Toys for Kids & Adults

Build-A-Bear's Q1 revenue rises, but profit drops (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. this morning reported a rise in first-quarter revenue, but a decline in profit.

Community Calendar (The Baltimore Guide)
Musical Talent? Artscape has extended the deadlines to apply for its Cab Calloway Vocal Competition, as well as its Chick Webb Jazz Combo Competition, until May 1. For info or to download an application, visit www.artscape.org or to receive an application by mail, call the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts at 410-752-8632. Concert: The [...]

High School Musical 3: The SIX MONTH countdown!! (East Valley Tribune)
October 24 used to seem sooooooooo far away when Disney released the High School Musical release date, and then POOF! It’s only six months away!! Want some ideas on how to keep totally PSYCHED about the movie until then? Read on!!

Following Team 4 Investigations, Some Pittsburgh Funeral Homes Accused Of Violations (WTAE-TV Pittsburgh)
Following a Team 4 investigation, the Federal Trade Commission sends undercover agents posing as consumers to 33 funeral homes around Pittsburgh.

With Sex Toys and Penis Cookies, Event Showcases ‘Fun Part of Consent’ (Columbia Daily Spectator)
Questions, comments or a tip? Let us know . The latest news in streaming format. View Feed Want to make your voice heard? Write a letter to the editors using this form .

Reese: Toys, toys everywhere (East Valley Tribune)
It’s amazing how kids transition from one toy to another, sometimes in the same five minutes. Sometimes in the same minute.

7-Eleven and Burger King Go Green for Hulk (Convenience Store News)
DALLAS — When Dr. Bruce Banner goes green, his alter ego isn't thinking of the environment. "The Incredible Hulk" will deliver his brand of justice on the big screen this summer paying homage to the popular television series and receiving support from partners including Burger King and 7-Eleven.

Chicago pulls GTAIV bus campaign
The Chicago Transit Authority has chosen to pull Rockstar'sGrand Theft Auto IVadvertising campaign from the sides of its buses. According to the report from theFox affiliate in Chicago, the decision came after a particularly violent weekend in the Windy City, where 15 people were shot, and six were killed, due to gang activity.

All I can say is, I hope the city is doing more to squelch the violence than removing these ads, which may be in bad taste, but certainly aren't causing anyone to kill.

Watch the Fox report here.

Zero Punctuation reviews 'No More Heroes'

Yahtzee givesNo More Heroesone of the more favorable reviews I've ever heard him give.And, while I generally agree with him, the repetition took its toll on me.

Zero Punctuation'sNo More HeroesReview

And, if you decide to take up Yahtzee's advice and buy the game now, don't forget about Lunabean'sNo More HeroesWalkthrough and Strategy Guide

'Bourne' coming June 3
Let's move past the fact thatThe Bourne Conspiracyvideogame will not feature Matt Damon and is based on Robert Ludlum's novels instead of the films. You past it? OK. Me too.

With that ugliness behind us, we can now all celebrate the announcement from Sierra Entertainment (via Vivendi) that the game will land in North America on June 3rd and in the UK on June 27th. So, get your PS3s and Xbox 360s ready, as Jason Bourne is about to take control!

Note, the above trailer is best enjoyed while playing Moby's "Extreme Ways" in the background.

'Silent Hill: Homecoming' set for September release…in Europe
The firstSilent Hillset to be released on the Xbox 360 and PS3 has both a name and a release month.

Silent Hill: Homecomingis the title chosen for the fifth installment of the creeptastic series, and September is the release month…in Europe. No other release dates have been provided for other regions. My money says those of us in North America will see the game appear mid to late October, just in time for Halloween.

For details of the game, and the poor fool who wanders into Silent Hill this time around, pleasego here.

'Condemned 2: Bloodshot' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide Complete!
We are pleased to announce the completion of ourCondemned 2: BloodshotGame Guide.

Lunabean's UnofficialCondemned 2: BloodshotWalkthrough and Strategy Guide(Xbox 360, PS3) contains everything you need to complete the game with ALL Gold Ratings!

In other words, this is a 100% Completion Guide and is all you'll need to master the game!

