Hello, PlayStation nation! As my first post on the PlayStation.Blog, it’s my pleasure to bring you news of a brand new mind-sharpening game for PS Vita: Smart As.

Launching this fall, Smart As is a social brain-training experience that will put your brain to the test with 20 unique, engaging, tactile and highly interactive puzzle games. This next-gen puzzle game will also enable you to share your stats with players from around the world using a robust set of social and connective features.

Produced by XDev Europe, Smart As takes full advantage of PS Vita’s touchscreens, cameras and Augmented Reality capabilities to deliver Daily Training challenges featuring fun arithmetic, logic, language and observation-based puzzles. Your scores from each puzzle are used to calculate your overall Brain Power and anybody at any skill level can get in on the fun. The more you play, the better your chances are of increasing your Brain Power score and unlocking new puzzle games.

The best part about Smart As is that it’s not just a brain training game; it’s a social experience. Once you’ve earned your daily Brain Power score, you can go online to see how smart you are compared to your friends, people that you’ve met through “near,” players in your city, country, continent and the entire world using the Smart As leaderboards. You can even post your Brain Power scores to Facebook to boast about your cerebral superiority. Using PS Vita’s “near” feature, you can also drop off puzzles for nearby users and pick up new challenges left by other players.

When you play Smart As on the go using PS Vita’s Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, you’ll have the opportunity to unlock even more challenges in different regions with the Street Smart mode. Simply by competing in as many regional challenges as you can, you will get to prove that you are smarter, more travelled and better connected than your friends.

Watch on the video above for an exclusive sneak peek at Smart As in action, and check back soon for more Smart As news.

It’s been nearly six months since we announced The Last of Us and development has been a bustling beehive of activity. If you picked up the March 2012 issue of Game Informer or saw any of the online coverage, you might have read about Joel and Ellie’s visit to an abandoned city. Today, we are excited to share a very fresh, very provocative video that should answer some of your questions about what went down inside those city walls. You’ll get an idea of what it takes to be a survivor in Joel and Ellie’s heartless new world.

Joel and Ellie won’t have an easy road ahead of them. Their path across the US will intersect with other survivors, some of whom won’t be friendly. In this scene set to the somber chords of Hank Williams, Sr., Joel and Ellie continue their journey west in a battered pickup truck. As they drive towards the next destination on their route, and hopefully a place to find critical resources, the pair encounters a group of hunters. What happens next is something you have to witness to understand. Check it out in the video above.

What you watched here is only a peek into how alone and forsaken this world has become. Be ready for things to get much worse.

If you missed any of Game Informer’s coverage of The Last of Us, be sure to dive in — we have so much more to show you and you won’t want to miss any of the backstory. Most recently, Game Director Bruce Straley and Creative Director Neil Druckmann spoke with IGN and answered some questions about the game. Be sure to read it! We can’t wait to share this genre-defining game with you.

The hounds have started to bay. Get prepared for E3 in early June and the growing news storm in the months to come!

Hi Everyone -
Our friends at Q Games are excited to deliver their latest PSN experience: PixelJunk 4am! This one-of-a-kind music creation tool lets you perform, create and share; all with subtle motions with the PlayStation Move.

With beats provided by world famous PixelJunk DJ Baiyon and the ability to share your creations with not only friends on PSN, but the entire world as well, you’ve got a world stage waiting to hear your performance. Read all the PixelJunk 4am PlayStation.Blog coverage right here for more info on the game.

If classic platforming is more your speed, Sonic The Hedgehog is back in Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II! Continue the adventure as it left off from the first episode and find out what Sonic’s arch-nemesis Dr. Eggman was searching for in the Lost Labyrinth. Visit new locales, speed through obstacles and partner up with Tails in this exciting continuation!

Prototype 2 has been lighting up the gaming community since its release a few weeks back. If you haven’t picked up yet, you can now do so on the PlayStation Store! To sweeten the deal, this edition of Prototype 2 comes with the Radnet Access Pack which enables you to access over 55 unique pieces of digital content throughout the coming weeks. Other additions to the PS3 Full Game category include Goldeneye 007 Reloaded, as well as new Complete Edition bundles for games like Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Far Cry 2 and Prince of Persia.

Those in the know will be happy to see Rock of Ages makes it way to PSN. The acclaimed mix of tower-defense strategy and rolling ball physics (trust us, it’s fun) will keep you in stitches with the game’s quirky humor and ultra-addictive gameplay modes. Even better news, if you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you’ll be able to download this title for free!

In other news, Ubisoft is having a massive sale on their content this week as well! Tons of Ubisoft PS3 Full Games, PSN games, Add-Ons and Ultimate Bundles are on sale this week. All the content will be 30% off with Plus subscribers getting 50% off the listed content. Check the details below for the full list of Ubisoft games on sale.

In addition to Rock of Ages and cool free avatars to download to your PSN profile, PlayStation Plus subscribers will also find sweet deals with a 50% discount on Goldeneye 007 Reloaded as well as a 40% discount on Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood: Complete Edition.

