Really, one of the toughest things when writing articles like this is to avoid lame jokes. Rather than subject you annoying, half-funnies like booty, matey, and Davey Jones references, we'll just talk about the game.  4 player brawler Pirates Plund-Arrrr is being released for the Wii.  Screenshots look similar to Castle Crashers, and, according to the release below, gameplay sounds similar, too.  Cute characters, beat-em-up action, and "razor-sharp meat cleavers" sound like a good mix.  Expect Pirates Plund-Arrrr to hit 'round spring.  Hey!  I made it through the news post without a joke.  I'd say my respectability as a game journalist just went up.  Or did it, sharp eyed reader?

It seems like just yesterday I was talking about our 1 year anniversary.  Time sure does fly.  Today Co-Optimus turns two and the Staff and I are extremely proud of what we've accomplished.  Co-Op gaming is more popular than ever; developers, publishers, and gamers have all joined in on the Co-Op Revolution.

Ubisoft recently held a Q&A with Splinter Cell Conviction Multiplayer Producer, Patrick Redding, on Facebook.  While the focus of the session was to allow people to ask questions about Mr. Redding's job and how certain aspects of the industry work, it wasn't long before Splinter Cell Conviction questions popped up.  

Cliff Bleszinski, of Epic Games, is promising an important announcement coming soon.  Yes, yes, we get it: announcing announcements is irritating.  But considering CliffyB's involvement in the co-op megahit Gears of War franchise, it's certainly worth mentioning.  How incredible is this news going to be?  According to Mr. Bleszinski:

"If you ever get some MW2 going when I'm on hit me up. I just got it the other day."

We reported not too long ago that Halo Wars, in addition to a couple other co-op titles, went Platinum and was now available for the low, low price of $29.99.  Well now Microsoft's sweetened the co-op pot by offering Halo Wars via download through its Games on Demand service.  While the game may not have been as widely popular as its more traditional FPS brother, Halo 3: ODST, the game is one of only a few co-op titles we've reviewed that has received the full 5 out of 5 for its co-op score.  All that co-op fun without ever having to leave the comfort of your home?  Now that's a deal.

The 2009 co-op game of the year for us was Halo 3: ODST, but did it deserve it? Was there something social at play? A popular game or franchise is always likely to sell more copies than a new IP and as a result of this there are more people playing it, creating a phenomenon we call Co-opularity.

Capcom has released a brand new trailer from Episode IV of Lost Planet 2.  The trailer was showcased yesterday during a Japanese press conference where they announced the Gears of War cross over.

If you are a fan of making scientists explode into meaty chunks then the 2010 release schedule just keeps getting better, with the news that the first Deal of the Week for the shortest month of the year is none other than co-op action platformer Splosion Man.

Continuing their month-long coverage of Bungie's next title in the Halo franchise, Halo Reach, Game Informer has posted a video that features creative director Marcus Lehto talking a little bit more about the game.  While subscribers to the magazine will likely already be familiar with much of what Marcus talks about, e.g., the six-man Spartan team, the graphics engine updates, and the weapons, there is one little bit towards the end that hasn't been covered extensively: armor abilities.

Hello fellow co-op gamers, Jenkins of the Madballs in...Babo: Invasion B-D-I faction (for the record, we're the good guys) here to host the new "On The Download" with the one and only fabulous co-op Survival Mode survival guide for the PC version of Madballs in: Babo...Invasion!

We've been going on and on about leaked screens this and leaked screens that for Halo Reach.  You're tired of it.  You want some hi-definition Spartan glory to grace your monitor - none of this magazine scan, iPhone picture of someone's monitor, pixelated crap that passes as a "screenshot."