Late in the day yesterday, a rumor surfaced about Nintendo’s impending announcement of the return of “Kid Icarus” at this year’s E3. If the rumor turns out to be true, “Kid Icarus” will be added to a long list of retro-revivals that have all been announced in recent months. The original NES version was a great game, and adding the winged one to the Wii’s library would be great, but it begs the question: Who’s next? There are thousands of properties that haven’t seen the light of day in years. Which ones deserve a revival? Let us know, and check out today’s links:

Jason’s Pick:

Playstation Network & Downloadable Games - The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: GameSetWatch takes a look at the best and the worst of the PSN Games, and what it means for independent games.

Tracey’s Pick:

How My Wife Ruined “GTA IV”: The reason this gamer husband thinks his wife “ruined” the game is exactly why I love it. (Her final comment made me shudder, though.)

Stephen’s Pick:

“Fans of the game will not be disappointed”: Heard that one before? This time “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski is the one saying it while talking to Variety about directing the newly announced “BioShock” movie.

Patrick’s Pick:

Real-Time Drawing of the new “Prince of Persia”: Is anyone else a little sad this is the last we’ll be seeing of the old prince?

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

Yesterday, Nintendo launched the aptly named “Nintendo Channel,” which offers a wide variety of game related functionality to the Wii. While it still may leave a few things to be desired by some users, it’s a place for Wii gamers to get more informed about their purchasing decisions, which is great for everyone, not just Nintendo’s market research division. Once consumers are more informed about their purchases, it should help encourage good games to sell better, and maybe; just maybe, it’ll improve the overall quality of games on the console. Here’s to putting faith in the purchasing public.

Jason’s Pick:

Why Nintendo Should Buy Twitter To Integrate With The Wii: We here at Multiplayer love our Twitter feed, and we love our Wii, so it makes sense for us to ask the question: What if they had a baby?

Stephen’s Pick:

“Boom Blox” = “GTA IV”?: Both games get the highest marks from 1Up.com, but to find out how the EA-Steven-Spielberg block game could earn such high praise, you’ll have to read the linked review.

Tracey’s Pick:

World of Warcraft Exposed: Making the Grind Work For You: In Michael Zenke’s weekly column about “WoW,” he offers some handy tips for those who are leveling their second (or third, fourth) character to the top.

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

It’s only been a week since “Grand Theft Auto IV” was released, and it is still coveting our precious gaming minutes.

Fortunately, it was a slim release week, and Patrick and I were left to debate the best use of the Wii’s motion controls, SRPGs and the existence of The Candyman. (Don’t worry, we don’t think he exists.)

Needless to say, there were a couple of standout games that we probably would have passed on had we not still had so much of Liberty City to explore.

PatrickKlepek: You’re completely selling the game short. It has an aesthetic that appeals to kids, but the gameplay is anything but. And to say you “get it” from a tutorial is just ignorance! There are a great many modes to “Boom Blox,” much more than just Jenga.
PatrickKlepek: Nor have you played the game’s true highlight: multiplayer.
JasonCipriano: I didn’t even do the Jenga one… I get that too … It’s Jenga … just virtual, and better than Atari made it.
PatrickKlepek: My apartment’s intercom is busted, so my copy of “Boom Blox” may not show up this week. It’s the one thing that would pull me away from “GTA.”
JasonCipriano: It just doesn’t seem deep enough for me to spend time on it.
PatrickKlepek: That’s like saying “Tetris” is just about dropping some blocks.
JasonCipriano: Boil it down…. It is.

Read more…

As noted by Stephen in an article earlier this year, “Mirror’s Edge” has a very distinct art style going for it, meaning they opted to not use the color green. After finally getting to see a bit of the game in action courtesy of Sony’s Gamers’ Day, it appears that it absolutely works. The game looks visually stunning, and even refreshing. It could be a very welcome change from the dull browns and blacks that gamers have become accustomed to. Hopefully, this game can prove that companies other than Nintendo can produce aesthetically pleasing, bright looking games.

