Gamers have generally been pretty excited about Nintendo’s new Wii U console since it was revealed at yesterday’s press conference, but stock buyers seem less enthused. Following the presser, Nintendo’s stock price plummeted 5% to 16,970 yen (or $212.14 USD), the lowest it has been since before the launch of the Wii.

Daiwa Securities analyst Shuji Hosoi blames doubts about how successful the Wii U will be against tablet PCs and smartphones, saying that those five percentage points can potentially be regained if Nintendo manages to convince investors that the Wii U can offer as fun an experience as a smartphone. Seriously.

Will Nintendo be able to recapture the Wii’s thunder with the Wii U? Stay tuned. For like a year.

Forbes

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Just announced at Microsoft’s E3 press conference, the Xbox 360 version of Mass Effect 3 will support voice commands through the Kinect microphone. Players will be able to read dialog choices out loud and issue commands to their party members in combat.

No word yet on if other versions will also have this feature in same way.

It has also just been revealed that Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier will also use Kinect to issue voice commands, as well as manipulate and upgrade weapons by rotating on-screen images with your hand, ala Iron Man’s kickass computer.

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Whoopsie daisy. It seems that Xbox.com has prematurely spoiled the upcoming Microsoft E3 press conference. Among the leaked games were the expected Halo: Combat Evolved remaster and Halo 4. Also shown: Dance Central 2, and a brand new game called “Ryse.”

The since-pulled leak didn’t show a lot of information about any of these games, but stick around. Microsoft’s press conference is set to begin in half an hour. Be sure to check out our very own liveblog.

GameSpot

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The Pokémon Global Link site allows you to send one of your Pokémon Black/White Pokémon to the Dream World, where it can grow berries, find items, play minigames, and, most importantly, meet Pokémon with unique abilities that are only available in the Dream World. Once your sleeping Pokémon befriends a Dream World Pokémon, it will be sent to the Entralink Forest, where it can be captured in a Dream Ball and be yours to keep.

Click the link below to sync your game with your Pokémon Trainer Club profile and get dreaming, or head past the break for the full press release.

Pokemon Global Link

POKÉMON GLOBAL LINK LAUNCHES AS AN INTERACTIVE ONLINE DESTINATION FOR PLAYERS OF THE POKÉMON BLACK VERSION AND POKÉMON WHITE VERSION VIDEO GAMES

Website Gives Players New Ways to Communicate with Others, Meet Pokémon, and Check Worldwide Battle Rankings and Ratings!

London—April 11, 2011— Themillions of Pokémon Black Version andPokémon White Version video game players around the world can expand their game play experience online with the launch of the Pokémon Global Link on April 13^th. For the first time ever, a Pokémon™ video game incorporates dynamic, customisable, Web-only content and online options that make it even easier to communicate with fellow Pokémon Trainers anytime, anywhere. The Pokémon Global Link also provides fun new ways to interact with Pokémon and introduces battling features found online and in your Pokémon Black Version or Pokémon White Version video game for any system in the Nintendo DS™ family. Starting April 13^th, players can use Game Sync—a feature of the C-Gear in the Pokémon Black Version andPokémon White Version games—to seamlessly sync their game play to the Pokémon Global Link via the Internet at www.pokemon-gl.com. A computer with broadband Internet access and a Pokémon Trainer Club account (which can be easily obtained for free at www.pokemon.co.uk ) are required to log in to the Pokémon Global Link. 

The Pokémon Global Link launches with two main features to enhance the game play of Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, with more exciting content to come. The Pokémon Dream World allows players to interact with their favourite Pokémon characters and other Trainers in a customisable Web-only setting that comes alive with minigames and other fun activities. At the Global Battle Union, players can check weekly ratings online and access to-be-announced battle features in the Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version games.

