities, Game On is damn close to breaking the world record for expo attendence. From the release:

The overwhelming successful season puts the four month run at ACMI ahead of the London Barbican Gallery's attendance record of 99.500, and second only to the exhibition's seven month run at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, which attracted 127,000 during a seven month run in a city with triple the population of Melbourne.

"Furthermore, if our attendance this week remains consistent, we'll go achingly close to setting a new world record for the exhibition's visitation by the time Game On is game over on Sunday night," [ACMI Director Tony Sweeney] said.

Press release after the jump.

* It's a Family Guy reference - apologies in advance for the use of US currency.

Thanks, Josh for the tip!

Yeah, Mega Man 9 looks old, and will sound old, but it's a new game. So Capcom will be charging some kind of new price for it, yes? Somewhere around $US 20? Not. Even. Close. No, Capcom are feeling charitable this month, and have announced that when the WiiWare game goes on sale in September, it'll go for 1000 Wii Points. Or, in human money, $US 10. Outstanding.

2008年9月に1000Wiiポイントで配信 [Famitsu]

Square Enix has announced not one new Chocobo title, but two new DS titles: Chocobo and the Magic Storybook: The Witch and the Girl and the Five Valiant Men and Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon: The Labyrinth of Forgotten Time DS Plus. The Magic Storybook is a Chocobo adventure title, while Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon DS Plus is a DS version of Wii title Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, which was released abroad with the localised title Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon. Regarding release time windows, Magic Storybook is slated for the Winter in Japan and Mysterious Dungeon DS Plus should hit this spring. Hit the jump for very small Mysterious Dungeon DS Plus pics.

Ten spots on the chart, five spots taken up by Maxis games. Dull, yes, but it can only get worse once Spore and Sims 3 are out. As for the rest, Age of Conan hangs on, as does Call of Duty 4, while the Diablo Battle Chest makes an appearance at #10. Next week's charts - the first since the Diablo III reveal - will probably see it crack the top five.

1. Spore Creature Creator
2. The Sims 2: IKEA Home Stuff
3. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe
4. WoW Battle Chest
5. Age Of Conan
6. World Of Warcraft
7. The Sims 2: Freetime
8. The Sims 2: Kitchen
9. Call Of Duty 4
10. Diablo Battle Chest

[Pic]

Microsoft has the Pro, Elite and Arcade consoles, while the Wii has enough peripherals to kill an elephant - if pachyderms were vulnerable to nunchucks and remotes. Sony, however, has one type of console on offer - the 40GB unit - and the choice of Sixaxis or Dual Shock 3 controllers.

With no backwards-compatibility or card reader, the 40GB PS3 is a shell of the 60GB model consumers could buy at launch. Not that this has stopped the PS3 being a strong seller. With blockbuster titles like GTA IV and Metal Gear Solid 4, the console has shed its biggest problem - a lack of quality games.

Even so, the PS3 has troubles ahead, especially in Australia. Microsoft has dropped the price on all models of the Xbox 360, and there's a chance the PS2 will be cheaper soon as well. With the Wii floating around the $399 mark, the PS3 is the most expensive console in the country, with an RRP $200 higher on average than its competitors.

Now, there are rumours that Sony has a new SKU planned for Australia - one we could see as soon as next month. No details, no pricing and no word from the company. At least for now.

It's speculation at this stage, but I wouldn't be surprised if Sony did introduce a new, cheaper PS3, in the face of recent developments. Regardless of the choice Sony makes, it can only be good for us.

[Thanks Lance]

Some people don't like id Software's Doom III, saying, yeah, that game just isn't very good. Company CEO Todd Hollenshead has a message for those people:

I think there are three people on the internet that keep making these posts that Doom III was 'bad'... There's some mass-misperception out there... I get this occasionally — why don't I think Doom III was successful? We sold over three million units! It's the most successful game in id's history.

That that haters! Doom III made money, and money can buy things. So there.

Todd Hollenshead Interview [Kikizo]

Spike TV sent out a presser today, trying to drum up support/interest in their coverage of E3. Nothing in it you won't be bombarded with via TV commercials over the next few days. Buried amongst the hype and hyperbole, however, is some newsy stuff! Stuff like this: "Also, tune in for more world exclusive surprises including something special from id Software and Raven Software". Seeing as we've known for some time that Raven are currently working on the latest entry in id's Wolfenstein series, it seems a safe bet we'll be seeing something about the game during next week's festivities.

We're a great deal savvier than we used to be about PC hardware. No longer are the insides of a computer scary - merely dark and, depending on how neat you are, dusty. Sure, you might scratch yourself on a sharp piece of metal, or procure a burn from a toasty heatsink, but any gamer who's owned a system longer than five years has earned his licence to fly solo in the bowels of his silicon beast.

Titles such as Crysis have raised awareness of Direct3D 10, while Supreme Commander proved that dual and quad core processors have a place in the motherboard of the average gamer.

It's a shame then that it's become progressively harder to identify which graphics cards or processors are better, thanks to the irrelevancy of megahertz and esoteric product names packed with hyperbole. Is an Intel E6600 better than a Q6600, because E comes first in the alphabet? Shouldn't a GeForce 9600GT be faster than an 8800GT by the difference of 800 "whatevers" in its name? The answer would be "no" in both cases.

I recently made a few purchases for my brother, whose AMD-based system finally decided that being a working PC wasn't hip any more. As part of the process, I had to put together a few parts that would serve him for the next few years, but wouldn't leave him scrounging his pocket lint for food money.

Anyway, hit the jump for my recommendations.

Epic's Cliff Bleszinski doesn't want much. All it takes to make him happy is a puppy to eat, a gun with a chainsaw on the end and a control pad with fewer buttons. Least, that's what he told CVG, saying "I hope if there's a new Xbox that there'll be fewer buttons on the controller...This is purely me speculating in my own realm of game development, but if you look at a controller right now it looks like an alien spaceship". So what's The Cliffster's ideal controller? We'd like to think it's one with two buttons. Press B to shoot, press A to awesome.

CliffyB: Fewer buttons on next Xbox pad, please [CVG]

See that picture of a supposed Wii hard drive? It's from a tipster, and a note on the Flickr page where it appears reads:

After several days, today I could shoot a prototype hard drive for the Wii. According to what we've been seeing these days, work is well underway and I think it could be submitted on July 15 at the Kodak Theatre.
I would like to have one to experiment ^_^

But this "prototype" is fake. Like, really, really, really fake. Hilariously so. Okay, let's say that Nintendo actually did put stickers on prototypes that read "Confidential Property of Nintendo". Hey, maybe they do!See that picture of the label? It's kind of hard to make out the Japanese, but there is Japanese. And Nintendo is a Japanese company. As a Japanese company, Nintendo does know how to use the Japanese language correctly. The person who made that sticker does not. At all. So let's look at where this "prototype hard drive" exposes itself as a big, fat faker. That, after the jump.

Capcom just whipped out their E3 line-up, waved it in our faces for a bit, and it consists of eleven games. Ten of which you've heard about before. One, however, you haven't. It's called Flock. Capcom are calling it "a new super-secret project", and that's about it. The latest issue of NGamer reveals, however, that the company are working on an "ultra top secret Wii title" (and it's not Spyborgs), so that's a little extra something to get your creative juices flowing.

Capcom's official E3 2008 line-up revealed [Capcom]

Did Ken Lobb, creative director at Microsoft Game Studios, just confirm motion control will be a factor in the newest Banjo Kazooie game? We're saying it's a "definite maybe". Others are saying yes, based on Lobb's comments in a Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts walk-through with developer commentary. What comments?