Look, when I think of Monster Hunter, the last thing I think about is the high school education system. Apparently I must be in the minority, as Capcom seems to think that Monster Hunter and education go hand in hand, which is why, in a move to preview Monster Hunter Tri for the Wii, they transformed a local club into a high school biology lab. Weird.

Considering Japan actually has classes on Monster Hunter, this isn't so surprising. So in between an actual lecture from Producer Ryozo Tsujimoto, tasty snakes and odd drinks, we had a chance to play the English language version of Monster Hunter Tri. Sure, it wasn't exactly like doing homework, but it was an educational experience. There's some very cool things Capcom hopes to bring to North American and European players, and it looks like they are going to follow through on them. Especially interesting? How about a successful online infrastructure, that's pretty damn cool. Hit the jump to find out more.

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Raised in a family of real-life defense attorneys, I've been interested in seeing how Capcom could take something as serious as law and transform it into a game. While I'm not that interested in buying them for the DS, I am certainly interested in checking them out when Capcom re-releases the first three Phoenix Wright games for WiiWare, at 1000 points each next Spring.

Those expecting something new from these ports are going to be disappointed. Other than the trademark "Objection!" pose you can make with the Wiimote (as opposed to yelling "objection" into a mic), sounds coming from the controller's speaker, and multiple save slots, that's all you're going to get that is different. These are straight up ports of the DS titles, but considering the price, it's not a bad deal. Hands on? It's Phoenix Wright, so you'll be dealing with all sorts of court room antics. While the lack of touchscreen options will irk somebody somewhere, normal people will not notice or care.

Sure, we can bitch about the lack of new content, massivly pixilated graphics, equally massive borders due to different screen ratios, and the odd fact that Capcom is releasing the DS exclusive mission from the first game as DLC at 100 Nintendo points. However, when you consider that you'll be able to get all three of the original Phoenix Wright games for $31, it really doesn't seem so bad. Expect the first Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney in January, Justice for All in March, and Trials and Tribulations in May. Fans of Apollo Justice, tough poopie, as it looks like Capcom has not decided to port that game to WiiWare. Maybe if this does well, Capcom can make a proper Ace Attorney game for a console in the future.

[Update: See picture of myself rocking the best Objection! you've ever seen]

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Earlier this week, Sony made an announcement that they would be holding another LittleBigPlanet Art Game Jam Session, this time for the PSP. Five teams of students from the School of Game Design from the Academy of Art Institute in San Francisco were challenged to create levels based on iconic elements of the city. They had 24 hours to create something fantastic, with the winning creation available day one for LittleBigPlanet PSP.

So how did they do? Well, given the choices of landmarks, the competition was pretty tough, even for new players to the game. The Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, the Cable Cars of Powell Street, Alcatraz, and the famous Victorian houses in the city were all inspiration for the teams. Moments after starting the 24-hour long design session, I chatted with some of the teams.

Some of the teams focused on telling a story, such as the the Golden Gate team. Member Justin Romprey mentioned that "[We have] A lot of ideas from Donkey Kong", while his teammate Joe Chung wanted to focus on trying to tell a story. Ultimately, while their creation did not win, their design of magnetic electrical taxis across the bridge was lauded.

In the end, it was the Cable Cars of Powell Street team that took home the grand prize of a PSP Go and digital copies of LittleBigPlanet PSP. Their design, which involved controlling a cable car up and over the hills of San Francisco, convinced the judges. While far from a polished masterpiece, the design showed enough promise that it will be available for download next week. Sony, far from leaving the other teams high and dry, gave every contestant a copy of the game. Sweet.

For as long as games have been a popular form of entertainment, they have always had to have a special trick. Sure, we don’t want to call it a “gimmick”, but there are always going to be some special something in a game to make it stand out from the pack.

Almost four years ago, Eidos released a game called Just Cause for the Xbox 360, Xbox, and PS2. Back then, the big selling point was the parachute mechanics coupled with the stunt system and the goal of over-throwing a corrupt island government set in the tropics The game went on from there. While far from perfect, it was a fun experience with neat ideas.

