In a surprise announcement that completely defies typical industry practices, Sierra has revealed that it will soon capture the "intense action-adventure, fantastic creatures and epic locations" in Hollywood's third money-making Mummy movie and then stick it all into a game. Developed by Eurocom for the Wii and PlayStation 2 (and by A2M for the DS), The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor will closely follow the events of this August's reanimation of long-dead material, complete with "a fast and fluid combat system and an arsenal of weaponry that can be used to vanquish the many bone-chilling enemies."

There's also mention of "hieroglyphic decoding gameplay elements," but we figure Sierra had you at the whole movie tie-in thing. Look for the evil to be resurrected on July 22nd.

French site Jeuxvideo.fr states that PSP games Daxter and Wipeout Pulse are being ported to the PS2. The story seems probable considering how many PSP to PS2 ports there have been, but at this time it's an unconfirmed rumor.

Given the history of high-profile PSP games like R&C: Size Matters and the GTAs being ported to the the PS2, we have to wonder if GoW: Chains of Olympus and Secret Agent Clank will make the leap at some point; the Chains of Olympus port rumor is already old news.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

The British Board of Film Classification has posted details on the '15' rating pegged on Atari's upcoming survival-horror shriekfest, Alone in the Dark. The extended classification information on the BBFC website notes the game's "frequent use of strong language," but cuts it some some slack since, unlike Uwe Boll's ill-fated film adaptation, it "does not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury." The text reminds us that while there's "plenty of violence," it's all "mitigated by the fantasy context." Thank goodness!

Aside from the aggressive use of "guns, posts, spades, flamethrowers and other items," the BBFC also warns that we'd best watch out for "moments of horror, with some of the supernatural beasts that attack the protagonist arriving in fairly unexpected - and shocking - fashion." So ... zombies wearing ponchos, then.

"I'm perfectly satisfied," you say to yourself as your fingers dart across spongy, fake frets. "I don't need those fancy high-definition graphics. As long as I can make out the notes, I'm happy. Heck, I can even see them when I close my eyes." Indeed, you're more than delighted with the PS2 version of Rock Band, the musical friend that keeps you company as you rock out in the basement. Alone.

EA, Harmonix and MTV Games can't help you with your graphics or self-deception issues, but they can offer you some of the downloadable tracks that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners of Rock Band have been enjoying. Mind you, they won't be "downloadable" so much as they'll be purchasable for $29.99. The Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1, headed for Wii (the full game is out on June 22) and PlayStation 2 on July 15th, will contain 20 songs from such artists as David Bowie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Weezer and Oasis.

Peer past the break for the full list and see if you go, "Ah, there's that song I like! I will gladly purchase this standalone set of tracks! I'm still talking to myself!"

The Lego Indiana Jones website is now live and features a little "treasure hunt" game where users search for riches and can then "purchase" wallpapers, avatars and coloring sheets. There's also the standard stuff like a community forum and screenshots, along with the trailer for the game.

A downloadable demo should be available for PC on May 13 (also available on the movie DVDs) and we're not finding any information on a console demo, but that doesn't mean there won't be one. Lego Indy begins beating up Nazis random cult members at retail June 3.

With the first footage we've seen of the Wii's Alone in the Dark in action, the game's producer, Maxime Loppin, shows off the title to JeuxVideo. To be honest, we know next to nothing of what Monsieur Loppin is saying, but sometimes actions speak louder than words.

After the break we've embedded footage of Loppin playing the game (he starts around 1:57). A nice touch: by moving the Wiimote and nunchuk away from each other in a "coat opening motion" players can view Carnby's inventory, which he conveniently keeps inside his coat. And if anyone is feeling super ambitious and wants to translate, be our guest.

Yeah, so, big surprise, right? Grand Theft Auto IV is the biggest release of the (first half of) the year and it's our featured game this week. But if you like the digit "3" to stay far, far away from your console name, fear not: There's good stuff for you as well with Mario Kart Wii and Iron Man (which looks like it may not be terrible) also being released.

See what other non-hooker-beating-related wonders await you after the break.

Crash Bandicoot returns for another platforming adventure in October, 2008. The boisterous character again has the power to ride defeated enemies, using their special abilities. For example, before crossing a lake, he might force a frost-breathing creature to freeze it solid. Other times, he might roll on top of a spherical enemy over ramps, like a Sonic or Billy Hatcher.

But unlike the previous Crash, players can carry along a favorite enemy at all times. This way, gamers can defeat an immediate puzzle, but still retain the abilities of another, go-to creature.

I recently tried Radical's Wii version of the in-development title. The team is building for the Wii first, and essentially scaling the graphics up for the 360 and down for the PS2. This approach gives the Wii title a finished sheen that beats most others Wii games. (Multi-platform games often scale PS2 graphics up to the Wii, but don't truly utilize the hardware.) Crash seemed fun; its bright graphics and light tone should attract its kid-targeted audience.

Few games appeal to adults and kids, but The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon could please both audiences. The younger group gets its beloved purple dragon and familiar platforming. The older crowd will like the depth in gameplay; among other changes, Spyro can now fly at any time.

After recently seeing a demo of the game, I was most impressed by its style and art; adults will find a lot of nuance here, too. Spyro mixes a lot of brightness and darkness in its style, reminding me of Fantasia or other old-guard Disney animations. Grasses leaned back as the wind raked over them, in a saccharine outdoor scene. But in another moment, sharp, muted stones matched the danger from an attacking monster.

Due in Fall, 2008 for 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, and DS, Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon could even interest players who know nothing of the character.

