In the category of video you must watch in order to maintain your geek cred, check out this set of seven videos comprising some of the most unusual renditions of the theme songs from Super Mario Brothers. Check it out on gamepro.com. Has anyone ever seen a theremin before? My spell checker apparently hasn’t!
I guess I should post all this gaming news…
What KOTOR MMO? There was (briefly!) a listing on Amazon for a Knights Of The Old Republic MMO. LucasArts had no comment to TFN: Make of that what you will. Make even more of it if the TFN post vanishes suddenly as well.
The Force Unleashed: io9 talks to Sam Witwer, aka Starkiller; Sound & Vision magazine previews the game (via;) Walkthrough a level; Eleven preview tracks from the soundtrack, a review, and an interview with composer Mark Griskey (via;) An Easter Egg in the demo.
Chronicle Books looks back at LucasArts
Hey gamers, here’s one for your holiday lists: Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts, coming from Chronicle Books in November. The book is written by Rob Smith and will have a forward from George Lucas. I know you’d probably rather have an update of the X-Wing games, but such is life.
EU newsbits: TFU demo, comic, Karpyshyn interview
- Gaming: Gamers can now get their hands on The Force Unleashed demo – an early level of the game that takes place at a TIE Fighter Construction Facility – from either Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network.
- Comic: StarWars.com has an original comic, Visions of the Blade, that ties into both Soul Calibur IV and The Force Unleashed. It’s illustrated by Tom Hodges.
- Interview: The EUCast has a Cantina Chat with author Drew Karpyshyn.
Yet more on The Force Unleashed!
Above, a video interview with author Sean Williams on his TFU novelization, while Penny Arcade riffs on the game.
Del Rey has also emailed out a list of book release events taking place on Saturday, August 23; You’ll find them beneath the cut. Continue reading “Yet more on The Force Unleashed!“
Preview The Force Unleashed on StarWars.com
With most of The Force Unleashed tie-ins out today, the official site has posted a bonanza of extras:
- A brief excerpt from Sean Williams’ novel adaption of the game.
- Q&A with the game’s project lead, Haden Blackman, on the book vs. the game.
- Several pages from the comic adaption. (The same one we saw on DarkHorse.com)
- A quick look at The Art and Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Also of interest may be io9’s gallery of TFU concept art.
Out this week: The Force Unleashed
So, um, apparently there’s this game coming out next month? Where you play as Vader’s secret apprentice? And stuff? Yeah, this is the novelization, and it comes out tomorrow. Oh, and a Making of book, too. Plus some comic. And all much, much cheaper than a game console.
In the news: Travel, art, Minnesota, box office
- Travel: InformationWeek’s top vacation spots for geeks features several locations of interest to Star Wars fans, while the S.F. Travel Examiner stays close to home with One Letterman Drive.
- Art: Or, cheapest of all – io9 featured some of Big Rock Ranch’s art today. But come on, guys… Isn’t all Star Wars art inherently cheesy?
- Exhibits: Where Science Meets Imagination’s Minnesota stay has been extended through August 27th. Best go soon if you haven’t already – who know when (or if) it’ll pop up again.
- Box office: The Dark Knight continues it’s climb towards Star Wars domestic record, netting $400.04 million domestically last weekend.
- Gaming: Lego Star Wars has sold 15 million units; Soulcaliber IV is shipping two million.
Will The Force Unleashed unleash more characters?
According to Haden Blackman, “Princess Leia has a pivotal role.” (In the Senate? A level in Alderaan? When does this take place, anyway?) The Emperor is kind of a no-brainer given the whole Vader’s secret apprentice angle, but “surprise cameos from the films and the Expanded Universe?” Well, we already know a few ‘surprises’ show up in duel mode…
Newsbits: Alan Dean Foster, Karen Traviss, Penny Arcade, RPG awards, Sith omnibus
Honors: The International Association of Media Tie-in Writers has named Star Wars vet Alan Dean Foster their second Grandmaster. Foster was the first novelist to tackle the franchise, ghost-writing the novelization of Star Wars as well as (under his own name) the first original novel, Splinter of the Mind’s Eye. He returned to the GFFA in 2002 with The Approaching Storm. (via)
- Interviews: AM New York talks to author Karen Traviss, who’ll be in town this evening on her The Clone Wars book tour, while EUC nabbed artist Dustin Weaver.
- Gaming: Yoda and Darth Vader trash-talking in Penny Arcade.
- RPG: WOTC’s relaunch of the roleplaying game is up for four ENnies, including Best Game and Product of the Year.
- Comics: StarWars.com has the first look at Dark Horse’s Rise of the Sith omnibus.