It's a Dead Rising holiday, spread the cheer!

X3F reader Andy sent us a few pictures of his Yule holiday present that we thought was unique enough to share with the masses. Not because he received a handy shower head, some snacks and a jug of orange juice, but because every present he received was tagged with a Dead Rising style item pickup screen. Seriously, check out the cardboard box full of Dead Rising themed goodies and wish your family and friends were as gift giving creative.

 

Twitter's fake Cliffy B gets shut down

If ever there was non-news, this is it but recent tips have forced our hand. Emails have flooded our inbox (and my Xbox Live messages) regarding comments made by Cliffy_B on Twitter. "After much testing, it looks like matchmaking is permanently broken ... There are new maps though, only 800 Microsoft Points!" read a recent update enraging gamers that the designer would mock issues plaguing the multiplayer of Gears of War 2. However, as most of the internet is aware, Cliffy_B on Twitter isn't the real Cliff Bleszinski and now the account has been suspended from activation. The trend of creating obvious fake Twitter accounts isn't a new phenomenon. Recently, a fake Kanye West account was shut down after comments were made about Stephen Colbert in his quest to top the iTunes sales charts, currently topped by the award-winning rapper. Shaquille O'Neal has also been in the middle of his own Twitter-versy (that's like if controversy made it with Twitter) which forced the champion NBA baller to create his own account in retaliation -- which by the way is fantastic reading material. So, it wasn't really Cliff and he wasn't really laughing about broken multiplayer and charging for maps. All cleared up, now? Great. Moving on...

 

Chew on these successful XBLA stats and figures

Feeling a bit reflective, today Microsoft put out a press release with the sole reason of gloating about the success of the Xbox Live Arcade over the years and especially in 2008. Read over the bulleted list and try to guesstimate how many Microsoft points have been spent on XBLA titles over the years. 1.25 billion Gamerscore unlocked to date. 100 million achievements earned to date. 60+ XBLA titles score 75 or higher on metacritic. Braid is highest rated XBLA game of all time. 110 million trial XBLA games have been downloaded to date. The Summer of Arcade saw a 58% increase in unique members purchasing game titles. August broke revenue record by 67%.

 

Shipping this week: Cribbing from Joystiq edition

We're not going to go so far as to literally copy and paste Joystiq's "New games this week" post, but we are definitely stealing the angry Santa picture. The picture tells a story, see. That story is this: there are no new Xbox 360 games coming out this week. You see that misshapen, haphazardly wrapped present under the tree? It's not a new game. It's a special gift from Santa or, to be more specific, a gift from Santa's reindeer. He said that Rudolph "made it himself," whatever that means. Protip: don't open it.

 

Holiday wishes from Criterion sends the Jansen 88 Special in flight

If you told us in January that we'd still be excited about Burnout Paradise a year after it released, we'd call you crazy. Games, as we all know, tend to lose their luster over time unless something drastic revitalizes our love affair with them. What could jolt us back into Paradise City? 1.21 Gigawatts? Close. The Jansen 88 Special, one of four new vehicles hitting the streets of Paradise City in the New Year. This virtual DeLorean clone features retractable tires, sending the nuclear-powered car into the air at breakneck speeds. Just remember to save those points kids because this DLC asks a price. Great Scott! Hey, for the amount of free DLC Criterion Games threw at us all year, who can complain? Check out Criterion Games' holiday greeting video featuring the Jansen 88 Special, embedded above. To learn more about 1.21 Gigawatts, jump in for an informative music video.

 

Cozy up to the virtual Xbox 360 fireplace

During this time of year, we begin feeling envious of those who are lucky enough to own a fireplace and can snuggle up next to it with a hot cup of cocoa and oversized blanket. For those who are beginning to feel the fireplace envy creep in, we recommend navigating to the Community Games section and downloading the newly released virtual fireplace. For "only" 400 Microsoft points, you can download Fireplace and own your very own Xbox 360 fireplace. This Fireplace "game" comes complete "realistic smoldering embers and flickering" and requires no skill to ignite. Check out the amazing Fireplace video after the break and wonder exactly why you haven't yet made the purchase.

