Cryptic Studios, the developer responsible for City of Heroes, is taking beta applications for Champions Online. The beta is closed and will begin mid-November. People who want to take advantage of the opportunity can find the application here, but only PC gamers are invited.

We’ve seen Champions Online in a few different contexts. Back in July, our very own Qais Fulton said that Champions was “shaping up to be one fantastic game, not just a good MMO.” I was able to get my grubby hands on it during Gen Con this year, and I was quite impressed. Even though the beta is PC-only, players will find that using an Xbox 360 controller is perfect for the game’s stylish, action-oriented combat.

No word on when Cryptic will quit taking applications, but it might be best to get into the pool early. How many of you are interested in Champions? Does it look like it will have enough flair to keep you hooked?

High Voltage Software has Wii on the brain (yeah, saying that out loud still makes us chuckle). This time they are presenting gamers with a WiiWare racing game called High Voltage Hot Rod Show.

At this Hot Rod Show it will take more than basic skills to win as players pull off killer stunts to earn boosts. Up to four players can compete via split-screen, so it’ll be time to break out those WiiWheels again. Also track best times world wide with online leader boards.

Lead Artist Benjamin Savage lets on that they drew inspiration from artist and automobile designer Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. Those unfamiliar with his brilliant/sometimes weird as hell cars may know Roth’s toy or merchandise lines like Rat Fink. This inspiration led to some crazy and exciting characters, Hot Rods and even music.

We know we love the direction they’ve taken using their proprietary Quantum 3 engine. Yes, that is the same engine they are currently using to create the highly anticipated Wii FPS The Conduit. Eric Nofsinger, the Chief Creative Officer of High Voltage, said, ” We set the bar for ourselves very high with each new title. Not only have we created a fantastic racing title with support for split-screen racing and online leaderboards, but we’ve also demonstrated the incredible versatility of the Quantum 3 Game Engine.”

Well, consider us excited both for a crazy racer and another look at how awesome High Voltage is trying to make their original, non-ported Wii titles.

With Pacific Rift, I faced the same challenge, but this time, it had to go one better. Up to eleven, if you like. First things first, considering this time around we were allowing the player to play their own music while racing: How do we give the player something that, no matter which way it’s looked at, is valuable? How do you put value back in to a licensed soundtrack, when the player can play their own music? After much consideration, the answers came; We are going to be giving you a soundtrack that not only stands up to MotorStorm’s first outing, but also has more than twice the number of tracks of its predecessor, along with a healthy peppering of tracks that we’ve gone directly to the original artists about, asking them to stamp an element of MotorStorm on them. Exclusivity. I’m sure that while everyone will have an opinion on it - and none of you will be wrong - you will all agree that what we’ve ended up with is an absolute monster of a soundtrack, with more than just a little something for everyone!

Lunatics of the world, Unite… The MotorStorm Festival is upon us once more, and promises to pump your ears full of Dirt, Petrol, Mud, Fire and Water… Line up announced!!!

Ok, here it is –

Full track list –

Alex Metric – In Your Machine
This guy is just gonna get bigger and bigger. MotorStorm festival organizers tip Alex Metric to be the new kid on the block when it comes to chops, beats and twist up mixes. Currently working on a debut album, he has yet to explode onto the scene, but he will… The MotorStorm Festival is the perfect platform for Metric to make his mark on the Dance scene!

Amon Tobin – Trickstep (Pacific Rift Remix) Exclusive!
We got our hands on some new exclusive unreleased tracks from Amon. We loved them all, but Trickstep was top of the bill for MotorStorm. Amon revisited it for us to “MotorStormify” it a bit more, too. Exciting stuff! And Exclusive to the MotorStorm Festival!

Animal Alpha – Fire Fire Fire
With a voice like sand and glue, and a band that’s full of energy and drive, MotorStorm seemed a perfect fit for Animal Alpha’s Fire Fire Fire, especially since we were setting some of our races in and around a volcano!

Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy (Pappy Mix)
Classic Aphex. Dirty, Raucus and edgy. Some might say a little scary too, but that’s all the elements you get in a MotorStorm race anyway…

Black Daniel – Gimme What You Got (Alex Metric Remix)
Alex Metric puts his shines on Black Daniel; Awesome track!

Black Sun Empire & State Of Mind – Red Velvet VIP
Dark Drum and Bass. It’s edgy. BSE have proven in the past that they can do for underground D&B what Pendulum did for Mainstream D&B.

Black Tide – Show Me The Way
These guys Rock, Hard! First heard a Metallica cover from them, and I was sold. These guys had to appear at the MotorStorm Festival, and they were keen to oblige! And what an addition it turned out to be! Fantastic band, great sound. Hair rock doesn’t get much hairier than this!

Bodysnatchers – Twist Up
Reminiscing back to the first MotorStorm Festival, we had Krafty Kuts feature. When I heard this track from the Bodysnatchers, it reminded me of Bass Phenomenon from Krafty. It fit really well, and it certainly twists itself up!

Boys Noize – Lava Lava
Boys Noize are making waves with everything they do at the moment. Lava Lava is no exception. It’s gritty, dirty, and it has great attitude. Sick track!

Queens Of The Stone Age - Sick Sick Sick
Speaking of Sick, There’s never a dull moment with Queens of the Stone Age! These guys kick serious ass and a MotorStorm Festival simply wouldn’t be the same without them.

Bullets and Octane – I Ain’t Your Savior
Truth be told, it wasn’t only the sound of this track that caught my attention. The energy it has, and the raw sound hits a nerve that makes this stick in your head. Great track to race really, really fast to!

Cut In The Hill Gang – Soul To Waste (MotorStorm Edit) Exclusive!
An Exclusive edit of a fantastic track from Cut in the Hill Gang. These guys know how to do dirty Rhythm and Blues!

Hervé – Zombie Dance (MotorStorm Edit) Exclusive!
Another exclusive edit for MotorStorm Festival goers to enjoy!

The Exploders - Wolf Cub (Pacific Rift Edit) Exclusive!
Another fantastic dirty blues track that simply had to be featured at The Festival! The Exploders were keen to give it a little treatment for us too and came up with this awesome mix, just for our MotorStorm ears!

Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod
We wanted to include this in the original MotorStorm, but it works just as well in MotorStorm Pacific Rift! A great track and a classic sound for the MotorStorm Festival I’m sure you’ll agree!

Nirvana – Swap Meet (Diplo MotorStorm remix) Exclusive!
This is our big hitter. First time ever, and it’s exclusive to the MotorStorm Festival. MotorStorm has, in the past, managed to sway Nirvana towards the Festival (we had a fantastic reception to Breed, featuring at the first festival), so we wanted to bring them back again, but this time, with a difference. Hotter than hot cakes at the moment, Diplo was fired up to give it some remix treatment and, I think you’ll agree, this is Nirvana like you’ve never heard them before! Incidentally, its 20 years ago that Bleach was first released, and this is a fantastic opportunity to revisit the album and bring some of today’s hottest talent to the table to give it a squeeze. Great track; Great remix. You heard it here first!

Pendulum - Tarantula (ft Fresh, $pyda & Tenor Fly)
MotorStorm wouldn’t be MotorStorm without a big dollop of hoover led, raucous Drum and Bass action: Pendulum. We brought the Aussie Drum and Bass crew back to the festival with a brilliant track, Tarantula.

The Qemists – Stompbox
We loved it as soon as we heard it. We snapped it up and immediately set to work cutting our E3 movie to this track. This one had the potential to “Stomp” its authority as the new MotorStorm Signature track. It would seem we weren’t the only ones to think this was a fantastic track!

