SG Buddy Sean Hollister tipped us on a developing story over on Nintendo Gal. Apparently, the FREE demo for Monster Hunter Tri (Wii) will only be given to those who put $5.00 towards a preorder.  (INSERT OBLIGATORY COMMENT ABOUT DEMOS BEING INTENDED TO ALLOW A GAMER TO EVALUATE A GAME BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASING DECISION AND THE IDIOCY OF CHARGING FOR ONE HERE)

While Capcom and Gamestop aren’t returning emails, a bunch of good old fashioned detective work by the NG community turned up some pretty convincing evidence of a nationwide scandal that, if proven, could upend the enormous amount of trust that gamers have come to place in the Gamestop organization.

Sorry, I’ll pay $5.00 for a demo about the same time I fork over $15.00 for 3 new maps in MW2.  Seems like game execs and retailers alike have all been over-sampling the Greedy Punch.

Are YOU buying what they’re selling?

Source:  NintendoGal

Popularity: 2% [?]

Mega Man is unquestionably one of the most beloved characters in the video game industry. He captured hearts and minds on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and, along with virtual icons like Mario, Link and Pac-Man, helped shape the home console business during its infancy. The character has seen numerous spin-offs throughout his storied history, but to those who grew up with an NES, he will always be the Blue Bomber.

Mega Man 10 is yet another vertical- and horizontal-scrolling platformer cut from the 8-bit cloth. The plot revolves around Roboenza, a nasty virus that turns robots into hostile miscreants. Humans are, naturally, completely useless without functional robot helpers, so it’s up to Mega Man – or Proto Man – to quell the chaos. The story is appropriately minimal and wholly predictable. Dr. Wily comes to Dr. Light begging for help after his medicine-making machine is “stolen,” only to reveal himself as a nefarious prick in the end. This scenario has played out many times before, and by now, one would figure that Mega Man could sniff Wily’s bullshit from miles away. Mega Man is definitely way too trusting for his own good, but that’s just his nature, and it’s hard to knock him for having a big heart.

Mega Man 10 doesn’t try to beat the player over the head with story. There is a basic plot to follow, but it’s pretty vapid, and exists merely as justification for another octet of unruly robot masters. Honestly though, there’s no need for a deep, thought-provoking narrative. The classic Mega Man games have never been lauded for storytelling and dialogue, so the target audience is highly unlikely to cry foul over a forgettable narrative. As with all 8-bit Mega Man games, Mega Man 10 is defined by addictive and infinitely replayable 2D gameplay.

Mega Man 10 follows the same structure as its predecessors. The robot masters function as players in an expanded match of rock-paper-scissors. Each bot is vulnerable to a specific weapon, which is, conveniently, supplied by a fellow master. The levels can be tackled in any order, but it’s easier to follow a specific strategic path. It’s extremely formulaic and incredibly familiar, but that’s part of the appeal. Mega Man 10 is a throwback to more basic design; a homage to a classic Capcom timeline. It’s a pure retro experience born of nostalgia, so it makes sense to have the gameplay fall in line with an established progression structure.

The boss roster is essentially an agglomeration of recycled concepts. It’s pretty disappointing that Capcom is still relying on heat-, water- and ice-based villains, but after nine games, I guess I should be glad the company didn’t draw inspiration from a sewing kit or a picnic basket. As clichéd as Solar Man and Chill Man are, they’re still much better than inane screwballs like Dust Man, Centaur Man, Clown Man and Dive Man. My favorite new master is by far the incomparable Sheep Man. Admittedly, he’s extremely goofy, but that’s what makes him special. I’ve always been a fan of quirky characters, and Sheep Man is definitely one of the more bizarre villains in the Mega Man franchise.

Initially, I was a little disappointed with the newest batch of robot masters. As an ardent franchise follower, I’m perpetually certain that I could conceive better ideas. Thundercats Lunchbox Man and Ceramic Christmas Tree Man are up for grabs, Capcom. I’ll admit though, I’ve warmed to this new group. In truth, Mega Man 10 features one of the strongest boss casts in the franchise. It doesn’t measure up to Mega Man 3 or Mega Man 2, but I’d definitely rank it in the top half. In my opinion, there’s only one dud: Pump Man. He looks positively absurd, and not in a good way. I can forgive the stretchy, spout-like arm, but that lever on his head is an affront to my vision. His 8-bit sprite looks to be ready for gladiatorial combat. What’s more, he has the audacity to brandish a shield-based weapon, one of the most overused concepts in the Mega Man franchise. It’s like a car wreck at the intersection of Aesthetic Road and Function Street, and freaking Top Man is directing traffic. Pump Man is definitely the weak link in the chain, but taken as a whole, the octet is pretty solid.

