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Chime Super Deluxe headed to PSN
Good news for music-infused puzzle game fans, as it looks like Zoë Mode is giving Chime another go. According to both the Australian Classification Board and the German USK, Chime Super Deluxe was recently classified (December 10, according to the Aussie board). It looks like this version will not be published by the One Big Game charity label, but rather Zoë Mode's parent company, Kuju Entertainment. The USK lists the title for the PS3 (likely the PSN), while the Classification Board notes the game is for multiple platforms. We contacted Zoë mode for clarification and were told that the multi platform listing was a "mistake," implying that Chime Super Deluxe will indeed be exclusive to PSN. The company added that the title "will be fully announced in the new year." Without being too presumptuous, we're going to guess it will be more "super" and "deluxe" than the previous version.
Microsoft's Full House Poker rated in Australia
It looks like the super secret beta for Microsoft's next massively multiplayer Xbox Live title is going pretty well -- the Australian classification board recently gave a rating of G (for General!) to Full House Poker. If you'll recall, that's the title of the 1 vs. 100-inspired online card game which Microsoft invited select Gold subscribers to try out earlier this month. It's also the title of our favorite 90s family sitcom, with the word "Poker" appended to the end of it. The game's "G" rating in Australia is a little strange, considering the beta invitations sent out by Microsoft mentioned a Teen rating in the States, thanks to all the 'simulated gambling.' Maybe they don't have much of a problem with fake gambling in Australia? Or maybe they just have, like, really cool, Frank Sinatra-esque kids.
Bejeweled Blitz Live rated by German, Australian boards
Bejeweled Blitz Live has been rated by Germany's USK and Australia's classification board. The Australian listing is quite vague, giving the impression the title could be bound for retailers on PC, but the USK classification blatantly declares it as an Xbox 360 title. Perhaps it will appear for both. Developer and publisher PopCap Games tells Joystiq it is currently "not commenting" on the matter. PopCap introduced Bejeweled Blitz to Facebook gamers almost two years ago, and added Zuma Blitz this year. Let's see if PopCap can beat the ESRB's hat trick of announcing its games.
'Marvel Pinball' leaked by Australian Ratings Board
The development studio behind both the Pinball FX series on XBLA and Zen Pinball on PSN has just popped up on the Australian Ratings Board website under a listing for "Marvel Pinball," a "multiplatform" game. The ESRB has yet to detail it, but we get the feeling Marvel Pinball just might be a pinball game with Marvel branding and characters -- our detective work knows no bounds, we know. Given past additions to its pinball games, Zen Studios could be planning the title as an expansion to its forthcoming Pinball FX 2. Regardless, the listing existing at all means we should be hearing more about Marvel Pinball sooner than later.
'Crash Course' from A2M outed by Australian classification board
An Australian classification board rating has outed Artificial Mind and Movement's unannounced "Crash Course." Apparently, the game will be available on multiple platforms, though it appears to be heading to Xbox 360 at the very least -- the game's publisher is listed as Microsoft Game Studios, giving us the impression that Crash Course is en route to Xbox Live Arcade. Also of interest in the listing is its country of origin: Chile. Given that A2M's Santiago, Chile development house Wanako Games is based out of the South American country, we're thinking those folks could be behind Crash Course. Neither A2M nor Microsoft got back to us by publishing time.
OFLC rates Capcom's Commando and Exed Exes, likely for VC
Here's something we don't get to write about very often any more: games that appear to be headed for the Wii Virtual Console. Australia's OFLC rated two classic Capcom arcade games that are most likely bound for the sadly neglected download service: Commando, the top-down shooting game that is probably best known now for being kind of connected to Bionic Commando, and a vertical shooter called Exed Exes. We can be fairly certain these ratings point to a Virtual Console release, because Exed Exes was just put on the Virtual Console in Japan today. And now we begin the long wait until these two games make their way over. (Or we can just play them on Capcom Classics Collection Vol. 1 for PS2 and Xbox.) [Image: The Arcade Flyer Archive]
Namco's 'Metro Cross' and 'Aero-Cross' rated
[KLOV] In Australia, the OFLC has rated a game called "Aero-Cross HighAir" developed and published by Namco Bandai. At the same time, GamerBytes reports that the German USK rated an Xbox 360 game called "Metro Cross HighAir GP," though that rating has since disappeared. The similar names suggest these two ratings are for the same game. The "Metro Cross" name in the German rating seems to indicate an updated (perhaps Pac-Man CE-like?) version of Namco's 1985 arcade game Metro-Cross, a side-scrolling foot race game in which players have to avoid giant rolling soda cans. However, it's hard to reconcile that concept with the name "Aero-Cross," so it should be interesting to see what Namco Bandai rolls out.
