Well this confirms it: Bizarre Creations would like to ensure that I don't get anything done. Ever.

As if it weren't bad enough that I were being trashed talked about my Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 scores via Twitter, the developer has now put the leaderboards online. So now I can access my scores right in my web browser, the place in which I do nearly all of my work. Apologies to my boss in advance: I'm not getting anything done today. 

Leaderboards can be sorted by all of Retro Evolved 2's six gametypes, and you can even plug your gamertag in to see where you rank. Fortunately, it doesn't seem possible to compare your scores to those on your friends list. Look like you'll have to turn on the game for that one.

Speaking of which, I have someone's "Waves" score that I need to crush ...

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 came out this week, and if you happened to downloaded it, chances are you've become madly addicted to the game. It really is that good.

The video above is a behind-the-scenes look at Bizarre Creations and how they went to great lengths to make sure Geometry Wars 2 turned out the way it did.

This isn't your average "making of" video, so don't skip over it. Even if you aren't a fan of the series, you're going to find the clip to be pretty funny.

[Via GamerBytes]

One of the things we were really excited about when we originally reported on Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 was the fact that the game appeared to have four-player cooperative play. Recently, Xbox360Fanboy got word from Microsoft that the new Geometry Wars’ cooperative play will not be available online. So, that means you and three other friends are going to have to chill on a couch together and shoot pretty lasers.

The reason for the lack of online co-op was that the game is too busy to work well over the Internet. Again, my heart has been broken. I usually don’t mind playing a game with a person while physically in the same room, but Geometry Wars has become a sort of spiritual experience to me that I can only share with strangers. It’s like yoga, except with house music and fireworks.

Are you guys disappointed by the news as well? I know the majority of the Destructoid staff was nearly in tears earlier. Perhaps we can wait for a Wii port that will feature some online play?

On April 3, the Australian Government went ahead and tossed up classification for Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2. While many of us have had dreams of its announcement, that game has yet to be revealed. So here we go: Geometry Wars Retro Evolved 2 confirmed!

Based on the game's entry in the classification database, we can deduce a few things about the game. It's listed as being multi-platform, and since it's being published by Activision, they're probably not kidding; expect to see the game on one or nine consoles. The game was also given the "G" or "General" classification, which means that the sequel to the popular Xbox LIVE Arcade title will not feature blood or profanity as many had speculated. 

All in all, this is good news. Geometry Wars, at its core, has proven to be a good game whether it be on XBLA, PC, Nintendo DS, Wii, and even mobile phones. Unless the game is designed to cause seizures, I have little doubt that this game (once officially announced) will land on many gamer's most wanted lists.

[Thanks, Power-Glove!]

Like Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved in PGR 3, Waves will be playable on the virtual free standing arcade cabinet located in your garage. The title looks like it will play identical to previous Geometry Wars titles, but will contain new enemies and enemy patterns. Oh, and then there's the new music, which will likely haunt you for months.

Geometry Wars: Waves has not been announced as an Xbox LIVE Arcade title, and will only be available on the PGR 4 disc when it ships. Is Waves worth $59.99? I guess it depends on how big of a Geometry Wars fan you are; I heard it comes with a pretty decent racing game.

Bizarre Creations has revealed to UK gaming Web site Pro G that the upcoming Xbox 360 racer, Project Gotham Racing 4, will ship with a new version of Geometry Wars.

Called Geometry Wars: Waves, the game will be exclusive to the retail game, and will not be available on Xbox Live Arcade. According to Bizzarre Creations, Waves will not be a true sequel, but will be based on Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved.

Could this be a co-op version of the game? New enemies? New modes? Who cares -- it's a new version of Geometry Wars, and it comes with a free copy of Project Gotham Racing 4! Can't ask for much more, can you?

Despite a sequel for the 360 being hinted at recently, it seems all eyes are on the Wii version of the smash XBLA hit, Geometry Wars. And why shouldn't they be? With brilliant marketing like the above video, I involuntarily rushed out to the store to buy the game only to realize it's 2:30 am and the game doesn't even come out for another three months.

Still, I triple-dog dare you to watch the whole commercial and not want to buy something and / or slit your wrists.

[Thanks to TheGoldenDonut for being called TheGoldenDonut.]

Add this to the list of reasons why I hate that Sprint is my wireless carrier: Verizon Wireless and Sony BMG Music Entertainment have announced that the mobile version of Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, will be available exclusively on Get It Now-capable phones. 

The mobile version of the game (creatively titled Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved Mobile) utilizes four- or eight-way buttons, as well as the keypad for maneuvers. The game will also feature leaderboards and eight brand new gameplay modes: Untouchable, Suvivor, Monster, Trenches, Speed, Multiplier, Feline, and Bomber.

The game can be "rented' monthly for $3.49, or Verizon Wireless customers can outright purchase the game for $6.49. Any Verizon Wireless customers want to take the dive and give us a yay or a nay on the first portable version of the Xbox 360's system seller?

Word out of Kotaku, who demoed Geometry Wars Galaxies on the Wii, is that it is sure to bring a smile to your face. For starters, this version is about 60 times bigger than the one we all played on XBLA (Evolved). Also, borrowing a bit from Mass Effect, levels are found on different planets that you zoom in and out of, and you have the choice concerning just which galaxy you wish to journey to. In an interesting twist, the gaming grids and physics will vary depending on the planet chosen, and a feeling of being pulled by varying levels of gravity, a.k.a. current, is noticeable.

