A recent auction for a new-in-box copy of Earthbound revealed a level of Earthbound fandom rivaling Starmen.net (of which the high bidder was probably a frequent visitor!) The boxed SNES game, originally acquired by eBay seller dave2236 for $25, ended up selling for $1,025.01, or 128.17 times what a Virtual Console download would cost.The big cardboard box that Earthbound came in was never "factory sealed" in the traditional sense, so unlike most "sealed" games, it would be possible to (carefully) open and play this game and look through the player's guide without causing any physical damage. But we can guarantee that will not happen.[Via GoNintendo]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Michael Pachter, analyst for Wedbush Morgan, isn't freaking out, and he wants you to know that you shouldn't be either. He notes, while speaking on the subject of March NPD numbers, that even though the month saw hardware sales numbers drop across the board, that really has more to do with extraordinary sales for all comparable months. Speaking with GameSpot, Pachter said, "It's entirely possible that we were just up against an impossible comparison ... we're looking at a comparison to Grand Theft Auto IV in April, so it's likely that April will be down as well," referring to the release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl in March of 2008 and the subsequent month's GTAIV. What he does find worrisome, however, is declining Wii software sales after a year of strong console sales, reportedly doubling the system's installed-base. "Given that the installed base of Wii consoles has doubled in the past year, we find it remarkable (and somewhat disconcerting) that Wii software sales were actually down year-over-year in March, dropping by $72 million, or 26 percent." Pachter doesn't see the future as grim though, pointing out that this summer's release of Wii MotionPlus and Wii Sports Resort should put some wind back in Nintendo's sales sails. We'll just have to wait 'til August NPDs are released to find out!Source 1 - GameDailySource 2 - GameSpotPermalink | Email this | Comments

Get used to it now, because you're going to read the Pac-Man / Katamari comparison a lot regarding Namco Bandai's The Munchables for Wii. Check out this latest trailer and you'll instantly see why. Essentially, the goal of the game is to eat everything in sight -- that's the Pac-Man part, see -- which in turn causes the main character to grow larger -- and there's the Katamari part. Watch closely and you'll even notice areas that require players to reach a specific size before they can be accessed, which is also similar to Katamari. The opening cinematic also shares some of Katamari's distinctive eccentricity.On a side note, we're really digging the old-school cartoon sound effects employed by the game. They really help to offset the grisly reality that this thing is eating every living creature in its vicinity ... and it's the good guy.[Via Go Nintendo]
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When we play our DS in public, we occasionally like to pretend its a PDA, just so we look like grown-ups. To complete the illusion, we'll often say things like "Ugh, I have so many business appointments in my PDA" or "Ugh, why can't I find Johnson's phone number in my PDA?"While we love these custom game-themed styli like a Trauma Center scalpel or Link's Master Sword, if there's a quicker way to tip people off that you're not sending a business email, we haven't seen it.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments