It's the first issue of the Weekend Warrior for the DS, and what do we have in store for you guys? Sure, the DS handheld isn't too busy nowadays, but we still have something in the form of a bunch of funny homebrew creations, and some good new game releases. Read all about it in the full Weekend Warrior report!

Videogame remakes have always been hit-or-miss. True, the core gameplay of the original may be evident, but oftentimes things get changed to the point that the end product is barely recognizable and alienates itself from its root material. Space Invaders Extreme is no different, being that it's the latest remake in a long line of remakes of the original 1978 classic. But is it different from all the other remakes out there? Is this an entirely new invasion, or just a small uprising? Find out in the full article, as QJ.NET reviews Space Invaders Extreme for the PSP and DS.

This issue is another one of those weeks where you could selectively stave off from spending hard-earned cash, but then there are millions of gamers who need their gaming fix. Gladly enough, third-party publishers on the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii have addressed the casual gaming populace, and that pretty much sums up this week's retail release line up. On second thought, no - we still have an MMO, EA Maxis' pre-Spore sampler, a formerly retail, now PSN game, plus the release of Rock Band on the Nintendo Wii. Check the full story for details.

Australia based gamers will be glad to know that they're going to be getting some big name Square Enix titles such as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation Portable and Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors for the Nintendo DS this year. To find out more, head on over to the full article.

Taito Corporation revealed that Space Invaders Extreme on the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable as well as Arkanoid DS will be arriving in North America soon. To find out the exact date as well as what these two games have to offer, head on over to the full article.

The next entry to the long-running Space Invaders franchise, Space Invaders Extreme, was first announced at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Taito made clear that the game is going to be exclusive for the Nintendo DS.

However, it seems that the developer has changed its mind because the official website of Space Invaders Extreme is now revealing that it will also be appearing on the Sony PlayStation Portable. More details after the jump!

People who are lucky enough to live near the Royal Festival Hall in Southbank Centre, London should take heed: Video Games Live is coming up, and Philharmonia Orchestra will perform various memorable video game music ranging from Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, Space Invaders, Tetris and yes, even Halo 3. The event is scheduled on October 22, 7:30 p.m.

The variety of video games to be covered, from retro-classic gaming to next-gen, will ensure that everyone who watches the event will leave the venue satisfied. We ourselves will be way over our heads with glee after hearing an orchestra play our beloved Space Invaders tune.

Those who are interested better get their tickets as soon as possible. The ticket prices (depending on the seating) range from GB£ 32.50 (US$ 65.25) to GB£ 19.50 (US$ 39.15), with additional booking fees worth GB£ 1.50 or US$ 3 (no booking fee for Southbank Centre members).

There's nothing like videogame music, really. From the simple mono thumpings of Space Invaders, made specifically to sound like a rapidly-beating human heart, to the epic, mountain-shaking chorus of an orchestra as you slay your very first colossus - it evokes a level of emotion that no other music form can even hope to emulate. It's an experience that's meant to be shared, definitely.

Video Games Live, an immersive concert event currently taking the world by storm, hopes to do exactly that, performing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Not for one, but for two performances (June 29 and 30) of nothing but classic and contemporary video game pieces any fan will surely recognize.

While the fact of VGL actually playing at a national monument alone is already big news, the even bigger breakthrough is that it's going to be the first time video game music to be performed at a live audience in Washington DC - and co-creators Jack Wall and Tommy Tallarico can't stop gushing about it. The latter even gave a hint as to who would be strutting down the red carpet at the event, saying:

We've already started inviting as many local politicians and their families as possible. It's important for us to show everyone how incredibly creative, artistic and significant video games and the culture surrounding them have become.

Politicians, you say? Here's hoping a particular someone actually made it into the guest list, so he sees (and hears) how games aren't as bad as he makes them out to be. It's a long shot, but there's no harm in dreaming, is there?

You can check out the read link for more info about this spectacular event.

Have you heard of the kid who played Space Invaders using only his brain? No, this isn't an opening for a lame joke. According to Live Science, with the help of a technique that takes data from the surface of the brain, a 14-year-old boy from St. Louis was able to play the two-dimensional Atari game without so much as lifting a finger.

The kid already had grids implanted to monitor his brain for epilepsy, and those same grids were linked to the videogame. He was then asked to move his hands, talk, and imagine things. These movements were then correlated by researchers to the different signals fired by the brain. They then asked the boy to play Space Invaders by moving his hand and tongue and then to imagine those movements without actually performing them.

"He cleared out the whole Level One basically on brain control," said Eric Leuthardt, a researcher at the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. "He learned almost instantaneously. We then gave him a more challenging version in two-dimensions and he mastered two levels there playing only with his imagination."

Leuthardt and colleagues actually performed this research on four adults a couple of years ago. The team observed quicker reaction times in the boy compared to the adults, along with a higher level of detail control. Chalk that one up to time spent playing videogames. If you're interested, you can check out a vid of the research here.

My editor walks up to me and asked, "How long have you been a gamer?" I replied, "Since I was around nine."

My editor then said, "Nine huh? You've been playing since nine?" Didn't he just listen to me? I responded "Yeah, didn't I just answer your question?" He said, "Good good, so in the 15 or so years you've been playing games, do you have any favorite gaming heroes or villains? I'd like you to list them in an article, and then I'd like you to have them battle it out or something, and then we could ask the readers to comment on what they think about it."

I replied, "Wasn't this already done in that flash video of the Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny?" He blinks a bit and then asks, "the wha...? I interrupted him and said, "Never mind, I'll try not to put Chuck Norris in to the thing."

So who am I putting into my own custom made "good guys, bad guys and explosions" scenario? I'm thinking of making this a five-villain-five-hero free for all. So, let me start with the good guys I'm picking:

Rockman from the Rockman series – Yep, I'm using the Japanese name. Why? Because it's cool that way. I'm putting in the blue bomber in the fray because the little blue sprite just won't die. The series has how many incarnations now? If I'm gonna put in characters into an Ultimate showdown, I'm going to put in characters with staying power. Zelda, Sonic, and Mario get so much recognition for being "legendary", well-loved characters already, so I'm skipping them. Yep, Rockman gets a slot.

More on the rest of the contenders and the outcome of the virtual battle after the Jump!

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