nDreams presents the very first Clubhouse for Europe! The War Room is perfect for clan meetings, socialising and plotting world domination. You and your fellow warmongers can stand at the podium and address the other members, with your face and words appearing on huge video screens throughout this high tech facility. Please note – You must purchase the Clubhouse slot to use this item!

Heralding the launch of our brand new gaming console, the PlayStation Vita lounge graces Home with its presence this week. Featuring trailers and information on the PS Vita as well as a slew of launch titles, this space contains all you need to know about this groundbreaking device. We will be updating the space with quests galore in the coming months so don’t forget to check back regularly!

Do you share your HOME with a cute LOOT Schnauzer Puppy or Dragosaur? Now you can decorate your personal space for your companions with the LOOT Animal Furnishings Bundle. Those cute critters won’t be able to interact with the items, but at least they’ll know they’re HOME. This bundle comes with the Dog House – Small, Dog House – Large, 3 Pet Baskets (in Green, Yellow and Red), chew toy, dog bone and the BUNDLE EXCLUSIVE: TWO Food bowls (Plastic and Steel!) Hit up the LOOT Store for the FREE plastic dog bone.

Juggernaut Games is excited to introduce the newest version of the haunting Cutteridge Estate personal space to Europe. This macabre space is full of ghostly happenings and dark mysteries. Do you dare face off with the ghosts of Cutteridge Estate to banish them forever into the gloom? Terrify and delight your guests with controllable weather, ghostly hauntings and the built-in Poltergeist Puzzle Box!

Konami releases their Secret Agents line. No matter what nefarious plots are waiting around the corner, you know you’ll save the world in style. You have all the tools a great agent needs to diffuse any situation. Concealed weaponry, lasers, telecoms, smashing good looks, you’ve got a license to thrill as an International Man or Woman of Mystery! Try out the new custom animations!

Ever visited the zoo and wished you could take a couple of cute animals home with you? Well, Lockwood’s zoologists have been hard at work to make that dream a reality! Tembo is a beautiful baby elephant in miniature. He’s incredibly cute with flapping ears and a waving trunk. He can even do a little trick, but you’ll have to be patient and watch him quietly to see him do it. Make room in your home and your heart for this adorable little guy!

Solve all your furnishing dilemmas with the Slice range from Cucumber coming to PlayStation Home next week.

Last week we released the apartment version of Go Fish! If you also miss the crazy crustacean action of Oscar’s Lobster Mania, you can now have your very own version in tropical island form, available from Estates.

Last up, to celebrate the most romantic time of the year, a special PlayStation Home Valentine competition is taking place on the PlayStation Forum.

For a chance to win the Valentine Cupid companion from Codeglue, you will have to take up the challenge with a fellow PlayStation Home user in order to create the screenshot of the perfect Home couple of friends, gamers, lovers… Head over to community.eu.playstation.com before the end of the event on Sunday 19th of February.

Speeding you into the weekend this Friday is Access TV episode 20, now available on YouTube and featuring shiny Vita racer Wipeout 2048 as Game of the Week. There’s a ton of new gameplay footage showcasing Studio Liverpool’s gravity-bothering blockbuster, including a look at the innovative ‘touch & tilt’ control functions.

Also worth checking out is footage from the recent Glasgow Vita Rooms, where Sony’s new handheld was on public display. There’s plenty of reaction from the Access Community (that’s you), plus guest appearances from Glasgow Rangers hotshots Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya. Not only that, rap ace Lethal Bizzle drops in for a performance – don’t miss it.

Elsewhere the team brave an interview with UFC hard-man Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett, as he reveals what he really thinks of his nose, plus tells us which PlayStation character he’d most like to have a brawl with in real life.

There’s also your usual serving of PS3 news to get stuck into, plus a roundup of the week’s essential content on the PlayStation Store, which this week includes crazy shooter Gotham City Impostors, plus buckets of cartoon violence with Shank 2.

Access TV is available every Friday on YouTube – head to youtube.com/playstationaccess to subscribe and never miss an episode.

To sign up for future Access events or to hang out and chat with other members of the Access community, then visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/PlaystationAccess, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PSAccess.

We’ve also a new video of Ryu, Frank West and Rocket Raccoon teaming together to overcome Felicia, Arthur and She-Hulk. Which side are you, Marvel or Capcom? You decide.

Big Tease

Many moons ago we ran a mystery puzzle teaser here on the blog, the reveal of which invited you to suggest names for the game.* We can now reveal that there are FOUR winners who now have their names immortalised in the game, and each will win a promo code to download the game for free, or to share with a friend!

We had hundreds of entries, for which we were very grateful, and settled on ‘VELOCITY’, as it described the concept and gameplay very well – and is a cool word!

Competition Winners

The winners are:

• Alan Eldredge / retrotekn0
• Jason Griffin / Ehud_Alefti
• Spider Mann / spidersparlor (this is Mr. Mann’s actual, real name)
• Dan Stephens / sesameseed

Congratulations, your names have been included in the game – but we’re not telling you where to find them, you’ll have to do that bit yourselves! Thanks also to everyone else that took part and made it a very hard decision for us.

Killzone Composer Brings Maximum Sound to minis

Here at FuturLab we don’t think it is good enough to churn out cloned games. We wanted to do justice to the nostalgia of early games in the shoot-’em-up genre, so that people can pick up Velocity and feel right at home, but also feel the excitement of playing something completely new!

After many months prototyping, we knew we had something special with Velocity – the teleporting mechanics had never been done before – so we wanted a big sound to complement the gameplay experience.

We are therefore incredibly excited that Joris de Man, the award-winning composer who wrote and produced the music for Killzone 2 & 3, has co-written and co-produced the music for Velocity!

So it sounds incredible and is a genuine, high-quality homage to the classic games we older folk remember fondly. Check out the trailer below:

Velocity is a portable-friendly shooter that is packed full of innovative ideas, designs, sounds and gameplay – and it’s really addictive!

We wanted to use the minis platform to do something nobody had seen before, so we really hope you enjoy playing on your PSP, PS Vita and PS3!**

Velocity is due for release in March in Europe and the US, and will be FREE to download for PlayStation Plus subscribers!

Where are the Screenshots?!

