Little Big Planet will be available on October 21, 2008. This games looks very unique and like a lot of fun. I can’t wait to get a chance to play it. It is a very community-centric game that allows users to build things and customize their playing landscape and, when ready, invite other users to explore their created landscapes.

Beta keys have been distributed in certain circles, but most of us will just have to wait until Oct. 21 to experience Little Big Planet.

Features

• Meet Sackboy, an iconic new character that you can customize to reflect your own personality
• Dive into a brand new gaming genre that unleashes the creativity in everyone
• Explore over 50 awesome levels which will inspire and teach you the skills to build your own content
• Share your creations and enjoy access to unlimited content - a new experience is waiting to happen every single time you go online
• There’s not just one way to play. Players craft their own individual experience based on their own creativity
• Unlimited possibilities for user-created content - players can customize everything: their characters, the landscape around them and their own patch on LittleBigPlanet
• Online and offline multiplayer modes - play alone, work as a team or get competitive.
• LittleBigPlanet global community for players to get involved with: includes player comments, rankings and easy communication with new and existing friends

Buy:
Amazon | Amazon UK

We have a trio of videos below to whet your appetite until October 21.
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MadWorld looks like an awesome game for the Wii. The visuals remind me of the movie Renaissance. Check it out below.

Nintendo revealed the details on their new DSi portable gaming device. Compared to the DS Lite, the DSi has slightly larger 3.25-inch screens, and overall the DSi is 4mm wider and 2.6mm thinner than the DS Lite. The DSi is also 4g lighter than the DS Lite.

The DSi dropped the GBA slot, and instead has an SD slot which means that photos taken with one of the DSi’s two built-in cameras (640×480 resolution) can be saved the the SD card and viewed on a Wii. Improvements have also been made to the DSi audio.

The DSi will have web browser and will have access to the new DSi Shop whereby users can buy and download games directly to the DSi.

The DSi will be available in white or black.

The DSi will be released in Japan on November 1 for a retail price of ￥18,900 (USD$180). US buyers will have to wait until sometime in 2009 to pick up a DSi.

Continue for pictures and video.
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Check out the video for Wario Land: Shake It! on YouTube. Very cool!

Mega Man 9

Release Dates: Wiiware: Sept 22, 2008, PSN: Sept 25, 2008, XBLA: Oct 1, 2008

The first original series Mega Man title in eleven years was released yesterday via download on Nintendo’s Wiiware channel. PSN and XBLA versions are to follow later this week and next week. 

A friend of mine downloaded this as I knew he would. We’re both diehard fans of Capcom games, Mega Man and Street Fighter series. I walked in to find him playing something that looked straight out of an old NES game. The newest game in the series stays true to its roots by going back to using the NES sprites. This look was featured on entries 1-6 and though the series graphics improved, it’s difficult to tell one game apart from another.
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Mad Catz has another accessory that every hardcore Rock Band fan needs — the Rock Band Portable Drum Kit for Xbox 360. The rubber drum pads can be placed on any hard, flat surface for play, and then can be stowed away easily when not in use. The Rock Band Portable Drum Kit is scheduled to begin shipping October 14, 2008 in the US and November 14, 2008 in the UK.

Buy the Rock Band Portable Drum Kit:
Amazon | Amazon UK

Metallica’s newest album Death Magnetic, has been well-received by both critics and fans. Many people agree that upon close listening, the album is poorly mixed. The bass guitar is difficult to hear (a la …And Justice For All) and the guitars have a strong but buzzing presence. 

The overall clarity of the music on Death Magnetic is compromised and instead of crystal-clear notes we get distortion – heavy distortion. Assuming this was the effect the band intended, I just went with it and accepted it for what it was.

When gamers who were busy playing the new album on Guitar Hero 3 (Xbox 360 version) listened to the music, they noticed something different. There was a much cleaner, crisper sound to the music. Since then, there have been many people ripping the music found on the Guitar Hero 3 game and uploading it to torrent sites as a “Fixed” version of Death Magnetic. Having bought the album last Friday, I decided to download the GH3 “Fixed” version. 

I immediately noticed a more pronounced bass guitar presence, more distinguishable guitar notes and of course a sweet surprise: a second version of the instrumental “Suicide & Redemption” with a James Hetfield solo. This version was a bonus for gamers purchasing the album.

The source of this lies within what audiophiles call “The Loudness Wars”. New rock music albums compress the frequencies of the music, which clips the loud and soft sounds in favor of boosting overall volume. 

I’m on the fence on this. Part of me respects what the artists involved want me to hear. The other part says they made a big mistake and released a botched retail album. I doubt this issue will be resolved as the album has almost achieved platinum record sales, but this is one music trend that I hope disappears.

Buy Metallica’s Death Magnetic:
iTunes | AmazonMP3 | Amazon (CD) | Amazon UK (CD)

Enterprising hacker and photographer, Steve Chapman, has worked out a way to use his Nintendo DS as a wired remote control for his Canon DSLR. Sure, there are remotes that you can buy for most DSLRs, but bulb mode, in most cases, is limited to 30 seconds. With Steve’s DS remote, shots can be exposed for several minutes at a time. Way cool! I love long exposures.

Mad Catz has unveiled the first ever bass guitar for Rock Band. The Fender Precision Bass lacks a whammy bar, but has a split strummer which supposedly allows for faster play. Unfortunately, this model is currently only available for the Xbox 360.

Buy:
Xbox 360 Rock Band Fender Precision Bass Replica at Amazon.com
Xbox 360 Rock Band Fender Precision Bass Replica at Amazon.co.uk

Related:
ION Drum Rocker Premium Drum Set

You remember when the Nintendo Wii was the leader in cheap thrills gaming? Microsoft is trying to take that throne from Nintendo with their Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle. This bundle comes in at under $200, and includes a wireless controller, five arcade games, and a memory unit.

Hey, Sony, are you paying attention?

Buy:
Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle at Amazon.com
Xbox 360 Arcade Bundle at Amazon.co.uk

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