PlayStation 3
Metal Gear Solid 4 (Finished Game Hands-on)

Xbox 360
Ninja Gaiden II (Impressions)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (Impressions)
Penny Arcade Adventures (Impressions)
Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (Impressions)
Too Human (Impressions)
Assault Heroes 2 (XBLA in Brief)

Just as with our beloved DS Lite, DS Fanboy Lite is like the original, but smaller. Sleeker. Only not necessarily better. Herein you can see some of the best we've had to offer in the last week, encapsulated for your reading ease.

Community

• The DS Life: Wanderers
  The DS really gets around.

Features

• So you love Advance Wars: Days of Ruin?
  Then maybe you'll also like these games.
• DS Fanboy Review: Crosswords DS
  Not the best we've seen from Nintendo.
• DS Fanboy Review: Undercover: Dual Motives
  The only thing under cover here is the fun factor of this game.
• Point/Counterpoint: Will a DS redesign be announced this year?
  He says yes, she says no -- how about you?
• Let's Yoga vs. Yoga DVD
  Game vs. the time-honored exercise video. Who wins?
• Promotional Consideration: Advertising with Power, revisited
  Just how much of the new Nintendo Power is dedicated to ads?

News of note

• Rumor: CoroCoro Comic reveals Pokemon Platinum
  What? New Pokémon! NO WAI.
• Has Phoenix Wright 3 been removed from the docket in Europe?
  Because, y'know, no one needs that pesky third installment.
• Blue Dragon, Away: Shuffle Dungeon confirmed for U.S.
  And there was much rejoicing.
• Famitsu confirms new DS Castlevania, Igarashi at helm
  Day one for all of DS Fanboy.
• Sega officially announces Platinum Games deal, Infinite Line media released
  That day was a good day.

Don't worry if you don't find the headline funny right away. Some puns take time to take root and mature, like a fine vine.

Okay, but seriously, the news: Nintendo has announced that the "Metallic Rose" DS Lite, a pinkish sort of model that many may feel compelled to bury in the garden, will become available at retailers "later this month." The model was previously attainable only as part of a Nintendogs bundle.

As of May 19th, you'll be able to see the Rose shown off in commercials which star "celebrity spokespeople" like Carrie Underwood and America Ferrera. Another commercial will feature Liv Tyler, the odd one out with a Crimson/Black DS and a name that doesn't sound completely made up.

[Via DS Fanboy]

Things that won't surprise you

April proved to be yet another lucrative month for the ol' gaming biz, with total industry sales reaching $1.23 billion, reports GameDaily. Software sales in particular grew to $654.7 million, an increase of 68% carried on the fine leather seats of Grand Theft Auto IV's recently stolen convertible. Rockstar's urban riffraff romp sold 2.85 million copies -- that's 1.85 million on Xbox 360 and 1 million on PS3 -- while Nintendo's Wii took the top spot in hardware sales. Mario Kart Wii, however, had to settle for second place.

Things that will surprise you

It was a photo finish for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the photographers had likely packed up and left for the day by the time the steeds reached the finish line. Selling 188K and 187.1K units respectively, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were thoroughly bested by the systems that didn't have GTA IV. We'd feel a bit silly if we were them.

- Wii: 714.2K 6.8K (0.94%)
- DS: 414.8K 283.2K (40.6%)
- PSP: 192.7K 104.3K (35.1%)
- Xbox 360: 188K 74K (28.2%)
- PS3: 187.1K 69.9K (27.2%)
- PS2: 124.4K 91.6K (42.4%)

You'll find the top ten in software sales after the break.

We're pretty sure that Castlevania series director Koji "IGA" Igarashi is out to claim an award for "most sequels in a series on Nintendo DS." His latest, Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, was revealed by the long-bearded, whip-wielding IGA at last night's Konami presser (and before that, the ESRB), and is set to stir up renewed Castle-mania this fall.