If you want to find out more about the game, check out the screenshots, or stay in touch with me and the rest of the team, here’s a bunch of useful links:

• Official Velocity Website: http://www.velocitygame.co.uk – Info on the game, and screenshots!
• Velocity on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/VelocityGame/ – Come and ‘Like’ Velocity!
• FuturLab Website/Blog: http://www.futurlab.co.uk/ – Stay in touch through our website and blog!
• FuturLab on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FuturLab – Come and ‘Like’ us too!
• FuturLab on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/FuturLab – Follow us for the latest info

–
*Some of you may be wondering what happened to the pilot’s name, as we asked people to name her too. Unfortunately we didn’t receive any suggestions that did it for us, so we named her ourselves: Kai Tana.

**If you like what we’ve done with Velocity, please show your support. There’s a powerful, shiny new handheld on the scene now, and we’d love to give Velocity the HD treatment! With your support we can do it!

Anyway, to business. We do indeed have new video from all the artists in the title, including a “Minaj á trois” of videos featuring Nicki Minaj including one where she is complaining that her garden equipment isn’t very bright…well, I think that’s what “Stupid Hoe” must be about. If you like your piano’s hooks huge and your videos at their most random, then check out Miike Snow’s “Paddling Out” and of course Madonna is back in all her SuperBowl exclusive glory with “Give Me All Your Luvin’” featuring Ms Minaj and M.I.A. whose new video you should also be looking out for in our next update because it’s also amazing!

Check out below for full details!

SPOTLIGHT ZONE

Featured Zone
So many new videos from all over this week we had to feature the zone that features them all including…

Artist of the Week – Nicki Minaj
Featuring her latest videos and collaborations with Madonna and David Guetta, as well as her brand new video “Stupid Hoe”.

Artist Spotlight – Lil Wayne
Wayne is back and in the spotlight featuring new video “Mirror” with Bruno Mars.

Greatest Hits – David Guetta
Guetta continues his chart rampage with his new video “Turn Me On”. Watch that and all his others here.

Latest Videos
Lots more fantastic new videos for you to explore and fall in love with:

• Madonna Ft. M.I.A. & Nicki Minaj – Give Me All Your Luvin’
• Coldplay – Charlie Brown
• Nicki Minaj – Stupid Hoe
• Foo Fighters – These Days
• Lil Wayne Ft. Bruno Mars – Mirror
• David Guetta Ft. Nicki Minaj – Turn Me On
• Dev – Dancing Shoes
• Far East Movement Ft. Rye Rye – Jello
• Miike Snow – Paddling Out
• Jane’s Addiction – Underground
• Kelly Rowland – Keep It Between Us

ZONE HIGHLIGHTS

Alternative Zone
Lots of new good alt music in the new year including the rise and rise of Lana Del Rey.

• Centre Stage – Coldplay – Featuring new video “Charlie Brown”
• Artist Spotlight – Lana Del Rey – Featuring videos “Born To Die” and “Video Games”
• VidZone Recommends – Miike Snow – Featuring the bands comeback video for “Paddling Out”

TV Zone
Our TV channels take effort of thinking about what to watch – including two alternative valentine channels, depending on how your love life is going.

• Love Songs TV
• Anti-Love Songs TV
• 80′s Love Songs TV
• RnB Slow Jamz TV

Also, congratulations to Gareth Prosser, who is the winner of our recent competition. You will be able to watch his VIP playlist on VidZone featuring videos from The Prodigy, Wu Tang Clan and Dizzee Rascal.

EVERYTHING ELSE
As always, below are the usual channels of contact. We love to hear from you all so please get in touch!

• Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/VidZone
• Twitter – http://twitter.com/VidZone
• Google+ – https://plus.google.com/107359012918224788979
• YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/vidzone
• Official VidZone Site – www.vidzone.tv
• Issues – Email ps-problems@vidzone.tv
• Requests – Email playstation@vidzone.tv

I’m off to try to find The Count’s number, aaah ahhh aaaaaahhhh.

Today, Sony Santa Monica Sr. Manager Dave Thach returns with two new augmented reality games, Fireworks and Cliff Diving. Both are part of the Augmented Reality Suite coming exclusively to PS Vita on Feb 22nd on PSN for free. Also, packaged with your PS Vita will be six AR cards which will also work with Reality Fighters, and other great AR experiences.

Fireworks transforms the world around you into a firework display where you’ll literally touch the apex of the firework for multipliers, combos and points. Cliff Diving introduces you to diver Dave, where you’ll have him cliff diving off your coffee table into a virtual body of water.

Before you check out this video, make sure you watch our very first tour with Table Football which completes AR Suite on PS Vita.

Instead of telling you more, I’ll let Dave Thach show you!

On this fine winter’s week (maybe not for all of you!) we bring to you a smattering of more gaming goodness. Shank 2 comes to the store courtesy of EA. Returning with its comic book aesthetics and side-scrolling brawler gameplay, Shank is back! In fact, IGN have reported it as “One of the best action games in recent memory”!

Malicious also sees an English release on the store. Take control of the Spirit Vessel and battle waves of brutal fighters and colossal enemies to rid the world of the evil force of Malicious. Gain new weapons, build your powers and perform devastating combo attacks as the final showdown between good and evil draws near. PS Plus members will benefit from a 20% reduced cost.

The Simpsons Arcade Game sees release on the store today, too. We know you guys were expecting to see this last week and apologise for the inconvenience however, now you can enjoy it in all its glory. As was also announced, Plus members will receive this as part of this month’s membership. Enjoy!

We also have Mortal Kombat (2011), Top Spin 4 and Mafia II all heading to the digital fun land that is the PlayStation Store. Catherine will also be available on the store from February 10th, in line with the retail release, so keep a look out for that!

For DLC we have more Rock Band tunes, more Dynasty Warriors and the Lightning DLC for Final Fantasy XIII-2. There’s even some Valentine’s Day themed DLC for LittleBigPlanet and Motorstorm. Isn’t that romantic!

Unfortunately there aren’t any avatars this week but hopefully there’ll be some for you avatar lovers next week.

The PSP Power Sale continues this week, with more additions including but not limited to; Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Worms: Battle Island and the first Persona game…called Persona, believe it or not. Check out the rest of what’s on offer below.

As usual, the complete list of games, DLC and offers follows below.

