Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, eh?

Is the third Professor Layton title finally leaving Japan? It sure seems like it.

According to siliconera.com, series developer Level-5 recently registered a trademark for Professor Layton and the Unwound Future.

Sure, that's not a literal translation of the game's Japanese title (which would be something like Professor Layton and The Last Time Travel), but it's similar enough to suggest it will, indeed, be making its way westward in the near future.

In the meantime, enjoy the title's melancholy theme song.

I ♥ Mahito Yokota (and so should you)

After all, he's (partially) responsible for the Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 soundtracks--the later of which has, rather surprisingly, already been uploaded to YouTube.

My favorite track so far: "Final Bowser Battle"



Although, the "Puzzle Plank" tune is pretty awesome, too.

No worries if you're not the type of person who enjoys listening to video game soundtracks on YouTube in your spare time--if you live in North America you can pick up a copy of Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Sunday and listen to its tunes on your TV. (Japanese gamers can pick it up on Thursday, while European gamers have to wait until June 11.)

Buy: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Google + Pac-Man = the perfect end-of-the-week time waster

If you're a fan of Pac-Man (and who isn't?), make sure you stop by Google.com at some point today.

In celebration of the iconic arcade game's 30th anniversary (May 22), Google has created its first interactive doodle (home page logo). What does that mean? Well, if you're anything like me, it means you'll be spending a big chunk of your day playing the company's custom-made (using using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS) Pac-Man game.

By the way, an interesting article over at CNET.com details how this project came together. Check it out--if you can wrench yourself away from Google.com.

It's not all fun and games

"It" being life--or, at least, my life at the moment. That's not to say I'm not spending some of my free time playing games. I am. I'm just not spending much of my free time playing them--and when I am playing them, I'm not playing recent releases.

What I am playing: PC Engine games. In particular, games like Bikkuriman World, Gekisha Boy (aka Photograph Boy), Honey on the Road, Mizubaku Daibouken (aka Liquid Kids), Obocchama Kun and Parasol Stars. I've also spent some time with Alien Crush, (the much-maligned) Deep Blue and Final Match Tennis.

Namco's Obocchama Kun

(Full disclosure: I've been playing all of these games via emulation. Now, before anyone jumps down my throat about the perils of piracy, let me say this: I will soon--very soon!--be the proud owner of an actual PC Engine and a number of PC Engine games. Also, I plan on owning physical copies of all of the above-mentioned games--and then some--in the not-too-distant future. So, let's just consider my current, questionable activities to be akin to trying on a shirt or a pair of jeans before buying them, OK?)

FACE's Honey in the Sky

Anyway, the thing that has struck me while playing many of these games is how innovative they are/were. Games like Deep Blue and Honey in the Sky could easily be called precursors of the current "bullet hell" (shoot 'em up) genre, for instance, while games like Honey on the Road and Obocchama Kun took what were considered at the time to be the rules of the platforming genre and ran with them. And then there are games like Gekisha Boy and Mesopotamia (aka Somer Assault), which defy classifications and rules altogether.

As such, it's sad that so few of these games left Japan--and the ones that did were largely ignored. Thankfully, some of them can be experienced through Nintendo's Virtual Console service and Sony's "Game Archives" download service. To experience the rest, well, you'll either have to pick up an actual PC Engine system or download an emulator.

'Devil Cop' and other made-up game titles (and covers)

Before I continue, I have to share the premise of the made-up title (Devil Cop) mentioned in the header: "Play as a half-man, half-demon who uses his satanic powers for good by tracking down evildoers in the city, foiling their criminal plots and arresting them."

Is it wrong that I find that pretend premise more interesting than the premises of most of the real games that have been released in the last few years?

Anyway, that's not the point of this post. What is the point? To get you to check out K. Nelson's gnarly Made Up Video Game site. Each week, the site shines the spotlight on a piece of cover art--created by Nelson--that's based on a game idea (actually, a title and description) submitted by a reader.

Although all of Nelson's creations are well worth your attention, I suggest you begin by checking out Andrew Lloyd Webber's Castlevania: Symphony of the Night: THE GAME, H.P. Lovecraft's Zany Mini Golf and Spelling Champion: Earn My Love.

(Via gamesetwatch.com)