Liberation? Retribution? There's definitely something up with the jump to handheld third person ... Dive deeper into the mystery in the gallery below, and then check out Super Stardust (um, not in HD), and a pair of colorful sequels posted after the break.

The latest issue of Famitsu (via PSPHype) reveals a sequel to Patapon is in the works and coming to Japanese PSPs this Winter (no US or Europe release mentioned). The game is being developed by Pyramid Studios, who made the previous game and LocoRoco. The magazine also has a two-page spread of LocoRoco 2, although gives no release date for any region. No matter how many times you shout pata-pata-pata-pon, the game won't get here any faster.

[Via PSP Fanboy; Image via Penny Arcade]

One hundred Kirby amalgams make for one hundred different avatars. Special thanks to VG Cats' Scott Ramsoomair for the Grim Fandango-inspired Kirby. As prize, we (and the Joystiq voters) crown the strip best webcomic of the week.

Second and third place go to 2P Start (another great source of avatars) and Penny Arcade, respectively. Thanks to everyone who voted and be sure to let us know of any game-related webcomic you stumble upon this week!

Ready the troops, it's time to march (pata-pata-pata-pon) into battle (pon-pon-pata-pon) with Patapon, a delightful rhythm-based action/strategy game standing proud and alone in a new genre. Patapon is another jewel in the ever-increasing library of notable games for the PSP and at only $20 you shouldn't even bother reading the reviews below -- just go get it! Pata-pata-pata-pon!

• IGN (92/100): "While LocoRoco appeared to have the cuteness crown with enjoyable play for the PSP, it looks like it will have to move over – the time for Patapon has come. If you own a PSP, make sure you go to the stores and you get a copy of this game. Your game collection will thank you, and you won't be disappointed."
• 1UP (90/100): "Patapon poses a serious challenge over its 15 hours (some arcane objectives and explanations don't help); it's not very portable (no pausing, headphones required), and some players won't enjoy the backtracking necessary to buff up their army or the unforgiving economy of the collectibles (you'll often find yourself with far too many items and not enough ka-ching). But it atones for its faults with understated strategic depth, an astounding sense of reward (both literal and whimsical), and an inspired difficulty curve that sticks with you to the end."
• EuroGamer (80/100): "While Patapon has got the same quirky sense of style and visual charm as [LocoRoco], it doesn't offer the same easy breezy gameplay. Instead, it offers an imposing amount of depth and a considerable amount of micromanagement. Which isn't necessarily a criticism - it's just that forewarned is forearmed, and if you're nuts about LocoRoco there's no guarantee that you'll go bonkers for Patapon, because it's complicated, and it can be frustrating. But then it can also be rewarding and yes, it's absolutely charming and that counts for a lot."

Not through pummeling your pixelated pals with PAIN? Well, this week the PSN update will allow you to procure for a pittance a pirate to persistently pound into pavement. Skurv Dogg is a new downloadable character for PSN's PAIN at a mere $.99. Beyond that there's your normal serving of Rock Band DLC with a side order of No Doubt for Guitar Hero III. Want more? Um, there's the Star Trek teaser trailer in glorious HD to fill your television screen for a little over a minute.

Check out the complete list of content after the break and go say hi to the gentlemen at PS3 Fanboy for European update details.

This super-rare Patapon figure is not available outside of Japan. Enter our giveaway for your chance to win one!

Are you as excited for Patapon as we are? (Read our review to see why we're in love with the game!) To celebrate the release of this unique PSP-exclusive music action game, SCEA has provided us a very exclusive Be@rbrick figure to give away. To enter, have a Patapon avatar on your Blogsmith profile, and leave a comment here. The comment must be left before Wednesday, February 28th, 5PM EST. You may enter only once on PSP Fanboy, and once on Joystiq. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing, one from each site. Grand Prize Winners will receive this Be@rbrick figure. Click here for complete Official Rules. Eligibility is restricted to the legal residents of the 50 United States (including DC). You must be 18 years or older to enter.

As Roger Clemens returns from hawking wolf tickets before Congress, baseball gears up for spring training with MLB 08 demos for both PS3 and PSP available on the PS Store today. If bats and balls aren't you thing, the Patapon demo has finally been released from the evil grips of the GameStop pre-order. Go get your genre-bending-tribal-warbanding on!

Check out the complete list of content after the break, including PC Store additions -- or head over to PS3 Fanboy for European update details.

In honor of Valentine's Day, the folks at Sony have given you a demo for Patapon, a strategy-laden, color-filled, happiness-inducing rhythm game from the crazy minds behind LocoRoco. According to the official PlayStation blog, the demo is set to come out sometime today for you to download through either the PlayStation Network PC store or the PS3 store.