Have a jolly ol’ time gaming and I shall return next week!

Peace!

PlayStation® Network New Content

Full Games (PS3)

• The Simpsons Arcade Game (£7.99/€9.99) *100% Discount for PS Plus members*

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales
File Size: 21MB

• Malicious (£6.49/€7.99) *PS Plus members receive 20% discount*

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales
File Size: 525MB

• Mortal Kombat (£29.99/€39.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: Not available in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Sweden, Ukraine
File Size: 9.2GB

• Catherine – Release 10th Feb – (£39.99/€59.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: Not available in Croatia, India, Israel, Kuwait, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine
File Size: 9.6GB

• Top Spin 4 (£19.99/€29.99)

Rating: PEGI 3
Availability: All Locales
File Size: 4.9GB

• Shank 2 (£7.99/€9.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: All Locales
File Size: 1.3GB

• Gotham City Impostors (£11.99/€14.99)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: Not available in Germany, Portugal, Russian Federation, Ukraine
File Size: 1.7GB

PSP

• Persona 2: Innocent Sin/Persona 3 Portable (bundle) (£39.99/€49.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in Australia, New Zealand

minis (PS3/PSP)

• T.N.K. III (£1.99/€2.49)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

• Vanguard II (£1.99/€2.49)

Rating: PEGI 3
Availability: All Locales

• Ace Armstrong/Stellar Attack (Bundle) (£3.99/€4.99)

Rating: PEGI 7
Availability: All Locales

• Cubixx/Vibes (Bundle) (£3.99/€4.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All locales

• Fight Fantasy: Talisman/Warlock (Bundle) (£4.99/€5.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

Special Offer Selection

• Mafia II (£17.49/€20.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: All Locales
File Size: 7.4GB

• Left to Die in Zombhai (£1.74/€1.99)

• Hamilton’s Great Adventure (£3.99/€4.99)
• Hyperballoid HD (£2.39/€2.99)
• Hi-Tech World Campaign (£1.39/€ 1.69)

• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (£9.99/€12.99)
• Worms Battle Islands (£5.49/€6.99)
• Sid Meier’s Pirates! (£5.19/€6.49)
• Beaterator (£5.19/€6.49)
• GTA Vice City Stories (£6.99/€7.99)
• GTA Chinatown Wars (£6.49/€7.99)
• GTA Liberty City Stories (£6.49/€7.99)
• Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition (£5.19/€6.49)
• Midnight Club LA: Remix (£5.19/€6.49)

Add-On Game Content (PS3)

• Dynasty Warriors 7 – Xtreme Stage Pack 2 (£2.39/€2.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in New Zealand

• Final Fantasy XIII-2 – Lightning and Amodar Coliseum Battle (£1.59/€1.99)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning – Online Pass (£7.99/€9.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning – Finesse Pack (£2.39/€2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning – Might Pack (£2.39/€2.99)
• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning – Sorcery Pack (£2.39/€2.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: All Locales

•  The King of Fighters XIII – Unlock Gallery (£1.99/€2.49)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

• Lego Harry Potter (Years 5-7) – 5 spell pack (£1.59/€1.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

• LittleBigPlanet – Valentine’s Day – Level Kit (£2.39/€2.99) (1 Week Only)

Rating: PEGI 7
Availability: All Locales

• MotorStorm Apocalypse – Valentine’s Day Livery Pack (Free)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

•  Rock Band 3
• Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival (£0.99/€1.49)
• Bush Pack 01 (£2.49/€3.99)

(Includes the following content, also available separately)

• Machinehead – Bush (£0.99/€1.49)
• Comedown – Bush (£0.99/€1.49)
• Everything Zen – Bush (£0.99/€1.49)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates

Rock Band Network

• Heavy Weather – The Storm Ov The Undead – Rainbowdragoneyes (£0.59/€0.79)
• Real Wild Child – Jerry Naylor (£0.99/€1.49)
• Slaves To Substance – Suicide Silence (£0.99/€1.49)
• Diachylon – Chaotrope (£0.59/€0.79)
• Foundation – an Unkindness (£0.59/€0.79)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates

• UFC Undisputed 3 – Online Pass (£9.99/€12.99)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

• Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 – Weapon Expert Pack (£3.19/€3.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

Uncharted 3

• Fort Co-op Adventure (£4.79/€5.99)

• Doughnut Skin Pack (£1.59/€1.99)

(Includes the following content, also available separately)

• Salim Doughnut Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Cutter Doughnut Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Eddy Doughnut Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Rameses Doughnut Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Sully Doughnut Skin (£0.40/€0.49)

•  Rogues Skin Pack 1 (£1.59/€1.99)

(Includes the following content, also available separately)

• Agent 1 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Agent 3 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Bedouin 1 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Bedouin 3 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Thug 1 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Thug 2 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Thug 3 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)

• Rogues Skin Pack 2 (£1.59/€1.99)

(Includes the following content, also available separately)

• Agent 2 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Bedouin 2 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Desert Agent 1 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Desert Agent 2 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Desert Agent 3 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Thug 4 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)
• Thug 6 Skin (£0.40/€0.49)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

• Warhammer 40000: Space Marine – Legion of the Damned Skin (£1.59/€1.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: All Locales

•  Yoostar – Beverly Hills Cop – You eat a lot of meat (£1.75/€1.39)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Belgium, Czech Republic, India, Netherlands, Portugal, Russian Federation, Ukraine

Dynamic Themes

Nature

• Dynamic sunrise at beach theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic vernal falls theme (£1.59/€1.99)

Places/Landmarks

• Dynamic sunrise over Manhattan theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic vacation town theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic yacht harbour theme (£1.59/€1.99)

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• Dynamic Azmodeus Dark Angels Theme 2 (£1.59/€1.99)

Seasonal

• Happy Valentine’s Day (£1.59/€1.99)
• Valentine’s Day Hearts (£1.59/€1.99)

Videos (PS3)

• SSX It’s Tricky Platform
• SSX Survive It
• This Is SSX
• Binary Domain Multiplayer Trailer
• Access TV 20

Permanent Price Drops

• Swarm (Was £6.29/€7.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

• Blacklight Tango Down (Was £6.49/€7.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: Not available in Israel, Kuwait, Ukraine

FAQ

1. Has Arc the Lad (PSOne Classics) been released in Norway yet?
A. Yes! Apologies to Norwegian customers who had to wait a little extra for this.

