Jonnyboy is the big 2-3!

Today is the 23rd birthday of one Jonathan Metts: aerospace engineering student, Bob Dylan fan, and director of Planet GameCube.com. The whole staff would like to extend our birthday wishes to Jonathan. He's done a fantastic job keeping everything here together. He's successfully brought us through two E3 expos and is already hard at work prepping for E3 2005.

Nintendo's new handheld arrives down under next month.

Nintendo Australia Pty. Limited has announced the first official information about the Australian DS launch. The system will be released on Feb. 24th for $199.95 AUS. Nintendo will have two first-party launch titles: Super Mario 64 DS and WarioWare Touched!, with Pokemon Dash available soon thereafter. The rest of the launch lineup will be announced at a later time.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is on its way to a store near you.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap Sets a Small Link on a Huge Adventure

Nintendo likes to do things big. Bigger battles, bigger bad guys and

bigger adventures. The Legend of Zelda(R): The Minish Cap, launching

today, takes all these larger-than-life elements and shrinks them to

microscopic size. The result is a huge quest on a tiny scale.

Take a look at what's coming for DS, GameCube and GBA for the first half of 2005.

Today, Nintendo of America announced the official release schedules for its three platforms through Q2 2004 (April-June). As always, the list is subject to change as new games are announced and announced games are delayed.

Nintendo DS

-- Feb. 14: WarioWare(TM): Touched! from Nintendo

-- March 14: Pokemon(R) Dash from Nintendo

Versions for GameCube, GBA, DS, and other systems are based on the upcoming animated film.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Activision has revealed Madagascar, a cross-platform game based on the upcoming movie. It centers around four animals from the Central Park Zoo who have various adventures in New York City and the African island nation of Madagascar. The console versions are being developed by Toys for Bob, while the GBA and DS versions are being handled at Vicarious Visions.

Mario gets ready to lose the pounds.

Nintendo and Konami announced today that not only is DDR finally coming to GameCube, but that Nintendo's number one plumber will be throwing his weight into the project (which seems to be becoming a trend lately). Dance Dance Revolution with Mario is being co-developed by Konami and Nintendo, published... Read more...

Enjoy the official announcement.

KONAMI'S RENOWNED CASTLEVANIA SERIES TO DEBUT ON THE NINTENDO DS SYSTEM

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - January 6, 2005 - Konami Digital Entertainment - America, a division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., announced today a new Castlevania game for the Nintendo(r) DS. Set in the year 2036, the... Read more...

Get ready for more 2D action from the Castlevania series.

The latest issue of Electronics Gaming Monthly reveals the first information on Konami's Castlevania sequel for the Nintendo DS. The game, which will probably receive a subtitle in the coming months, is due by fall 2005. It is a direct sequel to Aria of Sorrow, the last Castlevania title released for Game Boy Advance.

More company info, but precious few hints about unannounced games.

Mysterious developer Zoonami, founded by ex-Rare producer Martin Hollis, has finally updated its website with a new design and plenty of new info...but virtually nothing about their upcoming games. Currently, the only announced game from Zoonami is Funkydilla, a music/rhythm game that can be played... Read more...

Hey, have you heard about this new 'wireless' thing? All the cool kids are doing it.

Mad Catz Launches New Line of MicroCON Wireless Controllers in Time

for the Holidays!

The Ultimate Stocking Stuffer Spotted on Retail Shelves

SAN DIEGO--Dec. 23, 2004--Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX:

MCZ), the world's leading third party video game accessory

manufacturer, announced the launch of wireless versions of its highly

Nintendo of America touts its legendary customer service department.

Did You Know?

Santa Delegates to Nintendo's Consumer Service Department

Santa has a good gig. You'll notice that once he leaves his packages,

he doesn't stick around to help you figure out how to work or play all

your new gifts. Fortunately, Nintendo is here to help. During "Crunch

Week," the week between Christmas and the new year, the Consumer

I guess EA got a big Christmas check from Grandma.

Only a week after announcing that they signed an exclusive deal with the NFL, EA has dropped another bombshell. Today they acquired 19.9% of Ubi Soft from Talpa Beheer B.V. As soon as the Securities Exchange Commission approves the transaction, EA will most likely hold a majority share in the French developer/publisher. Financial details of the transaction will not be released.

The name "NeoGeo" becomes a thing of the past; fans of Magician Lord cry on the inside.

SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION Changes Name to

SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION

Name change brings division in line with parent company consolidation

WALL, NJ. - December 17, 2004 - SNK NEOGEO USA CONSUMER CORPORATION, the US publishing arm of the SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION, announced today... Read more...

Retailers insist that the gaming industry's self-regulation on Mature title sales is working.

REACTION STATEMENT TO PROPOSED IL STATE LEGISLATION

Attributable to: Hal Halpin, President, IEMA

Retail member companies of the IEMA (Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association) collectively account for approximately 85% of the $10B annual video game business in the United States. Last... Read more...

...hello Project Rub. The loony SEGA title gets a name-change in Europe.

Perfect partner for the Nintendo DS

SEGA® Europe to publish Project Rub, a launch title for the Nintendo DS in 2005

LONDON, UK – December 17, 2004 – SEGA Europe Ltd, today announced the release of its landmark, highly–stylised launch title for the Nintendo DS System, Project Rub.... Read more...

You wouldn't want me to spoil the surprise now would you?

Gaming highlights recognised by the Edge Awards 2004

Future's flagship games magazine gives Half-Life 2 top accolades for innovation, visual design and best game

17/12/04 – EDGE, Future Publishing's internationally respected multi-format videogame magazine has revealed its favourite games and hardware for 2004 in its annual Edge Awards.

18th March might not be a bad day to catch a slight cold......

FACE YOUR FEAR AS RESIDENT EVIL 4 LAUNCHES ON THE NINTENDO GAMECUBE!

17 December 2004 – Prepare for the scare of your life as Capcom's survival horror Resident Evil 4 launches on 18th March 2005, only on Nintendo GameCube. This latest incarnation will join 14 previous Resident Evil titles, which have so far sold over 25 million copies world-wide.

Couldn’t name that tune? You can’t draw a stick figure? Well, then, you better find a team mate for a chance to win a Metroid Prime 2: Echoes GameCube prize package tonight!

Last week we gave away a prize package for Radio Trivia, and we’re doing it again this week. Only this time it is Team Trivia, so we’re giving away TWO of them! Both members of the winning team will win

1 Platinum GCN (U.S. Region)

2 WaveBird controllers

1 copy of Metroid Prime 2 Echoes (U.S. Region)

Now it's official.

Midway Tackles Mature-Themed Football with Blitz: Playmakers; New Football Game to Feature Level of Intensity Not Found in Licensed Sports Products

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2004--Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, announced... Read more...

Send us a card and you might score a Metroid Prime holiday prize pack!

The holidays are upon us, and to celebrate them (along with the release of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes), Planet GameCube is giving away two Metroid Prime Prize Packs! Two lucky PGC readers are going to win this excellent package, including:

1 Platinum Nintendo GameCube (U.S. Region)

2 Wave Bird Controllers