We haven't heard too much yet about Planck, Shadegrown Games' music-based shooter, but this video should go a long way towards explaining exactly how it works. As you see after the break, the idea is that you're traveling along shooting items that release "trapped" sounds, building a music track as you move along. There's also a sort of boss battle at the end, though this interview with Shadegrown's Matthew Burns hints that it's a "special encounter," designed to play with the tone of the music rather than the notes themselves.

Sounds interesting. Shadegrown hasn't mentioned a release date target or even platforms for the title yet, but we'll keep our ears open and let you know when we hear something about it. Because it's a music game. Which you listen to. Get it?

Update: Shadegrown has given us both a platform and a date for release: The game will be out for PC (with other platforms to come) and probably in 2012.

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The legendary Dragon Quest series (originally published in Japan in 1986, and of course in North America as Dragon Warrior after that) turns 25 this year, and Square Enix is giving all of its gifts away. We've already heard about a Wii collection coming out, but as you can see above, some of the prizes are a little less practical. That's a pair of plushie slimes on the left, and on the right is a Smile Slime Crystal Mascot figurine, measuring about 6 centimeters tall. Both special slime items also have a DQ 25th anniversary logo on the back. Both of those will be 1554 yen, or about $19 US.

Additionally, Square Enix is offering some special edition tote bags for the anniversary for about $26 each, and some Dragon Quest business card holders (with art featuring the first three games) for around $20 US. All of the swag is supposed to be available starting late July in Japan.

Fans of Codemasters' 2008 racing title GRID received some bad news this weekend: The multiplayer servers for the PC and PS3 versions of the game have been taken offline. A post on the publisher's forums explains, "This follows the decision by a third party provider to decline the offer of an extended contract to continue online play on these platforms." The provider apparently decided the 360 SKU's servers were worth saving -- Xbox Live players still have access to the game's full range on online features.

We wish Codemasters would really think these kinds of actions through before executing them. You guys know what the repercussions for this outage will be, right? Jilted PS3 and PC players are going to get into real-life illegal street racing. Do you really want to be responsible for people falling into that lifestyle, Codemasters? Do you?

Guys, we made it. E3 is done, and we don't have to worry about it again until the Earth completes its next revolution around the Sun. Won't you rejoice with us? We're thinking about just renting out a massive beach condo, posting up in some comfy hammocks, and just 'laxing. Oh, the condo better have some nice Wi-Fi, though. How else are we supposed to, you know, work?

Before heading to our tropical island getaway, check out our seven favorite gaming-related webcomics below! Make sure you vote for your favorite in the poll posted after the jump!

Cycle of Life (Nerf Now)
E3 2011 Wrap-Up (VG Cats)
Super Mario Land is Weird (Brawl in the Family)
This Week's Villain (Penny Arcade)
Skyscraping (Awkward Zombie)
From the Outworld Traffic Safety Act (Of Noobs and Men)
Made this Way (Virtual Shackles)

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In a recent interview with Guardian, legendary actor Bob Hoskins went on record about the highlights of his prestigious cinematic career. In one section of the quickfire Q&A, Hoskins talked about one of his greatest film achievements to date:

"What is the worst job you've done?
Super Mario Brothers.

What has been your biggest disappointment?
Super Mario Brothers.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
I wouldn't do Super Mario Brothers."

We're having trouble comprehending why Hoskins is so hostile towards Cinergi Pictures' 1993 blockbuster -- we think it set the bar for video game-to-movie adaptations. It just set that bar very, very low. Like, low enough for Street Fighter to hurdle over with grace and ease, which is saying something.

[Thanks, Chris!]

Though Super Meat Boy is a rather beefy downloadable title by every conceivable definition of the word, there were actually a few more features which didn't make it into the final cut. Team Meat recently posted a cornucopia of these deleted scraps on its blog, including a handful of unimplemented characters, a few deadly traps and a cheeky intro cutscene for Braid's borrowed protagonist, Tim. (Man, what a creepy guy.)

Check out all the features on Team Meat's blog, and lament the fact that Cave Story's Quote wasn't added to the final game's roster. Man, that game would have been so much easier with a jetpack and a machine gun.

Sony and Guerrilla Games have revealed a bit of the content included in Killzone 3's upcoming "From the Ashes" DLC, a four-map pack which will arrive on the PSN this coming Tuesday for $4.99. The pack is divided into two Warzone maps, including the deadly, deactivated Lente Missile Base; and two Guerrilla Warfare battlegrounds, such as the Mobile Factory, a gargantuan vehicle pulled from the game's single-player campaign. Check out videos of these two maps after the jump.

If you haven't grabbed any of the shooter's post-launch DLC, you can also grab the new maps in the aptly named Bundle Pack, which also includes the four maps from the Steel Rain and Retro Packs for a cool $9.99. Just try to comprehend that value: For a ten-spot, you get eight extra Killzones for your Killzone 3.

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Having Skeeter and the fellers over this weekend and sick of doing the same old, same old? Well, Harmonix is slashing prices on all of its country-themed Rock Band DLC through June 21 -- tracks including artists such as Kenny Chesney, Johnny Cash, Brooks & Dunn and even Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler."

Hit the jump for the full list.

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E3 2011 has been over for a mere week. We've had a little time to recover and think back to our games of the show, with our selections certainly eclectic this year.

What's everyone playing?

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As a contrast to the disappointing recent news about an EA game disappearing from an online store, here's a story about one being added. The last of the six EA games announced for addition to Good Old Games is now available: Bullfrog's 1994 first-person upholstery flight game Magic Carpet. The others include Wing Commander: Privateer, Dungeon Keeper, Ultima Underworld 1+2, Crusader: No Remorse, and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. More unannounced EA games are expected, for a total of "more than 25."

If you wanted to spend your weekend sitting on a carpet tossing fire around, for the sake of your family and neighbors spend the $6 to do so in this game.

The Australian video game industry has suffered blow after blow over the past few years, having lost approximately half of its workforce and a number of its major development studios since 2008. Fortunately, Australian state officials have passed a bill which, when it goes into effect next month, will provide a $1.9 billion tax break for game developers to spend on research and development.

It's wonderful that the country's leaders are doing something to help revive Australia's floundering game development scene -- though we're a bit surprised that certain government representatives didn't try to attach an amendment to the bill, saying that the money could only be used to develop games about hugging and manners. (Snark aside, that game actually sounds awesome. Please make that game.)

Between GDC Europe and Gamescom in August, you've got more than enough gaming news to read about in the coming months. But Germany's Notgames Fest organizers clearly disagree, with the Cologne Game Lab creating an indie (or "Notgames") festival during the first two days of GDC Europe (August 15 and 16).

Like the Independent Game Festival at GDC's main annual gathering in San Francisco, NGF at GDC Europe will feature indie developers showing off their wares, talking to other devs, and giving demonstrations to attendees. Also like the IGF, developers who hope to bring their games must apply ahead of time, only rather than a panel of IGF judges, Tale of Tales' Auriea Harvey and Michaël Samyn will be "curating" the event. If all that weren't enough for you, the event's organizers promise "BBQ and beer in an open air atmosphere." Sold! Head to the NGF main page for all the pertinent details (like ... uh ... where it is in Cologne).

Update: To be clear, the Indie Games Summit takes place at GDC Europe, and the Notgames Fest is not associated with GDC Europe, it just takes place during the event. Head over to the official GDC Europe page for more info.