2. Are we getting Machinarium?
A. Yes. We don’t have a date to announce right now but this is on the horizon.

3. How about Auditorium HD?
A. This is also on the horizon but no date to speak of right now. Sorry.

4. Where on Earth is Worms: Ultimate Mayhem?
A. This has been announced for February 15th. Please look forward to it.

5. What about Dungeon Defenders DLC?
A. Some content is coming very soon! Next week is very likely.

6. How about Dynasty Warriors avatars?
A. Avatars are not the quickest content we release so these won’t be out for a long, long time. If we have further information about this we will let you guys know.

7. OMG! Where’s Scary Girl?
A. OMG! Coming next week!

8. And House of the Dead III?
A. Next week is the plan! But remember, things can change unexpectedly…

9. Why are there differences in avatars from the US compared to the EU region?
A. The images used are up to the publisher. As the EU includes a wide range of countries, different rules also need to be adhered to so not everything will be like for like.

• The Internet Browser has been improved. This will result in better display of content and page layouts are displayed with greater accuracy. Some websites that could not be displayed correctly prior to the release of PS3 system software 4.10, including interactive websites, are now supported.
• You can automatically set the time more accurately via the Internet every time your PS3 system connects to PlayStation Network (PSN). This can be done via [Settings] > [Date and Time Settings] > [Set Automatically] on the XMB (XrossMediaBar).
• PSN Account will be renamed Sony Entertainment Network Account. This will not result in any changes to how you log in or the details you use to do so.

In order to download PS3 system software version 4.10, you will need a minimum 180MB of free space on either the PS3 Hard Disk Drive (System Update) or on removable storage media (PC Update).

Whether you love or hate Valentine’s day, everyone loves free treats! Head on over to Pier Park and feel pampered with a snug pair of slippers and some lovely cupid wings. Continuing with the loving theme, WIN big this month in the Lockwood Valentine’s update! Find six new rewards hidden in the Lockwood Publishing Showcase. Throw caution to the wind and show us what a romantic soul you are in the ShowOff: First Date photo competition! First Place WINS one of two pre-release Iron Fusion content packs. If you really want that ultimate prize, you’ll be pleased to know that all entrants get submitted into a prize draw for another chance to win! Five picnic packs are up for grabs to runners up, along with one Lockwood Team Choice Award.

If you’ve never taken part in Lockwood’s exciting photo competition for PlayStation Home users, now’s your chance. Each ShowOff competition has a theme, the rest is up to you. Be as creative and artistic as you can in interpreting the theme. Visit the Gift Machine or www.lockwoodpublishing.com for more information.

Fill your apartment with romantic ambience as Valentine’s Day approaches. Get a luxurious bathtub decorated with rose petals or a floral candle, or sweep someone off their feet by taking them for a picnic. For the ideal way to show that special someone you care, visit the Gift Machine for the latest love-themed Gift items.

With Lockwood’s many collections and ranges, it’s easy to forget that sometimes they make items that are simply LKWD. These two latest outfits are just that – simple wearable separates that can be worn in a variety of ways and with plenty of items from the LKWD back catalogue to create the perfect stylish ensemble.

For a dreamy, exotic look, there’s the Fairytale outfit, combining a dreamy long silk dress with a sultry long plaited hairstyle. If you want to stand out from the crowd, opt for the Unique clothing pack, a distinctive corset dress teamed with a choice of long or short boots and tousled up hair.

New PS Home publisher Juggernaut Games brings us the MechPets – Icebox the Abominable, Party Machine 9000, and Monsieur Love Machine. Whether you’re in the mood to start a snowball fight, dance the night away or romance some eligible ladies and/or gentlemen – one of these companions is sure to be your perfect sidekick! Now available in the PlayStation Home Stuff store.

Konami are offering some great value bundles this week. Treat yourself to the full Konami Code collection, the Gothic Attire or Hair Salon bundles, or go old school with the Retro Collection Super Bundle containing a massive 19 items!

Make your apartment look like a palace with a selection of sparkling diamond furniture from the Furniture store, while at the MyDeco store there are some tantalising and tasty treats to decorate your apartments with. Quench your thirst for fruity furniture with the very inviting watermelon chair. Or jazz up your wall with a pair of luscious KissMe Neon Lips. And if you’re feeling a little tired after your trip to the shopping centre, why not end the day in the new Xtreme Hot Jacuzzi!

It’s SingStore update week again. Are you excited? Well, I am a little bit because of the fabulous 80s Part 4 song pack. Yep, it’s got all of my faves in there but I am especially fond of Toto’s ‘Africa’ and of course, who could resist the lovely Jennifer Rush with ‘The Power Of Love’? One for Valentine’s Day, I reckon!

Otherwise, there’s more Kylie, Nightwish and ANOTHER one I won’t be able to stay away from: REO Speedwagon’s ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’! Mixed bag this week with lots of great 80s stuff thrown in. I’m happy.

Right, I better get packing. Desk move ahead.
See you soon.

Nina xx

Track has previously been released on a disc.
Kylie Minogue ‘Hand On Your Heart is not for sale in AUS/NZ

As users of VideoStore of PlayStation Store will know, we love nail-biting action and this February we’re creating some of our own as two great Video Store titles go head to head! It’s called The 0.99 Movie Showdown and drawing their pistols in the first week long battle (starting February 6th) will be Captain America: The First Avenger and Conan the Barbarian.

Perhaps Captain America is your favourite movie of the moment, perhaps you haven’t seen Conan the Barbarian and really want to, perhaps you love them both and just want to get involved! Either way, all we need you to do is go to the PlayStation Facebook page, vote for your favourite movie and wait to be rewarded as the winning title becomes available for the whole of the following week priced at only £0.99/€0.99!

In other news, we’re excited to tell you VideoStore of PlayStation Store is evolving! You already know about the great movies on offer, but what you might not realise is that our service now includes popular TV shows as well. Check out the store to discover whole series from studios like MTV Networks, Warner Bros and Fox, and with more being added every week there has never been a better time to rediscover a classic or get into something new.

