(Okay, seriously, nobody tell this guy about the Game Boy Light or GBA SP. It sounds like he worked really hard on this, and we don't want to ... ) Oh, hey, Bibin! You're still here! Sure, we'd love to play some Mario's Picross! What's that? Your mom made Rice Krispie Treats? Awesome.
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://media.blogsmith.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/01/urfavoritegame93.jpg)
Modder finally illuminates the Game Boy Pocket
(Okay, seriously, nobody tell this guy about the Game Boy Light or GBA SP. It sounds like he worked really hard on this, and we don't want to ... ) Oh, hey, Bibin! You're still here! Sure, we'd love to play some Mario's Picross! What's that? Your mom made Rice Krispie Treats? Awesome.
Two sites reveal canceled THQ game: Stormbirds [update]
In addition to an opening cinematic for the game (captures from which are located in the gallery below) which was uploaded by CGI company Realtime:UK, tons of renders and gameplay details were recently posted to the personal blog of former Juice Games environmental artist Greg Calvert. Said blog post has since vanished, but not before our eagle-eyed PC-centric sister site Big Download
[Update: The source requested we remove the copyrighted renders from the post.]
Best Buy vending machines now offering portable games in airports
Luckily, we'll never again have to know the firm, rubber-gloved grip of an annoyed Air Marshal -- Best Buy recently began offering DS Lites and select DS titles in their Best Buy Express vending machines. These machines are located at several major airports throughout the U.S., and sell a number of important devices for travelers, such as headphones, chargers, and most recently, Pokémans catching simulators.
WRUP: Hello, ought-nine edition
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/01/times-square-ball-490.jpg)
- Alexander Sliwinski: Despite GameFly allegedly having sent Prince of Persia on Monday, it's still not here. Hopefully, I'll get it tomorrow. The main weekend plan was to explore the Wasteland in Fallout 3 more. My second foray into the game is going much smoother and hours just melt away playing it.
- Christopher Grant: Need to wrap up some of 2008, before I start my "To Be Played In 2009" pile. Got a little left of Mirror's Edge, about half of Far Cry 2, and the majority of Prince of Persia. Still, I'd rather be playing Fable 2 ... some more ... but there's almost nothing left for me to do in Albion. Where's that DLC, Lionhead?
- Griffin McElroy: I'm going to either try to finish Metal Gear Solid 4, or instead download the Metal Gear Solid DLC for LittleBigPlanet, which I imagine will create a remarkably similar experience. When away from my beloved home consoles, I imagine I'll spend a great deal of time Triggering my Chronos.
- Kevin Kelly: I'm still living in the non-electronic realm and itching for my consoles bigtime. I did tour Game Over Games in Austin thanks to a reader tip (thanks Adrian! Photos and report forthcoming) and it was awesome. Been playing a lot of Electronic Catch Phrase and tomorrow is board game night with some peeps - Power Grid and Agricola. Then Sunday... back to gaming bliss on my systems. Whew.
- James Ransom-Wiley: Post-Christmas shopping spree! I got Microsoft Points, PSN bucks and *gulp* Wii Points to redeem ... suggestions? (I'm thinking save my Wii Points for Cave Story.)
- Jason Dobson: Writing our "Best of the Rest" posts reminded me that I still have a few races to complete in GRiD, so I'll be getting back behind the wheel and trying to take the checkered flag.
- Justin McElroy: I'm going to be playing some more Killzone 2 and finally trying to finish the last gasps for Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia.
- Ludwig Kietzmann: is in the future and not willing to look back.
- Randy Nelson: I'm already going through my fellow Joystiqers' "Best of the Best" lists for ideas on what to play next. I'll definitely be playing more Far Cry 2 -- my current addcition -- but really want to catch up on some of the less high-profile gems I inadvertently passed by: BoomBlox, GRiD, and, on Alexander's recommendation, Sins of a Solar Empire.
- Ross Miller: Just got a shiny new 24-inch monitor for my PC, so it's time to play catch-up. Too bad I just missed the Steam sale, it seems. Also, I've got 1600 MS points and am not sure what to get. Help!
Report: PS3 leads Wii ... in web browsing
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/01/ps3.browser.wins.jpg)
Of course, PS3's browser is built-in; Wii's particular version of Opera costs 500 Wii Points ($5) and, well, people have to seek it out among the other WiiWare offerings. So, tell us, are you reading Joystiq on a console, and if so, which one?
Best of the Rest: Ludwig's Picks of 2008
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/11/pop.490.jpg)
Wait ... really? This is in my personal list and not our main top ten? Look, I love my coworkers, but I'm going to punch them all in their stupid, stupid faces for this disgrace. Prince of Persia is one of this year's most elegantly designed games, one that does away with disruptive deaths and punishing repetition. While I'll concede that the difficulty posed to veteran platforming fans (myself included) is minor, I think it's naive to believe that every game is -- or should be -- designed with a similar, player-opposed intent and structure. This game and its seamless expression of motion isn't meant to be beaten, but enjoyed and absorbed. It's inspired, poetic and even funny. So what if it was easy?