After a player “tucks in” a Pokémon using Game Sync, he or she can enter that Pokémon’s dreams online in the Pokémon Dream World—a brand-new Pokémon destination with a unique watercolour look. While visiting the Pokémon Dream World, players can befriend various Pokémon not found in the Unova region by successfully completing various minigames. These newly befriended Pokémon can be transferred into Pokémon Black Version orPokémon White Version andtrained for battle! The Pokémon you’ve tucked in will have a home in the Pokémon Dream World that you can customize and decorate as you like, plus a garden where you can grow Berries. Berries and other items discovered in the Pokémon Dream World will be kept in your Treasure Chest and can be transferred into Pokémon Black Version andPokémon White Version. The Pokémon Dream World also allows for easy interaction with other Pokémon Trainers. Visit fellow Trainers’ homes, help them grow Berries, and share items with other players exploring the Pokémon Dream World!

After syncing with the Pokémon Global Link, players can also visit the Global Battle Union to view online battle content and unlock new battle features inPokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version. At the Global Battle Union, players can check their worldwide match Rankings and Ratings. In order for a player’s match Rankings and Ratings to appear in the Global Battle Union, that player must first gain access to Random Matchup Rating Mode in his or her copy of Pokémon Black Version or Pokémon White Version,available only after a player creates a Pokémon Trainer Club account and logs in to the Pokémon Global Link. Results from Random Matchups played in the video games will also appear in the Global Battle Union.

The Pokémon Company International will offer special Pokémon character and item distributions via the Pokémon Global Link throughout the year, allowing players to easily transfer limited-time-only Pokémon and items into their copy of Pokémon Black Version or Pokémon White Version. Right now, players with a Pokémon Trainer Club account can visit www.pokemon.co.uk and try out the Play to Befriend a Pokémon game in the Pokémon Fun Zone for a chance to meet one of Eevee’s seven evolutions in the Pokémon Dream World later this spring! And just as with any other Pokémon befriended in the Pokémon Dream World, players will be able to transfer it into their copy of Pokémon Black Version or Pokémon White Version.

“The PokémonGlobal Link further expands the world of Pokémon and enhances the global connectivity of Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version,” said J.C. Smith, director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company International. “Pokémon has always been about communicating and battling with others, and the Pokémon Global Link has taken that philosophy to a new and exciting level.”

To begin exploring the Pokémon Global Link, please visit www.pokemon-gl.com.

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Hey, remember when Atlus was all “Catherine has not been announced for North America, you know,” and then turned around and announced Catherine for North America? That was weird, right? Atlus seems to be perfectly aware of the humor of the situation, as evidenced by the press release that came with these new Catherine screenshots and trailer, which actually denies the existence of these new Catherine screenshots and trailer. Oh, Atlus! You so crazy! Click past the break for the screens and fun press release.

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BREAKING NEWS: ATLUS RELEASES CATHERINE SCREENSHOTS, TEASER TRAILER IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — MARCH 2, 2011 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today denied releasing new screenshots and a teaser trailer for Catherine, the upcoming HD mature romantic thriller game from the makers of Persona, for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. “You can’t believe every little rumor you hear out there on the internets,” stated Crystal Murray, Atlus PR Specialist. “The internet’s a big series of tubes, and sometimes when everyone’s trying to download their emails at the same time, some of the stuff goes into the wrong tube.” The publisher immediately followed this statement by releasing said assets. The announcement trailer and screenshots will playfully, but tastefully tease fans with what they could expect from the story of the treacherous love triangle between Vincent, Katherine, and Catherine. Fans are encouraged to keep checking out Catherine’s goods on the official website,http://www.catherinethegame.com, where they can hear samples from the soundtrack, view media, and discern if and when Atlus will finally put out… more information. Catherine is currently scheduled to release in Summer 2011 for PlayStation 3 system and Xbox 360 system.  Stay tuned for exciting extras!