The classic Mega Man games are infamous for being excessively difficult, which might appeal to masochists, but is surely a major deterrent for a substantial number of gamers. Mega Man 10 is certainly no cakewalk, but it’s far more manageable than previous installments. Truthfully, it’s the first 8-bit Mega Man I’ve ever completed, without Game Genie codes. The normal difficulty feels just right. It’s not too hard, but still provides a challenge. Those who still struggle can rely on the in-game shop for helpful items, or could even opt for the easy setting. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s an unlockable hard setting for players who like it rough.

Music, which is traditionally a hallmark of the franchise, is an area in which Mega Man 10 falters. The soundtrack is pretty bland, and lacks any memorable tunes. Sheep Man and Nitro Man offer decent tracks, but they lack the addictive and catchy hooks that characterize the themes for Dive Man, Magma Man, Metal Man, Snake Man and Spark Man. The music, I’m sad to say, is just plain dull. It’s as inspiring as a bowl of white rice, or a plate of bare pasta. Mega Man 10 doesn’t have a single song that I would want for my iPod, which is a first for the original Mega Man timeline.

Mega Man 10 is a lot of fun, but there’s nothing special about it. It’s simply another 8-bit Mega Man game. That’s definitely not a bad thing. The Blue Bomber’s latest adventure is packed with content, and at $10, it’s a tremendous value for fans. In addition to the main game, players can tackle Time Attack, and submit those stats to online leaderboards. Developer Inti Creates will also be releasing some choice DLC, which will offer a third playable character, new levels and Endless Attack Mode. Those features, along with the 80-plus ancillary challenges and in-game accomplishments, should keep junkies happy for a long time. Mega Man 10 doesn’t boast the novelty of being the first 8-bit series release in over a decade, but it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who has an affinity for the original timeline.

*Disclosure: I purchased Mega Man 10 from Nintendo’s WiiWare service with money I lifted from a dead hooker. After disposing of the body, I completed the main game on the normal setting with Mega Man.

Popularity: 2% [?]

All the cute shots of Samus Aran is not going to save this game.

If you’re anything like me, there’s a part of you that wants Nintendo to succeed.  They more or less started the video game “industry” as we know it today, so now that they’ve been reduced to little more than a family mini-game factory, it crushes a part of my soul.

Last year at E3, when it was announced that Metroid: Other M was being produced by the Team Ninja guys, I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.  This obviously was Nintendo’s attempt to throw a bone to the hardcore folks: “Hey, quit complaining, we’re getting the Ninja Gaiden team to make our next Metroid game! Suck on that!”

Well, if you’re a video game fanatic like me, you listen to a lot of major gaming podcasts.  All this week, I’ve been listening to a majority of the news outlets who attended last week’s Nintendo First Quarter Happy Release Convention Thing (don’t know the actual name of the event; fact checking is for suckers) talk about their initial impressions following hands-on time with the game.

Here’s the correct sequence that you know you’ve got a great game coming:

Podacster A: “Oh, hey, you got a chance to play Metroid while you were there; what did you think?”
Podcaster B: (immediate and overloud response) “Wow, holy sh3t.  Podcaster A, wait until you get this game in your hot little hands.”

Here’s how at least three podcasts I listened to described M: OM.

Podcaster A: “Oh, hey, you got a chance to play Metroid while you were there; what did you think?”
Podcaster B: (long pause followed with a nervous laugh)…well, I don’t know.  It seemed…pretty okay?

A lot of people thought this game was going to really be the break out game for Nintendo to get it’s ass into the adult gamer market and not tank like Madworld.  This was going to show the world that Nintendo could still sit at the big boy table at Thanksgiving.  Well, if the initial impressions from the major media outlets are any indication, Metroid: Other M, is going to be terrible.

These enemy podcasts would talk about Samus’ too-high girl voice not fitting that of a hardened bounty hunter.  They would detail how you are forced to rotate the Wii remote to fire missiles, at which time you are immobile and getting beat on.  They talk about there’s no actual ability for Samus to freakin’ aim when she fires, and that she just automatically targets the nearest thing to her.  All the while, there’s a sense that they want to blast the hell out of the game, but they’re trying to be nice and remaining optimistic like they’re talking about the nice neighbor boy who’s just a little slow.