The Qemists - Speed Freak (MotorStorm Remix) Exclusive!
The Qemists are a new breed of warrior on the Drum and Bass scene and I just love to seek out not only what’s hot right now, but what will be hot round the corner, and the Qemists certainly have a fire in their gut right now that MotorStorm simply couldn’t overlook. When we asked the guys to let us bring Stompbox to the stage, they jumped at the chance. Not only that, they offered to knock up something exclusive for us, too! As good as Stompbox was, we couldn’t very well say no – that would just be rude. So we happily said, “yes please”, and boy what a job they did with this track! They took all the elements of a MotorStorm race, all the elements of a MotorStorm Theme, and shoved it all down the barrel of a Shotgun, pulled the trigger and shot this track straight to the main stage! This track Stomps Hard! Another Exclusive track you’ll only hear at the MotorStorm Festival!

Saving Abel – New Tattoo
Proper Rock n Roll. We love this track and we’re sure you will too! It has everything you need to drive faster than you should and more dangerously than you can imagine!

Slipknot – Sulfur
As of writing this, Sulfur remains unreleased. Though we’re pretty sure not for much longer as the Slipknot guys have nailed it once again. A superb track that sits with the whole vibe of the Festival and the racing action.

Simian Mobile Disco – Parachute
SMD have taken the UK scene by storm. Another one the Festival could not overlook! Great track, and again, as of writing, it remains unreleased.

Supa Bajo - Lalula (instrumental)
Aka – Freelance Hellraiser. The bass line on this one is outstandingly catchy. It alone ticks all the boxes for a MotorStorm race. What a track!

Ulterior - Weapons
A cross between Underworld and NiN. These guys rock hard in a tech kinda way. Another one to look out for…

Noisia - Groundhog (MotorStorm re-edit) Exclusive!
Groundhog is a great track anyway, but Noisia, as awesome as they are, agreed to give it a bit of MotorStorm treatment. Once again, another exclusive track to shove in your ears whilst tearing it up in Paradise.

Clutch – Pure Rock Fury
With their strangled guitar riffs and fuzzy raw sound, Clutch were ideal candidates to feature at the MotorStorm Festival. I have no doubt that you’ll agree this track comes armed with enough horsepower to blow the wheels off your vehicle mid race!

David Bowie – Queen Bitch
MotorStorm has never, and will never be about music that simply “Fits the Game”. It’s about a way of life. Lunatics from across the world, all shapes and sizes, all ages, unite to race their way to glory, and we make sure that although we feature tracks to suit everyone, we had no qualms about including something from as far back as the 70’s. It’s an absolute classic, from way back when… I was hugely skeptical as to whether we would be able to license this one, but it’s an absolutely killer track, so we pleaded, and we got it!

Death From Above 1979 – Blood On Our Hands (Justice Remix)
Though Death from Above 1979 disbanded, their music has left its footprint on the music scene, being picked up by dance producers, bands and remixers alike. Having this remix from French duo Justice feature at the Festival is something that always makes me smile! It also makes me drive extremely dangerously on the track! You gotta love the dirt and filth this track exudes from the very offset!

Death From Above 1979 – Romantic Rights (Erol Alkins Re-Edit)
“Two tracks from the same band!?”, you may wonder, but believe me, when you hear this, you’ll understand why the phrase “Erol keeps the kids dancing” is so appropriate! Erol Alkan’s remix of this fantastic DFA 1979 track is sublime! It brings you right up to the very top, then lets you go free-falling through the drop! A powerful remix of an adrenalin fuelled track. Outstanding.

DJ Fresh – Chainsaw
DJ Fresh has been a pioneer of the D&B scene for many years, working with some of the best over the years including Pendulum. He’s the bread and butter of Drum and Bass, and to have an opportunity to include an unreleased track at the Festival didn’t sit long on the table. I snapped it up as soon as I heard it. I’m sure those of you into the D&B thing are gonna be in for a real rare treat with this one!

Fatboy Slim - Everybody Needs A 303 (Plump DJs remix)
Take a jug, add Fatboy Slim, Plump DJ’s and one of the most prolific and prominent commercial dance tracks ever, and give it a shake. What do you get? Conviction behind the claim that Everybody needs a 303. This track is classic too, but in a different way from Bowie or Nirvana. Works great when you’re tearing up the mud through the thick jungle!

