Though not yet officially announced, we've got word on LittleBigPlanet Vita's upcoming Marvel Dash DLC, and it sounds very interesting.

This morning a site called Explosion published a report detailing an upcoming downloadable addition to LittleBigPlanet Vita that had never before been revealed. Dubbed “Marvel Dash,” the new mini-game will drop players into the shoes of famous Marvel superheroes in a side-scrolling, platforming adventure. “According to an inside source, the game will allow players to pick from one of a number of Marvel’s finest, and control their jumps as they run through obstacle-filled levels in the style of games such as Jetpack Joyride,” Explosion states.

“Each superhero will have their own unique style of jumping, so while Iron Man can hover by simply holding down on the screen, Thor’s lightning makes him airborne, and the jump button must be repeatedly pressed to keep him that way. Each hero also has the ability to fire projectiles to take out missiles and bosses.”

Given that this report came out of nowhere, it seemed prudent to discuss the topic with the people who actually made the game. Prior to putting this article together we emailed developer Tarsier Studios in the hopes of receiving either a confirmation of this thing’s existence or a flat denial of Explosion’s claims. While the reply we received was brief, the studio’s representatives did not deny the existence of this DLC, and instead simply asked us to be patient while it and publisher Sony prepares a proper, official announcement for Marvel Dash.

We’ll bring you any additional details contained in that PR blast just as soon as it lands in our inbox, but in the mean time we’d like to point out how clever this scheme appears. Licensing characters from other companies is nothing new for the LittleBigPlanet franchise — I played through the Vita game as a Big Daddy from BioShock — nor is creating short levels around them, but by dropping the wildly popular Marvel heroes into a mini-game designed to ape the hyper-addictive gameplay of fan-favorite Jetpack Joyride the developers might be on to something big. If nothing else, it should further enhance the game’s already massive pick-up-and-play appeal, and give players yet another intuitive, engaging way to spend alarming amounts of time glued to their Vita.

The only real question (aside from the obvious pricing and release date details) we have now is which heroes might appear in Marvel Dash. Will Tarsier simply reuse the large number of Marvel costumes already available to LittleBigPlanet fans, or might this DLC introduce new faces? Given the number of movies Marvel Studios necessarily must promote over the next few years, we wouldn’t be surprised to see relatively unknown figures like Rocket Raccoon pop up in this thing. Then again, we may just be fixated on the idea of an anthropomorphic, heavily-armed raccoon blasting holes in LittleBigPlanet’s giant boss monsters. What about that idea doesn’t sound awesome?

Microsoft announces a bold new plan to remove all windows and replace them with a new product it is calling Live Tiles, which bear little resemblance to the transparant transparent you've been using to peer out at the world beyond.

In a shocking move today, Microsoft has begun a drive to remove all windows from homes around the world and replace them with what the company is dubbing “Live Tiles.” Though they are completely different than their glass predecessors, CEO Steve Ballmer claims that the Live Tiles can replace windows with “no compromises.”

Live Tiles do not open, allow for airflow, or let light in, but do come in a number of neon colors. Though they have none of the benefits of an actual window, the Tiles can display a fraction of a weather report, rotating pictures of friends, or a static picture of the outdoors. Once you’ve paid the $40 upgrade fee and your windows have been switched, the change is irreversible without a rebuild.

“What the hell?! I want my old windows back,” said disgruntled rural homeowner Andrew Couts who shelled out $40 for what Microsoft told him was an upgrade to his windows. “My home looks like a goddamn Fischer Price set. I can’t get anything done.”

Those living in older homes will not be able to directly interact with the Live Tiles, but starting today, Microsoft began selling a new line of homes specifically designed with Live Tiles in mind. Office buildings and businesses with windows will also be forced to upgrade to Live Tiles, though it took them so long to install their last set of windows that Microsoft plans to give them several years to catch up.

As part of the Live Tile rollout, stores that previously sold windows, crews trained to install windows, and companies selling window accessories will be forced to convert their operations to support the millions of Live Tiles attempting to fill the gaps where windows once stood.

Though Microsoft is attempting to eliminate windows around the world, Ballmer repeatedly referred to windows as Microsoft’s future.

“Microsoft is dedicated to windows. Windows is our past, present, and future. We’ll always make windows,” said the CEO before chanting the word “developers” several dozen times to a crowd of aging programmers and journalists. Though homes will be full of Live Tiles, Ballmer claims that Microsoft is, in fact, selling windows.

The world-wide plan to replace all windows comes after several years of testing in mobile homes. Though few mobile home owners have converted to the Tiles, the lack of voluntary adoption has only emboldened Microsoft.

Rockstar Games piles on the nostalgia while whetting appetites for the new. The studio announced a 10th anniversary release of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for Android and IOS before teasing info about Grand Theft Auto 5.

For any millennials still feeling old after the tenth anniversary release of Grand Theft Auto III on iOS platforms last fall, get ready for another kick to the proverbial groin this fall thanks to Rockstar Games. On Friday the studio announced the 10^th Anniversary Edition of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City for Android and iOS devices.

“To celebrate the 10^th anniversary, there will be a series of commemorative assets released, including never-before-seen artwork and a brand new anniversary trailer highlighting some of the most iconic scenes and music from the game. In addition, a limited run of promotional items will be made available for purchase through the Rockstar Warehouse, with select items also available via online giveaways.”

