Check out the above footage released by EA showing off some early gameplay footage of Battlefield 3 on the Xbox 360.  It will be released on October 25 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.  Pre-orders get the Back to Karkand expansion pack for free.

The marketing research company AYTM (Ask Your Target Market- not affiliated with the game’s parent company, Rovio), put out some statistics into the form of an infographic (who came up with that term “infographic” anyways…?).  You’ll see a variety of usage statistics, devices used, and behaviors regarding the Angry Birds game.  Oh, and the possible cures for this addiction.

See the ‘infographic’ after the break:

Click here for the AYTM blog post

Click here for the Angry Birds survey results

In the above video, Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson provides a trademark Clarkson-esque review of the new Warthog coming to Halo 4.  Before appearing in Halo 4, however, the new Warthog will be drivable in Forza Motorsport 4.

343 Industries revealed at a PAX panel that Halo 4 is the start of a new trilogy that it’s calling the “Reclaimer Trilogy.”

Since Bungie left the Halo IP in Microsoft’s hands to go do its own thing, 343 Industries has taken over development of the Halo series.  Halo fans are sitting on pins and needles waiting to see how the Halo story, or rather the Master Chief’s story, is handled in Bungie’s absence.

As a big Halo fan myself, the following video provides me with a bit more confidence in how the story will be handled.

Hyperkin, a third-party video game peripheral developer, is bringing back access to classic Super Nintendo titles with its SupaBoy handheld device.

The SupaBoy sports a 3.5″ screen and a built-in SNES-style control pad.  It also has 2 controller ports and an AV out if you want to let friends play along.  Moms and dads will be happy with the headphone jack for those extended car rides.

The SupaBoy ships this summer for $80 retail.  Check out all the details on Hyperkin’s website.

Some exciting screen shots have leaked out of a presentation that reveals some killer details on Nintendo’s next console, which is set to replace the Wii as early as Fall 2011.

The big news about the new console is the use of up to 4 controllers that offer Screen Stream.  Essentially, each controller has a built-in screen (similar to a DS); however, they are connect through the console and are used to give each player an individual view of what’s going on in his or her part of multiplayer games.  This could be a great solution to the crazy cameras that get all jacked up when playing some multiplayer games.

More details review a triple-core processor based an IBM PowerPC chipset and a beefed up version of the AMD R700 GPU for graphics chip.  Pricing is rumored to be around $350 to $400.

[IGN via Slashgear]

Nintendo has released the title lineup of games that will be available at the March 27th release of the new 3DS.  There are 18 titles in all ready for the launch and more than 30 titles slated for release by early June.

Nintendo published games available on March 27th:

• Pilotwings Resort – an aerial adventure featuring airplanes, hang gliders and rocket belts.
• Steel Diver – a submarine game that involves strategy and combat..
• nintendogs + cats – a game that lets players interact with realistic puppies – and kittens – in a variety of fun ways.

Other publishers games available on March 27th:

• Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM
• The Sims™ 3 from EA
• Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
• LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™
• RIDGE RACER® 3D from NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
• Super Monkey Ball™ 3D from SEGA
• BUST-A-MOVE UNIVERSE™ from Square-Enix, Inc.
• SAMURAI WARRIORS®: Chronicles from TECMO KOEI AMERICA Corp.
• Asphalt™ 3D from UBISOFT
• Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D from UBISOFT
• Rayman® 3D from UBISOFT
• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars from UBISOFT

Along with the titles listed above the 3DS come preloaded with games like Face Raiders and will play almost every DS title as well. Most games cost about $40 and can be preordered/purchased through the links above at Amazon.

Nintendo also has The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart series planned for release in 2011.

Preorder Nintendo 3DS from Amazon for $249.99 + free shipping

I remember the first time I played Halo: Combat Evolved at an EB Games store in 2001 – where I incidentally spilled a nearly full frozen mocha in front of the Xbox demo area while trying to kill an Elite.  I bought an Xbox shortly thereafter for that one game.  I bought an Xbox 360 in order to play Halo 3 and, most recently, Reach.

Bungie made what I consider the most memorable game ever.  And now, it looks like Halo: Combat Evolved, the game that started it all, is coming to the Xbox 360 in its full HD glory (and maybe 3D too?).

Joystiq has word from “sources” that say the original Halo will ride again on November 15, 2011 (*tear), which is exactly ten years after the Xbox-selling hit debuted.  Although, Bungie won’t be at the helm for the redo.  Instead, Saber Interactive will be taking over under the supervision of 343 Industries.