Keep a look out for other great content on the PlayStation Store this week including new PS mini Velocity, a new Dungeon Defenders Add-On and more. Make sure you check out all the details below and let us know your thoughts in the comments below and come back next week to see what’s new in the PlayStation Store, or join the discussion on the PlayStation Community forums in the Official PlayStation Store Update thread.

Here is the weekly PlayStation Store update:

PlayStation Plus

PSN Games

PixelJunk 4am Full Game ($9.99)
Mix tracks, experiment with audio effects, and stream live to your friends over the PlayStation Network by using 4am’s unique Virtual Audio Canvas to control your composition with the PlayStation Move’s full range of motion.
ESRB rated E
File size 279 MB

PS3 Full Games

Rock Of Ages ($9.99)
A rock-solid combination of rock-rolling action, deep strategy, and captivating art and music from different ages of history, this is a game of crush or be crushed!
ESRB rated E10+
File size 568 MB

Jam Live Music Arcade ($9.99)
JAM Live Music Arcade is a robust musical experience of creative freedom. Through your guitar peripheral or controller, you can compose your own genre-bending music by controlling all aspects of a song (guitar, bass, drums, vocals and synth).
ESRB rated T
File size 1.07 GB

Goldeneye 007 Reloaded ($59.99)
Play through all the iconic movie moments re-imagined and updated for today’s gaming standards. Experience stunning visuals, a unique blend of action and stealth, and upgraded multiplayer. In the new MI6 Ops, test your 00 mettle in various agent skill challenges.
ESRB rated T
File size 7.2 GB

Prototype 2 With Radnet Access Pack ($59.99)
WELCOME TO NEW YORK ZERO. Experience Sgt James Heller hunt, kill and consume his way toward the ultimate goal – to kill Alex Mercer! Includes RADNET Access Pack.
ESRB rated M
File size 7.57 GB

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II ($14.99)
The Sonic 4 Saga continues in Episode II! Metal Sonic has returned to form a formidable alliance with Dr. Eggman! Now Joined by Tails, race across four new Zones and take down fearsome new badniks with deadly combination moves in order to save the day!
ESRB rated E
File size 422 MB

Game Demos (free)

Batman Arkham City
No escape from Arkham City…the sprawling super-prison in the heart of Gotham City, home to its most violent thugs and infamous super villains. With the lives of the innocent at stake, only one man can save them and bring justice to the streets of Gotham City…The Batman.
ESRB rated T
File size 1.31 GB

PixelJunk 4am
Enter the world of PixelJunk 4am by downloading this free Trial. Watch and listen to performers across the world create and DJ their own music. Purchase the full game to unlock creation, performance, and song visualizer capabilities.
ESRB rated E
File size 279 MB

Rock Of Ages
Rock of Ages is a rock-solid combination of rock-rolling action, deep strategy, and captivating art & music from different ages of history, this is a game of crush or be crushed! As Ye Olde Story tells…Two castles stand opposed; yours and your foe’s. Their castle sucks, so you’re ready to roll over them in order to raze that unsightly tower using a huge boulder. But beware: A boulder heads your way, too! Download the Rock of Ages demo today!
ESRB rated E10+
File size 568 MB

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II
The Sonic 4 Saga continues in Episode II! Metal Sonic has returned to form a formidable alliance with Dr. Eggman! Now Joined by Tails, race across four new Zones and take down fearsome new badniks with deadly combination moves in order to save the day!
ESRB rated E
File size 422 MB

PS3 Add-ons

Asura’s Wrath – Lost Episode 2 ($1.99)
After his battle with Ryu, Asura is confronted by Akuma, the fighter who seeks to surpass all.
File size 256 MB

Dungeon Defenders: Quest For The Lost Eternia Shards Part III ($3.99)
Prepare to venture outside into the realms of Etheria in The Quest for the Lost Eternia Shards! Experience new missions, cinematics, enemies, and more:
File size 273 MB

Final Fantasy XIII add ons (x5) ($2.99 – $4.99)
Various add on content.
File size 2.5 MB – 740 MB

LittleBigPlanet 2 add ons (x5) ($1.99 – $5.99)
Various add on content.
File size 110 KB

Max Payne 3 – Gorilla Warfare Loadout Pack (free)
The Gorilla Warfare Pack includes the Gorilla Mask Item for extra adrenaline for melee kills from behind, Lucky Coin Item for extra cash when looting bodies and Booby Trap item that makes your corpse explode when looted.
File size 103 KB

MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (free – $0.49 each)
Various add on content.
File size 100 KB

Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City – Echo Six Expansion Pack 2 ($9.99)
3 new missions. Spec Ops close in on Umbrella and the USS squad. New threats and challenges arise as they help survivors including Claire Redfield and Sherry Birkin. Zombies, Tyrants and Super Parasite Tyrants fight to overwhelm you as Raccoon City descends into Hell.
File size 1.24 GB