Jason’s Pick:

Kyle Robinson Custom Action Figures: Marvel Vs Capcom 2: These figures are amazing. If these were commercially released I would buy every single one of them.

Patrick’s Pick:

Sometimes You’re Just Not In The Mood For Grand Theft Auto: Stephen experienced the same thing when he had access to the game ahead of the public release, and people came down on him hard for it.

Stephen’s Pick:

Time To Talk About Gameplay: Mr. N’Gai Croal pens a compelling call for reviewers to write more about gameplay. His essay also compels one of his commenters to ask if this call relieves reviewers of the need to finish games.

Tracey’s Pick:

Blizzard store relaunched with digital downloads: If you don’t already have “Starcraft” or “Warcraft III,” Blizzard just made things a whole lot easier for you.

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

Grand Theft Auto IV” may have gotten some things wrong about New York City (we were only kidding, angry Rockstar fans!).But one of the things the developers got right was the home of MTV.

Our MTV building, where this very post was written, resides at 1515 Broadway at the heart of Times Square. Our office tower was faithfully recreated in the game as MeTV at 1717 Burlesque, in the heart of Star Junction.

We went outside, and then into the game to prove just how good a job Rockstar did representing us. It’s almost like our own virtual Cribs.

Check out some comparison photos after the jump:

(Video not viewable by anyone logging in to this site from Canada or the U.K. Sorry)

Read more…

I picked up a copy of “Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword” over the weekend, and I was more than pleasantly surprised. Both the gameplay and the use of the touch screen are exceptionally well done, it may quickly become my new favorite DS game - that uses the touch screen. (Don’t worry “Contra 4” you’re still safe at the top). The stylus controlled gameplay is the best version of stylus mashing I’ve seen to date. I’m not going to go on about it for days (I’ll leave that to the Big Dog), but if you are looking for a unique action game for the DS, “Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword” is easily one of your best options.

Stephen’s Pick:

Apparently I’m a loser: That’s what sources say.

Jason’s Pick:

Mega Man: Powered Up - a tribute to Super Mario Bros.: Watch Mega Man take on level 1-1 of “Super Mario Bros.” courtesy of his PSP remake. [Video - Via GoNintendo]

Tracey’s Pick:

In spite of GTA IV, U.S. box office comes out strong: With all the talk of Iron Man vs. “GTA IV,” it looks like gamers found time to see the movie and play “GTA” (unlike me).

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

This week’s Rhythm Game Track Finder update focuses on three of the biggest names in music video games “Rock Band,” “Guitar Hero” and “Alvin and The Chipmunks.”

Right about now, you may be wondering just how “Alvin” made it onto that list. While “Alvin and The Chipmunks” may not have been the most critically acclaimed game of last year, it does boast one of the most diverse and well-rounded soundtracks in quite some time. Granted, all songs were performed as covers by The Chipmunks, but, if you check out a few of the previews at the game’s official site, you’ll see just how amusing The Ramones and Run D.M.C. sound performed at such a high pitch.

In addition to “The Chipmunks” both “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero 3″ saw three song updates in the form of downloadable track packs. However, it was announced today that “Rock Band” owners who have a PS2 or Wii will be able to purchase twenty song track backs to supplement the Xbox and PS3’s downloadable content. The “Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1” disks will be available on July 15. Also added were the first 15 (of 25) confirmed tracks for “Guitar Hero: On Tour.”

Check out the full list of updates:
Alvin and The Chipmunks (Wii, PS2) 40 Songs Added
Guitar Hero 3 (Xbox 360, PS3) 3 Songs Added (Muse’s “‘Exo-Politics,” “Stockholm Syndrome,” and “Supermassive Black Hole”)
Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS) 15 Songs Added
Rock Band (Xbox 360, PS3) 3 Songs Added (Angels & Airwave’s “It Hurts,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Date With The Night,” and Fall Out Boy’s “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race”)
Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1 (Wii, PS2) 20 Songs Added

As always, go to trackfinder.mtv.com, for all this and more — it’s the definitive search engine for all your music gaming needs.