Joyswag regift giveaway: PSP-3000 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/12/joyswag-psp-3000-1.jpg)
Today, we're offering up this silver PSP-3000 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack. Why do they call it the PSP-300 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack? Well, it's tricky ... but we're professionals, so here goes. First, it contains a PSP-3000. Not a 1000 (they don't even make those anymore!) or a 2000, but an honestogoodness PSP-3000 ("better" screen and all). The Ratchet & Clank part? Well, it comes with Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters on UMD, so pretty self explanatory there. But the Entertainment part, yes ... this is a bit tougher. First, a copy of National Treasure 2 on UMD and nothing screams "entertainment" like Nicholas Cage tracking down history. Next, a download code for Echochrome, and a 1GB Memory Stick to hold it – if bending your mind sounds like a good time, this has your name all over it.
Here's how you win:
- Leave a comment pondering what new features the inevitable PSP-4000 will introduce (internal memory!).
- You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
- Limit 1 entry per person
- This entry period ends at 8:30 pm ET on Monday, January 5th. We'll randomly select 1 winner at that time to receive a Silver PSP-3000 Limited Edition Ratchet and Clank Entertainment Pack (ARV: $200). Please check your e-mail!
- For a list of complete rules, click here
Platinum Games spruces up logo for the new year
Company President / CEO Tatsuya Minami is said to be giving a more in-depth explanation of the new logo sometime later, but in case you were wondering now, that gray color is known as Platinum Silver. Yeah, they're classy like that.
Q-Games teases 'two to three' PixelJunk titles in 2009
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/01/pixeljunk.logo.jpg)
Cuthbert predicts that this year will be a grand one for games, "what with two or three more PixelJunk titles coming out." We've already seen one of them -- PixelJunk Monsters for PSP -- but the others? Given the number of tabled concepts Cuthbert recently showed Spike TV (skiing, fighting, etc.) we'd say a PixelJunk take on an established genre would be a shoe-in, but then there was the decidedly non-conformist -- and absolutely superb -- PixelJunk Eden last year. So, we can only ... imagine.
The best thing you'll see today: Japanese Dead Rising Wii trailer
[Via NWF]
Nielsen: 2008's most played console was ... PS2
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/10/ps2contenderinphilly.jpg)
According to Nielsen's findings, PS2 accounted for 31.2% of all console usage minutes measured. Xbox 360 was a distant second with 17.2%, followed by Wii (13.4%), the original Xbox (9.7%), PS3 (7.3%), GameCube (4.6%), and "other" (16.2%). The fact that more hours were spent playing the original Xbox than PS3 is, well, surprising. PS2's dominance isn't; last we checked, there were 87.6 bazillion of them in the world (give or take a few trillion).
Rock Band Weekly: Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison Pack (800
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.xbox360fanboy.com/media/2007/11/microsoftpointslogosmall.gif)
- "Claudette" (160
/ $2)
- "In Dreams" (160
/ $2)
- "Mean Woman Blues" (160
/ $2)
- "Oh, Pretty Woman" (160
/ $2)
- "Ooby Dooby" (160
/ $2)
- "You Got It" (160
/ $2)
Joystiq Podcast 080 - Show of the Year edition
Thanks to JPAG member Danny Lujan for indirectly providing the podcast art with the awesome Secret Santa gift he made.
Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in iTunes
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly
Hosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann, Griffin McElroy and Justin McElroy
Music: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller
For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group
See all of this week's links after the jump.
Continue reading Joystiq Podcast 080 - Show of the Year edition
Best of the Rest: Jason's Picks of 2008
![](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090103204842im_/http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2009/01/culdcept_saga_best.jpg)
Culdcept's unique blending of Monopoly and card collecting finally tapped these shores in February. Though the series has never enjoyed much recognition outside of Japan, take one trip around the board and you'll see why Culdcept Saga remains one of the most addictive and fun strategy games available for any platform.
Peter Moore: 'WTF? WHERE THE HELL IS FIFA 09' and other ruminations on Eurogamer's Top 50
In Peter Man's real talk, there is no place for the seemingly sissy; games like Bangai-O Spirits or World of Goo. And Tomb Raider in the Top 50? No thanks. Who wants to play as ... a girl? (Note: Please excuse Boom Blox and Mirror's Edge's apparent lack of manliness -- trust Moore, it's in the game.) But, beneath the posturing exterior, Peter Man drops hints of latent insecurity. Though Moore has membership in an elite fraternity of buff game execs (true story: the presidency was decided by an arm wrestling match between Moore and Strauss -- guess who won?), he is just as susceptible as the rest of us are to body image issues perpetuated by games. How could Peter Man not be threatened by the sheer power of the Bangai-O bots? Or the Goo's killer combo of unrivaled flexibility and unnerving strength? Or Ms. Lara's emasculating sexuality?
The real tell, though, is this: "I was surprised to see Wii Fit included [at #25], which I thought would make the top 10," writes Moore. Clearly, this is a man obsessed with mastering the physical potentials of the body. A perfect fit for EA Sports, then. And a great businessman to boot. While the media continues the "Wii dissing," Peter Man is heaping on the Nintendo praise. After all, a man's world is measured by units. And no one put more units in gamers' hands -- heck! under their feet, too -- than Nintendo did last year.