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If you’re willing to commit to purchasing Yakuza 3 next month, despite the fact that your pre-order bill already includes God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII, you’ll be rewarded with extra content. In North America, a pre-order comes with four DLC bonuses, including a “Battle for Survival” boss-rush mode, two tournament modes and a “Haruka’s Request” set of missions. Pre-ordering from GameStop will add an additional Challenge Pack, containing alternate costumes and two-player pool, bowling, darts, and golf minigames.

In Europe, the Challenge Pack is the lone pre-order bonus, as Yakuza 3 will be released in “Premium Edition” format, which includes the other DLC mentioned above, a 31-track soundtrack and a “Yakuza Who’s Who” guide to the characters — useful for distinguishing the good gangsters from the bad gangsters!

Yakuza 3 pitched with pre-order DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talk about a nostalgia-fest! Last week had more lengthy bonus question comments than ever before, and I’m pretty sure I read every single one of them. There was so much insight that I even pulled out Wind Waker and replayed through all of it over the past week (I’m beating it after this debate!). So, what was the most legendary Legend of Zelda of them all? Here are the final results:

• Link to the Past (43 votes) — Winner!
• Wind Waker (36 votes)
• Ocarina of Time (32 votes)
• Majora’s Mask (20 votes)
• Link’s Awakening (14 votes)
• Twilight Princess (11 votes)

The rest of the Zelda games had only one to three votes, and were omitted from the list. This week I’ve got an equally difficult decision for everyone to make. Excluding all Paper Mario, Mario RPG, Mario & Luigi, and all other non-platformer Mario games, here are the two questions for you to answer:

1. What is your favorite Super Mario platformer game in the series?
2. What is your least favorite Super Mario platformer game in the series?

And yes, Luigi’s Mansion counts for this debate. Next week I’ll post the results, and then we’ll do it all over again with the RPG Mario games to keep it fair and more exciting.

Which game do you like the most out of the entire platformer series, and why? What aspects of its game design, gameplay, visual and audio experience made up your mind? Give it some serious thought, share your thought process with all of us, and then get some Super Mario friends to join in on the fun. Hit the jump for new bonus questions and next week’s debate topic!

BONUS QUESTIONS:

BQ1. Do you like Mario or Luigi better? Why? (Thanks, EnigmaticHarle!)

BQ2. What is your favorite method of flying in the series? Raccoon suit, cape, winged hat, F.L.U.D.D. water jet backpack, etc. Why? (Thanks, donkeykong!)

BQ3. What is your favorite item, suit, power-up, etc in the series? Why?

BQ4. What is your least favorite item, suit, power-up, etc in the series? Why?

BQ5. Have you grown to like, dislike, or hate that damn Princess Peach who keeps getting captured? Why or why not?

BQ6. What are a few of your favorite levels in the series? Why?

BQ7: What are a few of your least favorite levels in the series? Why?

BQ8. What do you want to see the series do next? Why?

BQ9: This bonus question is in another castle.

SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTIONS: 

Each week I will post what next week’s debate will be, and allow you to all post your own “bonus questions” in the comments for next week’s debate. I’ll choose the best of the bunch and then we can get some serious feedback from all different gamer perspectives on not just each game/series, but also a few individual aspects of those games/series. Have something you’re dying to know what other games thought of in the game or series? Post your question in the comments and find out what the response is!

NEXT WEEK’S DEBATE:

What’s your favorite Super Mario non-platformer game in the whole series of RPG Mario games?

As usual, there’s always an open door policy on suggesting future game debates in the comments. So don’t be shy!

Curious whether Army of Two: The 40th Day’s co-op “Extraction Mode” makes pre-ordering the game (thereby getting a one-month head-start with the new game mode) worthwhile? We suggest checking out the first glimpses of the co-op offering in the video above. Following in the vein of Horde Mode or Firefight, Extraction pits four players up against wave after wave of masked, gun-toting enemies as they move from checkpoint to checkpoint, attempting to escape the warzone. Teamwork is encouraged — apparently, it’s better to act as an Army of Four rather than Four Armies of One.

Remember, one month after the game launches on Jan. 12, Extraction Mode will be free to download for anyone who didn’t pre-order the title. This head-start may be enough to get your ire up, but can’t we just be grateful they’re not charging for this extra content? C’mon, we’re already drowning in petitions over here.

Army of Two: The 40th Day trailer previews ‘Extraction Mode’ originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You may have scoffed at the prospect of a flash-based, 2D version of BioWare’s upcoming RPG epic, Dragon Age: Origins. “A browser game meant to simulate the deep, immersive emotions that arise when one plays roles,” you may have said, mid-scoff. “Who would play something like that?” As it turns out, if you’re looking forward to the full, three-dimensional version of Dragon Age, the answer to your query is simply: You.

