Before the days of the PSP and the DS, only one name came to mind when it came to portable gaming - the Nintendo Game Boy. Since its launch in 1989, the Game Boy made its mark in the gaming industry, pioneering a new level in portable gameplay. For its contributions and millions of satisfied users, the Museum of Play has now honored the handheld by including it in its National Toy Hall of Fame.

Electronic Arts has complied with the Federal Trade Commission's requirements and has submitted necessary information to allow the government probe against possible antitrust law violations. The company has also promised to take no actions in its takeover quest of rival Take-Two until late August, ensuring that the competition is safe for now. Full details after the jump.

EA's casual gaming division is poised to deliver an amped up version of the timeless board game Monopoly to the gaming world. They'll be releasing it this Fall and development is in full swing. We've got details in the full article up next.

There's been a lot of talk and clamor for a one-console future after the next-gens. This has been met with both anticipation and criticism alike. And it's no wonder, as a lot will change if the future only holds one console.

If a one-console future is inevitable, what could it mean for us, the consumers?

In the world of gaming industry trading, the latest word is that analyst Michael Pachter believes that GameStop should have purchased the retail chain Gamestation when it had a chance. He believes that GameStop missed an opportunity by not buying the chain, as consequently, it was purchased by the Game Group for £74 million.

The reason for this is quite simple, and Pachter gave a very good explanation why he feels that GameStop lost an opportunity.

They should be in the UK market, and instead of purchasing Gamestation and immediately being one-third the size of Game Group, they allowed Game Group to get bigger. If GameStop were to open 200 stores now, they would be a quarter the size of GAME. They could have been two-thirds the size of GAME by buying these stores and opening 200 more.

Now the increase in The Game Group's market share has certain individuals worried who believe that The Game Group may use their latest acquisition as additional leverage against game publishers. Pachter was quick to put down this rumor, stating that while the company has grown quite a bit, they still don't have enough of the UK market to make demands.

He discussed a worst case scenario where GAME will attempt to exert pressure on the game publishers, and as he explains it, publishers will simply sign exclusives to Wal-Mart or Dixon's. Now, Pachter mentions that the majority of Game's market is composed of hardcore gamers. If they run out of these titles, then gamers will turn to  the likes of Dixon's. He also pointed out that mass-market titles are not really the strong suit of the said company. His conclusion is simply that "If enough publishers shift supply away from them, GAME will learn to play ball in a hurry."

For now, it seems that a gaming distribution monopoly will not be happening in UK. However, the threat of that happening is always there.

 

Ben Kuchera likes to vote with his dollar, and with that, he prefers to keep the monopoly of gaming shops away from becoming "Only EBGameStop." It's why he prefers not to go into an EB Games or GameStop anytime soon. However, how do you deal with items exclusively up for sale only in a specific store chain?

That's the question he asks himself and others when it comes to gaming. In fact, it's already been happening with some titles, such as Chulip, Tenchu, and The Settlers:

Chulip—an offbeat game involving kissing—has been released in the US to the cheers of fans of quirky games. The only problem is that EBGameStop is going to be the only place to buy it. Strategy gamers will be annoyed to hear that The Settlers for the DS will also be an EBGameStop exclusive.

Sure, keeping games to yourself is sound business practice, but it's not particularly wonderful on the consumer end, and it also puts some strain on the backs of other game shops. The one thing Kuchera asks, and that we're hoping never happens, is this: Wouldn't you hate it if your favorite game was only available in one kind of store, which you never really were a fan of?

Now that we know who's going to be popping up for the festivities that is Nintendo's Mario Party 8, we'll be taking a look at this party's itinerary. Up ahead is an info sheet for the guys who would very much prefer a one-stop-shop for their game info. Make sure to read up on what to expect for the Wiimote's effects for gameplay - which is made more readily apparent in our featured gameplay videos. See you at the celebration hitting this March 5!

Wiimote functions:

• Play with motion control: Players row their way through a river race, punch a statue to pieces, steer race cars, mopeds and go-karts and handle a balancing pole while walking a tightrope.
• Play using the Pointer: Shoot at Boos in a haunted house, rag and drop toppings in a cake-decorating competition, select the correct answers in game show challenges.
• Play using the Wii Remote's buttons: Players jump and pummel their way through a football brawl, hop and run across a field of spinning platforms

The game's full details revealed after this jump!

Before videogames, there were the board games. Before the Mario Bros, there were the shoe, thimble, and the flat iron tokens (which never really made sense) from the best-selling commercial board game in the world, Monopoly. The godfather of board games has been entertaining approximately 750 million people since 1935, including Donald Trump no doubt.

Today, the 71-year-old game gets another new version in the special edition Nintendo Monopoly. It's the same game with a new look featuring iconic characters Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby, Star Fox, and Wario (notice that those seven characters are from seven of Nintendo's most popular video games).

Nintendo Monopoly retails for US$ 34.95 but the good memories you'll have playing the game with your family and friends will be priceless.