Well, take a look at the latest non-gameplay trailer.  Does this get you excited about Metroid?  I mean, come on, what is this, Final Fantasy?  I like storyline more than most, but I don’t need to hear some coming-of-age tale from Samus.  If it’s a great military story, so be it, but come on.

Sidebar: Okay, Metroid: Other M looks bad and sounds worse.  Agree or disagree over in the forums!

Popularity: 2% [?]

We all know what Mario Kart is, right? I could use this space to post a link to some Mario Kart footage, but that would just be wasting everyone’s time. In a nutshell, Sonic (and Sega) All-Stars Racing IS Mario Kart, but without the Mario or the Kart (though I do want to see a Mario avatar playing this game. Make it happen, internet!). Plus this version is on the Xbox 360!

While Sonic’s Racing Game doesn’t do everything quite as well as his Italian nemesis’, it holds a candle pretty close to that bushy mustache.  Sega’s title isn’t limited to just the Wii. Don’t fret just yet, Wii owners, that’s not a slight against the Wii. It’s a boon for 360 owners. The closest thing I could find to Mario Kart is Full Auto or Big Bumpin’ (that’s the Burger King game.)

You could say that Sega’s legacy of characters deserve better than a wannabe Mario Kart. You could be right. However, you could argue that Sega’s legacy of characters deserve better than most of what Sega has subjected them to in the past decade. If their next bottle of milk from that cow isn’t sour and actually tastes good, I’ll take it in a heartbeat and write all about it.

Alright, we’re three paragraphs in, do you want to read about the game? The main events here are the characters and stages, all most of which are taken directly from Sega’s legacy. You start with a roster of 10 characters in the 360 version, and as expected, half of them are from the Sonic universe. Two of them aren’t even Sega properties, so if you’re a Sega fanboy, be prepared to do some work to unlock some of the other 12 characters (unless you’re happy with Billy Hatcher, Aiai, and Amigo.) The two 360-exclusive options are the titular Banjo-Kazooie and.. well.. you! Yeah, I had to make that joke. It’s pretty novel to play as your avatar, and the absurdity isn’t quite as apparent as say.. Guitar Hero.. since you’re shooting missiles at bears and hedgehogs instead of rocking on stage with Kurt Cobain.

The stage designs are fantastic for any Sega fan, whether you’re driving around the famous whale from Sonic Adventure, or putting it on cruise control while Amigo and friends takes you through an LSD trip in one of the wonderful Samba de Amigo levels. The same care and attention went into the audio of the game as well, with not only memorable music to even the casual Sega fan, but with the menu sounds as well. While going through some of the menus, I felt like I was back in Aladdin’s Castle and 12 again, which is a lot to say since I never spent that much time in arcades to recognize many arcade game sounds or music.

The 24 stages are all taken from different games in the Sega library, and they all have a very tight “Mario Kart” feel to them. I wish I could think of a better example, but there is none. The stages are hectic, yet accommodate the 8-way assault going on without much hassle, and of course there are a plethora of shortcuts to find. While you can sometimes jump from eighth place to the pole position in a matter of seconds against AI, the track never feels cluttered with racers or items, which gives you the room you’ll need to drift around just about every turn.

That moves us nicely to the next major player in Sonic Kart: drifting. Mario Kart has drifting, but it always felt to me like an extra skill: something you don’t need to master in order to really enjoy the game. Sega Racing is a different story. You need to master the drifting early on and get the timing right for when to use the drift boost, or else you are going to eat it in the harder tracks. Luckily, the drifting isn’t very tough to do at all, and besides some minor issues with direction here and there feels very tight and grows on you after a short period of time. There’s also nothing quite like drifting past the fastest hedgehog on earth. You can also use the same button to perform tricks when in the air to get a healthy boost when your car hits the ground.

The power-ups found in the capsules are your standard fare. Green boxing gloves shoot forward or backward and ricochet around while red missiles home in on your target. You’ve also got mines, Sonic’s green bubble shield, and a few more fun toys to impair your opponents. The items feel fairly balanced, if not a little underpowered. Each character can also obtain an All-Star and trigger their special ability to help them plow through the pack. These are pretty fun to do, and you get plenty of notice to prepare for the impending doom if you’re on the unlucky end of the stick.