About Catherine Vincent likes his girlfriend.  Katherine’s pretty, smart, and successful.  Trouble is, she’s starting to talk about long-term commitment, something Vincent’s spent his entire life avoiding.  Since romantic complications are the last thing he wants to deal with, Vincent meets his friends for their regular night of drinks.  Little does he know that he’s about to be blindsided by a beautiful, seductive, irresistible freight train named Catherine.  Suddenly, he’s hung over in bed next to the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, unsure about the previous night’s events.  Was it just making out, he wonders, or did something more serious happen between them?  Should he tell Katherine?  Will he ever see Catherine again?  Vincent’s about to find that a stumble on the staircase of love can turn into a horrific, fatal plummet… Key Features The Horrors of Love–Vincent’s waking fears, doubts, pressures, and growing guilt about commitment and fidelity now gleefully follow him into his dreams, manifesting as horribly disfigured monsters and a ticking clock. Between a Rock and a Soft Place–The player must navigate Vincent through heavy moral decisions.  As in real life, hardly anything is black and white.  What is the value of honesty?  What is the right thing to do?  Either way, someone’s going to get hurt.  Worse yet, someone could die. The Nightmare of Your Dreams–Under the watch of producer Katsura Hashino, acclaimed director of Persona 3 and Persona 4, famed character artist Shigenori Soejima and master composer Shoji Meguro create sights and sounds unlike anything else.  As unforgettable and original as the game’s narrative, Catherine’s visual direction and musical score define and perfectly complement Vincent’s terrifying ascent into the dizzying perils of love. Escape With or From a Friend–Local competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes, in addition to leaderboards, ensure that the many thrills and horrors of racing through twisted stages can be enjoyed by more than one player and add hours of extra gameplay to the overall experience.

 

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High Voltage Software has revealed that they’re currently in the process of bringing their always-ambitious Wii FPS franchise to the 3DS. Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger seemed excited when discussing development progress with Eurogamer:

Now that we’re winding things down a lot of our resources are on pulling this technology over to 3DS. We are very much pulling over this engine and this technology on this new hardware. [The results are] very good. [...] We’re still early. The resolution is definitely lower, but the screen real estate is smaller so it balances out. We’ve not had a lot of severe optimisation yet, but we’re going to be able to have something very close to this [Conduit 2] on the 3DS probably by GDC. We’ve got environments from this already up and running around. You can shoot, you can select different weapons and you can see enemies. It runs pretty darn well with full 3D and everything.

Shooters haven’t always been particularly comfortable on the DS, but you can always count on High Voltage to push do their best within hardware limitations. In the meantime, Conduit 2 is still coming to the Wii on April 19th.

Eurogamer

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Do you like Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood‘s multiplayer mode (or Assassin’s Creed in general)? How about free stuff? Well, have I got news for you. The official Assassin’s Creed Facebook community is approaching 1,000,000 likes, and to commemorate this momentous occasion, Ubisoft is preparing a few goodies, including the spiffy new Venezia by Night multiplayer map, which will be released for free. Other bonuses include a commemorative shirt (which probably won’t be free), a special Thank You video from the development team, and a 24-hour 15% discount from the UbiWorkshop online store (presumably on everything). Oh, you can also expect some giveaways on Facebook, which could lead to even more freebies, if you happen to be incredibly lucky.

Click the link below to see the official Facebook fanpage. Only 37,000-ish more likes until the big moment. (I counted that on my fingers.)

Official Facebook Community
via Joystiq

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Arcade games and console/PC games are not the same. Aside from the obvious length differences, the penalty for losing is also very different. In PC and home console games, losing usually sends you back to a checkpoint or the beginning of the level. Years ago, the “Game Over” screen actually meant something, as you would be thrown back to the title screen to start over for losing all of your lives! It’s true!

Arcade games, however, don’t work this way. In arcade games, the penalty for failure is the loss of money. If you want to continue playing after dying, you’d better be willing to jam a few more coins into the slot. That’s fair enough, right? Arcade machines are expensive, and arcade owners have to make their money back somehow. Both of these philosophies are similar in that they encourage the player to improve and try their best not to lose.

When arcade games are ported to home consoles, necessary changes are usually made. Continues (credits) are limited, or continuing will send the player back to he beginning of the stage. There has to be some penalty, right? Well, not according to Backbone Entertainment, if the PSN version of the 1992 X-Men arcade game is anything to go by. This version is basically a straight port of the arcade version with a few bells and whistles thrown in. It keeps the arcade version’s credit feeding penalty system, but it doesn’t work. The credits aren’t real any more, so neither is the penalty.