While a new trailer for a decade old game might not sound like the most thrilling release, Rockstar did promise that there will be “several enhancements” to the game in its new mobile edition. Mission checkpoints probably won’t make the cut.

No release date was given for the game.

Grand Theft Auto V, the next new entry in Rockstar’s signature series, is still an unknown quantity. After a number of weeks releasing screenshots from the game on its website, Rockstar has been silent about the new game. Two days prior to the announcement of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’s anniversary edition, the studio released a new piece of concept art for GTAV labeled “Pest Control,” with the promise that “lots of info” about the game would be coming in November.

Grand Theft Auto V publisher 2K Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive had to adjust financial expectations for the current fiscal year due to the game’s delayed release. Since GTAV was left out of its projections for this year, it’s been assumed that the game will be released in the second quarter of 2013, somewhere between April and June, much like recent Rockstar releases like L.A. Noire, Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, and even Grand Theft Auto IV.

If Grand Theft Auto V releases in April 2013, that will be exactly five years after its predecessor, meaning that Grand Theft Auto IV was as close to the release of Vice City as V is to it.

Rockstar Games wants you to know: You’re old.

The Nintendo Wii U will be a hot commodity this holiday season, not just because it's the first new home console from the company in six years, but because there won't be very many of them to go around.

Nintendo’s Wii U will be out in November, but it’s not entirely clear how many of them will actually be sent out into the wild to be snatched up by rabid fans and parents who want the latest and greatest machine under the Christmas tree. Nintendo said during its quarterly earnings report earlier this week that it expects to sell 5.5 million Wii U consoles between November and the end of March. As that release day gets closer, its becoming clear that Nintendo may be basing those estimates on the low number of consoles that will actually be available.

Shortly after Nintendo announced the Wii U’s release date and price in September, a number of retailers including GameStop stopped taking pre-orders for the console. Nintendo of America president Reggis Fils-Aime said at the time that he thought supplies would be adequate. “We’ve learned a lot of lessons from the launch of the DS, the launch of the Wii, and the launch of the 3DS. And our supply chain is solid,” said Fils-Aime, “We want to satisfy all of the demand that’s out there.”

This week Nintendo confirmed that GameStop had sold 250,000 additional “wait list” pre-orders for the Wii U, guarantees for customers looking to get the system whenever they might become available. While that statistic certainly suggests demand for Nintendo’s new device, it also suggests that rumors about Nintendo’s Wii U manufacturing problems hold some truth. In August, word was that Nintendo might even have to detail the console’s European release due to problems manufacturing its signature tablet controller.

Further demonstrating Nintendo’s supply problems is a Thursday report from Computer and Video Games. An anonymous retailer told that outlet that Nintendo would be shipping a paltry 25,000 Wii U consoles in the UK on launch day. Another retailer confirmed that figure. While a third source said it was expecting “between 75,000 and 100,000 units during the launch period,” they also said that Nintendo hadn’t indicated when those systems might be made available.

Nintendo UK failed to quell concerns. “Wii U stock levels will be tight on day one,” said a representative, “However, we will be providing retailers with regular stock deliveries in the run up to Christmas in order to meet demand as quickly as possible.”

Scarcity can be a good thing for technology companies, driving demand to a fever pitch. Since Nintendo is selling its console at a loss, though, it needs to be selling software at a strong clip to make up for lost revenue. If people can’t buy the machine, they won’t be buying the games.

Tim Cook took the opportunity to spice up a generally boring earnings call event by talking some smack. Setting his aims on seven-inch tablets and Microsoft, Cook made his opinion known on his company's competition while still managing to brag about Apple's future.

Tim Cook is starting to really embrace his role as Apple’s CEO. He’s had the position for over a year now but he finally seems to be getting the hang of filling in for Steve Jobs. The past few days have shown his biggest marks of progress as he’s spewed out several almost unjustifiably cocky statements about Apple’s creations while simultaneously attacking his competition. Jobs was the master of this art and managed to set the bar rather high for his successor. One of his more famous remarks was about his well-known distain for seven-inch tablets, and today we learned that Tim Cook agrees.

Always up for a challenge, Cook decided today’s Apple earnings call would be a good place to start dropping gems of wisdom and All reports seem to point to Cook putting on quite the show for his company. Between reciting numbers about growth and doing some masterful spinning on some of the tough situations like iPhone 5 rollouts, he also managed to make time to pat himself and Apple on the back with one hand while driving a knife into the hopes of Microsoft and others. Here’s a quick round up of some of our favorite quotes from Cook’s instant classic of an earnings call.

iPad Mini Pricing

When asked about the pricing philosophy that Apple uses when deciding the cost for one of its products, specifically the iPad Mini, Cook did his best to explain how quality justifies the cost: ”One of the things we try to do is to create a product that people will love for months and years and continue using. That’s what iPad mini is designed to do.” The emphasis here should be on months if you’re an iPad owner. Everyone excited about that new Lightning connector?

It’s not seven inches

The iPad Mini has been a point of contention in Apple’s overall plan, mostly thanks to Steve Jobs’ instance in the pointlessness of that size. Presented with a question about the company’s about face on the smaller sized tablet, Cook took the opportunity to defend the product.