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 add ons (x4) (free)
Various add on content.
File size 100 KB

Two Worlds II: Defense ($2.99)
See the world of Antaloor from a brand new perspective, as a valued enforcer of Emperor Gandohar and Lord Sordahon.
File size 22 MB

UFC Undisputed 3 – Contenders Pack ($2.99)
The future of the Octagon makes their presence felt with this bundle! Download the Contenders Pack to gain access to Nick Diaz, Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller, Phil Davis, and Brian Stann.
File size 2.5 MB

Worms Ultimate Mayhem: Multi-Player Pack ($4.99)
The Worms Ultimate Mayhem “Multi-player Pack” features 5 fantastic new multi-player maps for use across the numerous multi-player modes. The “Multi-player Pack” also includes x6 brand new Trophies.
File size 212 KB

Yakuza: Dead Souls add ons (x2) (free)
This free pack includes bonus costumes for each of the main characters, including Kazuma Kiryu’s glorious “Stars and Stripes” outfit. Guaranteed to make you feel more manly just by downloading, this pack also includes bonus Karaoke modes for Majima and Kiryu, new cutscenes, and special items to help you hit it big in the casino and upgrade your weapons. Consider this pack a little gift from your friends at SEGA. Enjoy!
File size 708 KB – 721 KB

Rocksmith – Come Out And Play By The Offspring ($2.99)
File size 2.83 MB

Rocksmith – Gone Away By The Offspring ($2.99)
File size 3.28 MB

Rocksmith – Self Esteem By The Offspring ($2.99)
File size 3.29 MB

Rocksmith – The Offspring Song Pack ($7.99)
File size 9.4 MB

Rock Band 3
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

• “BRICK BY BORING BRICK” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “IGNORANCE” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “THE ONLY EXCEPTION” – Paramore ($1.99)
• “THE ONLY EXCEPTION (PRO GUITAR)” – Paramore ($0.99)
• Artist pack ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: PARAMORE PACK 01. This pack includes “Brick By Boring Brick”, “Ignorance” and “The Only Exception”. By Paramore

File size: 29 MB – 35 MB (singles), 99 MB (track pack)

Rock Band Network v2.0

• “BEER, METAL, TROLLS AND VOMIT!” – Nordheim ($1.99)
• “OCEAN FLOOR” – The Bunny the Bear ($1.99)
• “SONG FOR THE BROKEN” – Close Your Eyes ($1.99)
• “TOCCATA AND FUGUE IN D MINOR (BACH)” – Johann Sebastian Bach ($0.99)
• “YOUNGER LUNGS” – Less Than Jake ($1.99)

File size: 18 MB – 32 MB (singles)

PS Vita Add-Ons

MotorStorm RC add ons (x3) (free – $0.49 each)
Various add on content.
File size 100 KB

Reality Fighters Soccer Fight Pack ($2.99)
Kick off a brand new battle by downloading this Soccer Fight Pack for Reality Fighters. Train hard and you will soon be able to volley your enemies back into the dressing room – there isn’t a referee in sight. Compatible with PlayStation Vita system only.
File size 100 KB

Ridge Racer add ons (x4) ($1.49 – $2.49)
Various add on content.
File size 3.34 MB – 76 MB

Updates

5-In-1 Arcade Hits – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
Assassin’s Creed (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – The Da Vinci Disappearance (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Assassin’s Creed II – Sequence 13 + Secret Locations (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.89, original price $6.99)
Assassin’s Creed II: Sequence 12: Battle Of Forli (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.79, original price $3.99)
Assassin’s Creed II Deluxe Edition Digital (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Sale) (PS3) (now $20.99, original price $29.99)
Beyond Good And Evil Hd (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Blimp: The Flying Adventures – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood Old West Map Pack (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Far Cry 2 (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Far Cry 2 Fortunes Pack (Sale) (now $3.49, original price $9.99)
From Dust (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
Might And Magic Clash Of Heroes (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
Minisquadron – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
One Epic Game – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
Prince Of Persia (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Prince Of Persia Classic (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Prince Of Persia Classic Trilogy Hd (Bundle) (Sale) (PS3) (now $27.99, original price $39.99)
Prince Of Persia: Epilogue Dlc (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (Sale) (PS3) (now $13.99, original price $19.99)
Prince Of Persia: The Two Thrones (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
Prince Of Persia: Warrior Within (Sale) (PS3) (now $10.49, original price $14.99)
Ricochet Hd (Sale) (PS3) (now $2.74, original price $4.99)
Scott Pilgrim (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
The Impossible Game – Minis (Sale) (PSP) (now $0.99, original price $1.99)
Magic 2012 Gold Deck Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
Magic: The Gathering – Dules of the Planeswalkers 2012 Gold Bundle (Sale) (PS3) (now $9.99, original price $19.99)
Outland (Sale) (PS3) (now $6.99, original price $9.99)
Scott Pilgrim – Knives Chau Add-On Pack (Sale) (PS3) (now $1.39, original price $1.99)
Final Fight: Double Impact (Sale) (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)