Anyone that ever played Halo: Combat Evolved online via tunneling software like XBConnect (not to be confused with Xbox Kinect) back around 2002 can cross their fingers with me that we’ll get to play the original Battle Creek, Sidewinder, Damnation and Blood Gulch (with some cosmetic upgrades) on LIVE come Christmas 2011.

Sony dropped a couple of big bombs today on the portable gaming world.  First, the long-awaited PSP2 (apparently, dubbed the NGP) was announced with a whopping 5-inch OLED touchscreen, dual analog sticks, front and rear cameras, and a touch panel on the back of the unit.

The NGP’s display sports a 960×544 resolution, which roasts the aging PSP’s 480×272 4.3-inch display.  Additionally, the NGP features 3G, WiFi and GPS connectivity, along with accelerometer and gyroscrop motion sensing akin to the PlayStation Move.  It’s also not going to use the PSP’s UMD media format, but Sony isn’t entirely clear just yet on what format you’ll be using to plug in games.  The NGP won’t be available until the end of 2011, just in time for holiday shoppers.

The second big bomb is that the PlayStation Suite is coming to Android phones (Android 2.3 minimum req’d) this year, which will include support for emulated PSOne games in addition to newly developed titles designed specifically for the platform.

More details in the press releases below.

Sony NGP Press Release

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today announced its next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which delivers the ultimate portable entertainment experience. NGP will make its debut at the end of the year 2011.

NGP is designed to offer unparalleled interactive entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation®. This new system offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context, made possible by leveraging SCE’s experience from both PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®3 (PS3®) entertainment systems.

Deep and immersive gaming is at the core of PlayStation’s DNA, and NGP is the latest embodiment of this vision. By having both Wi-Fi and 3G network connectivity, together with various applications, NGP will enable infinite possibilities for users to “encounter,” “connect,” “discover,” “share” and “play” with friends wherever they are. Within the device are a range of features that provide a genuinely cutting-edge, next generation ultimate portable entertainment experience.

・Stunning OLED and Revolutionary User Interface

NGP incorporates a beautiful multi-touch 5-inch organic light emitting display (OLED) as the front display. A high-performance CPU / GPU combined with OLED enables rich, visually striking graphics never seen before on a portable entertainment system, for both games and other digital entertainment content. The new system also incorporates a unique multi-touch pad on the rear, and together with the front touch display, NGP offers new game play allowing users to interact directly with games in three dimension-like motion, through “touch, grab, trace, push and pull” moves of the fingers.

・Super Oval Design and Dual Analog Sticks

While succeeding the basic design philosophy of PSP, NGP adopts the Super Oval Design form factor, created to fit comfortably in users’ hands. For the first time, a portable entertainment system will feature two analog sticks, which enable a wider range of game genres to be brought into the portable experience.

・LiveArea™

Every game title for NGP will be provided with a space called “LiveArea™” where users can share the fun and excitement with other players. Users will have access to the latest information of games provided from SCE and 3rd party developers and publishers through PlayStation®Network. Additionally, NGP users will be able to view an “Activity” log that is constantly updated with accomplishments from users who are playing the same game, which in turn can trigger active real-time communication among users.

・Near

SCE will also provide location-based services on NGP as part of the basic features utilizing PlayStation Network. The new application called “Near,” developed specifically for this service and the network, will be pre-installed in the system to let users find out what their friends in the vicinity are playing now or what they were playing recently. Users can meet their friends and new players virtually, regardless of what games they are playing, simply by sharing their game information across different dimensions of time and distance.

・New Game Medium

NGP adopts a new game medium, a small flash memory based card, dedicated for NGP software titles. Taking advantage of the flash memory feature, this innovative card can store the full software titles plus add-on game content or the game save data directly on to the card. By adopting flash memory based card, SCE will be able to provide game cards with higher capacity in the future, allowing developers to store more game data to deliver rich and immersive games.

NGP will also come equipped with two cameras on its front and rear, as well as three motion sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer and electronic compass, all of which are designed to enable users to enjoy the world of entertainment that is linked with real life experiences.

PlayStation®Suite (PS Suite), announced today, will also closely coordinate with NGP. The newly developed and released game content for Android™ based portable devices can also be enjoyed on NGP. As a result, users will have access to not only the most leading-edge content, but also some of the more casual experiences that typify the mobile market place.

SCE will vigorously promote NGP towards the launch as the next generation portable entertainment platform and deploy various measures to further expand the portable gaming market.

