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2010… a year we’ve been waiting for since at least the mid-80’s. It’s finally here guys — so what happens next? Every year we take the 1st of January to try and figure that out. Normally we would consult the sage-like wisdom of Engadgetdamus, but this year is special, and we thought it needed the kind of time-twisting-artificial-intelligence-color-cycling-weird-baby-monolith-Roy-Scheider-starring-space-adventure that only the above image (and book, and movie) could evoke. Below are the predictions from the staff of ye olde Engadget — what say you, good reader?

Chris: In an unprecedented cash and stock deal valued at over $1.7 billion, Comcast acquires your ‘89 Festiva.
Thomas: Steve Jobs will announce a pair of tablets, then smash them to bits on account of Android idolatry.
Laura: Jeff Bezos will continue to predict the “death of the book.” The book will continue to exist merely to spite Bezos.
Don: The world breathes a sigh of relief that the Large Hadron Collider will never create a black hole… after it is destroyed by zombies.
Dan: Apple’s stock will plummet when a TUAW investigative report reveals that Steve Jobs actually died in 2002, and has since been portrayed by talk show host cum surreal performance artist, Arsenio Hall.
Nilay: Google finally flips the switch and creates Skynet.
Joanna: The OLPC XO-3 gets an early release date – in the form of the Apple Tablet. Ends world hunger, illiteracy and violence. Saves the world.
Ben: Microsoft agrees that CableCARD is a failure and Media Center along with it and introduces Zune Center.
Josh F: Adult entertainment will kick-start yet another media market, this time in the form of 3D Blu-ray porn.
Richard Lai: Tamagotchi resurrects with 3D monochrome screen, and then dies.
Darren: Intel considers making an Atom that’s actually fast, but its bottom line delays the launch until December 31, 2012.
Vlad: Sony Ericsson delivers an Xperia handset on time… nah, just kidding.
Richard Lawler: Nintendo surprises everyone and releases the Wii 3D.
Josh T: Google upends the landscape of the mobile phone market when Eric Schmidt says Apple can “have one of these unsubsidized” while emphatically pointing to his crotch.

Predictions for 2010? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major retailer Amazon has released a list of its top-selling items in the video game category for 2009, with Wii hardware and software dominating the Top 10 for the year thus far. According to the current listing through December 2009, the top four best-selling game-related items – whether consoles, accessories or games – are all Wii related hardware. Specifically, the Wii hardware bundle itself is in top spot for the year from the U.S. version …

[Veteran indie game creator Edmund McMillen, known for his work on 2005 IGF Grand Prize winner Gish, Time Fcuk, and Super Meat Boy for WiiWare, shares his opinions and manifesto on making indie games, with 24 clear do-s and don't-s to make your art thrive.] One of the most common questions I’m asked in interviews is, “Do you have any advice for independent game developers who are new to the scene, or tips for developers …

Here’s one from the rumor-mill: Word on the internet is EA is creating a new football game for the Wii, but it’s not a Madden title. Instead, "NFL Trainer" aims to get players to participate in football exercises and workouts. It will give you advice on how to throw passes and, presumably, do other football-style actions. Rumor has it the game will come with a pigskin shaped attachment to add realism. Supposedly, the game will be officially announced in January.

I think this is a fantastic idea — games that use the Wii to inspire people to exercise seem to appeal mostly to women, so using the Wii for male gamers who want to get a little exercise would actually work really well… That’s assuming it’s Wii Fit for football fans, but if it’s just a collection of Wii-centric football mini-games, that’s cool too. Football is good, and EA trying to expand their position as the home of video game comedy makes perfect sense.

Rumors that the Oakland Raiders are investing in this game for its entire offense are probably not true, as I made that up.

Source: Destructoid

Have you looked at the calendar? It’s freakin’ Christmas, man! The most wonderful time of the year! That means presents. Sweet, sweet presents.

I am the proud recipient of another controller for my PlayStation 3, and a bunch of Microsoft Points from my thoughtful family, and I was able to give my nephew Finn a copy of the New Super Mario Bros. for Wii. In fact, I’ll bet we’re playing it together at this very minute…

What about you? What did you get for Christmas and what did you give?

What the Game’s About
Just as it is on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, “WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010 marks the tenth anniversary and 11th game (two were released in 2000) in the long-running and successful World Wrestling Entertainment series created by the partnership between THQ and Yuke’s. As a yearly franchise, it tries to improve what came before it in the years prior, build further upon it, and of course update it to more closely reflect what fans have seen on television over the past year.”

But, being on the Wii, some things are bound to be different. As much of what was said of the high-definition version can be said about the Wii version, we will focus here on what sets this version apart, and whether or not it is worth your gaming dollar.