Game Videos (free)

Assassin’s Creed III Announcement Trailer

Darksiders 2: Death Strikes: Part I Trailer

Darksiders 2: Behind The Mask: Death Rises Trailer

Darksiders 2: Behind The Mask: Deaths World Trailer

Darksiders 2: Death Eternal Trailer

Far Cry 3 Dr. Earnhardt Gameplay Trailer

Game Of Thrones – The Wall Trailer

Game Of Thrones – This Is War Trailer

Game Of Thrones- Winter Trailer

Medal Of Honor Warfighter Announce Trailer

Medal Of Honor Warfighter Gameplay 1 Trailer

Sleeping Dogs Driving Trailer

Sleeping Dogs Undercover: Hong Kong Trailer

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier: Ghost Recon Alpha

PS3 Themes

Dynamic Beautiful Girl 3 ($2.99)

Max Payne 3 Premium Theme ($1.99)

PSone Classics

Myst ($5.99)
Journey through stunning 3D photo-realistic graphics.Explore eerie worlds of starkly fantastic beauty.Experience a vivid first person perspective. Listen to the original soundtrack and sound effects that enhance the sense of realism. Combine keen observation and logic to unlock the secrets of MYST.
ESRB rated E
File size 349 MB

PS2 Classics

Red Faction 2 ($5.99)
Fight alongside an elite squad of soldiers to complete your mission to eliminate the corrupt dictator of the Commonwealth! Download Red Faction® 2 today!
ESRB rated M
File size 2.1 GB

Bundles

Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood Complete Edition ($24.99)

Call Of Juarez: Bound In Blood Complete Edition ($19.99)

Far Cry 2 Complete Edition ($19.99)

Prince Of Persia Complete Edition ($19.99)

Scott Pilgrim Complete Edition ($7.99)

Music

Sorcery Soundtrack ($4.99)

PlayStation Store for PSP

PSP minis (also available from PS3 Storefront)

Velocity- Minis ($4.99)
File size 77 MB

The month of May brings some of my favorite times of the year. It gives me a chance to step back and look at the gigantic list of PS3 and PSN games that I want to dedicate time to before the end-of-year holiday onslaught. Even better, it’s a perfect time to pick up digital titles that I never had time to play earlier. All this plays perfectly into me saying that Ubisoft is having a huge promotion on our PlayStation Network catalog.

Starting today, you will be able to download a huge selection of our games on the PlayStation Store at 50 percent off for PlayStation Plus members and 30 percent off for all other users. The sale will end on May 22, so act fast!

Ubisoft has an extensive and high-quality PSN catalog. Last year, we saw the launch of some of our best PlayStation Network games to date – From Dust, Outland, Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes and Beyond Good & Evil HD – all which will be in today’s promotion. For those looking to hop into retail games, we have several of our Blu-ray titles available on the PlayStation Store as well.

Here’s a list of all the content that we will have on sale this week. All these items have been discounted 50 percent for PlayStation Plus members and 30 percent for all other users:

• From Dust – PlayStation Plus price $7.34; Sale price $10.49
• Outland – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes – PlayStation Plus price $7.34; Sale price $10.49
• Beyond Good & Evil HD – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Scott Pilgrim – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Prince of Persia Classic – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – PlayStation Plus price $14.69; Sale price $20.99
• Assassin’s Creed 2 – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Assassin’s Creed – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Far Cry 2 – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Call of Juarez 2 – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Prince of Persia (2008) – PlayStation Plus price *$9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Prince of Persia Classic Trilogy HD – PlayStation Plus price $19.59; Sale price $27.99
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – PlayStation Plus price $7.34; Sale price $10.49
• Prince of Persia: Warrior Within – PlayStation Plus price $7.34; Sale price $10.49
• Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones – PlayStation Plus price $7.34; Sale price $10.49
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – Da Vinci Disappearance DLC – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Assassin’s Creed 2 – Battle of Forli DLC – PlayStation Plus price $1.95; Sale price $2.79
• Assassin’s Creed 2 – Bonfire of Vanities DLC – PlayStation Plus price $3.42; Sale price $4.89
• Far Cry 2 – Fortunes Pack DLC – PlayStation Plus price $2.44; Sale price $3.49
• Call of Juarez 2 – Old West Map Pack DLC – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Prince of Persia (2008) – Epilogue DLC – PlayStation Plus price $4.89; Sale price $6.99
• Scott Pilgrim – Knives Chau Add-On Pack DLC – PlayStation Plus price $0.97; Sale price $1.39
• Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines (PSP) – PlayStation Plus price $9.79; Sale price $13.99
• Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood Complete Edition (includes Da Vinci Disappearance, Animus Project Update 1, Animus Project Update 2 and Copernicus Conspiracy Missions) – PlayStation Plus price $14.99; Sale price $24.99
• Far Cry 2 Complete Edition (includes Fortune Pack) – PlayStation Plus price $11.99; Sale price $19.99
• Prince of Persia (2008) Complete Edition (includes Epilogue) – PlayStation Plus price $11.99; Sale price $19.99
• Scott Pilgrim Complete Edition (includes Knives Chau Add-On Pack) – PlayStation Plus price $4.79; Sale price $7.99
• Call of Juarez 2 Complete Edition (includes Old West Map Pack) – PlayStation Plus price $11.99; Sale price $19.99

