It seems like more and more amateur bands are doing covers and re-imaginings of classic computer and videogame themes. The latest such band gaining some attention is The Minibosses, a Phoenix act that has even made it on on NPR. The Minibosses specialize in Nintendo classics. What a perfect blend of dark and dork: Heavy metal versions of 8-bit tunes! I'm in heaven--or, Valhalla, at least.

My favorite game cover band is Press Play On Tape, a group from Copenhagen that do some pretty outstanding C-64 tunes. If you haven't seen their fabulous Boy Band Video, do yourself a favor and check it out now!

BillHas anyone here had any luck installing the Windows Vista Beta? I've made two attempts to upgrade my Windows XP Pro. I couldn't even get to the download for two days after release, and it took me two tries with my DVD burner to burn the darn thing (some kind of weirdo ISO may be the culprit). Then, I had to clear up 11 gigs on my C drive, which was very tough due to my partitions (only 30 gigs on the C, the rest on G). Then I had to convert from FAT32 to NSFT. Then I was asked to uninstall my AVG virus program and restart the installer...As you can see, I was pretty determined to get the beta running. But alas, it was to no avail.

I'm still trying to figure out what the bruhaha is over Nintendo's redesigned DS. So it weighs less and has a brighter screen. Excuse me if I don't break into hysterics. Real men (a) don't need a "lighter" handheld; that's why we have massive bulging muscles, and (b) don't need "brighter" colors. Bright colors are for sissies and pansies. Still, I can't seem to get away from news about launch "partays" today--it's on Kotaku, Max Console, Engadget and Joystiq just for starters. Who needs to pay for publicity when everyone's willing to do it for free? Geez. Well, if you're the type of man who would dress up like Mario or Luigi (or Princess) and stand around for hours to get your "Lite," then you deserve what you get. Funny thing is, though, everyone's so enraptured by the DS Lite blitz that they've managed to let this sneak-peak of the PS3 Startup Screen pass by without comment. I, for one, aren't going to mention the DS Lite at all.

Nintendo DS: The next king of homebrew?There's a good article on a site called DCEMU UK today about The State of Homebrew on All Consoles. The author starts off with the PSP and moves on to discuss homebrew on many systems, including the GB2x and GB32. He claims that the PSP homebrew scene is the biggest at the moment, which would seem to be evidenced by the many posts we've had here recently about it.

AmigaThe folks at Chiptune.com have really gone all out with their Amiga-inspired web design. I really like the way they've managed to duplicate the look and feel of the classic Amiga Workbench (version 1.3). They've even got the Guru Meditation error and a working Juggler! The only thing that doesn't seem to work properly is the right mouse button. The site is dedicated to chip tunes, which are a type of computer music that doesn't use digitized sampling. The result is what I consider a more authentic type of music that uses the computer more like a musical instrument than a dubbing or playback device. Have fun!

Bandai Pippin: The "WTH" Gaming Rig
There's some speculation on Cravetalk that Apple is contemplating buying out Nintendo. Preposterous? Perhaps. Everyone who knows something about Nintendo's corporate history knows how many times others (including Microsoft ) have tried this same manuever--and failed miserably. Nintendo has always struck me as a living anachronism--imperial samarai lords thriving in the modern era. The main reason why I think Nintendo made it big in the first place was their unflinching and bold resolve to bring back console gaming to the US, despite all the flack about the "death of the videogames industry" that followed in the wake of the Great Videogame Crash of 1983. A cozy war with Sega followed, but once Sony and then Microsoft entered the fray, Nintendo's been steadily losing market share.

PSPIf anyone has an extra Sony PSP sitting around, please consider shipping it to me! Everytime I turn around there's something like this Atari 800/5200 emulator out for it. How cool would it be to play the original M.U.L.E. on your PSP? By the way, if anyone tries out this emulator, let us know your thoughts!

Missing Since January: The SKL Network, the in-game homepage.Missing Since January (MSJ), re-released in 2004 by the Adventure Company, is an American re-release of a game called In Memoriam, developed by the French Lexis Numérique company and published by Ubisoft SA and Dreamcatcher Interactive in 2003. The big gimmick is what I might call a "virtual reality" setup--playing the game requires moving beyond the program itself and doing Google searches. Players will also periodically receive emails containing clues or information, some of which are vital. It's pretty easy to see the problems that could arise from this setup, but it works. Plus, considering the game is now selling for $10 in various retail bargain bins (I got mine at Best Buy), it's definitely worth checking out.

Mario Kart Source: A Half-Life 2 ModIn the tradition of creative and unanticipated applications for game engines, Mario Kart Source is a Mario Kart 64 modding project for Half-Life 2. Judging by the screenshots and videoclips available on their homepage, this project might be something to keep an eye on. Mario Kart was always my favorite multiplayer racing game--good family fun. I'm sure it's also great for folks who bought Half-Life 2 and want to stretch their buck with a good homebrew mod for its engine. Unfortunately, it's unclear how long we will have to wait for the official release.