Thankfully, the Wiimote laser sight seems to work marvelously, and is said to be quick and responsive. This comes in handy, when facing new enemies like "The Mutator," who seems to have a bad habit of mutating innocuous triangles and squares into launchable red ninja stars that it flings at you.

The best news of all has to be that the Wii version of the game will offer you the chance to download Evolved to your DS using ad hoc WiFi. What about the DS, you say? Unfortunately they didn't get the chance to spend any face time with that version of the game, but were told that co-op was scrapped in favor of having players go head to head, Tetris style --  meaning that enemies will spawn on an opponent's screen if they get too far ahead of you in points.

And here some of you were all worried about Nintendo's showing thus far. Keep that Wiimote on standby, since good things are a-coming.

[Thanks BlindsideDork]

Vivendi has released some new screens of the Wii's new killer-app, Geometry Wars Galaxies, and there's definitely a few things to note if you're paying attention. 

First of all, it pretty much looks like Geometry Wars as it's been presented on Xbox Live Arcade and the PC. But Geometry Wars fanatics will notice what appears to be some new biohazard geometry (which hopefully means we'll hear "Tears of Blood" somewhere on the soundtrack), among others. And last but not least, it looks as if a counter has that keeps track of how many enemies ("Geoms") you've blasted.

In case you didn't know, Geometry Wars is just a really great game. It's about a simple as a game can get, too -- you move a ship around with one analog stick, and you shoot with the other. You get bombs which you can deploy to destroy all and any of the game's eight enemies that appear on the screen. That's it. It's nice. 

I certainly hope adding new "geoms," motion controls, and a single player campaign doesn't tarnish the core experience. But really, I think you'd have to actually try very hard to ruin Geometry Wars ... it's that good. 

Bizzare Creations' Geometry Wars is everywhere -- on your XBLA, Windows XP, Wii and DS -- and Steam, Valve's Golden Boy digital distribution service. With all of the other options availble to play that math-hating jumble of shmupy goodness, why should any body care about the Steam version? Well, because, like a good whore, its cheaper than all the rest.

Let's see ... you can pay for a fully-priced Wii or DS version, MSN Games version for $8, the original XBLA title for about $5, or give your hard-earned $2.50 to Steam. (You'd better hurry though -- the price jumps up to $3.95 Friday, which is sitll cheaper than XBLA.) If you don't have XBLA, there's no excuse not to snatch this hot piece up.

This, however, raises another question. Why is digital distribution to Microsoft as exclusive titles are to Sony? Ok, that's pretty flimsy, but think about this: Steam is in almost direct competition with Microsoft's Games for Windows, each of them providing digital content.

However, when Capcom signed on with Steam, Lost Planet went with it, and Geometry Wars is the second Xbox game in the past week to do this. Granted, Lost Planet will hit Games for Windows later this month, but why even give people the option of giving their money to another comany? No word yet on whether or not Geometry Wars will eventually end up on GFW.

What do you guys think? Are achivements and gamerscore enough to keep you loyal to Microsoft? Or are you going to get your shmup fix the cheapest way possible?

[Courtesy of Joe "Had to change my Gmail account" Burling, as well as Clogger extrodinaire, Tempus]

Shapes are the worst things in the world, and every time I see one I just want to blast it into oblivion. I've always been thankful that Geometry Wars allowed me the chance to unleash a most hypnotic genocide upon neon versions of the scumbags. Once, I even got over 100,000 points ... and then died soon after. Perhaps the Kuju developed Wii and DS versions of the title, collectively known as Geometry Wars: Galaxies, will yield better results. Either way, we have some new details on the game for you.

We already know about the single player campaign and can hazard a guess as to the terrifying scenarios that the remote and nunchuck control style shall deliver, but now a few tidbits have arisen, bringing some more information to light. Firstly, as well as the new campaign, you'll be getting the Xbox Live Arcade version, Retro Evolved, should you have missed out on XBLA's most popular game. Second, and more importantly, there'll be an online scoreboard. It's not spectacular, but it's another game that does something with the Wii's barely useful Wi-Fi connection.

You'll also be getting multiplayer co-op for your money, though naturally this doesn't look like it's going to be online as of this story, because that's just how Nintendo rolls - insanely. You will, however, be able to link the DS and Wii versions together to unlock sewper dewper bonuses. That of course, is far superior to an online co-op mode. Maybe we'll still get it before this hits store shelves in the fall. It'd very suddenly justify paying out cash for a new version of the game.

[Thanks to tehuberone, who is super sexy, gets all the chicks and who has a bigger wang than Jim Sterling] 

Yeah, I know -- the title of this is absolutely ludicrous. First of all, what drought? Secondly, am I saying that the Xbox 360 system seller, Geometry Wars, is coming to not one, but two Nintendo platforms? Impossible!

Nintendo Power is reporting that Kuju Entertainment (the folks behind the GameCube game that was supposed to be Advanced Wars: Under Fire, Battalion Wars) will be bringing Geometry Wars: Galaxies to the Nintendo DS and Wii. Each will have system specific controls (touch and motion, respectively) and are being designed exclusively with Nintendo's systems in mind.

But it gets even crazier than that, because they're also reporting that the game will have a single-player campaign (say what?), as well as (are you sitting down?) multiplayer modes. The games will also contain the greatest game of this generation, Retro Evolved, for fans of the original.

And just when you thought it was going to start getting easier to find a Nintendo Wii ...

[Via Buttonbasher]