Camp Hyrule returns for another year! Make sure to pack your sun screen so you don't get monitor burn!

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Camp Hyrule, Nintendo's online summer camp, started in the 1990s. It is an online "summer camp" where Nintendo fans can get together and chat it up about Nintendo, and play nifty Nintendo flash games. For the first time ever, this year Camp Hyrule has no limit on the number of campers. Previously only a few thousand campers were allowed to register for camp. Camp Hyrule takes place from August 19th to the 23rd. Registration is from August 6th to the 8th.

Get yer wallpaper while it's hot.

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Courtesy of Amusement Vision, all of you gamers that just need to be consistently reminded that gaming excellence will be here within one month look no further. Clicking the above link will also provide some tiny ball icons you can download for all of you whom can identify with tiny balls. No word on whether or not Sega will create another franchise that attracts sexual jokes to coincide with Super Monkey Ball and Seaman, but if they do, you know we'll tell you right away.

You heard right, there is a brand new playable character for the GameCube version of Skies of Arcadia. Get the juice inside.

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According to the french site Newtechnix, Sega has announced a brand new playable character for the GameCube version of Overworks' fantastic RPG Skies of Arcadia (Eternal Arcadia in Japan). The news is in french so here is a translation via the all knowing Babelfish:

Sega announced that the play of role Skies of Arcadia Legend (Eternal Arcadia) should leave this year to Japan. The adaptation on GameCube should be technically identical compared to the version on Dreamcast, one will however note some small improvements on the level of graphics of the play. Certain innovations should be available, a new playable character feminin: a hunter of premiums.

Calling all Robotech lovers out there. Wanna know exactly what's in the Special Edition box set?

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TDK Mediactive to Launch Exclusive 'Robotech: Battlecry' Collector's Edition

Limited-Edition Set Packed Full of Exclusive Content

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. - July 30, 2002 - TDK Mediactive, Inc. (OTC:TDKM), a global publisher of interactive entertainment software, announced that it will be issuing a Collector's Edition for the fall launch of "Robotech(R): Battlecry(TM)," available on the PlayStation(R) 2 computer entertainment system, Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft and Nintendo GameCube(TM) video game system. The limited-edition collectible can be pre-ordered now, exclusively through Electronics Boutique and GameStop. Each box will be individually numbered, with only a very limited quantity being produced.

These are better than the Aussie dates. No, really. Exact dates for all exciting first party titles this year, including Doshin!

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I know you came here looking for release dates, so here they are.

September

Disney’s Magical Mirror starring Mickey Mouse, 13th September

Doshin the Giant, 20th September

October

Super Mario Sunshine, 4th October

November

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, 1st November

Pretty self-explanatory, really.

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In the middle of all this Mario Sunshine hype, here's something for the Aussies who have to wait until OCTOBER for theirs. GameCube release dates, fresh from Nintendo Australia to my fax to you. As a bonus, I was kindly given release dates for Nintendo's Gameboy Advance titles, along with a vagueish release date for the WaveBird. A big, big, BIG thank you to Nintendo who supplied me with these (you know who you are). Most games you'll know, but there are a few surprises.

Holy crap, Billy just turned thirty! Now he can get all of his medical testing supplies from Liberty Medical with no out-of-pocket costs!

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Billy Berghammer, Founder and Director of Planet N2000/Planet GameCube, turned thirty years old on July 27, 2002. Let us all mourn.

Many of you probably don't know the real, fascinating story behind Billy's rise to success. He was born in the backwoods of Louisiana to poor, uneducated parents who thought these new-fangled "computers" would soon take over the world, so they built a fallout shelter made of concrete blocks and spit, and this is where Billy spent most of his early childhood. At the age of seven, young William hitched a train to Idaho, where a young childless couple adopted him and enrolled him in school for the first time. Bill excelled in academics and eventually graduated and entered the University of San Fransisco with a major in Performing Arts. Unfortunately, he was soon expelled after being "framed" for several sorority panty raids.

How well has the plumber debuted in Japan? *dramatic pause*

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According to Dengeki Online, Super Mario Sunshine sold 308,765 copies between July 19th and the 21st.

Media Create also has Mario Sunshine doing very well, as it's placed at the top of the rankings for games sold between July 15th and 21st.

Want to try out some new GameCube games made by Nintendo, but don't live in Japan? Well too bad!

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Nintendo has announced that they will be holding "The Nintendo Game Front"

at the Panasonic Center, which is scheduled to open in September. The

Nintendo Game Front will allow visitors to test out the latest Nintendo

games with the latest Panasonic equipment.

Counterfeit Nintendo products are making up a significant proportion of fake toys and games found at customs.

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Out of all the counterfeit toys and game seized at customs in European Union member states, 48% are Nintendo products, making up around 750,000 items and it is said this figure includes games consoles.

Although the amount of electical equipment seized has tripled, the number of toys and games taken has fallen by 77% from the figures in 2000.