USK

This competition between the ESRB and the USK is finally heating up (sure it may all be in my head, but isn't it more fun to imagine it like a bloody cage match?). Not to be outdone by the regular, small updates at the USK, the ESRB has dropped their megaton. The following games have ratings at the ESRB:

• EXIT
• Sensible World of Soccer
• Hexic 2
• Bomberman Live
• Tetris Online (so, maybe not "Tetris Splash" afterall)

Okay, okay, we've seen most of those at the USK already. But add those to the already massive list of unreleased games that have ESRB ratings and you can't help but smile a little bit. The future seems very bright for XBLA.

The only one we have virtually no info on is Hexic 2. But if it's an improvement on Hexic in any way it will probably lure my attention away from Lumines Live for a while.

[via ESRB, thanks El ViX]

USK Watch: Week 20

Another week, another game leaking out of the USK. Our trusty tipster Wasabi has officially forced me to add a full blown USK category to this site. The ESRB will officially have to share the spotlight now.

As for the tip itself, it's Switchball a PC puzzle game. There's even a nice little video up here to get an idea of the game. (And xbox-archiv has applied the "screenshot or it didn't happen" rule to avoid further Marathon-esque fiascos.)

The PC version of this game was released less than 2 weeks ago. It was developed by Atomic Elbow and uses the Ageia PhysX engine. Some screens of the PC version here.

Looks like Marble Blast Ultra/Rube Goldberg* fusion. Lots of rolling, lots of puzzling, lots of fun?

[Update]: I should note that this is still a rumor as of now. But seeing that Sierra Online is behind it adds credibility since they have been a major supporter of XBLA.

[Update 2]: As noted in the comments, the USK has pulled the listing. Maybe this was also destined for an E3 announcement?

[via xbox-archiv, thank Wasabi]

* Disclaimer: I couldn't resist a link that celebrates two of my favorite things -- Mythbusters and Christmas in July.