*corrected pricing

There you have it folks. The promotion will be running until May 22. What are you looking to pick up?

Hi everyone! Gaming is the bread and butter of PS Vita, with titles such as Resistance: Burning Skies, Sound Shapes and Gravity Rush launching soon.

Starting today, you’ll have even more reason to never stop playing. We’re very excited to announce the following PSP titles and minis will be available on the PS Vita Store, with many more coming soon. These aren’t just the same games you might have played at one time in the past! Check out the full list below, and we’ll keep you posted as further titles are brought to PS Store.

Available Today

PSP Titles:
Cho Aniki Zero (Aksys Games Localization, Inc.)
Strikers 1945 Plus (PM Studios, Inc.)
Tom Clancy’S Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (UbiSoft, Inc.)
Tom Clancy’S Rainbow Six: Vegas (UbiSoft, Inc.)
Valhalla Knights 2: Battle Stance (XSEED JKS, Inc.)
Ys: I & II Chronicles Digital (XSEED JKS, Inc.)

PSP minis:
Aero Racer (Halfbrick Studios)
Age Of Zombies (Halfbrick Studios)
Blast Off (Halfbrick Studios)
Dynogems (StormBasic)
Echoes (Halfbrick Studios)
Me Monstar: Hear Me Roar (Cohort Studios)
Vempire (Impressionware Srl)

Coming Soon

PSP Titles:
3D Twist & Match (Sanuk Games)
Aedis Eclipse: Generation Of Chaos Legacy (NIS America, Inc.)
Bejeweled 2 (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Beta Bloc (D3 Publisher of America)
Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
Dead Head Fred (D3 Publisher of America)
Field Commander (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Gods Eater Burst (D3 Publisher of America)
Groovin’ Blocks (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
King Of Pool (Nordcurrent UAB)
Luxor: Pharaoh’S Challenge Umd Legacy (Mumbo Jumbo)
Major League Baseball 2K10 (2KGames)
Mercury Meltdown (Ignition Entertainment)
Mx Vs Atv Untamed (THQ, Inc.)
Peggle (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Prehistoric Isle (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords (D3 Publisher of America)
Reel Fishing: The Great Outdoors Legacy (Natsume, Inc.)
Split Second (Disney Interactive Studios)
Super Pocket Tennis (D3 Publisher of America)
The Red Star (XS Games, LLC)
Unbound Saga (Vogster Entertainment, LLC)
Undead Knights Digital (Tecmo Koei America Corporation)
Uno (Gameloft)
Untold Legends: Brotherhood Of The Blade (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Untold Legends: The Warrior’S Code French (Sony Online Entertainment LLC)
Work Time Fun (D3 Publisher of America)
WWE All Stars (THQ, Inc.)
WWE Smackdown Vs. Raw 2010 (THQ, Inc.)

PSP minis:
5 In 1 Solitaire (Digital Leisure)
Alien Zombie Death (PomPom Games)
Arcade Air Hockey & Bowling (Icon Games)
Babel: The King Of The Blocks (StormBasic)
Bashi Blocks (Icon Games)
Bermuda Triangle (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Breakquest (Beatshapers)
Bubble Trubble (Creat Studios)
Card Shark (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Carnivores: Ice Age (Beatshapers)
Cohort Chess (Cohort Studios)
Doodle Fit (Gamelion)
Doodle Pool (Big Head Games)
Duael Invaders (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Enigmo (Beatshapers)
Family Games (Icon Games)
Farm Frenzy (Alawar Entertainment, Inc.)
Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
Fly Fu (Invictus Games LTD.)
Galcon Labs (Beatshapers)
Gamocracy One : Legend Of Robot (AYEWARE / Bearded Ladies Consulting)
Gold Medalist (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Guerrilla War (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Hal 21 (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Hero Of Sparta (Gameloft)
Hysteria Project 2 (Sanuk Games)
Ikari Warriors (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Ikari Warriors Ii: Victory Road (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Jelly Pops (PomPom Games)
Karimogi (StormBasic)
Labyrinth (Bigben Interactive, S.A.)
Let’S Golf (Gameloft)
Marvin’S Maze (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Mecho Wars (Creat Studios)
Omg-Z! (Laughing Jackal Ltd)
One Epic Game (Grip Digital)
Ozma Wars (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
P.O.W. – Prisoners Of War (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Pipe Madness (AYEWARE / Bearded Ladies Consulting)
Pix N Love Rush (Sanuk Games)
Psycho Soldier (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Red Bull X-Fighters (Xendex)
Rumble Trucks (Playerthree Ltd)
Street Smart (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
The 2D Adventures Of Rotating Octopus Character (Dakko Dakko Ltd.)
The Impossible Game (Grip Digital)
The Marbians (Nordisk Film Distribution A/S)
Twin Blades (Sanuk Games)
Vanguard Ii (SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION)
Wackylands Boss (Creat Studios)
Yetisports (Xendex)
Zombie Racers (Big Head Games)

