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ESRB: Uncharted, PAIN and more become Pinball Heroes on PSP
This probably wasn't what fans had in mind when they demanded an Uncharted game for Sony's handheld. A series of new ESRB ratings reveals a new pinball franchise, most likely under the PSP Minis label, based on various first-party PlayStation properties. Pinball Heroes: Uncharted is the most noteworthy of the bunch which according to the ESRB descriptor, is based on Drake's Fortune. "Players use flippers to hit the ball around a crashed airplane, into silhouetted character targets, and off bumpers shaped like gold coins to score points."
In addition to Uncharted, other franchises will be getting the pinball treatment, including High Velocity Bowling, PAIN and Hot Shots Golf. Wait, no Pinball Heroes: God of War? That's a missed opportunity!
Unfortunately, no further details of the Pinball Heroes franchise can be garnered from the ESRB listings. We're submitting a few questions to Sony (like "how much?" and "why?") and will update when we hear back.
[Via GamerBytes]
In addition to Uncharted, other franchises will be getting the pinball treatment, including High Velocity Bowling, PAIN and Hot Shots Golf. Wait, no Pinball Heroes: God of War? That's a missed opportunity!
Unfortunately, no further details of the Pinball Heroes franchise can be garnered from the ESRB listings. We're submitting a few questions to Sony (like "how much?" and "why?") and will update when we hear back.
[Via GamerBytes]
Tecmo dunking NBA Unrivaled onto XBLA Nov. 11, PSN later
Tecmo's trying to fill the arcade-basketball-shaped hole in your heart left by NBA Street with NBA Unrivaled, a retro hoops release from developer A.C.R.O.N.Y.M. Games. Though the cleverly-named company is relatively new on the scene, it has experience to draw on after helping Sony build NBA '08: The Life.
We're happy to see some fun-loving 5-on-5 take the court, but we're a little nervous about how quickly the game's sneaked up on us: It's arriving this Wednesday on XBLA, and later on PSN, barely enough time to get our sneakers laced up.
We're happy to see some fun-loving 5-on-5 take the court, but we're a little nervous about how quickly the game's sneaked up on us: It's arriving this Wednesday on XBLA, and later on PSN, barely enough time to get our sneakers laced up.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, November 2 - November 6

We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Recommendation of the Week:
The Shield: The Complete Series (DVD [What, no Blu-ray?] $159.95, lower at many retailers)
Vic Mackey isn't the first hardass cop to come down the line and smack miscreants into place, but he's definitely one of the most effective and most memorable. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching Michael Chiklis in The Shield, then this has your name all over it. If you have ... well, your name is still on it. It's the complete series, filled with extras, and packaged to look like a nifty coffee table book, embossed with a copy of the misaligned badge logo from the opening of the show. Forget everything else, this is hands down one of the best cop shows ever created, and it captures the underbelly of Los Angeles perfectly. Some people would argue that Los Angeles is all underbelly. Hopefully that means there's plenty of Mackey to go around.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Recommendation of the Week:
The Shield: The Complete Series (DVD [What, no Blu-ray?] $159.95, lower at many retailers)Vic Mackey isn't the first hardass cop to come down the line and smack miscreants into place, but he's definitely one of the most effective and most memorable. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching Michael Chiklis in The Shield, then this has your name all over it. If you have ... well, your name is still on it. It's the complete series, filled with extras, and packaged to look like a nifty coffee table book, embossed with a copy of the misaligned badge logo from the opening of the show. Forget everything else, this is hands down one of the best cop shows ever created, and it captures the underbelly of Los Angeles perfectly. Some people would argue that Los Angeles is all underbelly. Hopefully that means there's plenty of Mackey to go around.
PSP Go owners make Final Fantasy VII the top PSN seller for October

1. Final Fantasy VII (PS3/PSP)
2. Zombie Apocalypse (PS3)
3. TMNT: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled (PS3)
4. .deTuned (PS3)
5. UNO (PS3)
6. Gran Turismo (PSP)
7. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 (PS3)
8. Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest For Booty (PS3)
9. Critter Crunch (PS3)
10. God of War: Chains of Olympus (PSP)
Konami's Zombie Apocalypse stood as the top new entry, while interactive art experience .deTuned managed to snag a few purchases from Trophy hunters looking for some of the easiest achievements ever created. Critter Crunch's low sales numbers managed to snag it a 9th position -- which either means sales picked up after the free demo, or October was not a very good month for PSN sales at all.
PSN Thursday: Try Trine, Get Gex

Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list:
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(Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.)
Japan getting God Eater sampling platter November 26
We like to consider ourselves open-minded when it comes to new culinary experiences, but we confess that we've never had the occasion to dine upon a god. We've heard that it's a delicious (and sizable!) meal -- in fact, on the latest episode of No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain described god-meat as being "light and airy, like aged pork, but with divine properties." Japanese gamers (or PSP owners with a loose comprehension of the Japanese language) will be able to find out for themselves when a demo for God Eater launches on November 26.
The demo for the Namco Bandai-developed action-RPG will be fairly substantial, offering 10 missions, character customization and a small sliver of the game's opening story sequence. It will also support four player co-op in the demo's non-tutorial missions. The demo will be added to the Japanese PSN on Thanksgiving and will also be available on the game's official site. Between those two options, we're sure you'll find some way to snack on a few celestial entities later this month.
The demo for the Namco Bandai-developed action-RPG will be fairly substantial, offering 10 missions, character customization and a small sliver of the game's opening story sequence. It will also support four player co-op in the demo's non-tutorial missions. The demo will be added to the Japanese PSN on Thanksgiving and will also be available on the game's official site. Between those two options, we're sure you'll find some way to snack on a few celestial entities later this month.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 multiplayer beta hits Nov. 19, exclusive to PS3
The beta will focus on one of Bad Company 2's new multiplayer game types: Rush. This multi-stage battle takes place on a map called Arica Harbor, which is broken into unique areas for each round. American forces push forward on foot and in vehicles to scrap with Russian troops outside a military base, in an urban environment and eventually at the harbor itself in a "last stand" scenario.
EA plans to begin a PC round of the beta in December, followed up by an all-new multiplayer demo for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC early next year. The finished game hits shelves on March 2, 2010. We recently had the opportunity to play in the multiplayer beta and will bring you our hands-on impressions tomorrow morning, November 6 at 9:00 a.m. PT / noon ET.
Auditorium flowing to XBLA, PSN and PSP next year
We haven't heard anything about Cipher Prime's plans to port its hypnotic musical puzzler, Auditorium, since the studio won a publishing contract in the 2BeeGames competition back in July. Today, a press release from newly named publisher Zoo Games revealed a few details about the title's console destinations: It's coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, both as a PS3 and PSP download "early next year."
For those who want to know what the soothing buzz is all about, you can check out Auditorium for free on the 2BeeGames site. For those who can't access that site for some reason, just turn on some classical music, go turn on the nearest water faucet, and try to redirect the stream with your hands.
For those who want to know what the soothing buzz is all about, you can check out Auditorium for free on the 2BeeGames site. For those who can't access that site for some reason, just turn on some classical music, go turn on the nearest water faucet, and try to redirect the stream with your hands.
Braid coming to PS3 next week, November 12

The Hothead-developed port will be available on the North American PlayStation Store on November 12th, "with a European version to be announced shortly thereafter." The PSN version of Braid will cost $14.99, the same price as its XBLA equivalent.
Gallery: Braid (PS3)
Why not to expect Capcom vs. SNK 2 on PSN, XBLA
In the words of Lord Cutler Beckett, it's just good business. Or, as Capcom's Seth Killian explained on the Capcom-Unity forums, releasing a downloadable version of Capcom vs. SNK 2 could be bad business. In a lengthy response to a call for the game on PSN, Killian gave several reasons for not re-releasing Capcom vs. SNK 2; all of them centered squarely on business. Among other things, the audience for the game is less sizable than that of Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom 2, meaning a Capcom vs. SNK 2 port probably wouldn't be worth the money and resources Capcom would need to spend.
Killian noted that even if sales covered cost, placing developers on the project would mean removing them from others, like Super Street Fighter IV. Killian put it simply, saying, "When fan service becomes a black hole for time and money, that party gets ended pretty quick."
Another explanation, according to Killian, is that Capcom doesn't want to flood the market with fighting games. He suggested that most gamers only buy one or two fighting games a year -- thanks mainly to the amount of time it takes to master them. In other words, releasing too many games could dilute the sales of all of them. Besides, we all know that what Capcom should be working on is a new Darkstalkers.
[Via EventHubs]
Killian noted that even if sales covered cost, placing developers on the project would mean removing them from others, like Super Street Fighter IV. Killian put it simply, saying, "When fan service becomes a black hole for time and money, that party gets ended pretty quick."
Another explanation, according to Killian, is that Capcom doesn't want to flood the market with fighting games. He suggested that most gamers only buy one or two fighting games a year -- thanks mainly to the amount of time it takes to master them. In other words, releasing too many games could dilute the sales of all of them. Besides, we all know that what Capcom should be working on is a new Darkstalkers.
[Via EventHubs]
The Street Fighter II HD Remix intro that never was
We're sure everyone likes the redrawn, high definition art featured in Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, but did you know that Udon also redrew the original SSFII intro sequence? It's true, and Capcom Unity has the video to prove it. After the break, you'll find the intro movie that Udon created, though it never made it into the actual game. The video features Ryu doing his fireball thing, while Chun-Li poses and Cammy (for some reason) gives everyone a raspberry. Watch the redrawn trailer and the original after the break.
Trophies: BUZZ! Junior: Monsters