Order of Ecclesia stars a new female heroine who is a member of the ... wait for it ... Order of Ecclesia, a group out to destroy -- who else -- that vile Count Dracula fellow. The game introduces a new Glyph system that Konami promises will offer "more than 100 different combinations" of weapon and spell attacks. These attack mash-ups enable players to unleash two blows simultaneously. Buying and selling items and weapons via the Nintendo WFC is also pegged for this latest, characteristically beautiful addition to the classic 2D franchise.

When Guitar Hero first hit PS2, we thought: "Wow, this is like Konami's GuitarFreaks ... and that's been around since the original PlayStation. Why don't they release it here?" Well, our question was answered at yesterday's Konami Gamer's Night 2008 with the unveiling of Rock Revolution. Taking the "Revolution" suffix naming scheme of its other music genre (bemani) cousins, the game, from SingStar developer Zoë Mode, is set for a fall release on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and Nintendo DS. We have the first screens of the HD offerings, along with some salient details:

The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will feature:

• 40 songs on the disc, with DLC tracks planned
• Record your own songs in a "Jam Session" (8 separate tracks)
• Online co-op, versus, and battle of the bands modes
  
• Crazy big drum set with six pads, plus pedal

The Wii version adds the ability to play "air guitar" using the Wiimote and nunchuck; and the DS version includes a "Vocalist" mode using the built-in microphone. Check back for our hands-on impressions of Rock Revolution for Xbox 360 -- and be sure to peep the debut trailer after the break!

Infinite Line director Hifumi Kouno of Nudemaker showed up at last night's Platinum Games event (fully clothed, to our surprise) to debut the studio's forthcoming sci-fi RPG for DS. The game is built around two key concepts: Players command (1) a "highly-customizable" spaceship through (2) a "large and expansive" world that encompasses two galaxies. The team has prepared over 150 ship models, as well as more than 150 potential crew members that can be stationed around the ships. The insides of the crafts are modular, so players can place the bridges, engineering rooms, fire control rooms, etc. as they see fit.

As per The Space Opera Mandate® of 1941, Infinite Line will explore "what it means to be human" in this touching adventure around the stars. Nudemaker plans to show off some actual screenshots -- that will apparently "blow you away" -- in the near future.

At a private event last night, a very excited (and cautious) Sega told us about their new partnership with Platinum Games, the creative team comprised of former members of Capcom's Clover studio. Sega of America pres Simon Jeffrey introduced them like this: "These guys are some of the most talented, some of the most respected guys in the entire gaming business. Their portfolio is incredible, they're revered, they're almost worshiped in some parts of the gaming community and we're very truly honored to be working with them."

The first three games should come as little surprise to anyone reading Joystiq the last couple days: Bayonetta, by Hideki Kamiya, creator of Devil May Cry, Okami, and Viewtiful Joe; Infinite Line, by Hifumi Kouno at Nudemaker, creator of Steel Battalion and, before that, the Clock Tower series; and MadWorld, a mad-cap feast of ultraviolence for -- you guessed it! -- the Wii by first time director Shigenori Nishikawa.

Gallery: Platinum Games / Sega announcement

While we'll admit that The Sims was never more than a stone's throw away from being an all-out casual series anyway, EA will continue to dress the franchise in casual attire in MySims Kingdom, the sequel to last year's 3 million unit selling MySims. Shipping this fall worldwide for the Wii and DS, the game was first announced earlier this year as one of a handful of new dumbed down casual-themed takes on The Sims. However, EA today released the first details about the game, calling MySims Kingdom "a story of adventure, discovery and exploration to help King Roland and his subjects revitalize the Kingdom."

The gameplay, which once again sounds more than a little like Animal Crossing, will center on exploring and developing a kingdom through The Sims-style customization, with the DS version adding emphasis on mini-games as players try to turn aside a rival evil king. Adds The Sims studio head Rod Humble, MySims Kingdom will include "rewarding quests, building houses, bridges or even making contraptions powered by electricity or water." The game eschews much of the larger franchise's sandbox appeal for backstory, leaving us waiting for until next year's The Sims 3 before we can know the joy of deleting the ladder from the neighborhood pool.