It’s been almost three months since we launched PS Vita here in the U.S. and we’re continuing to find ways to add to your portable entertainment experience. With the recent launch of non-gaming apps such as Skype and Paint Park, and upcoming apps such as Treasure Park and Wake Up Club, all available for free, the PS Vita is an ever-evolving platform that keeps you connected to the content and experiences that are most important to all of you gamers.

What PSP games are you most excited to play on PS Vita?

Do you have a PlayStation Move motion controller? Do you like music? Are waffles delicious? If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, I have some delicious news for you!

PixelJunk 4am will be released later today on PSN for $9.99! The FREE PixelJunk 4am Viewer app will also be available to download today, and will enable you to stream the full library of 4am visualizers and songs from performers around the world.

If you’re not already familiar with PixelJunk 4am, it’s a Virtual Audio Canvas that uses PlayStation Move, giving you the power to craft music in a unique new audio-visual experience. Your creations are broadcast live on PSN around the world to viewers who can stream (and cheer you on!) in real time.

You can look forward to seven songs and six visualizers with 38 variations, 10 events and over 190 different sounds to play with. PixelJunk 4am supports both in-game Twitter and Facebook connectivity, enabling you to promote your performances with personal messages and start to build your own persona and audience. You can also use 4am as a stand-alone visualizer (no Move required) and play your favorite music from your PS3.

For anyone still yet to see 4am in action, we’ve been playing with it lately in the office here and did some raw filming. Here’s a peek at what can be done with just one song & visualizer!

4am also supports two two Move controllers, meaning you can mix simultaneously with a friend live, or dual-wield by yourself like a pro. :) We took it up onto the roof in the rain last night. Phat bass filtering down into the streets below… :D

Watching players in the early access live beta, we’ve already been blown away by people’s creativity. Some of you have been uploading performances to YouTube in suits and masks or adding your own digital GUI overlays. And that was just with the one song the Beta offered! o.O I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with using the full release library!

So please, show us how it’s done. We’ve provided the platform, it’s up to you guys to stand on it. Surprise us and show us what you can come up with! We’ll be streaming wherever you are in the world.

April was a close race for the top spot: PSN exclusive Journey continued to see major play, with fighting game par excellence SkullGirls and emotionally exhausting survival epic The Walking Dead Episode 1 following close behind. But it was Ubisoft’s harrowing tale of one man’s survival amidst catastrophe that claimed the top spot — I Am Alive was this month’s most-downloaded PSN game.

On PS Vita, Escape Plan entered its third month of leadership on the PS Vita PlayStation Store. In Add-Ons, Call of Duty content (both new and old) stormed in, while MLB 12: The Show content shared some of the top honors.

Get the download on all of April’s top sellers below. Think you can predict what next month’s top sellers will be? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Top 20 PSN and PS3 Full Games

1) I Am Alive – Ubisoft’s twist on the survival genre edged it above last month’s top seller Journey.
2) Journey
3) SkullGirls
4) The Walking Dead – Episode 1: A New Day –  TellTale explores player choice and consequence.
5) The House of the Dead 4
6) Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection
7) Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City
8) Grand Theft Auto IV
9) NBA JAM: On Fire Edition
10) Gotham City Impostors – Fervent support from developer and community for this multiplayer world.
11) Sonic CD
12) inFAMOUS Festival of Blood – Last year’s dark adventure demonstrates impressive staying power.
13) World Gone Sour
14) Resident Evil 4
15) The Simpsons Arcade Game
16) Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
17) Dead Rising 2 Off The Record
18) Warrior Orochi 3
19) Pinball Arcade – Cracking the top 20 on both PS3 and PS Vita, this realistic pinball simulation packed an impressive value proposition: buy one version and you get the other for free.
20) Castle Crashers

Top 10 PS Vita Games

1) Escape Plan – With a friendly price point and continuing Add-On content, there’s no reason every PS Vita owner shouldn’t have this gem.
2) Pinball Arcade
3) Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
4) Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention
5) Plants vs. Zombies
6) Super Stardust Delta
7) Unit 13
8) StarDrone Extreme
9) Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3
10) MLB 12 The Show

