What’s old is new again, kids.

EA is coming out with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and I, for one, can’t quit singing, “GI JOE! REAL AMERICAN HERO!”. Who’s with me?!

*crickets chirping*

You guys are no fun.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a new game being brought to all of you [and me] retro-loving, Cobra Commander hating game players by EA. If you’re a good little soldier, you can even unlock “behind the scenes at the game’s production, including unlockable concept art and character renders, while those in the mood for a bit of nostalgia can uncover four of the classic G.I. JOE PSA’s from the original 80’s cartoon series”.

If you’ve bought a gaming system in the past ten years then chances are good that you’ll be able to play G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra as it’s set to release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PSP AND cellphones. The game hits in August.

And now, for the pictures which are a big ole grouping of DS shots, unlockables and some PS3 screens.

Images|EA

As environmental-friendly gamers, we are aware that the Earth is going to die (erm…just a matter of time). However, we can do our part for our future generations by saving power and reduce carbon emissions in the process.

One company called TrickleStar is aware of this saving or standby power issue to come up with the TV TrickleSaver which is to stop the flow of standby power when electrical appliances such as TV and your gaming console are in ’standby’ mode.

PS3 is the primary target for such usage while Microsoft Xbox 360 comes in as a close second. Device @ $34.95.

Image: TrickleStar
Via: Slipperybrick

The Bigs 2 came out this week and I am completely bowled over by the graphics.  I think it looks like a great game if the screenshots and trailer are any indication.  It looks completely over-the-top when compared to other sports games (especially the cartoonish Wii games) and I think that’s what sets it apart in a market that is oversaturated with similar titles.  It’s available for the  Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii and PlayStation Portable.

You will be able to play through the full 162 game season while you take on the role of a baseball player or a general manager.  It’s cool because you can trade, draft and manage all the front office duties and you can also play in the “Become a Legend” mode where you create a player who tries to attain “Legendary Status.”

Check out a few screenshots:

I’ve got to mention that the reviews for this game have been quite good so I’m really looking forward to trying it this weekend.  Here’s a quick trailer to give you a better idea:

If you’ve been looking to get Guitar Hero World Tour then now is the time to act. GameStop is cutting the regular price of Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kits by $100.

The band kit includes a drum kit with mic, guitar kit and game software.

The sale/price slash is only good till July 12th.

GameStop has also dropped the price on tons of games to below $20. That sale happens from now until August 2nd, so you have a bit more time to take advantage of that one.

Image|pfala

Sherlock Holmes, as a character, is making a huge comeback and I think that it’s mostly due to the fact that a new film about the sleuth (starring Robert Downey Jr.) will be hitting theatres on December 25, 2009.

Now the Sherlock Holmes: The Mystery of the Mummy game will become available on the Nintendo DS on July 14, 2009.  The journey unfolds in London as Elizabeth Montcalfe tries to come to grips with the fact that her father, famed British archeologist Lord Montcalfe, committed suicide in a recent fire.  The main thing that makes moving on so difficult is that Elizabeth isn’t convinced by Scotland Yard’s findings regarding her father’s death – in fact, she suspects that he could even be alive!

Elizabeth is determined to uncover the truth and she enlists Sherlock Holmes to help her solve this mystery.  Their search takes them through the Montcalfe mansion and its many rooms which are packed full of Egyptian artifacts and treasures.

Here are the product features listed on Amazon:

• Inspired by the writings and characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• An involving storyline in true Sherlock Holmes style
• A wonderfully appointed, atmospheric and graphically detailed mansion
• Numerous interesting objects to search for, collect and use during gameplay
• Point and click mathematical, visual and memorization brainteasing puzzles.

image: Amazon

CID The Dummy puts you in a world where everything is tested with crash test dummies but your character, CID, is done with the whole crash test dummy bit and wants something new.

Then, “CID receives the mission of a lifetime – to save the Professor’s daughter from the evil D-Troit, the most vengeful super villain in the world!”.