There’s nothing like a bit of Nathan Drake to get you pumped and ready for the weekend, eh? Good thing Access TV Episode 19 features PlayStation Vita flagship title Uncharted: Golden Abyss as Game of the Week then. Prepare to stuff your eyeballs full of ace new gameplay footage, plus get a first-hand glimpse at Vita’s incredible touch-screen controls in action. Handheld gamers have never had it so good.

Keeping with the Uncharted theme, the Access crew head to Naughty Dog HQ in Santa Monica for a tour of the developers’ motion capture stage. There are interviews with Creative Director Amy Hennig, plus the team chat with Nolan North about the filming for Golden Abyss.

T3 magazine’s Rhi Morgan also drops in to give her opinion on the Vita from a tech perspective, plus there’s your usual juicy roundup of PS3′s tastiest news morsels, which this week include a look at Resident Evil 6 and some clever men who’ve made a real-life WipEout track. We want one.

Lovers of all things digital have the PlayStation Store roundup to look forward to, featuring the all-new Twisted Metal demo plus DLC from Assassin’s Creed Revelations.

Access TV is available every Friday on YouTube – head to youtube.com/playstationaccess to subscribe and never miss an episode.

To sign up for future Access events or to hang out and chat with other members of the Access community, then visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/PlaystationAccess, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PSAccess.

…by the way, Access TV has been nominated for a Shorty social media award under the category of Best Web Show. If you’re a fan of the show and want to show us some love, you can nominate us for the award here.

Until next week!

This week we have not one but three ‘Blu-ray Disc to Digital’ titles – Mini Ninjas, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men and Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days.

European users can also join in on the Gotham City Imposters beta. Will you be one of the Batmen or will you side with The Joker team? Whatever you chose, expect some crazy FPS action with an even crazier amount of customisation options. Go crazy, imposters!

This week also sees the release of the new Twisted Metal Beta. Cars? Check. Weapons? Check. Big maps? Check. Combine all that together? Chaotic fun is what you’ll receive. Have a taster of what the new game will offer including 8 playable vehicles with a host of modes – Single player training, single player challenge mode, multiplayer online deathmatch and multiplayer online nuke mode.

The last big demo of the week goes to Syndicate. Syndicate is a re-imagination of the classic 1993 game – a cyber punk FPS set in a dystopian world where large Syndicates rule and Business is War. In the 4-player co-op demo, team-up to take down rival Syndicate Cayman Global as you battle for market dominance and your life.

On the Avatar front I’m also pleased to be able to say the Metal Gear Solid avatars have arrived! The range is based on MGS2, 3 and Peace Walker, coinciding with the HD Collection release this week. Many of you clamoured for them and now they’re here. Enjoy!

Lastly, this week sees the start of the PSP Power Sale, lasting until the end of the month. Full details of content are further below.

Have a great week guys, as I’m sure you will with some big games due out, and I shall be sure to read your comments!

PlayStation Network New Content

Full Games (PS3)

• Mini Ninjas (£14.99/€19.99) Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All Locales
File size: 6.5GB

• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (£14.99/€19.99) Rating: PEGI 18

Availability: All Locales
File size: 10GB

• Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (£17.49/€21.99)

Rating: PEGI 18
Availability: Not available in Germany
File size: 8.5GB

minis (PS3/PSP)

• Prehistoric Isle (£1.99/€2.49) Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All Locales
File Size: 24MB

Demos (PS3)

• Gotham City Impostors Beta Rating: PEGI 16

Availability: Not available in Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine
File Size: 1.6GB

• Pixeljunk Sidescroller Demo Rating: PEGI 3

Availability:
File size: 52MB

• Twisted Metal Beta Rating: PEGI 18

Availability: Not available in Australia, Germany
File size: 1.7GB

• Syndicate Demo Rating: PEGI 18

Availability: Not available in Australia, Germany
File size: 620MB

• Under Siege Rating: PEGI 12 (£7.99/€9.99)

Availability: All Locales
File Size: 900MB

Add-On Game Content (PS3)

• Dead Island – Ryder White (£7.99/€9.99) Rating: PEGI 18

Availability: All Locales

• The King of Fighters – Unlock All Icons (£1.99/€2.49) Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: All Locales

• LittleBigPlanet – Groundhog Day Costume (Free) Rating: PEGI 7

Availability: All Locales

• Marvel vs Capcom 3 – Animal Pack (£3.19/€3.99) – Released Friday 27th January.

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: All Locales

• Need For Speed The Run – Italian Car Pack (£5.49/€6.99) Rating: PEGI 16

Availability: All Locales

Rock Band 3

• Falling Away From Me – KoRn (£0.99/€1.49)
• Fat Lip -Sum 41 (£0.99/€1.49)
• Frankenstein – The Edgar Winter Group (£0.99/€1.49)
• Freak On A Leash – KoRn (£0.99/€1.49)
• Free Ride – The Edgar Winter Group (£0.99/€1.49)
• Head Over Heels – Tears for Fears (£0.99/€1.49)
• Still Waiting – Sum 41 (£0.99/€1.49)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Kuwait, Luxemburg,  Poland, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates

Rock Band Network

• Strangers – Free Spirit (£0.99/€1.49)
• Torture – Rival Sons (£0.99/€1.49)
• Turn Around – Bumblefoot (£0.59/€0.79)
• Without Morals – Nevermore    (£0.99/€1.49)
• Africa (Rb3 Version) – Quartered (£0.99/€1.49)
• Against The Wall – Ill Niño (£0.99/€1.49)
• Any Other Heart – Go Radio (£0.99/€1.49)
• California – Winds of Plague    (£0.99/€1.49)
• El Monstro – Dance for the Dying (£0.59/€0.79)
• Estranger – Vangough (£0.59/€0.79)
• Now Or Never – Stagehands (£0.59/€0.79)
• Pirats ‘Til We Die – Halfbrick Studios (£0.59/€0.79)
• Hysteria – Aiden (£0.99/€1.49)
• Last Chance – Tetrafusion (£0.99/€1.49)

Rating: PEGI 12
Availability: Not available in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, India, Kuwait, Luxemburg,  Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates

Soul Calibur V

• Downloadable Music Pack 1    (£1.59/€1.99)
  (Includes the following content, also available separately)
• Bravely Folk Song (£0.79/€0.99)
• Horangi Arirang (£0.79/€0.99)
• Soul and Sword (£0.79/€0.99)
• The Wind and Clouds (£0.79/€0.99)
• World Atlas Collapsed (£0.79/€0.99)

• Downloadable Music Pack 2    (£1.59/€1.99)
  (Includes the following content, also available separately)
• Chasing Downstream (£0.79/€0.99)
• Duelists (£0.79/€0.99)
• The Cursed Image (£0.79/€0.99)
• Unblessed Soul (£0.79/€0.99)
• Wing of Faith (£0.79/€0.99)

• Female Customization Equipment    (£1.59/€1.99) Rating: PEGI 12

Availability: All Locales

UFC Undisputed 3

• Ufc Undisputed Online Pass (£6.49/€7.99)
• Ultimate Fights Pack 2 (Free)
• Ultimate Fights Pack 3 (Free)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

WWE 12

• Macho Man’ Randy Savage    (£0.59/€0.75)
• Batista (£0.59/€0.75)
• Mick Foley    (£0.59/€0.75)
• Brodus Clay (Free)
• Wwe 12 – Kane, New Attire    (Free)

Rating: PEGI 16
Availability: All Locales

Avatars

Phineas And Ferb Across The 2nd Dimension

• Agentp    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Alt_Agentp    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Alt_Candace    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Alt_Dr.Doofenshmirtz    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Alt_Ferb    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Alt_Phineas    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Candace    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Dr.Doofenshmirtz    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Ferb    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Phineas    (£0.20/€0.25)

Metal Gear Solid 2

• Metal Gear Solid 2 Emma    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Fatman    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Fortune    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Olga    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Otacon    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Raiden    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Revolver Ocelot    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Solid Snake    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Solidus Snake    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 2 Vamp    (£0.20/€0.25)

Metal Gear Solid 3

• Metal Gear Solid 3 Colonel Volgin    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 Eva    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 Naked Snake    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 Ocelot    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The Boss    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The End    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The Fear    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The Fury    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The Pain    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid 3 The Sorrow    (£0.20/€0.25)

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Amanda (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Cecile    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Chico    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Coldman    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Galvez    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Huey    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Miller    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Paz    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Snake    (£0.20/€0.25)
• Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker Strangelove    (£0.20/€0.25)

Dynamic Themes

The Studio (PS3)

• Create Dynamic Theme by Studio Output (£2.39/€2.99)
• Flow/Kinetic Dynamic Theme by Chuck Elliot (£2.39/€2.99)

The Studio (PSP)

• Create Theme by Studio Output (£0.79/€0.99)
• Flow/Kinetic Theme by Chuck Elliot (£0.79/€0.99)

Abstract

• Dynamic 40′s Vintage Theme 1 (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic 40′s Vintage Theme 2 (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic Blue Dream Theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic Blue Screen Theme 2 (£1.59/€1.99)

Nature

• Dynamic underwater sunshine theme (£1.59/€1.99)

Places/Landmarks

• Dynamic bridge at sunset theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic passing train theme (£1.59/€1.99)

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

• Dynamic Azmodeus Dark Angels Helchen Theme (£1.59/€1.99)

Seasonal

• Dynamic snowing theme (£1.59/€1.99)
• Dynamic winter theme (£1.59/€1.99)Videos (PS3)

Special Offers

PS3 Game

• Hamsterball (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)
• Smash Cars (Was £11.99/€14.99 – Now £6.49/€7.99)
• Magic Orbz (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)
• Cuboid (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)
• Sky Fighter (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)
• Mahjong Tales (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)
• Interpol (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)
• Ricochet (Was £6.29/€7.99 – Now £3.19/€3.99)

Minis

• Gold Fever (Was £3.99/€ 4.99 – Now £1.74/€ 1.99)
• Rocks N Rockets (Was £3.99/€ 4.99 – Now £1.74/€ 1.99)
• Panda Craze (Was £2.49/€ 2.99 – Now £1.74/€ 1.99)
• Shapo (Was £2.49/€ 2.99 – Now £1.74/€ 1.99)
• Caterpillar (Was £2.49/€ 2.99 – Now £1.74/€ 1.99)

PSone

• Final Fantasy V (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99) – 100% discount for PS Plus members!
• Final Fantasy VI (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)*
• Final Fantasy VII (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)*
• Final Fantasy VIII (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)*
• Final Fantasy IX (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)*

*PS Plus members will receive an extra 10% off Final Fantasy titles except for Final Fantasy V which has a 100% discount!

PSP Power Sale

• Sonic Rivals 1 (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £4.79/€5.99)
• Sonic Rivals 2    (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £4.79/€5.99)
• Crazy Taxi: Fare Wars (Was £11.99/€14.99 – Now £6.49/€7.99)
• Crush (Was £11.99/€14.99 – Now £6.49/€7.99)
• Super Monkey Ball Adventure    (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £4.79/€5.99)
• Dissidia: Final Fantasy (Was £14.99/€24.99 – Now £9.99/€11.99)
• Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy – Prologus (Was £2.39/€2.99 – Now £1.19/€1.49)
• Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy (Was £27.99/€34.99 – Now £13.99/€17.99)
• Final Fantasy (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)
• Final Fantasy II (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)
• Final Fantasy IV: Complete Collection (Was £27.99/€34.99 – Now £13.99/€17.99)
• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions (£7.99/€9.99 – Now £3.99/€4.99)

*PS Plus members will receive an extra 10% off Final Fantasy titles

Videos

• Bigger Than You Think!’
• Aliens Colonial Marines – Contact Trailer
• Hitman: Absolution – A Personal Contract
• Need For Speed : The Run Italian Pack Trailer

Permanent Price Drop

• Premier Manager 2012 (Was £13.99/€17.99- Now £9.99/€12.99)
• A Bug’s life and Monster’s Inc. (PS1 store bundle) (Was £7.99/€9.99 – Now £5.49/€6.99)
• Little Mermaid 2 & Winnie the Pooh (PS1 store bundle) (Was £6.29/€7.99 – Now £5.49/€6.99)

FAQ

1.    Where is the Gotham City Imposters Beta?
A.    On the store today. Enjoy!

2.    Are we getting anymore avatars soon e.g. for MGS, Resident Evil etc?
A.    We are working with the publishers to get some more out to you. A batch of MGS avatars land today!