'Dragon Age: Origins -- Ultimate Edition' rated by OFLC
Dragon Age Origins - Ultimate Edition has yet to be officially announced, but it has now been rated by Australia's OFLC. Previously popping up as a GameStop listing with a $60 price and an October 12 release date, the re-release once again prompts us to blankly stare in EA's general direction until it confesses like a mage in the Chantry. We've sent couriers off to EA for official comment. It's not quite the "Dragon Age Molybdenum" edition, but one can safely speculate that this "Utlimate" package would include all of the Origins DLC, along with the recently announced "Witch Hunt" add-on. With Dragon Age 2 half a year away, it really is time to wrap up Origins in a nice bundle.
Pinball FX 2 exposed by Australian ratings office
Going by a rating handed down by Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification (shouldn't it add "games" to its name at this point?), Hungarian dev ZEN Studios is readying a sequel to Pinball FX, the first and only pinball game for Xbox Live Arcade. The classification dated August 10, 2010, lists Microsoft as the publisher. Combine that with the fact that disc-based pinball titles are pretty much nonexistent at this point and, well, it's called Pinball FX 2, we'd say it's a pretty safe bet that the game is bound for XBLA. The original Pinball FX hit Xbox 360 all the way back in 2007, but has seen regular updates in the form of new themed tables, the most recent of which landed in the Xbox Marketplace on January 27 of this year. We may not know anything solid on this sequel (apart from the fact that it's apparently suitable for all ages) but we have some hopes for it, the biggest being that those who own the original be able to use the tables they've bought in the new game, without having to buy them again. If not, we may have to paddle someone. We've contacted Microsoft for comment on the classification and will update as soon as we hear back.
OFLC rating outs Microsoft's 'Avatar Superstars Poker'
A recent rating from Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification reveals Microsoft Game Studios' upcoming take on table gaming, titled Avatar Superstars Poker. It sounds like an XBLA poker title with Avatar support -- a feature that was unable to be added to TikGames' 2006 XBLA title Texas Hold'Em, which led the studio to create an Xbox Live Indie poker title specifically to include playable Avatars. We've contacted Microsoft to find out more about the title, and what will set it apart from the other poker games already on the platform. For now, we're going to go update our Avatar to look exactly like John Malkovich wearing a track suit. Pardon us.
OFLC rates Namco Bandai's Solarobo
Solarobo, CyberConnect2's DS action RPG about animals piloting mechas, is on its way to the Anglophone world -- specifically Australia, according to an OFLC rating for the Namco Bandai-published game. Solarobo, a spiritual successor to CyberConnect2's Tail Concerto, casts the player as a dog bounty hunter (but not Dog the Bounty Hunter) who uses his mech to catch fugitives on his floating island home. The game allows characters to fight and interact with the environment both in and out of walking robot vehicles. Red (the dog hero in question) can also "trance up" and transform into ... a human, with his mech transforming along with him. To learn more about Solarobo's gameplay, you can check out several short videos on the website. It's something to do while we optimistically wait for a general announcement.
Unedited Dead Rising 2 classified in Australia
Australia's OFLC has passed Dead Rising 2 with an MA15+ classification. The game's Aussie distributor tells Gamespot the zombie-survival splatterfest was rated without any edits. Dead Rising 2: Case Zero also passed with the MA15+ rating. A Capcom representative informed Joystiq they don't believe edits were ever made to the original Dead Rising or Chop Till You Drop (its Wii incarnation) for their MA15+ ratings. The reason why Dead Rising 2 is getting attention for its classification is because of the difficulties Left 4 Dead 2 experienced last year. Valve's game was eventually classified with significant reductions in gore. From our preview time with Dead Rising 2, the game has plenty of gore to spare. Australia's continued lack of an R18+ rating makes the system seem arbitrary when faced with situations like this.
Nintendo and HAL making Face Pilot, for DSi and your face
A new DSi game has shown up on Australia's OFLC ratings database, with a title that is really helpful in figuring out what the game is about. How helpful? The game is called "Face Pilot: Fly with your DSi Camera." That paints a pretty vivid picture! We look forward to finding out exactly how our faces are going to control a flying vehicle. If it's by looking forward, we're already practicing! HAL Laboratory seems to be returning to prominence. Its Picross 3D was recently released on DS; it's collaborating with Good-Feel on Kirby's Epic Yarn, starring the developer's most famous character; and now it's making a game for your face!
