RawkMan

You know, the Mega Man games have always had some awesome music. But you ever get the funny feeling that it somehow feels... familiar?

I get that too.

Video Review - Earth Defense Force 2017

Apologies for the lack of updates, but I feel this redeems for it. I've been working on it so dilligently that I haven't updated the site. Instead, you get this!

As Promised, More Smash Bros. Information

Though not as much as you expect.

The website, www.smashbros.com had a counted as reported earlier. It was indeed for the launch of the new website. However, the website itself promises daily updates throughout every week. And within these, I've dug up a few tidbits on my own.

There are a few pictures of the game in action, explaining how to play. These pictures show off characters we already know of duking it out. A small, cool thing to point out is that where each player's damage meter would be, it now includes a picture of the character selected.

Also, in the stage that was widely thought to be a stage based off of Pit and Kid Icarus, it is now confirmed as the Battlefield stage. Previously in Melee, it was the stage where you challeneged the 100-man melee. A basic purple platform, with three floating platforms aroud it. As shown in the website though, the background will go through an entire day and night system. If this affects the stage or gameplay at all is still unknown. Even cooler, they released the song that would be playing on this stage, and it's a remastered version of Melee's menu song. Check it, it's very cool, and fully orchestrated.

Speaking of songs, the musicians page gives off the most information and speculation. All of the standards are there, Koji Kondo and Kenji Yamamoto, however, there are several names that could give off tidbits.

It has several names listed for composers who have worked on previous games. These games include killer7, Monster Hunter/Devil May Cry, NiGHTS into Dreams, Kingdom Hearts, Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and Metal Gear Solid 4.

What that all means is speculation for new possible characters. MGS4 is in there, and we all know Solid Snake is a playable character as well. However, considering that we have composers from Sega (NiGHTS) means Sonic or even Nights himself is a possibility. Monster Hunter/Devil May Cry? Well, he's from Capcom, who owns DMC and MegaMan. Chrono Trigger? Kingdom Hearts? Both Square-enix games? What does it all mean!?

Bookmark the Smash Dojo. Check it every day.

Halo 3 Earlier Than Expected

Microsoft and Bungie have just officially announced the release date of Halo 3 for September 25th, 2007.

That's a lot earlier than expected. In a good way, since now we all don't have to worry about purchasing Halo 3, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Mario Galaxy and Metal Gear Solid 4 all in the same month.

The multiplayer beta also opens up this morning, and once I get the chance to play it, I'll give you details.

More Smash Bros. Information Soon?

Ever since E3 in 2006, and the trailer for Super Smash Bros. Brawl was shown, everyone's had wide speculation of who is going to be included. Solid Snake is an awesome surprise, and everyone is rooting for Sonic the Hedgehog to get in there (what about Simon Belmont? He'd be awesome!).

Ever since its showing, Nintendo and HAL Laboratories have had a website dedicated to it. For the most part, it was a few blurbs from executive producer Sakurai-san. The site has just been... updated, I guess. It now simply has a countdown, and something big will happen in eight days (six in japan, allegedly.)

Could it be a new trailer for us all to gawk at? Perhaps the revelation of a new character, or the entire cast? Final information of a release date?

Chances are it could just be the official launch of the website. Either way, it'll provide new screens for everyone to cream over, and once its up, expect that information to be right here.

Retail Rumblings

The Retail Rumblings feature will be used to give a heads up from the inner workings of our favorite video game specialty stores.

Just recently I posted on the upcoming Soul Calibur Legends game coming exclusively to the Nintendo Wii. It seems that Gamestop and EBGames caught wind of this really soon, and they now have a November release date set for the game. I was excited to hear that this game was in development, but to know that it could be showing up real soon adds to the personal hype.

Speaking of Wii, we all know of the heavy-hitters its getting this year, and Gamestop may have gotten wind of when we'll see the first one. Stores have just begun taking reservations for Mario Strikers Charged and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii. Stores have Strikers set with a July release date and Metroid with an early August release. Also for a happy bonus, Manhunt 2 for Playstation 2 and Wii has been bumped up to a late July release from its previous September date.

Gamestop and EBGames have been known to put up estimated release dates, so that a SKU can be installed to begin reservations and pre-orders of upcoming games, however the dates are usually more accurate than not. Metroid is huge to know, as it will define FPS controls for the Wii, and give developers a set bar. Mario Strikers is significant in its own way, as it is the next Wii title to feature online play. Pokemon Battle Revolution will be the first, with a slew of online titles to follow.

Any more rumblings from the retail inside, and The Dead Pixel will be the first to let you know.

The Soul Still Burns... On Your Wii

Soul Calibur rocks. Nobody can argue that. It was a system-seller for the Dreamcast, gave Gamecube's SCII a huge boost with Link included, and SCIII had an awesome character creation mode. Now it steps into new territory, for Wii!