I realize that this is a glowing review that doesn’t match my recommendation, which is that it is a solid rental. The controls are tight and I never felt out of control. The stages are fun to drive through and can be very hectic in a good way. I suppose I only have one complaint: the fact that All-Stars Kart is simply inferior to Mario Kart. If you have access to Mario Kart Wii or even Double Dash!!, there’s nothing new for you here unless you really like Sega. On the other end if you’re a hardcore gamer with a PS3 and 360, you’ll get a good bit of enjoyment out of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, but you’ll likely grow bored after beating the Grand Prix on the higher difficulties and a handful of the many mission races the game offers you, which won’t take you very long if you’re any good at the game.

The online multiplayer worked like butter for me, but you’re still racing on the same tracks with the same cast of characters. Only you can really decide if that makes Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing worth the retail price or a rental from your place of choice, but I would say if you like Mario Kart, you’ll get enough enjoyment out of the game to justify renting it for a week.

*I rented the game at a local store a few days after release. I haven’t played it every single day, but I’ve unlocked roughly 50% of what’s available, with mostly music being left in the in-game store.

Popularity: 3% [?]

It’s that time of year again when we put a call out to our Community and ask: Wanna write for Sarcastic Gamer? We’re looking for people committed to writing regularly, producing video content or doing other helpful things for Sarcastic Gamer.

Writers: Please submit two writing samples to lono AT Sarcasticgamer dot com. These writing samples should be original pieces regarding video games and your take on whatever the issue of the day is. You’ll also need to provide a picture to go along with the article that is no wider than 530 pixels and no taller than 300 pixels.

Topics for your writing can be anything you want, but we’re looking for people that write in a humorous, sarcastic way, with real thought and excitement about our beloved hobby. Whether it’s a review, rant, or parody article, you pick it and put pen to paper. If you impress, you may be asked to join.

Are you interested in doing funny videos or producing video content for Sarcastic Gamer? Please submit one video that you produced yourself, which is a completely original piece. The video must be PG-13. Sorry future porn directors, we don’t need that for the site, not yet anyway.

So, get cracking. We’re going to give this a window of two weeks or so and hope to bring on the new people by the end of March.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Author’s Note: Well, this little number I’ve been cranking out has been getting surprisingly positive feedback from the site, so I’m going to keep on doing them!

So, you’ve bought your “Bioshocks” and your “Dante’s Infernos” and your “Heavy Rains,” but just what in the hell is coming up around the bend?  Well, get your pocketbook ready, because we’ve got yet another killer month of game releases bearing down on us like a freight train.

Xbox 360:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2: 02 MAR
Major League Baseball 2K10: 02 MAR
Resident Evil: Desperate Escape: 03 MAR
Resident Evil: Gold Edition: 09 MAR
Final Fantasy XIII: 09 MAR
Metro 2033: 16 MAR
Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening: 16 MAR
Supreme Commander 2: 16 MAR
Resonance of Fate: 16 MAR
Just Cause 2: 23 MAR
Clash of the Titans: 23 MAR
Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition: 30 MAR
Red Faction: Guerrilla Expansion Pack 3: 31 MAR
Mega Man 10: 31 MAR
Blur: 31 MAR

PS3:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2: 02 MAR
Major League Baseball 2K10: 02 MAR
MLB ‘10: The Show: 02 MAR
Resident Evil: Desperate Escape: 04 MAR
Resident Evil: Gold Edition: 09 MAR
Final Fantasy XIII: 09 MAR
Mega Man 10: 11 MAR (wait, it’s the 31st on 360)
Metro 2033: 16 MAR
God of War 3: 16 MAR
Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening: 16 MAR
Supreme Commander 2: 16 MAR
Resonance of Fate: 16 MAR
Just Cause 2: 23 MAR
Clash of the Titans: 26 MAR
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City: 30 MAR
Red Faction: Guerrilla Expansion Pack 3: 31 MAR
Metalocalpyse: Dethgame: 31 MAR (sorry, just had to throw this in there)
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West: 31 MAR
Earthworm Jim: 31 MAR (wait…wha?)
Dragon Age: Origins: Return to Ostegar: 31 MAR
Blur: 31 MAR
Yakuza 3: 31 MAR
Singularity: 31 MAR

PC:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2: 02 MAR
Major League Baseball 2K10: 02 MAR
Supreme Commander 2: 02 MAR
Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2: Chaos Rising: 11 MAR (Boom)
Assassin’s Creed 2 (Black and White Editions): 16 MAR
Command and Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight: 16 MAR
Metro 2033: 16 MAR
Just Cause 2: 23 MAR
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City: 30 MAR
Singularity: 30 MAR
Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West: 31 MAR
Silent Hunter V: Battle of the Atlantic: 31 MAR
Blur: 31 MAR

