THQ and JAKKS Pacific have announced the cover wrestlers for WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Wii, DS). They're none other than D-Generation X founding members Shawn Michaels and Triple H. Find out why and read other fun stuff about the two in the full article ahead.

When you've got a business going, it's a wise idea to keep track of your cashflow. THQ has been doing precisely that. In fact, the company has recently reported the fourth quarter results of the fiscal year, which ended last March 31, 2008. More financial statistics in the full article after the jump.

You better be ready to rumble, because THQ and JAKKS Pacific is bringing WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 to all major platforms as expected. This entry to the annual franchise is bringing new features that fans of authentic wrestling action don't want to miss. Learn more and find screenshots of its incarnations on the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 at the full article.

Looks like Mario and Sonic aren't headed for video game retirement anytime soon, as they're still at the top of their game. The Olympic Games that is. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is still persisting in the UK as the top selling game for the week ending on March 1, only getting knocked off the top spot a few times since it landed there last December. For the full list of top games in the UK, head over to the full article.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Wii, DS) has reclaimed the top slot in the Chart Track top 40 entertainment software list. Devil May Cry 4 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC) has slipped down to second place while Turok (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) is still at number three. Want to see the full charts? Scoot on over to the  full article.

Master Chief ordering take out at Burger King? Solid Snake wearing Speedos? These are just some hypothetical plugs that gamers might be seeing in the near future with the way in-game advertising has grown into a phenomenal industry nowadays.

As far back as the early '90s, we've seen games that have plugged, advertised or even coerced gamers into taking a gander at their real-life sponsors, as well as the products tied-in with them. The full article awaits after the jump!

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed (PS3, Xbox 360, PC) shot up to first place in the UK charts for the week of November 17, bumping off former top placer Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360, PS3, PC). The Simpsons Game remains at third place.

Another notable entry into the charts is Super Mario Galaxy which came in at fifth place. Check out the rest of the top 20 in the full article.

 

THQ's WWE Smackdown vs. Raw videogame series has always been about reinventing itself for the next generation, and with its latest incarnation, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS - they're taking things to the next level. This is with the game's two new additional modes - Tournament and Hall of Fame mode - and we get acquainted with them in this update.

Let's start off with Tournament Mode. Tournament Mode, just like what it says, lets you hold massive contests of strength, power and endurance with your favorite WWE Superstars. Tournament Mode can be broken down into two main tournament types - King of the Ring and Beat The Clock Sprint. The King of the Ring, a long-time legendary tradition of deciding who gets to reign supreme in WWE, pits you against fifteen other wrestlers in a full-on brawl - who survives gets all the spoils.

Beat The Clock Sprint is a little different, as it puts emphasis on speed rather than endurance. A new kind of matchup featured in recent airings of Smackdown and RAW, Beat The Clock Sprint awards the wrestler who can defeat his opponent at the quickest time possible. So no long windups here, just full-powered beatings on the get-go.

Of course, should players want more customization with their tournaments, Tournament Mode also allows the creation of your very own tournament type, from the participants to the stipulations. Awesome.

Now for Hall of Fame Mode. Think of a list of challenges, each one seemingly more insurmountable and impossible than the other, and you've got a good idea on what Hall of Fame Mode really is. It doesn't help that each challenge is tailored after legendary moments in WWE history - from Shawn Michaels outlasting 29 other men in a Royal Rumble match, to the Undertaker giving Mankind the beating of his life in Hell in a Cell.

Completing these challenges will result in your own Superstar rising through the ranks, from mere jobber to Hall of Famer.

Definitely something to get excited about with WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. Updates as we get them, so keep it locked right here!



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Buy: [ WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 (DS) ]

 

Still haven't had enough jam-packed wrestling action? Well, we've got more to dish out as you can now check if your favorite wrestling superstar made the cut for this year's roster of THQ's WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008. We reveal to you the list for the PS3, PSP and Nintendo DS platforms.

As usual the game tries to outdo itself every year by giving us more and more superstars to play with on their ever changing roster. The PS3 and PSP versions sport the same list of 42 superstars from the current roster and differ only in the playable WWE legends available on both platforms.

Anyway, the featured current superstars list for the PS3 and the PSP are: Ashley, Batista, Bobby Lashley, Booker T (King Booker), Candice Michelle, Carlito, Chavo Guerrero, Chris Masters, CM Punk, Edge, Elijah Burke, Finlay, Gregory Helms, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, Johnny Nitro, JTG, Kane, Kelly Kelly, Ken Kennedy, Kenny Dykstra, Marcus Cor Von, Mark Henry, Matt Hardy, Melina, Michelle McCool, Mickie James, MVP, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Sandman, SHAD, Shawn Michaels, Snitsky, The Great Khali, Tommy Dreamer, Torrie Wilson, Triple H, Umaga, Undertaker, William Regal.

The playable WWE legends for the PS3 include: Bret Hart, Mick Foley, Rick Rude, Roddy Piper, Sabu, Steve Austin, Terry Funk, The Rock. Oddly enough, the PSP version sports more legends as playable characters, which are: Eddie Guerrero, Jim Neidhart, Sgt. Slaughter, and Steve Austin.

The DS version packs the least playable superstars, which include: Batista, Bobby Lashley, Booker T, Carlito, CM Punk, Edge, Finlay, Gregory Helms, Hardcore Holly, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, Johnny Nitro, Kane, Ken Kennedy, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels Snitsky, Triple H, Undertaker.

Well, hopefully that's more than enough wrestling superstars to tide us over for another year. Anyway, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 is slated to be released this November for the Xbox 360, PS2, PS3, PSP, Nintendo Wii and DS.

Want to read about the latest exclusives on THQ's WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 for the PSP? Well, HGZine has come out with its latest issue, which includes massive content on the game..

For those who don't know, HGZine is a free videogame magazine downloadable off the GamerZine website. Each issue features more than 40 pages of downloadable content, including gaming articles, embedded videos, multimedia and other interactive elements.

Issue 7 has come out featuring several other games as well, which include: God of War: Chains of Olympus, Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow, Contra 4, Castlevania Dracula X Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and many more.

Dave Taylor, the publishing director of HGZine commented on the latest issue saying:

HGZine, like our other free videogames magazines, goes from strength to strength. Issue 7 is a fantastic example of this. It brings on board a new and talented editor, Dean Mortlock. Dean has years of videogames journalistic experience, and he has put together a brilliant issue full of exclusives and probably our best collection yet of interactive screens and video. This makes HGZine probably the most immersive media experience out there for gamers looking for information, and best of all, of course, it’s completely free.

HGZine is downloadable in PDF format and will require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader 6 to read the file.