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Cartoon Network develops web-based games for consoles
Cartoon Network recently announced plans to begin developing flash-based games specifically for the web browsers included with the PS3 and Nintendo Wii. The MEGA series games will be more than just simple puzzle games, inviting the player to "stream movie clips to mesh together the most realistic cartoon experience ever." We're intrigued. After all, the MEGA series will be free, flash-based games and utilize the often-overlooked simple capabilities of the PS3. We're actually surprised no one has yet catered to our whims through this method before. However, as is typical with free content, pay-to-play content will likely follow if Cartoon Network's test run with the MEGA series games proves potentially lucrative. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to get a taste of what Cartoon Network has to offer once the MEGA series games begin finding their way to a PS3 web browser near you.
Speed Racer's Mach 5 comes to life
Sorry K.I.T.T., you had a nice run there, but we're pretty certain the newly created Mach 5 could destroy you in the quarter mile. As the crew readies for the Speed Racer-inspired motion picture to land in May 2008, this blast from the animated past has finally become a reality, and it even parked for a photograph and an unveiling ceremony, too. The sparkly white ride sports a blinding red interior, stripped down dashboard, push button start, and a hint of nostalgia to boot. We know, next May is a long ways off, but feel free to click through and see the presentation of the tangible Mach 5 in all of its glory -- now go, Speed Racer, go.[Via CNET]
Breakfast Topic: Toons have character
I never really thought about this before, but someone started a thread on the General forums decrying a term that I use every day. They stated that everyone should quit using the term "toon" and instead use "character" -- or as Drysc commented, "char" for short. Something I will admit to being doubly guilty of, as I realized that I use both interchangeably.I don't honestly know where i picked up "toon." I am pretty sure that I started using it back when I was playing EverQuest, but I can't say that for certain. I know it was used heavily in City of Heroes, as everyone thought of their characters as being comic book creations by and large. I didn't even notice until the post, but I actually tend to use both terms. I'll say "toonhop" when I'm switching between characters. On the other hand, I also say "I'm going to play this character" if I'm indicating one of my characters as being the preferred one for that run/group/etc. I've also said that I would "jump to another toon" as well. Considering the uproar, I should probably just say "charhop" when I'm switching between characters, but somehow it just doesn't flow as well as "toonhop" does. And really, since I'm just saying that to save my friends the trouble of doing a bunch of "goodbye" "welcome back" typing, does it matter?So what do you prefer? Character or Toon? And where did you pick your terminology up? Does either term drive you bonkers? Personally, neither one offends me, and nobody's ever asked me to stop using either term. Go figure!
Cryptic G4 ads promote animated game design comedy
If you've been watching G4 lately (and if so, may we ask why?) you've probably seen a couple thousand 30-second spots promoting a mysterious, retro-stylized game company called GameAVision. The viral marketing got even weirder yesterday with an e-mailed press release that touts the two advertised games, Crosswalk and Bar Fight, as "featur[ing] movable character, sound, and several exciting colors." The ads and the release both direct players to the GameAVision web site, which includes some unplayable, Atari 2600-style Flash games and some amusing help wanted ads, among other things.What's going on here? Turns out the cryptic campaign is for an upcoming animated series that G4 commissioned last year. According to the October 2006 press release, the show will feature "Dave and Jerry, two video-game programmers whose lives are turned upside down when GameAVision, the freewheeling company at which they've spent their whole careers, is purchased by Bob Larrity, a crazed Texan businessman who knows nothing about video games except that they 'sell good.'"The premise actually sounds interesting, and the involvement of Minoriteam creator Adam de La Pena is encouraging. It's also nice to see G4 filling its schedule with some new, vaguely game-related programming instead of more reruns of Cops or something. Here's hoping the show lives up to its promise.
Japanese hardware sales, Apr. 30 - May 6: Deja vu edition
I see you're back, kid. No surprise there. You've hit the rarest of the rare candies, and Level 100 wasn't enough for you? You're flying high for awhile, but then even that's not enough. Believe me, I know.So let me tell you what's I've got here, kid. I call it shine. I have to grow 8,192 plants just to make one of these little pills, but kid, you've never seen a Psywave like this. It makes you stronger, faster, hell, even your skin changes color. It's luxury, it's lightning ....So, you wanna score some--whoa, whoa, not so fast, kid! Last time was a freebie, a little icing before the cake. I'm gonna need something more than just sales charts. I'm gonna need some sort of tripped-up magical cartoon dream sequence ... no, make that two tripped up cartoon dream sequences. Oh, baby, yes. I am rollin'.Don't forget those charts, too, kid, and remember ... you'll be back ... - DS Lite: 285,123 29,152 (11.39%)- Wii: 101,320 1,202 (1.17%)- PSP: 35,172 1,312 (3.87%) - PS2: 14,815 2,231 (17.73%) - PS3: 12,974 183 (1.43%) - Xbox 360: 3,205 43 (1.36%) - Gamecube: 394 227 (135.93%) - Game Boy Micro: 340 290 (46.03%) - GBA SP: 302 193 (38.99%) - DS Phat: 69 23 (25.00%) - GBA: 11 11 (Trippin%)[Source: Media Create](... it's signed by Fatal1ty ...)