Wii (Oh, don’t think I forgot about my favorite 64-bit system):
Mega Man 10: 01 MAR
Project Runway: 02 MAR
Major League Baseball 2K10: 02 MAR
The Daring Game for Girls: 09 MAR
Sam and Max: Season Two: 09 MAR
Calling: 09 MAR
Let’s Play Ballerina: 16 MAR (yes, the day of the God of War 3 and Dragon Age Expansion, this is the Wii’s offering)
Let’s Play Garden: 16 MAR
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon: 16 MAR
Sushi Go Round: 16 MAR
Zany Golf: 17 MAR
Build-a-Bear Workshop: Friendship Valley: 17 MAR
Red Steel 2: 23 MAR
Pizza Delivery Boy: 23 MAR
Sakura Wars: So Long My Love: 23 MAR
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Rise from the Ashes: 30 MAR
Kids Sports: Crazy Mini Golf 2: 31 MAR
Bonk: Brink of Extinction: 31 MAR
Bomberman Live: Battlefest: 31 MAR
Reading Rabbit 1st Grade: 31 MAR
Warioware D.I.Y. : 31 MAR
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Trancer: 31 MAR

God, they just keep going….

Girlfriends Forever: Magic Skate: 31 MAR
Dart Rage: 31 MAR
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s ABC:31 MAR
Astro Bugs Revenge: 31 MAR
Super Meat Boy: 31 MAR
Garfield’s Pet Force: 31 MAR
Robocalypse: Beaver Defense: 31 MAR
Max and the Magic Marker: 31 MAR

So, yeah! Wii games!  Someone needs to tell Nintendo to turn off the firehose.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Hey, Wii apologists, let’s see you try to wriggle your way out of this one.

Remember that rumor you heard that the iPhone has more processing power than the Wii?  Anyway, it looks like Capcom has decided to bring a portable iteration of Street Fighter 4 to the iPhone and iPad, completely skipping over the Nintendo Wii.  Let’s face it, the game is going to be terrible.  I mean, come on: it’s an iPhone, where your thumbs will be covering half of the screen.  It just seems odd that it wouldn’t logically make the jump to Nintendo.

Yoshinori Ono, the creator of Street Fighter, was asked back in 2008 about the possibility of SF4 coming to Wii, Ono said, “As long as people want to play Street Fighter 4, it could be on anything — even this iPhone, for that matter. It really could be on any platform that could support it. So let’s just see what happens.”

He was being asked about the Wii. And his response talked about being “on any platform that could support it”.  While there could be any number of reasons why the game is not getting a Nintendo port, it just makes you wonder.  I mean, there could technically be behind-closed-doors negotiations and concessions that Nintendo isn’t willing to make to get the license on the Wii.  It could be that hardcore games typically struggle to sell on the Wii.

Or it could just mean that the Wii is an amped up Gamecube and unable to handle the game in its current form.

You know, I don’t relish trashing the Wii.  I wish it was another weapon in the hardcore gamer’s arsenal of gaming consoles.  But news like this makes me glad I took my Wii back to Best Buy before the return policy expired.

Popularity: 2% [?]

While searching Amazon’s game database for discount titles, I came across a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots listing for the Nintendo Wii. This is obviously an error, but pretty funny nonetheless. For what seemed like ages, rumors swirled that Hideo Kojima’s critically acclaimed PlayStation 3 exclusive would eventually land on another platform, with most whispers, if not all, suggesting Microsoft’s Xbox 360. In truth, I can’t remember a single story that propounded a Wii version, but I could certainly be mistaken.

According to the Amazon listing, the Wii version is in stock and available for $28.49. The list price is $49.99. The product features are as follows: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots PS3, console-video-games, Mercenaries 2 PS3 and 15728. So, it’s a bundle pack? By purchasing MGS 4 for the Wii, I also get the PS3 version, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames and the number 15728? I know Mercs 2 had some problems, but that sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.

I’m tempted to place an order, just to see what will happen. In all likelihood, Amazon customer service would send me a polite e-mail stating that the order could not be processed, thereby acknowledging the erroneous entry. I don’t imagine that I’d receive an empty white game case with MGS 4 cover art, a crisp $20 bill, and a note suggesting that I invest in a helmet.

Image credit: Giant Bomb

Source: Amazon.com

Popularity: 3% [?]