Aero the Acro-Bat rated by OFLC
[Sega-16] Sunsoft's entry in the 16-bit mascot wars may be its next Virtual Console game. The OFLC has rated Aero the Acro-Bat for release on Wii, published by Nintendo (as all Virtual Console games are). The game was originally released on SNES and Genesis, and spawned both a sequel and a spinoff, Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel. Aero the Acro-Bat, as you may expect, stars an anthropomorphic bat who is also a circus performer. He uses a diagonal dash move to navigate platforms and defeat clowns. According to the OFLC, Sunsoft also has Ufouria in the wings for Virtual Console. In addition, the company has announced that it plans to release games from the Telenet catalog.
Rumor: Space Invaders Infinity Gene cloned for XBLA and PSN
A trusted Joystiq source has confirmed that Taito's mobile and iPhone game Space Invaders Infinity Gene is coming to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN. Further corroborating our source's intel is Australian ratings board the OFLC, which has published a rating for an unspecified "multiplatform" release of Infinity Gene. Ubisoft, which distributes Square Enix titles in Australia is listed as the publisher. (Square Enix is the parent company of Taito.) With some neat functionality -- the iPhone version lets players generate levels based on their stored music -- and an HD facelift, we'd be willing to bet Space Invaders Infinity Gene wouldn't find much opposition on Xbox Live Arcade and PSN. Previously, Taito released a version of its handheld series Space Invaders Extreme on XBLA to positive reception.
Flight Control rated for Wii
Firemint's air traffic control game Flight Control, currently available for handhelds like the iPhone and DSi, appears to be moving to the big screen -- and no, we don't mean the iPad. (That already happened.) We mean the even bigger screen: your TV. Australia's OFLC media review board has rated a Wii version of Flight Control, which would most likely point to a WiiWare release. This would be the first home console version of the game, and also the first not to use a touchscreen interface. Thanks to these altered controls, Flight Control for Wii could be either novel or annoying to fans of previous versions. [Via Gamerbytes]
Report: 98 percent of Australians in support of R18+ rating
Australia's Federal Home Affairs group recently published a poll which may turn the heads on a few of the nation's governmental bodies. Out of the survey's 59,678 participants, 98.2 percent said they would support the oft-proposed addition of an R18+ rating for video games in the region. Of course, more than half of the participants in said poll were turned on to it by an in-store promotion at select Australian EB Games. A somewhat more balanced selection of special interest groups were also allowed to respond to the survey, and only 53 percent showed support for the mature rating. By our amateur calculations, the actual percentage of Australian citizens who support the rating falls somewhere between the two. How about 86.3 percent? It's a totally made-up number, but ... it just seems right, doesn't it?
OFLC rates 'Project Red' for EA [update]
Australia's OFLC has rated "Project Red" for EA, classifying it with an MA 15+ label. If the classification is related to "Project RedLime," it would likely be the rating for the alleged Syndicate game in production by Starbreeze Studios and EA. Of course, without the direct RedLime connection, this could be a rating for ... well, anything. Also, if you find it strange (like we do) that the OFLC is rating games by using code names, this is just the most recent example. Last year, The Beatles: Rock Band was titled Rock Band Project 9. EA has apparently figured out how to get its paperwork into the OFLC without accidentally revealing a forthcoming game announcement. Update: AustralianGamer got hold of the documents. It's Bulletstorm. %Gallery-92124%
Rare NES game 'Ufouria' rated by OFLC, Virtual Console release possible
Sunsoft has started to revitalize its brand with the help of Gaijinworks' Victor Ireland. The strategy includes re-releases of classic games on Nintendo's Virtual Console, including Blaster Master, and the creation of original content -- also Blaster Master, actually. If a new rating by the Australian OFLC board is any indication, Sunsoft is planning a Virtual Console release of Ufouria: The Saga, a rare NES game that never made it to North America. Ufouria is a Metroidvania-style NES game starring Bop-Louie, who falls into a crater and is separated from this friends. Bop-Louie then explores the world in search of his lost companions, with his friends becoming playable once they are located. The game was released in Europe with an English translation, so if it does become a Virtual Console import, we'd even be able to read the text! [Via Aussie-Nintendo]
OFLC rates two new games by Chibi Robo, Art Style dev
Two mysterious new games from a known DSiWare developer have been rated by Australia's OFLC. Skip, creator of most of the Art Style games -- as well as Chibi-Robo! -- is named as the author of both Light Trax and Penta Tentacles, with Nintendo as publisher. Though no specific platform is named for either, Skip's recent output has been targeted entirely at the DS, with LOL and a Japan-only Chibi-Robo sequel released in addition to several DSiWare Art Style games. With all that evidence, we're guessing these two will be released on Game and Watch. [Via Siliconera]