PlayStation Suite Press Release

Tokyo, January 27, 2011– Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) today unveiled “PlayStation®Suite” (PS Suite), delivering the PlayStation® experience to Android™ based portable devices*1. Through this entirely new initiative, users will be able to enjoy PlayStation content on an open operating system for the first time in PlayStation history. In the dramatically evolving and diversifying mobile market, the number of users who enjoy games casually on a variety of devices including mobile phones, smart-phones and tablet PCs, has been increasing significantly. By offering “PlayStation quality” content to this rapidly growing market, SCE will not only deliver the PlayStation experience to a wider base of users around the globe, but will also be able to offer game developers and publishers the potential to further expand their business opportunities to these devices.

In providing the PlayStation experience on Android based portable devices, SCE will commence a “PlayStation®Certified” license program for hardware manufacturers. Through this program, SCE will offer necessary support, including development support as well as logo licensing, to ensure the delivery of PlayStation quality experience across various devices.

On the software front, SCE plans to provide PS Suite content within this calendar year, starting with original PlayStation games*2 (PS one® classics) that will allow users to enjoy “PlayStation quality” gameplay on their Android based portable devices. SCE also plans to open PlayStation®Store where users will be able to download content in an easy to use environment, directly via the Android based portable devices. Moreover, SCE will provide a new game development environment in an effort to ensure new and compelling content is delivered on PS Suite, which will also offer opportunities for a wider base of developers and publishers to further expand their business on various portable devices.

Newly developed content for PS Suite can also be enjoyed on the next generation portable entertainment system (codename: NGP), which SCE announced today. Users who have never experienced PlayStation content can get a taste of the PlayStation experience through PS Suite and from there, they can enjoy the ultimate portable entertainment experience that is only possible on NGP.

SCE will vigorously enhance the entertainment world delivering the PlayStation experience to a wider base of users.

*1 Android™ 2.3 or beyond is required.

*2 PS one game console software title. We will announce the tiles when ready.

Nintendo has added glasses-free 3D gaming to the popular DS platform with the 3DS.  There are two screens on the 3DS; a bottom touch screen makes use of a telescoping stylus that is stored in the unit itself and the top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye.  The 3D effect can be scaled depending on the gamer’s preference or even turned off.

Now, in addition to the familiar + Control Pad found on previous Nintendo hand-helds, the 3DS will include a Circle Pad, providing a full 360 degrees of direction.  There is also the ever popular motion and gyro sensors on board.

Of course the 3Ds is internet enabled with parental controls on board and an SD card slot for storage with and included 2GB memory card.  With hardware provided after 3DS’s begin to hit shelves,  DS and  DSi XL gamers will be able to transfer games downloaded from the Nintendo DSi Shop to their new 3DS.

Before the E³ Expo in June more than 30 games will be available to Nintendo 3DS gamers and other 3DS games in the works include The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Kid Icarus: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart, Animal Crossing and Paper Mario series.  If you need to know more the full press release is at the bottom of this post.

The Nintendo 3DS will hit the streets on March 27th and retail for $249.99 in the US.

Preorder the Nintendo 3DS at Amazon

Press Release

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The company that changed the world of video games with touch-screen gaming in 2004 and motion-controlled gaming in 2006 now pioneers the next dimensional shift. On March 27, Nintendo introduces portable entertainment in 3D – without the need for special glasses. The Nintendo 3DS™ system will be available in either Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue, and will have a suggested retail price of $249.99. Pricing outside the United States will be established by the local markets, but offer similar consumer value.

“Nintendo 3DS is a category of one – the experience simply doesn’t exist anywhere else”

“Nintendo 3DS is a category of one – the experience simply doesn’t exist anywhere else,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “You have to see Nintendo 3DS to believe it. And it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

Nintendo 3DS includes two screens. The bottom touch screen makes use of a telescoping stylus that is stored in the unit itself. The top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye. Looking at the screen is like peering through a window into a world where characters and objects have true depth. The system also has a 3D Depth Slider that lets players select the level of 3D they enjoy the most. The 3D effect can be ratcheted up to the highest level, scaled back to a more moderate setting or even turned off completely, depending on the preference of the user.

In addition to the familiar + Control Pad and button controls found on previous Nintendo hand-helds, Nintendo 3DS now also includes a Circle Pad, which provides a full 360 degrees of direction, giving it the freedom and precision needed to play games in 3D worlds. It brings the same degree of responsiveness that gamers enjoyed when Nintendo introduced an analog control stick to navigate Mario™ through Super Mario 64™ on the Nintendo 64™ system.

