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PopCap files 'Robodojo' trademark, we contact DEA

Popcap Games, developer and publisher of broken homes, recently filed a trademark for Robodojo. The trademark, dug up by Superannuation, doesn't sound as intriguing as YetiTrain, but mixing robots and dojos sounds almost as intriguing as zombies and -- erm, plants?

When contacted for comment, a Popcap representative told Joystiq, "We don't comment on such things, sorry. As you know, our games take years to build, so this one, if indeed it ends up using that [trademarked] name, is still quite a ways away." Yes, yes, that's all fine and good, but as a public service we need to let the Drug Enforcement Agency know whether it should be keeping an eye out for YetiTrain or Robodojo.

NintendoWare Weekly: Tales of Monkey Island, Bookworm, The Combatribes

If you thought last week's NintendoWare Weekly update was huge, well ... you'll probably think the same thing about this week's update! That's mostly because Nintendo provides quite the overweight offering this time, with a total of ten new titles available for your post-Thanksgiving download. Loosen that belt and make some room for more by heading past the break for the full list of this week's releases.

Continued →

X3F TV -- XBLA in Brief: Diner Dash, Gyromancer

This week brings two casual games to Xbox Live Arcade. For puzzle fans, we have Gyromancer (1200, $15), an RPG take on PopCap's Bejeweled Twist. For those who prefer something a little more manic, there's Diner Dash (800, $10), which tasks players with running a restaurant and keeping customers happy. If you've ever dealt with real customers before, you'll know that keeping them happy is harder than it sounds.

See both games in the latest episode of XBLA in Brief.

Download the trial version of Diner Dash
Download the trial version of Gyromancer

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Peggle Nights DLC may arrive for XBLA Peggle this week

Here's how the sausage of video game news gets made: ShackNews reports that the Peggle Nights DLC will arrive on XBLA this Wednesday, November 18. The DLC is a $5 addition to XBLA Peggle, adding sixty-something levels to the game classified in several countries as a controlled substance.

Double-checking with Peggle developer PopCap, the company hasn't officially announced the date in a release and is optimistic that Nights will be available this Wednesday. Checking with Microsoft, the company is "looking into it." So, yeah, there's no reason to doubt anyone, but there doesn't seem to be an affirmation of Peggle Nights' release this week.

This Wednesday: XBLA takes you out for Diner and a Gyromantic date

Xbox Live Arcade shows a belligerent disregard for productivity this week, hosting a pair of light puzzle games that are sure to weigh heavily on your mind during working hours. Why not have a go (and then just one more) at Gyromancer, the gem-shifting collaboration between Square Enix and PopCap? The cost of entry is 1200 ($15). If it's a cohesive concoction of puzzles, RPG elements and item collection, your departure is likely to be at no point.

PlayFirst is also serving up an XBLA version of Diner Dash for 800 ($10). The culinary-themed time management game should be an ideal snack in between gorging on Dragon Age: Origins, Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and ... hmm. How good are you at time management?

Gyromancer will end our lives on November 18

Looks like we're going to have to start working on that Bucket List a lot sooner than we would've guessed. The recently released English language trailer for Square Enix and PopCap's RPG-puzzle mash-up Gyromancer has delivered a release date for our pending doom: November 18. Not only that, but the trailer's now-readable text has revealed a gameplay mechanic which slipped our attention in the original, Japanese trailer: Monster collection.

So, it's Bejeweled, Final Fantasy and Pokémon all rolled into one, then? Awesome. That's really awesome. We hope you guys have enjoyed reading our humble site, because Gyromancer looks to be addictive enough make us forget to feed ourselves, let alone work.

Trademark: PopCap going off the rails on a 'Yetitrain'

PopCap, we're afraid we've got an unpleasant task for you. At your earliest convenience, we're going to need you to draft letters of apology to everyone who's come within 50 yards of us within the last 15 minutes. See, a little while ago, supererogatory turned our attention to a trademark you just filed, reserving the name Yetitrain for use in a game. Our eyes saw the word, and our brain immediately told us the correct course of action: As loudly as possible, we would need to sing Ozzy Ozbourne's "Crazy Train," and we'd need to swap in the appropriate cryptozoological word.

Though we've aroused general concern from our neighbors and landlords, we can't seem to stop. This word -- Yetitrain -- is too powerful not to sing boisterously. We're sending you an email to request these apologetic correspondences, and to see if you'll tell us exactly what a Yetitrain is, and then to find out where we purchase our ticket to ride it forever.

Plants vs. Zombies to march in NYC Halloween parade

This is a just a warning to any zombies considering joining the New York City Halloween parade. Pictured above are some of the plants that PopCap will be sending to march in said parade. As you -- the zombies -- well know, these plants will most certainly assure your demise. Well, except the wall-nuts. They'll pretty much just stand there and let you eat them, but we love 'em anyway. They're just so damned cute. Dumb, but cute.