• Comprehensive Walkthrough
• Earn All Gold Rankings, aka, 100% Completion
• Locations of all Antennas, Emitters, and Responses
• All Optional Objectives covered
• All Forensic Investigations detailed
• Multiplayer Explanations
• Instant Digital Download!
• Professionally written!

LB Guide:Condemned 2: BloodshotGame Guide

For our complete guide, please purchase one of the following:

A creepier version of'Resident Evil 4'
I would easily place Resident Evil 4 on my list of top ten video games. It was beautiful, creepy, challenging and a hell of a lot of fun. I will forever have etched in my brain the experience of innocently entering the game's 19th century Spanish village, then suddenly being cornered by 19th century zombies with 21st century chainsaws. A lot of swearing and nervous laughter followed.

For this reason I am conflicted regarding this video of the "Hooked Man Version" of RE4. According to HardestBoss this version was ditched because it was "too paranormal" for the Resident Evil plot. However, it was also this version that made Capcom's Shinji Mikami warn gamers, "Don't pee your pants".

I say I'm conflicted because, of course, I want more RE4. However, it was perfect as is, and, for some reason, baby dolls with ankle-slashing knives just doesn't seem to fit. Still, it's fun to watch:

Oh, and if you haven't played RE4 yet, get on it! Here's the LB RE4 Walkthrough and Strategy Guide

Zelda: Wind Waker gashaphon figures
I stumbled upon this flickr set today, and thought I'd share.

What I wouldn't give to have these little guys running around my house.

View the Flickr set

Gamecube'Zelda: Twilight Princess'in stores today — Wii walkthrough will work

Today is a huge day for Gamecube gamers in the US, as today is the day when Gamecube version of 'The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess' begins trickling onto store shelves. Booya!

I say 'trickling' because a) the game just shipped yesterday, so some stores won't receive their copies until later this week, and b) there is a rumored (although unconfirmed) shortage of 'Zelda: TP'.

You may be wondering whether our 'Zelda: Twilight Princess' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide for the Wii will work for the Gamecube version. The answer, is yes, but with some stipulations.

First, in the 'Zelda: Twilight Princess' walkthrough we do give controls specific to the Wii. However, this is only done because the Wii controls are so new, and Gamecube gamers should have no problem following the game's controller instructions ('Zelda' games have never been known to have difficult controls).

Second, the Wii version of the game is actually a mirrored version of the Gamecube game. Nintendo did this so Link, who is normally a lefty, would have his sword in his right hand for Wii gamers, making for a more natural Wii controller movement. This mirroring means, when using our 'Zelda: Twilight Princess' guide, you'll have to go left when we say right, and east when we say west (and the other way around). As long as you're aware of this, you should have no trouble using the guide.

LB's 'The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide

'Zelda: Twilight Princess'walkthrough success

Just a little note to say 'thanks' to everyone making use of our Zelda: Twilight Princess walkthrough.

It has become our most heavily trafficed walkthrough, and is on the way to defeating our current best seller, the LB LEGO Star Wars II Walkthrough and Strategy Guide.

While our Zelda: Twilight Princess guide will work for both Nintendo Wii and Gamecube versions of the game, it is our suspicion that many are waiting to get their hands on a Wii before playing it (and rightly so). With that being said, we know that our walkthrough will only continue to grow in popularity. So, thanks.

And, remember, if you need any help fighting your way through Hyrule, check out our walkthrough, as we've already helped thousands of people get through the game.

LB's Zelda: Twilight Princess Walkthrough and Strategy Guide.

Nintendo raises annual earnings forecast…again
There's just no denying that Nintendo is, in the words of Big Goron, hot, hot, hot.

For the second time this year Nintendo has raised its annual earnings outlook. The company now expects its operating profits to reach 420 billion yen (US$ 3.7 billion) by the end of the fiscal year. This number reflects an 86% increase over the same period one year ago.

Rumors of the earnings upgrade caused Nintendo's stock to jump 7.8 percent yesterday. When the rumors were confirmed today, stocks slid a bit, down 3.5 percent to close at 66,400 yen.

While Nintendo reaps the rewards of its Wii gamble, Sony may be wallowing in the damage of its PS3 gamble. The electronics giant today reported its financial earnings, with mixed results. While the company, as a whole, posted a small operating profit, the games division nearly doubled its losses over last year, to 96.7 billion yen (US$ 841 million).

