Master Chief has once again invaded the PlayStation Portable in the latest homebrew game from developer V3NOM. Entitled "Halo Zero", this initial release of the game shows off some interesting side-scrolling action starring none other than the main protagonist of the Halo series. Find out more about this handheld Halo shooter in our full article after the jump.

Download: Halo Zero

Video games and consoles aren't games. At least, Best Buy doesn't think so. A customer recently tried to use a "toy" coupon to purchase an Xbox 360 and two games for the console, but according to Best Buy employees (and their corporate office), the items aren't categorized under "toys." Is there any clear cut distinction between toys and video games? What about the handhelds? Check out the story in the full article.

Got nothing new to read on your PlayStation Portable? Well, today is your lucky day because Issue 9 of the LOAD Magazine has just been released. For those not familiar with this, LOAD is a PSP-formatted magazine that also comes with a PC version. It mostly tackles about video games and stuff gamers might be interested in.

LOAD Magazine Issue 9 is special in more ways than one. First, the editors decided to release it with three different collectible covers. One features a poster of the movie 30 Days off Night, the other sports a picture of the techno-rock band Foals, and the last one has a shot of Halo 3's Master Chief.

It is needless to say that LOAD Magazine Issue 9 will be tackling about the three covers. Take note that the difference only lies in the covers but all three versions come with the same content. Aside from that, this particular issue also has a couple of articles regarding the London Fashion Week as well as action figures from your favorite franchises like Gundam and Toy Story.

Lastly, the editors of LOAD magazine is also running a contest that will give winners the chance to win a copy of the graphic novel that inspired the film 30 Days of Night. All details regarding the competition can be found inside the magazine so what are you waiting for? The download links are waiting for you!

Download: LOAD Magazine Issue 9 (30 Days of Night cover)
Download: LOAD Magazine Issue 9 ( Foals cover)
Download: LOAD Magazine Issue 9 (Master Chief cover)

(Editor's Note: It's a fresh issue of QuickPeek for a fresh new month. We've finally hit the big "One-Five" edition for our weekly updates, and if some of you've noticed, QuickPeek posts seem to get longer and bulkier with the updates! As always, we'd like to give everyone a resounding "Thanks!" for all the fun and the never ending support. This weekly update of updates is all for you!)

The 15th issue of QuickJump QuickPeek sees the start of a new month. We've got a couple of weeks ahead of us before Halloween finally hits, and even as early as now, there's been some hair-raising news that could leave some of you pale and ghastly (not to mention some toothache from all the sweet stuff going on around the gaming industry as well).

The previous edition of QuickPeek had its own fair share of enormous news - including, of course, the release of Halo 3. Today, we've got some weekly updates that have been specially carved right out of last week's pumpkin. It's big news on top of big news, with some bewitching brew being concocted from the cauldron of the homebrew community on the side.

This has got to be our biggest, meatiest, and most jam-packed issue yet, so you better tighten your bootstraps. You're in for one heck of a ride.

Check out the rest of this 15th issue right behind the Full Article link below!

Originally posted on October 6, 2007 at 2:20 PM.

(Editor's Note: After the TGS, you'd think that things would go back to their "normal" pace in the gaming industry, but see, the gaming industry isn't all that "normal" to begin with. Harhar. As the Chesire Cat once told Alice: "We're all mad here." Now, if you might remember, our 13th Issue of QuickJump QuickPeek rolled out early, which means this edition might cover some news from last week which weren't included in the previous issue. Yes, it's not "normal" procedure as QuickPeek posts go. And we're saying that with a disembodied Chesire grin.)

A few days ago, we ended the previous TGS Special Edition of QuickJump QuickPeek with a series of open questions. Well, if Master Yoda had anything to say about it, it'd go somewhere along the lines of "Rumors lead to questions. Questions lead to TGS. TGS leads to answers. And answers... lead to more questions... and the eventual Hamill-tendency to scream out 'Nooooo!'"

This week though, it's anything but a miserable negative outburst. We're getting some answers all right. With us having the tendency of screaming out '"Yeeeees!" instead. How so? Let's see, shall we? M33's identity (i.e. Dark AleX, Mathiuelh, et. al.) revealed, Halo 3 week, Folding@Home's ongoing success, building anticipation for the Wii Zapper... Let's not get ahead of ourselves here though! Get busy with your mouse and start scrolling down!


