You have to give props to smaller developers like Vblank Entertainment. What they might lack in sheer manpower gets made up for with smart, funny marketing and cool promotions. Also, down-to-earth radness — gotta have that. As part of the PAX 10, Retro City Rampage will be playable at booth #3017.

Better yet, the booth will have real-life goodies up for the taking:

• NES-inspired cartridge labels
• NES-inspired boxes (straight off the presses)
• Sega Master System-inspired case inserts
• Permastruct-inspired game rental case inserts

There will also be daily draws for the NES cartridge cases. Vblank mentioned that Retro City Rampage is now multiplatform, which I hadn’t heard before, but right now they have the ability to only confirm a WiiWare release.

Check out the gallery for shots of the merch and some screenshots of the game, in case you somehow forgot what it looks like. (Be on the lookout for some killer references.)

source Destructoid

Today Nintendo has announced that its upcoming Wii party title, cleverly called Wii Party, will ship with a Wii Remote. Yes, every copy of the game will come with an accessory that, alone, would cost you $39.99 on its own, will come bundled with a $49.99 game.

This is rather brilliant on Nintendo’s celebration, really — games like Wii Play and Wii Sports Resort were among the top selling titles of 2009, arguably due to the fact that they came bundled with a required accessories. It’s also a great deal, even if you intend on throwing the game in the trash after a few days. That’s not to say that Wii Party won’t be quality entertainment, with 13 game modes like Bingo, Friend Connection, and Globe Trot.

Wii Party is out in North America on October 3 and Europe on October 8.

source Destructoid

We’re only a week away from PAX! For many of us, the trip is even closer than that. Can you feel the excitement in the air? No? Perhaps Nintendo’s kick-ass line-up of games will help pump you up.

Booth #352 is where you’ll be able to lovingly embrace Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Metroid: Other M, NBA Jam, GoldenEye 007, and an all-new physics-based puzzler for WiiWare named Fluidity. What’s more, Dragon Quest IX players can grab the “Orgodemir” map while they’re at the show.

For those going to PAX, I’ll be the guy freaking out over DKC.

source Destructoid

If you’ve been banned from your local GameStop for having kicked over a magazine rack, consider heading over to Best Purchase to trade in your used games.

The huge box retailer has announced that it has launched its videogame trade-in program at nearly 600 of its stores in the United States this week, with more “to soon follow.” You’ll be able to trade in games for a Ideal Buy gift card that you can use for anything in the store, not just games and gaming accessories. Best Buy says it will offer pre-owned games, as well, presumably when it builds up enough back stock to meet demand.

Until August 29, Ideal Buy is offering an addition $20 Ideal Purchase gift card to anyone who trades in one of 100 select titles. A list of the stores currently participating in the trade-in program can be found on the web.

So is there anyone who is going to go rooting around their home for old games to trade in towards that 3D television set you’ve had your eye on?

source Destructoid

Activision has revealed all of the songs that will appear in DJ Hero 2, and as you would anticipate, it’s all over the place. From 50 Cent (“In Da Club”) to Sam Cooke (“Chain Gang”), Metallica (“The Day That Never Comes”) to The Jackson 5 (“ABC”), the 105 tracks will be mixed and mashed together for tracks exclusive to DJ Hero 2.

“The individual songs that have been blended into the DJ Hero 2 soundtrack have been viewed on the internet more than 1.5 billion times, which really speaks volumes to both the size and scope of our music,” stated music director Dan Neil in a press release, mirroring what I wrote when the game was first announced.

That’s a lot of music, and as long as fans don’t have to hear another song mixed with “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” ever again, they’re on the right track.

