So, you guys planning on picking up any of these? Which ones? If your answer is Gin Rummy, congratulations on figuring out how to use a computer to surf the web. Tell your helpful grandson I said hi!

This week on Arcade: Shred Nebula, Pirates vs Ninjas Dodgeball and Gin Rummy [Xbox Live's Major Nelson]

The Wii version of the game will feature several customised control schemes, as well as all-new story and challenge modes to make the game worth of retail release. Hit the jump for the full press release, along with two more screens worth of hot pirate vs. ninja Wii action.

BLAZING LIZARD’S PIRATES VS. NINJAS™ DODGEBALL ABOUT TO BE UNLEASHED ON Wii™

Intense Dodgeball Rivalry to be Settled on Wii Courts Everywhere This Winter

Cockpit, Austin, TX – August 28, 2007 – Gamecock Media Group announced today that Blazing Lizard’s Pirates vs. Ninjas™ Dodgeball will release on Wii™ this winter. The title features two ancient rivals, ninjas and pirates, along with several other teams, all looking to settle the score once and for all – on the dodgeball court.

“The competition between the Pirates and the Ninjas is so huge that battles are breaking out all over,” said Harry Miller, El Presidente of Gamecock Media Group. “We’re happy to bring this grand conflict to the Wii, and give players the chance to help determine who the ultimate champions are.”

Pirates vs. Ninjas™ Dodgeball will have scurvy thieves squaring off against crafty martial artists in large, detailed arenas. The game allows for up to eight players and offers a total of seven teams, including pirates, ninjas, robots and zombies plus three unannounced ball slingers. Each team utilizes its own unique techniques and strategies to try and ultimately defeat the enemies. Unique to Wii version, the game will offer all-new story and challenge modes, along with several customised control schemes.

Pirates vs. Ninjas™ Dodgeball is scheduled for release this winter. For more information visit www.gamecockmedia.com and www.piratesvsninjas.com.

In the meantime, the dev team has added new features, such as having up to five balls in play at once, an “old-school” dodgeball gameplay mode and an enhanced mode that follows traditional rules, but lets players — whether they be pirate, ninja, zombie or robot — use special moves.

You can check out our hands-on impressions of Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball to see the title sounds better or worse than the game’s current dodgeball competition.

Up to four players can compete together locally or co-op, and online multiplayer is for up to eight. You can also compete against three AIs all by your lonesome, so there are a lot of options – You get the idea.

So did I get creamed on the video game the same way I used to as a little geek?

Short answer is yes – but my team actually won one round, too, thanks to my heroics once my partner got knocked out. Gameplay’s actually quite simple; you can jump and throw the ball from midair, dodge backward with the right shoulder button, or pick up the ball simply by running over it. There are several different pirates and several different ninjas to choose from, and each one has its own special move.

The character animations are really cute, and the different characters are all rather different (surprised?) One of the ninjas looks more like a samurai than a ninja, technically. I tried playing a female ninja who did one of those spread-armed crane-winged jumps in the air. One thing I didn’t know is that zombie and robot teams will also be featured as unlockables, with sets of abilities all their own. When I played as a robot, the sprite I chose was able to stun both her enemies and allies via a bright laser beam from her chest.

Essentially, two teams scrabble for the ball and beat each other senseless with it until all the members of one team are out of stamina. You can recoup your stamina by catching the ball instead of being hit by it. Making things a little more wicked is the fact that you can perform normal attacks on your opponents with weapons to drain their stamina as well, or to keep them from reaching the ball so that your own teammate can get it.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball was actually supposed to be out earlier this year, but the rep told me the reason for the delay was to add additional game modes – for example, if you’d just like to play straight dodgeball without the ability to hit and be hit with the weapons, you can now do that.

I played a few rounds of two-on-two local against the reps, and had a blast. It’s a little bit like the fun and chaos of Smash Bros. but without all the complexity. It’s simple enough that even your non-gamer buddies would probably want to play it with you when they’re all over for beers or something. Not that you’d need to drink to enjoy it, mind you, but it feels like a great party title.

Earlier today Gamecock announced that their annual mini-con, EIEIO, was moving from California to Texas to coincide with South By Southwest. While the company only has only brought two titles to market so far, they have a ton in the wings. Here’s how things official stand with their upcoming games, from Mushrooms to Insects:

Pirates Vs Ninjas Dodgeball XBLA – Feb
Insecticide DS – 2/26
Insecticide Episodes 1 & 2 (Downloadable PC Episodic) – March and April
Hail to the Chimp – May
Mushroom Men:Rise of the Fungi DS – June
Legendary PC Next Gen Consoles – Summer
Mushroom Men:The Spore Wars Wii – Fall
Sabotage 360/PC – Fall
Dungeon Hero 360/PC – Spring 09
Section 8 Next Gen Console/PC – Summer 09