One of the things that makes the X-Men themselves so interesting is the amount of diversity within the team. Among many others are a tiny feral Canadian, an African wind goddess, a Russian farmer made of metal, and a parapalegic telepath. It’s a shame that this game fails so badly at capturing that diversity. All of the characters play almost exactly alike. Everyone has a basic combo, an attack against downed enemies, and two aerial attacks. They all work the same way for each character. The speed, power, and range don’t vary at all. The only thing each character has that sets it apart from the others is their mutant power. Mutant powers are powerful attacks that can kill most enemies with one hit. Unforunately, even there, the only differences are the speed and field of effect of each power. Their strength is the same and they all drain the same amount of health to use. On top of all of that, the lack of a real penalty for death leaves the mutant power attacks incredibly overpowered. There’s no reason not to just spam them until you’re out of health, die, continue, and repeat the process until you reach the end. It’s boring, but it’s less boring than punching a hundred enemies ten or twenty times each. At least spamming mutant powers leaves some small impression of variety among the characters.

This new port adds a few new features. The awful Backbone smoothing filter is present and enabled by default. As always, it turns the sprites into hideous paint-by-number-looking messes. Thankfully, you can turn this filter off from the Options menu before you start playing. Unfortunately, the character portraits and menu screen are permanent victims of the smoothing filter and can’t be saved. One cool little feature is the ability to switch between the American and Japanese ROMs. The biggest difference is that the American ROM drains health for mutant powers before using mutant power items once you no longer have enough health to drain, while the Japanese ROM uses mutant power items first. The Japanese version also allows enemies to drop health and mutant power items, but those are very rare. The most significant addition to this port is online play — up to six people can play together online. Too bad the lag with as few as two players makes online play more of an annoyance than anything of any worth.

Really, there are only two reasons to play this game. The first is nostalgia. If you played the arcade version 18 years ago, playing this new version will probably make you feel like you’re watching an old cartoon or playing with an old toy. (My nostalgia for the early 90′s X-Men team didn’t help me enjoy this game, though, since they’re basically different skins for one generic character.) The second reason is the novelty of playing a six player beat-em-up offline on one console. Not a lot of games take advantage of the PS3′s ability to read more than four controllers at the same time. Any fewer than five players, though, and you’d probably be better off playing Castle Crashers, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game, or any other PSN beat-em-up, since they all offer a lot more depth and value for your money than X-Men. This game has almost no replay value, can be finished in less than 30 minutes, and is so boring and repetitive that even that even those 30 minutes feel way too long.

The Tanooki Rating – 3.0/10

These opinions are those of a single reviewer, and may not reflects the opinions of other writers from The Tanooki nor the site as a whole.

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If you’re a fan of Flash games, you’ve probably played Auditorium before. The browser-based demo was a big hit when it debuted a couple of years ago, and the full game went on to win several awards from various organizations and publications. An iPod version was eventually released, and now the indie hit has made its way to home consoles via the PS3.

If you’re unfamiliar with Auditorium, it’s a puzzle game in which the player guides particles of light to create various sounds. “Containers” are scattered about the screen and the player must use interactive “controllers” to modify the flow of light and guide it through color-changing fields and around obtacles to reach them. Each container plays a track from a song when filled. Every song has a certain number of levels attached to it, and once all of the levels for a song are completed, you’re treated to all of the tracks simultaneously playing the song in its entirety. It’s definitely a satisfying reward for solving puzzles.

It’s a shame that the only way to hear these songs again is to go back and replay levels. A sound test mode would have been appreciated, as the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful. There were times I would finish the last level in a song and just set the controller down and close my eyes and listen. (It would be somewhat more relaxing if the music didn’t skip a beat when it looped, though.)

The PS3 version comes with over twice as many levels as previous versions. The original levels — all 72 of them — are included in the “classic” playlist, and the “modern” playlist brings 78 more. The new levels are just as good as the old ones, and even introduce a new obstacle not found in the original game. The key to solving most of the puzzles is balance. There are multiple solutions to most puzzles, but the trick is always to adjust the strength and position of each controller so they work together in perfect harmony to direct the flow of light. Well, almost always, anyway. Some of the more frustrating puzzles can be solved by using the attract controller (which draws in particles and causes them to orbit around its center) and flailing it around the screen to dump particles into containers it otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach if it was stationary. It feels like cheating, but you’re actually rewarded with a trophy the first time you do this, so maybe it’s not such a cheap trick.

