The weekly roundup of everything Gamecube.

Welcome to another edition of the weekly digest, C-E's weekly Nintendo news round-up of the past week. We've also got a competition this week- up for grabs is a copy of TDK's World Racing for the GameCube. Read on for more. Anyway, there is plenty of news to catch up upon this evening, so let's get started on that first.

The very first official screenshots of Metroid Prime 2 surfaced this week. The game sports a full multiplayer mode, as well as the same awe-inspiring adventuring of the original. The game is titled Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. What this means is unclear, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Nintendo and Retro will have plenty of interesting twists on the original formula (which was just about perfect to begin with). Expect a full unveiling at E3. You know it's going to be astonishingly good. C-E will be there the very second we hear more about it.

Meanwhile, E3 announcements aplenty this week. EA are clearing revving up for a big E3- and as if to give us a tantalising glimpse of what is to come, the American giant has revealed several new games. EA are developing a whole new Sims game, called URBZ, which will focus on city life. You will control Urbz at all times, including on the job and in the city.

The game engine will be all-new and be different in several ways from the original Sims. You will try and build up 'rep' while trying to be the best "player" in the city. Initial screenshots show promise.

The company has also announced a sequel to the inexplicably popular Need for Speed: Underground- the imaginatively titled Need for Speed: Underground 2. The new game will have a free-roaming mode around a city. While roaming around the streets you will meet other people who will give you tips about racing or challenge you to one. Yet there was still more to come from EA- Lord of the Rings: The Third Age- A turn-based RPG which isn't tied to any one of the three films. According to the blurb, the 'epic quest' (cliché of the decade, surely), in which players will take on the roles of new characters choosing their own path through Middle-earth while interacting with the heroes and villains of the trilogy, will be available for the Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and those other two consoles this Autumn. Again, E3 holds the answers, but this one looks interesting.

Zoonami, the group of ex-Rare employees reportedly developing 'Game Zero' � a super-secret GC-exclusive title, have just went and announced details of Funkydilla, a rhythm game which, guess what, probably won't be coming out on the GameCube. Lovely. Martin Hollis has confirmed however that Funkydilla was not the original "Game Zero" game that was rumoured some time ago. "We have projects in the works apart from Funkydilla, some are very long-term, and we can't talk about them. 'Game Zero' is a working title we don't use anymore, because it collides with an online gaming magazine."

Hollis also stated that they have no plans on showing any games at E3, due to it being a "cattle market." When speaking about the game Funkydilla "My best judgment is that Funkydilla is not a good fit for Nintendo. Funkydilla will rely on heavy inward licensing, i.e. signing lots of famous artists or labels. This is not compatible with Nintendo's strategy at the moment. Well, there's honesty for you. Viewtiful Joe 2 is in full-time development, and the first screens were shown this week. The sequel will feature all the elements that made the first such a classic, but with more of everything- the inclusion of Sylvia as a second character, new VFX (Rewind, if you're interested) and with any luck, more than the original's seven levels. The fact that the PS2 will also play host to the game means that VJ's appeal will undoubtedly spread, and many more will be able to experience it. Famitsu- and if you're new to the game, they're Japan's most authoritative video games magazine- have just reviewed Pikmin 2, the sequel to the garden-based masterpiece of 2002. They scored it 9,9,9,9 giving it a total of 36/40. Which is excellent. Obviously. You can feel the anticipation level rising...

Kemco, the people behind Rogue Ops and Batman: Dark Tomorrow are working on a new title that will be exclusive to the GameCube.

Kemco's latest title will be called Bloody Moon and will be set in mythical ancient China and Japan. The main character will travel between the two worlds.

Expect more soon. You know when. Nintendo won two MCV Industry Excellence Awards last week. Trade magazine MCV recently hosted an awards evening for all things gaming. Nintendo won two awards, 'Best Trade Marketing' and 'Best Use of National or Specialist Press'. Nintendo being awarded for marketing? Oh, the irony of it all. Also of note was the omnipresent BBC personality Nicky Campbell presenting the awards.

Ignition announced this week it will be releasing Pool Paradise a bit later than planned. They confirmed that the GameCube version of Archer Maclean's Pool Paradise will be released on 7th May 2004, at the remarkably low suggested retail price of �19.99. By all accounts it plays a solid game of pool, with plenty of off-the-wall minigames and quirky gameplay.

And finally this week- something a little different. We've got a copy of GC racer World Racing to give away. Incidentally, the game's review was just posted today (Wednesday). So, to be with a chance of bagging the prize, here's what you've got to do. In no less than 25 words, tell us what World Racing means to you. Yes, snigger, laugh all you like- the entries will be judged on humour and snappiness. You may as well give it a go- you have a higher chance of winning than you probably think. Put 'I Love World Racing' in the subject line, and email your entry to [email protected]. The winner will be announced in next week's edition of the digest.

Until then,

Mark Cullinane.
[email protected]