Few would argue against the fact that Nintendo are single-handedly responsible for introducing a multitude of new folks to the world of video gaming. Younger children, girls and those who had previous little interest in gaming have been given a stepping stone into this exciting and evocative new world (even my girlfriend has started having the odd game and, believe me, that is an achievement!).

Now, surely this is a good thing, but how does this bode for the future of the more serious gamer? With an audience that is growing daily it must be hard for developers to ignore the potential profit in the casual gamer market. We are seeing an increasing number of Wii sports titles that are basic games, thinly veiled beneath a cutesy and colourful façade, for example. The technology is, of course, very innovative, but sadly the execution is often dated.

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In an interview with CNBC, GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo has revealed that Nintendo has asked his company to “reserve shelf space” for a mystery release planned for the end of this year. He also stated his concerns over the current price point of the PlayStation 3, while claiming the recent PlayStation 2 price-cut was practically pointless.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine is gradually becoming one of the most highly-anticipated games of the year. A couple of weeks back we showed you a developer diary from Activision, which detailed much of the game’s precisely tuned and gorgeous looking combat. But if that wasn’t enough to convince you that this game could well be more than just a lazy movie cash tie-in, then maybe this behind-the-scenes look into Wolverine’s background and… well, it has Gambit in it, so hit the jump and watch it.

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The list of villains announced for Rocksteady’s highly anticipated Batman: Arkham Asylum is fairly significant, featuring both well known and somewhat minor characters from the Gotham alleys of the DC universe. The roster ranges from big names like the Joker and the Scarecrow to the lesser known (outside of the fan boys and girls) Killer Moth and Amygdala, and the North London based developer recently showed footage of one the heavy hitters of the asylum, Bane.

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“Sonic! He can really move! Sonic! He’s got an attitude! Sonic, he’s the fastest thing aliiiiive!” I can’t remember the last Sonic game that could be accurately described by those lyrics. Most Sonic the Hedgehog games nowadays are strangled with gimmicks, be it swords or werehogs, you can be sure they’ll throw something in there that will more than likely ruin the game for you. As compared to its predecessors, Sonic Rush contains one key difference, Sonic Rush is good.

Scrap that last sentence, Sonic Rush is GREAT. Anyone who thought that the Sonic franchise died with the Genesis can now proceed to eat their words. This game is proof that SEGA has the potential to bring Sonic back from the brink, before he becomes a distant memory in the hearts of gamers.

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There are a plethora of video games that have never seen American, European, or Japanese soil. While many may believe this an atrocity there are certain factors that keep these games at bay. Whether its cultural differences or money issues, publishers usually have a valid excuse. Other times, they seemingly do it for no reason. Games like Mother 3 and Terranigma are popular titles and their ancestors (Earthbound and Illusion of Gaia) were popular in America, yet they never made it outside of Japan and Europe (Mother 3 was never released outside of Japan).

Perhaps the limited success of the TurboGrax-16 in America would have contributed to this, but I say that the lack of games, like Rondo of Blood, is what ultimately finished the system. Thanks to Sony, the long lost Castlevania has finally seen worldwide release. Castlevania: the Dracula X Chronicles is a remake of Rondo of Blood, along with extra bells and whistles. Utilizing 2.5D graphics and old school gameplay, this new version is a testament to the original, even if its age shows through.

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Resident Evil 5 has just rocked the worldwide sales charts, and now is looking to give you more bang for your buck with it’s new Versus mode DLC (by “your buck”, I mean $5 for PS3 owners, or 400 Microsoft spacebucks).  An overwhelming amount of people have looked at this content over the coming months and have said “will stop and shoot versus really work?”

Well, don’t fret, because the Versus content actually includes two modes: Slayers (which allows up to 4 people to compete for points, killing AI units), and Survivors (which is a full-on player versus player mode). Read on to find out how both modes measure up. Read more… »

Odds are you haven’t heard of Atlus’ upcoming DS strategy RPG Knights of the Nightmare; but these artwork screens should definitely pique your interest.

Hit the jump for some facts about the art book from Atlus, and extra screens.

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In the May issue of PlayStation: The Official Magazine, an announcement was made regarding a possible Square Enix title coming up. Unfortunately, not much information was given beyond that fact that PTOM will reveal more info in the next issue. There was, however, a screenshot included in the announcement. Read more… »

Epic heavy metal band Metallica and the Guitar Hero franchise both share a lot of similarities.  People tend to either love or hate them, not leaving much room for gray in between.  Both have had members of their teams split off and form their own successful projects, like Harmonix to Rock Band and Dave Mustaine to Megadeth.  Fans claim that though they still love them, the earlier stuff was better (pre-Guitar Hero: World Tour, pre-Black Album).  Both have been accused of being greedy money grubbers with Activision’s brand saturation, and Metallica’s famous Napster trials.  Now Metallica and the Guitar Hero franchise share another thing in common, each other.  The two juggernauts have crossed paths and are now one, but is the whole greater than the sum of its parts, or are these rockers past their prime? Read more… »

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has struck a deal with Target Entertainment Group, GamesIndustry relates, for the development of a wide range of PlayStation products.  Ranging from toys and stationery to food and housewares, the spate of IP tie-ins will be hitting Europe and Australasia (that’s southwestern Oceania for the less geographically inclined) in the not-too-distant future.

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Metal Gear Solid 2 is set to release in official novel form this November, Kotaku reports.  The translation from game to book is being handled by Raymon Benson, the same author behind the novelization (released last spring) of MGS1.

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