For the longest time, Square Enix’s role-playing games have followed a usual tradition, a pre-set game pattern involving an intricate battle system or characters that could easily be adapted to, depending on their techniques and weaponry.  While fans can certainly appreciate such an approach, others can be turned off by it, merely due to the monotony.  But the company is listening, and ready to provide something a little different this summer with Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy.

People could argue for hours on end about which Metal Gear Solid game was the best.  Some would say that the original PS One release can’t be beat; others feel that Peace Walker was a significant move forward for the series; and some will even swear up and down about Sons of Liberty rocking hard, even with the odd inclusion of a nude Raiden.  However, most of the consensus believes that Snake Eater, the third chapter in the series, is truly significant, if only because it takes place in a different time, telling the story from a new point of view.  And if you somehow missed this story, you have another chance to catch it, this time on the Nintendo 3DS with Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater.

Following his unexpected death, Ubisoft has been looking to tribute Michael Jackson with its line-up of dance games.  And while they’ve been popular in certain circles, not everyone could get into Michael Jackson: The Experience, despite the cavalcade of songs from the King of Pop’s collection.  Maybe it was just trying to even come close to mimicking the guy that was the challenge.  The PlayStation Vita version, launching with the system this week, takes a different approach, but its limitations end up working against it.

Video pinball has gone through resurgence over the years.  No longer is about putting together some cruddy overhead table with questionable ball physics and more focus on the gimmick than the actual play.  (We’re looking at you, Crue Ball.)  It’s starting to get more like the classic style of play, where you actually stood over a machine and flipped to your heart’s content.  No one knows this better than Farsight Studios, as you’ll plainly see from its recently released The Pinball Arcade.

There's no question that 2011 was a big year for the Mortal Kombat franchise, as Netherrealm Games effectively relaunched the franchise and made fighting relevant again, complete with over-the-top fatalities and bonus characters that piqued our interest.  (Freddy Krueger?)  But it looks like 2012 will be just as eventful for the series, as the team has not only announced a new Komplete Edition that's coming to consoles later this spring, but also its debut on the PlayStation Vita.

LAS VEGAS -- AT&T's President of Emerging Devices Glenn Lurie and Sony's SVP Kuni Suzuki announced together on stage the new data plans for the soon to be launched Playstation PS Vita portable gaming console here at AT&T's Developer Summit being held at the Palm's Hotel & Casino at CES 2012. Plans will be similar to the iPad and iPhone with two tiers - $14.99 for 250MB and $25 for 2GB. The Playstation PS Vita will have 3G and Wi-Fi support to allow PS Vita's gamers to access the Playstation Network. Unfortunately, the PS Vita will not support of AT&T's new and faster 4G LTE network nor will it have unlimited data. The Playstaton PS Vita will be available February 22nd in North America.

When developers put some effort into making an iPad game, some try to pull out all the stops and replicate the same kind of experience you’d get from a game console.  The Apple tablet is a respectable game machine, after all, especially if you’re playing something along the lines of Dead Space or the awesome Infinity Blade.  But sometimes you can try to pile on too much, and as a result, it mars the experience.  That’s exactly what happens with 2K Sports’ NBA 2K12.  The company shoots for a quality simulation, right up there with the console versions, but it comes up short in key areas.  It’s like the thrill of seeing someone go for a fast break and then miff the dunk at the end.

Nintendo 3DS owners across North America can now download a free application that allows Netflix members with unlimited streaming plans to instantly watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix. The attractive, easy-to-use service adds entertainment content to the Nintendo 3DS portable system, just as Netflix has come under fire for raising its prices for consumers.

Whenever a new system is announced, the rumor mill kicks in full gear. Legitimate information is lost amongst the sea of speculation, and it becomes impossible to tell fact from fiction. As we approach E3, now just a few days away, it's finally time for the truth to be revealed, and Japanese website Nikkei has leaked details on the controller for Nintendo's next console.