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]

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.

One of the Amazon.com Lightning Deals going on right now is Halo: Reach for $29.99.

You have to claim the deal from the Black Friday Lightning Deals page to get the $29.99 price.  Already, the deal is 64% claimed.

If you miss it though, you can still snag Halo: Reach for $39.99 on the standard product page.

One of the best toys that I had as a child was a radio controlled car.  While I had a number of toy R/C cars like you find on the shelf at Wal-Mart, when I was 11 or 12, I received my first 1/10 scale kit R/C truck for Christmas (Joe was actually the one to get me hooked on them).

It was a Traxxas Hawk (that was so long ago that it doesn’t even show up as a “legacy model” on the Traxxas website).  As R/C car kits went back then, it was pretty much a piece of crap.  Later, I would get an Associated RC10 (buggy) and an RC10T (truck).  I put all of my money and all of my Christmas and birthday lists went into R/C cars and trucks for a number of years.  As a bonus, I learned quite a bit about algebra, geometry and physics without even realizing it.  Ah, those were the days.

These were the memories stirred up when I saw the above RACER demo that Malte Jahmlich over at sputnic.tv put dreamed up. Jahmlich and his pals put together an R/C car system that’s controlled by a video game racing console, and a track that mimics Wipeout.  The greatest thing about the concept is that you control the car from a first person perspective thanks to a wireless video camera mounted on the car.  It beats the heck out of the dirt tracks Joe and I tried to build for our R/C cars way back when.

Bravo, gentlemen. Bravo.

[via CrunchGear]

Microsoft has just released a new, slimmer Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive and in a shiny black finish.  The new Xbox 360 runs $299 and is up for pre-order on Amazon.com.  The new console is hailed as a much quieter version as well.  It also includes built-in 802.11n, an HDMI input, and 3 USB ports, along with a wireless controller and headset.

More pics of the new console below.

The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Pack just dropped on Xbox LIVE today.  The new map pack will set you back 1200 MS points.  You also get a Double XP weekend out of the deal starting June 4.

To download the Resurgence Pack:

1. Sign in to Xbox LIVE.
2. Go to Game Marketplace.
3. Select All Games -> Browse
4. Select M
5. Select Modern Warfare 2
6. Select Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Pack
7. Select Confirm Download or Redeem Code to add it to your active downloads.
8. The maps are downloaded to your console as soon as the console is online and not connecting to Xbox LIVE for an online game.

SanDisk is one of the first companies to jump on the storage bandwagon ever since Microsoft added support for external USB storage to the Xbox 360.  Their first products are a pair of USB flash drives in 8GB and 16GB flavors, priced at $34.99 and $69.99, respectively.  They also come with a 1-month Xbox LIVE Gold membership.

SanDisk Press Release

SanDisk Ships Licensed Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive

MILPITAS, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today announced that it is shipping the Xbox 360® USB Flash Drive by SanDisk for the Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment console. The new drive makes it easier than ever for gamers to take their gamertags, saved game progress, map packs, Arcade game downloads and bonus content with them for fast and convenient access on another Xbox 360 console†.

The Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive by SanDisk delivers the best experience on the Xbox 360 console. Pre-configured for seamless plug and play action, the drive eliminates the need to format storage or download an initial software update for an Xbox 360 console. For gamers looking to get in on the fun or for those with existing accounts who want to extend their play, a one-month Xbox LIVE Gold membership is included with purchase of the drive††.

“Xbox LIVE contains a world of content for gamers to explore and download, including full-length games, movies and music,” said Shuki Nir, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Retail, SanDisk. “The Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive by SanDisk is specifically engineered to deliver a great user experience and maximum compatibility with the console, offering gamers greater freedom and flexibility in how they store, manage and enjoy their favorite files.”

“SanDisk has a proven track record of creating high-quality storage solutions,” said Ilan Spillinger, Vice President, Xbox Hardware and Technology, Microsoft. “The Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive by SanDisk provides a great solution for gamers who need portable storage for their Xbox 360 content. It’s plug and play simple.”

Pricing and Availability

The Xbox 360 USB Flash Drive by SanDisk is available now on SanDisk.com and at major retailers. The drive is available in 8 gigabyte (GB)¹ and 16GB capacities, carrying suggested retail prices of $34.99 and $69.99, respectively.

If you pre-order Halo: Reach on Amazon.com, you get a $20 credit toward future purchases on Amazon.

Check it out here.

The big hit of press preview show at CES 2010 was the Parrot AR.Drone. You could hardly get through the door of the Preview show floor because of the crowd oohing and aahing over this wicked little toy.

This plastic and styrofoam aircraft looks like one of those toy copters or spaceships you see at the mall. Not so fast though.

Look closer and you’ll find out quickly that the AR.Drone is a much smarter toy.  In fact, it’s a video game.

The AR.Drone takes video games to an entirely different level.

The controller?

Your iPhone.

That’s right.  This quadricopter is controlled by an iPhone or iPod Touch thanks to the on-board Wi-Fi system.

Video, more pics and details after the jump.

The AR.Drone is able to maintain flight thanks to micromechanical accelerometers, combined with an embedded Linux platform and two video cameras.  The source code for the game demos is open source, which you can learn more about the software development opportunities at www.ardrone.org.

An inertial unit, ultrasound sensors and a vertical camera under the cockpit make up the Smart Parrot Piloting Software.  The AR.Drone detects the movements of your iPhone or iPod Touch to go up, down, turn, reverse or go forward.

Because of the ridiculous amount of Wi-Fi devices and networks at the CES Preview show floor, they couldn’t show off the Wi-Fi controlling with the iPhone, but instead showed us the tricked out autopilot mode with a neon-colored tomato can.

No word on the price yet, but the AR.Drone should be available sometime this year.  I want one.

You can check out some of the game demos on the AR.Drone’s website here.