Nurikabe is a square-painting numerical puzzler from Breakpoint. The premise of the game is this: Dr. Tetsuo's lab need is in need of renovation. Genius that he is, Dr. Tetsuo can't help but make a menial and tedious task more mind-boggling than it usually is, so he came up with the idea to repaint his lab according to the rules of a game called Nurikabe.

The player gets a board of empty squares with a few numbers scattered about. The object of the game is to paint all the squares either white or blue, using the following rules:

• The numbers are islands which show how many white squares make up the island (including the number square)
• The islands can form any shape
• Islands cannot touch (the white square of one cannot touch the side of the white square of another)
• The islands must be separated by blue squares which must form one continuous wall (every blue square must touch the sides of at least two other blue squares)
• Blue squares cannot form a block 2x2 or bigger
• There is only one solution

Seems like a handful, don't it? Leave it to a genius (sounds more like "mad scientist" to us) to make us get a brain workout. If you like numerical puzzle games such as Sudoku, give Nurikabe a spin. It won't disappoint.

Fresh from the Leipzig Games Convention come these four new screens of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for DS. Link's newest adventure is currently slated for a Q4 2006 release and will feature the obvious touch-screen controls, puzzles, and lots of action.

Controlled almost entirely by the stylus, Phantom Hourglass has Link washed up unconscious on the shores of a mysterious island. He is awakened by the sound of a fairy’s voice, and with the aid of this fairy, he sets off to find Tetra (known to players from Wind Waker), who has disappeared while exploring an abandoned ship.

There's gonna be a whole lot of fairies floating around in November. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has just announced three new Winx Club titles: Winx Club: Join the Club for the PSP and Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex for the Nintendo DS and the GBA. This will be the first time that Winx Club will make an appearance on the PSP and DS.

Winx Club: Join the Club for the PSP lets players take full control of the Winx Club as they continue their fight against the evil Lord Darkar. Players can embark on the story-based adventure or choose to play mini-games based on obstacle courses, spell casting, and skiing. Players can also trade items via local wireless connection.

In the DS version, Winx Club: The Quest for the Codex, players will experience the game's story through a series of side-scrolling flying segments, using their magical powers to blast stuff all the way to oblivion. The DS touch screen will be used to switch between characters mid-game, allowing players to use each character's unique abilities to solve puzzles and defeat opponents.

If you have a little sister (named Michael, Mark, or Viktor perhaps?) who's into the whole Winx Club franchise, you might think about buying her these games. Release date is November, just in time to avoid the Christmas rush.

We hold the right hand of doom in this interview with Paul Armatta, Producer at Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. Won't you come on in and read the entire interview after the jump?

QJ: How are Mike Mignola and Guillermo Del Toro involved with production?

Armatta: Before we even started working on the game, we had a chance to speak with Mike and Guillermo on the phone. We discussed the developer we were thinking about using for the game and our general ideas for the type of game we wanted to make. We all agreed that we wanted to create game that would appeal to Hellboy fans and give them a unique experience that was based in the Hellboy universe, but was not just like the comics or the film or the animated movies.

They also suggested that  we look at the Conqueror Worm book for settings, storylines, and characters. Without telling us much about the Hellboy II movie script, they indicated that the Conqueror Worm would give us a place to start, and we wouldn't have to worry about duplicating anything they were thinking about for the next movie. Since then, they've given us direction and feedback on the story, settings  and artwork on a regular basis.

Want some bargains? Then you've come to the right place. If you've got 30 bucks to spend on a good game, then you might wanna think about getting Tomb Raider: Legend for the 360. Best Buy's selling 'em for $29.99.

In Legend, Lara embarks on another globetrotting adventure as she searches for an ancient and mysterious artifact. Hmm. All ancient artifacts in games and movies and stuff are mysterious, aren't they? And it also works the other way around: all mysterious artifacts are ancient.

Anyway, Legend has all the usual Tomb Raider goodies -- puzzles, acrobatics, and huge... things -- plus improved graphics and an enhanced interactive game environment. The game is from Eidos Interactive and has been stamped with a T rating by the ESRB.

Atari released seven new screenshots for their upcoming game Arthur and the Minimoys. The game is based on the movie that will be released at about the same time (directed by Luc Bession) as the game's. The movie, in turn, is based on a book, which was also written by the director.

