Slashdot Mirror

Thanks to Reuters for its story reporting on Bill Gates' announcement of an Xbox Media Center Extender kit at the CES show in Las Vegas, discussing the add-on "that will extend the functions of its Windows XP Media Center Edition to the console, turning it into a set-top box that allows the playback of live and recorded video, music and photos." 1UP has a couple more details, noting the add-on "will combine an Xbox DVD title with a dedicated remote control [and] currently carries no release date or price point", and the Reuters interview with Gates has him noting of the Xbox: "We are pushing the boundaries in terms of expanding what people think of as what the device can do." He's also confident but secretive about the next generation of consoles, suggesting: "In terms of the next round, hey, it's a new game. We're not showing our hand and I don't think Sony's showing their hand. We're doing some very cool work, but that's really all we say at this point."

Thanks to IGN PS2 for its information about the new Final Fantasy XII trailer debuting at Japan's recent Jump Festa exhibition The Magic Box has some still images from the "lengthy seven minute trailer" for the PS2 RPG sequel, which shows cinematic action and battle scenes, but unfortunately without "[revealing] much about the gameplay systems." There's also a hands-on look at the PS2 remake of Dragon Quest V, which apparently brings "a little bit of new flavor to a classic old-school game", originally released on the Super Nintendo back in 1992. Finally, 1UP has a brief overview of the festival, including pictures of a Slime-infested Christmas tree.

Thanks to 1UP for its end-of-year summary feature, in which the site editors discuss the most intriguing and perkiest gaming events of the year, but also "look ahead at the newborn trends of 2004." Next year's particularly lusted-after games include Psychonauts ("Double Fine's Xbox platformer has been delayed a lot now, which can sometimes spell trouble, but I have faith in them to deliver something amazing when they do get around to it"), Metal Gear Solid 3 ("After the talking-heads nightmare of Metal Gear Solid 2, I can't wait to just trot off into the jungle and start killing people"), and Halo 2 ("With a gun in each hand and the ability to hijack vehicles, this one has the potential to be as popular as the first one continues to be.") Which games are you particularly looking forward to in 2004?

Thanks to 1UP for their story revealing that Gametrac's new portable gaming device will be publically shown at the CES show in early January. The portable, which runs on the Windows CE.NET operating system, has "...a 400Mhz ARM9 processor and 64-bit graphics accelerator... MPEG4 movie playback, MP3 audio playback, SMS and MMS text messaging, a high-resolution JPEG digital camera, plus Bluetooth 2 and GPRS wireless networking for short-range and long-distance multiplayer games." However, the article points out that "mention of any specific games" is a feature "conspicuously absent from Gametrac's announcement", but notes that at CES, the company promises "three titles on display, as well as the system's music player, text messaging system, and a new multimedia advertising system, 'Smart Ads'." We've previously mentioned early word of the Gametrac.

Thanks to GameSpy for their interview with Lucasarts staff about playing as a Jedi in Star Wars Galaxies. The article discusses the powers granted to the newly-unlocked Jedi in this PC MMORPG ("There are over fifty Force powers, ranging from Force Lightning, Force Weaken, and Force Throw, to Jedi Mind Trick, and a variety of lightsaber moves"), and the possibility your Jedi character could be lost forever ("We have partial permadeath for a Jedi. Basically, a Jedi is allotted a certain number of deaths before they lose all progress that character has made.") Elsewhere, player-owned vehicles were enabled in the game earlier this week, and the official SWG page has information on the types, including the X34 Landspeeder, Swoop bike, and Speeder bike, and even documents player-hosted races that are being attempted, showcasing an in-game reproduction of the Mos Espa Circuit from Star Wars: Episode 1.

Thanks to 1UP for its coverage of Vivendi's announcement of a Fight Club videogame for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. As the title might suggest, this is indeed a "3D fighting game based on David Fincher's film Fight Club", and 1UP notes that "you can see Tyler Durden and Edward Norton's nameless narrator in the first round of screens." Vivendi's official press release plays up the "gritty, visceral world" of the film, itself adapted from Chuck Palahniuk's celebrated book, and insists the title will "portray the brutality of street fighting while encompassing the action and story elements from the movie with intense visuals, untraditional moves, and bare-knuckle destruction."