Aside from the new levels, support for 3D TVs has also been added to this version, as has support for the Move controller. If you have a Move, you’ll definitely want to use it when playing Auditorium HD. It works basically the same as the mouse does in the PC version. You point, click, and drag to move and manipulate controllers. Comparatively, the standard Sixaxis and DualShock 3 control schemes feel much more sluggish and awkward. Controllers move very slowly and are selected by cycling through them with the L1 and R1 buttons. It’s annoying, but it’s not too bad since there’s no time limit or reward for completing puzzles quickly.

Unfortunately, Auditorium HD still feels like a Flash game. It didn’t really receive any graphical improvements when ported. In fact, the intro video is just as choppy and rough as it was when you played it in your browser two years ago. (Thankfully, the in-game graphics don’t look bad and the particles and controllers move perfectly smoothly.) The game feels like it would have benefited from a bit more polish and care during the porting process, but any complaints I have about that are negated by the fact that a whole new game’s worth of levels were created for this version. I’ll happily take more content over more polish in this case.

Auditorium HD is a pretty unique experience. The puzzles are challenging and it’s definitely more than an interactive screen saver, but the appeal is similar to that of games like Flow and Flower. Auditorium HD simply feels good to play. Next time you’re feeling stressed and need to relax, consider giving this game a try.

The Tanooki Rating – 8.5

These opinions are those of a single reviewer, and may not reflects the opinions of other writers from The Tanooki nor the site as a whole.

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Flash game darling Auditorium HD is coming to the PS3 tomorrow via the PSN, as the title suggests, in HD. For those not familiar with the original Flash version, it’s a game about redirecting light particles to create ambient sounds. These spiffy new HD graphics are sure to make it look as beautiful as it sounds. An XBLA versoin is also in the works, though when exactly it’s coming is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, take a look past the break for the screens, and expect a full review of the PS3 version in the coming days.

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Remember Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove? Probably not. Natsume showed it at E3 this year and it hasn’t shown up anywhere since then. It’s a DS/WiiWare game with similar gameplay to that of Elite Beat Agents. Gabrielle is a terribly unlucky girl who accidentally sneezes her soul out of her body and has to dance to remixes of classical music (as well as some new tunes) to get it back for some reason. Hey, it’s a setting, ok?

Anyway, we haven’t heard anything about this game or its previously-announced release window of “Q4 2010″, so I showed some initiative for the first time in my life and emailed Natsume about it. It seems that the game has been delayed until somewhere in the first half of 2011. Why? Well, there’s a reason, but it’s a secret reason. Check back for more information once an announcement is made.

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The Tanooki Rating – 7.8/10

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As you progress, the stages get more complicated. The enemies change from classic Space Invaders aliens to complicated battleships. Minibosses appear more frequently. The backgrounds become more vibrant and colorful, and the music becomes more complicated. It begins and ends with a minimalist graphical style, but the simple (or non-existent) textures and trippy backgrounds create a uniquely modern version of a retro style. The graphics evolve so much that, by the end, the camera occasionally switches to an alternate viewpoint from behind your ship, as opposed to above it. (The graphics become 3D, but the gameplay stays 2D. You can move forwards and backwards and from side to side, but not up and down. The action is still stuck on a 2D plane.)Your ship can evolve, too. You start off with the classic Space Invaders ship, which can only move from side to side. You quickly unlock new abilities, such as the ability to move in any direction and phase through enemy fire after firing your own shots. Of course, you also unlock new ships (which the game simply refers to as new weapons). These are great. Each weapon feels completely unique. There’s the standard Space Invaders ship that fires normal shots straight up, there’s a ship that fires a homing laser, a ship that generates a circular field around itself and fires at everything inside of it, and more.

