Now this is how you fix a mistake.

Okami is one of the prettiest games available, but the Wii version shipped with a blemish right on the front cover.  By Amaterasu's mouth you can plainly see an IGN watermark, complete with compass and logo.  Even worse, a quick scan at my local Gamestop the other day showed that the preview box art had it on there too, meaning there was plenty of time to catch and fix this error.  Oops!

It was a silly error, and Capcom is manning up to it with free replacement covers for all.  Head on over to Capcom's website to snag one of three different covers for your game, free for the asking and no receipt necessary.  One is the original art and back cover copy without that pesky watermark or unsightly Play Magazine score, but the other two are full wraparound art without even a Wii logo to mar them.  Prettify your Wii copy or replace the original PS2 cover, they're system agnostic.

While you're indulging in appreciation for Okami's amazing style, it's worth dropping in to Okami Art for a look around.  The art book they're promoting is pretty tempting.

Freedom is a lot more addicting than I thought.

You have to understand that it isn't my fault that I have largely shunned "open" games. I was after all raised on console and arcade games that made me this way. They gave me each piece in the puzzle and even the directions to assemble it. I didn't need to worry about the fact that what the game was asking me to do was a blatant waste of time. Talk to the town baker, who will give you the golden pancake batter that you will then grill up to a nice golden brown to appease the ogre that is blocking the entrance to the cave that holds some pointless object that you need to impress the king so he will give you a key that you can then use to gain entrance to the vaults where an all powerful sword resides that you can use to free the princess from the clutches of evil. Nevermind the fact that the king is the one who wants you to free his daughter. He still makes you do all that crap. And we did it. And I've doing it ever since, for more than 20 years. And I probably will do it until the day I die. Because for some sick reason, I keep coming back.

(more…)

The best baseball man in the biz takes a giant risk in 2008.

I loved MLB 2K7, from its gorgeous visuals to the near-simulation-perfect gameplay (after a couple of slider adjustments) and solid pitching controls. Naturally, I expected a few tweaks here and there to 2K's followup this spring…perhaps a modified (and easier) hitting mechanic, some more nuance in the franchise mode, and even more online options.

Boy, were my expectations way off.

(more…)

Best retro pack, evar! 

Could I get away with calling this the SNK Megat0n? No… well too bad because I think this is going to be on every diehard SNK fan's list this year. SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 offers a diverse range of action, sports, shooters and beat 'em ups; the perfect combination for retro enthusiasts, old-school vets or anyone who simply appreciates 2D gaming at its best. Check out what's packed in the first edition:

• Art of Fighting - The first game in SNK's second fighting-game franchise, set in the same universe as FATAL FURY.
• Baseball Stars 2 - The sequel to SNK's popular baseball arcade game.
• Burning Fight - New York detectives battle organized crime in this fighter.
• Fatal Fury - First released in 1991, FATAL FURY introduced the two-plane fighting system.
• King of Fighters '94 - The first game in the popular KING OF FIGHTERS series.
• King of the Monsters - In KING OF THE MONSTERS, giant monsters fight for power in epic battles.
• Last Resort - A challenging futuristic shooter.
• Magician Lord - Players help the wizard Elta save his homeworld in this platformer.
• Metal Slug - Known for its humor and fast- moving gameplay, this run-and-gun side-scroller was the first in the popular series.
• Neo Turf Masters - A golf game which debuted on the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999.
• Samurai Showdown - Set in the 18th century, SAMURAI SHODOWN features bladed-weapon combat and an international cast of characters.
• Sengoku- In SENGOKU, players face off against undead feudal Japanese armies.
• Shock Troopers - In this run-and-gun adventure, players save a scientist and his granddaughter from the Bloody Scorpions.
• Super Sidekicks 3 - A soccer game featuring teams from all over the world.
• Top Hunter - Bounty hunters protect colonists from space pirates in this futuristic action game.
• World Heroes - This classic fighter pits players against historical figures in a tournament enabled by time travel.

SNK Arcade Classics is currently in development for the PS2 and PSP. What? No love for the 360? Well don't act too surprised, we all know Microsoft's stance on 2D gaming. Or do we? Either way, someone needs to sign some checks, petition or just do a lot of yelling to bring this over to the 360.

No official date has been penciled in at this time, however the press release hints at a "first quarter of 2008" which suggests it should arrive in the next two or three months. 

Sweet tooth is back, nuff said.

Sony definitely knows there's a ton of happy, existing PS2 owners out there who aren't in any major rush to grab a PS3. And to date, it's got one of the most extensive libraries of any current platform on the market. Recently, SCEA revealed an all-new addition to the Twisted Metal series is in the works which you can read in more detail at the official PlayStation.blog. (In case you haven't heard — it's for the PS2 — not the PS3 as a lot of people assumed and hoped as I did). :p

The December 4th announcement offered a small taste of what's to come; which by now I am sure is old news to many of you. And if that's the case, then perhaps today's update will be of greater interest. I won't go into too much detail, but it does reveal some exciting highlights which reveal the PS2 release will include: the original PSP release (Twisted Metal: Head On), the ability to control Sweet Tooth (no, that's not a typo — believe it), a 30-minute documentary tracing the history of Twisted Metal, and much, much more. I am eagerly looking forward to this release. Now hop over to the link for all the screenshots.