Thanks to 1UP for its coverage of Vivendi's announcement of a Fight Club videogame for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. As the title might suggest, this is indeed a "3D fighting game based on David Fincher's film Fight Club", and 1UP notes that "you can see Tyler Durden and Edward Norton's nameless narrator in the first round of screens." Vivendi's official press release plays up the "gritty, visceral world" of the film, itself adapted from Chuck Palahniuk's celebrated book, and insists the title will "portray the brutality of street fighting while encompassing the action and story elements from the movie with intense visuals, untraditional moves, and bare-knuckle destruction."

Thanks to TotalVideoGames for its article revealing EA's announcement of the Harry Potter and the Prisoner Of Azkaban game adaptation, due some time in 2004 and giving fans "the first chance to play as friends Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, along with Harry Potter, switching between characters and utilising their key attributes and skills to resolve challenges." An interview with the game's producer over at IGN Cube further reveals players "will also get the opportunity to control Hedwig and to fly Buckbeak, the Hippogriff", and this internally-developed EA title will hopefully work better than the recent Warthog-developed Sorceror's Stone adaptation, of which 1UP commented it was "a mystery why anyone would want such an imaginative world filtered through trappings as bad as these", and IGN PS2 lamented was "strangely nowhere as compelling or refined as Chamber of Secrets."

Thanks to Motor Trend for their feature documenting the extreme attention to detail being lavished on Gran Turismo 4 for PlayStation 2, as the franchise, which "has sold more than 30 million units worldwide", gears up to a 2004 release for this latest iteration. According to the article, "between 20,000 and 30,000 digital photographs are taken" to faithfully reproduce the real-life racetracks used in the game, and there's also a behind the scenes feature on a 150-vehicle capture session in Japan, each car being "systematically studied and logged so the design team could faithfully recreate [it in-game]." Elsewhere, 1UP has a hands-on look at the Japan-only Gran Turismo 4 Prologue, a budget-priced preview which they consider "isn't worth the purchase for any except the most obsessive Gran Turismo fans." Update: 12/12 16:18 GMT by S : Another hands-on look at GT4 Prologue from Game Informer adds detail and corrects a couple of inaccuracies.

Thanks to 1UP for their feature discussing visiting Konami's Japanese offices to check out Metal Gear Solid's newest incarnations. The writer shows some worthy skepticism: "It's a bit odd talking to [MGS creator Hideo] Kojima after playing Metal Gear Solid 2. The question 'What in the hell possessed you to write that script?' is always in the back of your mind", and discovers Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for PS2 has a whole new plot angle, as Kojima explains: "By playing this game, you'll learn about what went on between the two superpowers - America and the Soviet Union." Elsewhere, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for GameCube, also shown despite its Canadian development base at Silicon Knights, lets "...cutscene director Ryuhei Kitamura... cut loose with some of the most inventive violence in videogame history."

Thanks to 1UP for their feature discussing visiting Konami's Japanese offices to check out Metal Gear Solid's newest incarnations. The writer shows some worthy skepticism: "It's a bit odd talking to [MGS creator Hideo] Kojima after playing Metal Gear Solid 2. The question 'What in the hell possessed you to write that script?' is always in the back of your mind", and discovers Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for PS2 has a whole new plot angle, as Kojima explains: "By playing this game, you'll learn about what went on between the two superpowers - America and the Soviet Union." Elsewhere, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for GameCube, also shown despite its Canadian development base at Silicon Knights, lets "...cutscene director Ryuhei Kitamura... cut loose with some of the most inventive violence in videogame history."

Thanks to 1UP for their feature discussing visiting Konami's Japanese offices to check out Metal Gear Solid's newest incarnations. The writer shows some worthy skepticism: "It's a bit odd talking to [MGS creator Hideo] Kojima after playing Metal Gear Solid 2. The question 'What in the hell possessed you to write that script?' is always in the back of your mind", and discovers Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater for PS2 has a whole new plot angle, as Kojima explains: "By playing this game, you'll learn about what went on between the two superpowers - America and the Soviet Union." Elsewhere, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes for GameCube, also shown despite its Canadian development base at Silicon Knights, lets "...cutscene director Ryuhei Kitamura... cut loose with some of the most inventive violence in videogame history."