But it has been four years. Eidos is now in the process of transforming into Square Enix Europe, nobody would dream of down-porting a game to the original Xbox and PS2, and the 360 and PS3 are regularly put through their paces. Would Just Cause 2 even offer new stuff to wow gamers? It’s a whole new world, but it seems like developer Avalanche Studios is hoping to improved Just Cause 2 in an entirely cohesive way. Beside checking out Avalanche's live streaming of the game, hit the jump for my hands on.

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It's something many a geek has dreamed of. Being able to go where no man has gone before into an MMO based off Star Trek, where they can live long and prosper. If the game was good, they would hopefully find that resistance would be futile.

Heh.

Now that's out of the way, I'm sure you're ready to check out the state of the latest in MMO to come from Cryptic Studios, the guys behind Champions Online. Star Trek Online is obviously a game of total fanservice. With all the phasers, beaming, holograms, and drama that you could ask for, Star Trek Online has a lot for fans. But does it offer much for people who are only casual fans of Star Trek, or who may not like Star Trek at all? Hit the jump to make that decision.

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Hopefully, by now you've had a chance to check out my preview on Skate 3. Looks to be a fairly solid entry into the series, one fans are surely going to get a kick out of come next May.

Anyway, here's the trailer for the game. Looks like Skate, huh? I mean, I suppose I could talk about the obvious team based direction they are hyping, or how the female skater is all sorts of fugly, and all that jazz. But I'm not, mostly because the song in this trailer is damn amazing and awesome. I mean, listen to that. It's about panthers. And eyes. It's obviously a commentary on panther/human relations in the American Southwest or some crap, and skaters are going to save the day.

Yeah.

It's funny looking back on the old battle between skateboarding videogames. Ever since the original Tony Hawk, plenty of skateboarding games have come and gone, and other than the eternal old bird itself, not many of them have lived to see a sequel. All except the EA's Skate franchise that is, which is getting ready for the third iteration of the series. Not really third times the charm, it's more like a triple threat, as Skate has proven to be a more than solid skating franchise.

So it's really ironic considering the situation. Tony Hawk is now a peripheral based game, and Skate 3 is the only controller-based skateboarding game around. Now that they don't compete on the same level, it begs the question: can Skate 3 adequately build on the franchise without the competition? While it doesn't look like things are going to be groundbreakingly different, Skate 3 has a whole bunch of new content to bring to the table. Hit the jump to get an early taste of what Black Box is rolling on out.

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[dTunes is a community organized blog showcasing the musical tastes of Destructoid's users. For two weeks, the editorial team is commandeering the series because, hey, we like music too. To further expand your horizons, make sure to check out the dTunes blog.]

I'm going to be real here. What you are going to hear here is the biggest pile of pretentious music you will probably discover  on Destructoid. I really don't want it to be pretentious, but I have a habit of rattling off bands that I like, only to have indie kids to say I am their new best friend, and everyone else look at me with pity.

Oh well.

However, I'm the one in charge tonight, and while you honestly might find my choice in music to be utterly disgusting, I just have to say this: You are probably right. Like all things in life, personal aesthetic is like a beautiful butterfly, individual in its glory. That is until you set it free on the internet, and everyone steps on it.

Let the music commence!

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It is good professional practice that when you first meet a developer to exchange business cards, then follow up with a friendly handshake. However, during one recent gaming opportunity, checking out an MMO coming late next year, we went to exchange business cards. Oddly, instead of a card I received a couple of plastic LEGO Mini-figs with contact information printed across the chest.

It's a good thing I was checking out LEGO Universe, otherwise that would be just plain weird. Besides the impractical nature of the Mini-figs (I mean, seriously, how am I to get that in my wallet), it was act that exemplifies the very nature of a LEGO game: fun.

Now LEGO Universe is a complex entity. Like all family oriented MMOs, there are some special challenges that developer NetDevil is going to have to deal with. Thankfully, it looks like they are on track for making a fun and very interesting MMO for all ages, one that you will understand after the jump.

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Remember how earlier this week I announced that Gaijin Games was so kind as to offer a pretty damn amazing series of prizes to hand out to a lucky community member? You know what I'm talking about, four high quality prints of the teaser images for BIT.TRIP Void, an "I am only a man" t-shirt, some awesome CommanderVideo papercraft, as well as a code for for a free download of the brand new BIT.TRIP Void OST?

