6) No online co-op for New Super Mario Bros Wii
We were excited to see gameplay footage of New Super Mario Bros Wii in action. We liked the idea of stomping through the gorgeous side-scroller with three other players. But today we learned that there will be no online co-op. That may be fine for popular gamers like our associate editor, Chris Antista. He’s got a life. But what about all the other lonely gamers out there like our PC editor, Tyler Nagata? How’s he going to take advantage of all the four player co-op fun in NSMBW with no online play?

Above: New Super Mario Bros Wii looks great. Apparently, the price for the gorgeous visuals is the lack of online play

Above: This photoshopped image is the only time you'll see Tyler Nagata (shown actual height) in a room with other people

7) The most beautiful game on any system is Muramasa: Demon Blade… and it’s on Wii
Flying under the mondo-huge hype of E3 is Muramasa, one of the prettiest games you’ve ever seen. What’s Muramasa? Check it: Muramasa is a Wii-exclusive with zero motion controls - just side-scrolling action beat-‘em-up gameplay and some of the most gorgeous settings we’ve seen in a game. And it’s in 2D.

Now why should you be excited? You may not remember developer Vanillaware’s PS2 cult classic, Odin Sphere, but that was one of the best action-RPGs we’ve played on any system. We’ve played the game and it’s more jaw-dropping in motion than the screens make it out to be. Besides the spot-on action gameplay (it’s already out in Japan), the screen is vibrant enough to give your eyes a cavity.

8) Activision suing Brutal Legend developer Double Fine is most evil, unrocking dick move ever
Activision - the publisher that dropped game designer Tim Schafer’s hard rock magnum opus, Brutal Legend when it realized it couldn’t milk the shit out of the game with annual sequels - is suing Schafer’s development company, Double Fine. Why? Because Activision claims to still have the rights to release the game (which, you'll recall, it dropped). And it’s trying to block the game’s release by new publisher Electronic Arts. Um, what?

We get it, Activision: you invested 15 million dollars in the game, and it would be nice to have that back. But the typical method for recouping one’s investment is to RELEASE THE DAMN GAME. Instead, you tossed it aside, and when you made that colossally bad choice, you gave up your investment. Nobody owes you a damn dime, especially the fine folks at Double Fine whom you essentially fired. What’s wrong with you, Activision? Do you lack souls or something?

What does Schafer think of all this? According to Kotaku, he said “Hey, if Activision liked it, then they should have put a ring on it. Oh great, now Beyonce is going to sue me too.” Well played, Tim.

9) Metal Gear Solid is coming to PSN June 18
Yesterday we reported Final Fantasy VII had just been released for the PlayStation Network. Now we’re about ready to drop another bombshell on ya: the first Metal Gear Solid is hitting the PSN in just 2 weeks - June 18 - for the price of $9.99. Getting the best PlayStation games of all time within two weeks of each other isn’t bad at all. Mark your calenders.

Oh, something just occurred to us. Because the title is downloadable, you won’t be getting a CD case to go along with it. Unfortunately, unless it's been tweaked, one of the game’s biggest puzzles requires a solution printed on the physical case itself. Here’s the answer: 140.15. You’ll thank us in a couple weeks.

10) E3 2009 is officially over – see you June 15-17, 2010!
Now that E3 is officially back from the dead and the LA Convention Center is once again packed with a senses-shattering cacophony of flashing, screeching video games, silicone-smile babes in tiny costumes, and – let’s face it – body odor, just as God intended, the Entertainment Software Association wasted no time in announcing the date and location of next year’s event. Same place, 54 weeks later.

We’re actually cool with this announcement. The past two years, E3 has sucked, but this year is a nice return to form. The gaming world needs an E3, and even though it’s overwhelming, exhausting, and infuriating, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Actually, that’s not true. We would suggest two changes. One, we don’t care what it costs: get some decent internet access in the convention center. The current situation is useless. And two, move the whole damn thing to Vegas, where there are a million hotel rooms within easy walking distance of several convention centers (as well as everything else), cabs and parking are everywhere, and it doesn’t take an hour to get to the airport.

Jun 4, 2009

Want more? Of course you do.

E3 09: Top 10 things you need to know about today - Wednesday Edition

E3 09: Top 10 things you need to know about today - Tuesday Edition

E3 09: Top 10 things you need to know about today - Monday Edition