Thanks to 1UP for their article revealing the popular GameBoy Advance titles Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire have a time-unlocked glitch that's just been activated in Japan, since the game has features based on how long it's been played, and Nintendo have discovered there's "...an issue with its internal clock that can disable certain gameplay systems after a year's worth of playtime." Specifically, you can plant trees in-game which "eventually bear fruit, which you then feed to your pet monsters to cause them to evolve in useful and interesting ways." Unfortunately, after a year from the game's start date, "those trees are unable to grow." Nintendo has "...invited Japanese players to bring or send their game cartridges to one of many service centers around the country. The service centers will apply a patch that corrects the issue and return the fixed copy of the game free of charge." Finally, Nintendo of America have commented "The earliest the issue could appear [in the U.S.] is March 2004, which is the one year anniversary of the first sale in North America."

Thanks to Game Science for printing details of UK design house Tomato's forthcoming Sony Music Japan-published PlayStation 2 title, an abstract "software toy" called 'wordimagesoundplay'. Tomato, who include members of electronic music group (and soundtrack authors) Underworld, says the abstract title "is not a goal-driven experience." Meanwhile, 1UP has an in-depth feature on Sony Japan's weirdest self-published PlayStation 2 games, including such memorable titles as Space Fisherman ("[a] space fishing action adventure") and Kuma Uta ("you're the manager for a performing bear, which specializes in singing bland... enka music.")

Thanks to 1UP for the news that the forthcoming Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords for GameCube will include Tetra's Trackers as a bonus game. Four Swords makes use of GameBoy Advance connectivity as players compete to collect jewels - entering caves or buildings switches the action to your GBA, "...allowing you to scavenge for jewels that your opponents can't see", whereas Tetra's Trackers, also shown at E3, is another multiplayer connectivity-based title, this time with most of the action on your GBA. The disc also includes a "story-driven single-player campaign" using elements styled from Zelda: A Link To The Past, and the package is due next February in Japan. Elsewhere, 1UP has a Zelda merchandising retrospective that includes various pictures of "obscure items related to the series", including beach blankets and plastic plates.

Thanks to 1UP for the news that the forthcoming Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords for GameCube will include Tetra's Trackers as a bonus game. Four Swords makes use of GameBoy Advance connectivity as players compete to collect jewels - entering caves or buildings switches the action to your GBA, "...allowing you to scavenge for jewels that your opponents can't see", whereas Tetra's Trackers, also shown at E3, is another multiplayer connectivity-based title, this time with most of the action on your GBA. The disc also includes a "story-driven single-player campaign" using elements styled from Zelda: A Link To The Past, and the package is due next February in Japan. Elsewhere, 1UP has a Zelda merchandising retrospective that includes various pictures of "obscure items related to the series", including beach blankets and plastic plates.

Thanks to IGN PS2 for their information on the unveiling of Sega's Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation for PlayStation 2/GameCube, as the semi-secret game formerly known as Virtua Fighter Quest "takes the form of an action-RPG title, rather than a versus fighter." 1UP also has a preview and in-game screenshots of the game, now due in Japan in Summer 2004, which "on the surface... seems to have only a passing connection to the original Virtua Fighter games." However, it turns out the teenage lead characters are collecting 'Virtua Souls', which "...contain fighting data from legendary fighters of old who took part in a tournament to name the world's best fighter", and when you "collect a Virtua Soul... you'll end up being able to perform a special skill, recognizable as moves from the Virtua Fighter series."

Thanks to IGN PS2 for their information on the unveiling of Sega's Virtua Fighter Cyber Generation for PlayStation 2/GameCube, as the semi-secret game formerly known as Virtua Fighter Quest "takes the form of an action-RPG title, rather than a versus fighter." 1UP also has a preview and in-game screenshots of the game, now due in Japan in Summer 2004, which "on the surface... seems to have only a passing connection to the original Virtua Fighter games." However, it turns out the teenage lead characters are collecting 'Virtua Souls', which "...contain fighting data from legendary fighters of old who took part in a tournament to name the world's best fighter", and when you "collect a Virtua Soul... you'll end up being able to perform a special skill, recognizable as moves from the Virtua Fighter series."