Hit the Full Article link below to see the rest of this week's issue!

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Entertainment Software Association (ESA) President Michael D. Gallagher revealed that one of the ESA's priorities is to infiltrate Washington.

The new ESA president noted that while the movie and music industries already have backers in Washington, the video game industry does not quite have the same privilege yet.

According to Gallagher, the main challenge lies in "connecting with decision makers and creating champions for the video game industry in the policy-making arena."

In addition to having a smaller budget, Gallagher also noted that the video game industry doesn't have the star power to seduce politicians.

"Washington is very enamored with glitz and the appeal of stars," said Gallagher. "Whenever Bono shows up he creates this bow wave as he comes through, and it's true that stars do help drive messages. And it is true that Master Chief and Mario are not yet household words on the Hill, but wait for the years ahead."

Gallagher also said that the ESA will be revealing its full agenda after E3.

This is excellent news. Our lawmakers make their decisions based on information. If that information only comes from anti-gaming lawyers and anti-gaming activists, then of course our lawmakers are going to develop an anti-gaming bias. So it's good that our industry strengthens its representation.

The virtue vigilante is at it again. This time, he's decided on what to add to his list of new year's resolutions, and opted to share it with the public. You can guess what it's all about, we're sure.

Despite failed attempts to get video games labeled as public nuisances, Jack Thompson is vowing to do more of the same in 2007. A recent emailed press release assures us of his continuing efforts to target M-rated games, even going so far as to call his attempt to make Bully a public nuisance a practice run.

His email reads:

Thompson’s 2006 suit to stop the sale of Take-Two/Rockstar’s Columbine simulator Bully was just a practice run for what is to follow. The court’s order of the production of the Bully game prior to its commercial release sets the precedent for what Thompson will do again, but this time with Mature-rated titles that the Federal Trade Commission has recently found are being sold to children across America 42% of the time!

Since his continued legal presence against videogames is basically assured for next year, the only thing left to wonder about is what games he'll be suing for 2007. Our main predictions: the next Grand Theft Auto game from Take-Two Interactive, for obvious reasons, Halo 3, because Master Chief hides his genocide behind a mask, and Mario Mario, because he's a shroom-sniffing communist.

JpDeathBlade just announced that the XpMax web site just finished work on its latest project. Titled Super Mini Halo Alpha 1.50, the game's XpMax's take on the popular Super Mini Mario game and Halo's Master Chief. We know you guys have probably seen your share of Super Mini Mario homebrews, but we're hoping you will enjoy this one, with its specially made sounds and graphics.

The game will take you through a total of nine levels and one beta level, plus it features backgrounds from scenery we've seen in the original Halo game. From what we've been trying, the game's pretty good. And before we forget, here's the controls:

• D-Pad: Move
• X: Jump
• Up: Enter Doors
• Start: Pause
• Select: Freezes PSP. Remedy by holding power switch up for 5-10 seconds.

On a last note, Jp's accrediting the XP Max team for the creation of this cute and fun homewbrew:
Levels and graphics by Xp Max Productions Development Team. Feel free to visit the source link to get more details on this homebrew, and see how you can support Jp's team to make more games like there. Thanks guys!

Download [Super Mini Halo 1.5]

Having a Halo title for PSP is as possible as Jack Thompson saying he loves GTA. While we may have all given up on that possibility, some (including me) fervently hoped that a playable Halo homebrew will be released in the feature. Well, give MasterChafed some time (and a lot of help) and we might just see Master Chief prowling our PSP screens. MasterChafed has released a public alpha version of his project mainly to have other coders give him some tips, or actually aid him in the game's development.

As of now, his 2D Lua game ain't much. All it does is make our Spartan Super soldier walk/jump around toting quite a badass gun. It's still very raw, and that's why MasterChafed has this to say: "This version is a beta concept only, it is for the public to check out and then I will only be releasing the next betas to my beta testers and dev team." The said team is yet to be formed, so he was calling for those who are interested in being part of it to just contact him (his email addy is in the readme file).

While there may have been some quite disappointing/aborted lua-coded projects in the past, MasterChafed seems to be really interested in pushing this project thru. So for those who can give him a lesson or two, or perhaps can even join his team, don't hesitate to do so. Hey, with all the recent developments, woudn't it be nice to shower back those good karma we've been having?

Download: [Halo 2D Public Alpha]