“We would not make one of the seven-inch tablets. We don’t think they’re good products, and we would never make one. Not just because it’s seven inches, but for many reasons. One of the reasons, however, is size. The difference in just the realistic size between 7.9, almost 8, versus 7 is 35 percent.” Feel free to fast forward to the next major Apple event where Cook brags about having the fastest selling 7.9 inch tablet on the market.

Not entirely satisfied with that answer, Cook continued to defend Apple’s little tablet. “When you look at the usable area, it is much greater than that. You know, it is from 50 percent to 67 percent. And also the iPad Mini has the same number of pixels as iPad 2 does.” If you think about it, saying the iPad Mini has the same display power as a product you essentially made obsolete in the same press conference might not be the best line of defense.

Surface tablet neither flys nor floats

Having talked enough about his own company for awhile, Cook moved to discussing Apple’s newest competitor, Microsoft. When asked about the launch of the Surface tablet and how that may change the market, Cook was quick to go on the attack. “I haven’t firstly played with the Surface yet, but what we are reading about it is that it’s a fairly compromised confusing product. …I suppose you could design a car that flies and floats, but I don’t think it would do all of those things very well.” T-Minus 5 minutes before the web blows up with rumors of an invitation to another Apple event announcing a car, and 10 minutes until rumors of an iCar Mini.

We’re not sure if this has been in Cook’s repertoire this entire time and he’s been holding back, but we hope it continues. It’s fun to see guys in Cook’s position speak with some passion and confidence is entertaining. Let’s put it this way, it takes a lot to make a call about earnings interesting to those that aren’t rolling in the profit announcements.

Though Skyfall only just debuted today, James Bond's next adventure is already in the early planning stages.

For the past several months we’ve been not-so-patiently awaiting a film called Skyfall. Though it’s unassuming name might not indicate as much, Skyfall is the twenty-third official movie centered on Ian Fleming’s super spy James Bond. As with the previous two Bond films (Quantum Of Solace and Casino Royale), Skyfall stars Daniel Craig as the debonair British agent. Unlike previous Bond films however, Skyfall’s marketing push and pre-release hype machine make this the “biggest release ever for a James Bond film.” Oh, and today marks its official public debut.

None of that is news, but what is interesting is that despite the film having only just been released, the people behind Skyfall are already working on its sequel. The film (which currently lacks an official title and is colloquially known as Bond 24) currently resides in what the UK’s Daily Mail describes as “pre-pre-production.” 

According to that Daily Mail piece, screenwriter John Logan has been tapped to write the script for Bond 24. Though Logan is largely unknown, he was brought in to re-write the Skyfall script by director Sam Mendes and EON Productions during that film’s production phase. Though Logan has yet to complete his script for Bond 24, he has created an outline for the story that has been seen by very few people. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, as well as star Daniel Craig have all seen it, and apparently it meets their high expectations for a future James Bond movie as Bond 24 is now scheduled to start shooting toward the end of next year. Barring any unforeseen catastrophes that would put the film in theaters in the Fall of 2014.

Speaking of Daniel Craig, we’ve known since September that the actor had signed a contract to appear in both Bond 24 and the inevitable Bond 25. In that same piece we mentioned that EON Productions (the rights-holder behind the cinematic incarnation of the James Bond character) wanted to start pushing future Bond movies into production at a much more rapid rate than they have been over the past decade. The last Bond film (Quantum Of Solace) debuted four years prior to Skyfall, thus news of Bond 24 entering pre-pre-production just as Skyfall hits theaters seems to corroborate this scheme.

Of course, all of this could be derailed if Skyfall doesn’t perform as expected at the box office. As we mentioned above, it’s being heralded as the biggest Bond film to date, and studio executives are estimating an opening weekend take of just over $32 million. That seems a relatively small figure, but keep in mind that these estimates are based entirely on the 587 theaters showing Skyfall in the UK this weekend. Whether Skyfall manages to top that figure or not, it should pull in quite a bit more money here in America, the land of oversized sugary drinks, exorbitantly expensive popcorn, and ludicrously huge box office revenues.

The Windows 8 Store's guidelines prevent UK video game publishers from selling many of their most popular games through Microsoft's new service. On the new operating system's launch day, Microsoft said it would ease ratings restrictions, but it may be some time before changes take effect.

Microsoft is banking on Windows 8 to do more than strengthen its hold on swiftly evolving PC business. The new operating system is also a key component in the expansion of the company’s Xbox brand as the center of its entertainment business. With Windows 8 on the market, Xbox means more than just a game console in the living room. It’s Xbox Music, Xbox Video, and Xbox Live mobile games, not to mention Xbox Live-ready games sold through the Windows 8 Store. While there was some confusion earlier this month, over what games Microsoft would be able to offer through the Windows 8 Store, the company confirmed on Friday that its service would offer all the games available on Xbox Live Arcade, regardless of rating.