Thanks to 1UP for their review of Intellivision Lives! for Xbox, as "the Atari 2600's most successful rival" in the U.S. gets its own retro compilation, also released for PlayStation 2. The review appreciates the "well-crafted collection" encompassing "roughly sixty games for a wallet-friendly $20", and savors the way "the games are presented via arcade machines within an amusingly kitschy virtual '80s pizza parlor." Although it has some issues with the in-game controls, since "...the Intellivision had intricate controllers featuring a numeric keypad", the piece concludes by noting that "...fans of the system should have no reservations about picking up a copy." We've also previously covered the Intellivision stand-alone 'TV games', as featured on the official Intellivision site.

Thanks to 1UP for their review of Intellivision Lives! for Xbox, as "the Atari 2600's most successful rival" in the U.S. gets its own retro compilation, also released for PlayStation 2. The review appreciates the "well-crafted collection" encompassing "roughly sixty games for a wallet-friendly $20", and savors the way "the games are presented via arcade machines within an amusingly kitschy virtual '80s pizza parlor." Although it has some issues with the in-game controls, since "...the Intellivision had intricate controllers featuring a numeric keypad", the piece concludes by noting that "...fans of the system should have no reservations about picking up a copy." We've also previously covered the Intellivision stand-alone 'TV games', as featured on the official Intellivision site.

Thanks to 1UP for their borderline-gonzo article discussing how the extended wait for Doom 3 is affecting opinions of it. The naysaying author of the piece argues that id's FPS sequel "...possesses many appreciable graphical highlights, [but] much of its beauty comes from techniques that are rapidly becoming standards. Normal mapping and dynamic lighting are nothing new, and companies like Ion Storm Austin and Crytek are proving that anyone can do it." He goes on to stake out his position clearly: "I am certain Doom will be great fun for what it is, but I just don't know if fans of the original and its Serious [Sam] inspiring style will dig something paced so radically different. I am also unsure of whether or not action gamers... will buy into a title that seems to lack the excessive fiction, approachability and interactivity that drive practically all of today's modern games." Update: 11/27 17:18 GMT by S : There's also a new mini-interview with John Carmack regarding Doom 3 over at CGW.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for its post confirming that Sega's 3D Ages series of classic remakes for PlayStation 2 will be released Stateside, courtesy of publisher Conspiracy Entertainment, who have announced a four-year deal to "manufacture, market, and distribute a total of 14 updated Sega titles." Slashdot has previously covered 1UP-sourced reviews for the first five volumes in the series, including Phantasy Star: Generation 1, Monaco GP, Fantasy Zone, Space Harrier and Golden Axe, all "revised versions of Sega arcade and Master System games with updated graphics, some of them in 3D", and all confirmed for a 2004 U.S. release. According to IGN PS2, later 3D Ages releases will include "Streets of Rage, Gain Ground, Bonanza Bros., Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Virtua Racing, Last Bronx, Phantasy Star II, [and] Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium", and Columns and Puzzle&Action are also listed on the Japanese 3D Ages site.

Thanks to 1UP for their report on a Japanese poll rating the top 30 Famicom (NES) games of all time, as conducted for an upcoming Tokyo museum exhibition. The report comments that this poll is "an interesting look at the titles that were big in the early days of Japanese gaming, as well as what's held up in retrospect", and the Dragon Quest series (Dragon Warrior in the U.S.) is particularly well-represented, since "...all four Famicom games in the series made the top 10, compared to only one Final Fantasy." Also pointed out: "It's also interesting to see what's ahead of Super Mario Brothers 3, the most popular NES game in the United States. In Japan, they'd rather play Ice Climber and Balloon Fight."

