Scraps: Holy Denmarkian Bricks! (9/23/2008)

The LEGO series of games are highly endearing, you know that. I absolutely loved LEGO Star Wars when it came out and still like to pop it in from time to time and have a run at a few levels just for kicks. I don't like Star Wars but I found the game wonderous in spite of the license.

So, when LEGO Indiana Jones released, I was ecstatic. Here's a series that I actually enjoy making the transition into block format. What a disappointment that was. I keep trying to play it and never manage more than a level before feeling like I'd been betrayed somehow.

And now, LEGO Batman. I love Batman more than anybody who doesn't still live in his parents basement has any right to. Thankfully, from what little I've played so far, things seem to be okay. I'd just hate to have to go and kill some people at Traveller's Tales if they ruined it.

Anyway, enough of my ranting. Here are some stories we skipped out on today:

• The 360 price cut seems to be getting some people to open up their wallets in the UK. Sales are up 32% after the first weekend at the reduced price. [GamesIndustry] 
• Blu-Ray sales aren't looking so good, despite victory over HD-DVD in the format war, and Sony is making moves that have some thinking the company might be desperate. [GamePro]
• Contrary to what some have claimed, analyst Mike Hickey believes that the Houser brothers will stick with Take-Two when their contract ends next year. Take that, Pachter! [Gamasutra]
• It seems that, to Toys R Us, "Buy 2 Get 1 Free on all titles $19.99 or less" doesn't actually mean "all" titles. Either this issue applies only to online purchases or I got uncharacterstically lucky in my shopping trip this afternoon. [The Consumerist]
• Crytek says that the next leap in graphical performance for games won't happen until the next round of consoles, 2012 at the earliest. Maybe this means that they'll focus on actually making a game in the interim. [Gamespot]