Go on, then, are any of these genuinely good deals?

007: Quantum of Solace Collector’s Edition (360) $44
Alone In The Dark Collector’s Edition (360) $29
Anno: Create a New World (DS) $33
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 (PC) $89
Conflict: Denied Ops (PS3) $39
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic (360) $19
EA Playground (DS) $29
Far Cry 2 Collector’s Edition (PS3) $69
Guildwars: Eye of the North (PC) $29
Guitar Hero DS Lite Bundle (DS) $199
Jake Power Soccer Star (DS) $19
Prey (360) $19
Pro Evolution Soccer 6 (PS2) $9
Race Driver GRID (PC) $29
Resident Evil 5 Limited Edition (360) $99
SEGA Superstar Tennis (360, PS3) $19
Smash Court Tennis (360) $29
Street Fighter 4 Deluxe Collector’s Edition (360) $89
The Bourne Conspiracy Collector’s Edition (360) $19
The Club (360) $19
Tomb Raider Underworld Collector’s Edition (360, PS3) $39
Universe at War (PC) $17

Wait… Did someone say Far Cry 2?

Order Red Faction: Guerrilla PS3 from GAME’s website and you’ll pay just $34.95. Sorry, 360 owners, it’s still $49.95 on your console.

[Thanks Ecogamer!]

There’s UFC 2009 Undisputed going for just $59 on PS3 and 360. And there’s the 360 version of Street Fighter IV, also going for just $59.

Both are marked “Web only price. Not available in store.” Be quick!

You see, when you buy Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box at GAME they will give you – FREE! – a copy of Professor Layton and the Curious Village. That’s twice the puzzles for only once the money points.

Kinda useless though, if you already have the first game. But maybe you can offload that to a less fortunate friend.

[Thanks to Anthony at Ecogamer for the tip]

The three words electrifies the crowd. The children swarming in the front yard of the Denver suburban house run to the curb. They crane their necks, point, howl with excitement.

The one-ton truck eases its way through the last turn and straightens, a 13-metre trailer in tow.

As the truck rolls down the street past quiet homes and neat yards the excitement grows and the vehicle’s detailed decorations begin to come into focus.

Carefully detailed creatures painted in neat rows line the entire hood of the truck. Swirls of colour, a galaxy of stars spread from the hood down the sides of the truck and to its trailer.

The trailer, all 13 metres of it, is festooned with 2.4-metre tall animated children, fantastic creatures and images of steel multi-hued balls. But more important than the spectacle of a rolling cartoon, than the chug of the one-ton truck are the words written in fire and gold across the side of the truck: “Bakugan Brawlers”

Last year Bakugan was the it present for children 8 to 12. The holidays saw national sellouts of the toys, a combination of trading cards and marbles based on a Japanese cartoon. This year game developer Activision hopes to fuse the wild popularity of the toy with a video game and create a new franchise that could possibly one-day give Nintendo’s Pokemon a run for its money.

“Pokmon have a head start on us, so it’s not an apples to apples comparison,” Activision spokesman Bill Linn said. “That said, the Bakugan toys have shown great strength in the marketplace in the States and continues to dominate in retail, so it’s certainly on track to give Pokemon a run for its money.”

“The two brands certainly share an audience amongst kids. What kid doesn’t like monsters and battles?”

Pokemon, Nintendo’s most popular game franchise after Mario, was initially created by Nintendo in the mid 90s as a video game and later spawned movies, cartoons and a collectible card game. Bakugan, though, started out as a cartoon and went on to spawn a card and toy game and finally a video game.

In Bakugan players place metal cards on a playing field and then take turns rolling the Bakugan balls toward them like marbles. When a ball rolls across a metal card, a magnet inside the plastic ball releases allowing the ball to spring open and reveal a creature.

“The game’s popularity is really tied to its design,” Linn said. “Bakugan blends the classic game of marbles, the collector card craze and a little bit of Transfomers into one activity. Any one of those would be fun, but when you combine all three, it adds a level of depth and interactivity that really appeals with kids.”

Linn says the video game was created to appeal to fans of the card game and TV show.

“In story mode, kids to create their own character and play through a plot scripted by the writers of the animated show,” he said. “It’s like playing through a season of the cartoon, with you as the main character. In the battle arena, we’ve really brought the world to life through power ups and other special activities that make this much more than just rolling a ball.”

It was important, Linn adds, for the video game to also capture the physicality of Bakugan.

The Wii version of the game, which is also coming to the DS, PS2, PS3 and Xbox 360, has players mimicking a throwing movement with the console’s motion-detecting remote to toss a marble at the playfield. Once on the move, players can guide the Bakugan around the interactive field to pick up power-ups and then try to stop on the virtual cards. As in the physical game, when the ball hits the card it springs open.

“The play mechanic really gives the player a lot of control in battles,” Linn said. “When throwing, they can have a standard, power or special throw that will affect how the ball enters the arena. Players can then control the ball by twisting the controller and tapping the B button. This gives the ball a nudge, but is not unlimited. And finally, when your opponent plays, you can shoot his ball and affect their trajectory.

