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In the Batman RIP storyline, confirming rumors we heard earlier, Bruce Wayne as Batman has been killed.

Author Grant Morrison will put Bruce Wayne in the line of fire from Simon Hurt, a gangster who claims to really be Dr Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s father.

The Sun reports Dick Grayson or Tim Drake may become Batman shortly. My vote is for Dick Grayson. Its time.

What say you, loyal fans? Is this a cheap stunt? An overdue end? Time for the manatee to become the mento?

Blip.TV (Extended) Verison

YouTube Version
Direct Link: Famicom Dojo: Microphone Roundup

Video Netcast (Extended) Version
 Subscribe to iTunes POWETcast
Direct Link: Famicom Dojo – Episode 05 – Microphone Roundup

It’s finally here! The first of the last two episodes of Famicom Dojo Season 1! We’ve gone too long between episodes, which is why we’re determined never to let it happen again. After the show notes (talking more about Karaoke Studio), read on to find out some of our plans for the end of the season, and beyond!

Show Notes
http://famicomdojo.tv/season1/microphone-roundup

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Remember when Nintendo released Zelda II: The Adventure of Link? Its side scrolling gameplay was and still is a radical departure from the series. The most we would see of another 2-d Zelda are the crapfest CD-I entries, but the less said about them, the better. However, Y’s III, Wanderers from Y’s is pretty close to what another 2-D Zelda would be like. Ironically, Y’s III itself is a departure from its norm, as all prior and subsequent entries are from the top-down perspective (in fact, a 2005 Windows remake of the game is done with an over the top view with a 3-d graphics engine).

The game once again puts players in the role of series hero Adol Christin, as he and his friend Dogi visit Dogi’s hometown of Redmont. Seems some strange things are happening there, and Adol takes it upon himself to investigate. Before long, he gets mixed up in something involving monsters, demons, and such. Unlike the previous entries, this is a platformer with RPG elements. You now have to press a button to swing your sword (as opposed to just running into enemies like in the first two entries), and there is some typical platform jumping. Along with gaining levels, you can equip several rings which grant special powers. Cool boss battles, catchy music, large areas, and an interesting storyline round out the package. Y’s III was ported to several systems at the time of its release, but its most well known port in the United States is the Super Nintendo version, which was released shortly after the system’s launch. Hopefully this should show up on the virtual console in the near future, as Y’s Book I & II, (the Turbografx-16 port of the first two games) is already available on the service.

Mattel has released some images on their MattyCollector website showing off the packaging for the new MOTU Classics line. The packaging will be classic styled blister cards.

This news is about a week old, but I held off because I wanted to see the fan reaction. Read on for more including a side-by-side comparison.

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In another kick-back to the beauty of retro gaming, I was called to the attention of a interesting little pocket of nostalgic gold not too long ago – a quaint little album of independently-created fan covers of Sega Genesis music.

LOSER: A Sega Genesis Tribute Album is a collection of fan-made tracks from several of the popular games from the 16-bit era that graced the Genesis console. A wide range of classic and not-so-classic game music from several Genesis games are covered on the album, from the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Ecco The Dolphin, Golden Axe, and even John Madden Football. Arrangements come in all sorts of flavors, from totally remastered melodies to those barely above chiptune-level.

Granted, while I may not agree that the Genesis was a “loser” in the 16-bit war of the 1990’s, I do appreciate the fact that a few brave souls managed to gather together to give the console its proper due – even if their choice of titling sucks.

Check out the album – LOSER Website

Tetris is one of the oldest and most endearing puzzle games ever. Most other puzzle games that have come out since then have not steered too far away from Tetris’s basic design. So how does the age old-formula manage to remain fresh for its Nintendo DS debut? Nintendo has combined Tetris’s classic gameplay with the look and feel of several of its classic franchises, added several new game variations, and added online play to boot. Even the classic version of the game has a new twist; as players create lines, Mario moves through the levels. Puzzle mode, which has its look inspired by Yoshi’s cookie, has players using a set amount of blocks in order to clear the screen. Mission mode, inspired by Legend of Zelda, has players completing lines while having to follow various rules, such as not being able to use a certain block. Touch mode, which is taken from balloon fight, has players use the touch screen to slide blocks into place to clear the screen, kinda like those slide puzzles. A mode inspired by Metroid has players scrolling upwards, kinda like a vertical shooter. You combine falling pieces into clusters of blocks to get rid of them. Finally, a duel mode inspired by Donkey Kong, has players making lines in order to push the stack onto their opponent. In short, Nintendo has done so much more than simply regurgitate another version of Tetris with touch screen controls. They have created an all new way to experience Tetris, and created a must-have title for the Nintendo DS.