Thanks to GamesAreFun for its review of Space Channel 5: Special Edition for PlayStation 2, as the 2-disc rhythm action game compilation, "which not only contains [the original] Space Channel 5, but its sequel as well, which was previously unreleased in the US", has sneaked onto American shelves this week for an ultra-budget $15. The compilation was still released despite the connection to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, who "...makes an appearance [in both games] as Space Michael... when he joins your group, the dancing is patterned after moves lifted from his music videos." The release likewise seems unaffected by a recent likeness lawsuit from the lead singer of Deee-Lite, and is also positively rated by 1UP, who suggests: "Though the character-based rhythm action genre is all but dead, replaced by less story-driven fare such as DDR and Karaoke Revolution, this collection is pretty much the best possible sendoff it could receive."

Thanks to GamesAreFun for its review of Space Channel 5: Special Edition for PlayStation 2, as the 2-disc rhythm action game compilation, "which not only contains [the original] Space Channel 5, but its sequel as well, which was previously unreleased in the US", has sneaked onto American shelves this week for an ultra-budget $15. The compilation was still released despite the connection to the King Of Pop, Michael Jackson, who "...makes an appearance [in both games] as Space Michael... when he joins your group, the dancing is patterned after moves lifted from his music videos." The release likewise seems unaffected by a recent likeness lawsuit from the lead singer of Deee-Lite, and is also positively rated by 1UP, who suggests: "Though the character-based rhythm action genre is all but dead, replaced by less story-driven fare such as DDR and Karaoke Revolution, this collection is pretty much the best possible sendoff it could receive."

Thanks to GamesDomain for their review of Metal Arms: Glitch In The System, as their take on Vivendi's multi-platform "robot-themed third-person shooter", released this week, echoes the conclusions of many other positive ratings in proclaiming: "it's a real shame that this game doesn't seem to have quite the attention it deserves." 1UP also comments on the title as "one of the best under-hyped games of the year", describing it as "Ratchet & Clank fused with Halo", but why has this Swingin' Ape-developed title got such a low profile - lack of advertising, choice of subject matter, too many games released at the same time?

Thanks to 1UP for their news that, following yesterday's vaunted Final Fantasy XI subscriber numbers of over 400,000, Sega has released figures claiming over 600,000 subscribers for the Phantasy Star Online series, albeit "worldwide across all territories, episodes, and platforms", and including the newly Japanese-released Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution. The article suggests: "A direct comparison between the two isn't fair for several reasons (PSO is on multiple platforms, popular in multiple territories, has a different pricing structure, and of course features a completely different style of gameplay), but nevertheless, it seems safe to say that Sega's experiment in online console gaming has proven a success in the long run."

Thanks to GameDaily for their feature talking to Totally Games' founder, Lawrence Holland, and profiling the "just-completed Secret Weapons Over Normandy", the arcade-style WWII flight game currently "...available for the PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox." 1UP has a review of the Xbox version explaining clearly: "Once upon a time... a clever man named Larry Holland created a series of World War II flight sims that redefined the entire genre. The three games - Battlehawks 1942, Their Finest Hour, and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe - mixed exhaustive historical accuracy with a fast-paced, arcadey play mechanic." The reviewer pegs SWON as "closer to Namco's Ace Combat series in style", but still a fitting console-styled legacy for those earlier classics, and Gaming Age also approve, rating the game "a long-lived, rewarding experience."

Thanks to 1UP for the news that Square Enix has announced a total of 430,000 subscribers have signed up worldwide with PlayOnline, as the online subscription service "...which powers Square's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, broke through the 400,000 user mark approximately 18 months after its Japanese debut in May 2002." According to the reports, the recent PC release of FFXI in the U.S. has "...provided a significant boost to the service's user base. Square Enix said it has shipped around 200,000 copies of the PC version to the US market already, and picked up around 100,000 new subscribers so far." More subscriptions are likely when the Final Fantasy XI-bundled PlayStation 2 hard drive launches in the U.S. next March, possibly taking FFXI over EverQuest's total of nearly 500,000 subscribers. The company's mid-term results also provided information on sales of their games, with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance a particular sales highlight in the U.S.