Adding salt to Sony's wound, Nintendo was able to lift its annual Wii sales target to 17.5 million units (up 1 million from previous reporting, and only 3 million shy of the Gamecube's total sales), while Sony had to admit PS3 sales will probably fall short of its 11 million target this business year.

Source
Source

Charts: Second spin for Mario Kart
Mario Kart Wii is BRILLIANT - especially played with mates - but don't you hate how the 150cc races seem to be more about dumb luck and the ability to weather the outrageous battering the CPU dishes out than your undoubtedly excellent racing skills? Ack,

GamePro talks Gears of War 2 storyline with Epic
Hop straight to our interview with Epic president Mike Capps! storyline details await… Gaming came to the New York Comic Con in full force this year. Whereas previous years had been the comic convention norm — rare comics in polybags and overweight

ELSPA Reaffirms Need for Government Support for Games Industry
ELSPA has taken the fact that the British software market has had its best ever first quarter as an opportunity to once again call for more government support for the games industry.Commenting on the figures (which SPOnG told you about last week), Paul

The Darkness Sequel on the Way
Matt Hawkins, the president and COO of Top Cow - publisher of the original comics series of The Darkness - has indicated that a sequel to the video game is on the way.Speaking at the New York Comic Convention, Hawkins said, "We can't say Darkness and

Epic: Nintendo's Wii Like a Virus
Mike Capps, President of Epic Games, has taken a bit of time to give the Wii a bashing and explain why Epic will never develop for the console.Speaking in an interview, Capps said:"It's a virus where you buy it and you play it with your friends and

Guitar Hero IV Branching Out
The Guitar Hero franchise is more popular than ever, but the music game is facing tough competition from Rock Band. How will Activision's guitar-only game stay competitive in the face of Electronic Arts' band-in-a-box? When Guitar Hero 4 is released

learning tools

learning tools

'Okami' (Wii) Walkthrough and Strategy Guide Begins
We are beginning work on theLBOkamiWalkthrough and Strategy Guidefor the Nintendo Wii (will also work for the PS2).

This is a game that we passed on when it came out a while back, despite it getting great reviews. It debuts for the Wii on April 15, and the game seems tailor made for the Wii Remote. Having played a good chunk of the PS2-version, I can deem it one of my favorite games of all time (similar gameplay to a Zelda game). It has renewed my faith in good game development and I can't wait to play it on the Wii!

Per usual, you can check in on our growing guide as it's being written. It will eventually include all clovers, all stray beads, all zodiac statues, and all animals to feed. Enjoy!

LBOkamiGame Guide.

Update:For those who needOkamihelp beyond the current scope of the walkthrough, please post your questions in ourOkamiHelp Threadin our forums.

Zero Punctuation reviews 'No More Heroes'

Yahtzee givesNo More Heroesone of the more favorable reviews I've ever heard him give.And, while I generally agree with him, the repetition took its toll on me.

Zero Punctuation'sNo More HeroesReview

And, if you decide to take up Yahtzee's advice and buy the game now, don't forget about Lunabean'sNo More HeroesWalkthrough and Strategy Guide

'Mercenaries 2', 'Saints Row 2' get release dates
After several delays, Pandemic Studios finally seems confident in providing a solid release date for the highly anticipatedMercenaries 2: World in Flames, as they stuck it at the end of abrand new trailer.

Look to guide your soldiers-for-hire through the jungles of South America on August 31st (Septermber 5th in the UK). These dates apply for all console (PS2,PS3, X360) and PC versions of the game.

OfficialMercs 2site w/ trailer

On the heels of Pandemic's announcement came one from THQ, letting gamers know there will be another sandbox title to choose from, just days before the release ofMercs 2(and just a few months afterGTA IV. Look forSaints Row 2(PS3, X360) to hit store shelves on August 26th. Oy.

Truth be told, the past couple ofSaintstrailers make me wonder if they're really going to be ready for an August release…as one is all audio, the other, a 15 second slide show. Lame.

'God of War 2' now $19.99

Sony has today announced thatGod of War 2(PS2) has officially graduated to 'Greatest Hits' status.

Truth be told, the title met the 'Greatest Hits' criteria some time ago (at least 400,000 copies sold, 9 months on the market), so, the big news for you and me is that the title will now retail for US$19.99. WooHoo!

If you missed this game the first time around, now is the perfect time to pick it up, as it is a bloody good time! Oh, and we have a wonderfulGod of War 2Walkthrough and Strategy Guideto help you through it!

'Condemned 2: Bloodshot' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide Complete!
We are pleased to announce the completion of ourCondemned 2: BloodshotGame Guide.

Lunabean's UnofficialCondemned 2: BloodshotWalkthrough and Strategy Guide(Xbox 360, PS3) contains everything you need to complete the game with ALL Gold Ratings!

In other words, this is a 100% Completion Guide and is all you'll need to master the game!

• Comprehensive Walkthrough
• Earn All Gold Rankings, aka, 100% Completion
• Locations of all Antennas, Emitters, and Responses
• All Optional Objectives covered
• All Forensic Investigations detailed
• Multiplayer Explanations
• Instant Digital Download!
• Professionally written!

LB Guide:Condemned 2: BloodshotGame Guide

For our complete guide, please purchase one of the following:

'Bourne' coming June 3
Let's move past the fact thatThe Bourne Conspiracyvideogame will not feature Matt Damon and is based on Robert Ludlum's novels instead of the films. You past it? OK. Me too.

With that ugliness behind us, we can now all celebrate the announcement from Sierra Entertainment (via Vivendi) that the game will land in North America on June 3rd and in the UK on June 27th. So, get your PS3s and Xbox 360s ready, as Jason Bourne is about to take control!

Note, the above trailer is best enjoyed while playing Moby's "Extreme Ways" in the background.

Paintbrushes ready? Okami art contest.

In case you didn't know,Okamitoday makes its debut on the Nintendo Wii. In conjuction with the launch,Deviant Artis teaming up with Capcom to hold anOkami-inspired Art Contest.

I have little artistic skill yet this game is so stunning that all I want is to paint cherry trees all day. I'm thinking they'd make good wall murals, but I don't think Allison would be too pleased with that.

For all of the contest info,go here.

Related News:LB's "Okami" (Wii) Walkthrough and Guide

learning tools

learning tools

learning tools

'Insecticide DS' Walkthrough and Guide complete!
We are pleased to announce the completion of ourInsecticideGame Guide.

Lunabean's UnofficialInsecticideWalkthrough and Strategy Guidefor theNintendo DSis all you need to guide Detective Chrys Liszt through the criminal insect underworld ruled by a murderous bug villian.

• Comprehensive Game Guide with tons of Tips!
• Detailed Walkthrough!
• Fantastic Boss Strategies!
• ALL Scarabs!
• ALL Puzzles Solved!
• Instant Digital Download!
• Professionally written!

LB Guide:InsecticideGame Guide

For our completeInsecticide DSguide, please purchase one of the following:

New 'GTAIV' TV spot
Don't get me wrong here, because I am as excited as any other gamer for the release ofGTA IV(after all, I'm not made of wood). But, is anyone else getting a little sick of seeing trailers that feature no real gameplay? Meh. Maybe it's just me.

Anyway, here's the latest and greatest, via Gamestop.

Cheater! Xbox Live punishment

It seems "Crackdown" isn't just the name of a popular Xbox 360 game but it's what MS is doing to people who have tampered with their gamesaves to earn a higher gamerscores and get more achievements.

It goes something like this…you see a post on a message board from somebody who is offering to play "Halo 3" for you so that your gamerscore goes up. All you have to do is send him your account info, so he can sign in as you, and paypal him $40.

Well, that's against Xbox Live's terms of use and can get you banned, your account canceled or, in the case of what happened today, can result in the deletion of all of your achievements, set your gamerscore back to ZERO, and make it obvious to other users that you're a cheater (as the graphic above shows).

So, what if you live in a dorm and there is one Xbox 360 where four of you sign in. Don't worry. It's not so much lots of accounts on the same 360 as it is your account on several 360s. Add into that the wizbang technology that MS uses to determine if you're earning stuff a little too quickly and/or tampering with saved game files to undermine the system and you're toast!