Top 5 PS3 Add-Ons

1) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Collection 1 – A special collection of all the current Add-On proved too good for COD fans to pass up.
2) MLB 12 The Show Road to the Show Training Points (6,000)
3) Call of Duty: Black Ops Rezurrection: Content Pack 4
4) MLB 12 The Show Road to the Show Training Points (1,000)
5) Call of Duty: Black Ops Escalation: Content Pack 2

Top 5 PSone Classics

1) Final Fantasy VII – Final Fantasy VII is Final Fantasy VII. You know the deal.
2) Resident Evil 2
3) Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
4) Final Fantasy IX
5) Final Fantasy VIII

Top 5 PSP Games

1) Monster Hunter Freedom Unite – Addictive Monster Hunting action just barely edged out the competition to reach the top PSP spot!
2) Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
3) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
4) Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
5) NBA 2K12 PSP

Wednesday, May 16th, brings us some awesome PlayStation Home content: Midway 3 arrives with the Ca$h Carnival event where you can win up to $25,000 worth of prizes (click here for official rules), the Men in Black HQ opens its doors, new developer Bigyama launches Forthstar, Lockwood brightens up May with new additions to their Drey Line, and much more!

The long-awaited Midway 3 is coming this week. As if that wasn’t enough on its own, it’s bringing sweet, sweet prizes with it. No, not virtual prizes (it has over 100 of those, too) but real prizes. Sony prizes. Awesome prizes. Oh, and cash prizes too!

The Midway 3 hosts 10 games, each with 10 levels of difficulty, and rewards players with over 100 unique virtual items. Grab your tickets and play a variety of hilarious carnival games like Pull My Finger, Puck It!, and Penny Pincher. Enter the new Midway Hot Zone to play the Hot Streak Air Hockey. Earn Hot Zone points and then cash them in for wild prizes from the Lots O’ Junk Redemption Center. That’s not all – players that enter the Midway are entered into the Cash Carnival sweepstakes, where you can win weekly prizes from Sony Electronics and even a grand prize of $15,000 (click here for the official rules)! Be sure to head over to the Midway 3 on Wednesday, May 16th and start playing!!

For the more refined, Drey provides in May. The Kaleidoscope Color and Smart Artist collections from Drey deliver comfortable, tailored designs for this season. The spring fashions you are looking for are here, in bundles and ala carte.

x7 members will get early-access to special new selections this week as well. Ladies should check for the White Leather Jacket and Pants, while the men might find that the Sleeveless Gi fills a certain void in their wardrobe.

On May 16th, 2012, the Men in Black are coming to PlayStation Home! Sony Pictures Consumer Products in partnership with Activision, Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony DADC LOOT have joined forces to bring the MIB Headquarters to Home! Help agents Jay and Kay protect the Earth from the scum of the universe by monitoring alien activity! Play our quiz to find out if you’re considered an alien or agent in the eyes of the agency! Take photos with your favorite agents then roam the headquarters for sweet rewards and sneak peeks from the new movie Men in Black 3 and the upcoming video game Men in Black: Alien Crisis!

Fire up PlayStation Home and discover which bits of this week’s update you love the most! If you can’t decide where to start, try the Hub – you’ll find content from Midway 3 and Men In Black there, plus a free ride to x7 if you need one.

See you there!

Palooza it up people! This party’s not over yet!

Track Creation Challenge: “Home Sweeeet Home”
This challenge will test the skills of even the best track creators in the game. Relying on imagination and not a “midnight pizza-vison” to come up with amazing tracks or creations; those skills may not work here. Players will need to simulate the city where they live. Our favorite tracks will make their way into PS3 Top Tracks or Hot Lap for a week of notoriety (San Diego Studio Faves for Vita). Sign up HERE!

The “Moddys”: Our Favorite Tracks
Two weeks in to the popular “Moddys” Celebration 2.0. We searched through 1,000’s upon 1,000’s of Mods, Karts, and Tracks to present you with some of our favorite amazing, scary, and wacky creations.

This week we bring you… our favorite Tracks

The categories include:

• “Rollercoaster of Love. Say What?” (Favorite Rollercoaster tracks)
• “U-G-L-Y, You Ain’t Got No Alibi, You Ugly” (Favorite Not-Pretty tracks)
• “Gosh Darn It” (Favorite Dam Tracks)
• “You Must Be Petrified” (Favorite Epic Animal Track Creations)
• “What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing!” (Favorite War Themed Tracks)
• “Auto-Populated… My Eye!” (Favorite “Overstated” Track)
• “It’s All In The Name” (Favorite Named Tracks)
• “Hands Off Me Booty” (Favorite Pirate Themed Tracks)
• “USA! USA! USA!” (Favorite PSN ID: marusarusa Tracks)
• “That Sir Is Utterly Inflammatory” (Favorite Tracks With Flames)
• “It’s A Wonderful Day In The Neighborhood” (Favorite Suburban Tracks)
• “You’re As Cold As Ice” (Favorite Ice Themed Track)
• “Fortification Schmortification” (Favorite Fortress Track)
• “Yippee Ki-yay” (Favorite Western Tracks)

Please take the time to view these creations HERE

ModNation Racers Double XP Week!