First off the game is exclusive for Wii, which means the system is getting awesome third party support and exclusive titles is exactly what it needs. Soul Calibur: Legends is not the typical fighter that we're all used to. It'll be an action/adventure, with yourself playing an unknown character. Namco Bandai suggests that you will get to meet your favorite SC characters along the way, and possible lock blades with them. Obviously it'll have motion controls, no one is sure how yet, and throughout the game you'll unlock "titles", such as Knight, Guardsmen, etc. which will able you to include new attacks to your repetoire.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting giddy over the thought of it. A create-a-hero mode would be excellent for going through the story, and hopefully we can see some form of multiplayer included into it. No release date is set, but rest assured that The Dead Pixel will be following this one very closely.

More Final Fantasy For The DS and PSP On The Way

If you own a DS and love role-playing games, you own the Final Fantasy III remake. No doubt. It was a clearly impressive game for the little handheld, sprouting FMVs of PS2 quality and classic gameplay style. Also, it sold millions.

Coming right off the success of FFIII remake is Square-Enix's new remake of FINAL FANTASY IV. Fresh off of Japanese video gaming magazine Famitsu comes this scan, showing off an early build of the game, including a full 3D model of Dark Knight Cecil and Dragoon Kain. FFIV (or II if you still live in the SNES days) was the first Final Fantasy to introduce the Active Time Battle system, set characters and classes, and the most storytelling yet. A remake should be equally as cool.

This only solidifies how much the DS is ruling the market right now. Rather than a remake for the PSP, they put it on the DS. Square-Enix hasn't forgotten the little handheld that could though, instead they get Final Fantasy: Disidia. Not much is known about this game besides these shots (again from Famitsu), but it looks to be a Final Fantasy one-on-one fighter, with characters from the entire franchise. You got a clear shot of Zidane from FFIX, and what looks like the Warrior of Light from Final Fantasy I (If you've seen the PSOne title FF: Origins, it has an FMV with this guy taking down a dragon.) This title alone may or may not be worth to pick up a PSP for. Depends on the character included, I suppose... like ANYONE from Final Fantasy VI... please?

More Spider-Man On The Way

I've just completed a run-through of the latest Spider-Man 3 game for Wii. With extensive play time put into it, I gotta say I was... underwhelmed.

It plays very much like Spider-Man 2 for the previous generation of consoles. Free-roam the city, be a hero, upgrade yourself, have a damn good time doing it. They did eliminate a lot of nuisances, like saving a balloon for some crying child. They took a lot of liberties with the main story, for simplification I'd assume, and to include more bosses for increase game play. It's about the same graphically as the other games, though more polygons were put into all of the main characters.

Activision really tried to use the Wii controls well here, and it works well, and doesn't at the same time. You can use both the Wiimote and the Nunchuk (representing Spider-Man's right and left hands) for web-swinging through the city, and that is fun. Being able to physically switch hands freely and motion-forward to thwip out your line is extremely entertaining. What doesn't work so well is the combat... which is the other half of the game.

Quick attacks are done by shaking the Wiimote, strong attacks by pressing A, and dodging by swinging the 'Chuk. You finish quick attack combos with strong attacks. However, the finicky shaking causes the final move to be another quick attack than a strong attack more often than not, which causes frustration. You also have much less options this time around. Spider-Man 2 gave you great combos to do with combinations of quick, strong and web sling buttons. The best combo you have this time around is four swings and a strong attack.

Anyway, the game is still pretty decent, with a lot of replay value (collect the meteroites to play as Venom, eh...?) though the second game holds stronger. The PS3 and XBox 360 versions bear much more resemblance to that game, with full combo options, and practically an entirely different game. Either way, Tobey Maguire is a horrible voice actor. So is James Franco.

The point of this post by the way is let you know that Spider-Man isn't done yet. Skimming through the instruction booklet of the PS2 version of SM3 will show a teaser for a little something called Spider-Man: Friend or Foe. That's all the information that's really out there. It's a supposive retelling of the three movies, whatever that means, and will explore Spider-Man in a way that hasn't been done before... whatever that means. Regardless, if your name is Peter and want to have a nerdgasm, clicky-click on the teaser website.

Monday's Virtual Console Update

It's Monday, which means another update to Wii's Virtual Console. What do we have today?

Castlevania - NES, 500 Points - This game ROCKS. The original classic is what spawned the great series we know today. If you've played through Symphony of the Night, Dawn of Sorrow, or even just recently downloaded Super Castlevania, you owe it to yourself to play this game. Classic music, great gameplay and awesome weapon upgrades make it worth 500 points. (And further fuels my resolve to include Simon Belmont in Super Smash Bros. Brawl)

Legend of the Mystical Ninja - SNES, 800 Points - One of the more obscure titles out there, for sure. However, it's a really enjoyable game. It bases itself entirely on humor and satire, and is in no way meant to be taken seriously. You play as Kid Ying or Dr. Yang, and you defeat enemies with your mighty... smoke pipe. An upgradeable smoke pipe. The game itself has two player cooperative play, 3D and 2D stages, and from what I remember, a whole lot of difficulty. Play this one if you're a fan.

Shockman - TG-16, 600 Points - I never played this game. It's a two-player side-scrolling shooter, a la Gradius. Those kinds of games are always cool, so I don't see how this one would be different. Or you could just download Gradius. What sets this game apart is the simultaneous two player play. Check it out.