On the one hand, I'm of the philosophy, "so what?". It's none of MS's business what I do with my account. On the other hand, fair play makes games more fun.

For more on this, visitMajor Nelson

'Bourne' coming June 3
Let's move past the fact thatThe Bourne Conspiracyvideogame will not feature Matt Damon and is based on Robert Ludlum's novels instead of the films. You past it? OK. Me too.

With that ugliness behind us, we can now all celebrate the announcement from Sierra Entertainment (via Vivendi) that the game will land in North America on June 3rd and in the UK on June 27th. So, get your PS3s and Xbox 360s ready, as Jason Bourne is about to take control!

Note, the above trailer is best enjoyed while playing Moby's "Extreme Ways" in the background.

'God of War 2' now $19.99

Sony has today announced thatGod of War 2(PS2) has officially graduated to 'Greatest Hits' status.

Truth be told, the title met the 'Greatest Hits' criteria some time ago (at least 400,000 copies sold, 9 months on the market), so, the big news for you and me is that the title will now retail for US$19.99. WooHoo!

If you missed this game the first time around, now is the perfect time to pick it up, as it is a bloody good time! Oh, and we have a wonderfulGod of War 2Walkthrough and Strategy Guideto help you through it!

April Fools: 'The Legend of Zelda: The Movie' trailer
A pretty impressive April Fools joke, if you ask me.

View larger trailer

While I'm not sure I want to seethisversion of the film, I do hope a Mr. Peter Jackson finds inspiration in the trailer and provides us with theLegend of Zeldamovie we want to see.

learning tools

Review: Wii Fit
Would you like an account, or have you forgotten something? I'd like a play™ account my username will be: review Adding waggle to the wobble… review By Hades, this is portable perfection interview We take a look at the latest 'FIFA'… preview

Rockstar Criticises GTA IV Edit
Rockstar has issued a statement on the subject of having to edit Grand Theft Auto IV to comply with the Australian game ratings system, taking a sly pop at it in the process.The lack of an R 18+ rating in Australia prompted Rockstar to produce an edited

Final Fantasy IV DS formally announced for US (Final Fantasy IV (DS))
Square Enix says. The highly-anticipated rebirth of quite possibly one of the most beloved FF games in 8-bit history got its release date after months spent lusting over the import copy (reviewed here). Touted as the ultimate treat for FFIV veterans and

Pro Evolution Soccer: Konami Interview
We meet PES veteran Akiyoshi 'Greyhound' Chosokabe for a chat that focuses on the highly unique Wii version of the game and considers what might be in store for PES 2009. Page: 1 2 By Adam Doree The recently-released (and quite fantastic) Wii edition

PlayStation Store Update April 15th
The PlayStation 3 will be getting its latest firmware upgrade next week with the release of 2.30. Also announced is the roll-out of the new PlayStation Store, which is apparently to kick-off at midnight on April 15th.Also announced is the fact that GT 5

'God of War 2' now $19.99

Sony has today announced thatGod of War 2(PS2) has officially graduated to 'Greatest Hits' status.

Truth be told, the title met the 'Greatest Hits' criteria some time ago (at least 400,000 copies sold, 9 months on the market), so, the big news for you and me is that the title will now retail for US$19.99. WooHoo!

If you missed this game the first time around, now is the perfect time to pick it up, as it is a bloody good time! Oh, and we have a wonderfulGod of War 2Walkthrough and Strategy Guideto help you through it!

Cheater! Xbox Live punishment

It seems "Crackdown" isn't just the name of a popular Xbox 360 game but it's what MS is doing to people who have tampered with their gamesaves to earn a higher gamerscores and get more achievements.

It goes something like this…you see a post on a message board from somebody who is offering to play "Halo 3" for you so that your gamerscore goes up. All you have to do is send him your account info, so he can sign in as you, and paypal him $40.

Well, that's against Xbox Live's terms of use and can get you banned, your account canceled or, in the case of what happened today, can result in the deletion of all of your achievements, set your gamerscore back to ZERO, and make it obvious to other users that you're a cheater (as the graphic above shows).

So, what if you live in a dorm and there is one Xbox 360 where four of you sign in. Don't worry. It's not so much lots of accounts on the same 360 as it is your account on several 360s. Add into that the wizbang technology that MS uses to determine if you're earning stuff a little too quickly and/or tampering with saved game files to undermine the system and you're toast!