A built-in motion sensor and gyro sensor can react to the motion and tilt of the system, so whether players are twisting their systems side to side or moving them up and down, their motion-compatible Nintendo 3DS games respond instantly. No other system includes so many tools for game developers to create new and fun experiences for players.

Two features will allow owners to stay connected in new ways. Both deliver bonus content to owners as they move around during their daily lives, so users might open up their systems at any moment to find new surprises. For owners who choose to activate it, the StreetPass™ feature is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another. Small packets of information can be exchanged using this data-transfer method, such as Mii™ character data, maps for games or high scores and custom character data for different games. The SpotPass™ feature can connect to compatible public hotspots and through a wireless broadband Internet connection at home, even if the system is in Sleep Mode. Once connected, the Nintendo 3DS system will receive new content and updates on a regular basis.

Each Nintendo 3DS system comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as Nintendo 3DS Camera. Nintendo 3DS has three cameras. One camera points at the user, while two additional cameras point outward. These two outer cameras take photos in 3D. The fun, built-in game Face Raiders™ asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own faces. Nintendo 3DS, when put into Sleep Mode, can act as a pedometer, while letting users earn Play Coins for the steps they take that can then be traded in for additional content in compatible games and applications. By accessing the Activity Log, users can check their steps as well as their play time. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files. An upgraded Internet browser will also be available via a system update.

The Mii Maker™ application gives users new tools to create Mii™ characters even more easily: Users can either import Mii characters from their Wii systems using an SD memory card or use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii character created. Users can even save their Mii characters to an SD card as pictures, which enables them to be used any way a digital photo would for personal use, such as a profile picture on social-networking sites.

The Nintendo eShop, through a system update, will offer access to downloadable games, including Nintendo DSiWare™ and ones specifically made for Nintendo 3DS. Also, just as the Virtual Console service on Wii makes retro games available for download, the Virtual Console games on Nintendo 3DS will be pulled from classic Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color games. Players will be able to view game videos, download demos for select games and see how other consumers rated the games. The Nintendo eShop will use a cash-based system. Users can either input credit card information in the shop or purchase a Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card at retail locations.

Nintendo 3DS comes with six augmented-reality cards, called AR cards. When the two outer cameras are pointed at the cards, they read the cards and superimpose images and animations onto the scene. So users shouldn’t be surprised if they see a dragon popping out of their kitchen tables. Developers can also use this technology to add creative new experiences to their games.

Built-in parental controls can be used to limit Internet access or some of the wireless functions. By using a PIN code, parents also can turn off the 3D function altogether, or limit the ratings of the games that their kids can play.

Fans of online play will be happy to learn that the friend codes for Nintendo 3DS are specific to each Nintendo 3DS system, not each game. Once friends trade hardware codes, at any time they can check their friends list to see which of their friends are online and what they are playing.

Nintendo 3DS can also play Nintendo DS game cards with their original 2D visuals. The system also includes a slot for an SD memory card. To help users get started, every system comes with a 2GB SD memory card (though owners can provide whatever size they like). Using a service that will be provided after the hardware’s launch, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™ owners will be able to transfer games downloaded from the Nintendo DSi Shop onto their new Nintendo 3DS systems.

During the launch window (between the March 27 launch date and the E3 Expo in early June) more than 30 games will be available to Nintendo 3DS owners. These include Nintendo-created games like Pilotwings Resort™, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs™ + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver™, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium. Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works include The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Kid Icarus™: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart™, Animal Crossing™ and Paper Mario™ series.

Nintendo 3DS also enjoys some of the strongest third-party support of any system launch. A partial list of titles coming soon to Nintendo 3DS includes Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked from Atlus; Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition and Resident Evil®: The Mercenaries 3D from Capcom; Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS; The Sims™ 3 from Electronic Arts; Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami; LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™; Ridge Racer® 3D and Dual Pen Sports™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.; Super Monkey Ball™ 3D, Thor™: God of Thunder and CRUSH™ 3D from SEGA; BUST-A-MOVE™ UNIVERSE from Square Enix, Inc.; Samurai Warriors® Chronicles and Dead or Alive® Dimensions from Tecmo Koei America Corp.; and Asphalt™ 3D, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars, Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell® 3D, Rayman® 3D and Rabbids® Travel in Time from Ubisoft.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit http://www.nintendo3ds.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.5 billion video games and more than 577 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

Note to editors: Nintendo 3DS press materials and assets are available at http://press.nintendo.com/nintendo3ds, a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please contact Deanna Talamantez at 213-438-8742 or dtalamantez@golinharris.com. Users can receive instant Nintendo information by subscribing to the site’s RSS feed.