iPad World

PlayStation Plus subscribers can pick up the impending re-release of 1991 coin-op classic The Simpsons Arcade free of charge for a limited time this month.

Konami’s cartoon tie-in is available at no charge from 1st February to the end of the month.

It’s a bumper few weeks for PS Plus members, with Far Cry 2 and Final Fantasy V among the other freebies up for grabs. There’s also substantial savings to be had on Rayman Origins, Sonic Adventure and House of the Dead 3.

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Club Penguin is no hybrid chocolate bar.

It’s a browser MMO about cartoon penguins and their snowy online world of mini-games and igloo decorating. It’s a giant; a business boasting 150 million registered accounts and 10 to 15 million active monthly users. And a portion of those pay £5 every month.

Lane Merrifield created it for his children.

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XBLA platformer coming early 2012.

Cartoon tie-in South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge launches on Xbox Live Arcade in Spring 2012, Microsoft has announced.

Developed by War of the Worlds dev Other Ocean and published by Microsoft Game Studios, it’s a co-op platformer that, according to the announcement, sees Cartman, Stan, Kenny and Kyle duking it out with “Scott Tenorman and his Ginger army”.

Other than the screenshot below (which comes courtesy of Joystiq), that’s all we know for now, but a debut trailer is expected at ComicCon in New York this weekend.

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The Shape of things to come?

“There’s no need to sell your furniture or move to a bigger house, but you’ll want to clear some space so you can make the best moves when using Kinect.”

That’s the opening sentence of an email I received yesterday from Microsoft to mark the US launch of the hardware. There’s an accompanying cartoon and it’s all very “ha ha, geddit?” in tone, but behind the scenes some of the laughter will be nervous.

Space will be an issue for many with Kinect and Microsoft knows it. Which is why all the promotional videos seem to have … Continue Reading

EA’s eye-catching adaptation.

EA’s cartoon interpretation of Risk – dubbed Risk: Factions – will be the other game on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday.

For 800 Microsoft Points you’re given a game of world domination painted in bright, eye-catching colours. The twist is provided by the five unique factions. Two of these are lead by American square-jaw McGutterpants and Chinese-themed leader Chairman Meow. Sigh.

Online multiplayer is in, and there’s a chance to earn items for your Xbox Live Avatar while playing. Our Risk: Factions gallery offers a glimpse of what to expect.

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Kirby your enthusiasm?

After the best part of a decade, Nintendo’s weirdest mascot – the one who inhales his enemies and plods through bright cartoon worlds looking like a squishy little tumour – is back on home consoles in a game that looks, for all this world, as if my grandmother made it to sleep in.

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