Retro Gaming Australia

Japanese TV show Game Center CX, which features Japanese comedian Shinya Arino attempting to beat various video games, will be adapted into a feature length movie in 2014, in celebration of the series’ 10th anniversary.

A third game based on the series will also be released in 2014. There are no signs that it will be leaving Japan – the same fate suffered by the second game.

This week Namco Bandai announced Soul Calibur II HD Online for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The games release is part of Soul Calibur II’s 10-year anniversary celebration.

Soul Calibur II HD Online will feature high-definition visuals and online multiplayer via PSN and Xbox Live, and includes all the original release’s game modes. Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions shall include the guest from the original PS2 version, Tekken‘s Heihachi, as a playable character once again. There is no word on whether Spawn from the original Xbox version of Soul Calibur II will also make an appearance, and the chances of The Legend of Zelda’s Link who appeared in the GameCube version is well… zip?

Soul Calibur II HD Online is set for a digital release later this year. Check out the trailer below.

Finally. A few days ago, the Super Nintendo RPG classic Earthbound was released for the Wii U Virtual Console.

Until now, Earthbound had never been released in PAL regions. Many of us have been eagerly awaiting this digital release, with it representing our first opportunity to play this much loved and much raved about game. When Earthbound originally released in North America in 1995 it was accompanied by a Player’s Guide, so Nintendo have made a digital version of this guide available on the game’s official web site – it has also been optimized for use on the Wii U GamePad, so it makes for a rather nice little bonus.

Earthbound is currently available on the Wii U Virtual Console for AU$13.00/US$9.99, which is a tad (read: a lot) cheaper than purchasing a physical version of the original SNES release on eBay.

30 years ago today, two consoles were released in Japan; Sega’s SG-1000 and Nintendo’s Family Computer, or Famicom. Guess which one is getting the bulk of the attention?

If you answered Famicom, you are correct. Nintendo’s console took Japan by storm, and 3 years later revitalised a depressed console market in America as the Nintendo Entertainment System. The system would go on to bring us great games such as Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania and many more.

The impact of the SG-1000 should not be ignored, however. Sega’s first home console effort, while not the smashing success the Famicom was, did well enough to encourage the arcade giant to continue to pursue home console development. Without it, there would be no Master System, Mega Drive, Saturn or Dreamcast.

Happy birthday, you old consoles!

Transport Tycoon, one of the all-time classic management sims for the PC, will be headed to iOS and Android devices soon, according to a teaser trailer released today.

The PC version of Chris Sawyer’s legendary game has you building up your own transport company from something as small as a modest local bus route to a massive shipping concern. Whether the new version of the game will be cast in this mould or be updated into today’s preferred management simulation formula of microtransactions and social media hassling remains to be seen.

Expect to hear more soon.

It was recently rumoured that a Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster Limited Edition for PlayStation 3 was in the works, and here it is.

Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster Limited Edition includes a 24 page art book featuring concept artwork from the original games and a swish looking outer box.

Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster Limited Edition is confirmed for North America and Europe and is a pre-order bonus, so those buying the game receive a free upgrade to the Limited Edition if you pre-order at a major video game retailer (such as EB Games or JB Hi-Fi in Australia). I’ve got my order down already.

Nintendo eShop (Australia, Europe)

WiiU Virtual Console
Metroid (NES) – $AU6.50
Kid Icarus (NES) – $AU6.50
Special deal: Buy Metroid, get 50% off Kid Icarus and vice-versa.

Nintendo eShop (North America)

WiiU Virtual Console
Metroid (NES) – $US4.99

3DS Virtual Console
Super Mario Bros. 2 (aka Super Mario Bros. USA) – $US4.99

PlayStation Store (Australia, Europe)

Discounts
#PlayStationMemories Sale – PS2 Classics week (add 10% off for PSPlus)

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon – $AU7.35
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter – $AU7.35
Cel Damage – $AU3.65
God Hand – $AU7.35
Maximo – $AU7.35
Maximo vs. Army of Zin – $AU7.35
Okami HD – $AU14.45
Metal Gear Solid 2 HD – $AU11.75
Metal Gear Solid 3 HD – $AU11.75
Zone of the Enders HD – $AU17.95
Neo Contra – $AU7.35
Deus Ex – $AU7.35
Twisted Metal Black – $AU5.85
Shinobi – $AU7.35

PlayStation Store (North America)

New Releases
Castle Shikigami 2 (PS2 Classics) – $US9.99

Discounts
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee HD – Free for PSPlus Subscribers
The Simpsons Arcade Game – $US6.99 ($US4.89 PSPlus)
X-Men – $US6.99 ($US4.89 PSPlus)
Hitman Trilogy HD – $US19.99 ($US15.99 PSPlus)
Prince Of Persia Classic Trilogy HD – $US15.99 ($US8.00 PSPlus)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PSVita) – $US14.99 (permanent reduction)
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater HD (PSVita) – $US14.99 (permanent reduction)
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (PSVita) – $US29.99 (permanent reduction)
Retro City Rampage – $US4.99

Good Old Games

New Releases
Dracula Trilogy – $US9.99

Discounts
“Thank You, Atari!” Sale – 65% off Atari/Infogrames’ catalogue

Steam
Steam Summer Sale – ongoing until July 23, check your Steam client for daily deals, flash sales and community choice discounts.

A couple months back we ran a story on Peach’s Castle being ported across to GoldenEye 007 as a new deathmatch map. Well, the group behind that map has been hard at work bringing more maps across to GoldenEye 007, the latest of which is the Forest Temple from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Sogun Studios have posted a blog entry detailing the process of bringing the map across.

The ROM patch, available here, also contains the previously released Kakariko Village and Peach’s Castle maps, in addition to the new Forest Temple map.

Sega has been dragging its heels a bit on getting Crazy Taxi out for the Android, but you can grab it now from the Google Play store for $AU5.44.

There is at least one valid reason for this delay – Sega has added much needed controller support to this version, so you don’t have to wrestle ghastly touchscreen controls.

This version also features the original soundtrack from Bad Religion and The Offspring that has been missing from other recent ports.

The Power Glove promised a revolutionary method of control, where your actions could be replicated in the game. Of course, the promotional campaign completely overstated the capabilities of the device and many young NES owners were sorely disappointed with the end product. In spite of its failure to work as promised, the Power Glove has become iconic.

Filmmakers Adam Ward, Andrew Austin and Paula Kosowski have been working on a documentary called The Power of Glove. The film will have interviews with the creators of the Power Glove, along with an examination of the legacy of the peripheral and its fans, such as Isaiah “TriForce” Johnson.

The documentary does not have a release date as yet, but you can check out the official site now.