With already three handheld titles listed to its name, the Death Jr. franchise takes a bold new step on to the Wii console with its latest iteration, Death Jr.: Root of Evil. In our full article, you can read all about how the development of the game is coming along. Producer James Stanley explains the different changes they had to adjust to in making the transition from handheld to console and much more.

It's gonna be while before we'll be getting our hands on Death Jr. II, so Backbone Entertainment's Chris Opdahl has decided to shed some light on the game before release day. In his developer's diary, he tells us all about two aspects to this game that they've been tweaking come the sequel: the story-telling system, and (our favorite) the revamped ranged combat system.

There's more than one way to tell a game's story as it moves, Chris says, and for DJ II , the developers have decided to use an in-game voice-over style - as the player goes through some of the less difficult areas, the game's characters start talking in-game, leaving the player to continue on their adventure without having to suffer those oh-so-beautiful-yet-annoying-as-hell cutscenes that totally throw off our gaming mojo -  the MGS and Xenosaga franchise will be remembered for this.

And to add flavor to the play, the game's dotted with incidental dialogue - characters and enemies will be saying candidly funny non-plot stuff that provides you with the occasional chuckle as you go on your Grimm way.

More on the ranged-combat system and screenshots after this jump!

The end of the month is coming up, and while you guys will be out there running around trick-or-treating, we thought we'd tickle your gaming sweet tooth by giving you a compilation list of the games coming out for the next few days. Once again, save
yourself the trouble of sweating out a long walk to you local retail store, and enjoy our Halloween treat for  'ya.

And while there's a lot of games to look forward to, we'll have to honestly say that our top picks would have to be The Sims 2: Pets (Sickeningly cute animals, go figure), and FEAR (This one just for this holiday's sake).

Nintendo DS

• 10/30/06 Children of Mana
• 10/30/06 Pokemon Ranger
• 10/31/06 Konductra
• 10/31/06 Nacho Libre
• 10/31/06 The Sims 2: Pets
• 10/31/06 Tom and Jerry Tales
• 10/31/06 Scurge: Hive
• 11/01/06 Chicken Little: Ace in Action

See the full list after the jump!

  

So, what's your costume this Halloween going to be? Personally, I'd like to dress up as Loco Roco, but I don't think I'd be able to pull it off due to my skeletal body structure. Lo and behold, here's something that will suit me fine (and for others who are also bone-thin like me)! What better way to spend your Halloween than as Death Jr. himself?

Backbone Entertainment just released a costume line based on their Death Jr. franchise. You can choose between Death Jr., Grim Reaper, Pandora, and Smith and Weston masks. These are available at buycostumes.com and smiffys.com, and go for around US$29.99 to 36.99 depending on whose face you want to slap onto yours.

So. Whether you want to trick or treat yourself to these costumes, you also might want to check out the second installment in the series. Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil is rising out of its coffin for the PSP and NDS right in time for Halloween.

If game titles were commenters on the QJ blogs, Death Jr. would be the one to go "FIRST POST!!oneoeneone! first fistr frist ftw wo0t suxorz FIRTS!" Yeah, despite spelling errors and whatnot, no one would be arguing. Because that game is fitfully the first post and publicly the first one that ever got shown for the PSP. Pwn like whoa.

Anyways, Backbone Entertainment is gearing up Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil for its winter release. This time around, the developers are going to give the game a complete make-over by improving the camera and controls - something which a lot of gamers were asking for. They've also stirred in a cauldron full of improvements: story, voice overs, lighting, and replay value.

There's even another playable character: Pandora. That's going to add more gameplay hours and the possibility of a Co-Op mode for two players. But too much of a good thing can lead to something bad. That's why they're reserving some of the good stuff for a possible third game (like a proposed feature where DJ can summon a whole army of skeletons). Talk about anticipation. The second game isn't out yet, and they're already hinting at a third one...

  

Buy: [Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil]

After a pretty boring Summer in relation to PSP UMD game releases, it appears that PSP gamers are in for a treat this fall. Developers are making it up to us with the release of loads of great PSP games that you'll just have to buy. I hope you've been saving up your cash over summer. Here's the enormous list in alphabetical order:

• Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception - October 17 2006
  
• ATV Offroad Fury Pro - October 17 2006
  
• Bounty Hounds - September 12 2006
  
• Death Jr 2: Root of Evil - October 31 2006
  
• EA Replay - November 7 2006
• Gangs of London - September 2006
  
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories- October 16 2006
  
• Justice League Heroes - October 17 2006
  
• Killzone: Liberation - October 31 2006
  
• Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trio logy - September 12 2006
• Loco Roco - September 5 2006
• Lumines 2 - November 7 2006
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - October 24 2006
• Medal of Honor Heroes - October 23 2006
• Mercury Meltdown - October 3 2006
• Metal Slug Anthology - October 31 2006
• Scarface: Money.Power.Respect - October 6 2006
• WTF: Work Time Fun - September 26 2006
• WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2007 - November 14 2006

Have a great Fall and don't forget to check back with QJ.net for all the latest news on these games.

And a fine Monday morning to all you avid videogame luvin' guys and gals alike, we've got a neat little treat for you this morning, y'see we managed to score a little Q&A session with Backbone Entertainment, the dudes (and dudettes) behind Death Jr. 2: Root of Evil for the PSP, so without further ado, c'mon in and read the article after the jump!

Backbone Entertainment and Seven Seas Entertainment will be producing an original manga that will be based on the popular PSP game Death, Jr.

Death, Jr. games were originally released only for the PSP, but a Nintendo DS version of this game titled Death, Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom is going to be released soon. Also announced is the upcoming sequel of the game for the PSP, Death, Jr. 2: Root of Evil.

The manga version of this popular game, 'Death, Jr.: Pandora', will be focusing on, well, Death, Jr.'s girlfriend Pandora. The story will be following Pandora's futuristic quest to save the future DJ from an enemy in the form of a snake-haired foreign exchange student.

Why futuristic? Pandora is actually in the future as she has uncovered a mysterious portal that sends her to her future and into her future teen body.

Blade Barter's Hai will be writing and drawing the entire shoujo manga spin on Death, Jr. This will be presented in black and white, digest-sized and with 192 pages. Death, Jr.: Pandora is scheduled for a 2007 release.

Death Jr. 2 is the follow up to the overly hyped game Death Jr. on the PSP. The character designs are pretty awesome, but when the first one came out it was just another platformer with a lot of Tim Burton style quality to it. Lets hope that they can make up for it with the sequel for the PSP and be the game it was supposed to be. This time you will be able to play as DJ and Pandora and if the leaked release date is correct you should be playing it on October 18th. Go ahead and check out the screens and concept art by clicking on the thumbnails and let us know what you think of DJs upcoming new game.