Thanks to 1UP for the news that Square Enix has announced a total of 430,000 subscribers have signed up worldwide with PlayOnline, as the online subscription service "...which powers Square's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI, broke through the 400,000 user mark approximately 18 months after its Japanese debut in May 2002." According to the reports, the recent PC release of FFXI in the U.S. has "...provided a significant boost to the service's user base. Square Enix said it has shipped around 200,000 copies of the PC version to the US market already, and picked up around 100,000 new subscribers so far." More subscriptions are likely when the Final Fantasy XI-bundled PlayStation 2 hard drive launches in the U.S. next March, possibly taking FFXI over EverQuest's total of nearly 500,000 subscribers. The company's mid-term results also provided information on sales of their games, with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance a particular sales highlight in the U.S.

squareamp writes "According to 1UP's in-person report from the Tokyo unveiling, Square Enix has officially taken the wraps off of the latest Final Fantasy game - Final Fantasy XII. There are new images available of our main characters: Vaan (1), Vaan (2), Ashe (1), Ashe (2) - who are both described as Humes (taking a page from the race system of Final Fantasy XI: Online)." 1UP's coverage of the event also reveals "there won't be any branching-path system in place", possibly making the game more freeform, which could be "a large (and welcome) step away from the very linear scenario design of past Final Fantasies." The creators also indicated the game is 70 percent done, and is currently "due to be released in Japan in summer 2004."

Thanks to 1UP for its feature charting the history of SNK's cult King Of Fighters series. The piece starts: "From 1994 until now and counting, SNK's King of Fighters... has almost as consistent a track record as EA's Madden football, and Madden didn't have to survive the protracted buyout and collapse of its owners." The yearly versions of these Neo Geo-originated 2D fighters are then analyzed, from KOF '94 ("Two dozen characters in a fighting game doesn't sound like much nowadays, but it was a hell of a cast in 1994") through the controversial KOF '99 ("a pretty daring move on SNK's part, delivering a complete overhaul of the series' tested gameplay"), to the present day, where a separate article delivers new details on the forthcoming KOF '03, revealing new rosters and "a tag battle system" for this latest arcade-bound iteration.

Thanks to 1UP for its feature charting the history of SNK's cult King Of Fighters series. The piece starts: "From 1994 until now and counting, SNK's King of Fighters... has almost as consistent a track record as EA's Madden football, and Madden didn't have to survive the protracted buyout and collapse of its owners." The yearly versions of these Neo Geo-originated 2D fighters are then analyzed, from KOF '94 ("Two dozen characters in a fighting game doesn't sound like much nowadays, but it was a hell of a cast in 1994") through the controversial KOF '99 ("a pretty daring move on SNK's part, delivering a complete overhaul of the series' tested gameplay"), to the present day, where a separate article delivers new details on the forthcoming KOF '03, revealing new rosters and "a tag battle system" for this latest arcade-bound iteration.

Thanks to 1UP for its illustrated primer to Final Fantasy X-2, illustrating the PS2 RPG sequel that debuts in the U.S. on Tuesday. Advance press reviews vary somewhat, but fan reviews of the import version have been overwhelmingly favorable, with the GameFAQs messageboards also harboring a handy pre-release guide to "give you a feel of how the game is played". 1UP illustrates the 'dress-up' angle of FFX-2 well with their expose of "the new Job system and the costumes it entails", showcasing the Cher-like variety of outfits Yuna, Rikku, and Paine wear, and finally, Futurama fans may rejoice, because Bender himself, John Di Maggio returns in FFX-2 as the voice of Wakka. Update: 11/16 15:48 GMT by S : GameSpy has just added their own review of the game, giving it 3/5 ("It's not quite what you may be expecting.")

Thanks to 1UP for its illustrated primer to Final Fantasy X-2, illustrating the PS2 RPG sequel that debuts in the U.S. on Tuesday. Advance press reviews vary somewhat, but fan reviews of the import version have been overwhelmingly favorable, with the GameFAQs messageboards also harboring a handy pre-release guide to "give you a feel of how the game is played". 1UP illustrates the 'dress-up' angle of FFX-2 well with their expose of "the new Job system and the costumes it entails", showcasing the Cher-like variety of outfits Yuna, Rikku, and Paine wear, and finally, Futurama fans may rejoice, because Bender himself, John Di Maggio returns in FFX-2 as the voice of Wakka. Update: 11/16 15:48 GMT by S : GameSpy has just added their own review of the game, giving it 3/5 ("It's not quite what you may be expecting.")

