Commentary: Jerry “The King” Lawler and Michael Cole (Raw). Tazz and Mike Adamle (ECW). Jim Ross and Mick Foley (Smackdown)

It’s the 2008 WWE Night of Champions. This pay per view is the only one of the year where every championship from Raw, Smackdown and ECW will be defended in every match.

Now since Monday night’s WWE Draft on Monday Night Raw some championships have changed shows. The ECW Championship is now on Raw, the United States Championship is now on ECW and the WWE Championship is now on Smackdown, even though the championships have changed shows all the title matches that have been made will happen.

Tonight’s matches are as fallows.

ECW Championship match. Triple threat rules.

Raw superstar and ECW champion Kane will be defending his championship against Smackdown’s Big Show and ECW’s Mark Henry. The winner of this match will bring the ECW Championship to their brand. It could be anybody’s since there is a Superstar from Raw, Smackdown and ECW in this match

World Heavyweight Championship match.

Smackdown’s World Heavywight Champion EDGE will be defending his championship against Raw draft pick Batista. If Batista wins this match he will bring the World Heavyweight Championship to Monday Night Raw, but how easy will that be? This past Friday night on Smackdown Batista had stolen the World Title from EDGE but was later then attacked by La Familia and EDGE to get the title back.

WWE Championship match.

WWE Champion and Smackdown draft pick Triple H will be defending his championship against Raw superstar and former WWE Champion John Cena. Triple H on Monday night was the final draft pick for Smackdown after EDGE has won two draft picks for the brand in a tri branded battle royal.

WWE United States Championship match.

WWE United States Champion and ECW draft pick Matt Hardy will be defending the US title against la familia member Chavo Guerrero.

WWE Tag Team Championship match.

WWE Tag Team Champions and former Tough Enough competetors John Morrison and The Miz will be defending their titles against the father and son team of Fit Finlay and Hornswoggle. Most people might think Hornswoggle might have a disadvantage due to his hight but he’s just as tough as anyone on the roster.

World Tag Team Championship match.

World Tag Team Champions Hardcore Holly and Cody Rhodes will be defending the World Tag Team Titles against Ted Debiasi Jr. and a mystery partner that Debiasi Jr has been saying he’s had over the past 3 weeks on Raw.

Due to major attacks to Shawn Michaels by Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho there will not be an Intercontinental Championship match tonight.

WWE Womens Championship match.

WWE Womens Champion will be defending her championship against new comer diva Katie-lee Burchill. Katie-lee has been powing around with her brother Paul Burchill as they dominate the WWE and now Katie-lee wants gold around her waist.

Anything can happen tonight, new champions will be crowned and championships could change brands but which ones will? Only time will tell as the Night of Champions starts now.

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Throughout the last few years, the Dragon Ball Z games have been on the decline despite their relatively good sales. The gameplay mechanics and core elements have been lackluster at best and fans were beginning to wonder if there was any hope left for games set in the Dragon Ball universe. I can say in all genuity that yes, there is hope, as Atari delivers what could potentially be the best Dragon Ball title yet: Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit.

Gameplay 9.0

Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is fast paced, action-packed fighter featuring good and evil characters from the Dragon Ball Z universe such as Cell, Krillin, Goku, and Piccolo. The battles take place through a variety of familiar environments from the anime and don’t seclude you to fighting on just the ground like most other fighters. During combat, there are specific moves that can be performed that will send your opponent soaring upwards through the air where you can then follow, taking the battle to the sky. It’s a very interesting concept that prevents the combat growing old and boring.

The fighting mechanics are developed really well and keep combatants moving at lightning speed. You may at first find it to be a bit overwhelming, but after only a few matches and getting a good feel of the controls, you’ll be quite capable of keeping up to speed. The battle system is deep but simplistic, which is excellent for this game as it allows the combat to flow smoothly.

To win a fight, you must deplete your opponents energy from the energy gage at the top of the screen. This is done, of course, by beating your opponent into submission. There are a variety of attacks such as Super Attacks, Ultimate Attacks, and Vanishing Attacks. With the use of Dragon Pieces, it’s even possible to call in a partner to temporarily aid you. What your partner does though, however, is completely dependent on the type of Drama Piece that is equipped before the battle begins.

There are several game modes available that help you to train in combat, learn the fighting mechanics, battle against a friend (local or Xbox LIVE) or the computer, and the most important of all, the Z Chronicles. Z Chronicles is a single player mode that allows you to relive some of the greatest moments in the Dragon Ball Z universe. Basically, you play as a specific character in a variety of different scenarios. Sometimes you will be the good guy and other times the bad. There is more than just the battles here as well. You are also treated to familiar cutscenes from the anime that feature the original voice actors, helping the experience significantly. The only disappointing factor about the Z Chronicles is the repeating of some cutscenes in different scenarios.

