Sales figures from this past July are in, and the month's best-selling gaming console was a brand-new chart-topper. Between the XBox 360, Nintendo Wii, and PlayStation 3, can you guess which console reigned supreme?
I remember the great Wii shortage of 2007 and 2008 like it was yesterday. Gaming fans clamored to get their hands on the latest Nintendo console and spent outrageous amounts on Ebay and Craigslist markups. It's no wonder then that Nintendo has moved an amazing amount of these consoles. Can you guess just how many have been sold in the US so far?
Good news for karaoke and Glee fans alike: Konami and 20th Century Fox are bringing the hit TV show to the Wii with Karaoke Revolution Glee, a Nintendo exclusive that allows players to interact with the music and characters of Glee.
The game comes with its own microphone, and players compete by singing as their favorite Glee characters and grading each others' performances. The concept — as the name implies — is very similar to singing karaoke at your favorite hot spot. A video with words plays on the screen, prompting you to sing. And besides lyrics, you'll also see a pitch and rhythm meter alerting you when to sing higher or lower or take a breath (which should be like second nature if you're a Lips fan).
The game is expected to launch this Fall with up to 35 songs and will also have a multiplayer mode, which allows two or more people to collaborate on a duet or larger group song. And a real treat for all of the super-Gleeks: the game will also feature unlockable content including video clips from the show.
Photo courtesy of Fox
It's true that when Summer hits, there's also a dry spell in the gaming industry. But look on the bright side — once the drought is over, you have so many awesome titles and new accessories to look forward to! You should be outside enjoying the weather anyway. Here are a few games that may keep you occupied this month.
Demoed extensively at this year's E3 conference, Epic Mickey tells the tale of Mickey Mouse after he is flung into a place called Wasteland. 
This twisted version of the Magic Kingdom is ruled by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Mickey's half-brother), and Mickey must make his way through the land — using a paintbrush to fill in colors, elements, and battle foes, while splashing paint thinner to take things away — to ultimately go toe to toe with Oswald and the massive Phantom Blot. It's totally appropriate then, that players of Epic Mickey would use a Wii controller that looks like a paintbrush.
That's exactly what third-party manufacturer PDP has created in its cartoon-like paintbrush Wii controllers. Find out more about them after the break.
It's been three years since we took our last trip around the galaxy with our favorite plump plumber, and Mario is back with an even more exciting adventure in Super Mario Galaxy 2. An early look at a few of the beginning levels didn't prepare me for what was in store for the full release — there are 70 main stars to capture and lots more to dig up, but I didn't know that it would be this challenging.
Mario's star celebration is once again thwarted by his nemesis, Bowser, who captures Princess Peach right before she and Mario are about to indulge in some homemade cake. Who knew the Princess was such a wiz in the kitchen? Bowser, being the jealous type he is, snatches the Princess and takes her to the other side of the galaxy. Let the fun begin!
Find out more about the new layout, Yoshi, and why I think this game is the best Mario title yet (despite one small gripe), after the break.
Although 75 percent of you said you wouldn't play games based on ABC's dating series duo The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, you're going to want to check out this official trailer anyway.
Packed full of all the sabotage, deception, and jealousy that you'd expect from the drama-filled show, The Bachelor video game delivers the virtual goods to your Wii and DS console and even offers up bonus mini games to fill your time between your one-on-one and group dates. I know you were expecting to dive into the dating scene next month, but according to the trailer, the release date has been pushed back to July. Prepare to test your own hot dog theory while you check out the trailer after the break.
We've proven to ourselves that the Wii Fit can help you shed pounds, but according to the American Heart Association, the gaming console can be good for your health in more ways than one. Both the American Heart Association and Nintendo announced their partnership today in NYC, which will bring about a new AHA-branded Wii console box, and an endorsement for Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort (coming bundled with the new black Wii), which enhance the active play initiative founded by the Heart Association.
According to the AHA, the Wii console promotes movement and activity among kids and adults alike — 60 minutes of activity a day is recommended — which makes this partnership kind of a no-brainer. Exercise and gaming? Everyone can get in on that, right? You'll begin seeing the AHA label on the console's box, and new products focusing on health will likely be released in the near future.
Have you given up your Wii Fit, or are you still keeping active with it?
If you're excited for the Prince of Persia movie (and possibly winning a trip to LA to see it for yourself), then you must be just as stoked to play the next installment of the video game series, Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. Hitting the shelves on May 18, the prince is back for another adventure, but this time he's using the four elements — earth, fire, wind, water — along with time to battle his way through waves of enemies and huge bosses.
The game seems to lean heavily on perfectly timed jump sequences and use some of those Parkour skills — that newly coined action star Jake Gyllenhaal used in the film — to climb up walls and over obstacles, so it should get your heart racing, even though you're sitting still. Check out the two-minute featurette that introduces you to the game, and the team that made it, and tell me — are you picking up Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands next week?
The sexy black Wii has been entertaining Japan since last year, but on May 9, residents of the US can finally get their hands on one — along with bonus games and accessories in the new standard Wii bundle.
Coming stocked with Wii Sports Resort and Wii MotionPlus (as well as the über-famous Wii Sports), the new Wii bundle will set you back $200 and comes in your choice of either a white or black console. That's a big savings, considering the Wii MotionPlus adapter and the Wii Sports Resort game retail for $20 and $50 (respectively) when bought separately. This bundle will become standard fare for gamers after next week, so if you darker-hued lovers want to coordinate all of your gadgets and consoles, now is your chance!