 

This week, Puzzle Arcade jiggies up the XBLA

Today, we have a proud moment to celebrate at X3F headquarters, because we're pleased to tell you that we came out victorious at competing in "guess which XBLA game will release prior to its official Microsoft announcement." This week, just as speculated, the Xbox Live Arcade receives Puzzle Arcade. On Wednesday, December 24th for 800 Microsoft points (ouch!), you'll be able to download Ctxm/Say Design's Puzzle Arcade. Complete with 35 jigsaw puzzles, a few different modes, and lots of promised DLC, Puzzle Arcade lets you enjoy the excitement that is putting together a jigsaw puzzle, but on your Xbox 360. 'Nuff said.

 

Mysterious Prototype clock counts down

By pointing your clicker here and visiting the official Prototype website, you'll find yourself staring at an age gate. But that isn't the big news. After you successfully sidestep the age gating mechanism, you'll find the real news; a countdown clock. That's right, there's a Prototype countdown clock ticking-tocking its way along and counting down to a mysterious event that's a little over two weeks away. Wait ... two weeks is about the time CES 2009 kicks off. Second thought, the countdown probably has something to do with all those leaked CES assets. Mystery (not officially) solved. [Via IGN]

 

Overlord II DLC to be available 'closer to release'

As development winds down on Triumph and Codemasters' upcoming sequel Overlord II, we're comforted with the fact that downloadable content is planned, is in the works and will be available closer to the game's retail release. "The DLC for Overlord 1 was an experiment for both Triumph and Codemasters, but perhaps it came a little too late after the release to appeal to all Overlord's players," admitted creative director Lennart Sas. "The plan for Overlord II is to have the DLC out closer to release," adding that "Overlord II is already a lot prettier than the original." A prettier Overlord that is (hopefully) less buggy, full of content and already has timely DLC planned? We applaud the effort. Just don't make the DLC feel like it should have been in the retail copy and we'll be cool.

 

MotoGP 08 demo shifts onto the XBLM

Racing onto the Xbox Live Marketplace this morning is a new 377MB MotoGP 08 demo. And we wish we could tell you some information about the demo or what's included prior to your download, but Capcom has only given us "Download this demo" descriptor text. No matter, we figure MotoGP fanboys will insta-download the demo and those who aren't interested will turn their nose up in demo disgust.

 

'Whole slew of downloadable PSP and PSone titles' coming from Capcom in 09

Is the game drought over? We hope so. Capcom's John Diamonon hinted at increased PSP support in 2009 in a recent post on the PlayStation.Blog. "So what's in store for 09? Well, I'm working with Grace and Ro at SCEA to come up with some innovative ways we can offer games and programs on the PlayStation Store. You can expect to see a whole slew of downloadable PSP and PSone titles from our vault next year." Capcom has released a number of great PSP games which we'd love to see re-released on the PlayStation Store. Mega Man Powered Up, anyone? However, their PSone offerings have us even more excited. Let's not forget that they released Breath of Fire, Marvel vs. Capcom, a whole slew of Mega Man games, Resident Evil and Street Fighter games during the PSone era. Having them on the go would be perfect.

 

PSP Fanboy Game of the Year 2008 nominations

Although PS3 Fanboy is featuring awards for multiple categories this year, PSP Fanboy is having just one award this year: Best PSP Game of 2008. We decided that there weren't enough games on the PSP this year to warrant having multiple categories. We're hopeful that 2009 will look a little bit different, though. These are our nominations for Best PSP Game of 2008. However, we'd love your input as well. Simply choose the game you want and leave a comment for your favorite game this year. Winners will be declared on December 29th. PSP Game of the Year 2008 And for fun, you may want to check out last year's winners.

 

PSP Fanboy hands-on: Star Ocean: Second Evolution

Star Ocean: Second Evolution, as the title implies, is a remake of the second Star Ocean game released back in 1999 on the original PlayStation. It is a direct sequel to another PSP remake released earlier this year, Star Ocean: First Departure. Besides the updated graphics, what other new elements can RPG lovers expect? Read on to find out. Gallery: Star Ocean: The Second Evolution

 

