Pete Docter remembered me – or at least my Route 66 pin.

I have a whole collection of them, shiny metal lapel pins I’ve gathered over the years. Last Friday I almost wore my 1960’s, Star Trek-ish NASA pin, but at the last minute switched to a favorite, one in the shape of a Route 66 road sign and headed out to meet director Docter to talk about his work on Pixar’s latest instant classic, Up.

Pete arrived and our chat (part of the promotion for Up’s blu-ray/DVD release) began. I started by mentioning I’d last seen him way early in the year at Disney’s New York screening room, when he and Up producer Jonas Rivera were in town to present the film’s top (or if you will, upper) half. “And you were wearing the Route 66 pin,” Pete said without a pause. “A different jacket, but I remember the pin.”

When you’re in charge of a $175 million film, you develop an eye for details.

Ninja Revolution 3

Following on the heels of NARUTO Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2 for the DS, TOMY takes all your favorite jutsu moves to the Wii console. NARUTO Shippuden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3 is indeed the next level in ninja gaming.

Dragonaut

The Earth’s solar system has encountered an unwelcome guest: a deadly asteroid called Thanatos. But the threat isn’t so much its trajectory toward Earth, but its inextricable link to the emergence of dragons on Earth. Some are out to ravage the planet, others are used by specially trained humans for defense. Called “dragonauts,” these female pilots are as sleek and sexy as their tight outfits! Now, in the midst of this prehistoric, interstellar conflict, Jin Kamishina meets Toa, an intergalactic hottie with super powers and an intense attraction for him. Time is running out on Earth, and the mysterious connection between asteroid and dragons must be solved. What is a boy to do?

Evangelion: 1.01

So, the past is indeed resurrected. 1.01 is essentially a transformation of the first six episodes of the original anime. In the now familiar post-apocalyptic Tokyo-3 the Earth is still under attack by the otherworldly Angels. Shinji Ikari is summoned by his father to pilot the Eva Unit 01, a towering biomech unit capable of defeating these enigmatic creatures. The Fourth Angel has descended, and the distantly cold Rei Ayanami is too injured to assume her pilot duties. Shinji may be only fourteen, but the world is now thrust into his hands.

Piano

On Feburary 2, 2010 Piano: The Melody of A Young Girl’s Heart DVD Bundle will hit stores. This series follows the story of Miu, the once piano phenom, now introverted teenager struggling to improve her skills. But things seem to change when she develops a crush on the older Takahashi. Rediscovering love, both human and musical, abound in this coming-of-age tale.

Right now we could go on and on and on with jokes about "balls". It would never stop and we have Playbrains to thank for it! You don't even want to know about what went on when playing this thing. Hit the jump to check out what we thought of Madballs in Babo: Invasion.

I was having lunch recently with some old friends and the conversation turned, as it often does, to a gripe session about the state of the industry.  Nothing seemed to any good any more and as I worked on my # 6-combination plate I listened with a full mouth but an open ear as one after another of my companions lamented the present day industry landscape.  To listen to these guys we were all but done, our chances were about as good as Joan Rivers swearing off plastic surgery.

We checked out the newest addition to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles library of video games; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up for the Nintendo Wii. Hit the jump to see if we thought this game was a... "shell" of a good time. (I couldn't resist!)

Kevin Geiger and local government officials look at model of planned Zhengzhou Animation Base, scheduled for completion in 2 years.

The First International Zhengzhou Animation Forum and Trade Fair in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, brought together provincial officials and 50 foreign visitors from the US, Europe and Asia.

NBA 2K10's NBA Spokesman, Kobe Bryant. (Credit 2K Games/NBA 2K10)

In a world where gaming satisfaction is only a minute away with the advent of high-speed internet and next generation consoles, it makes me think back to the games of old, and what our new tech could have done to salvage them.  Hit the jump for more!