Welcome to the Black List, our regular retrospective on the week that was.

On Monday, we discovered that the Ukrainian developers of Metro 2033 envisioned a bleak future for humanity.

On Tuesday, we reported on the announcement of Inversion, a new shooter from Namco Bandai. We also lamented the latest development in the Left 4 Dead 2 classification debacle.

On Wednesday we stole a glimpse at the latest promotional clip for Pandemic Studios’ The Saboteur.

On Thursday we were stunned (though God knows why) by the announcement of yet another Nintendo DS model. Further details were confirmed shortly thereafter.

On Friday we endured a drug-fuelled infomercial to confirm the announcement of Excitebike: World Rally, a WiiWare exclusive.

Thanks for reading.

Erin Marcon

Editor

Recent editions of The Black List

24.10.09 l 17.10.09 l 09.10.09 l 02.10.09 l 25.09.09 l 18.09.09 I 11.09.09

Almost a decade after the last true instalment in the series, Nintendo has unveiled a new Excitebike title. A WiiWare exclusive, Excitebike: World Rally looks to be a (more or less) direct remake of the NES original.

While the new game utilises a 3D graphics engine, the action takes place on a 2D plane. Players will be offered a choice of classic or motion sensing controls. Surprisingly, given Nintendo’s apparent aversion to bringing strangers together, Excitebike: World Rally will feature online multiplayer. Long time fans of the series will be pleased to hear that the track editor will also be making a return.

Nintendo chose to announce the new Excitebike on Nintendo Week, its regular online infomercial. Broadcast on a dedicated Wii Channel, the program is a fabulous train wreck of news and ‘comedy’. Hosts Gary and Alison deliver their truly banal material with an enthusiasm that borders on the manic. I sometimes suspect that they’re in on the joke. Either that, or they’re on drugs. Who can say?

The recently unveiled update to Nintendo’s handheld line has been confirmed for a worldwide release, according to a report published on Joystiq. The new model, to be known as the DSi XL in America, Europe and (presumably) Australia, will be released in Q1 2010.

DSi, your 15 minutes is up.

Just 11 months after you traded in your DS Lite for a DSi, Nintendo is readying a further evolution of its ubiquitous handheld. 1UP has confirmed that the new system will feature larger screens (up 2.4cm on the previous model), longer battery life, and a significantly increased form factor (2.4 cm longer, 1.7 cm wider and .2 cm thicker). The unit’s jumbo sized stylus resembles a fountain pen.

Dubbed the DSi LL, the new unit was apparently designed to satisfy the requirements of an older demographic. I certainly could have used the extra real estate as I fumbled my way through Scribblenauts and I’m only… God, maybe I’m exactly the type of gamer they’re talking about. Is 34 considered old for a gamer? Don’t answer that.

The question is, are we willing to shell out for what will be the fourth DS iteration in five years? As it happens, we may not get the chance. A western release is yet to be confirmed.