A short Q&A on the Dragon Age: Journeys developers’ blog cultivated an enticing bit of info about the browser adventure: if you play through it while logged into your EA account, you can gain access to three items that will transfer over to your Dragon Age: Origins save file on Xbox 360, PS3 or PC. No details were given about the items in question, but we’re imagining they’ll either be used to help you slay dragons, or to help you become a more profound lover.

Dragon Age: Journeys bonus items transfer to Origins originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the second portion of the newest Bonus Round discussion, Geoff Keighley, Michael Pachter, Tom Russo and I talk about two of this year’s most anticipated games, Double Fine’s Brutal Legend and Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II.

If you thrive on cautious optimism and the soothing words of Wedbush Securities Michael Pachter, always available for reasoned debate with a dash of passion, make sure to watch. Now to support the Brutal Legend cause and get around to actually buying the thing.

Bonus Round: Episode 309 – Part 2 [GameTrailers]

Star Trek fans who buy the Blu-ray version of The Original Series’ third season will find themselves in the Admiralty when Star Trek Online launches next year.

The Blu-ray releases of the original Star Trek come packed with extras, as well they should, because when you make something very old very clear it generally makes it look even older than it is. Along with rare pilot episodes and various other bells and whistles, Star Trek: The Original Series season three on Blu-ray comes packed with a special code that will unlock an Admiral costume for your character to wear in Cryptic’s Star Trek Online.

“For a limited time, sets will include an exclusive free offering in Atari’s Star Trek® on-line game. Each set will include an insert that includes a unique code that will allow game players to outfit their avatar in an exclusive Admiral’s outfit available only with this offer.”

That’s certainly one motivational extra for fans of the series and serious MMO fanatics. I just hope they keep things authentic, so when players don the Admiral outfit they suddenly find themselves trapped behind a desk, desperately trying to give orders to starship captains who have no respect for authority – for example, all of them.

The third season of Star Trek: The Original Series on Blu-ray ships in December.

Star Trek News [TVonDVD.com via Big Download]

Do you want to die a whole lot during your first interstellar excursion in Star Trek Online? If not, we’d advise you not to dress yourself in the lowly, crimson vestments of a Starfleet security officer — or, as they’ve appropriately been nicknamed, “Redshirts.” It’s a well known fact that most hostile extraterrestrials are bull-like in their profound hatred for the hue. Strangely enough, these same adversaries are placated by the garments of a Starfleet Admiral, inspiring them to give long soliloquies instead of, you know, murdering people.

If the latter clothing choice sounds more in your wheelhouse, you’ll be happy to know that a Starfleet Admiral outfit is being offered as a Star Trek Online bonus for purchasers of Star Trek: The Original Series Season 3 on Blu-ray, according to TVShowsOnDVD.com. Not only do you get sweet duds for your character when the game drops in early 2010, but the television episodes will allow you to brush up on other important pieces of Star Trek errata. For instance, you should never hug a Klingon — or Vulcans, for that matter. In fact, just keep those deep space hugs to yourself, okay?

[Via Big Download]

Star Trek Season 3 Blu-ray includes Star Trek Online bonus costume originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for some supplementary materials for Sony Online Entertainment’s utterly adorable, free-to-play MMO Free Realms? You’re in luck. DC Comics brand WildStorm and SOE are teaming up to publish a comic book series based on the popular online game. J.S. Lewis, the author of the Grey Griffins children’s book series, will be penning the story, but let’s be honest — you won’t be picking up the comics for the story.

No, we wager you’ll purchase the comics because of the unlockable in-game items they’ll contain. The first issue, which drops July 29, includes the “Spider Bite Sword.” We imagine the following 11 issues will include equally enticing armaments. If you are interested in the story, you can check out a brief preview of Issue no. 1 right here.

[Via Massively]

Free Realms comic coming July 29, includes in-game bonuses originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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According to an alleged fan survey, BioWare and Electronic Arts are considering using in-game Mass Effect 2 bonuses to encourage the purchase of its other big RPG, Dragon Age: Origins. The survey asks players what kind of incentives would make them most likely to purchage Dragon Age, and gives a selection of examples.

Suggestions for bonus content include a $5 rebate on Mass Effect 2, exclusive weaponry, custom skins, a brand new character and a playable demo. It’s not often that the purchase of one game could affect the gameplay content of a completely separate title, but if this glimpse into BioWare’s mind leads to a real marketing stunt, then it’s something we’re about to see. 

Take a look at the survey segment below and see if any of that content catches your eye. Would Mass Effect 2 goodies make you more likely to buy Dragon Age: Origins?

[Thanks, Clark]