No system launch is ever completely smooth, but the 
last thing a company wants to hear are reports that its new product is crashing when it gets in the hands of consumers.
Nintendo is in that uncomfortable situation, however, as a small number of new 3DS owners are discovering a bug causing an error screen — or worse, making the screen go completely dark.
Rockstar Games has been edging towards a Hollywood
model for quite some time now, but the film community is finally taking notice.
The Tribeca Film Festival will present a one-hour gameplay session of “L.A. Noire” at this year’s event, followed by a question and answer session. Scheduled to take place April 25, this is the first time the festival has recognized a video game.
Nintendo has some pretty loyal fans – but none of 
them can compete with Isaiah ‘Triforce’ Johnson.
Johnson was the first person in America to buy a 3DS when they went on sale Sunday, waiting for five chilly days outside a Manhattan Best Buy to claim those bragging rights. As signs of dedication go, it’s a pretty hard one to top — until you realize that five years ago, he spent more than 200 hours in line to be the first to buy a Wii.
Veteran game journalist and Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris 
examines NPD’s moves to limit media access to U.S. video game sales figures, stating NPD “could be undercutting its own relevancy.”
I get why The NPD Group has been clamping down on distribution of its data recently. I really do.
But I’m starting to worry that as the company keeps an eye on its bottom line, it could be undercutting its own relevancy at a time when it’s already under assault.
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars 3D is a game that comes so, so close to
being terrific. The story is fun, even if you don’t follow the cartoon series and don’t grasp its nuances. And the puzzle solving elements are fantastic. Using the characters at your disposal to figure out how to progress is challenging, but never frustrating. Where it falls short, though, is in its save features. Levels are long — with some lasting 30 minutes — and you cannot save the game mid-level. Given the rather weak battery life of the 3DS, that can be problematic for players who don’t have that long to dedicate to the game. And with the 3D effects turned on, looking at the screen for a period that long can result in severe eye fatigue. A simple save at will or autosave feature would boost the game tremendously. As it is, it’s still one that’s worth your time — if you know what you’re getting into.
Warner Bros. is doubling down 
with Facebook.
Roughly three weeks after offering “The Dark Knight” for streaming via the social network, the studio has added five more films – including a trio of recent releases.
Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood moguls 
responsible for everything from the Scream franchise to last year’s Academy Award-winning The King’s Speech, are getting into the video game business.
The Weinstein Company announced plans Friday to launch TWC Games, its first entry into the interactive space. The company hopes to develop and publish games built around the deep selection of properties in catalogs owned by the Weinsteins and Dimension Films.
Rayman 2: The Great Escape is often cited as one of the best
games of all time — and it hasn’t lost a lot of its luster. The game, now called Rayman 3D, is reinvigorated by the 3DS’s 3D effects, which do a good job of simulating a world with depth. But the 3D effects can sometimes make the game a bit more difficult — and many players may feel eyestrain after playing for an extended period (or even a short one). While the gameplay elements are still a lot of fun, UbiSoft did not take advantage of many of 3DS features, such as the gyroscope or touch screen functionality, which is a bit baffling. Still, this is a fine port of a very good game — and one of the better launch titles for the 3DS.
While Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition is one of the best 
(and most elegant) multiplayer games to ever appear on a Nintendo platform, it’s worth remembering that this is, at its heart, the second update of a two year old game. That means the graphics aren’t as impressive as you might expect from a launch title for a system whose main selling point is its graphical differences. In 3D mode especially, the backgrounds appear incredibly static — almost cardboard-like.
At its core, though, the game remains a good fighter. The action moves quickly and there is a tremendous variety of moves among the large collection of characters. Finding a random online opponent is easy (though the matchmaking service isn’t fully up to snuff yet), as is connecting with friends. Fighting in the system’s 3D mode takes some getting used to, but it’s a nice (though unnecessary) addition, letting the characters stand out as they battle. Longtime fans of the series don’t need to buy yet another version, but for new 3DS owners looking for a quality game for older teens, this isn’t a bad choice.
Nintendo is one of the few, refreshing companies 
that constantly surprises you.
As Apple was mounting its assault on the portable gaming space, the Kyoto-based company threw gamers a curve, announcing plans for a new handheld system that would allow users to see images in stereoscopic 3D without the need for special glasses. It was a risky move, but it seems to be one that will pay off.
Chris Morris: Journalist 