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0 Platinum
1 Gold 5 Silver 5 Bronze |
Difficulty: Very Easy Online Trophies? No Time to Completion: 1 hour DLC Trophies? No |
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| View Trophy List | Read More About the Game |
Gallery: BUZZ! Junior: Monsters
Trophies: Critter Crunch

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0 Platinum
1 Gold 2 Silver 11 Bronze |
Difficulty: Difficult Online Trophies? Yes Time to Completion: 20 hours DLC Trophies? No |
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| View Trophy List | Read More About the Game |
Gallery: Critter Crunch (PSN)
Trophies: flOw

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0 Platinum
1 Gold 3 Silver 10 Bronze |
Difficulty: Easy Online Trophies? No Time to Completion: 5 hours DLC Trophies? No |
|
| View Trophy List | Read More About the Game |
Gallery: flOw
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, October 26 - October 30, Horror Edition!

We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week.
Halloween looms right around the corner! In preparation for a spook-tacular weekend full of fun and frights, we present you with an all-horror edition of Joystiq Box Office. Although in all honesty, nothing tops Trick 'r Treat from a couple of weeks ago. You owe it to Halloween to check that out. Of course, being the geeks that we are, we'd also like to remind you that Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is now out on Blu-ray, DVD, PSN, and the Xbox Marketplace. It's not their best work, but hey ... it's more Battlestar Galactica!
Recommendation of the Week:
Monsturd (Netflix Watch Instantly)
Yes, this is seriously a movie. A fugitive on the run accidentally falls into a sewage tunnel, which is also where a chemical company has been dumping their toxic waste. As a result, he becomes Monsturd: half-man, half-poop. I kid you not. There have been poop monsters in movies before, like the transformed Chet in Weird Science and the Golgathan from Kevin Smith's Dogma, but nothing compares to Monsturd. It's actually not a bad send-up of the classic 50s frightfilms, and the tagline for the movie is "Don't get caught with your pants down!" How can you go wrong?
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800
($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320
($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early.
As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn sta -- well, actually, we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
Halloween looms right around the corner! In preparation for a spook-tacular weekend full of fun and frights, we present you with an all-horror edition of Joystiq Box Office. Although in all honesty, nothing tops Trick 'r Treat from a couple of weeks ago. You owe it to Halloween to check that out. Of course, being the geeks that we are, we'd also like to remind you that Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is now out on Blu-ray, DVD, PSN, and the Xbox Marketplace. It's not their best work, but hey ... it's more Battlestar Galactica!
Recommendation of the Week:
Monsturd (Netflix Watch Instantly)Yes, this is seriously a movie. A fugitive on the run accidentally falls into a sewage tunnel, which is also where a chemical company has been dumping their toxic waste. As a result, he becomes Monsturd: half-man, half-poop. I kid you not. There have been poop monsters in movies before, like the transformed Chet in Weird Science and the Golgathan from Kevin Smith's Dogma, but nothing compares to Monsturd. It's actually not a bad send-up of the classic 50s frightfilms, and the tagline for the movie is "Don't get caught with your pants down!" How can you go wrong?
A lot of you have been asking about the pricing on certain Xbox releases. For instance Red Cliff is 800
($10) to rent in standard definition, as opposed to the normal rental price of 320
($4) for SD. The reason for this is that it has not yet been released in theaters, and is exclusive to the Xbox 360, Amazon, and certain VOD outlets. The film actually opens on November 18, so the added price is for the benefit of seeing it early. 