Graphics 9.5

Atari did an outstanding job of blending the anime of the series with the core gameplay, which is probably the most impressive feat. The visuals are surreal and immersive, allowing any who play to feel like they’re literally a part of the game and show itself. The environments are quite colorful which is something this generation of gaming has significantly lacked, so its refreshing to be able to see more than just ‘black and grey’ for a change. The cutscenes are remarkable and will please any hardcore Dragon Ball fan to the fullest.

Sound 8.5

Musically, Burst Limit lacks in this area. While the intro song is quite good and faithful to those who enjoy listening in Japanese, the rest of the music in the game lacks variety and can grow old rather quickly. It would have been nice to hear more from the anime and less of the same. The rest of the sound is relatively good though. It’s certainly nice to hear the our favorite characters voiced by the original actors, even though the dialogue can be cheesy at times. And the punches, kicks, and screams are performed good as well.

Control 9.0

The control system is both deep and simplistic, which is surprising for a game that relies on button mashing combos. Anyone who has ever played Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur, or even Killer Instinct know that fighters that rely heavily on combos can seem very overwhelming. DBZ: BL manages to prevent this by making the combos easily rememberable. There is even an in-depth tutorial that makes learning how to combat simple and fun!

Replay Value 9.0

Sure, it’s a fighter. Generally fighters can grow tiresome and boring in no time, but in the rare occasion you come across one that can hold its ground for quite some time. Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is one of those ‘rare occasions’ and manages to grasp the genre in a positive manner that will keep you coming back for more and more. And with the inclusion of online play via Xbox LIVE, the replayability factor is upped significantly.

Overall 9.0 out of 10

Overall, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit is an excellent fighter and the best Dragon Ball to be released in years. If Atari can keep up the pace and continue to push out DBZ games of this caliber, then the overall impression of the series as video games will continue to increase. Even if you’re not a fan of the anime, this is a game that I highly recommend nonetheless. Who knows? Perhaps it’ll even inspire you to watch the show sometime! With it’s lightning fast gameplay, astounding visuals, and great (but cheesy) dialogue, it could potentially preoccupy you for years to come.

Today, for our celebration of the ten year anniversary of the Banjo-Kazooie franchise, Rare-Elite introduces to you an exclusive and original video from the creative mind of Mario ‘Lupaie’ Paiano (the designer of Rare-Elite), Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbo’s Wand!!

Earlier this year after Rare-Elite’s relaunch, Tyrant and myself were discussing a variety of options as to what we could do in celebration of this special event. We wanted something big…something special…and something unlike anything else that is out there. It was at this time that Lupaie offered to create a special video of the Banjo games told from the perspective of a special character: Mumbo’s Wand.

The video began development in late March and took over 120 hours to complete. Lupaie designed the video completely from the ground up while his friend Smouvy handled most of the audio. A few others contributed some recorded footage and text (acknowledged in the video’s credits) of the Banjo games and even Rare’s George Kelion provided the sound samples of the exact dialogue of Mumbo that can be heard in the games.

So ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the world wide reveal and Rare-Elite exclusive video, Banjo-Kazooie: Mumbo’s Wand!!

Visit our sister site, Rare-Elite.com for more details.

Battle of the Bands is a game exclusive to the Wii that will feel somewhat similar to Activision’s Guitar Hero using only the Wiimote and a simplified control scheme. It would appeal primarily to casual gamers but could essentially attract the hardcore gamers as well who are familiar with the musical genre. While it may not live up to the likes of Guitar Hero, it has the means of standing on its own two feet. Read on to determine why.

Gameplay 8.0

Like most games of this genre, the gameplay is focused on matching certain notes in the songs with precise timing in a means to keep the songs flowing smoothly. The uniquness, however, of Battle of the Bands is the use of the Wiimote. Instead of an implementing the use of instrument or button mashing, THQ opted for the usage of simply shaking the Wiimote at the correct time. There are several different variations allowed such as Basic Beats (moving the Wiimote in the direction of the shown arrows (left, right, or down)) and Skake and Stab (shake the Wiimote left and right on squiggly lines and stab at the target). During matches, attacking is also possible when items have been collected. Just shake the Wiimote at the red arrow when it is available to launch an attack. To block incoming attacks, a simple press of the ‘B’ button is all that is required. Mastering the blocking technique is essential to winning Faceoffs.

The strongest portion of BotB is the Adventure Mode. In this mode you have the option of playing on Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulties, the decision of which will determine how challenging your quest to become the best band will be. There are several different bands to choose from as well such as Sinisister, Silence Asylum, The Rumbleweeds, Holler Hills, Defcon-X, and quite a few more. After making your selections, you go to compete head-to-head against other bands at various stages across the country. In the other mode, Versus, competitions can be against a computer controlled band or one other human player.

