Unless you’ve downloaded the expansion pack to the downloadable PS3 twin-stick shooter “Super Stardust HD,” you will have a hard time convincing me that it’s not the most graphically-impressive game on Sony’s machine.

And, yes, I’ve played “GTA IV.” I’ve seen “Killzone 2.” But nothing quite blows me away like a level of Endless on the $5 “SSHD” expansion called “Solo Pack.”

What exactly have the game’s Finnish developers at Housemarque accomplished?

• They’ve doubled the base game’s output of 10,000 objects on the screen.
• They believe they’ve almost maxed the PS3 graphics chip.
• And now they’re thinking about making music-based levels and revealing to Multiplayer other expansions they have in the works.

Read on for more on all of that, from a developer that is pushing the PS3 to impressive lengths …

[Images Courtesy of IGN]

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“Fatal Inertia,” the futuristic racer once meant to be a PlayStation 3 launch title, will finally arrive at its original destination next month when Koei delivers “Fatal Inertia EX” exclusively via PlayStation Network, MTV Multiplayer can report.

“Fatal Inertia EX” will arrive on PSN in late May for $29.99. Koei does not intend to release the product at retail. By comparison, Sony launched “Warhawk” on PSN, which did have a retail component, at $39.99.

“After the launch of the Xbox 360 version, we had a unique situation that allowed us to reflect on what could be done with the PlayStation 3 version,” said lead producer Mike Bond in an e-mail interview with Multiplayer. “But having watched the growth of the PlayStation Network’s user base and the game’s multiplayer component, we felt the strength of this game would be in its online community.”

“Fatal Inertia EX” comes with a number of new features and gameplay tweaks, lessons learned from the Xbox 360 version’s launch last September.

But given that “Fatal Inertia” was initially a PS3 launch title, we had to get the back story. Bond was ready to talk.

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Demos may be the best way to find out if you like a game, but releasing one might not be in a publisher’s best financial interest, according to a study discussed at last week’s MI6 video game marketing conference.

This is the same study, presented by Gregory Short and Geoffery Zatkin, heads of the Electronic Entertainment Design and Research Group (EEDAR), which recommended marketing teams should work with developers to come up with an Xbox 360 game’s Achievements.

While demos may be effective at producing word-of-mouth, the EEDAR found that the highest selling games on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 produced buzz via Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network with trailers alone.

There are some other interesting bits extrapolate, so let’s look at how the sales break down…

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You’ve read what we thought about “Echochrome,” WipEout HD,” and “Elefunk,” and now you can take a look at these games for yourself.

First up, a look at the high speed action of “WipEout HD”

Next, two lengthy sets of puzzles from “Echochrome.”

(Videos not viewable to users with Canadian or UK IP addresses)
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Want to play “WipEout HD”? You better own an HDTV.

“WipEout HD” is, without a doubt, the best looking futuristic racer to arrive on a console since Sega and Nintendo teamed for “F-Zero GX.”

I wanted to deliver impressions on Friday, but technical hiccups meant that didn’t happen. The extra time paid off, though; I spent the weekend playing through every available race — there are 14 on the playable code Sony provided us — and loved almost every minute of it.

Which minutes didn’t I love? I haven’t really dug into a “WipEout” game since the PS One days, so “WipEout HD” introduced me to the series’ severe learning curve all over again.

After sucking up my pride and switching the difficulty to easy, however, “WipEout HD” opened up and I let the game’s “Rez”-like audio visual dance take over.

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A few weeks ago, Stephen, you were a self-professed fan of bridge architecture, yet I’m the guy schooling you in “Elefunk“?

Honestly, I had more trouble with “Elefunk”’s first level than the second. There isn’t much of a tutorial in “Elefunk,” so discovering each piece’s characteristics is left to the player.

I made the same mistake as you. The elephant starts on the left side of the chasm, so you built to ensure he could cross that first half. Once he managed that, you brought the leftover pieces to the other side and figured those pieces were all you had to work with. But no matter what you did, the elephant always fell, right?

Turn your attention back to the beginning, Stephen. Pull pieces away from the original bridge until it’s stripped to its essentials. These are the pieces you’ll need to apply to the other side in order to support the weight of the elephant and the monkeys.

Add those for extra support, and voila! You’ve finished level two in “Elefunk.”

Patrick, we’re having trouble with this new PSN game “Elefunk.”

Here in New York City where we have many bridges surrounding the island of Manhattan we are nonetheless having trouble completing the bridge needed in just the second level of the game. They give you a peaked path for the elephant to walk up and then down. And they give you one vertical strut and 16 triangular wedges.

But every time I make a bridge and then tell my elephant to march, he handles the incline fine but snaps the bridge on the decline.

Any luck with the game over in San Francisco?

We’re capturing footage of the first several levels of “Echochrome,” a game that has to be seen to really be understood. How many times can I try to tell people there’s a game that crosses “Lemmings” with MC Escher before people stop looking at me funny?

Tilt the levels to make gaps disappear and a little mannequin guy can walk his way through a few ghosts and complete the level.

Simple!

But here are some things for you to know about this game, things I learned from a hands-on with what seems to be a complete version of this May PS3 downloadable game.

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UPDATE: Added release timeframes for the games

UPDATE 2: Echochrome PSP details divulged

Thanks to some thoroughly unconventional machinations I was able to play the next wave of Sony’s downloadable PS3 games last night.

And as has been true to the PS3’s PlayStation Network games for the last year, the new slate of offerings are rich with originality and ambition.

Plus, I’ve learned that “Elefunk” isn’t what it sounds like.

Here’s the run-down of what I’ve got, with impressions coming throughout the afternoon…

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Over the last few weeks I’ve been asking top people at Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony about game demos for the downloadable games offered via Xbox Live Arcade, WiiWare and PlayStation Network.

I can’t get the same answer twice.

Microsoft – yes, demos are a must
Nintendo — no, demos are not required
Sony – sometimes demos are good, sometimes bad.

Keep reading to find out why they feel differently.

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