Thanks to 1UP for its story revealing that Sega is opening a Japanese ROM download service for classic Genesis games, meaning that "players can download and play an array of 16-bit games on their PCs" completely legally. According to the piece, "The service charges a monthly fee of 1,000 yen (about $9) for unlimited downloads. 30 games will be available at launch, with about 10 new games joining them each month." Launch titles include Gunstar Heroes, Ecco the Dolphin, Phantasy Star II, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and "Sega plans to eventually build a library of more than 100 games, as well as community features where retro-gaming enthusiasts can meet and chat", but there's no news on a similar service in the West, and it's a little unclear whether you can keep the games after stopping monthly payments.

Thanks to Game Informer for their hands-on impressions of Legend Of Zelda: Collector's Edition, as the GameCube bundle/bonus compilation approaches release. The article describes "The first two old-school games [The Legend Of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link] look just as they did when they released way back in the day", and shows comparison screenshots for the N64 titles [The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask], for which "...the graphics are now in high-res." Elsewhere, 1UP has news on Nintendo release dates for 2004, as "The four-player GameCube Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is still on track for February 9", and "will share that ... release date with Metroid: Zero Mission for Game Boy Advance... [which] expands on the original 8-bit Metroid adventure with revised levels, new story elements, and other added features."

Thanks to 1UP for their article covering Japanese Xbox boss Yoshihiro Maruyama's comments regarding yesterday's significant Xbox price drop in Japan. Maruyama explained that the price cut wasn't a reaction to Sony's Japanese PS2 price drop: "This discount was in the works for the end-of-year shopping season before SCE's announcement. The timing was on our own terms, and we aren't simply following the leader here." He also tried to explain why the Japanese videogame market is shrinking, suggesting: "You see companies in the U.S. using a multiplatform strategy, developing games for several consoles at once, with Electronic Arts leading the way. However, Japan concentrates all its development on the top platform alone, so it's easy to run into dead ends."

Thanks to 1UP for its review of Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando for PlayStation 2, as the reviewer argues: "The original Ratchet & Clank was, for my money, the best platform game of this hardware generation when it came out", and goes on to rate the Insomniac-developed sequel just as highly. IGN PS2 is also impressed, and discusses the showdown with Ratchet's technology-sharing PS2 rival, Naughty Dog's Jak II, commenting: "If I had to pick just one platformer this year - and that's a tough call, considering the incredible game that Jak II is - it would be this one." Finally, GameSpot rates the title as "a great game", although caution that "...at times it feels like more of a mission pack than an entirely new game."

Thanks to GameSpot for their feature documenting the final hours of development on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Ubisoft's update of the classic '80s platform adventure. The piece follows the development team as they squash the final, most obscure bugs, such as "...the disappearance of the head of the female character, Farah, if you leave the game on for more than 12 consecutive hours", and elsewhere, IGN PS2 rate the results as "the perfect realization of the franchise in 3D." GameSpy also has a set of features on the game, with the Xbox version's review largely positive, proclaiming "this prince is no pauper", while 1UP spell out the bonuses for each version, including "PS2: The entire original Prince of Persia... Xbox: The entire original Prince of Persia 2... GC/GBA: The entire original Prince of Persia, unlockable via the GBA or GameCube."

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")

Thanks to 1UP for their feature reviewing the Sega 3D Ages remake series for PlayStation 2. Unfortunately, it appears "the games aren't coming to the US; this is import-only stuff", but the budget price (2500 yen, or "$25 to $30 for US buyers" via import stores) may still attract nostalgists hunkering for updated versions of Space Harrier ("the textbook example of how to remake a game: improve the things that need improving, highlight the good bits, and sell it for a song"), Monaco GP ("It's as fun as it is dumb, and it's really dumb"), Phantasy Star Generation 1 ("a decent remake of a fantastic game"), and, well, maybe not Golden Axe ("A slap in the face to fans.")