“For the other platforms, we optimised the game to the controller. With Xbox 360, you can use both analogue sticks. For the PS3, we use the Sixaxis control and the analogue stick at the same time.”

And Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, due out on October 20, will be just the first video game built around the franchise.

To help promote the birth of this new video gaming franchise, Activision launched the Roll Across America Tour earlier this month.

The nationwide tour gives fans of the toy and show a chance to play the Wii and DS version of the game on flat screen panels mounted inside a 42-foot long trailer.

The Bakugan-decorated truck and trailer, which features four Wii connected to flatscreen televsions, two DS, a couch, track lighting and hardwood floors, will travel more than 7000 kilometres this fall to promote the game.

During a stop in Colorado last week children and parents crowded inside the air-conditioned trailer taking turns playing the game for four hours. Many spent the entire four hours gaming.

Everyone, parents and children alike, seemed to enjoy the video game, staying around until the sun set and the stars in the sky almost equaled those painted on the truck.

Well Played is a weekly news and opinion column about the big stories of the week in the gaming industry and its bigger impact on things to come. Feel free to join in the discussion.

Below I’ve listed all 11 games available day one for download via Games On Demand. Under each I’ve listed the Games On Demand price in Aussie dollars, plus the currently listed prices one the websites of the three major specialist games retailers (EB, GAME and JB) plus one online retailer plucked at random (Games Warehouse).

Where a full price version was available, I have listed its price. If only a preowned version was available, I have listed that price (and noted its preowned status). I’ve also noted where a price was currently marked as discounted or where the game is part of a bundle or limited edition. Other costs such as postage for online orders, bandwidth for the Live downloads, petrol for your car to get to the store and that cappuccino your girlfriend bought while she waited for you… haven’t been factored in.

OK, let’s take a look.

What’s interesting is that only EB says it carries all 11 titles. JB has eight, Games Warehouse seven and GAME has a mere six listed in their systems, and even some of them are marked “not in stock”. Sure, many of the older games are only available as preowned copies at EB. But outside of the Xbox Live service, EB is the only place you could actually still buy all these games. That’s one of the benefits of a digital distribution channel: it’s no hassle to maintain stock. As Microsoft told us yesterday, it’s about “24×7 convenience.” And, hey, it’s true.

Moving on to price comparisons now. Microsoft also told us yesterday that “no one retailer has the lowest pricing for every product.” And, hey, that’s true too!

In not one instance is the Games On Demand price the cheapest, yet in six cases it was clearly the most expensive. Although, in most of those cases it’s by virtue of being one of just two or three outlets actually selling the game.

Finally, let’s look at the two outlets where all 11 games are on sale: Games On Demand and EB Games. If you bought all 11 over Xbox Live you’d pay $559.45. If you bought them all at EB you’d pay $332.50. Admittedly you’d have a few preowned discs there, but on the flipside you could trade in all 11 once you’re done and get maybe half your cash back.

BioShock
Games On Demand: $49.95
EB Games: $79.95 or $59.95 w/ Oblivion
GAME: $59.95 w/ Oblivion
Games Warehouse: $54.95 w/ Oblivion
JB Hi-Fi: $38.98

Call of Duty 2
Games On Demand: $49.95
EB Games: $22.95 preowned only
GAME: n/a
Games Warehouse: n/a
JB Hi-Fi: n/a

Kameo
Games On Demand: $29.95
EB Games: $14.95 preowned only
GAME: n/a
Games Warehouse: n/a
JB Hi-Fi: n/a

Mass Effect
Games On Demand: $99.95
EB Games: $79.95
GAME: $69.95 or $29.00 online only
Games Warehouse: $44.95
JB Hi-Fi: $89.98

Oblivion
Games On Demand: $49.95
EB Games: $59.95 w/ BioShock or $69.95 GOTY Edition
GAME: $59.95 w/ BioShock
Games Warehouse: $54.95 w/ BioShock or $63.95 GOTY Edition
JB Hi-Fi: $45.98

Perfect Dark Zero
Games On Demand: $29.95
EB Games: $14.95 preowned only
GAME: n/a
Games Warehouse: $29.95
JB Hi-Fi: $44.98

Prey
Games On Demand: $29.95
EB Games: $14.95 preowned only
GAME: $39.95 or $34.00 online only
Games Warehouse: $59.95 Limited Edition only
JB Hi-Fi: n/a

Rockstar Table Tennis
Games On Demand: $69.95
EB Games: $19.95 preowned only
GAME: n/a
Games Warehouse: n/a
JB Hi-Fi: $45.98

SEGA Rally
Games On Demand: $49.95
EB Games: $39.95
GAME: n/a
Games Warehouse: n/a
JB Hi-Fi: $38.98

Viva Pinata
Games On Demand: $29.95
EB Games: $9.95 preowned only
GAME: $39.95 or $19.00 online only
Games Warehouse: $29.95
JB Hi-Fi: $26.98

Viva Pinata: Trouble In Paradise
Games On Demand: $69.95
EB Games: $54.95
GAME: $59.95 or $29.00 online only
Games Warehouse: $34.95
JB Hi-Fi: $62.98

So there you have it. Who’s up for some Games On Demand?