US gets equipped with Mega Man Star Force cartoon
Mega Man series fans have something else to look forward to in the near future, besides the never-ending stream of spinoffs and sequels. Viz Media has licensed the anime adaptation of the latest spinoff, Mega Man Star Force (Ryuusei no Rockman in Japan) for US audiences.The story is some baffling thing about a human kid merging with an alien entity called Omega-Xis to become Mega Man, which we're sure will make more sense after we play the game. It makes us a little nostalgic for the sparse robot vs. robot storyline of the original Mega Man series, but not the original Mega Man cartoon. Do you think the cartoon will be good enough to promote a game with three versions? We make fun of Capcom for all the Mega Man overload, but we're huge fans and will no doubt fill our TiVos with episodes of this series.
Pokemon at the Gates of Fire
We don't know when it became in vogue to dub over Pokemon cartoon clips with audio from 300's trailers, but that appears to be what's hot on the streets nowadays. And when we say "the streets," keep in mind that we mean Youtube.Some mashups are better than others, so we've pasted three of these animated adaptations for you to cast your hot-or-not votes on past the jump. If you've ever wanted to see the likenesses of King Leonidas and Mewtwo played out, today is your lucky day.[Thanks, Ali!]
Kochalka not too cool for Miis
We hear a lot about mainstream coverage of the Wii, but what about non-mainstream coverage? The Mii Channel is so much fun that even indie cartoonist James Kochalka wants in on the "HEY LOOK AT MY MIIS" fun, posting a series of Mii creations to his diary comic American Elf .His Mii creations veer toward the monsterish, which we enjoy. So many people limit their Mii designs to themselves, their grandparents, and celebrities. Unless these Miis are meant to represent Kochalka's family, in which case we're very, very sorry.We also love how the Mii Channel has resurrected the practice of sharing photographs of TV screens. It makes us nostalgic for magazine high-score columns.
Powerpuff Girls adapted to anime, anime adapted to minigames
This news manages to be both supremely weird and completely banal at the same time. It's interesting conceptually, but mechanically, it's another licensed minigame set. Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z is the made-for-Japan adaptation of the Cartoon Network show, which was itself inspired by anime. And just like you would expect for any anime, or, for that matter, anything popular in Japan (see also: food and walking) Powerpuff Girls Z is getting its own DS game. This has to be the most derivative game ever in terms of source material-- just surpassing the game adaptation of Street Fighter: The Movie.
Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoon coming to DVD
How many times have you thought "Wish I could watch that old Super Mario 3 cartoon."? This June the situation will be remedied when The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 comes to DVD. The classic (and cheesy by today's standards) cartoon joins the ranks of other animated Nintendo-fare such as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show (not entirely animated, of course), Captain N, and The Legend of Zelda. All 26 episodes will be packaged in one box set laden with bonus content. Fulfill your nostalgic needs and empty thine wallet for Mario one more time.[Via DS Fanboy]
Relive Super Mario Bros. 3, cartoon style
Looking to relive a cherished moment from your childhood? Maybe share it with others? Perhaps you just need material for a Mario-themed drinking game. We won't judge you. We'll just let you know that The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 is coming to DVD in the U.S. this June. And we mean the whole series run in one box set with lots of bonus features. If you can't get enough of classic Mario, this is one for you.
The perils of bathroom gaming
Bathroom gaming has been a popular pastime for as long as handheld consoles have been around. We like to imagine that even before our age of technology, kids spent their lavatory leisure time playing ball-in-a-cup or some other antiquated equivalent. That's how far back this honorable tradition goes.As Infendo Radio host Scott Johnson can tell you, however, bathroom gaming does not come without its hazards. It's easy for things to go wrong while multi-tasking, but when you're sitting on the toilet is one of the worst times that can happen. Johnson has an entertaining, animated short describing his woeful experience. The Flash cartoon also serves as a warning to all you extreme bathroom gamers out there: playing New Super Mario Bros. in the work washroom might be fun, but if you aren't careful, it can quickly turn into a commode catastrophe.