Goose – Black Glove (Bloody Beetroots Remix)
The Bloody Beetroots are coming out of the blocks at 90kph right now, and when they lent their touches to this fantastic track from Goose, they really pumped it! Brilliant track, great drive and it just oozes class.

Hadouken! - Liquid Lives (Noisa instrumental mix)
Fast cars go hand in hand with fast guitars. Throw a thick heavy beat under it and you get Liquid Lives with the Noisia touch. More than ample pace and tempo to make you wanna take out your opponents rather than just beat them to the finish line.

The Hives - No Pun Intended
The Hives have a certain energy to them. Impossible to overlook. They are a great outfit and definitely know how to put a driving track together!

In Flames - Move Through Me
In Flames are huge. And deservedly so. They can go toe to toe with the best of them, and this is evidence that they are more than capable of holding their own at the MotorStorm Festival. We wanted this track as soon as we put it in the mix.

Leftfield - Phat Planet
A lot of you are going to recognize this track as “The Guinness ad music”. And right you’d be. But let me explain why I chose this one for the Festival. The Guinness ad is all about Hawaiian Surfers, waiting for the perfect wave. “He waits. It’s what he does.” I wanted to convey this ethos by using this track in a similar capacity. Sure not many would get it at first, but the fact that this island, through all its years of being shaped by the land and clothed by nature, has been waiting for the perfect storm to hit its shores… MotorStorm brings exactly that, and it brings with it an end to The Island laying in wait. The wave has arrived, in the form of lunatics and masochists converging on the slopes of this land, ready to tear it up! …but the island won’t take it lying down. It WILL fight back. The bass line on this track says it all. The Island has been waiting for you…

Machine Head – Davidian
Machine Head go all the way up to eleven! There’s no doubt… and Davidian is a long standing classic. An anthem for anarchy. It’s time to rumble.

March – Influence Exclusive!
March are no strangers to the rock scene, and when I approached the band about featuring at the festival, they set straight to work. When they threw this track at me, it completely floored me. It’s dynamic, aggressive, and fresh. Exactly all the ingredients for the MotorStorm Festival I’m sure you’ll agree.

Megadeth - Sleepwalker
One of Megadeth’s newer tracks and, as you’d expect from classic rockers Megadeth, this is the very definition of power rock. \m/

Nick Thayer - Mind Control
With flavors of Big Beat and tech house synth lines, Nick Thayer nails it for the Festival. Perfect dance track to suit the atmosphere of the racing and festival.

Parker - Western Soul featuring Rasco (Aphrodite Remix – MotorStorm Dub)
Yet another exclusive! Parker joins up with Aphrodite to bring us this drum and bass mash up. The bass line wraps itself around you and completely pumps the adrenalin. Great track!

The Planets – Slasher Exclusive!
This track was dropped on my desk as we were approaching the finishing touches to the soundtrack, but it was too good to pass up. The guys revisited the track for us and gave it a bit of MotorStorm flavor. It sits right up there with the best of the soundtrack

Primal Scream - Necro Hex Blues
We featured two Primal Scream tracks on MotorStorm, and when I heard they were releasing a new album very close to Pacific Rift’s release date, I managed to get my hands on it for a listen. This track features Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age on guitars, and the opportunity was not one I wanted to pass up! It’s everything you’d expect from Primal Scream, and everything you’d expect to hear at the MotorStorm Festival. Brilliant!

Saviours – Caverns Of Mind
From Oakland CA, Saviours rock hard. This track was one of the first tracks we had on the table for the MotorStorm Festival, and after I’d played a couple of races to this one, it had to be featured. Pedal-to-the-metal rock.

South Central – Golden Dawn
Dubbed as a Post Glitch; Indie/Electro; Dance-Rocktronica band. When I heard Golden Dawn, I knew it would work almost instantly. Brilliantly produced, and full of energy, the South Central guys hit the nail on the proverbial head

The Whip – Trash
From Manchester UK, The Whip are “whipping” up a storm on the scene and will soon explode worldwide! This track is fantastic and sits perfectly well in the festival environment. These guys are not to be missed!