PopCap receives outside investment in first round of funding

Casual gaming leviathan PopCap Games announced that it has lined up an extra $22.5 million in funding from sources including investment firm Meritech Capital Partners and private investors Larry Bowman and John McCaw.

"While other video game companies put out more flops than hits, PopCap has never produced a game that wasn't a critical and commercial success," said Meritech's managing director, Rob Ward. "Taking the company's boutique development style and universally appealing product lineup to the top of the video game food chain will be an exciting, potentially industry-changing, experience and we're happy to be a part of it."

Well, okay, so we know why the investors did it -- guaranteed returns. But why does PopCap, to whom we have all handed money over the years, need extra money? PopCap CEO David Roberts claims that the investment "lets us be more aggressive with our expansion into social media and reaching new geographies," but we've heard that PopCap is researching an unstable form of the match-three puzzle that can currently only be created in a laboratory, and only for a few nanoseconds.

Square Enix & PopCap team for puzzle RPG 'Gyromancer'

Square Enix is teaming up with the "broadly appealing" e-crack peddling masters at PopCap Games on Gyromancer, a new puzzle RPG for XBLA and PC. At its core, Gyromancer is a re-skinned version of PopCap's Bejeweled Twist with Square Enix delivering the ... um, big hair? Maybe some writing -- or 20-minute cutscenes? We have no idea.

There's currently no scheduled release date for Gyromancer, but we've definitely had our fill of Puzzle Quest clones recently. Give it some time and, you know, something different. Then again, PopCap has a nasty habit of turning tired casual-gaming genres into gold.

Bejeweled, Bookworm coming to DSiWare

If you've been trying to convince your casual-minded significant other that you don't just want, but rather need, a DSi in addition to the DS you own, your moment may have just arrived. PopCap has announced that it'll be bringing its stupefyingly popular puzzle titles Bookworm and Bejeweled Twist to DSiWare this month and the next, respectively.

Sure, they'll be out later on retail shelves (December 1, 2009 for Bookworm and Q1 2010 for Bejeweled Twist), but if you're going to score yourself a new DSi, your significant other can never know this. They can never, ever know.

Peggle Nights falling into XBLA

Peggle, after releasing pretty much everywhere else to critical acclaim, came out on Xbox Live Arcade this March, to additional critical acclaim, thanks to its new multiplayer modes. Now Peggle fans intent on either playing the game only on Xbox or on buying every Peggle release will have something else to look forward to as PopCap has announced the XBLA release of the sequel, Peggle Nights, coming by way of an XBLA expansion for the original Peggle.

Like other releases of Peggle Nights, the XBLA version includes a new Peggle Master named Marina, 60 new levels, and 60 new challenges and will be available to all Peggle players as a Title Update. Most importantly to some status-obsessed gamers, Peggle Nights will include three new Achievements, worth a total of 50 points.

Peggle Nights will be available sometime this fall for an undisclosed price.

PopCap reveals Zuma's Revenge


When we heard from MTV that PopCap was releasing a PC game called Zuma's Revenge on September 15th, we, of course, assumed it was the casual, interactive retelling of South African president Jacob Zuma's election in 2009 after he served as deputy president until 2005. You can imagine our disappointment to learn that it's actually a game about a frog that shoots colorful clay balls out of its mouth.

There's a long list of PopCap games we'd love to see in sequel form -- yes, Plants vs. Zombies is at the top, but it's not the only one. 2003's Zuma may not necessarily be high on that list, but we suspect fans have already waited long enough.

PopCap Games pegs Robert Chamberlain as new CFO


PopCap Games, which modestly labels itself as producer of "broadly appealing" games, has announced the hiring of Robert Chamberlain as Chief Financial Officer. Chamberlain, who replaces interim CFO Karla Horwitz on August 31, 2009, will oversee the giant mountain of cash kept in the company's backlot and comically scamper after bills should a strong gust of wind allow them to escape.

Though we jest, Mr. Chamberlain's 30 years of experience as a finance executive are sure to serve him well in his new role. And just imagine the incredible resolve and concentration required to get any work done inside the Peggle factory!

PopCap announces Bookworm Adventures 2


There's a ton of good lookin' games coming out this fall, though few offerings seem as though they'll help beef up our vocabulary while indulging our base desire for molasses-slow turn-based combat. Yes, we realize that's a rather specific niche -- but it's one that will be filled quite nicely by PopCap's Bookworm Adventures 2, which will be released on July 30 for $19.99 on the casual game developer's official site.

If you never experienced the Boggle meets Final Fantasy action of the original Bookworm Adventures, PopCap has a free trial available. Just don't blame us when your friends start complaining about your new proclivity for dropping six-dollar words.

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