The game revolves around Arthur and his two friends, Selenia and Bétamèche. They enter the world of the Minimoys and are supposed to save the Minimoys from certain death (some evil guy is going to blow it up or something). Gameplay is about the three characters and their unique abilities. Both in the puzzles and the standard battles you'll have to figure out which of the three abilities you need to use. The game also features scenes from the movie, in which voices of celebrities like David Bowie, Madonna and Snoop Dogg can be heard.

The game will be released on November 24 this year, on PSP, DS, PS2, PC, GBA, and mobile phones.

  
  
 

Most of us wouldn't have expected Lego Star Wars to be met by so much critical acclaim when it was first released. Now, as the game's getting a original trilogy-based sequel on home consoles and the PC, the franchise is about to hit mobile phones as well. Putting it's focus on the events of Episode III again, where Obi-Wan and Anakin attempt to rescue chancellor Palpatine, the cellphone version is an action adventure in a top-down perspective. Players take up the role of Skywalker, fighting their way through droid armies on the separatist's flagship.

It seems it wasn't quite possible for the developers to retain the blocky Lego charm of the "big" games; with such a small resolution to work with, not every detail can fit in. Nonetheless, the graphics are quite cute and clean while still reminding players that they're playing a Star Wars game.

Aside from the constant action, players will also be faced with a number of puzzles, most of which are obviously based on usage of the force. Other classic film inspirations include the ability to block laser fire with the lightsaber, sending it back at the enemy forces.

Much like it's parent games, Lego Star Wars for mobiles is designed as a lightweight and fun experience. As such, it won't take most players more than two hours to beat. All in all, it seems to be a decent transition of a full-fledged console game to mobile phones and should be worth trying out.

In a galaxy far, far away LucasArts reveals the box art for LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy game for the Nintendo DS. A comic take on the original Star Wars Trilogy - A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi - it takes you on an adventure as you follow the Rebel Alliance's battle against the Galactic Empire, to the infamous Dark Vader's pursuit of Princess Leia to a Death Star showdown all in classic LEGO style.

This time around in Free Play mode, players can awaken their inner Frankenstein, as they can customize more than 50 new playable characters by mixing and matching body parts. This feature plus by using a game save from the first LEGO Star Wars, gamers have access to more than 100 characters. Other additions include character-specific attacks and maneuvers, Power Brick power-up items, playable mini-kits, an improved two-player camera, tougher puzzles, increased difficulty levels and more.

Atlus USA and Hudson Soft have joined forces to bring the action-adventure game Bomberman Land Touch! to Nintendo DS players. The game is scheduled to be released in early November 2006, so far it has not been rated by the ESRB although an E or E10+ rating is expected.

The game is is a family-friendly action-adventure packed with explosive excitement. In its Story Mode, explore Bomber Island while solving unique puzzles, chatting with rival characters, and engaging in 36 different one-to-four-player “attractions” with action, racing, sports, and other themes. In Attraction Mode, enjoy any of the attractions you’ve unlocked in the Story Mode. In the Battle Mode, play classic multiplayer Bomberman with two to eight players via Wireless Single-Card or Multi-Card Play, or two to four players via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

Bomberman Land Touch! Key Features:

• Touch Screen controls. Story Mode and Attraction Mode take full advantage of the Touch Screen and stylus.
• Colorful Cast of Characters. Besides everybody’s favorite, the classic Bomberman, there are tons of interesting characters to interact with.
• Up to 8-Player Wireless Single-Card Play. Attraction Mode and the Battle Mode both support multiplayer action with only one Game Card required!
• Incredible longevity! A 15-hour Story Mode, 36 stages in the Attraction Mode, and 20 stages in the Battle Mode. Bomberman Land Touch! Assets

  

Aside from being launched for PSP, Scooby Doo Who's Watching Who? will also be available for Nintendo DS. The gang from Mystery Inc. will be trying their unscientific methods of ghost detection in this all-new title for Ninty's handheld. The gameplay is loaded with different puzzles and lots of activities that entails outrunning from monsters. This game will see Mystery Inc is going on a ghost hunting contest against rival team GSI (Ghost Scene Investigators).

THQ now presents us with three screenshots of the game and the packshot for Europe. Scooby Doo Who's Watching Who? for DS will be released on October 3, along with the PSP version.