This week the demo for MotorStorm Pacific Rift will be available on the PLAYSTATION STORE for free download. The demo includes Rain God Spires, one of the 16 courses exclusive to MotorStorm Pacific Rift. Race against the computer in single-player mode or grab a friend for some split screen multiplayer action. Log on to the Store from your PS3 system and download it this Thursday, Oct. 16th!

World of Goo is the first game from Indie Game Studio, 2D Boy. Founded by Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel, 2D Boy's goal (according to their website) is to "make games that everyone can play, with gameplay nobody has seen before." Well, they have certainly met this goal with World of Goo. World of Goo is hard to pigeon hole into one game genre, but I guess if I had to label it I would describe it as a goo-construction physics puzzle action game. Basically, you drag and drop goo balls to build towers, bridges etc. towards a vacuum pipe that sucks up all the remaining goos. The game is definitely out there and utterly unique, but it's also incredibly sublime.

Gameplay: 10/10
Pros: The gameplay is unlike any other game out there. It's sort of like building with K'nex...except their goo balls with little personalities. Each level poses a brand new challenge and the game controls are pretty basic (drag & click). The game introduces new goos at a great pace which helps keep the puzzles and goo building fresh. There's sort of a story and its interestingly told.
Cons: The game is over too fast, but great games always are. Large goo structures can be tricky to build and frustrating tip over...but the limited level skips are always enough to keep you moving along the campaign.

Graphics: 10/10
Pros: The art style is probably the best thing about the game. It is very odd...especially the cutscenes and some of the level pieces (Girl Goo Heads, Wacky Hands, Creepy Robot Heads, etc) but utterly charming. The game's first chapter is very clean and colorful...but as the game progresses the art style starts permeating through and gets weirder and weirder along with the wacky story. All this oddity is a good thing though. The visuals never get boring and the presentation and execution is excellent.

Sound/Music: 10/10
Pros: The music perfectly fits the art style and mood, but what really makes the games auditory experience so excellent are the sound effects. Goo giggles, mumbles gibberish, inflates, etc. and the People of World of Goo speak emphatic gibberish as well...but all along the way convey emotion. That coupled with the sheer humor of the it all makes it incredibly enjoyable.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10
Pros: There are 5 Chapters and an Epilogue, with each world having a decent number of levels (~10) but when a game is this enjoyable and completely lacks tedium you alwasy want more. The Global Ranking score system add replayability and the meta game of using extra goo to build the tallest tower also adds longevity to the title.
Cons: Ultimately the game can be beaten over a weekend and every level played.

Average: 95.00%
Tilt: +2.00%

What it comes down to is that World of Goo is one of the finest and most original games I have played in recent years. It may not be the longest experience, but much like XBLA's Braid, Goo maintains an interest and high quality throughout every level of the game. The game is a fantastic experience that will be thoroughly enjoyed, but then you can move on. This approach to indie games is excellent because ultimately and indie studio cannot compete with the longevity of a commercial studio game. This is what they do best - Wow you with originality, art stlye and uniqueness and offer you a fantastic experience for the fraction of the price of a full scale commercial title. World of Goo is an exceptional game at an exceptional price. There's really no excuse not to experience the creativity, art, and fun that permeates this game.

Verdict: 97%

I had a good weekend…fun with friends, games, and family. I know it was a lot of fun, because it seemed to go by extra quickly. Oh well, this week starts out the same as any other week. I’m already looking for Friday to be here! That can’t happen until Monday is done and over with. I’ll need some sleep before that can get going. I’ll see you all in a few, short hours. Here’s to a fantastic Monday for all.

___________________________________

Video game charity live-streams a dime-a-dozen. You know what…I think that’s a fantastic thing. Not only does it make a lot of great things possible for charities all around the world, it also helps to spread the word that gamers aren’t just bloodthirsty adrenaline junkies. We care about the people around us, and want to do our part to make the world a better place. It’s a win-win situation for everyone…especially when we all get that warm, fuzzy feeling.