The confusion began when Casey Muratori published an article highlighting Microsoft’s unusual approval guidelines for apps sold in the UK’s Windows Store. Apps cannot have depict anything that “glamorizes illegal activity,” “excessive or gratuitous profanity,” or “irresponsible use of alcohol or tobacco products.” This meant that any games that receive the UK’s PEGI 18 rating—the equivalent of the ESRB’s M in the US—couldn’t be sold in the store. No Grand Theft Auto IV, for example.

When Digital Trends contacted Microsoft, we were told the US Store wouldn’t be constrained in the same way. A representative said, “We have nothing more to share beyond what is public on the Windows Dev Center (section 6.2 of the app certification requirements discusses ratings) and information on Rating boards for Windows apps.” Section 6.2 only restricts games with an “over ESRB Mature” rating, meaning only “AO—Adults Only” games would be blocked.

Microsoft has since changed its tune though. Gizmodo reported on Thursday that Microsoft is amending its app guidelines for the Windows 8 Store so that it can sell the same products as competitors like EA’s Origin, Valve’s Steam, Apple’s Mac App Store, and even its own Windows Phone store.

Not immediately, though. Microsoft’s VP of web services Antoine Leblond said that Microsoft won’t be able to get blocked games onto the store until later this year, possibly as late as December. “This is to give a heads up that that’s where we’re going,” said Leblond, “So [developers] can have the peace of mind around developing the kinds of games that will have those ratings.”

PEGI 18 games will make it to the Windows 8 Store, but what about AO games? Not yet based on the Windows Phone store.

In its ongoing efforts to reinvent itself, the G4 cable network has announced that as of December no new episodes of X-Play or Attack Of The Show will be produced.

When it first hit the airwaves way back in 2002, the G4 cable network billed itself as television’s prime resource for information on video games and the techie culture that surrounds them. At the time it was an audacious plan, but gamers were excited to see TV executives who were willing to pander to their demographic. Over time however, the people behind G4 realized that there was far more money to be earned in appealing to a more mainstream, teenaged male audience and the network’s shows slowly shifted over time toward the kind of faux juvenilia seen on Spike and Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block.

When this proved too lucrative a strategy to ignore, the G4 executives decided that the network needed a makeover. Gaming news would take a distant back seat to what G4 claims will be “sophisticated male-oriented programming.” As part of this ongoing image shift, G4 announced this morning that two of its most cherished, long-running shows would end production at the end of year. 

“Attack Of The Show and X-Play will continue to roll out new episodes through December,” TV Guide reports. “Leading up to their finales, a rotating lineup of guest co-hosts will join Attack Of The Show hosts Candace Bailey and Sara Underwood, including John Barrowman, Michael Ian Black, Josh Myers, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel and Horatio Sanz. Various stars are also expected to join X-Play hosts Morgan Webb and Blair Herter on their show.”

In the meanwhile, both X-Play and Attack Of The Show will wind down their remaining months by airing special “farewell episodes” as well as inviting back former hosts, and rerunning popular segments.

This move will drastically change the channel’s programming landscape, as both X-Play and Attack Of The Show have long been the twin bastions of gaming culture information still available on G4. Amidst endless reruns of Cops, these two shows served as a reminder of why the network was initially created. 

Remember that bit up there were we described G4′s proposed new image as “sophisticated male-oriented programming?” Even while typing that phrase it felt like a hollow buzzword, signifying nothing. Still, TV Guide has ideas on what exactly this all might mean.

Meanwhile, as speculation continues over the evolution of G4, sources say the channel may be looking to partner with Esquire magazine (or another men’s periodical, like GQ) as it moves into a more upscale, sophisticated guy TV space. Among the possible new names for the channel: “G4Men.” Some programming is expected to remain, including Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan, while acquired fare from the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Aziz Ansari could be in the mix.

None of this has been officially confirmed, but it does fall in line with everything we’ve heard so far about the channel’s image rehabilitation efforts. Plausible or not though, that paragraph is chock full of weird. G4Men? A partnership with Esquire? We love Anthony Bourdain, but his television work fits far better on the Travel Channel or the Food Network than any possible iteration of G4. Then again, he does chain smoke, drinks like a fish and wears natty leather jackets, so maybe the network wants to spotlight him as their classic image of masculinity. That wouldn’t be any more jarring than the rest of those ideas outlined above.

The idea of foldable and flexible smartphone screen from Samsung is nothing new. We’ve been hearing rumors about the technology for a while, though we’ve yet to see an actual product utilizing the technology. This might be changing beginning next year with the introduction of the Samsung GT-B9150.

So what is the GT-B9150? It is a 5.3-inch sAMOLED HD Dual display device that runs Android and will likely officially be called the “Samsung Galaxy Q”. The rumor mill suggest it will run on an EXYNOS 5250 processor and will have 2GB of RAM. Other specs are believed to be an 8MP back cam, a 2MP front cam, NFC, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 3500mAh battery.

If this proves to be true, this could be huge news. We’ve heard about flexible foldable displays for a long time but we have to realize the dream, yet. What’s the big deal? Basically you get a smartphone when you need it and a tablet when you need more screen real-estate.

Would you consider a flexible phone or not? Do you think it will come out in early 2013 or will yet another delay keep the technology out of public hands?

Welcome to Digital Blend, your one-stop shop for coverage and recommendations of all things relating to mobile gaming, digital marketplaces, and indie titles (for the week ending October 28).

