Sonic Team Responds to Sonic 4 Physics Complaints

Unhappy with the physics in Sonic 4: Episode 1? Well, you're not alone. Fans have been vocal in causing an uproar that the physics don't match those of the Genesis classics, which has garnered a response from Sonic Team itself. Sonic Team producer Takashi Iizuka however was quite adamant about the changes and believes they're for the better. "In this title, we have not done a straight port of the gameplay from the Genesis games, but rather updated it with actions which could not be done in the previous titles, like ceiling-running."

All is not lost however and if you complain loudly enough, the changes may be reversed, but it's doubtful there will be a patch for the first episode.

"These changes probably made for a different feel to the longtime Sonic fans. We're happy for feedback like this, and we'll make sure we can improve the quality even further in upcoming titles."

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 will be released sometime in 2011.

Nathan Drake to be Played by Mark Whalberg in Uncharted Movie

We have a very strange decision here folks. Most will be disappointed to hear that Nathan Drake will be played by Mark Wahlberg in the upcoming Uncharted movie directed by David O. Russel. Sure Nolan North, the voice of Nate would have been a good choice, but Hollywood isn't willing to gamble on an relatively unknown voice actor to star in a big budget Hollywood movie. Still, Mark Wahlberg is nothing like Nate. The looks, personality and voice are all completely different as I'm sure 99.9% of fans would agree. He made a good Max Payne, but a wisecracking hero? I think not. According to Mark Wahlberg, Robert DeNiro has been contacted to play Nate's father, while Joe Pesci is confirmed to play his uncle. They don't exist in the video game, so you can count on additional liberties taken with the story.

NFL Blitz Remake Coming From EA Sports?

It seems the NBA Jam license wasn't the only one EA acquired from Midway. Apparently EA bought a few sport licenses when Midway when bankrupt including NFL Blitz, which rumor has to be currently in development and the next game to follow this Christmas release of NBA Jam. Reviving classic games with modern graphics and updates seems to be going down well with consumers and if NFL Blitz can capture the addictive arcade gameplay of the original like NBA Jam has, it's sure to be a commercial success.

It will be a long wait though, don't expect to see NFL Blitz released before 2012. In the meantime, expect some more announcements in the future of past Midway sport titles getting a fresh release by EA.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Sets New Records

We know the Call of Duty brand is a license to print money, but did you know each release is more commercially successful than the last? Black Ops, the latest installment of the Call of Duty franchise by Treyarch, has broken the previous sales record of biggest launch in entertainment history held by last years Modern Warfare 2.

Black Ops sold 5.6 million copies in Europe and North America on launch day alone, raking in US$360 million. Modern Warfare 2 in comparison sold 4.7 million copies in the same time frame for a total of US$310 million. Activision needn't be worried about the mass of Infinity Ward employees(Modern Warfare 2 developer) jumping ship last year and joining the EA camp after all.

Ubisoft Announces Delays to Two Titles

Assassins Creed: Brotherhood is still set to be released on time this holiday season, but Ubisoft has pushed back the release of two titles meant to be released in the first quarter of 2011.

Driver: San Francisco was originally slated to be released on the 26th of November this year and was delayed until early 2011 back in June. The game along with Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Future Warrior, which had the same release date, have now been pushed back to sometime between April 2011 to March 2012.

The reason for the delay of Driver: San Francisco has been attributed to quality control and making sure the game is up to par with competition. Most fans no doubt still remember the mess that was Driv3r and they're sure to appreciate any extra time given to polish up the game.

Trapped, and facing impossible foes: ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection for PlayStation3™ is announced and available for preorder today!

Revisit the classics, Sony Computer Entertainment digitally remastered two award winning games on the PlayStation2™. What has been eerie in ICO's castle becomes downright creepy and the gigantic statues in Shadow of the Colossus look like deities on your HD screen. The games have PlayStation® Network Trophy Support, so collectors, think you have the gaming muscles to clear the stages and collect everything?

Become the sacrifice. ICO is a strange boy with horns. In the name of protecting the village, his people left him in a deserted castle where evil spirits dwell. Here, trapped within the cold stone walls of the impregnable fortress, the boy's sense of reality and fantasy blur, he begins dreaming about a girl whom he has to save, and the clues about his past and his fate.


If the castle in ICO is impregnable, the Colossi is right next to impossible. But they hold the key to revival, and unless all of them are defeated, your loved one will never wake. So set off on your horse, equip your sword and off you go on your adventures. All of the Colossi have but one weakness, find it in time before it crushes you like an ant.

ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection comes in April 2011. If you have not played them on the PlayStation2™, by all means, try them out on the PlayStation3™, for all veterans, get the game and be impressed once again.

Gran Turismo 5 Release Date?

The release date for Gran Turismo 5 has been changed more times than I can remember, with repeated delays and even the officially confirmed October release date being pushed back once again. But no more! According to IGN UK, the game is set to be released on the 26th of November for the EU and the 27th for the US, with promises of no more delays. Strangely enough, Europe will be getting the game a day earlier and that doesn't happen very often.

However, that's not all. There's rumors of GT5 retail discs being spotted around Europe and even some online retail stores claiming to have the game in stock already! Sony is still keeping quiet about all this. Buyers beware and I recommend buying the game from a reputable online store. If the release date is accurate, you won't need to wait much longer.

Info Revealed About Two Games Cancelled by Team Ninja

Team Ninja was working on two new games back when Tomonobu Itagaki, of Dead or Alive fame, was still part of the studio. His resignation more than two years ago over monetary disputes resulted in Dead or Alive Chronus and Project Progressive being canceled, but the information has only been revealed now by Team Ninja boss Yosuke Hayashi. In a recent interview with Japanese magazine Famitsu, he revealed that both projects have been canceled.

Not much progress had been made at the time, with both games in early stages of development. The team is now focusing on Ninja Gaiden 3, Ni-oh and a Dead or Alive game for the 3DS.

Play-Asia.com presents: Kamikaze Gear by Pebble: Cool accessories for all systems and situations!

A bombardment of pouches, cases, battery packs and all sorts of accessories have crashed into our warehouse like the Kamikaze. Previously selling under their company name, Germany's third party manufacturer Pebble Entertainment recently re-branded their extensive portfolio of accessories and introduced their new brand Kamikaze Gear. Kamikaze Gear provides all sorts of decoration options to make your gaming more hip and active. And with this new name, the company has come up with even more products for you at friendly prices.

Of course there are the standard things such as protection films and cases, but there are more specific equipments such as the Prince Tennis Racket for the Nintendo Wii™ gamers. There are quite a lot of tennis games on that console, and you can make your match even more exciting by turning the remote control into a real racket by slipping it into the handle. Produced in collaboration with the sports equipment company Prince, this racket gives you the most realistic feel as you show off your forehand and backhands in the court.


If you're in the mood for personalization and decoration, there is a range colorful products such as modding skins. Give your hand held consoles a layer of protection, these colorful stickers will prevent the minor scratches, and when they get old, you can just peel them off and replace them with new ones.

The color and style spread beyond the modding skins to the pouches and cases, of course there are black ones and camouflage ones which offer a lot of protection, and there are others that spot puppy dogs, swirly patterns and other fancy designs.

Get a pack if you have a new console, they provide the case, head phones and straps and the basic maintenance tools such as cleaning clothes. Again, some of them are basic while other have more glitter.

Most of the products are for Nintendo DS™ series (i.e, from DS™ Lite to the DSi™ LL), but if you own other gaming devices, there still are things that take care of your needs.

If you want to find the full list of Kamikaze Gear Products, come read our special news.

Medal of Honor Sells Enough to Gaurantee a Sequel

EA made it clear they would only create a sequel to the new Medal of Honor if it sold well. Without a number, it was hard to guess just how many copies would need to be sold to guarantee said sequel. While we still don't know what the number was to satisfy the VIP's at EA, we do know that pretty much a green light has been given for the development of the next game in the franchise after having sold two million copies worldwide.

Eurogamer spoke with John Riccitiello from EA who said that "The game has exceeded our plan and expectations - sell-through and sell-in."

"It is an absolutely clear success on a business front. Consumer feedback has been strong, suggesting we've got a franchise now that we can successfully sequel in the future. I think it's the first step for this franchise back into the marketplace."

Looks like EA will now attempt to beat the Call of Duty franchise with their own modern warfare shooter.

Nintendo Posts First Half-Year Net Loss in Seven Years

Nothing lasts forever, but Nintendo had an incredibly long and prosperous time in the gaming industry, with seven years of profits to their name. The last three years resulted in huge profits thanks to the popularity of the Wii, but dwindling sales have resulted in the first half-year net loss of JP¥ 2.01 billion (about US$25 million) for the company.

Nintendo believes this downturn may continue until next year. However with the profit same time last year reaching JP¥ 69.49 billion (US$865 million) and the 3DS just around the corner, I doubt they have much to worry about.