Sounds interesting, no?

There are 20 different levels to dig through and the game is rated E10 + so the game is appropriate for just about anyone.

From the release:

• Let Professor B.M. Werken show you how to utilize CID’s tricks, skills and weapons in preparation for your mission

• Learn how to fight and beat your opponents and also use stealth mode to sneak past the Guards and Zombies!

• Sprint and burst through walls and break down barriers

• Use the catapult to launch yourself and go even faster

• Aim your bazooka at targets and blast the enemy!

• When all else fails, CID jumps into PANIC mode to maximize his energy and show what he is really capable of!

CID The Dummy is available now for the PSP, PS2 and the Wii.

Below are some screens of the bad guys that you’ll meet on your mission.

Images|O-Games

GameStop is hosting the Fight Night Round 4 Tournament in over 2100 stores which will begin on Saturday July 11, 2009.  Champs with four rounds of game play on the Xbox 360 will have a chance to test their skills at the in-store tiered event.

Finalists will get to compete at the “Showdown on the Strip” in Las Vegas – if they make it through 12 rounds of Fight Night Round 4 they could win $5,000 and a one-of-a-kind championship belt.  Sounds very cool to me!

EA Sports released Fight Night Round 4 on June 25, 2009 and already it is being hailed as a great follow-up to the highly popular Fight Night Round 3.  The developers created a fighting game based on physics so the movements are more fluid and realistic.  Also the game boasts a fantastic roster including the legendary Iron Mike Tyson and Muhammed Ali.

image: GameStop.com

Final Fantasy VIII CD Carrying Case may be just in time to hold your Michael Jackson’s great works which are in shiny CD format. The case contains six sleeves and lets you hold 6 discs but no one says you can’t slot 2 discs into one pocket.

The FF VIII CD case is propelled by zipper, water-resistant and dirt-proof technologies. A metal plate on the front has the “Final Fantasy VIII” logo embedded on it. Two cloth pockets are available to store 2 memory cards. $19.90 at NCSX.

Woohoo~

Image: NCSX

I don’t know whether this story translates into an extreme love for a game or sheer insanity but a man recently bought the Nintendo World Championships Gold for $17,500.  Yes, $17,500.  You could buy a minivan with that amount of money or pay off student loans but, in this depressing economy, one person chose to blow almost $20,000 on a video game.

The details of how the transaction went down are over on the Video Game Price Charts website if you want to know how this could possibly happen.  Of course, it’s a steal compared to the original asking price, which was $25,000.

So, I’m sure you are wondering why someone would pay such a huge sum for a 29 year old game for the original NES.  If that wasn’t enough, there are just 6 minutes and 21 seconds of actual games made up of segments from Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer and my personal favorite, Tetris.

Here’s the thing – it’s rare (just 26 were made) so that makes it cool.  It’s gold-colored unlike it’s grey counterpart. Finally, it was designed for a Nintendo gaming contest.

Okay gamers, I’ve got to ask – would you pay a large sum of money for something like this?  I originally thought that this was just some young guy who lived in his parents’ basement with money to spare but, in his article, he mentions having a seven-week old baby.

So let me rephrase the question – in a time of great economic turmoil would you spend almost $20,000 on a video game if you had a new baby?  I’m pretty sure you can guess what my answer would be.

image: Video Game Price Charts

Demon’s Soul is an action RPG that’s been available in Japan for several months but YOU will finally be able to get your hot little hands on the game come October.

You can customize everything down to how your character’s hair and gameplay is dependent on what type of character you pick.

The premise of the game is that you have to collect souls to gain power and defeat the bad guys. The online component allows you to see how other player died which is an interesting add to a pretty sweet looking game.

Demon’s Soul is a PS3 exclusive and while I won’t say that this is the game that should make you rush out and buy a PS3 [though you should already own one] it’s definitely a game that should make you think hard about purchasing the work horse of the gaming consoles.