On the one hand, I'm of the philosophy, "so what?". It's none of MS's business what I do with my account. On the other hand, fair play makes games more fun.

For more on this, visitMajor Nelson

April Fools: 'The Legend of Zelda: The Movie' trailer
A pretty impressive April Fools joke, if you ask me.

View larger trailer

While I'm not sure I want to seethisversion of the film, I do hope a Mr. Peter Jackson finds inspiration in the trailer and provides us with theLegend of Zeldamovie we want to see.

New 'GTAIV' TV spot
Don't get me wrong here, because I am as excited as any other gamer for the release ofGTA IV(after all, I'm not made of wood). But, is anyone else getting a little sick of seeing trailers that feature no real gameplay? Meh. Maybe it's just me.

Anyway, here's the latest and greatest, via Gamestop.

Zero Punctuation reviews 'No More Heroes'

Yahtzee givesNo More Heroesone of the more favorable reviews I've ever heard him give.And, while I generally agree with him, the repetition took its toll on me.

Zero Punctuation'sNo More HeroesReview

And, if you decide to take up Yahtzee's advice and buy the game now, don't forget about Lunabean'sNo More HeroesWalkthrough and Strategy Guide

'Condemned 2: Bloodshot' Walkthrough and Strategy Guide Begins!
We are beginning work on theLBCondemned 2: BloodshotWalkthrough and Strategy Guidefor the Xbox 360 and PS3.

And yes, I'm on edge right now so don't make any loud noises…stupid tar monsters!!!

Per usual, you can check in on our growing guide as it's being written. Enjoy!

LBCondemned 2: BloodshotGame Guide.

Update:For those who needCondemned 2help beyond the current scope of the walkthrough, please post your questions in ourCondemned 2: BloodshotHelp Threadin our forums.

Boycotting 'Battlefield: Bad Company'

It seems that there are few gamers who are hopping mad over EA's downloadable content strategy forBattlefield: Bad Company. You see, the standard game is $60, no shocker there. The "Gold Edition" is $70 and includes five weapons not available in the standard edition.

Those with the standard edition can purchase those weapons as downloadable content. EA claims that the weapons don't throw off the balance of power in multiplayer matches, which begs the question, why include them, and more importantly, why sell them?

Because of this rotten strategy, there are many gamers who are planning to boycott the game altogether. I say let's march on Washington! Or, the LA offices of EA! Yeah!

For more on this visit:The Street

learning tools

Learn Chinese with The Adventures of Walker and Ping Ping
I'm all for kids learning about new cultures and learning new languages. In today's times, the internet and technology has made the world a much smaller place. When our kids…

Kids' Crafts - Martian Matter Alien Maker
My kids are almost at the end of their spring break. Around halfway through I ran out of ideas to entertain them. Along came the Martian Matter Alien Maker kit…

Cool Spiderwick Chronicles Games
The Spiderwick Chronicles is a best selling series of children's fantasy books. The movie, Spiderwick Chronicles, was released earlier this year. University Games, the well known manufacturer of games and…

Hot Toy Trends for 2008
I often get questions from people wanting to know about the "hot toy trends" for the year. Invariably, the toy trends for the year are strongly influenced by movies being…

The Most Talked About Toys of 2008 - As Seen at Toy Fair
Toy Fair 2008 was vibrant, colorful and full of innovative new toys. Walking through the aisles of Toy Fair, I was transported back to my childhood - the carefree feeling,…

OWEN: I DIDN'T CRITICISE CAPELLO (Sporting Life)
Michael Owen insists he did not criticise Fabio Capello's tactics and has no problem with the new England manager. The Newcastle striker was left on the bench for Capello's first match in charge against Switzerland in February and was a half-time substitute against France on Wednesday.

A Day in the Life of Speedway SuperAmerica (Convenience Store News)
The previous evening's newscast said to expect scattered snow showers late in the day. So, of course, when the Convenience Store News editorial team embarked on its short journey from Springfield to Enon, Ohio, the early-morning ground was already covered by 3 inches of loosely packed white snow.

Futuristic Floor Glows With Each Footstep (LiveScience.co