Nintendo have just announced that they've successfully concluded a settlement in the Australian federal court against an Australian individual accused of "illegally copying and uploading to the Internet" part of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

The legal proceeding resulted in a settlement in which the individual will pay to Nintendo the sum of $1.5 Million dollars by way of damages to compensate Nintendo for the loss of sales revenue caused by the individual’s actions.

Upon the game being uploaded to the Internet, Nintendo was able to employ the use of sophisticated technological forensics to identify the individual responsible for illegally copying the file and making it available for further distribution. On 23 November, 2009, Nintendo obtained a Federal Court search order in respect of the individual's residential premises. This led to the seizure of property from those premises in order to gain further evidence against the individual.

Nintendo viciously defend their intellectual property and have an entire website set up with more information about their anti-piracy activities.

Arrowhead Game Studios, the Swedish developer behind the upcoming Magicka have released a couple of new videos promoting their colourful and cute Diablo-style action-RPG.

Showing that the game's sense of humour is intact, a new teaser trailer explains that "Once upon a time in a generic fantasy land, only up to four wizards had the power to make a difference".

Next up, there's a developer interview video with Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt that offers up a detailed explanation of some of the game's main features and intentions.

“The most important key feature is the dynamic spellcasting system where you can combine spells freely.” Says Johan Pilestedt. ”For example, combining two elements, like fire and water creates steam. And if you then combine that steam with earth you create an earth projectile which, when it hits something, explodes in a steam cloud.” Johan continues.

Magicka is gearing up for a multi-platform release in Q2 2010 (presumably PC, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network) and will feature 4 player cooperative play.

Courtesy of 2K Games, to celebrate the launch of the much-anticipated Bioshock 2 we've got ten awesome game packs (with the PC version of the game) up for grabs in a new competition. The full prize pack includes:

* BioShock 2 Game (Windows PC)
* "Little Sister" Figurine
* BioShock 2 Water Bottle
* BioShock 2 Pen, Key Chain and Plasmid Badges
* Deco Devolution - The Art of BioShock 2 Book

You can check out the awesome prizes and enter right now on our competition page.

Following the release of Bethesda and Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas debut trailer, new gameplay details have emerged which we've listed for you in point form below.

• Contrary to Fallout 3 veteran hope, you won't be carrying over your Vault 101 character, but will be instead filling the shoes of a courier who was buried in the desert and revived from an ex-Vault doctor who will give you a Pip-boy (meaning, presumably, your character is the one in the trailer).
• The game is set in the Mojave desert and will chronicle the struggle between three warring factions; The California Republic, Caesar's Legion and New Vegas residents.
• A 'Hardcore' gameplay mode will be introduced that will have you battling dehydration, ammo weight, slower healing (so no immediate use of Stimpaks while in the thick of it) and tougher enemies.
• Super Mutants are back and this time they're smarter, more varied and even have a few new mutated friends.
• VATS returns, but will allow for more melee stuff in line with the original series' humour, such as smashing an enemy in the groin with a gold club.
• On top of your Karma system you'll also find a Reputation system that works individually with each settlement you encounter.
• Failing an alternate conversation path if your conversation skill in any particular area is low won't be an immediate fail; instead it will reap some kind of witticism or verbal slap in the face, again more in line with the original games.
• Finally, you'll recruit followers once again (ala any one of the companions you had in Fallout 3), only now you'll be able to issue basic commands such as "follow", "attack" or "stay". Apparently an example was shown in the form of a Ghoul you rescue from a Super Mutant beatdown.

That's pretty much all we could gleam from scouring the interwebs, but it's all sounding pretty cool. It could be good starting from scratch, though I really would have preferred to bring my guy from Fallout 3 across and have heaps of cross-reference stuff to deal with based exclusively on hardcore decisions I made in F3, but that might be too ambitious a dream at the moment.

There's been a lot of rumbling about Google's Nexus One, their hot new entry into the mobile phone market. The Android-powered phone continues to draw attention amongst tech-types who are looking for alternatives to certain other multi-touch capable devices as the competition in the smartphone market heats up.

Nats has taken the Nexus One through its paces, giving the all-important software-side a thorough investigation - so if you're interested in an in-depth examination of this hot new phone, then head over and have a read!

We have yet another AusGamers Weekly Wrap for you, compiling a week's worth of a news in a single, easy to read and link post.

In the Headlines
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata gave his thoughts on the iPad, GTA: Episodes From Liberty City was announced to finally be coming to PS3 and the PC, SEGA and Platinum Games revealed Mikami's new title, we hooked you up with videogame-based hip-hop, a few new Diablo 3 screens hit the web, AusGamers took to the panel on Byteside, a WoW patch landed and opened up a new area, EB Games threw their hat in the R18+ ring, iiNet emerged victorious from their court battle with AFACT, a demo for AvP landed (and annoyed many), SEGA and High Voltage announced Tournament of Legends for Wii, Bethesda and Obsidian finally unveiled Fallout: New Vegas, SEGA revealed Sonic 4: Episode 1 and the EFA released a discussion paper on the R18+ debate.