Well, GoNintendo is going to do our best to give charities, gamers, and everyone else in-between that warm, fuzzy feeling as well. I am not going to get into the full details of the event, but I am going to give you the tentative date. Mark your calendars for November 22nd, 2008. You’ll want to check in on GoNintendo that day. We’ll be doing our best to bring you an all-day live-stream event. Well, we are aiming for 12 straight hours, at least.

We haven’t fully nailed down the titles we will be playing, who will be playing, or how the charity aspects will work…but you can be sure that I’ll have more details on that very soon. I think we’ll have it all planned out come this time next week. The one thing I know is, we’ll have a large group of the gang here to take part. Podcast regulars, maybe even a few other friends stopping by. We’ll be doing our part to make some cash for a charity, entertain you guys, and just have some fun. If we can play games, make people laugh/smile, and get some money to those that are in need…than it is our pleasure to do so. I really hope you will all come and join us on that day.

The reason I am talking about this now is due to my personal connection with all of you. I know that we have a fantastic group of readers on our site, and I’m sure a lot of you will check in on Nov. 22nd, even with just this one post. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. Whether you donate $10, $1, or just come for the fun…we definitely thank you for it. I’ve told you before, and I’ll tell you again…you’re some of the best people that the internet has ever seen.

So…yes, more details to come in just a few days. Now…all I have to do is figure out this picture-in-picture cam business! From what I hear, it’s not hard at all…but you can be sure that I’ll screw it up. Don’t worry, we will do some tests before the big day. If you have any knowledge on how to set this stuff up, or for other ways to help with the live-stream aspects of the event, please shoot me an email. Just make sure you clearly mark it with a “GoNintendo charity event” subject line.

Thanks again gang…I can’t wait to fill you in on the finer points! It should be a fun day for all.

Hit the jump for press release, fact sheet, and a few more screens.

_____________

HIGH VOLTAGE HOT ROD SHOW RUMBLES ONTO THE WII!!
High Voltage Software announces new multiplayer racer for WiiWare

Hoffman Estates, IL – October 10, 2008 - High Voltage Software, Inc., one of the world’s largest independent developers, today announced High Voltage Hot Rod Show, an intense new racing title scheduled for release on the WiiWare downloadable service later this Fall.

High Voltage Hot Rod Show requires players to master more than the basic racing skills to compete. A unique stunt system gives players multiple ways to build boost, which drastically increases a Hot Rod’s speed. If you get too greedy, you might crash and burn! The game utilizes the company’s proprietary Quantum 3 Game Engine technology, which provides graphical performance and game play not possible on other Wii titles.

“We wanted High Voltage Hot Rod Show to be a fresh and exciting racing title for the Wii that would provide up to four friends with endless replay value,” said Kerry Ganofsky, CEO and founder of High Voltage Software. “The result is a game that is easy to pick up and play, but maintains a core of skill-based racing, which gives it special appeal.”

“Style was important to us on this project,” said Benjamin Savage, Lead Artist on the title. “We were inspired by the work of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and that led us to design some really exciting characters, Hot Rods, and even music. We hope players will love the direction we’ve taken.”

“We set the bar for ourselves very high with each new title” said Eric Nofsinger, Chief Creative Officer of High Voltage Software. “Not only have we created a fantastic racing title with support for split-screen racing and online leaderboards, but we’ve also demonstrated the incredible versatility of the Quantum 3 Game Engine.”

About High Voltage Software, Inc.

High Voltage Software is a game development company located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Established in 1993, employs more than 130 staff members. Red Eye Studios, a motion capture facility, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HVS. For more information, please visit their website at www.high-voltage.com.

_______________

Fact Sheet:

High Voltage Hot Rod Show
Format: WiiWare™
Launch Date: Q4, 2008
ESRB: E (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Game Type: Racing
Players: 1-4
Developer: High Voltage Software, Inc.