In case you missed it, check out the Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts trailer one more time. Watch closely, especially at the 1:45 mark. Yep, that's an 8-bit Mario in all his planar glory, as both a testament to the user-generated nature of the game as well as we suspect a not-so-subtle nod to their former publishing partner.

[Thanks, Michael]

Honestly, this post went up for two reasons:

1. We really wanted to use the above image again. It's like Tim Curry is clawing his way out of the page!
   
2. We genuinely thought you'd be interested to see some screenshots of the Wii and DS versions of EA's well-received Skate.

Skate It promises to fully adapt the franchise's controls for Nintendo's platforms, with the Wii version supporting both the Wii remote and the Wii Balance Board, ideal for "the full on immersive types."

Speaking to VideoGamer, The Force Unleashed Xbox 360 and PS3 producer, Cameron Suey, has said that LucasArts is planning a demo of the highly anticipated stormtrooper torture sim, just in case there are some weirdos out there who aren't sold on playing as Darth Vader. "I'm not certain about the specifics, but we definitely want to get this game out into people's hands," said Suey. "There are people who are excited about it, who are going to play it right away, whether they play it (the demo) or not."

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed hits, chokes and levitates just about every platform in the galaxy on September 16th in the United States, September 17th in Southeast Asia and Australia, and September 19th in Europe.

Oops! Looks like some Sega news slipped through the grip of an embargo. The now-removed report detailed an agreement between Platinum Games – the development studio born from the ashes of Capcom's much-loved Clover Studios – and Sega, who will publish three of the developer's titles. Those three games are Bayonetta, directed by Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya, featuring a female protagonist with "guns on her feet" (finally!); a DS sci-fi RPG titled Infinite Line; and an "ultra ultra violent" Sin City-esque Wii game titled MadWorld. There's a good chance we may hear more during Sega's Gamer's Day event on Wednesday but, for now, consider this one a rumor.

It's not unintentional that this week's headline ends with a question mark. We just wanted to be completely clear that we have no clue what the best game being released this week will be. There are just too many questions! On the one hand, you've got Prince Caspian, which is a licensed game. The trouble there is obvious. Then you've got Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm, which we'd love to be good so we can feel like men (if only virtually) for a few hours. But let's be honest: It probably won't be.

So, the honor falls to We Ski. Can we promise you that it's not solely because it's really funny when you say its name aloud? No, dear reader. No we can't. We're hoping next week will be better; you can check out the whole month right here.

As today is a nationally recognized day of matronly appreciation, I thought it appropriate to recognize some of the prevalent mama's in video gaming in this edition of the JHS. No, not the real-life mothers of game industry icons, though we certainly appreciate the progenial contributions that Mrs. Molyneux and Miyamoto-san have made to the planet -- we're talking about the digital mommies of our favorite video game characters.

So here's to you, Jenova. You may not have carried Sephiroth in your extraterrestrial womb (birthing that Masamune-wielding badass would have been truly uncomfortable), but here at Joystiq HQ, we count test-tube babies as actual human beings. Also, kudos to the minigun-toting Barret Wallace. Despite being of the male persuasion, Barret did have a daughter, and was, in fact, a baaaaaad mother (shut yo' mouth)! I'm only talking about Barret! (We can dig it.)

Then, of course, is the quintessential "Mom" from the Pokémon series. Provider of running shoes, setter of date and time, and in certain installments, banker -- Pokémom is certainly the most useful parent ever featured in any gaming franchise. However, there's something to be said of the biomechanical oversight provided by Metroid's Mother Brain. Many mothers have trouble managing one household -- this encapsulated vixen keeps tabs on an entire planet.

As you find yourself awash in the emerald glow of the following upward-pointers, why not take a moment to share your appreciation for your favorite digital maternal unit -- and then, of course, your own female progenitor. You know she worries.

- PSP: 100,870 8,459 (9.15%)
- Wii: 71,158 22,722 (46.57%)
- DS Lite: 52,542 10,107 (23.82%)
- PS3: 10,177 1,070 (11.75%)
- PS2: 8,802 1,694 (23.83%)
- Xbox 360: 1,725 442 (34.45%)

[Source: Media Create]

See: The matronly archives