You: Are you down with Double XP?
Mark: Yeah, you know me!

Enjoy Double XP for the Week of May 14th – 20th – brought to you by the good folks of MNR!

“Road Trip” Track of the Week / Community Hot Lap Challenge
Each week we will host the “Track of the Week” Community Hot Lap Challenge to see who can post the best time on selected tracks. The top three times will be mentioned here in this ModNation Monday blog for the world to see.

Last Week’s Hot Lap Results:
Track: “Catfish Rally Vita” by CAPNDigital

1. ZlheckJr 53.081
2. Punishthem420 54.476
3. jadace12 56.708

This week’s track:

ModNation Racers For PS3

ModNation Racers Two-Year Anniversary Collectable Wallpaper
ModNation Anniversary wallpapers in six designer colors. Visit our Facebook page to get yours now!

ModNation Racers: Grand Prix Track Selection
We asked you to build the tracks for the upcoming Grand Prix and wow!… did you deliver! It was difficult to narrow it down to just 10 tracks, but here are our favorites:

• 2012 MNR UFG MRC GP by Onemama
• Desert GP rally by The_Pwner007
• 2012 North Woods GP by Onepoppa
• Green Valley Speedway by ath_racing
• Grand Prix 2012 by prob_alex
• 2nd Annual MNR Grand Prix by John31269
• The 2012 H*3*L*L *A* GP by KING_MEPHISTO
• Icecap Colosseum by Yika
• Eternal Life: Tree Shaker by Freshwick
• Canal Streets GP by mackattack8000

Thanks to everyone who obviously put a lot of time and effort into creating all of the tracks!

Anniv. Celebration Fun Race Nights in May
Join ModNationSD for a night of fun races all throughout the month of May from 4:30 – 5:30 pm Pacific Time! If you would like to race, send a friend request to ModNationSD and I will add you for the night.

Top Tracks: Best of PSN ID: Kickin’ It Old School
For those that were never able to experience the Top Tracks rotation for the first six months of the game’s life, we present them one more time.

Too soon?

My bad.

ModNation Racers Hot Lap Tracks: Best Of UFG and San Diego Studio

This week we celebrate Hot Lap with the “Best of UFG” tracks Monday-Friday. Which tracks you ask? You’ll have to show up in the Modspot to find out. Note: Saturday and Sunday will run the tracks that were replaced by the Grand Prix races.

Happy Anniversary ModNation-ites!,
Mark
PS3: ModNationSD
Vita: ModNationSDVita

Men in Black Costume Pack Coming This Week!

The Men in Black have an opening for a brand new member for their elite secret agency…and there’s nobody better equipped for the job than Agent S!

The new Sack in Black Costume is joined by a trio of infamous aliens from the Men in Black movies. With Agent S in charge, you can be sure that they won’t be messing with the Men in Black anymore! In celebration of this awesome collection of costumes from one of our favourite movies series, head on over to LittleBigPlanet.com and download this fantastic new movie poster for LittleBigPlanet!

Don’t forget that Men in Black III will be in cinemas soon too, so be sure to check it out to see the original Agents J and K in action!

Mm Picks

The Mm Picks this week include a couple of dark and mysterious platforming levels along with a couple more light-hearted mini-games that challenge your pizza-making and button-pressing skills.

The standout level series featured this week though is the Titanic 100th Anniversary movie that spans across an impressive 10-level series featuring educational and interactive levels, which form together to make a truly touching movie project that pays tribute to the Titanic tragedy from 100 years ago and to the lives lost on that day.

TITANIC 100th Anniversary PART 1 ‘THE SHIP OF DREAMS’ By TITANIC100th

TITANIC 100TH Soundtrack By hugh-es

Embrace of Darkness (Part 1) By papanurgle123

Pizza Party (Move Required – 1Player) By SasukeUchica

ブロック消し block eraser [JPN] By tyutyukoderax

Days Of Revenge part 1 –The Final Judgement– By monstertruckpipk

LBPC Contest Crew – Aquatic Acceleration

The Contest Crew over on LBPCentral.com have just announced their eighth competition! They’re looking for the community to create the fastest, most exhilarating, underwater level that you can imagine.

So put on your scuba gear and get creating for your chance to win a Rare Prize Crown and the LittleBigPlanet Central Pin!

Head on over to LBPCentral.com to find out how you can enter this competition.

Sign-up for the LittleBigPlanet Vita Beta!

Last but by no means least: we announced the LittleBigPlanet PS Vita Beta last week and time is quickly running out for people to register to be in with a chance to be chosen to join our community of bug-blasting Sackfolk!

Head on over to LittleBigPlanet.com now and register for your chance to be selected for the LittleBigPlanet Vita beta, before it’s too late!