As the devious rapscallions who skip to the figures every week already know, the nation of Japan (and indirectly, the entire planet) is facing a dire emergency. No, not overpopulation, or global warming, or the biodiversity crisis -- I speak, of course, of the pending disappearance of all video game consoles from the face of the Earth, clearly evidenced by this week's underwhelming sales charts.

These lackluster sales figures couldn't possibly represent a decline in the ludological avarice of the Japanese people -- so what could be the cause for all the downpointery? Mankind's interference in the natural habitat of these illustrious creatures? Some sort of self-destructive behavior? Scientists and industry analysts are working around the clock to solve this dilemma before the gaming ecosystem collapses upon itself, leaving humanity with just one method of self-entertainment: Ball in a Cup. However, cheap Ball in a Cup knock-offs will surely follow, leading to the inevitable crash of the Ball in a Cup market, at which point we'll really be screwed.

To help prevent this near-certain extinction, the Joystiq crew has begun organizing "Console Aid 2008", a summer concert series that will sweep through the Pacific Northwest like a philanthropic plague. With headliners such as Tay Zonday, Rick Astley, O' Reely n' teh Buckets, and (obligatorily) U2, we're sure to garner millions in ticket sales -- a breathtakingly charitable 4 percent of which will go toward the Video Game Preservation Fund. What? Blogger's gotta eat.

- PSP: 85,421 300 (0.35%)
- DS Lite: 44,551 2,607 (5.53%)
- Wii: 44,241 2,055 (4.44%)
- PS3: 7,438 794 (9.65%)
- PS2: 6,545 289 (4.23%)
- Xbox 360: 1,076 71 (6.19%)

[Source: Media Create]

See: The dwindling archives

To give some perspective on the relative age of Sony's second console, think about this: if the PlayStation 2 were a human being, it would be a third-grader right about now, and would probably know more about long division than we do. While most eight-year-old consoles generally go the way of the Jaguar, Sony seems dedicated to the continued growth of their popular (though fairly aged) home console -- for example, in an attempt to extend their already impressive multinational reach, Sony recently hired 13 Indian game developers to create domestically-themed games and improve sales in India and the Middle East.

Though nearly 3.3 million Indians already own PS2s, Sony is confident that creating games based on "Bollywood, mythology and culture" and featuring motion-sensing gameplay using the fairly neglected Eye Toy peripheral will further increase their dominance in the Indian market. Could these rupee-garnering efforts prolong the system's life until middle school, and the associated joys of puberty? Only time can tell.

Happy NFL Draft weekend, everyone! With one day of exciting athlete trafficking under our belts, we thought it would be appropriate to point out a recent GameTap interview with Madden NFL 09 designer Phil Frazier, which reveals a number of features in the next installment of the never-ending, pigskin-chuckin' franchise. With buzzwords like "Favre", "player weapons" and "holographic training center", could this be the year where we find our way back into EA Sports' monopolized fold?

Some of the features highlighted include the Real Football Intelligence system, which tracks your skill as a player and provides helpful (and aggravating, we imagine) feedback, the induction of Tom Hammond and Cris Collinsworth as the new play-by-play and color commentators, and online, 32-man leagues (complete with trading, drafting, and flexible scheduling). We can only hope they'll include even more lunatic outbursts from the series ham-hearted, titular announcer.

European gamers that feel naked without a mic in their hand can use the other to pat themselves on the back, as Sony just dropped word that its SingStar franchise has sold through 12 million copies in the PAL region, with some 5 million of these going out the door between last April and March 2008.

In addition, with the SingStore finally gaining traction, Sony also announced that PAL gamers have downloaded a million tracks in the four months since the store opened. Also impressive is that the store's 140,000 registered users, together with members of the game's official website, have recorded and shared 20,000 videos of players belting out tunes from the comfort of their living rooms -- public embarrassment that has been watched some 2.5 million times.

The SingStar series first got players in Europe singing off-tune renditions of "Careless Whisper" and "Like a Virgin" in 2004, and has since spawned numerous sequels, including last December's SingStar for the PlayStation 3 and the soon-to-be released Volume 2. Now, with SingStar for the PS3 finally getting a release in North America on May 20, it will be interesting to see how enthusiasm on this side of the Atlantic for the game measures up.

What?! Joystiq's giving away the totally certified "Game of the Week," you ask? Don't ask questions! Just enter for your chance to win, right here. (You still have two opportunities left, if you leave a comment today and another tomorrow before 5pm ET!)

[Update: Contest is over! If you entered, please check your email!]

We know, most of you have upgraded to the Boxbox 380 or the GameStation 4, but something tells us there's still an audience for the PlayStation 2 out there. Oh, what's that? That something is called "statistics"? We'll look into that in due time, but for now we wanted to share this giveaway with you fine looking people (you should be in The Movies). We're offering up a slimline PS2 along with a copy of Buzz: The Hollywood Quiz to one lucky reader (approx. value: $170). If you're not as lucky as that person, we have a runner-up prize of just the game (approx. value: $40). Everyone else can get all On the Waterfront on us, crying about contending and what have you.

• To enter this giveaway, leave a comment sharing your favorite bit of totally made-up movie trivia. (ours: James Bond had 37 toes and two rows of teeth!)
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec ... désolé)
  
• Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (you can't have that many favorite bits of fake trivia)
  
• This entry period ends at 2:00pm ET on Sunday, April 27th. We'll randomly select the winner at that time (please check your email!).
  
• For a list of complete rules, click here.