We've got a bit of bad news for fans of classic co-op.  Remember the Genesis poll from a few months ago?  ToeJam and Earl won that poll, and Sega promised that the alien duo would be headed to Xbox Live Arcade soon.  It turns out that's not the case, according to the couple's creator, Greg Johnson.  Apparently Sega forgot that they don't have publishing rights to ToeJam & Earl.  Awkward, huh?  The two uber-cool aliens won't be making an apearance in upcoming title Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing either.

Perhaps most interesting is news of a ToeJam & Earl game proposed for the Nintendo DS.  Some interesting concept art and even a few mock-up screens are available at Joystiq.  It's a shame, really.  ToeJam & Earl was an interesting, unusual game for its time, and would seem to be a good fit for a portable, dual screen remake.  Let's hope things get back on track for the XBLA release, at least.

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It's like deja vu all over again.  Band Hero has been announced for the Nintendo DS via press release.  Wait a minute, you say.  The DS has a microphone built in, and the Guitar Grip has been out for a while now.  How are folks supposed to play the drums?  There's a miniaturized and likely finger cramping attachment coming that will allow just that.  The aptly named Drum Grip (which you don't really... you know, grip) will let you pretend to play the larger pretend drums you have back home, while you're on the go!

You have to give them credit for trying, but it appears that this is just a skin/glove holding some fancy button toppers.  I wonder if the drums will be playable without the grip?  According to the release, 30 songs by "today's top artists" will be available.  One has to wonder if they will be able to squeeze vocals, bass, guitar, and drums for thirty songs all onto one cartridge.  Let's hope so, or the portable Band Hero won't really be very portable.

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You may recall a story which we ran earlier this year, in which we predicted a Lego game based on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  Well, call us Nostradamus, because we are getting exactly that later this year, and it's coming to pretty much every system.

The sequel will be called Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues.  The new content in the game will focus on last year's Indy film.  In case you are thinking that might not be enough content for a complete game, there's more.  For the first time, a level editor will be included.  Building entire levels brick by brick, just like when you were a kid, should be fun.  It remains to be seen whether a level editor alone will be the shot in the arm the LEGO franchise needs.  We're holding out hope for four players, and bring back online co-op please!

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SEGA announced last week that Mario and Sonic would again be competing in the Olypmic games...only this time, they're taking to the ski slopes and ice rinks, and they're doing it in co-op!

Of course, the same competitions that Wii owners love to showcase at parties will still be present. But when the guests leave, you can now kick back with a friend or loved on and play co-op as well.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games will be available winter 2009 for the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, and will include Wii Balance Board and Nintendo Wi-Fi support.

Click "Read More" for the full press release...

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EA Games Redwood confirmed this morning that G.I. JOE: The Game is in development, hoping to coincide with the release of Stephen Sommers' summer movie G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra. Both game and movie are due August 07th.

The game will feature "single screen co-op" for two players, which we're assuming will be in isometric view. "Go JOE!" You can high-five your friends in person!

Pick up the action where the blockbuster movie leaves off.

• Assemble an elite JOE team and call in reinforcements when the mission gets down and dirty.
• Choose from 12 of your favorite JOEs, each with a unique set of skills and weapons.
• Gear up with the latest in high-tech gadgets.
• Jump into, steal or hijack powerful G.I. JOE or COBRA vehicles, then fire away!

Click "Read More" for the full press release.

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The original Gauntlet was one of the first, and arguably the greatest, co-op experiences in video game history.  The Gauntlet Legends series of remakes was pretty good too.  As of late, though, the Gauntlet name has been fading somewhat.  Gauntlet Seven Sorrows was seen by many as a step backwards.

However, a version for the DS has been in development, and all indications were promising.  The DS would seem like a natural fit for some co-op hack and slash on the go, wouldn't it?  Sadly, it appears that Gauntlet DS may in fact be cancelled.  Online retailers have pulled the game from their product pages, and there is no mention of the game at publisher Eidos' site.  We'll keep you posted when more details become available.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this game makes it onto store shelves!

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Billy's not the only sad mechanical being around.  Look at that poor DS!  He may be slick and sexy, and have some awesome single-player titles available to play, but he sure gets lonely.  There's just not a huge selection of co-op titles for the sad little DS.  What few there are usually feature local co-op only.  Sad, eh?

All this may change soon, at least a bit.  Wired reports that a new four-player, co-op RPG is headed to the DS.  The game is called Destiny Links, and is being developed by Namco Bandai, of Tales series fame.  It won't just be local co-op, though; instead, all four players will be able to play over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection!  Quite nice.

Trademarks have been registered that lead one to believe that Destiny Links may be the start of a franchise.  Lasting Links and Endless Links are those trademarks.  We'll be following this one closely, for sure.  It's good to see some good co-op features on a title for the good ol' Nintendo DS!  You can check out a trailer for the game at the link below.

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The second of our series of Billy's advice for gifting has arrived!  Our Holiday Guides are the most important, for one simple reason: if you give a co-op game, chances are, you'll get to play it!  That really makes the joy of giving just that much better, doesn't it?  Here's our list of the best co-op titles available for the Wii and DS, sorted by who you're giving them to.  Also, look for another special celebrity appearance!

Not too long ago, we discussed the fact that Phantasy Star Zero would have online (and local wireless) co-op. However, details of the game have been scarce for a while. Fortunately, the crew at Siliconera got some hands-on time at TGS and walked away with some details. Some of the information is just confirmation of old news. The game is very much like PSO, and features the same action-RPG gameplay. Likewise, the game's messaging system is akin to Pictochat, though apparently it features a few chat bubbles that likely deal with common statements, like "resurrect me."

Some of the more interesting information is the news that the game appears not to be blindingly difficult, as long as you have a balanced party. The Siliconera team had a balanced group, having a magic user, a sword master, and so forth. They do note that boss battles are difficult, particularly one with the dragon. Siliconera was only able to play via local network, so they cannot attest to the online capabilities. However, they do say that the game successfully replicates the fun gameplay that made up PSO. Any other PSO/PSU fans really excited to have a DS?

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The holiday season is a wonderful time. It's a season of giving, eating mass quantities of food, and gathering with family and friends. This creates the perfect environment for co-op gaming, something yours truly can attest to. This holiday season is shaping up to be a good one for co-op fans and thankfully, Shacknews has noticed and created a list of the "Best Co-op Games of the Holiday Season and Beyond."

The list begins pre-Halloween with Saints Row 2 (which comes out tomorrow) and ends post-holiday season 2009, with games like Halo Wars and Resident Evil 5. Some of the games that they call the best co-op games of the season include Little Big Planet (October 21), Resistance 2 (November 4), Gears of War 2 (November 7) and Left 4 Dead (November 14). So,  I guess that 'tis the season to be a co-op fan. Am I right?

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