What's New? (27th July 2007)

I'm slightly worried that I will be a rubbish granddad. I mean, I've not got married or had any kids and I'm still not old enough to rent undersea drilling equipment or anything, so it's not really an immediate problem, but I am starting to concern myself that my own granddad had also sorts of wicked anecdotes about when he was my age, and all mine are about coming up with a way to remember the difference between "discrete" and "discreet" and seeing Rutger Hauer in a supermarket.

For example, I can't really remember anything about the years between 1980 and 1990. I can remember a cat that might have been green, a woman called Ina, being sick on the carpet, and going to a Chesney Hawes concert. I don't remember any of the songs on Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s. Like, any of them. Who are these people? I'd probably recognise them if I heard them, but in a game that sells itself on songs - having adopted a Singstar approach for this instalment - instant recognition's a bit of a decisive factor. They also haven't sent us a review copy. Or done any PR for it really. Which makes you wonder if it's a load of old tosh. Any reports, readeroos? Am I just being thick? Wouldn't be the first time.

Anyway, from things that I don't remember from my youth to games I wish I'd been 12 when I discovered. Pokémon Diamond and Pearl are wonderful examples of that which Nintendo does so well: taking something that's been relentlessly commercialised and making it inviting, magical and addictive all over again. Plus it'll be nice to look at the charts on Tuesday and see something besides Transformers or Harry Potter and the Endless Running Up Stairs towering over 37 brain training games.

Bit of a dull week besides that, though. Unless you went to the GamesIndustry.biz Summer Party last night, like me. And like Mark Rein, actually. He was very, ah, "indiscreet". But we can't tell you what he said or he would be extremely cross. Much as we want to. Also at the party was one Rob Purchese, last seen staggering around Rupert's flat saying he "could have bottled" Eurogamer's Mark Kennedy because he wasn't sure who he was but it wouldn't matter because he's "just a person". Brilliant.

Right, that's your lot - sorry about the lack of jokes and general air of last-minute-ness, but it's the last minute and I can't think of any jokes. Join us again next week though for a very special announcement that I think you'll all enjoy - concerning our old friends Trendy McZeitgeist and, in particular, Feisty McSpunk.

This week:

• American Chopper 2 (PS2)
• Devil's Crush (Wii Virtual Console - TurboGrafx-16)
• Guitar Hero: Rock the 80s (PS2)
• Kirby's Ghost Trap (Wii Virtual Console - SNES)
• Pokémon Diamond (DS)
• Pokémon Pearl (DS)
• Rugby 08 (PS2, PC)
• Super Contra (Xbox Live Arcade)
• Wing Commander Arena (Xbox Live Arcade)