The big week (”Mario Kart Wii,” “GTA IV,” and “echochrome“) has come and gone, and now we are truely about to enter the video game dry season. I fear last week’s releases were like an oasis somewhere towards the middle of the Sahara Desert. On the plus side, the combined hours spent on playing those games should easily get everyone well into June, just in time for “Metal Gear Solid 4.” It’s closer than you think, and so are today’s prime links:

Jason’s Pick:

Ninten-Don’t… How I watched my children turn into monsters the minute I bought them a computer game: One woman’s story of how not to introduce video games into your children’s lives. Maybe next time she’ll try a Wii instead of a DS, and things might go a little more smoothly.

Patrick’s Pick:

Popular Songs Done In “Mario Paint”: I spent way too much time time messing around with “Mario Paint” when I was younger, but something tells me that no one (including myself!) would want to go back and listen to them.

Tracey’s Pick:

Wii’s dirty secret: A dearth of good games: Yahoo’s Christopher Null examines Gamefunk’s claim that there’s a severe lack of quality games for the Wii. [Note: Original Gamefunk link is still down.]

Stephen’s Pick:

“Okami” creator laments cut credits: Lost in the blizzard of “GTA IV” coverage was this lament from Hideki Kamiya, head of the team that made ”Okami,” aboutthe omission of his team’s credits on the recent Wii port of the game. [Via Kotaku]

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

With all of the attention this week on “GTA IV” and “Mario Kart” this week’s best release may have been overlooked. That’s right, there is actually a better, more creative, intelligent, and refreshing (not to mention cheaper) game that is available right now for all the PS3 and PSP owners out there.

“echochrome,”’s release date was announced about 24 hours before it was actually available, and, for most gamers, fell somewhere between the 50th and 51st “GTA” post they were reading. The download-only title has been one of my most anticipated games since it was announced at last year’s E3, and it absolutely deserves a download by any self-respecting gamer. I highly recommend you add it to your weekend gaming lists. While you let those 84 MBs download, check out today’s link selections:

Patrick’s Pick:

Miyamoto Voted TIME’s Most Influential: This was the reader’s pick, not TIME’s, but it’s pretty cool, nonetheless.

Stephen’s Pick:

Are we what we play? This is the first time, to my knowledge, that something I wrote inspired a suite of essays. Added bonus: these essays by 1up.com writers and editors about how their actions in video games relate to who they are and what they do in real life are really good. 

Jason’s Pick:

Every Gamer’s Nightmare: Taming the Tangled Cord Beast: Games Radar’s Brett Elston ventures into his closet to unravel the mess of cords that have grown over the years.

* R.T.F.A. stands for “Read The Full Article.”

Dear Nintendo,

I’m writing you in hopes that you can address some of the issues that I have had since I began playing “Mario Kart Wii” late last week.

I’m about as big a fan of the “Mario Kart” series as you can be. I remember purchasing “Super Mario Kart” using a $10 coupon from the back of a Nintendo Power. I’m the one guy who played more “Mario Kart 64” than “Golden Eye.” “Double Dash,” and “Super Circuit” were both system-sellers for me. I bought the DS version the day it was released. I’ve even fed more than the cost of any of the aforementioned games into a local “Mario Kart Arcade GP2” arcade machine. In other words, I’ve always loved the game.

But I feel more than letdown with “Mario Kart Wii,” and I was hoping you might be able to explain yourself.

Please don’t get me wrong, there were some aspects of this game that I really enjoyed. In fact, they were some of the things that I expected to dislike the most. Motorcycles, wheelies, and tricks were all new to “MK Wii” and it turns out I really enjoyed taking advantage of them. The new courses are also, for the most part, a standout feature, of which I would have loved to see more. I also applaud your use of the remote’s speaker - it really adds to the experience. For these things I commend you.

However, there are some things that I didn’t like. Read more…