Graphics 7.5

Anyone familiar with Guitar Hero will know exactly what to expect here. THQ took a similar graphical approach as Activision and placed their primary focus on the gameplay rather than opt for excellent graphics. The graphics could have been a bit better, however, and should have taken a more unique approach as opposed to what we’ve seen already.

Sound 6.0

When it comes to the music, THQ made some very awry decisions of the songs they included into the title. Perhaps they had issues with obtaining the rights to hit songs, but evenso they could have did a much better job on their song choices. The majority of the songs will be unfamiliar and fail to enthrall even the most avid of those who constantly listen to music. It’s sad considering this should have been one of the biggest focuses of the game yet THQ failed to deliver.

Replay Value 7.0

The Adventure Mode may not be very long and the music not ‘great’, the variety, however, may keep your attention long enough to want to experience the game several times over. With a friend, the versus mode can sometimes be exciting and enthralling as you both battle it out over and over again to see who can reach the highest score.

Overall 7.1 out of 10

Overall, Battle of the Bands offers a unique experience that its competition doesn’t. The simplified Wii controls allows anyone of any age to access the gameplay from start to finish with no complications. With much better song offerings, online play, and even more game modes, a new outing for this possible franchise could have it ‘battling it out’ with Guitar Hero and Rock Band in the future. So all-in-all, if you’re looking for an game in the music genre that’s easy to access and fun to play, then Battle of the Bands exclusive for Wii may be just what you’re looking for.

Official press release below…

London, UK – June 26, 2008 – Today Ubisoft announced Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, exclusively for the Nintendo DS™ system. Developed by Ubisoft’s Casablanca studio, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King complements the highly anticipated version of Prince of Persia coming out this holiday on consoles & PC. Expanding the saga with an independent storyline, Prince of Persia: the Fallen King utilizes the unique stylus controls of the Nintendo DS™ system to deliver the extraordinary acrobatic and combat action that fans have come to expect from the Prince of Persia franchise. Prince of Persia: The Fallen King will be available at retailers nationwide for the 2008 holiday season.

© 2008 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Based on Prince of Persia® created by Jordan Mechner. Ubisoft, Ubi.com, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. Prince of Persia is a trademark of Jordan Mechner in the U.S. and/or other countries used under license by Ubisoft Entertainment. Nintendo DS is a trademark of Nintendo. © 2004 Nintendo.

Official press release below…

GUILDFORD, UK. – June 27, 2008 – Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) has unveiled new game details and the unique line-look for its “EA SPORTS™ All-Play” products shipping this summer and autumn for the Wii™. Designed for social play and featuring unique controls, distinct presentation and a style of play that is inviting to players of all skill levels, EA SPORTS will ship four “All-Play” games in 2008 in Europe.

The NBA and individual NBA member team identifications used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of intellectual properties of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. © 2008 NBA Properties, Inc. Official FIFA licensed product. “© The FIFA Brand OLP Logo is a copyright and trademark of FIFA. All rights reserved.” Manufactured under license by Electronic Arts Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Official press release below…

SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This summer, Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq:ATVI) Guitar Hero®, the #1 best selling video game franchise of 2007, will go coast-to-coast with the American Idols Live! Tour 2008, kicking off in Glendale, Ariz. on July 1. The sponsorship fuses the two pop culture phenomenons together for a second time, building on the success of the dual-branded “Risky Business” TV advertisements that featured season seven winner David Cook and finalist David Archuleta last month. In the upcoming 53-city tour, concert-goers will be among the first to experience three of the newest Guitar Hero games, the highlight of which will be a sneak-peak video demonstration of Guitar Hero World Tour, which officially hits shelves this fall.

* Guitar Hero: Aerosmith – Rock this way with America’s greatest rock n’ roll band, Aerosmith. Relive the band’s illustrious career from their early days at Nipmuc High School and continue on their journey to becoming rock royalty. Available on June 29, 2008 for Xbox 360®, PlayStation® 2, PLAYSTATION® 3 and Nintendo Wii™.

Since the launch of the Playstation 3 in November of 2006, over 9 million people have registered for the Playstation Network and over 170 millions downloads have been performed from the PS3 and PSP combined. On another note, Sony has also announced that it will be launching its own downloadable movie service this Summer to compete with Microsoft’s current service on Xbox LIVE.

More details here

Ticket to Ride

Game is in English only. Buy Ticket to Ride™ today for even more fun! Earn points as you claim your tracks and complete your Tickets from coast to coast. Play with up to 5 people on Xbox LIVE or 4 people on the same Xbox 360. Multiple levels of AI players will keep the challenges coming. Compare your best scores with your friends on the Leaderboards and earn Achievements to prove you are the best around!

Happy Tree Friends: False Alarm

Based on the popular and twisted Web series, Lumpy and his accident-prone friends are faced with one gory, horrible disaster after another!