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But what’s weird about this Alone in the Dark deal is that it’s the Xbox 360 Limited Edition going for just $19. The standard edition is still $59. So they’re paying you 40 bucks to take a Carnby figurine, soundtrack, art book and making of DVD off their hands. Which is nice.

Other worthwhile software on the GAME site going cheap includes:

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360) $29
Blue Dragon (360) $29
Far Cry 2 (360, PS3) $44
Far Cry 2 (PC) $39
Fight Night Round 4 (PS3) $69
Fire Emblem (Wii) $59
Forza 2 (360) $19
House Of The Dead: Overkill Bang Bang Box (Wii) $69
Mass Effect (360) $29
Prototype (360, PS3) $79
Resistance 2 (PS3) $49
Saints Row 2 (360, PS3) $44
Viva Pinata 2 (360) $29

Also, if you’re looking for an extra controller, you can get a Dual Shock 3 for $69 and a black 360 controller for $49.

If you’ve spotted any good gaming deals, let the Bargain Hunter know now via the usual address.

The movie, which will be out in September, stars Gerard Butler and… Ludacris, and tells of a future in which MMOs have merged with mind control. The story will centre on one game in particular, Slayers, which is a “savage, ultraviolent” first-person shooter.

Butler plays the game’s champion, actual combatant, who is being forced to kill on a weekly basis by the game’s owner and the boy making a living off “controlling” him. He has to escape, find his family, get revenge, blah blah blah. You get the idea.

While a trailer is yet to be officially released by the studio, an Italian cut was leaked a few months back, which you can check out below.

Only a little bit lighter though. And that’s because I had to take my credit card out. These software deals only apply when you’re making your purchase online.

But if you’re in the market for a new console and prefer to walk into a physical shop, it’s OK. GAME has a handful of quite attractive hardware bargains on right now too.

I grabbed Etrian Odyssey and God Hand for a total of $58. $29 for Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, however, almost convinced me to buy a second copy.

As always, do let us know if you’ve spotted any good bargains online or at your local store.

Hardware

DSi (plus Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and a carry case) $329
PS3 (plus Killzone 2 or Singstar ABBA) $659
Wii (plus Mario Power Tennis) $369

Software

Animal Crossing + Wii Speak (Wii) $99
Assassin’s Creed (PS3) $29
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360) $29
Battlefield: Bad Company (360, PS3) $49
Blue Dragon (360) $29
Chili Con Carnage (PSP) $19
Colin McRae: DiRT (PC) $14
Contact (DS) $17
Crush (PSP) $19
Disaster: Day of Crisis (Wii) $59
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (PC) $14
Etrian Odyssey (DS) $39
Far Cry 2 (PC) $39
Final Fantasy III (DS) $39
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii) $59
Forza 2 (360) $19
God Hand (PS2) $19
God of War 2 (PS2) $24
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (DS) $49
Guitar Hero III + guitar (360, PS3) $85
Halo 3 Legendary Edition + cat helmet (360) $99
Heroes of Might & Magic V (PC) $14
Kane & Lynch (360) $29
Korg DS-10 (DS) $39
Lost Odyssey (360) $49
Mass Effect (360) $39
Motorstorm (PS3) $39
Ninja Gaiden II (360) $49
Resistance 2 (PS3) $79
Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (DS) $39
Tomb Raider Legend (360) $24
Tomb Raider Underworld Collector’s Edition (360) $64
Virtua Fighter 5 (360) $19

Before the game launched, Valve’s Chet Faliszek said there’d be no PS3 version because, while porting from PC to Xbox 360 was a piece of cake, making a PS3 version would require starting from scratch.

Then a few weeks later, GAME’s UK website advertised a PS3 version. Back then, Valve once again denied its existence.

But the following day, Valve did admit publisher EA were interested in a PS3 version.

Between now and then, Left 4 Dead actually got released – only on PC and 360 – and all that chatter of a PS3 version seems to have died down. Except GAME still reckons it’s coming, as a new listing on the retailer’s Australian website indicates.

Typically we’d suggest you take such retailer misinformation with a grain of salt. However, the solitary user “review” that accompanies the listing gives us pause for thought:

Dude this game is awesome! I just got the PS3 version and I must say it is sooooooooooooooo much better than the Xbox 360 one. Included are the DLC that are not even available on the other versions yet plus there are extra zombies and campaigns. An extra exclusive zombie is the KRATOS zombie based on the hit game series “God of War”. He only appears sometimes and its random when a player is allocated to him :D Multiplayer has been expanded to 32 players per game! And all this and more are exclusive to the PS3 version and you would be nuts not to get this one! Go now! Order it now or you will regret it!

Pause for thought… and then uproarious laughter.

Left 4 Dead (PS3) [GAME, thanks Nicholas!]