European PSN releases for December 24th

Okay, Europe. It looks like SCEE is trying to make things up to you for being a day late with your PSN update. Sure, America got its hands on Suikoden yesterday, but you've got five full games to choose from. Dead Head Fred is the best of the bunch, though it's sadly the most expensive, too. Fighting game fans will be in heaven with Street Fighter Alpha Warrior's Dreams as well as Guilty Gear Judgement to choose from. Here's the full release list: Street Fighter Alpha Warriors' Dreams PS1 game (£4.79/€5.99) Guilty Gear Judgement full game (£9.99/€12.99) Dead Head Fred full game (£15.99/€19.99) Off Road Racing full game (£9.99/€12.99) Pipe Mania full game (£9.99/€12.99) Star Ocean First Departure trailer Loco Roco 2 "Retro Notes" wallpaper Loco Roco 2 "Retro Circles" wallpaper Loco Roco 2 "Retro Planet" wallpaper Loco Roco 2 "Retro Squares" wallpaper

 

PS1 classic Suikoden now available on the US PSN Store

Just one new item on the US PSN Store today, but it's a good'n. If you're an RPG fan and a retrophile then you'll no doubt be thrilled with the release of Suikoden onto the PSN Store. This great (if schizophrenic) JRPG will set you back $5.99. It's a pretty rare find nowadays, so it's good to see that it's being made available via digital distribution. This is how it should be; PS1 classics preserved in time via the PlayStation Network. Real classics. Not Reel Fishing.

 

The obligatory 'What did you get?' post

We realize not everyone celebrates Christmas, but a lot of us do. As such, use this post to discuss any and all Christmas gifts you got this year. Did you score a Wii? Get a new DS Lite? Did your folks buy you a, uh ... Xbox? So, relax, sip some eggnog and tell us if Santa deemed you naughty or nice in the comments below. Merry Christmas and thanks for reading!

 

Wii Warm Up: Your chat, show us it

Well, we'd like to start today by saying: Hey, you reading this! HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM WII FANBOY! The site wouldn't be the same without our unfailingly handsome and beautiful readers, so thanks for being one of them! Just as we did last year, we're reserving this space for anything you want to talk about (so long as it's within, y'know, the bounds of decency). Tell us who you're spending today with. Talk about the TV you'll be watching, or the games you'll be waggling to. Brag about all of your cool new gifts. And remember: whatever you want to chat about, make sure you consume twice your own body weight in turkey and eggnog first. That's kind of the law today.

 

A little more Dead Rising

Maybe that should be a little less Dead Rising, considering, but we love all versions of the game like ice cream, so in the end, it hardly matters. What does matter is that in these latest Dead Rising screens, you can witness what we hope is the lead-in to one of the more daring (and fun) rescues in the game, as well as some very irritating cultists. We also get a look at the wholly different menu screens, and even though these are in Japanese, you can get a feel for what's what -- particularly if you played the original. Gallery: Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop

 

Want to kill some time? Check out Mario vs. Spartan: The Game

Joystiq's Free Game Club picked up on Mario vs. Spartan: The Game and, by golly, we're glad they did. This simple title is easy to get a grasp on, even though the premise makes no sense. But, hey, you get to beat up on a billion dollar cyborg dude thing (whatever that Chief Master guy is supposed to be) with Mario. That isn't too bad, right? So, if you find yourself stuck in front of a computer today just like us, check out the game here. It's a good way to kill some time. See also: It's a Wonderful (Super Mario) World [Via Joystiq]

 

What do you get when you combine a Wiimote, Balance Board, RC car, and a laptop?

This video! Witnessing the powers of the Wiimote, the Balance Board, an RC car, and a laptop combine together in the above video reminds us of Saturday mornings with Voltron and our Lucky Charms, for some reason. It's not the most accurate way to steer a toy car around, as you can see, but you have to give these guys credit. It's like their inner child broke its restraints and came forth from their bodies to tinker around. And we love it when grown folks don't act their age. If you want the video in higher quality, hit up their site here. Gallery: Peripherals that paved the way for the Balance Board [Via Balance Board Blog]

 

Boom Blox under the tree? Use these cheats to unlock everything

Are you expecting Boom Blox this year? Well, kids, we've got a special treat for you. After the break, you'll find some cheats for unlocking various things in the game. If you're the kind of gamer who doesn't savor the satisfaction of unlocking things for yourself, then feel free to indulge with these cheats. Gallery: BOOM BLOX

 

Wii Warm Up: Procrastinators, unite!