During the maintenance, you will be unable to access the following services:

• PlayStation Store on PS3 and PSP.
• PlayStation Network Account Management.
• PlayStation Network Account Registration.

In addition, you will not be able to sign in to PlayStation Network from eu.playstation.com. If you wish to play online during the maintenance, then you may be able to do so if you sign in to PSN before 14:00 on Thursday 2 February 2012.

During this maintenance, you can continue to collect in-game trophies and these will be updated on your profile once PlayStation Network is back up and running.

If you have any questions about this down time, feel free to visit the official PlayStation Forums at community.eu.playstation.com where you can post your query and a member of the moderation team will get back to you.

For the latest maintenance updates, visit the PlayStation Blog at blog.eu.playstation.com, keep an eye on our Facebook page at facebook.com/SonyPlayStation and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/PlayStationEU.

We know your appetites for destruction are growing as we draw closer to Twisted Metal’s release, so we’re pleased to announce that the Twisted Metal Multiplayer Beta goes live on the PlayStation Store this afternoon! Once the beta hits the Store, you’ll get a taste of Twisted Metal’s online play with:

• 8 vehicles to choose from, each with their own unique special weapons.
• 2 multiplayer modes: Classic free-for-all Death Match, and team-based Nuke mode—a Twisted take on Capture the Flag that’s brand new to the series.
• Challenge mode, where you can practice with each vehicle to hone your destructive skills.

Be sure to try out all the vehicles and modes available in the multiplayer beta and let us know your favourites. Servers will be up today and until February 7th, so you’ve got a week to practice – Get killin’!

To celebrate the recent launch of Novus Prime: Vindication in PlayStation Home, our friends at Hellfire Games are offering zero-gravity Spacewalking for FREE inside the Novus Prime space station through the end of this week! Simply warp to Novus Prime from the Action District, activate Spacewalk at the centre of the station, and float around weightlessly indoors (and outside in space!) for free until February 5th.

Be sure to check out all the fresh content and free rewards in the newly released Novus Prime: Vindication expansion while you’re there!

Granzella bring us some more Edo era inspired clothing with Japanese Yukatas, while in Threads and Alter Ego you can find a selection of classic period costumes. Slip into the guise of an Old West Gunslinger, or show your love for the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s with classics such as the Flapper, the Zoot Suit, and the 1940s Gal. Go for maximum bling with Don Dynamite or Madame Firefly costumes, or float mystically through Home on a magic carpet. There’s also some more contemporary clothing including sharp suits and new hairstyles to keep your avatar on trend.

This week sees the departure of the Go Fish game from Shopping Mall East after it’s been reeling in the punters for a good few months. Yet, fear not young fishermen and women, the Go Fish game will continue in its very own apartment! Available in Estates now!

Look forward to the Lockwood Valentines Update throughout February! Win prizes in the Show Off Competition. This time it’s a romantic theme; get ready for your First Date and let Lockwood know about it – more details coming soon! The Showcase has a Spring time facelift with 6 new hidden rewards and 5 new Valentines themed gifts cropping up in the Gift Machine along with some old favourites.

See you in PlayStation Home!

And so by popular demand, we update at the beginning of the month and bring you one of the best months yet for PlayStation Plus.

First of all, we have a brand new PSN title for you at no extra cost, The Simpsons Arcade. The year – 1991. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to chase down the nefarious Smithers, who has kidnapped Maggie! Play as either Homer, Bart, Marge or Lisa and track him down before it’s “too late”, (too late for what I’m not entirely sure…) and save the day! The Simpsons Arcade will be available until the 29th February, so make sure you grab it in the first 4 weeks of this refresh.

More freebies too in the shape of Hungry Giraffe, the latest mini from our friends at Laughing Jackal and the iPhone hit, Farm Frenzy. Oh and a little something from Square-Enix in the shape of Final Fantasy V, as we have previously mentioned.

We also have a series of discounts that will be coming and going this month so I want you all to pay attention to the Store updates – we’ve got a discount this week on Rayman: Origins, next week we’ll be giving you a great deal on Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment for all you RPG fans and later in the month you’ll be getting half-off on each of the Splinter Cell HD titles (perfect for filling the gaps if you didn’t get yourself the trilogy). Sonic Adventure, Sonic’s first proper 3D outing is also available at 50% off this month for Plus subscribers and if you’ve already got it or are thinking of picking it up, you’ll be pleased to know that the DX Upgrade that makes Sonic Adventure all the more adventurous is available to you all at no cost. More from SEGA as we have a sizeable discount on the new PSN release of House of the Dead 3, complete with a new resolution and Move support.

I can also let you know that we’ll be adding a few more title trials to your library, as well as launching a category in Plus where you can get access to all the Dynamic themes we’ve released exclusively for you guys.

And of course, it’s Valentine’s Day on the 14th! Here at PlayStation Plus to show that we love* you, from the 15th February until the 22nd February, Far Cry 2, the open-world FPS/regime change-based malaria simulator, is included as part of your subscription – so grab it while you can before it’s gone!

That’s it – keep an eye out for a few extra surprise discounts and bits and pieces, as ever.

*Disclaimer: PlayStation Plus is an abstract concept and does not actually love you. It just thinks of you as a good friend.

PlayStation Plus Content

Content and offers are available until March 7th, 2012, unless otherwise stated. Content may be added or removed, or move dates – please stay tuned to your weekly Store Update for the most up to date listings. Listed savings are approximate, based on SRP in Euros (may vary by currency) excluding Special Offer pricing and should be considered as a guide only:

From February 1st:

• The Simpsons Arcade – 100% off

You save £7.99/€9.99

• Final Fantasy V (PSone Classic) – 100% off

You save £7.99/€9.99

• Hungry Giraffe (minis) – 100% off

You save £2.49/€2.99

• Farm Frenzy (minis) – 100% off

You save £2.49/€2.99

• Sonic Adventure – 50% off

You save £3.15/€4.00

• Sonic Adventure DX Upgrade – 100% off

You save £3.19/€3.99

• Rayman: Origins – 50% off until 08/02/12

You save £24.00/€30.00

Second Chance Offer!:

SEGA Megadrive Classics:

