The International House of Mojo

It seems that some bright spark called Neil Millstone has ported ScummVM to the Nintendo dual-screen thingamy. You can see a video of Sam & Max working on the device here, and you can download the port here. Apparently the touch screen part can be used to move the pointer in the game, which is pretty cool.

Update: Oops, this is actually old news, though I'm at least the Sam & Max video is new. (Thanks Haggis!)

And speaking of Sam & Max: if you don?t already, you should really read the Telltale blogs. There?s a good one about reactions to the new game (apparently some people didn?t already know about it!) as well as a report from e3, showing off some awesome looking posters.

Source: ThunderPeel2001

This probably should have been reported, like, last week, but just pretend this Shacknews writeup about E3 isn't a week old. Scroll down to the bottom of that page to read about a short discussion that everyone's favorite Chris Remo had with Kevin Bruner, where it's revealed that the company currently has a "secret project" in development, with not a single clue as to what it is. (Wolfgang would have given me a word puzzle at least.) Now I'm not one to jump to conclusions, but I'll eat my hat if it's not Big Sky Trooper II. Speculate wildly below!

The Sam & Max homepage was updated on Monday, allowing you to download the trailer in a variety of attractive formats. Now you can watch it again, and again, and again...

And in other news, shocking footage has been uncovered showing Jim Ward hard at work, scanning in textures for the next Indiana Jones game.

Why are you reading this when you could be checking out the brand spanking new Sam & Max trailer? I mean seriously.

Oh, and to editorialize; it does get the Remi's seal of approval. Even the voices. What do you think? Watch then comment.

Well this was unexpected. Check out this brief news item on Gamespot saying that a Sam & Max game will be debuting at E3 by the ever-growing game subscription service GameTap. Interesting.

The only real news reported is that there will be a video to show off on Wednesday. Since details about this announcement are nonexistent, nothing can be said for certain, but I'm gathering that GameTap will be one of the online outlets Telltale has selected for the series in addition to Telltale Now and others. Gamespot did make the statement that the Sam & Max games are being co-produced GameTap, whatever that means. More specific info will presumably be known later this week.

Update update: Telltale's responded by posting its new Sam & Max web site that not only clears up the confusion but features an updated Q&A, wallpaper, a "comic strip generator," the promise of an E3 trailer on Thursday, and other neat stuff for you to fondle. Why are you not there?!

Update! Press release available below the cut.<:MORENEWS:>

GameTap and Telltale ANNOUNCE REVERED "Sam & Max" FRANCHISE TO DEBUT ON
THE GAMETAP NETWORK

GameTap and Telltale team up to bring America's favorite crime fighters
back to the video game screen in time for holiday season - Exclusive E3
trailer screening



LOS ANGELES - E3 - (May 9, 2006) - "Sam & Max," the legendary dog and
rabbit crime-fighting stars of video games, television and comics, make
their triumphant return to the gaming scene after an absence of more
than a decade! At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), GameTap, the
first-of-its-kind broadband entertainment network from Turner
Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), and interactive entertainment
pioneer Telltale today announced they are co-producing an all new "Sam &
Max" episodic adventure series that will debut on the GameTap network in
time for this holiday season. Telltale will also sell individual
episodes from its Sam & Max website at http://snm.telltalegames.com.

At GameTap's E3 booth (South Hall #1078), fans of "Sam & Max" can view a
trailer that provides a sneak peek of what's to come. There is even a
special poster designed by series creator Steve Purcell which fans can
obtain by taking the GameTap Aptitude Test. Visitors can also sign up
for a chance to win an Alienware computer. For those who cannot attend
E3, the trailer will be available on GameTap TV and on the Telltale
website at snm.telltalegames.com later in the week.

The new "Sam & Max" series marks GameTap's first outing as a producer.
Also an industry first is the introduction of a brand new title on
GameTap's broadband network. GameTap now boasts more than 500 video game
titles as well as original video programming, music channels and
thriving online communities.

"GameTap is all about great games, so we're thrilled that the first
GameTap-produced title and the first brand new game to debut on our
service is a 'Sam and Max' episodic series," said Ricardo Sanchez,
GameTap's vice president of content. "We're also very excited to be
working with Telltale Games to pioneer episodic game development."


"GameTap is a great fit for Sam & Max," said Telltale CEO Dan Connors.
"They have a tremendous amount of respect for the series, and their
online channel makes them an ideal partner for episodic content. We
look forward to our collaborations for accelerating innovation in the
interactive entertainment space."

With its unique visual style and clever storylines, the "Sam & Max"
franchise has amassed a devoted following in comic book, animation, and
video game circles. By coming to GameTap, the "Sam & Max" legacy will
continue to grow and thrive in the bold new frontier of broadband
entertainment.

"Sam & Max" will join GameTap's extensive library of on-demand content
that now boasts more than 500 video game titles as well as original
video programming, spanning music, animation, reality shows and more,
all of which targets followers of the pop-culture driven video game
lifestyle. Telltale is continuing to release new "Sam & Max" content at
its website on a regular basis, including the serialized webcomic story
which began last winter, collectible prints signed by Steve Purcell,
t-shirts and a completely new cartoon strip generator, which it has
posted to the site today.

About Sam & Max
Steve Purcell published "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" as his
first Sam & Max comic in 1987. Sam & Max solved assorted crimes and
mysteries as "Freelance Police" in their sturdy 1960 Black and White De
Soto Adventurer from their home base in New York City. After a series of
follow-up comic books, Purcell worked with a team at LucasArts to create
the critically acclaimed "Sam & Max Hit the Road" adventure game in
1993. The dog and bunny duo moved to television, in an original animated
series on the Fox Kids Network in 1997.

About Telltale
Telltale delivers Tales for Your Imagination - high caliber interactive
entertainment which features engaging stories, strong characters, and
rich environments. A new era of interactive entertainment is emerging,
with customers expecting more from their investment in play time.
Telltale is developing and deploying cinematic quality animation and
storytelling technologies, to create entertaining and exciting
interactive adventures which meet these new expectations. Staffed with
long time industry veterans, Telltale is currently creating tales based
on Jeff Smith's Bone series, Steve Purcell's Sam & Max characters and
television's popular CSI program in partnership with Ubisoft. Telltale
offers content development and custom publishing services for
license-holders interested in adapting their properties for interactive
delivery. Telltale has created innovative tools, designed specifically
for rapid development of high quality, space-efficient titles for
digital distribution. Telltale titles can be downloaded from its
website, as well as online partners such as Yahoo! Games,
Direct-to-Drive, Trymedia Systems, Boonty, and CNET. To learn more about
Telltale, please visit www.telltalegames.com

About GameTap

GameTap delivers hundreds of the greatest games-on-demand plus original
programming via a broadband-connected PC. To access GameTap, players
securely download and install Turner-developed client software from
www.gametap.com that acts as a gateway to the GameTap vault. Because
games reside securely on the PC, not across a network, they act just as
if they were still on the console or at the arcade. Fast response times,
3D effects, colors, and characters are all present and accounted for.
New games and original programming will be added to the service each
week. GameTap supports navigation and game play using keyboard and
mouse, as well as most USB peripherals.

Source: Gamespot

There's a large survey that's been posted on the Telltale web site, and you should really take it. Otherwise Sam & Max is going to get canceled.

Speaking of Sam & Max, the latest newsletter claims that stuff about that moderately anticipated title will be coming next week.

The newsletter also reveals that the long-mentioned localized versions of Bone will be available "soon" with German, Spanish and French subtitles. At that time anyone who has already purchased the game can get the upgrade for free.

And finally, for you exceedingly not intelligent people who have Out from Boneville but have neglected to buy The Great Cow Race, the $12.99 offer for the packaged version has been extended to the end of the month. The contents of this post should convince you that you need to subscribe to Telltale's newsletter if you haven't already.

The seventh page of the Sam & Max webcomic is up. What the hell is going on?