With this being Christmas Eve and all, it's the last shopping day before Santa comes shuffling down that chimney. So, do you have to pick up any last-minute gifts? If not, did you pick up any gaming gifts this year? Wii stuff? If the particular individual reads us and knows your account name, then, uh, lie.

 

A note about the next two days' coverage

Much like the mother and daughter you see above (we assume they're family, anyway), we'll be taking it easy over these next two days, catching up on games we missed and enjoying time away from blogging. As such, you'll see a more relaxed posting schedule, closer to our weekend routine. Keep checking in with us throughout the day for updates, but make sure to spend some time with your family, as well. After all, that's what the holidays are all about. Best wishes to you all and, as always, thanks for reading!

 

This year's fashionable Wii injury: Wii knee

'Tis the season when people buy a lot of Wiis, which can mean only one thing: a 29,392% increase in ridiculous Wii scare stories from British newspapers. Over the last few days, in a bid to squeeze a story from thin air, at least two UK publications featured articles about how playing on a Wii can cause physical damage to users; you know, in the same way that any physical motion whatsoever could conceivably hurt somebody, somewhere. The Daily Telegraph was first off the mark over the weekend, describing how brilliant young doctors at Leeds Teaching Hospital have "discovered" what they call "Wii knee." Alas, this exciting development for medical science isn't actually mentioned beyond its name, because all of a sudden the newspaper is too busy getting a scary quote from a hand doctor (eh?). Not to be outdone, The Sun followed up today with its own piss-poor take on the WII IZ THE END TIMES angle, pointing out that ten Brits are hospitalized through Wii injuries each week. It then wheels out that 2007 favorite, "Wii-itis"/"Wii-itus" (choose your own spelling -- The Sun couldn't), before also referring to Wii knee, all while I weep for my once-proud nation. Source: The Telegraph kicks things off ... Source: ... and The Sun follows.

 

Amazon celebrates new year with savings on accessories

Those of you who still have some spare cash in your wallet at the conclusion of yet another holiday season, know that Amazon wants it. They've put all of their gaming accessories on sale, taking 10% off the price of certain items. If you were looking for that extra Wiimote (and aren't expecting it as a gift), they qualify. Or, you could just grab Wii Play with a Wiimote, if you're into that sort of thing. The Nyko Perfect Shot, the Zapper, WiiSpeak, and even Wii Wheels qualify. There's a lot to check out. Planning on picking something up? Do it before January 10, 2009. Offer expires then.

 

Nintendo helping spread the World of Goo word

If you see your Wii's slot light a-glowing in the next few hours, then don't worry -- it's not some homebrew-destroying firmware update (or, regrettably, the storage solution as an early surprise Christmas present). Rather, it's Nintendo trying to bend your ear with an e-mail advert for award-winning WiiWare hit World of Goo. It's massively heartening to see the big N spreading the message for 2D Boy's puzzler (and for anything on WiiWare, actually). Next time some chump complains about Nintendo failing to lend a hand to third-parties, point them this way, eh? Gallery: World of Goo

 

Miyamoto and Iwata top 'Persons of the Year' list

Sure, we know how amazingly awesome these two dudes are, but unless you're as obsessed with Nintendo as we are, there's a possibility you don't know who they are. Well, if we could sum these two up in a brief statement, it would be this: they're bad enough to save the president. Also, they make some products we enjoy on a regular basis. We're not the least bit surprised the Nintendo duo of Shigeru Miyamoto and Satoru Iwata topped GameDaily BIZ's "Persons of the Year 2008" list. They've managed to make a ridiculous amount of money on gaming during a very uncertain economic time, as well as expand the market and bring more players into gaming. Source - 2008 Persons of the Year: Part 1 (GameDaily) Source - 2008 Persons of the Year: Part 2 (GameDaily)

 

CMT says Roy Orbison coming to Rock Band

CMT, the MTV-owned country music station, has let slip that a track pack of Roy's tunes will be hitting Rock Band 2. As fans of the fellow, we're glad to see him get on board the DLC train to Moneytown, USA. So, what could the tracks be? That's anybody's guess right now. And, guess what? We're anybody! Head past the break for our guess of two tracks that could be featured in this upcoming pack, and be sure to tell us your guess in the comments! [Via Joystiq]