This game isn't going to be released outside of Japan, is it?

If you're anything like me, you've always wanted to own a game that lets you create songs and then have them performed--with digitized/synthesized singing--by a band of Rodney Greenblat-esque monkeys.

Well, you're finally going to get your chance to own such a game next week, when Nintendo publishes--in Japan, harumph--a DSiWare title called Tsukatte Utau Saru Band (aka Make and Sing: Monkey Band).

The 800-point game was made in partnership with Muu Muu, the developer behind the similarly strange PS2 title from 2003, Kuma Uta (aka Bear Song), which starred a polar bear who, you guessed it, performed user-created songs using digitized/synthesized speech.

(Via andriasang.com)

Manly Mario

Well, whattaya know? It's Mario the bear and his cubbish--or maybe I should say otterish--bro, Luigi!

Actual title: "Enter the Mushroom Kingdom"

This piece was created by Australian artist Jeffrey "CHAMBA" Cruz (aka lastscionz), who shares on his deviantart page that it was "drawn on A4 size paper using 4H and HB lead [and] coloured in PSCS3 using an Intuos2."

I have no idea what that means, but I'm happy it allowed him to produce such awesomely imaginative imagery.

See also: 'Mario as you've never seen him before'

(Via unrealitymag.com)

'Good gravy!'

That's what the announcer says at the end of the latest Super Mario Galaxy 2 trailer. (Watch it here.)

As much as I agree with that statement, I think it should have been placed at the end of this trailer instead. Or, it could have been inserted into this gameplay video, which shows off the title's "Tall Trunk Galaxy."

Sorry, I couldn't find any safe-for-work images of the game's "Tall Trunk Galaxy."

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe Nintendo should give the game a subtitle? Super Mario Galaxy 2: Good Gravy! Yeah, that has a nice ring to it...

See also: 'A new contender for cutest Mario power-up ever' and 'Mario rocks out (ba dum tish) in new Super Mario Galaxy 2 trailer'

Those lucky bastards

Here's what Japanese Club Nintendo members will be receiving for achieving Platinum status this year:

Actually, the photo above was posted on NeoGAF this morning, so obviously some Platinum members have gotten their grubby little mitts on this prize already.

Anyway, as much as I'd love for Nintendo to offer Game & Watch re-issues to North American Club Nintendo members, I'd prefer it if they localized and released Exclamation Warriors (aka Zekkyō Senshi Sakeburein) or Tingle's Balloon Fight.

(Via NeoGAF)

The waiting game

I'm generally a pretty patient guy. When am I not patient? When it's Friday and the weekend is more than a few minutes away, when an upcoming vacation is less than a month (or two) away--and when a game (or game system) is working its way through the postal system to my welcome mat.

When it comes to that last situation, I'm usually able to keep my antsiness in check--but not this week. That's because I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of a game I've been pining for since, well, I became aware of it a few years ago.

The game: Guru Logi Champ (aka Guru Logic Champ), a Compile-crafted title that Japanmanship's JC Barnett has called "by far The Best Puzzle Game Ever Created." (Capitalization courtesy of Barnett.)

Sadly, I haven't actually played Guru Logi Champ--I've just read reviews extolling its awesomeness--so I can't tell you much about it. The person who penned the game's Wikipedia entry swears it's a crazy combination of Picross, Puyo Puyo (kind of) and Magical Drop, though, and that's enough for me.

Anyway, I'll let you know if that description is at all accurate once the darn game is safely secured in my trusty GameBoy Advance.

Watch: A wacky (of course) Japanese Guru Logi Champ advert