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Gameplay footage from Crash of the Titans held our interest for today's video pick. The upcoming Bandacoot adventure for all current platforms besides PS3 will be out this fall, and Crash fans may find a new title to love. (We're not talking about you, Action Pack.) Or is Crash looking a little too like The King for his own good?

See the new video after the break, and watch a longer GameTrailers developer interview, too.

It seems like Sony Europe got a visit last night from the Ghost of PlayStation Future. "Update the European PSN Store!" the ghost would no doubt have said. "And not with one of those well-intentioned insults that consist of a couple of trailers. Give them games!" So Sony did and, seemingly, they will continue to do so for at least the next two weeks.

So scared was Sony of the Ghost of PlayStation Future that they even planned to release a selection of PS1 games onto the European PSN Store, on the 22nd of June. Namely:

• Crash Bandicoot
• Medievil
• Wipeout
• Jumping Flash
• Syphon Filter

With that, the Ghost of Playstation Future's work was done. Harmony would reign over the European continent. At least until July.

The End.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

After months-long delay, Europe is finally getting a chance to download and play PS1 classics on their PSP and PS3 systems. Although there's no way to directly download games to the PSP yet, those fortunate enough to have both Sony machines will be able to access the following content next week, according to Three Speech:

• Crash Bandicoot
• Wipeout
• Medievil
• Jumping Flash
• Syphon Filter

Of these titles, we recommend Crash Bandicoot and Jumping Flash the most. These games will be available in the European PS Store on 6/22.

The original Crash Bandicoot may already be playable on our system, but the first real PSP entry in the series is still on its way. Set to be another reinvention of the series, this new game will be titled Crash of the Titans. The main new feature of the game has Crash hijacking the minds of enemies. He'll also have expanded combat moves, and the game will have multiplayer elements. Radical Entertainment is helming this series reboot, which may be good,since they have a history of making enjoyable licensed games (Scarface, Hulk). Maybe this Crash will be worth getting excited over. Any long time Crash fans looking forward to this entry?

[Via Games Radar]

Remember when Crash Bandicoot used to be Sony's mascot for the PlayStation brand? Things have certainly changed over the course of three console generations. While we don't mourn the loss, it's interesting to point out that, like an angry ex-girlfriend, Sony's ex-mascot is avoiding Sony's latest console endeavor altogether. The newly announced Crash of the Titans will have the trademark marsupial doing his thing on Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii ... with PLAYSTATION 3 suspiciously absent.

Is this an intentional omission or is there something far more malicious? Regardless, we can't say we really care. Sorry Crash, but we think Ratchet is so much dreamier than you these days.

Everything we've seen from Crash of the Titans makes us want to ride around on the backs of beasties. Think we can sneak into the rhino pen down at the zoo? If you don't hear from us soon, please send medics and painkillers. In honor of the latest Crash title's co-op multiplayer, maybe we'll take a friend to distract the rhinos while we climb on board. Any volunteers?

No?

Well, just check out the new screens then. And here we thought you liked us ....

Most gamers won't miss the lack of Calling All Cars in today's update to the PLAYSTATION Store. Why? Because there's just so much to see and play:

• PS1 titles, now playable on PS3. 2Xtreme, Crash Bandicoot®, Destruction Derby, Jet Moto®, Jumping Flash™, MediEvil™, Rally Cross™, Syphon Filter®, Tekken®2 and WipeOut® are all available for only $5.99. Players that previously purchased these games for PSP will be able to download these updated files at no additional charge. For reviews of all these games, visit PSP Fanboy and read their Retro Reviews.
• Super Rub a Dub starter pack & full game. Get a free taste of Sony's quirky motion-sensing duck game. Addicts can get the full game for only $7.
• Gauntlet II full game. The retro classic is back for only $5.
• Game Trailers: Super Stardust HD, Rampart, BlackSite: Area 51
• Movie Trailers: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Get your PS3s ready to download. It's going to be a long night.

Well, these new Crash of the Titans screens did make us giggle, so we have a little hope for this forthcoming Wii title. The flood of screens didn't hurt, either. We've tucked several away after the jump for your viewing pleasure.

How's it look? Besides, of course, the funny.

Is it wrong to have loved Crash Bandicoot back in the day? If it is, we'll just have to settle for being wrong ... but we will say that this news seems to have come out of nowhere. We're not going to ask any awkward questions about Sony (that would be the big elephant in the room here), but instead, we'll just quietly raise an eyebrow and hope that this game brings a fun and frenetic experience to Nintendo systems.

There's also a hint of DS-Wii functionality here, and even if Crash himself doesn't excite you, perhaps that will. According to a Spanish gaming magazine, Crash of the Titans will hit shelves in October, though we're guessing that's a European date.

As usual, you can see the scan after the break.

Sony has made a new batch of six PSone games available for download (and subsequent PSP play) from the PS3's Japanese PlayStation Store. As usual, all titles are priced at ¥525 (US$4.30). Two of the games released yesterday have already been available in North America for some time -- namely, Crash Bandicoot and Rally Cross -- but the remaining four titles are exclusive to Japan. They are:

• A.I.V. Evolution Global (city railway management from Artdink)
  
• Logic Mahjong (a mahjong game by Nippon Ichi)
  
• Spectral Force (the first game in Idea Factory's strategy RPG series)
  
• Vampire: Legend of the Bloodsuckers (an isometric action-RPG by Artdink)

Six new PlayStation One games are available for Japanese PS3 owners. They include:

• A IV Evolution Global
• Crash Bandicoot
• Rally Cross
• Souryu: Logical Mahjong
• Spectral Force
• Vampir: Kyuuketsuki Densetsu

As you can see, some of these games are already available for US PS3 owners. The other games, which include an RPG and strategy game offering, will most likely never make it to the States.

[Thanks, Kspraydad! Via PSU]

As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?

Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.

File Size: 467MB
Price: $5.99
Developed By: Naughty Dog
Published By: Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Original Release Date: September 3, 1996

Short Review
Recommended. Crash Bandicoot, in some ways, becomes a better game on the PSP than it was on the classic console back in the day. The graphics look sharp on the small screen, and the simplistic gameplay is ideal for gamers on the go. However, expect frustration due to a confusing and outdated save system and some touchy controls.

Make that unconfirmed -- sometimes even we here at Wii Fanboy get caught up in the excitement of the rumor mill. Matt Casamassina of IGN reports that the Vivendi rep they spoke with pulled no punches, calling the Wii connection "rubbish." That doesn't mean it isn't possible, however. Vivendi claims to be looking at all consoles for their next box-busting foray, and Wii is, in fact, a console. We're pretty sure it is, at least.

Can't say we're terribly surprised that this rumor has been Crash-bashed, though a good game using the Wiimote might inject a little new life into the struggling series.

At one point, Crash Bandicoot was the closest thing Sony had to a true mascot for their system. Over the years, as our favorite marsupial's popularity has waned, he's made appearances on several other systems, including Nintendo's own DS. At a recent demonstration for Crash Boom Bang!, a party title for the DS, a Vivendi spokesperson confirmed that the company has plans to bring the series to the Wii.

Although unconfirmed, the spokesperson seemed to imply that the Wii title would also be a party-style game. Vivendi is planning for a 2007 release.