It’s amazing how a game getting close to 5 years old can still yield surprises. I won’t tell you what happens, but about a minute in something really crazy starts to happen, it makes a pretty spectacular looking mess in the middle of the stage. It’s a shame it takes so much set up, it would be a heck of a trap to set during casual games against friends…
Thanks to Neil on NBC for the link.

Yeah, looks like I might be back to talking about Halo all the time again.
Item 1: Seen this? Yeah, I know that its fake and you know its fake, but fankids everywhere had a good ol’ time the past few days claiming it was a real leaked photo of the Halo 3 menu screen. So don’t bother sending that link around because it won’t earn you friends.
Item 2: More Graphic Novel Goodness! USA Today published an article today (in the USA) about that forthcoming comic companion to everyone’s favorite xbox launch title. Bungie was kind enough to offer a link to said article, and also published questions and quotes that got editied out of the printed version. Oh yeah, they also uploaded some rather good art. The comic promises to show how Johnson (pictured) survived the Flood of Halo 1, because he wasn’t on the boat with Chief and Cortana at the ending.

The big big news is that Latino Review got a hold on the script to Transformers and gave it an A+. As is standard, they only really cover the first act (to keep some surprises in), but the description of the action is enough to make me hopeful.
If you read that script review you may come across some distressing names like “energon cube” being used to reference what is obviously the Matrix, and previous posts to (producer) Don Murphy’s board suggested things like Devastator being just a tank. Michael Bay has swung in to allay those fears via his site:

Many of the names in the script are aliases. The only people that know the real names of many of these characters are the COO of Hasbro, their corporate lawyer and myself….So rest assured AKA Devastator, is really not Devastator.

The Fantastic Four sequel (why?) has also shifted release dates off the big TF opening weekend of July 4, 2007.
This upcoming July 4th, we’ll see a teaser poster AND trailer hit theaters.

The first clear screenshots of the much anticipated new portable Pokemon have hit the web courtesy GameWatch.
While it doesn’t look like a significant grahpical upgrade from the GBA versions (which themselves weren’t a very big jump from the original Game Boy), 3D elements and some mode 7-type effects will be present in the gameplay.
This will be the first Pokemon title to go online, but details of that feature are still under wraps. Bulbanews reports that any pokemon you caught on your GBA games can be transferred to the new DS title after you meet certains goals,
The official site has also been updated with screens, art, and more info.
I’d tell you more, but this whole page is in Japanese… a translation should be around sooner or later.

Missed this when it happened at E3. Space Ghost interviews Microsoft’s Peter Moore at the GameTap booth.

Masahiro Sakurai has set up a special web page for fans to suggest new characters and music for Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

Since the page in Japanese, Advance Media Network has set up instructions for English speakers to submit their ideas.

I’m pretty sure they’re getting all the Sonic mail they can handle, so I’m gonna suggest Simon Belmont, Mega Man, and King Hippo.  This game needs more Captain N characters!

It has been seven long years since The Rentals have made even the slightest noise.

Now they’re coming back.

Matt Sharp left Weezer after Pinkerton to focus entirely on his project The Rentals. The first release Return Of The Rentals was a modest success, with the hit single “Friends Of P” and while the follow up Seven More Minutes didn’t make much of a splash, I was certainly a fan.

The Rentals.com has updated that the band WILL be playing 2 shows in California and 2 shows in Japan this July, with a world tour to follow. Pitchfork also spoke to Matt while preparing the tour, and he announced that while the lineup has changed since SMM, Rachel Haden (formerly of that dog.) would be back in the fold. You can also check out their myspace page to get more music.
Apparently the credit for the return goes to a new remix of the Tegan and Sara song “Walking With A Ghost.”  Matt Sharp became such a fan of T&S that he recruited former Rentals member and current SNL cast Maya Rudolph to cover “Not Tonight.”

The Rentals are recording new material now and a new album should be due in 2007.

Press Release after the jump

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Last night’s “Smallville” had the first Superman Returns television commerical. For those who missed it, Aint-It-Cool has multiple formats you can stream online.

The footage itself contains mostly footage from the prior teasers released to theaters and the internet some time ago. There is one new shot that comes so quick you might miss it. To avoid spoiling anyone, I’ve provided a screengrab after the jump.

Also of note is the announcement that Superman Returns will debut on June 30th in IMAX 3D.  Why, there just happens to be an IMAX down the road from me…
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