SOMEBODY’S RIPPING OFF SOMEBODY, HERE

Jet Set* Radio artwork spotted in the window of a contemporary sushi restaurant by one of our many “Adam” readers. We hope he’s not planning on going in. We’d hate to think we have readers fashionable enough to have a favourite kind of sushi.

Jet Set COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

“I was walking by my local shopping mall when I saw this poster for a new sushi place that should be opening soon. Please see if you can use this as evidence that people still love Jet Set Radio to convince SEGA to make a proper new game in the series for Xbox 360. Thanks!” – Adam.

Get Set SEGA Lawyers

We don’t know enough about Ken Taya to know if he has a licence to resell SEGA artwork or not, so we hope he doesn’t get sued for $1,000,000 over this disclosure. Not that it would impact on our daily lives in any way if he did. So, on reflection, we don’t actually care if he ends up in jail with the nonces for 25 years. Sorry, Ken, but it’s true. You’re NOTHING to us.

Not Mind Jalilio

We should’ve saved some of the words from that last caption to go in here. There’s nothing left so say.

*Never say Grind.

ELSEWHERE ON “THE NETWORK” #00046

Here are the least sad bits of what we’ve been doing elsewhere in the sphere of online content generation.

  • This thing about a hilarious internet “meme” that got taken way too seriously and people just ended up embarrassing themselves by being too “into it.”
  • This thing about possibly getting new kinds of shoes for a pretend man to wear in a non-existent place :(
  • This thing about how external HDs are only ever used by men to hide their ‘Sunday Best’ porn on/in.
  • This thing about Microsoft going slightly INSANE and making claims it can’t really live up to.
  • This thing about US console sales, which includes YOU’LL NEVER GUESS WHO? OH YES, SHIT OLD SONY! in very last place as usual.
  • This thing about the ‘Yellow Toy Collection’ Princess, as she will no doubt soon be forced to rename herself when Nintendo’s people hear of it.
  • This thing about mucky little well-polished-turd Avril Lavigne holding it up for Canon, because you can’t not use pictures like this when they come along:
  • Wipe it down afterwards, love

    It’s embarrassing to report that this week veered into fun territory. 7/10.

    A SONG ABOUT “BLUE SKIES IN GAMES”

    You remember, blue skies in games. It was the good thing we did once. Listen to it and read about it here. It’s surprisingly awesome.

    [YOUR BROWSER'S IMAGE NOT FOUND ICON]

    There is no accompanying imagery or press materials.

    DREAMCAST LOGO! PAJAMAS! ACTUAL DREAMCAST! READER’S LOUNGE! POSSIBLE LEGS OF A WOMAN!

    This photograph has literally everything. NASA scientists will still be analysing all this data a decade from now.

    'Let me slip into something more comfortable and with the DREAMCAST LOGO ON!'

    “Here are some lovely pajama bottoms adorned with the fabulous DC swirly!” – Brendan.

    'I bought them for my seven-year-old boy's birthday'

    We have replied to Brendan asking if those legs are the legs of a man or woman. Hopefully they are not the legs of a child, as that would mean we committed two separate crimes last night.

    WORLD’S MOST BIZARRE TEAM-UP – SONY’S PSP AND THE HISTORY CHANNEL

    Sony’s ridiculous GO!VIEW money-costing, TV-downloading service, which we’d be AMAZED if more than 20 people have heard of and signed up for, is luring teenage gamers to the service by… letting them download content from The History Channel.

    So if you’re an urban youth who likes to watch documentaries about cathedrals between Need For Speed sessions, this is for you.

    '...then, in 1874, the slates were replaced by locally-sourced...'

    Although, to be fair, documentaries about cathedrals are more exciting than the PSP software catalogue.

    CROSS-PROMOTIONAL INSANITY

    GO!VIEW and The History Channel to give PSP(tm) users a piece of the past

    From ancient civilisations to the world’s greatest air battles, GO!VIEW now brings PSP(tm) users some of the most interesting stories in history with programming from The History Channel. With hours of content available including popular series such as Ax Men, Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire and Dogfights, as well as a range of one hour documentaries, PSP(tm) owners can now take a little bit of history with them wherever they go.

    Content from The History Channel is offered as part of the Entertainment subscription pack, available on GO!VIEW for just £5 per month. Continuing GO!VIEW’s commitment to provide great content for its customers, this latest partnership allows PSP(tm) owners to transfer highlights from The History Channel to watch on-the-go and on-demand. What’s more, PSP(tm) users can currently trial GO!VIEW free for thirty days.

