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  Are These Box Art Designs Similar?

  Folks are fluttering around on the Japanese internet about the boxart similarity between these two games. Kwinky-dink or sinister thievery? Namco Bandai’s Xbox 360 role-playing-game Tales of Vesperia was a big hit when it was released in Japan last summer, selling 161,070 copies. The game was so popular it caused the Xbox 360 to sell…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 27, 2009
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  The Art of LittleBigPlanet: Never Compromise

  Media Molecule‘s Creative Director, Mark Healey, and Art Director, Kareem Ettouney, had an hour to try and explain the look and feel of LittleBigPlanet — it took them about two seconds and one trailer. But the talk went on for well over an hour as the two creative types gushed about their award-winning innovation. LittleBigPlanet…

  By AJ Glasser Published March 27, 2009
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  Mega Man 2 Limps Onto The iPhone

  Mega Man 2 has been released on the iPhone! Like, the full, proper, 1988 version! Cause for celebration, yes? As it stands, no. Cool your Mega Busters, kids. While the game retains all the levels and bosses of the original, some things are different. The controls, for one, which you’d expect from a touch-screen-only device.…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2009
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  How Sackboy Learned to Love Physics

  Last night, Media Molecule’s David Smith accepted four awards for LittleBigPlanet at the Game Developers Choice Awards. I’m amazed he’s awake enough to lecture on the game’s physics this morning. Here are some key insights Smith had into the challenges of making a game where physics is everything and logic is next to nothing: “I…

  By AJ Glasser Published March 27, 2009
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  Katamari Damacy PS3 Rolls Up A New Look

  Katamari Damacy has already made a current-gen appearance, on the Xbox 360. It was a bit of a let-down, though. The upcoming PS3 title – Katamari Damacy Tribute – is at least trying something new. You’ll notice in the trailer that, apart from the fact there are animals providing a play-by-play, the graphics for the…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 27, 2009
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  Triggerheart Exelica Limited Edition Set Shoots Up The Cute

  Arcade shooter Triggerheart Exelica is getting a PS2 port, called Triggerheart Exelica -Enhanced-. There’s a limited edition version for the PS2. Packaged with a Exelica figure from figure maker Good Smile Company, the limited edition version includes a balloon for those who pre-ordered. The game includes new elements like an opening movie and new CG…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 27, 2009
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  And You Thought YOU Combed Over The Modern Warfare 2 Trailer…

  On the one hand, we really should scold Infinity Ward for their interactive Modern Warfare 2 teaser. It’s silly. But on the other hand, who can resist the opportunity to go digging for clues? Not us. And probably not you, either. But where our lack of both patience and Russian language skills brought our digging…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 26, 2009
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  New DSi Colors Are Fast

  First the new PSP shades were slick race cars, and now it’s Nintendo’s turn to turn its colorful DSi in speed demons for the Japanese viewing public. Less a car motif and more a colored pencil one, this Nintendo ad is pleasant eye candy — though not has heavy on the glossy hardware sexy, but…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 26, 2009
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  PlayStation Store Update: I Smell A Riot Goin’ On

  That odor we’re smelling? Crispy zombie flesh as Burn Zombie Burn shambles its way to the North American PlayStation Store alongside Worms. Not a bad Thursday on the PlayStation Network front, we’d say. Those two brand new games join a horde of Resistance 2 downloadables, with skins and maps abound for the PlayStation 3 shooter.…

  By Michael McWhertor Published March 26, 2009
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  Left 4 Dead Sales Figures (Sort Of) Revealed

  Left 4 Dead has been hanging around the charts for months now, like a…well, like a zombie hanging around a shopping mall. But how many copies has it sold in that time? Speaking today at GDC, Valve revealed that it’s sold 2.5 million copies at retail. Note, that’s at retail. So GameStop, Amazon, that kind…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 26, 2009
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  Only A Few Hours Of Smack Talk Left

  Only a few hours left! We’re giving away a sofa (not a couch, a SOFA) and an Xbox 360. What do you gotta do? Impress us with your classic game board smack talk. Click below for more details, contest rules and how to enter your smack talk. The Best Board Game Trash Talker Wins A…

  By Brian Ashcraft Published March 26, 2009
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  Nintendo DSi Returns To Sales Dominance In Japan

  After a few weeks of the Nintendo DSi being outsold by the PSP, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the Nintendo handheld returns to the top of the charts in Japan, thanks to mech fans. With Super Robot Taisen K out and topping sales charts, Japanese gamers are storming electronics stores, snatching up DSis at a…

  By Michael McWhertor Published March 26, 2009
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  Infinity Ward Dropping “Call Of Duty”?

  Judging from both the game’s website and, more importantly, its official press release, it appears that Infinity Ward have dropped the name “Call of Duty” from upcoming title Modern Warfare 2. Go on, look at the website. Tell me how many times you see the words “Call of Duty”. Then read the game’s press release,…

  By Luke Plunkett Published March 26, 2009
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  Why Molyneux Will Likely Never See Marley & Me

  As my interview with Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux wrapped up today and I was about to walk out of the hotel door, I remembered an important question. “Have you seen Marley and Me yet,” I ask. Molyneux seems confused for a second than remembers it’s that movie based on the true story of a man and…

  By Brian Crecente Published March 26, 2009
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  Gamify Your Google With iGoogle Game Themes

  Google makes web searching so much more exciting with the introduction of iGoogle video game themes, featuring art from Mega Man, Animal Crossing, Tomb Raider, Street Fighter, and more. The new themes were revealed last niught during a Game Developers Conference meeting that hardly anyone attended, possibly due to the invitation’s last-minute arrival and the…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 26, 2009
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  Aion: Pretty People Doing Pretty Things In Pretty Places

  Instead of video clips, today NCsoft teases anxious Aion fans with a batch of sexy screens and a three part history of the world of Atreia. There’s something for everyone in today’s batch of goodies for the upcoming massively multiplayer online game Aion: The Tower of Eternity, except of course people who wish to actually…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 26, 2009
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  Where Hellgate: London And Flagship Studios Went Horribly Wrong

  Hellgate: London‘s development, like its eventual implosion, was epic. At GDC, Stephen Goldstein, Flagship Studio’s ex-director of business development, explained just how what seemed like a guaranteed hit went horribly, regrettably wrong. Goldstein reminded us first of the happier, more hyped times at Flagship. In October 2007, when the founders of Blizzard North were on…

  By Michael McWhertor Published March 26, 2009
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  The Real Reason Noby Noby Boy Is On The PS3

  Katamari Damacy and Noby Noby Boy creator Keita Takahashi gave Game Developers Conference attendees a chance to learn “All About Noby Noby Boy” today, including that the game was originally developed on the Xbox 360. Takahashi showed off an early prototype of the title, way before it was bound for release via the PlayStation Network.…

  By Michael McWhertor Published March 26, 2009
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  A Clue: Level 5 Lets Layton Sequel Hints Drop

  So caught up in Ninokuni was I that I missed out on some important Layton news that came out in the Level 5 panel Q&A: Akihiro Hino says Diabolical Box is on its way to the US. This is the logical conclusion for the second game in the Professor Layton series — it sold like…

  By AJ Glasser Published March 26, 2009
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  Thank Goodness For Honest Neighbors

  To: Bashcraft From: Fahey Re: Whaddaya Make Of Nintendo’s Announcements? The Day Note is a few minutes late this evening, thanks to a lovely little mix up with Fedex and my until recently broken laptop. Seems my address was too long for one line, so the helpful delivery man didn’t read my apartment as 15-11,…

  By Mike Fahey Published March 26, 2009