My personal favorite is the Wave weapon, which fires a horizontal line that gets longer the farther it moves from your ship — great for clearing out large groups of enemies. That’s important, considering that the enemies never stop coming. They are relentless, and it’s wonderful. It’s not uncommon to come up against a sea of weak enemies that you literally need to blast a path through to avoid death. There’s a chain counter that keeps track of how many enemies you’ve killed in a row, and breaking 1,000 is pretty common. You can also “evolve” a bunch of extras. I don’t know how one “evolves” a sound test song or a bonus level, but I’m not complaining. (Bonus levels are essentially regular levels that don’t fit in the main campaign.)

The stage evolutions are basically confined to the Normal mode, but there are two other modes which can be played to further evolve your ship. The Challenge mode is a series of 99 randomly generated stages. I don’t like randomly generated stages in most games because I’m old fashioned and prefer my levels actually be designed, but it works in this type of game.

My favorite mode is the Music mode. Music mode takes the songs stored on your hard drive and makes levels out of them. It doesn’t work quite like Audiosurf, though. Curiously, slower songs produce more frantic and difficult stages. When I tried a stage based on the Pictobits theme song, I didn’t make it past the intro. Faster songs are a bit easier but also more fun. Especially high energy chip tunes. Those are fun, and they fit the retro style of the game perfectly.I can’t recommend Space Invaders Infinity Gene enough. It’s one of the best games on the PlayStation Network, and one of those games that, like Super Mario Galaxy, reminds me why I play video games in the first place. It’s just pure, nonstop shmup fun that isn’t afraid to tug at your nostalgia strings, but has the gameplay to back up the contemporary-yet-retro style. Pick this one up, or at least try the demo. You won’t regret it.

The Tanooki Rating: 9.5

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I’ve played a few Worms games over the years, but the one I spent the most time with, by far, was Worms Armageddon, which came out in 1999. When I first started playing the demo of this most recent release, Worms 2: Armageddon, I thought it was an update of that game. In fact, Worms 2: Armageddon has nothing to do with either Worms 2 or Worms Armageddon, other than being in the same series. The Worms formula has just changed so little in the past 11 years, it’s hard to tell the difference at a glance. (Well, figuratively speaking, anyway. The graphics in this newest installment are in full 1080p HD.)

Still, that tried and tested gameplay holds up well. If you’re unfamiliar with Worms, it’s a turn-based strategy game that takes place on a 2D plane with destructible environments and weapons that can often be described as “insane.” For every bazooka or grenade, there’s a flying sheep or bunch of exploding mortar bananas. Most of these weapons are affected by the wind and gravity. For example, if your opponent is on the other side of a hill, you’ll have to factor in the power of your shot, the trajectory of your aim, and the strength and direction of the wind if you want to hit your target. (It sounds complicated, but a bit of trial and error is all you need to get used to it.)

The real appeal of Worms 2: Armageddon, though, is the level of customization. You can create your own team, assigning their individual names, and changing their skin color, hats (the PlayStation version even includes a few exclusive hats based on games like Killzone and LittleBigPlanet), and voices as a group. There are a few preset game setups to choose from in multiplayer mode, or you can create your own. You can customize everything from your starting arsenals to the ability to move without the assistance of the grappling hook-like ninja rope.

The single player mode includes 35 missions, most of which are straight forward combat missions, with a few puzzle or obstacle course style missions thrown in for good measure. Once you’re finished with the campaign mode (and have earned enough money to unlock all of the extra weapons and other items in the shop), you can move on to the multiplayer mode. Local multiplayer can be played with any combination of 2 to 4 human or non-human players. Since it’s a turn based strategy game, all human players can share one controller. It’s fun alone or with a friend, and the inclusion of online multiplayer and the randomly generated stages mean you never have to stop playing. I hesitate to use the word “addictive” since it’s thrown around way too much these days, but it’s the perfect word to describe the 2D Worms games, Worms 2: Armageddon included.