    Richard Melman, Acting Managing Director of The History Channel says; “We are absolutely delighted to expand and capitalise on the success of The History Channel via this exciting new platform. Now I’ve got an even better excuse to buy a PSP(tm)!”

    In addition to the Entertainment Pack, PSP(tm) users can also subscribe to the Sports and Comedy Packs available on GO!VIEW by monthly subscription, whilst selected ‘Movies to Rent’ and ‘Latest TV to Rent’ can be transferred via the rental service. Subscription packs are priced at £5 (€7) for 1 pack, £8 (€11) for 2 packs and £10 (€14) for all three packs. Rental TV is available from £1.50 (€2.00) per episode and a range of movies is available from £2.50 (€3.20) each.

    www.goview.tv
    Go!VIEW is a joint venture between Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and BSkyB who have established the joint venture ‘GO!VIEW Entertainment UK’. This is being used to bring the PSP video-on-demand to market in the UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands & the Isle of Man. Sky is providing their expertise in building successful video-on-demand platforms as well as content acquisition. Sony Computer Entertainment is providing the marketing for the service.

    WELCOME TO THE 19TH PLACE

    We’re sure that 19th on the UK chart at the end of Week Two is exactly what Sony had in mind for LittleBigPlanet. It’s all falling into place.

    'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA'

    No, apart. It’s all falling apart. Let’s try one of those hilarious zooming-in jokes…

    20 years too late for Paul Hardcastle references

    STAGE 1: A bit closer.

    Raking in several tens of pounds at retail

    STAGE 2: Closer still.

    Sequel assured!

    STAGE 3: VERY CLOSE and therefore hilarious.

    SONIC THE HEDGEHOG IS FOR KIDS?

    There must be some mistake here. Sonic The Hedgehog is for men in their 30s, not children. Children might get it dirty and not treat Sonic with the respect he deserves. And they might start liking Shadow because he’s got a gun.

    'Removable absorbent central panel'

    “Perched in the Reactor Mini, young gamers will embark on a high-speed adventure where movements, fighting and speed deliver a full-body sensory experience – all in the comfort of a chair that is sized perfectly to fit,” said Jamie Duran, president of Ultimate Game Chair. “Drawing on SEGA’s legacy of the best game play and most engaging storylines, we have built a chair that will unleash a child’s inner hedgehog and redefine video game fun.”

    MOST ATTRACTIVE GIRL APPOINTED MANAGER OF “GIRL GAMER” TEAM

    Three cheers for “girl gamer” clans who shoot themselves in the foot by making the prettiest one with the most expensive hair their leader. Subconscious move, or a purposeful admission of their role as PAWNS in the game?

    'And wear something skimpy'

    If men were behind this there’d be a terrible ruction.

    “LEADERS IN LUBRICANT DISTRIBUTION”

    We must take issue with LUBEFREIGHT LTD‘s assertion that it’s the leader in lubricant distribution. LUBEFREIGHT has clearly never looked through our curtains on a Friday evening.

    If you are reading this, LUBEFREIGHT, please consider manufacturing some t-shirts. One that just says “LUBEFREIGHT” on it would be fine. We can recommend a good printer and would be prepared to go halves on costs, as we’re pretty sure LUBEFREIGHT could become a huge brand on the gay clubbing scene AND the Dreamcast-logo-alike scene, making us t-shirt millionaires.

    Alternatively, how about some SWARFEGA underpants

    “Saw one of their tankers on the M62 this morning. Their logo resembles the dreamcast logo, hence the email” – Andy.

    SEGA ARCADE PHOTOS FROM SHANGHAI

    Here’s a globe-trotting piece of medium-resolution photojournalism from a reader UNAFRAID of going to places he hasn’t already been. Just getting there would have involved at least three separate go outsides, plus face-to-face small talk with over three individuals. Unprecedented bravery.

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    “During my recent jaunt to Shanghai I came across an arcade quite literally packed to the rafters with Sonic-y goodness.”

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    “I realise there is no sense of scale in this picture, but that Sonic is getting on for about 30ft tall. Is this the biggest Sonic you have been sent? Do I win a prize?”

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    “I apologise for some of the blurryness but I was taking them quickly to avoid having to answer awkward questions from my other half.”

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    “AND IT GETS BETTER! Dreamcast 2 is obviously very close to release and the viral marketing has started at this Hello Kitty sweet shop.”

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    “And last and most definitely least, a girl called Jade doodling a Dreamcast logo on a McDonalds bag. But that was from the UK so is less exotic and exciting” – Martin B.

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    It’s amazing what sights you can see when your life isn’t based entirely around going to Sainsbury’s or occasionally ASDA.

    Sonic - popular on other side of world

    It’s taller than a person! Amazing scenes.