Welcome back to Digital Blend, our weekly look at the world of downloadable video gaming that exists at the fringes of the mainstream. That means we look at the hottest new mobile game releases, downloadable content drops on consoles and PCs, indie darlings that deserve your love and attention, and the best gaming values under $20.

Keep your comments and feedback coming. We want to hear from you! Did you try something you read about here and enjoy it? Is there a particular game you think we’ve overlooked or news you want to share? Any questions you are dying to ask? Let us know! Your thoughts, feedback, suggestions and (constructive!) criticism are welcome, either in the comments section below or directed at yours truly on Twitter, @geminibros.

Making headlines…

* Lots and lots and lots of DLC news this week. Let’s start with a personal favorite: XCOM! The Firaxis-developed remake launched earlier in October 2012, and 2K Games is now prepping a series of DLC drops that should please fans of the deep turn-based strategy game. First up is the Elite Soldier Pack, which is basically just the pre-order bonus that early buyers received. That one will set you back $5, but it’ll allow you to model your army of alien-stomping soldiers after the look of the grunts in the original game. More exciting is the Slingshot Content Pack, which adds a three-mission story arc to the game and a new NPC “who functions unlike any seen in the game to date,” whatever that means. No release date for Slingshot yet, but stay tuned for more news soon!

* Another favorite is pegged for DLC: Halo 4. The game may not be out yet, but Microsoft offered specific details on what fans who purchase the Limited Edition release on November 6 — a package that includes the “War Games Map Pass” — can expect. The map pass, which will also be sold separately, is a package deal that gets you three upcoming map packs: Crimson (December 2012), Majestic (February 2013), and Castle (April 2013). Each pack adds three multiplayer maps to the game. The packs will of course be sold a la carte for 800 MS Points apiece ($10), with the Map Pass giving you a $5 total savings on the bunch.

* Okay, all three big DLC reveals this week relate to personal favorites. Last up is Dishonored from Arkane Studios. Play this one if you haven’t. It’s fantastic. Read Ryan’s review if you need convincing. The first of three DLC packs will arrive in December. The Dunwall City Trials DLC adds 10 new challenge maps to the game, including one that amounts to a wave-based survival arena. The second pack is set for spring 2013 and it adds actual campaign content that focused on the character Daud (no spoilers). There are zero details about the final pack; only that it exists and that it’s yet another story add-on. That final pack will also arrive in 2013.

* It’s not more DLC, but September’s Borderlands 2 isn’t the only Pandora adventure that fans of Gearbox Software have to look forward to this year. Borderlands Legends is an iOS-exclusive real-time strategy game that is confirmed for release in the App Store on October 31. It’s an unusual twist on the series that was born as a first-person “looter shooter,” with players using swipes and taps to direct the original game’s four Vault Hunters around a series of randomized maps in wave-based encounters. It amounts to a very different kind of game, but all of the familiar Borderlands trappings appear to be in place. Expect this one to be featured in next week’s top buys.

* With all of this juicy game downloading going on, the ESRB is upping its profile in the mobile/downloadable games world. The official U.S. ratings board for video games introduced a new Digital Rating Service this week. The no-cost option is designed to ease the process of getting downloadable offerings rated, which should cut down on headaches for both developers/publishers as well as the ESRB. The new service amounts to an online questionnaire that susses out what sort of game is being submitted and what sort of content descriptors need to be applied. Relatedly, the ESRB will also now start identifying games that share personal or location info as well as those that offer user-generated content.

Top buys for the week…

Killzone HD :: PlayStation 3 :: $14.99

The PlayStation 2 game that launched a franchise, Killzone, is back with a shiny, new HD coat of paint. The newly released Killzone HD doesn’t really change anything about the last-gen game, so while it looks prettier than it ever has before, it’s still just as janky as it’s always been. This one is PS3 only for some reason, so don’t start whipping out your Vitas for it. Note too that if you’ve never played the two subsequentKillzone games on PS3, you can also nab the entire trilogy as a single $39.99 release starting this week.

Hotline Miami :: PC :: $9.99

Pick of the week with a bullet. Or, really, with many, many bullets. A bunch of melee weapons too. And lots of blood. Buckets. Great, overflowing tubs of the stuff. Hotline Miami is the latest in an increasingly popular line of retro-styled games, only I guarantee that you haven’t played anything quite like this one. Essentially a brawler/shooter viewed from a top-down, 16-bit perspective, Hotline is really more of a twitch-based puzzle game with a dark, gory sense of humor. Also, the soundtrack is perfect. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.

NightSky :: Nintendo 3DS :: $9.99

This first of two big eShop releases for the week is a sharp-looking action-puzzle game in which players must move a sphere around the screen in a series of physics-based puzzles. It’s definitely one of the more unique titles available for 3DS, and it’s absolutely worth a look. If only because we all occasionally need a break from enemies and bosses, both of which have no place in NightSky.

Liberation Maiden :: Nintendo 3DS :: $7.99

On the other hand, if you really just want to get your shoot on, then look no further than Liberation Maiden. This Suda51 mech shooter was released in Japan as part of a 3DS collection called Guild01. This amounts to a standalone release of one of the collection’s four games (two others are incoming), and it’s worth way more than the $7.99 asking price. You play as Shoko Ozora, the president of New Japan, as she pilots her Liberator mech to defend her country against invaders. If that doesn’t sell you, then there’s no hope left in the world.