Key Information
High Voltage Hot Rod Show is a slick and fast-paced racer that challenges up to 4 players to tear up the track on a variety of off-road courses, mastering death-defying stunts and building enough Boost to stomp the competition. Players must learn to tame their monster Hot Rods by nailing ramps, powerslides, bunny-hops and tricks, while avoiding mud pits and smashing through Boost Rings to fill their Boost Meters. Players can compete against seven CPU opponents in Championship mode, or set their best lap times in the Time Trials. Top times can be uploaded to an online scoreboard via Wi-Fi Connection and shared with players around the world. Multiplayer supports up to four players in split-screen mode, giving each player a wide range of controller choices. High Voltage Hot Rod Show is an addictive racer that fully leverages the company’s cutting-edge Wii technology!

• Boost or Die - Unique Stunt/Boost system rewards players with more speed for getting the biggest air and pulling off the wildest stunts. Be careful though, your Boost will evaporate if you crash and burn.
• Shake It Up – The default control scheme is similar to Mario Kart Wii, with motion-based steering and stunts.
• Racing, a la Mode – Three different game modes: Championship, Time Trial, and Multiplayer provide hours of white-knuckle competition.
• Choose your Poison – Players can choose from a variety of rockin’ Hot Rods, each associated with a unique character. Each Hot Rod has skins that can be unlocked by earning gold trophies in Championship mode.
• Bragging Rights – Post your top lap times for each of the tracks online and see how you fare against the world’s best.
• Couch Crashers – Fire up the game with up to four players in split screen mode and customize your multiplayer race series to suit your taste.

Gameplay Mechanics: High Voltage Hot Rod Show is an off-road racer with jumps and stunts. To win the race, players must not only successfully navigate each track at high speeds, but they must hit ramps and perform tricks in the air. These tricks build Boost in the Boost Meter. Boost kicks in automatically when the wheels hit the ground, providing a burst of speed. Other tools the player can use are the Powerslide, which makes handling more difficult but increases the speed through turns and maximizes boost, and Bunny-Hopping, which can be used to clear mud and obstacles and also to achieve maximum air off ramps. Players can also aim for lofty Speed Stars, which hover high above the track and reward skilled drivers with top speed bonuses.

How to progress through the game: The game is divided into three modes. The single-player Championship mode provides a series races with increasing AI difficulty. By winning races, the players unlock more races and skins for their Hot Rods. Time Trial mode encourages practice, helps players to learn the best lines through each track, and records their best times to be stored locally and compared with other players online. Multiplayer mode lets players customize a series of races with different tracks and lap counts to compete against up to three of their friends in split-screen fashion.

Track Features: There are various types of tracks: Island, Desert, Forest, and Ruins, each with a unique layout that challenges the player in different ways. Ramps, Powerstrips, Boost Rings, Mud Pits, Speed Stars, barriers and chasms all play a part. The more difficult tracks have fewer guard rails, more intense jumps, and more danger.

Difficulty: This is a skill-based game, but it is still fun and accessible for new players, even if they need a few races under their belts before they can hang with the veterans. Championship mode is geared to provide a few extra-easy races while players acclimate to the driving mechanics. Tips appear before each race begins to help players learn advanced techniques. Once players have the controls down to a science and the tracks memorized, they will find a whole new level of skilled gameplay that provides endless replay value.

Controls: It’s tough to be all things to all people, but High Voltage Hot Rod Show pulls it off by providing players with lots of control options. Controls default to the Wii motion-based scheme used by Mario Kart Wii and Excite Truck (players can use the Wii Wheel if they choose). Players can also plug in a Nunchuk for analog steering, or use the Classic Controller or GameCube Controller if they prefer a more traditional control scheme.

_____________

_____________

The only bad thing about this fantastic mashup song is that it's so damn short. It's still pretty good nonetheless.

Ashley Davis looks back at her past, the reason why I can never go cover TGS finally went up*, Battle.Net is going to cost you soon, the final episode of the Dead Space comic went up, and plenty more happened over the weekend. 

