Due to be launched next Tuesday, the PSP-3000 Ratchet & Clank Entertainment Pack has managed to slip into at least one Best Buy a few days early, where it was quickly snatched up by friendly tipster Aaron G. He sent us a few unboxing shots out of the kindness of his heart, and now he's undoubtedly too engrossed in National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets and that ultra-bright screen to pay us much heed. Oh Nicolas Cage, what a charmer you are.

You know who Microsoft hates? No, not Apple. It really hates DHL. Apparently, the delivery service has hit the folks in Redmond where it hurts: in the Xbox. It seems that 21,600 consoles were totally messed over by "impact damage, wetting, pilfering and shortage" when one of the company's freight trains derailed en route to Long Beach, California. The big M claims that DHL refuses to compensate for the lost goods, and has filed a complaint at a US District Court in Seattle, calling for $2 million in damages and stating that the shipper "negligently breached its duties as a common carrier, handler, bailee, warehouseman, agent, or in other capabilities." Harsh words, but really, who's to blame for this mess? Next time we suggest going with G.O.D.

[Thanks, Andrew S.]

With Wrath of the Lich King just around the corner, it's time to up your game and finally make it out of the low double digits with that Blood Elf mage you keep telling us about. Maybe SteelSeries can help. The high-end gaming peripherals builder recently snapped up Ideazon, and together they've built the official World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse in close cooperation with Ideazon's BFF Blizzard. There are 15 programmable buttons scattered across the mouse, and a new in-game configuration utility to graphically assign the buttons just where they're needed. You can save different profiles for different purposes, and choose one of 16 million colors for those LEDs down the back. Just don't expect any fancy auto-levelling macros or even a recommended control scheme -- Blizzard still expects you to do the hard work of lining up your favorite actions and buying your gold on eBay. The laser mouse hits on November 13th to coincide with the Lich King launch, and should retail "under $100."

Even with today's wireless video game controllers, you can't stay untethered forever. After a few hours of gaming on the PlayStation 3, you'll have to plug in that SIXAXIS or DualShock 3 USB cable to charge. Starting December 18th, Sony Japan will offer an AC adapter intended for PS3 controllers at a price of ¥2,800 (just under $30). Like third party solutions we've seen, it has two USB ports so you'll be able to do two controllers or toss in a Bluetooth headset. Nothing yet on availability outside of Japan, but if we get word we'll be all over it, 'cause we feel slightly guilty for leaving the PS3 on overnight to charge -- what with the world's dwindling energy supply and all.

Are the blatant rockist tendencies of Guitar Hero and Rock Band ruining your enjoyment of those otherwise brilliant titles? Of course they are -- we noted your b-boy flava from two blocks away. But don't sweat it because Genius Products, 7 Studios and Quincy Jones III have your niche in their sights and will happily sell you Scratch: The Ultimate DJ when it hits the stores sometime in Spring 2009. With a game controller designed by Numark (known worldwide for its DJ controllers -- there's an example for you after the break), the game will be available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 and feature tracks by "many" (as yet unnamed) hip-hop artists. Trevor Drinkwater, President and CEO of Genius Products promises all and sundry "a cutting-edge game that captures the vital energy of hip-hop culture." And here we thought they were cynically jumping on the Guitar Hero bandwagon! We stand corrected.

With only one analog nub, the PSP can't seem to nail down a comfortable first or third-person shooter control scheme on its own, but a new tech called "PSP Plus" will allow users to pair the handheld with the PlayStation 3's more genre-capable SIXAXIS or DualShock 3 controllers. Sony announced PSP Plus at the Tokyo Game Show today but didn't provide much info about how it works, so we're not sure if it's the same technology that was patented last year. We do know there's a pretty outrageous catch: you'll need to connect your PSP to your PS3 to use the controller. With only one game supported (Resistance Retribution), we prefer just about any homemade hack to this solution, and if you're at home with your PS3, why not play Resistance 2 instead? It's what Kratos would do.