South Park's first HD episode hits Xbox Live tomorrow
The Xbox Live Video Marketplace is getting some of the truly compelling content we've been waiting for, as Wired is reporting that the first high definition episode of South Park will be available for download tomorrow. At the incredibly great price of free -- for the first two weeks -- all Xbox Live members can download the "Good times with Weapons" episode. If you for some reason don't have a 360, or don't have the internet and are reading this via teletype, Best Buy will also be making the episode available on HD DVD discs free with the purchase of an Xbox 360 or the HD DVD add-on between March 20th and April 3rd. Animated TV shows have been missing in HD for too long, hopefully we'll see more of those and more HD content on XBLM -- like HD Battlestar Galactica episodes we don't have to wait 6 months to see, as suggested by our friends at Joystiq. [Via Joystiq]
Today's monkey vs. robot video: er, Monkey vs. Robot - The Movies
Today's movie isn't topping any charts, but it's a dash of much needed Monkey vs. Robot-ness. Comic book artist and musician of the wacky James Kochalka created Monkey vs. Robot eons ago, and has appeared on cds, as a graphic novel, and in animated form. However, this version was created with the PC game/simulation The Movies. Yes, it's inane. Sure, it's repetitive. Damn skippy, it's simple ... but c'mon, it's monkey vs. robot. Check out the damage after the jump. For a real royal rumble, someone needs to do a Monkey vs. Robot vs. Ninja vs. Pirate mashup. At least this thing is better than the episodes of Lost that have aired so far this season. Sawyer vs. Robot, FTW!
Matinee at the Bijou to bring classic cartoons to PBS-HD
Those glorious Saturday mornings filled with cartoons and a complete lack of responsibility will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we're thrilled to hear that some faithful classics are about to get reborn on PBS-HD. According to Bijou Bob's official weblog, PBS has given "the green light" to producers to revive some of the greatest 'toons of the past, and just as soon as sufficient sponsors are found, you can expect to see the renditions in stunning HD, which will likely prove that Betty Boop actually is forever young. The 12-episode season is slated to air sometime in 2007, with "Betty Boop, Tom & Jerry, and the Fleischer Superman cartoons being named as potential candidates for the show." Additionally, you can expect to see see "a short subject, a serial chapter, and a feature film" to go along with the newly-rendered cartoons, all of which will be hosted by Debbie Reynolds. So if you're looking to relive a bit of your past, and don't mind the HD makeover, the Matinee at the Bijou should be right up your alley.[Via ToonZone]
Disney releases Toontown for Mac OS X
Joystiq is reporting that Disney has released a Mac version of Toontown, an MMO cartoon game where users can create cartoon characters, join quests to save Toontown, race carts and even hurl wedding cakes at each other. The game seems to be fairly successful so far, as over 15 million Windows users have already been busy doing the online cartoon character thing. The Mac version is a Universal Binary so everyone on our side of the fence can play along, and the monthly subscription fee is $9.95. Of course a free, though short, three-day trial is available as well.Thanks Barb!
Disney Toontown out for Macs
Disney Online announced the Mac release -- and an update for PC players -- of its Toontown Online MMO cartoon game. The game lets players create their own cartoon characters to propagate the world; over 15 million Toon characters have been created by PC players.Both Mac and PC users can access a handful of new "gags," including the old wedding-cake-in-the-face trick. The Mac release runs on PowerPC and Intel chips and is available now. Both versions have a monthly rate of $9.95 and can be downloaded from the Toontown site. A free, three-day trial is also available.
Earthworm Jim swirms back to the PSP
My my, it's been a long long time since we last saw Earthworm Jim. I was still a kid when the Earthworm Jim craze had reached its peak: some excellent games on the Genesis/SNES, a freaky cartoon on the WB, and some pretty weird action figures. The series' unique gross-out humor seems poised for a big comeback, as the PSP is getting an impressively beautiful continuation. IGN grabbed some screens from a recent Atari event and had some pretty positive impressions: The spacesuit-wearing worm has indeed return. More importantly, he's returned in proper form. The game plays very much like its 2D predecessors... What makes it special, though, lies strictly with how developer Shiny Entertainment mixes those elements to form something altogether groovy and unique.You'll be sure to see more of this game on the Fanboy, as it still has a long time left in development.
Cash Money Chaos' insanely bloody debut
You play an Elvis-imposter in SOE's newly announced game Cash Money Chaos. And like the original Elvis, you are captured by aliens, and are forced to participate in a "twisted 70s game show." No, you're not going to be playing The Price is Right. You'll have to fight through dozens of enemies, killing everything in your sight. This "uber fast" shooter appears to play a bit like Robotron, if it suddenly turned into Robocop instead: making people's bodies explode in buckets of blood. The game will come with more than 50 levels, and include online infrastructure play for up to 8 players.If you're interested in some really brutal cartoon violence, and want to kill ninjas, hillbillies, clowns, pirates, and aliens, then you'll have to wait a while: Cash Money Chaos is coming "early 2007." Check out the official website to score some art and screenshots.[Thanks, steve!]
Free cartoons for your iPod
We mentioned this cartoon podcast ages ago, but it went away. Frederator Studios (makers of fine cartoons like "Fairly Oddparents") has a relaunched blog, and a podcast. But the fun part are the free cartoons they're providing. And this time there's more than one available! These are out-of-copyright toons with Betty Boop, Porky Pig, and Mighty Mouse, not to mention a few fairy tale characters... I have a few friends who have been too busy to rip content for their new iPods, and they are too cheap to buy anything (ahem), so maybe this will finally drop some much-needed video content on their new doorstops. Don't forget, you can also grab free videos from the Internet Archive.