He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe :: iOS :: $0.99

If you are old enough to remember the ’80s and you happen to own some kind of iOS device, this is a thing you need to own. He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe is a side-scrolling brawler from Chillingo. What’s awesome about it is that it uses the art from the original cartoon show. None of the music, unfortunately, but the game is strong enough that you’ll be able to overlook that absence. The story also scores major points for not taking itself seriously. 

Heard the hype? Curious to try Windows 8 for yourself? Here's how to get the shiny new OS up and running in a jiffy, if you're bold enough to take Microsoft's $40 upgrade option seriously.

Windows 8 isn’t just Microsoft’s newest operating system. It’s the most ambitious move the company has made in years. If you remember the 2008 ads that touted “Hi, I’m a Mac. And I’m a PC,” you’ll understand how Microsoft executives have been working hard to overcome stereotypes of Windows as a stodgy, safe, old-fashioned system. But will the app-centric Windows 8 really become the new market standard?

Earlier in the week, we covered both the best of Windows 8 and the most annoying Windows 8 features. There are certainly both pros and cons to installing Windows 8 straight out of the gate, but the only way to know for sure if it’s right for you is to give it a whirl. After all, let’s be honest: are you really going to be satisfied without forming your own opinion? Additionally, if you’re lucky enough to own a touchscreen laptop or a hybrid machine, you’ll want to jump on all the shiny new touch capabilities that Windows 8 has to offer.

Updating Windows 8 from an Earlier Version of Windows

If you’re already running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 on your computer, upgrading to Windows 8 is a breeze. Even more than that, it’s a great deal: For those who bought a Windows 7 PC after June 2, 2012, the Windows 8 upgrade will only cost you $14.99. As of the release date of October 26 through the end of January 2013, an upgrade runs only $39.99. When an operating system costs less than many popular video games, it’s clear that the manufacturers want to jumpstart early sales. In fact, the Microsoft website boasts a tool called Upgrade Assistant designed to streamline the entire installation process. One minute you’re wondering how to get your hands on Windows 8, and the next it’s already up and running. If you want to get Windows 8 the old-fashioned way, you can have the discs shipped to you. However, for the lowest price point, you’ll need to opt for a digital download. Requesting physical disks to be mailed to you increases the upgrade price to $69.99. Never fear, though: you’ll have a chance to make your own physical disc during the installation process. So for those interested in downloading the software, follow these few easy steps:

1. Download and run the Upgrade Assistant.

This free, effortless tool from Microsoft assesses whether your computer meets the system requirements for Windows 8. In addition, it checks out everything associated with your machine, from hardware, such as printers, to software, such as apps. If anything’s not going to run correctly on Windows 8, the compatibility report will give you fair warning so you can decide before you buy.

2. Buy a copy of Windows 8.

Once your computer passes the spec test, you’ll need to decide if you actually want to shell out for the actual product. Keep in mind that there are several versions of Windows 8. Windows 8 Pro, the upgrade version on sale for $39.99 that we mentioned above, includes remote desktop capabilities and something called Hyper-V, which makes it possible to run other operating systems within Windows 8. Just to make things confusing, there’s also Windows RT, but there’s no need to worry about that; Windows RT comes preinstalled on select tablets and PCs, like the Surface Tablet that we recently had some hands-on time with. When you’re ready to buy, head to the Windows site. 

3. Run the Windows 8 installer.

If you’ve chosen a digital download, you’ll wind up with a disc image, or “.iso” file. From here, you can either burn the image to a DVD (right-click on the image and choose “Burn disc image”) or mount the image via virtual drive using a program such as Daemon Tools. If you’ve ordered physical discs, all you have to do is pop them in the drive. From here, simply follow the prompts of the installation wizard. Don’t forget the product key! Digital downloaders will find their valid key under the link they used to download their disc image in the first place.

The installation process also includes a chance to make a copy of Windows 8 on a USB drive or DVD. We always recommend making a backup in case you need to reinstall for some reason.

Installing Windows 8 from Scratch

Conversely, if you’re not upgrading from Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7, Microsoft has made it strangely difficult to perform a clean install of Windows 8. You’ll need to buy a copy of Windows 8 from a third-party retailer, and physical discs are your only option — so if you don’t have an optical drive with a DVD-reader, or an external drive, you’re out of luck for now. That said, here are the steps you’ll want to follow:

1. Make sure your machine meets the Windows 8 system requirements.

These specs should be relatively easy for newer machines, but it’s always a good idea to check.

2. Buy a copy of Windows 8.

This step isn’t nearly as friendly to your pocketbook if you’re installing from scratch rather than simply upgrading. The normal retail version of Windows 8 Pro is rumored to run $199. However, Newegg.com currently has Windows 8 Pro for $139; just select between 32-bit and 34-bit.

3. Back up existing data.

If you’re performing a clean install of Windows 8 rather than simply upgrading a previous version, keep in mind that the installation process will wipe your hard drive of all previous data. Make sure to back up all your documents, music, photos, and movies beforehand.