Weekend Regualrs:
Weekend Destructainment: Gaming is super cereal edition
Discountoid: Buy 2 get 1 free, cheap Wii accessories and more massive savings!
Best of the Network this week
Highlights from the Destructoid Community 10/12/08

Originals:
A glimpse back at one gamer's past

TGS 08:
Monster Racers hands-on and epic dragon costume
Chibi Dynasty Warrior hotness!
First Jimpressions of Edge of Twilight
Hothead shows off Swarm, R&D project almost realized
Booth babes galore
Ninety Nine Nights 2 is coming and we have the concept art to prove it
Japan's unwashed masses descend on Makuhari Messe
The Tokyo Arse Show
Tokyo Game Show 2008 is over, but our coverage doesn't stop

Blizzcon 08:
Diablo III: Eight players is a party, nine could be too much
In the future Battle.Net will cost money

News:
Church sees the good in videogames
Xbox 360 shipments derailed, train dumps 21,600 consoles

Galleries:
Activision announces Secret Service, involves playing as a secret service member

Videos:
Spider-Man: WoS launch trailer reminds of the Spider-Man 3 movie, in a bad way
The final two chapters of the animated Dead Space comic
Trailer for Lord of the Ri--er, I mean, The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

Offbeat:
Hail the freak: 36 WoW accounts, played simultaneously. By a freak
Guy uses LittleBigPlanet to propose to his girlfriend, totally not a loser

Community:
The FEAR: Addiction
C Blogs of 10/11/08
C Blogs of 10/12/08

*Seriously, I'd be too distracted with all of the Japanese booth babes. I wouldn't get any work done. 

The only bad thing about this fantastic mashup song is that it's so damn short. It's still pretty good nonetheless.

Ashley Davis looks back at her past, the reason why I can never go cover TGS finally went up*, Battle.Net is going to cost you soon, the final episode of the Dead Space comic went up, and plenty more happened over the weekend. 

Weekend Regualrs:
Weekend Destructainment: Gaming is super cereal edition
Discountoid: Buy 2 get 1 free, cheap Wii accessories and more massive savings!
Best of the Network this week
Highlights from the Destructoid Community 10/12/08

Originals:
A glimpse back at one gamer's past

TGS 08:
Monster Racers hands-on and epic dragon costume
Chibi Dynasty Warrior hotness!
First Jimpressions of Edge of Twilight
Hothead shows off Swarm, R&D project almost realized
Booth babes galore
Ninety Nine Nights 2 is coming and we have the concept art to prove it
Japan's unwashed masses descend on Makuhari Messe
The Tokyo Arse Show
Tokyo Game Show 2008 is over, but our coverage doesn't stop

Blizzcon 08:
Diablo III: Eight players is a party, nine could be too much
In the future Battle.Net will cost money

News:
Church sees the good in videogames
Xbox 360 shipments derailed, train dumps 21,600 consoles

Galleries:
Activision announces Secret Service, involves playing as a secret service member

Videos:
Spider-Man: WoS launch trailer reminds of the Spider-Man 3 movie, in a bad way
The final two chapters of the animated Dead Space comic
Trailer for Lord of the Ri--er, I mean, The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon

Offbeat:
Hail the freak: 36 WoW accounts, played simultaneously. By a freak
Guy uses LittleBigPlanet to propose to his girlfriend, totally not a loser

Community:
The FEAR: Addiction
C Blogs of 10/11/08
C Blogs of 10/12/08

*Seriously, I'd be too distracted with all of the Japanese booth babes. I wouldn't get any work done. 

Those who fondly remember the magic of 2.5D platformer Klonoa: Door to Phantomile will be delighted to hear that the remake of the game for the Wii is coming along spiffingly. The game, which owes more than is worth mentioning to the new generation of side-scrolling titles such as Little Big Planet and Lost Winds, is slated for release in Japan at the back end of this year.

According to Kotaku: “In its remake journey to the Wii, it’s been surprisingly unfucked with. There’s no waggle gimmick with the only major change being a serious step up in graphical fidelity. It’s a fantastic looking Wii game, looking better than the proper PlayStation 2 sequel, Klonoa 2: Lunatea’s Veil, but dropping that game’s cel-shaded look.”