We spotted this demo light gun on the floor of TGS2008. The cagey booth attendant wouldn't tell us if it will ever hit retail shelves, but the frankensteined (see the external batteries?) device was certainly working with a PS3 and projector here in Tokyo. We're all for some wireless light gun action, so bring it on, Light Gun Zero. That is, if you can. Oh, and if you can get rid of that unusual battery pack. Okay, thanks.

We already know that NeuroSky is bringing us the mind-reading Mindset for your gaming pleasures, but we got a first-hand look at the device here at TGS. At first glance, the headset may appear to be just another white set of over-the-ear headphones, but a little boom that gets all cuddly with your forehead measures how well you are concentrating on in-game objects. While this may sound like a bunch of hoopla, keep in mind that mega-developer Square Enix is already on board with "Judecca," a zombie thriller that forces you to concentrate your way into seeing your enemies. After holding up your hand, you then concentrate on a glyph that glows in direct relation to your ability to concentrate, opening up what's called your Devil's Eye. Once you're in a zen-like state, you can see Judecca's zombies and unleash some kill. You can also show your concentration skills enough to walk through walls, naturally. In our limited time trying the tech with Judecca, we were indeed able to induce some sort of concentrative state, even with the distractions of a giant Japanese gaming convention. As for how long we'd want to play something like this before switching to something involving, say, just pushing buttons and killing enemies, we're not so sure. NeuroSky promises the device in Spring 2009 for a price somewhere between $50 and $80. Hit the break for a couple shots of the device and a very tense gamer.

Been wondering when you were finally going to get your eyes on that fancy new Xbox 360 experience? Well the secret is out -- come November 19th, your dashboard will never be the same. The good folks at Joystiq have delivered this wonderful news live-and-direct from the Tokyo Game Show, where they're blogging the Microsoft press briefing while undoubtedly enjoying the finest cowboy rolls known to man and hob-nobbing with other glorious gamers. Feel free to check into their live coverage via the link below, and start prepping for serious avatar creation.

PS.- Check out our earlier gallery of the new dash here.

Read - New Xbox Experience coming Nov. 19
Read - Joystiq live from Microsoft's TGS 2008 press conference

Think that bundled Rock Band / High School Musical Sing It! mic is totally weak sauce? Ready to drop $79.99 in order to prove it? If so, have a gander at Logitech's latest, the Cordless Vantage Microphone. Crafted to work with the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 consoles, this AA (x2) powered device comes with a USB receiver and stand and supports a handful of titles including Boogie, American Idol Encore and the games we mentioned at the top. It'll be available this December, just in time for you to succumb to high prices for the sake of having something to shove under the tree.

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime sat down with VentureBeat on the heels of last week's DSi announcement, and while he didn't drop any major bombshells, he did put the kibosh on those Wii HD rumors, saying that they were "pure rumor and speculation" and that Nintendo wouldn't show off upcoming models to devs as the rumors claimed. Reggie also downplayed the talk that Nintendo is going head to head against Apple, saying that Ninty's always "viewed ourselves as competing in a larger entertainment space." That's the end of that for now, we suppose -- but Reggie didn't close the door on either rumor entirely, and his closing comment that Nintendo's good fortunes "makes us the most paranoid people in the world" certainly keeps possibilities open. Hit the read link for the full interview.

Let's be honest here -- you skimped by snagging the 40GB PlayStation 3 back in the day, and now you're in need of a few extra USB ports and a multicard reader. Thankfully, your fortunes have changed since the days of your original purchase, primarily due to your drunken decision to bet the farm on Seth Petruzelli over the weekend. Whatever the case, Nyko's unsightly Media Hub+ -- which adds a trio of USB sockets and a multicard reader to the 40GB PS3 -- is finally available, and it's just $19.99 for those with no shame in adding it to the face of their console. So, who's tossing a brown grocery bag over their head and picking one of these up?

[Via IGN]