4. Run the Windows 8 installer.

Place the Windows 8 disc into your optical drive and restart your computer. During the boot-up process, keep an eagle eye out for a message reading “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.” You’ll need to hit a key at this time to start up the Windows 8 DVD. If you miss it, don’t worry, just restart and try again.

If you’re successful, you’ll see a flash screen with the Windows 8 icon, and then a series of options to choose from before starting installation. Again, you’ll need a valid product key. When asked what type of installation you want, choose “Custom: Install Windows Only,” which allows for a clean install. If you’re overwriting a previous operating system, you’ll need to delete previous data (make sure you’ve backed up first!). After a waiting process of about 10 to 20 minutes and an automatic reboot, you’ll find yourself in the normal installation wizard. Follow the prompts and you’re done!

[Image Credit: Microsoft Sweden]

Capcom has released the most polished version of Street Fighter X Tekken to date on Sony's PS Vita handheld, though beneath the wealth of new features lies the same old fighter.

When it was first announced that Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono and Tekken mastermind Katsuhiro Harada had joined forces to create a fighter that would finally pit Capcom’s finest brawlers against those of Namco Bandai, fans of virtual pugilism were beside themselves with glee. Street Fighter (particularly Street Fighter II) is widely seen as the godfather of all modern fighting games, while the Tekken series has proven itself nearly as big a franchise by claiming the coveted spot of best selling 3D fighting series ever created. Given this, and Capcom’s propensity for fighting games that feature characters from multiple companies (see: Capcom Vs SNK and Marvel Vs Capcom), it’s almost odd that these digital brawlers had never before met in the ring, but following the Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 release of Street Fighter X Tekken in March many were wondering if the anticipation was worth it.

Street Fighter X Tekken, the game has been released yet again for the PS Vita handheld, and much like Capcom’s Vita iteration of Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, this re-release includes a number of new, interesting features. Frankly, there’s so much new stuff here that I’m still trying to process it all.

New Age Of Heroes

Maybe I missed a memo at some point, but these days it seems to be an unwritten law that all big-name releases on Sony’s Vita must include at least three novel uses of the handheld’s exclusive features. After all, Sony didn’t install gyroscopic sensors and two touchscreens in the Vita just to have them ignored by developers. In keeping with this trend, Street Fighter X Tekken is packed to the gills with quirks not seen in its console predecessors, though the majority of these additions are of dubious utility.

Take the game’s controls for instance. Though the Vita’s six physical buttons do an excellent job of recreating the Capcom-standard six-button control scheme seen in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 iterations of Street Fighter X Tekken, the game also includes a feature dubbed “Battle Tap” that allows players access to another six “buttons” that take the form of regions on the Vita’s dual touchscreens. By default you’ve got four buttons arranged in a square grid on top of your opponent, as well as two others which each occupying one-half of the rear touchscreen. If you don’t like this arrangement, you can resize and reposition any of the buttons (as well as dictate what you’d like each to do), though removing individual buttons doesn’t seem possible.

This feature should be infinitely useful to players, as it allows them to trigger a character’s special moves by simply tapping various spots on the Vita’s screen, but in practice Battle Tap is more of a hindrance than anything. Before I figured out how to disable this feature I constantly found my fingers sliding onto parts of the handheld that would immediately fire off a totally unplanned attack. That rear touchscreen seems like an ideal place to curl your fingers around the back of the machine, but with Battle Tap enabled the only safe place to rest your extra digits is in the cramped grip wells on either edge of the handheld. While I imagine one could eventually get used to Battle Tap (and subsequently pull off special attacks with inhuman speed), this game’s learning curve is large enough as is without forcing players to adjust how they hold their gaming device.

That said, if you’re one of the few people for whom Battle Tap seems like a boon, you’ll be glad to hear that in addition to the aforementioned touchscreen functionality, Street Fighter X Tekken also includes a Casual Style mode that expands the Battle Tap concept to its (il)logical conclusion. In Casual Style, the Vita’s standard six buttons are disabled, along with the handheld’s directional pad and its joysticks. Instead of actively controlling where your fighter goes, you tap various parts of the screen then watch as your chosen martial artist either travels to the specified point or, assuming it’s nearby, launches an attack. I’d like to think there would be some strategic wrinkles exclusive to this mode, but in all of the matches I played with Casual Style turned on all of the attacks I launched were seemingly at random. 

Another example of baffling new functionality comes in the game’s Augmented Reality mode. Here players are able to capture an image of the real world using the Vita’s cameras (either the front or rear one) which can then be “improved” with the addition of a character model taken from the immense Street Fighter X Tekken roster. Since the game offers no real explanation for this mode — this trend of not including manuals with Vita releases is becoming problematic — this is how I discovered that you need excellent lighting conditions before the game will even display the character you’ve chosen. If you don’t have ample light the game will simply display a “Loading Character” notification indefinitely. Sadly, once I figured out how to get Blanka to perch on my laptop, I discovered two more issues: There’s no precise way to place and orient your fighter and any images created in Augmented Reality mode look terrible.

Then again, assuming this mode worked as advertised, and assuming there are actual human beings out there wishing they could somehow capture a picture of Kazuya posing in front of their worryingly large collection of wall scrolls, that still does nothing to explain why Capcom would add this feature to a game that is supposed to be a tag-team-based fighter. It just doesn’t fit with anything else here.