Over Christmas break, I put together a “First Quarter 2010 Release Schedule”, which a lot of people genuinely appreciated.  But as most of you are aware, game publishers have been hopping and popping these last few months.  Games are getting shoved around more than a fourth grader wearing a helmet on a playground, which makes about a third of the games I had listed as coming out in February flat out wrong now with further delays.

So here’s the latest, with the big bomb droppers being highlighted:

Global Agenda: (PC) 1 FEB
Star Trek Online: (PC) 2 FEB
White Knight Chronicles (PS3): 2 FEB
Tropico 3 (360): 9 FEB
Dante’s Inferno (PS3,360): 9 FEB
Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy (PC): 9 FEB
Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams (360, PS3, PC): 9 FEB
Shiren the Wanderer (Wii): 11 FEB
Sam and Max 2: Beyond Time and Space (Wii): 11 FEB
Aliens vs. Predator (360, PS3): 16 FEB
The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom (PC): 17 FEB
Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares (PS3): 17 FEB
Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth (DS): 18 FEB
Napoleon: Total War (PC): 23 FEB
Deadly Premonition (PS3, 360): 23 FEB
Last Rebellion (PS3): 23 FEB
Heavy Rain (PS3): 23 FEB
Risen (360): 28 FEB
Elemental: War of Magic (PC): 28 FEB

A select few of you may look at that list and say out loud: “Gee, S6, where are all the Wii titles?  What, no love for the Wii?”

Oh, I was hoping you were going to ask that.  Because, you see, there’s a whole slew of Wii titles coming out in February, of which, 90% of them look and sound like shovelware you’d find as Facebook games.  So, for those of you who think I’m being biased, here’s a smattering of some Wii titles for you.

Super Monkey Ball: Step and Roll: 9 FEB
Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral: 9 FEB
Family Party: 30 Great Games for Winter Fun: 16 FEB
Aztec Treasure Hunt: 23 FEB
Sled Shred: 23 FEB
Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing: 23 FEB
Pony Friends 2: 24 FEB
Triple Crown Championship Snowboarding: 28 FEB

Oh, should I have highlighted Pony Friends 2?  I saw that game at PAX and it looked wicked good.

Jesus.

SG Sidebar: What game are you most looking forward to from February?  Which game are you the least interested in?

Popularity: 5% [?]

Say what you want about Megadeth, their album covers were awesome.

I loved Megadeth.  Loved.

They were a foundational building block of my musical coming-of-age.  I tried learning guitar to tracks from Megadeth’s “Countdown to Extinction” CD (stress being on the word “tried”).  I was raised on this type of music.To see that Dave Mustaine and his band of aging, interchangeable rockers might be getting the Rock Band: Beatles style treatment from Activision with a Guitar Hero box bundle gave me the willies.

Do I think they deserve it?  Nah.  I would have imagined that Guitar Hero: Van Halen was more appropriate, but you saw how Activision butchered that title.  Then again, Rock Band is slapping music aficionados by skipping over Rock Band: Led Zeppelin or Rock Band: Rush and going with Rock Band: Green Day, so maybe Megadeth isn’t a terrible choice (too bad you used up your Metallica game already, eh Activision #holycrapwouldthathavebeenawesome?).

But wait, what’s this?  Dave Mustaine is promising something bigger than Rock Band: Beatles? What lavish and over-the-top treatment could Megadeth be getting that would possibly outshine the Rock Band: Beatles set?

Here’s Mustaine’s quote:

I have recently had two very important high-level meetings with the people from Activision and Neversoft, and we are talking about a lot of things, but a Guitar Hero box set is not as attractive to me and the people from Guitar Hero as the new idea that they offered me, as the creative stuff that we are talking about is over-the-moon! I just hope that someone doesn’t stand in the way of this happening. I know that there are a lot of really damaging results from our mothership (Warner) having some legal disputes with YouTube and Guitar Hero to name just a few.

First off, who says “over-the-moon”?  Really, Dave?  Way to show your age there, grandpa.

Secondly, what didn’t you find “attractive” about a Guitar Hero box set?  The fact that it’s not a Rock Band box set?  Because that is totally understandable.

Lastly, what in the world could this “creative stuff that we are talking about” do that Rock Band: Beatles doesn’t do?  Does it give you a destructive drug and alcohol habit that gets you kicked out of Metallica back in 1982?  That would be pretty creative…

This brings up our “SG sidebar” question: Megadeth is probably undeserving a Guitar Hero box set, but which band would you like to see get the Rock Band/Guitar Hero boxed set treatment?

Popularity: unranked [?]