It also has the "same save-to-final feature" as the UMD version, which we assume is the exclusive weapon we heard about in late January. In the time it took you to read this post, you could've downloaded the game already. What are you waiting for?

If you're a PSP owner who wasn't planning on buying Patapon, you're out of your mind and you need to seriously evaluate your priorities. If you weren't planning on pre-ordering it though, we can't exactly say we blame you. (When was the last time you had trouble getting a PSP game you wanted?) But after some considerable pot sweetening on Sony's part, this is one pre-order we don't think you'll want to miss.

If you pre-order at your local GameStop, not only will you get a demo for the game, but you'll get also get the demo-only item the "Spear of Protection." The bad news? Demos aren't in stock yet, but are due this week or next, so you'll need to keep calling your local GameStop every 20 minutes until they arrive or your phone number is blocked, whichever comes first.

Though we haven't had a look at the final packaging just yet, Sony has given us an excellent idea as to what Patapon's back-of-the-box bullet points might say:

• Intriguing and utterly unique blend of strategy and rhythm gameplay!
• From the creators of the critically acclaimed LocoRoco!
• Bizarre, yet entirely endearing art style!
• Costs a mere $19.99!
• "Excellent" -- Joystiq, 21 Jan. 2008

Sony hopes that the lower price point will push Patapon to a broader audience, one perhaps unswayed by the unusual gameplay and our glowing, out-of-context recommendation. It's a wise move that also favors those of us already keen on rhythmically conquering the lands of Patapon.

The Joystiq staff is somewhat divided in our reactions to Patapon, the rhythm/real time strategy Frankengame coming to the PSP early next year. If you listened to the last Joystiq podcast, you know there are those of us who are completely entranced by its addictive gameplay, its charming visuals, and its catchy music. Still, there are some of us who watch the above trailer for the game and feel like we're staring down the barrel of a nightmare gun. Those pitch-black, cycloptic abominations are unsettling enough -- why do they have to sound like Furbys in a microwave?

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Beneath its charming exterior is a complex, deep game. Patapon is not as simple as its childish graphics may lead on. The dying tribe of the Patapon need their God to command them, and after a mysterious absence, you are ready to return to their lives and lead them.

We've been spending some time with a localized near-final version of this PSP exclusive, and we have to say we're impressed. We wouldn't expect any less from the team that brought us LocoRoco. It's hard to pinpoint a genre to this innovative title, as it fuses elements from the music and strategy genre. At its core, it's a rhythm title, as you're required to input commands using various drums at your disposal. At first, you only have two: the Pata and the Pon drums. By inputting notes on the beat, players will be able to command their growing Patapon army. For example, by pressing Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon, the creatures will advance forwards. Then, attacks can be executed by inputting Pon-Pon-Pata-Pon.

There are a number of drum entires possible, and we've yet to learn them all. Eventually, you'll be able to tell the Patapon to hold, or retreat. We're certain that more advanced moves will be unearthed when we unlock the other drums. (Each drum is assigned to a face button, for four drums in all.) Crucial to successful gameplay is keeping with the beat. As you input commands in sequence, the combo meter increases. When a 10 combo is reached, the Patapon enter Fever mode, which greatly increases their killing power. The spears they throw, for example, can traverse from one side of the screen to the other (as seen in the image above). Timing is crucial, as telling the Patapon to advance at the inopportune moment can lead to a number of unfortunate deaths.

If the above trailer for Patapon that we showed you a few days ago got you salivating for the odd rhythm game, we've got good news: Sony announced this morning that it would be soon be coming to the U.S. The game, developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's Japan Studio (the same house that brought you LocoRoco), is currently slated for a February 2008 release.

We took it for a spin at TGS 07, and were entranced, if just a bit perplexed by the intricacies of the gameplay. As you can see, it's ... well, it's bizarre, allowing you to control a little army of one-eyed dudes by hitting buttons in rhythm and making music. It's just like being a Civil War-era fife player, except with drums. ... Oh, and also, you're insane.

Rhythm games seem to be in abundance these days, but Patapon's a little different than most. For starters, it's cute, reminiscent of the super-huggable LocoRoco. It's also not about being in a rock band, or just tapping buttons to the beat of your MP3s -- It's about war.

As seen in the trailer above, players control a tiny army of one-eyed minions of by pounding on drums, which the little men respond to by performing certain actions. It's part Lemmings, part Space Channel 5, and after spending some time with it at this year's Tokyo Game Show, it's definitely got our attention. To adorable battle!