What’s Hot
Perhaps the best thing to be said about WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 for the Wii is that it’s almost the same basic experience as what you will find on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. And really, isn’t that most Wii owners want when they ask for a game that appears on one of the HD twins?

‘Tis the season to be a jerk. At least, if you’re the guy who held up the GameStop on Hiawassee Road in Orange County, Florida.

WFTV Orlando reports that a gunman walked into the store minutes after opening on Monday morning, and despite the clerk complying with everything he asked, shot him in the leg anyway. “From what we know so far, there doesn’t appear to be a struggle and it’s preliminary, but it looks like the suspect got what he wanted and had no reason to shoot, but he did anyway,” said Lt. Eddie Appleby, Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The perpetrator got away with a Wii and several games after waiting with the clerk and a customer for the security timer on the store’s safe to expire.

On the bright side, at least Mr. Scumbag was caught clearly on camera, which detectives hope will help land him behind bars. Meanwhile, the clerk is expected to be okay, and called his manager from the hospital to say he’s doing well.

For further details on the suspect and images from the surveillance camera, check out the WFTV website.

Ghost Recon’s return has been known for a while, but Ubisoft is apparently having a hard time deciding on a title. The OFLC rated Ghost Recon: Predator last month, but now, a trademark has been filed for a different title, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.

It could be that “Predator” and “Future Soldier” are being used for different regions: Predator for PAL and Future Soldier for North America. However, there could also be the possibility that Ubisoft is making seperate Ghost Recon games for PS3/360 and Wii, which publishers are also privy to do. We’ll just have to wait and see when Ubisoft makes the newest Ghost Recon official.

What the Game’s About
Have you ever wished you could attend a soccer academy instructed by Pele and Mia Hamm? Yeah, me neither. Academy of Champions: Soccer strives to tap into the ever growing audience of young Wii gamers who have at one time or another played soccer. Gamers are able to select their young rising soccer star and guide him (or her) through life at a soccer academy. From mini-games to actual soccer matches, this game attempts to provide a creative and lighthearted take on the sport of soccer.

What’s Hot
Not much, to be completely honest. Though, I must preface the rest of this review by saying that this is meant to be a kids game. As such, I’m afraid I carry a bit of a bias towards the game’s lack of depth and complexity. Regardless, I shall do my best to inhabit the mind of a six year old to give this game a fair shake. For one, those who love soccer will be happy to know that both Pele and Mia Hamm play a major role in the game. Pele serves as your instructor should you chose a boy character, and naturally Mia Hamm will assume this role for girl gamers.

With the reveal of Mega Man 10 this week, as well as the 22nd birthday of the Blue Bomber taking place yesterday, I thought a fitting Week-Ending Game Ending would be one from one of his many adventures. And what better place to go than the start?

However, I wanted to do something slightly different from the norm. So here is the ending to the original Mega Man game… as recreated in Mega Man: The Wily Wars for the SEGA Genesis:

The unfortunate thing about The Wily Wars is that it never saw a proper release in North America; it was released at retail in Europe and Japan (under the banner of “Rockman Mega World”), but the only way to play it in North America was to subscribe to the SEGA Channel, whose service was rather sparse, to say the least.

While the originals are all available on the Wii Virtual Console (among other means), and are usually regarded as superior, I still want this to be released to the service for one main reason: Wily Tower. In addition to the enhanced versions of the three NES titles, there were a series of new levels featuring bosses based on the novel “Journey to the West.”

Plus, you could select any assortment of weapons and items from the other three games. And who wouldn’t want to shell over a few bucks for that experience?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. Wii easily led Japanese software sales for a second consecutive week, but the Western-developed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was able to capture a respectable spot in the region’s top 10. Tracking firm said that for the week ended December 13, Infinity Ward-developed Modern Warfare 2 sold 93,000 units on Sony’s PlayStation 3 in its Japanese debut week. It’s a feat for such a Western-styled game to do so …

Among those who purchase licensed movie tie-in games, PlayStation 3 is the most popular system, according to new data released by tracking firm Nielsen — while the correlation between movie games and platform spending is lowest on the Wii. Out of the three current major home consoles plus PlayStation 2, console spending by movie game buyers was highest on the PlayStation 3, Nielsen found in a recent study, with that group spending 17 percent over …

[Gamasutra analyst Matt Matthews looks the changing U.S. retal game landscape as part of our November NPD analysis, finding that Xbox 360 software is surging into the sales gap left by a declining Nintendo market.] Amazing Wii growth drove much of the surge in software sales through the end of 2008. Some of the year-on-year decline in 2009 must be attributed to the failure of Nintendo’s platform to repeat that performance. According to Michael Pachter, …