Well, if you only just found out, it's too late now, as we have done a perfectly random drawing, and the winner is...drumroll please....bobyoko! Congratulations on winning this rather awesome prize that defines, like I said before, nerd chic. Send us a message, and we'll get you your prize ASAP.

For everyone else disappointed, we've got plenty more contests coming down the line, and you'll certainly want to do yourself the favor by checking out other concurrent contests, like winning a PlayStation 3 Slim in our Kia contest and a netbook plus iPods in our Audition contest.

This has been quite a week in Gaijin Games. We've brought you all sorts of exclusive coverage, from the latest game in the series, BIT.TRIP Void, the past and future of Gaijin Games, defending Nintendo,  announcing official soundtracks, and bringing one-of-a-kind goodies to a special winner.

But now that we've reached the end, there is really only one more place to go: what in the world is Gaijin Games coming up with next? BIT.TRIP Void is completed and ready for release, with only a word from Nintendo to send the game onto WiiWare. Other than that, Gaijin Games has to be working on a new title. right?

Thankfully, they were more than willing to discuss what is coming next for the studio. You'll just have to hit the jump to find out what it could be.

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You know, I've been looking at Army of Two: The 40th Day for about six months now. After an initial preview, followed by another hands-off opportunity at E3, as well as a solid play through of the first level of the PSP version, I've been able to get a pretty good idea of what Army of Two: The 40th Day is going to offer. Just, you know, I haven't had a chance to play the damn thing.

Thankfully, I was able to rectify the situation earlier this week when EA had a special event in the always charming Tenderloin district of San Francisco devoted specifically to multiplayer in Army of Two: The 40th Day. While you might remember Army of Two's original 2v2 Warzone mode, you would be hard pressed to recognize what EA Montreal has done to multiplayer in Army of Two: The 40th Day. It's a whole different ball of wax this time around.

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If you notice one thing about Gaijin Games current profile of titles, there's one thing the unites them all: they all have released on Nintendo's WiiWare service. Say what you will about Nintendo's service, such as the lack of hype for games and the underdeveloped infrastructure, but Gaijin Games as seemed to found a good niche working with Big N.

This is in part that all three members of the team have a strong background with Nintendo, so “it was certainly a comfort zone” says Alex Neuse, Creative Director of the team. While they are licensed for all consoles, and don't see themselves as a Nintendo-only team, they found that the Wii offered control that was special and unique, and in the case of BIT.TRIP Beat, offered the best control scheme on the market.

I actually asked what Alex had to say about developers “taking a dookie on the Wii,” (my question, not his) or treating the system as something not worth paying attention to. What he said blew me away: “Developers who take a dookie on Nintendo are cowards, in my opinion.”

Of course, Alex followed it up, explaining that Gaijin Games views the Wii as still a system of untapped potential. Alex points out that Nintendo has always been on the cutting edge of control design, and that the Wii remote has still not been fully tapped. In defense of his fellow developers, he says that “I think that developers are kinda scared of it because they feel the need to do something unique with it.” He argues that the fact that Sony and Microsoft have come out with their own motion controllers shows that there is a market and a potential for this new way of interacting. “If you want to make amusing fun games with unique ways of interacting with them, maybe the Wii is your platform. And I think it is ours, at least for now.”

If you've been following along our week long series on Gaijin Games, the studio behind the BIT.TRIP series for the Wii, you know that they have an interesting story to tell about how they came to be. Of course, for every creation story someone could tell, there is an equal story about the dreams and ambitions for the future. That is where we are today.

Talking to the three devs from Gaijin Games, we final reached this point in out round table about two hours into discussion, and it was interesting to see where they see themselves in a few years time. It is clear, yes, that they are talented and inspired, and they are well aware of this fact. And it is really refreshing to see three guys who aim within their bounds, a group of people who see what three people can actually create, and create well. There's not much bullsh***ing with Gaijin.

However, they are only three guys. This isn't going to stop them, however. As Man-in-Charge Alex Neuse says, “I want to see more stuff that inspires creativity in human beings.” That's a pretty damn impressive goal to make for the future, one which if you follow the jump you can understand even more.

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