I do have a few gripes, though. Team sizes are mysteriously limited to 4 worms each. The basic gameplay is simple enough, but some things are still a matter of trial and error. It would be nice if there were tutorials for more of the weapons. For example, if you don’t know what a Super Sheep does in advance, you might not realize that you can control its direction once it launches into the air and starts flying. Some of the options when creating a multiplayer game scenario are a little confusing, too. My first attempt at creating a scenario resulted in two stationary worms sitting right next to each other, and I couldn’t figure out how to fix it so I just scrapped it and started over. (My second attempt resulted in gaming bliss, if you’re curious.)

One particular bit of ridiculousness is the fact that the PSN version costs $15 while the XBLA version, released over a year ago, only cost $10. What do you get for the extra $5? No, not the DLC that was eventually released for the XBLA version. You get five hats and more Trophies than the XBLA version had Achievements. It’s nice that there’s a Platinum trophy available in this version, I guess, but, the fact that I’m never going to be able to unlock it aside, I would rather not pay $5 for the thing.

Still, Worms 2: Armageddon is about as good a game as Worms has ever been. There’s a demo available in the PSN Store, so it’s easy enough to try before you buy. Even with the inflated price, it has enough customization options to stay fresh for a long time, and addictive enough to keep you playing. And honestly, What other game lets you create a team of Sackboy-headed Sean Connery-accented annelids that can summon giant breying donkey statues from the sky?

The Tanooki Rating- 8.0

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Xbox 360 owners got their grubby little fingers on Worms 2: Armageddon way back in July of 2010, and as of last night (or today, in Europe), PlayStation 3 owners now get to join the fun.

Worms 2: Armageddon plays a lot like the classic Worms: Armageddon PC game of yore, but with a slew of new features. The PSN version includes full 1080p HD graphics, trophy support, online play, and some spiffy new Sony-endorsed game-themed hats. (All of your Worms can have Sackboy heads! It’s a dream come true!)

Check out the launch trailer above, the gallery and the full press release after the cut.

Worms™ 2 Armageddon launches today, 14^thSeptember 2010

Smash hit sequel arrives on PlayStation^®Network across SCEA territories.

Not content to rest on their laurels after a string of successful releases across multiple platforms this summer, Team17 are proud to announce the release of Worms™ 2 Armageddon to the PlayStation®Network across SCEA territories for the PlayStation®3 system.

Featuring an in-depth single-player Campaign Mode, Tutorials and Firing Ranges along with multi-player online and offline game modes, it is now even easier to jump in and get involved with the world of Worms™. Playable in full 1080p, this is Team17’s best looking Worms™ title yet and with full trophy support and customization options this is a Worms™ title that is guaranteed to last the test of time, in both a gameplay and a visual sense.

Martyn Brown, Business Development Director at Team17, says; “We’re delighted to finally bring Worms™ 2: Armageddon to PSN and we’re sure it’ll provide a huge hit with fans of the game, especially with the great new customisation options and the addition of some new and classic weaponry for this platform. We’ve taken time to really polish this edition and it looks fantastic in 1080p and as usual, provides endless hours of mayhem on or offline.”

PSN users can even play a free trial of Worms™ 2 Armageddon before unlocking the full game; a feature limited demo version comprised of a select few single-player Campaign levels and one offline multi-player game style. This is a great opportunity for the uninitiated to find out just why Worms™ games have been incredibly popular for over 15 years!

Key Features:

• Up to 1080p resolution for amazing visuals and detail.
• Tons of voices and customisation options.
• Full online or offline multi-player for up to four players over a wealth of game modes – beginner, intermediate, pro, races, forts and crazy crates!
• Hilarious Sony endorsed hats for the Worms to wear out on the battlefield – Sackboy, Motorstorm, Lemmings, Helghast and Buzz hats are all available for unlocking!
• All new improved landscape generator for unlimited random level design
• Play standard or ranked games in a bid to scale the leaderboards.
• 27 Trophies to collect.
• Headset supported.

Check out the new launch trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G8wjMNOOhg.

Worms™ 2: Armageddon can be purchased via the PlayStation®Network at the following price:

• $14.99

Worms™2: Armageddon carries the following age ratings:

• ESRB – E10+, Mild Cartoon Violence

More information on Worms™2: Armageddon can be found at www.team17.com and http://www.facebook.com/WormsTeam17 .

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