It used to be hard to track down songbooks for this stuff, either going really retro or having to import. Now learning to play classic Mario and Zelda tunes is a breeze, and fairly cheap. This proves that video game music is becoming slightly more acceptable, and, thanks largely to the Super Mario Bros. theme being an insanely popular ringtone, is a bit more mainstream.
There are four song books, three for Mario and one for Zelda. They retail between $16.99 and $19.99. You can even get them digitally via Apple's iBookstore. I suspect we'll be seeing even more YouTube videos featuring this music soon . . .

Available at Alfred Music Publishing

Amazon has them for between $11.55 and $13.59. Thanks for the tip Ken!

via Joystiq

Say hello to the newest addition to the Bobble Bud family! After the success of the Servbot, Dead Rising, and Street Fighter bobble buds Capcom has decided to create a new bobble for their upcoming game Asura's Wrath. Capcom has recently announced that they are giving away a free 'Asura' character Bobble Bud with the Pre-Order and purchase of Asura's Wrath at Capcom's online store!

Instead of the regular 2 hands on the bobble bud, Asura sports 6 hands, buffed up Goro anybody? Personally, I love the bobble bud line and hope they continue their production. They are incredibly detailed and make for great display pieces in your collection especially when they're all lined up together.

Asura's Wrath is an action beat 'em up that plays similar to the God of War, Infamous, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed games and is developed by CyberConnect2 for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Not sure if you're interested in the game yet? You can download a playable demo and watch videos of the game on Xbox Live Arcade and in the PSN Store. Asura's Wrath is set to release February 21, 2012 so get your Pre-Orders in while you can!

Links to the Pre-Order for the system of your choice
Pre-Order the game on PlayStation 3
Pre-Order the game on Xbox 360

From the product page:

"Miles "Tails" Prower is an orange-yellow, anthropomorphic fox with two tails and is known to be Sonic's best friend, sidekick, and an expert mechanic. When he spins his two tails like a helicopter rotor, he has the unique ability to push himself through the air to catch up with Sonic. However, when he takes to flight, he tires quickly. Unlike Sonic, Tails has the ability to swim.

First 4 Figures is proud to present Tails! Created in his classic design, he is zooming along Mushroom Hill Zone, with his twin tails spinning at full speed creating a wind behind him! We painstakingly added all his details and created a dynamic pose and expression that complements his personality. He is 12 inches tall - fitting perfectly in scale with the others in the series.

Comes in deluxe full color packaging, hand numbered base, and includes an Authenticity Card which allows you to purchase the same number of the model next in the Classic Sonic the Hedgehog series.

This is the fifth in the Classic Sonic the Hedgehog statue series, so if you have bought the first or second in the range, Sonic, Super Sonic, Metal Sonic or Knuckles, and authenticated on our website, you are entitled to the same number of Tails!

Highly Limited to 1500 pieces only.

Order the regular version here.
Order the exclusive version here.

As usual, the exclusive edition comes with LEDs. Order fast because these always sell out quick.

Dropping next week (01.23.2012), the Limited Edition Erick Scarecrow "GOLD" Drake vinyl marks the 4th release in the series. With the Original Colorway sold out, and limited supplies of the Naughty Dog and Scarecrow Blue "Black Friday" Colorway's rapidly depleting, this may be your last chance to add one of the Drake vinyls to your collection.

No price or firm date has been revealed, but unless they feel the need for greed, we can expect this to match the others in the collection at a price of $49.99!

Look here for a link to this version (and the others still available) when it launches next week.

http://esctoy.limitedpressing.com/product/categories/1190

- Yam -

Here's a surprise; some new Pokemon merchandise that isn't exclusive to Japan...and some that is. Here is this weeks offerings:

-UK Ty Pokemon beanies
-Nobunaga's Ambition x Pokemon statues

The Itemfinder suspects more Pokemon pics and info after the break.

A set of magnets that come with candy have been released by Ensky and feature several characters from Super Mario 3D Land. Mario's suits, Bowser, enemies, and the usual Mario iconography like mushrooms and pipes are now available to stick anyplace magnets stick. The magnets pop off of magnet sheets that feature scenes from the game. For some examples of the magnets, hit the break.

On Amazon.co.jp

Pre-orders start Tuesday. As usual be sure to order as soon as possible if you have others in the series to get the same number.

As with most major 3rd party releases, Japan gets 2 more exclusive 3DS systems. One for Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance which features symbols from the game and one for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D which features a faux snakeskin top.

No word on if these are headed to other regions, but I wouldn't count on it. A picture of the Metal Gear 3DS is after the break.

GE Animation strikes again, this time with piercing cuteness right in our hearts. This little plush is set for a late April release this year. I wish there was more information on how large the plush was, or just where they got the style for the plush, but I'll take a new Mega Man plush seven days a week. And twice on Sundays.

