Team XLink has just released a new version of XLink Kai, a program that allows you to play System Link and Ad Hoc games globally over the internet.  The best thing is, its absolutely free!

Via [ Team XLink ]

The first details are emerging about Rock Band 2, and it looks like EA and Harmonix are doing a lot of things right with the sequel. This proves to be a welcomed change of pace from some of EA's other franchises (*cough*, *cough*, Madden).  It looks the game will be hitting the 360 this September, followed by the Wii, PS3, and PS2 versions "later in the year".

Quote:

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1. Better Hardware
According to Harmonix: "Quieter, more realistic, and more reliable instruments..."

2. Third Party Hardware
"We're also actively welcoming new peripheral makers to make instruments for our game. Just like real instruments, we want players to be able to choose what instruments they use..."

3. Backwards Compatibility
Songs you purchased for Rock Band will work for Rock Band 2. Future Rock Band songs will work for both games.

4. More Meaning
"We have several new modes that not only provide new ways for you to experience your music library, but also new ways for you to transition from Expert to real instruments..."

---

 
Backwards compatibility is a huge plus, and to me a definite advantage over Guitar Hero IV. It's good to finally see the songs I buy not become a complete waste when I sell the old game to buy the sequel (I'm looking at you, Guitar Hero II). Plus, with the "quieter, more realistic, and reliable instruments" (read: We added a sunburst to the guitar.), I may actually spend more time playing my drums/guitar, and less time sending them in for repair. I'm sold.

Really though, more meaning? If Harmonix ever really wants to create a true parallel between the Rock Band guitar and the real guitar, they're gonna need a bit more than five buttons. But hey, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt with the "transition from Expert to real instruments..." thing. They did a pretty damn good job making the guitar look "real" this time around, so I suppose anything is possible.

Wiibrew Pack Generator Online!

                        Wiibrew Pack Generator!    

Ulti has released a new version of his game, Missile Command, adding sound effects and background music.

Hey, it's missile command time! This uses the excellent libwiisprite for graphics and Sndlib BETA 1.0 for sound. The background music is Epoq - Lepidoptera, available for free from the Kahvi Collective. The sound effects were made by me spitting on my microphone.

Current Version

0.4a - Added background music and sound effects (contact me on IRC if you think you can do a better job with the sound effects)

Changelog

0.3a - Added split missiles, missiles now have trajectory lines

0.2a - Added silo health and ammo, marginally better sprites

0.1a - Initial release

Via [ WiiBrew ]

This would probably qualify as "old news", but with the recent release of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, I figured I'd refresh this leak of sorts regarding the next band to get Activition's exclusive treatment.  Plus, being a big Metallica fan myself, I kinda felt obligated...

 An Activision filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission contains confirmation that the company is planning to release a Metallica version of the massively popular Guitar Hero game in early 2009, ending months of speculation about which band would be featured next.

Gaming sites are already abuzz with the news, but it was actually uncovered by a somewhat unlikely character: Edward Woo, a securities analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities. The sentence he unearthed reads, "In fiscal 2009, we plan to publish Guitar Hero: On Tour for the NDS; Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero: Metallica, and Guitar Hero IV across multiple platforms."

The Aerosmith version of the game had already been announced, but this is marks the first time Activision has confirmed -- however unintentionally -- that Metallica will be the next band to receive the full-on Guitar Hero treatment.

Metallica's blazing riffs make them a natural fit for the game, and the group has shown a newfound willingness to leverage the internet. Hetfield, Ulrich and co. launched a Mission: Metallica site to reach out to fans and draw them in with free pre-release audio clips and in-studio video footage.

However, Mission: Metallica faced a major backlash from fans who called its effort "too little too late" and said they would buy the next Metallica album just in order to share it online.

Some fans of the band came to its defense; they may have to do so again if Guitar Hero: Metallica elicits a similar reaction when it's released (before the end of March 2009, according to the filing).

If I were Lars Ulrich, I'd tell Activision to add a tongue-in-cheek mission to Guitar Hero: Metallica in which the band slowly progresses from fighting the internet to realizing that it represents a way forward. Maybe at the end of the mission, the band could release a videogame similar to this one.

One way or the other, Metallica (and, by extension, Activision), need to address the continuing PR problem that began when Ulrich rode the elevator to Napster's headquarters with those printouts of Metallica-sharing Napster users.

A friend of mine was in that elevator at the time, and he said the mood was pretty tense; maybe it's time for Metallica to exorcise the Napster demon by acknowledging the problem, poking a bit of fun at itself and dissolving that tension once and for all.

Via [ WIRED ]

We've always wanted to have a real life lightsaber battle.  Everyone has... really.  So now the wait is almost over the game "Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels" is coming to the Wii, and as its name suggests, you'll finally get to use you're Wiimote as a lightsaber.  There will be a similar game coming out for the nintendo DS.  Unfortunately both of these games will be based off of the new cartoon version of Star wars coming soon to theaters.  This means that we won't see spectacular effects and life like heads falling off, but we will see a spiffy cartoon attepmt at it.  More info is on its way and a trailer is set to air sometime soon, so be ready! 

Twilight Hack Update Works on Version 3.3!

Source: HackMii

Download: HackMii | Mirror

In the newest issue of the United Kingdom gaming mag “GamesTM”, a dude called videogamer247 shed some light on the upcoming Call of Duty game.  It is now officially known as Call of Duty: World at War.  For this installment, the game will take you back to World War II.

For the first time ever, the game will include a co-op campaign and vehicles and squad-based elements in multiplayer mode.

It is also confirmed that COD5 will be making it way to the Wii as well as the PS3, XBOX 360, and PC.

It is said that it will be run under the same COD 4 engine, but under different teams.  This is mainly due to the fact that the Wii copy will include compatibility to the Wii zapper and other exclusive peripherals. 

To give you guys a gist of the intensity of the game, here is a quote from videogamer247:

      “The opening scene of the first level we are shown is a Japanese commander stubbing a cigarette out in the eye of a         prisoner before slitting his throat - the blood splatters and dribbles down the side of the tent you are being held in.   He turns towards you to deal out the same treatment but help arrives just in time. Cue a daring level-long escape.”

As of now, however, there has been no release date announced.

Well we are back! Thanks to MonkeyMaximus (I bother that man constantly for you members) the news maker is back up. Over the past week or so when we tried to post some news it would give a file permission error. Now it is fixed

so expect some updates on all of your favorite consoles.

BKF/ Staff 06-13-2008

Wii homebrew developer Bushing has created a home-made fix for Wiis that have been semi-bricked by wrong region updates or homebrew mishaps. The files used are edited system updates designed to be put on a disc to be run in a NTSC (American) Wii. Burning the files to a disc and running it recovers the Wii's system software to version 289. This is not quite as effective as the Pandora's Battery, as this fix can ONLY be used on an AMERICAN Wii and it may not fix all bricks (notably total bricks). There is no read-me included, so be careful and do reading on Wii homebrew before attempting. The files can be downloaded Here. Good luck!

[sources: qj.net, tehskeen]

The National Purchase Diary released their monthly sales report, with only 1,969,800 next generation consoles sold. The Nintendo Wii was in first at 714,000 sales, 36% of all sales that month. Nintendo DS sold 414,800, and the PSP sold 192,700. The Xbox 360 was fourth place this time, at 188,000. The PS3 ranked fifth with only 187,100, very much less than expected. Though many estimates for sales were off by large numbers, it was a good month for Nintendo and the Wii.

[source: qj.net]