• Sonic the Hedgehog – 100% off
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – 100% off
• Golden Axe – 100% off
• Streets of Rage 2 – 100% off
• Altered Beast – 100% off
• Comix Zone – 100% off

You save £24.00/€30.00

• Jellybeans Dynamic Theme – 100% off

You save £1.59/€1.99

• Skulls Dynamic Theme – 100% off

You save £1.59/€1.99

• Rayman: Origins Globox Toe-Grab Avatar – 100% off
• Rayman: Origins Darktoon Avatar – 100% off
• Rayman: Origins Baby Dragon Avatar – 100% off

You save £1.20/€1.50

Still to come later this month:

• Far Cry 2 – 100% off for one week

You save £15.99/€19.99

• Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment – 75% off

You save £7.50/€9.75

• House of the Dead 3 (Move) – 30% off for two weeks

You save £1.45/€1.79

• Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory – 50% off for one week

You save £12.00/€15.00

Please note: additional offers may become available throughout the month. Keep an eye on the Plus section of the PlayStation Store and the weekly Store update posts for more information.

SPEED CREATE by Mnniska

A new fan-created video series called SpeedCreate. Love the new approach and helpful tips/ideas passed along to the rest of us.

Thanks!

LittleBigPodcast – Episode 156 and Muppets DLC

Thanks for keeping us updated on the latest!

Speaking of the Muppets, the new DLC is available NOW! Here’s a look at the trailer…

Make sure to pick up the level pack to gain access to new levels, stickers, sounds and a cool new tool! Also it includes the Rowlf the Dog costume, my personal favourite Muppet… who’s yours?

The 2011 Sackies – Nominations Needed!

With the Golden Globes behind us and the Oscars coming up soon, awards season now here in full force, so it’s time for our own special LBP awards, called The Sackies – and we need your help. Check out how you can help nominate the best levels out there via LBP.me – just find the level and look for the special Sackies nomination feature at the top of each level. Nominations will be closed on Feb 6th, and then voting will begin and go until Feb 20th with winners scheduled to be announced the week after. So, nominate your favourite levels now!

Sackboy takes an award Home

Speaking of awards, last month Sackboy won the best PlayStation Home Companion of 2011 award over at Alphazone4. Almost 1000 people voted and Sackboy came out top so we just want to thank everyone who took the time, we hope he continues to entertain.

Other LBP News…

LBPCentral Community Spotlight Episode 76

Thanks for the round-up. This episode highlights a handful of new games uploaded recently:

• InterKinetic
• The Hollows of Thronwood Thicket
• Super Special Awesome Christmas Level
• A Christmas Tale: Santa ClaWs is Jelly
• Escape from the Mines!
• Sealed Fate – Chapter 1
• Aeon Quest
• El Guero’s Disembodied Genius
• The Cillian Saga part 2
• The Ruins of Kalahr

Exciting Times at Media Molecule

• Happy belated Birthday to Mm (Jan 4th) – click on over to the Communities’ B-DAY card and add your own special message to Mm

• Mm Podcast 15 – New Year’s Resolutions

…More Thank Yous…

And a special thanks to everyone in the community that act as our eyes and ears on the interwebs for the rest of the community to enjoy, including LittleBigLand, LBP2Blog, LittleBigPicks, RocketCheetah, and many many more!

Vita Rooms

With the PlayStation Vita launching next month we’ll be holding an event in London from the 17th through to the 23rd to allow everyone a chance to get some hands-on time with the lovely new device. Oh yeah and LBP will be there! Sign up on the PlayStation Access Facebook page to keep up to date and apply for an invite to the VIP night.

We’ve been running similar events in Manchester and Glasgow over the last couple of weeks and they’ve been great, we’ve really enjoyed meeting everyone and showing off the game. Hope to see even more fans at the London event.

Hungry Giraffe is our first foray into the endless climbing genre and is based on the experiences* of one particular giraffe who – bored of the foliage of the acacia tree – decided to stretch out his neck to reach the burgers floating in the sky.  Using the calories from the burgers to make his neck even longer, he moved from burger to french fries, taco to sandwich, on a desperate quest to stuff his face.

Of course our giraffe friend had to be wary of several hazards floating in the sky. After all, an anvil to the head seldom does anyone any good and as for poison, well, would you want clean up when a 1200 kg giraffe loses its lunch?  Unprescribed drugs are also best avoided, as human medicine tends to have strange hallucinogenic properties when taken by giraffes.

Of course this is a game and not a documentary, so we’ve added a few special touches to this real life story**.  Hungry Giraffe features some touches of our own, such as stat tracking and achievements.  Even more amazingly, the technical wizards (hello Paul!) here at Laughing Jackal have come up with a clever system allowing the PS3 version of the game to run at a higher resolution than the PSP allows, so those of you who like to play your games on a nice big shiny screen are in for a visual treat!

Join us!

You can find out more about Laughing Jackal, or subscribe to our weekly Blog’s RSS feed at our website: www.laughingjackal.co.uk

You can also find us under @LaughingJackal on Twitter, under Laughing Jackal Ltd. on Facebook, under Laughing Jackal on Google + and watch cool vids on our LaughingJackalGames Youtube Channel.

*These experiences may not have occurred.
** This really, really didn’t happen.

If you could reach out and touch this week’s episode of Access TV it would feel small, sleek and curiously curvy. That’s right, episode 18 of Access is on YouTube now, and it’s decidedly PlayStation Vita-shaped, with our headline spot devoted to showing off the tricks, tech and awesome launch titles of the glorious new handheld. Check out the likes of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Little Deviants and Reality Fighters right now.

And it doesn’t end there. We’ve also got a report from the first PS Vita Rooms event in Manchester, where gamer crowds joined a packed line-up of celebs and performers in checking out the machine (and if you like what you see, make a date in your diary for the last PS Vita Rooms in London next month).

It’s hard to top Manchester for glamour locations, but the team managed it this week with a visit to Rome, where we caught up with Vigil Games honcho and comic book star Joe Madureira about his work on Darksiders II.

As ever we’ve also got a round-up of the biggest PlayStation news and a guide to the best of the Store, which this week include a chat with the guys behind PS Vita’s WipEout 2048 and the long-awaited assassinate-’em-up Hitman: Absolution.

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