That’s not to say that all of the additions Capcom made to the Vita iteration of Street Fighter X Tekken are detrimental. Outside of the modes mentioned above, the touchscreen functionality works really well and makes navigating the game’s occasionally-labyrinthine menus a snap. Likewise, the color customization features in this game are better than they’ve ever been. Scrolling through color options and selecting various elements of the character feels very intuitive, and while the customization functionality remains basically the same, this single, well-designed addition elevates the Vita’s character customization options far beyond those seen in earlier versions of the game.

Crisis Zone

The most heralded new addition to the Vita version of Street Fighter X Tekken is undoubtedly its cross-compatibility with the PlayStation 3 iteration of the game. That’s not what I’m going to be talking about in this section, simply because it works exactly as it should. DLC costumes, and characters can be transferred between the handheld and its console kin, and players on the Vita can play online against those on the PlayStation 3. The whole process is quick, relatively simple and just works.

However, in testing this out I discovered exactly how complicated the DLC scheme for this game can be. Alright, let’s start simple: Everyone who buys the Vita version of Street Fighter X Tekken will find a code printed on a small card within the game’s case that has myriad functions. First, it grants Vita players alternate costumes for the 38 characters in the original Street Fighter X Tekken cast. Second, it also grants access to alternate costumes for the 12 DLC characters that joined the game’s cast months after its debut. Third, it allows those who also own the PlayStation 3 version of Street Fighter X Tekken to download those aforementioned 12 DLC characters for free. Those are all nice bonuses, but this is where things get complicated.

When Capcom sent over our review copy, it was, as usual, accompanied by a printed bullet list of features the company wanted to be sure journalists focus on during their time with Street Fighter X Tekken. This list vaguely states the above features I listed for that DLC code, but then for some reason also claims that those who pre-order the game will receive a code that allows for the download of those same alternate costumes for the 12 DLC characters. Why would it do that? I have no idea, so after a lengthy email exchange with Capcom I finally started to figure out how this system is supposed to work. Fortunately for those of you who don’t have Capcom representatives at your beck and call a comprehensive, explanatory post on the company’s official blog has been created that sorts all of these DLC issues out.

Whether you’re interested in this game and its DLC or not, please take a moment to have a look at that blog entry. If that scheme seems convoluted to you, congratulations, you have eyes. 

Dark Resurrection

If it seems odd that I’ve written 1600-plus words so far without mentioning the actual fighting in this fighting game, that’s only because outside of the new Vita-specific features this is the exact same game we reviewed in March.

During battle, Street Fighter X Tekken seems a logical extension of the gameplay seen in Capcom’s “Versus” fighters to date. Normal attacks, specials and super moves are all as you remember them. In fact, given Street Fighter X Tekken’s ability to crossover with the PlayStation 3 game, the basics of both titles are necessarily identical. Whether this is a positive or not depends entirely on how you feel about Street Fighter X Tekken as a whole.

Personally, while I love the character selection (especially with the Vita’s massive roster which includes all 55 playable characters seen in any earlier iteration of the game) and find the graphics and aesthetics on par with the excellent Super Street Fighter IV, the gameplay itself is a bit overly complex. Not only does the game feature the arguably outdated six-button control scheme (as opposed to the newer, simpler four-button scheme seen in Marvel Vs Capcom 3), the various Super Arts and Cross Assault attacks are far less user-friendly than they might be. While it’s convenient that you can launch a Super Art by charging the move even if you don’t have the requisite amount of meter available, that’s only true because the Vita’s diminutive buttons make it overly difficult to enter the standard directional and button inputs necessary to launch a Super Art in the traditional fashion. On the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (both of which have larger, more comfortable buttons) there’s always the option of picking up a fighting stick and using that instead of a handheld controller, but on the Vita you’re stuck with the standard control scheme. 

Still, the above complaints are rather minor. You will have to spend time learning Street Fighter X Tekken’s unique nuances, but once you’re up to speed (and the game’s multiple training modes do an excellent job of teaching each character’s various moves and combos) this is yet another excellent fighter from Capcom. I like this game a lot, and given that its online multiplayer mode (which is roughly identical to that seen on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) is surprisingly lag-free, it’s become my go-to mobile fighting game fix. Given that it just replaced the Vita version of Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3, that should be seen as a huge compliment.

Conclusion

Though the novel Vita-exclusive features are largely a bust, and even those that are useful have little effect on the actual fighting gameplay, Street Fighter X Tekken is undoubtedly the most complete release of this title to date. I wouldn’t recommend the game based on any of those features, but since its core gameplay is functionally identical to that seen in the earlier Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 iterations of Street Fighter X Tekken, I’m more than willing to promote the game to Vita owners as an excellent portable fighter. Honestly, given the lack of quality software available for Sony’s handheld this game almost earns “must buy” status by default.

If you do buy Street Fighter X Tekken though, I implore you to pore over that blog post detailing the game’s DLC costume offerings. You’ll be kicking yourself if you attempt to buy something you should already have access to, and unfortunately that’s a very real possibility.

Score: 7/10

(This game was reviewed using a PS Vita copy provided by Capcom.)