2Pac feat. Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman – “California Love Remix”
50 Cent – “In Da Club”
Adamski – “Killer”
Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force – “Planet Rock”
Armand Van Helden – “I Want Your Soul”
A-Trak – “Say Whoa”
B.o.B feat. Bruno Mars – “Nothin’ On You”
Basement Jaxx – “Where’s Your Head At”
BlakRoc feat. Pharoahe Monch & RZA – “Dollaz & Sense”
Busta Rhymes – “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See”
Calvin Harris – “I’m Not Alone”
Chamillionaire – “Ridin’”
Chic – “Good Times”
Chic – “Le Freak”
Clinton Sparks, DJ Class, & Jermaine Dupri – “Favorite DJ”
Daft Punk – “Human After All”
Damian Marley – “Welcome To Jamrock”
David Guetta & Chris Willis – “Love Is Gone”
David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi – “Memories”
David Guetta vs. The Egg – “Love Don’t Let Me Go (Walking Away)”
Deadmau5 – “Ghosts N Stuff”
Deadmau5 & Kaskade – “I Remember”
Deee-Lite – “Groove Is In The Heart”
Dillinja and Skibadee – “Twist ‘Em Out”
Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden – “Bonkers”
DJ Qbert – “Super Battle Breaks”
DJ Shadow – “Midnight In A Perfect World”
DJ Shadow feat. Q-Tip and Lateef The Truth Speaker – “Enuff (DJ Fresh Remix)”
Donna Summer – “Bad Girls”
Edwin Starr – “War”
Eminem – “Not Afraid”
Estelle feat. Kanye West – “American Boy”
Flo Rida – “Low”
Flo Rida feat. Will.I.Am – “In The Ayer”
Gorillaz feat. Mos Def & Bobby Womack – “Stylo”
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five feat. Melle Mel & Duke Bootee – “The Message”
Harold Faltermeyer – “Axel F”
Home Of Pain – “Jump Around”
Iyaz – “Replay”
Janet Jackson – “Nasty”
Justice – “D.A.N.C.E.”
Justice – “Waters Of Nazareth”
Kanye West – “Heartless”
Kanye West – “Love Lockdown”
Kaskade & Deadmau5 – “Move For Me”
Kelis – “Acapella (David Guetta Extended Mix)”
Kool & The Gang – “Jungle Boogie”
Lady Gaga – “Lovegame”
Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”
Lady Gaga feat. Colby O’Donis – “Just Dance”
Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz feat. Ying Yang Twins – “Get Low”
Lil’ Wayne – “Go DJ”
Lil’ Wayne feat. Static Major – “Lollipop”
LL Cool J – “I Can’t Live Without My Radio”
M.I.A. – “Galang”
M|A|R|R|S – “Pump Up The Volume”
Major Lazer feat. VYBZ Kartel – “Pon De Floor”
Malcolm McLaren – “Buffalo Gals”
Metallica – “The Day That Never Comes”
Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
MSTRKRFT feat. N.O.R.E. – “Bounce”
Nas feat. Keri Hilson – “Hero”
Naughty By Nature – “O.P.P.”
Nelly – “Hot In Herre”
New Boyz – “You’re A Jerk”
New Order – “Blue Monday”
Newcleus – “Jam On It”
Nightcrawlers – “Push The Feeling On (MK Mix 95)”
Orbital – “The Box”
Pirate Soundsystem – “Bashy Bashy”
Pitbull – “I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)”
Pussycat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes – “Don’t Cha”
Rihanna – “Pon De Replay”
Rihanna – “Rude Boy”
Robin S – “Show Me Love (Stonebridge Radio Edit)”
Salt N Pepa – “Push It”
Sam Cooke – “Chain Gang”
Sam Sparro – “B&G” a/k/a “Black & Gold”
Sean Paul – “Infiltrate”
Sean Paul – “Get Busy”
Snoop Dogg – “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?”
Snow – “Informer”
Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em – “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”
Sparfunk & D-Code – “Apocalypse”
Stevie Wonder – “Superstition”
Talib Kweli – “Get By”
The Chemical Brothers – “Leave Home”
The Chemical Brothers feat. Q-Tip – “Galvanize”
The Crystal Method – “Busy Child (Still Busy After All These Years Remix)”
The Jackson 5 – “ABC”
The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Mase & Diddy – “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems”
The Prodigy – “Omen”
The Prodigy – “Firestarter”
Ti

Rock of the Dead, Conspiracy Entertainment’s Typing of the Dead meets Guitar Hero game, hits shelves on October 5. You kill monsters with guitars, rocking out to classical music and (at least on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) Rob Zombie. Oh, and Neil Patrick Harris and Felicia Day will be providing voices. It sounds ridiculous, and I want it.

To promote the game’s upcoming release, a handful of Rock of the Dead apps will be released for Apple’s iStuffs. Rock of the Dead: Zombie Survival and Rock of the Dead: Whack-a-Zombie should be available soon, but the iPad-only Rock of the Dead: Zombie Pong is available now. Honestly, not one of the games looks all that great, but here’s the good part: they’re free, so why not?

Courtesy of the game’s publisher, here are some new trailers of the console game. They’re both ridiculous, and they’re free to watch, so why not? Keep reading to see the game in action.

source Destructoid

A pair of new Physician Who

Here’s a series of brief videos from Epic Mickey. They show distinctly different areas of the game and a variety of gameplay styles. There’s a bit of 2D platforming, some 3D-platforming and puzzle-solving and a little taste of combat towards the end.

I’m eager to get my hands on the game. It seems as though I’ve passed by it countless times at events and just never been able to find the time to give it a proper inspection. Hopefully that’ll change at PAX next week.

source Destructoid

It’s funny. If you look at the above screenshot and read aloud the words that you see in order from top to bottom, you’ll be echoing what usually goes on in my mind whenever I see anything related to Naruto. Maybe I’m getting old, crotchety and uninterested in what’s cool nowadays. Or maybe Naruto isn’t cool. I don’t know, but I’ve kept my exposure to it down either way.

Anyway, pre-order bonuses have been announced for the latest Naruto

I’m jealous of Jim Sterling for many reasons. He’s funnier, better looking, and more British than I am (at least, most of the time.) He also is usually first to claim all of the Sonic Colors news. Luckily for me, I managed to snag this story before he saw it. Eat it my dust, Sterling.

I’m pretty psyched for Sonic Colors. Adding stuff that the Sonic series has long needed (like power-ups) while sticking to what Sonic does best (2D speed-scapes) is a smart move on Sega’s part. It would be even smarter to throw some local co-op into the mix. If Sega is hoping to tap into the +14 million Wii owners who bought New Super Mario Bros. Wii, that’s the way to do it.

We haven’t go anything but these screens (spotted on Amazon.com) to go on, but that sure looks like some Tails-free Sonic co-op to me. What do you think? Does this rumor sway you either way on Sonic Colors?

Sonic Colors – Amazon screens reveal Red Sonic, possible two-player mode?- [GoNintendo]

source Destructoid