Order here at AAAanime if you're a retailer.

Don Bluth is well known for his then revolutionary animation style for two Laserdisc games that featured OMG-hit-the-button-now-or-face-hundreds-or-horrible-deaths gameplay. Dragon's Lair came first, and then Space Ace. Dragon's Lair seems to have released on every platform known to man, but Space Ace wasn't so lucky. Despite this, the characters from both are deeply ingrained in gaming culture. Even so, Sideshow Collectibles is taking a big gamble by releasing a high-end statue of a side character in the less popular of the two games. Will nostalgia overwhelm enough people to warrant a purchase? We'll find out in the third quarter of 2012 when she is released.

You can pre-order her for $199.99 at the Sideshow Collectibles website right now.

via Tomopop

Team17 has essentially made the same game for 17 years, and it has been successful. That game is Worms. Now, after all this time, the worms finally get their own merchandise. A set of four characters, each available in medium plush or small keychain plush, released today. Worm, Pirate Worm, Army Worm, and the infamous Super Sheep make up the set.
You can get them here on GameOnStuff's Facebook Page, but also visit their website to see what they're planning, including Rabbids, Assassin's Creed, and LittleBigPlanet merchandise. They also think the world needs more Angry Birds stuff . . .

via Kotaku

Register two of the following games on your Club Nintendo account for a chance to win one of these systems:

Resident Evil™: Revelations
Mario Kart 7
Super Pokémon™ Rumble
SUPER MARIO 3D LAND
Tetris™
Star Fox 64 3D
Resident Evil™: The Mercenaries 3D
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
DEAD OR ALIVE® Dimensions
Steel Diver
nintendogs + cats
Pilotwings Resort
Super Street Fighter™ IV 3D Edition

Now we play the waiting game to see if these make it to America...

Japan has 1,000 of each design
Europe has 1,000 of each design
Australia has 50 of each design

Link to the European announcement.
Link to the Japanese announcement.

Resident Evil Revelations releases in only a few weeks, and will be launching alongside a strategy guide/art book in Japan. The books contains 192 pages of what you would expect from a guide; maps, strategies and secrets, but also contains pages of concept art. On February 22nd, Capcom is releasing the official Revelations soundtrack, containing 66 tracks spanning 2 CDs. As a bonus, the first run of the soundtrack will also come with a Resident Evil The Mercenaries 3D disc, all packed in a special edition sleeve. These have only been announced for Japan, but I wouldn't be surprised if they pop up in the Capcom Online Shop.

Another week, even more new Pokemon merchandise. This week is a couple of Pokemon Center exclusive sets for the Dragon fans and Stunfisk lovers. Here's what this week covers:

-Pokemon Center dragon-type Pokemon line
-Pokemon Center Stunfisk merchandise

Bike on past the break for more pics and info.

We all knew it was coming. Nintendo's flagship Mario title released in November, and you knew the usual suspects would be producing merchandise for it. Along with the Tanooki Mario plush from San-ei, Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. is releasing its first set to start the inevitable wallet-crushing merch powerhouse.
This set includes several new items found in Super Mario 3D Land, such as the Super Leaf and the Boomerang Flower, and even includes the pity-power-ups Invincibility Leaf and the P-Wing. I like the wood Goomba too.
These will be out in May 2012.
Pre-order them here

New Super Mario Bros. Wii merch is really getting out of hand, as there is now not one, but two styles of trash can available for purchase stylized with the art of our favorite plumber and his friends and enemies. I found these in an auction on Yahoo Japan Auctions with very little information in the description, so I'll update this post with more info if I find any. These appear to be full size metal trash cans.
More pics after the break.

National Console Support has released some info on these fabulous new Tanooki Mario plushes from San-ei. There are two sizes, small and medium, or big and small, really. These will ship in 2012.
Thanks Natendo!

Update:
Cheaper at HLJ

Sam and Boggy are now available at your favorite import shop. They'll retail at ¥6,500 in April and come with boatloads of accessories. Not sure if the game was popular enough to support the price jump, but we'll find out.
Also out in April is a Kratos Play Arts Kai figure. He'll come with hands and swords to swap out, and he's ten inches tall, leading to a ¥5,800 price tag.

More Vanquish and Kratos info at Tomopop

What? Kingdom Hearts 3D isn't out yet? Yes, it is odd to see merchandise precede a game's release, but I'm all for it! "Wonder Nyan" will be available though the Square-Enix shop (in Japan-only so far, of course) in Spring, but you can pre-order it now for ¥3,800. Two more pics after the break, including a butt shot.

via Siliconera

"The shirts also come with one of two limited edition pixel art keychains featuring a Rush-colored Megaman that are not featured in either of the two lines of pixel art blind boxed keychains that hit stores last year."

Via Tikisaurus