On Thursday (Oops!) GameBoomer posted an interview with Dave Grossman (designer/writer), Heather Logas (designer/writer), and Dave Bogan (art director/animator) about The Great Cow Race. It's a good read, especially since we get to hear reponses about the challenges of adapting Jeff Smith's story and world straight from the horse's (or cow's?) mouth. View!

Right over here. There are English and Spanish versions available. I don't know what section of the game the demo is as I'm currently on a non-gaming computer, but give it a try.

Update: The demo is apparently the game's second case, the one focused around a murder at a game expo after a publisher cancels the long-antipated original game Fuzzy and Bill in favor of the proven blockbuster sequel Gutwrench 3.

Wow! Let's look back the fruits of Adventure Gamers' impressive (not to mention suggestive) celebration of Bone in the last few days:

• AG kicked things off with a Bone giveaway contest, the winners of which have been announced here (Thrik you bastard)
  
  
• On Wednesday they published their own review of The Great Cow Race, giving the game a 4 out of 5.
  
  
• Their developer chat with Telltale was held with great success. It closed about an hour ago but you can of course read all of the postings here.
  
  
• Finally, check out this great interview they had with Bone creator Jeff Smith. He's apparently quite fond of Telltale's efforts in adapting the series.

Congrats to Adventure Gamers on their incredible work in maintaining their Bone vigor for a full five days. It's got to be some kind of record.

The Adventure Gamers Telltale chat is starting in just about ten minutes (10am PST.) Run this way if you are inclined to participate.

Update: You totally missed it!

There's not much else to say, other than go buy it and get playing.

Update: The full soundtrack has been released... for free! There's also new combo deals for Bone parts 1 and 2 over at the shop.

I don't know which is more surprising; that we actually published another review, or that it appeared before the game was released. Regardless!

The second Bone game is completely reviewed, and quite enjoyable it is. (The game that is.) Read it and post your own thoughts in the comments.

Update: Just to clarify; the game is released tomorrow, Wednesday 12th.

They give the game a respectable 7 out of 10, concluding that:

Despite some moments of confusion, The Great Cow Race is definitely a marked improvement to Out From Boneville. With a much more solid, old fashioned return to the adventuring principles that we know and love, it's definitely worth a look for those of us still clinging onto the beloved notion that point and click adventures are here to stay. For the price, it'd be rude not to.

Read the whole thing. Two more days!

Update: If you speak Spanish, another review has appeared at La Aventura es La Aventura, giving the game an 80%.

That's right, there's more Cow Race stuff out there that you haven't seen yet! Check out this interview with Dan Connors. This is the third sentence.

Formerly known as the last week of Lent, the five days following April 10th will finally be designated for their real purpose. Adventure Gamers announces that during this time it will be dedicated to providing Telltale content in celebration of the release of The Great Cow Race. In addition to the goodies they promise (including a Bone giveaway), they will culminate the event by hosting a chat with various members of the Telltale team so that you might harass them or otherwise make a shameful spectacle of yourself until you're either booted or get the answers you want.

Read all about it here.

Source: AG

This month's Telltale newsletter sure makes it seem that way! The Great Cow Race is set to be released on April 12th! Boffo!

1up has reprinted a thrilling Tim Schafer interview that originally appeared in Official Playstation Magazine. Lots of good stuff, of course, though details on the new game are minimal. Still, stuff.

In other Double Fine news, the international version of Psychonauts is now available directly from Double Fine, so now you can get it signed. They've also got two new double-headed baby logo t-shirts.

Today Telltale Games has announced the restructuring of its pricing model. The new price for the downloadable versions of all the Bone games is $12.99. The CD-ROM version of the game is reduced by five dollars as well, and according to Adventure Gamers (or the newsletter if you're subscribed to it), the packaged version of The Great Cow Race will be discounted for those who already own Out from Boneville.

Read Telltale's full press release here and increase your pledge to the local charity.

Some Telltale employee just told us that a few new Great Cow Race MP3s have been released. So you should probably download them.

That's all I got.