Videos We Recommend

• Battlefield Bad Company 2 "Port Valdez" Demo Trailer
• Vanquish Teaser Trailer
• Aliens vs Predator "Survivor" Gameplay Trailer
• The Secret World "Kingsmouth" Trailer
• BioShock 2 Launch Trailer
• Fallout: New Vegas Debut Trailer
• Metro 2033 Gameplay Trailer
• Red Dead Redemption Gamestop Vote Trailer

Finally, on the editorial front, we took a hands-on run with Red Dead Redemption, got down and radiated with Metro 2033 and reviewed the hellish Dante's Inferno.

So that's it from us, stay tuned through the week for our BioShock 2 review, more previews, videos and reviews and of course, news.

It's Monday again so as usual here's a few bits that came in while we were afk:

• Just Cause 2: Eidos have released another new trailer for Just Cause 2, the over-the-top free roaming action game. Titled "Freedom and Chaos" the new vid appropriately illustrates the abilities to both go wherever the hell you want and the many crazy ways you can spoil the bad guy's days. Watch it right here on AusGamers.
  
  Just Cause 2 base-jumps onto PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in April 2010.
  
  
• BioShock 2: Now just mere hours away from release, 2K Games have sent along a few last minute gameplay clips from their hotly anticipated sub-aquatic shooter sequel. The three vignettes Fight, Daddy and Harvest all feature in-game action from various stages in the game's singleplayer campaign.
  
  Look for BioShock 2 on shelves everywhere for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, tomorrow February 9th 2010.
  
  
• Dragon Age Origins: Awakening: EA and BioWare have rolled out another new clip for Awakening, the upcoming expansion for the acclaimed PRG Dragon Age: Origins. This video sheds a different light on the old "Won't somebody think of the children" mantra, as these little buggers don't look like they need an R18+ rating to keep them out of harm's way. Watch the trailer here on AusGamers.
  
  Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening is due on March 16 2010 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

SEGA have sent through the following announcement from Rebellion, the developer of Aliens vs Predator, the recent demo of which caused some grief for many gamers who had problems getting into an online game.

Unprecedented demand for Aliens vs Predator following the release of the cross-platform demo yesterday morning brought to light matchmaking issues on the PC platform resulting in players having to wait to join games, or even not find games at all.

We’re pleased to say later in the day the issue was corrected and a small patch to the PC executable next time you launch it from Steam will have you finding and playing games using Quick Match as it was intended.

While this issue did not affect the Xbox 360, we are with SEGA’s assistance investigating reports of a similar nature on the PlayStation 3 and working flat out on a solution.

The full game features the ability to browse for and create games but for the purposes of simplicity the demo was limited to matchmaking, alongside the ability to set up groups with friends which mitigated yesterday’s issues for many.

We’re really sorry that this issue tainted a day in which we saw many people get hands on with AvP for the first time and we’re hugely gratified by the positive feedback to the game.

While it's good to see they've acknowledged the problem and (hopefully?) provided a resolution, it might be too little, too late - many gamers have indicated that they've canceled their pre-orders based on the poor multiplayer performance of the demo, which was especially disappointing given that the game was always said to have dedicated server support.

Dedicated servers aren't a solution to everything, but when you're releasing a demo for your multiplayer game - and you've touted dedicated servers as being a feature - it seems like it would be madness not to include that functionality in the demo. If you haven't tried the demo yet, maybe give it a go now that this fix is in and check it out.

A new trailer has also been released to showcase the gameplay of the Colonial Marines - check it out below:

Aliens vs Predator is due February 18 2010 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Here we are again, serving up another dose of fresh game releases, like so many cookies on a baking tray (I don't know where that came from; I think it was the bakery smell this morning when I went to get coffee).

This week is a big one, with BioShock 2 landing tomorrow (Feb 9) on all formats (Steam have it listed as Feb 10 though - see our Buy page for our price listings), which is followed later in the week (Feb 11) by Star Trek Online (PC), MAG (PS3) and finally Star Ocean: The Last Hope (PS3) on Feb 12.

We've been playing a lot of Mass Effect 2, Dante's Inferno, some Silent Hunter 5 and Dragon's Lair on iPhone :P

We know some of you have already had a crack at this, but for anyone else who hasn't yet, we have an in-depth review for you to check out, with all the gnarly bits of info about one of the most mature and visually disturbing games we've seen in a long time.

It's true, Visceral Games pretty much took the gameplay blueprint from the God of War guys, but their sheen is slightly more interesting, and the Dante character a lot more engaging than the super pissed off God of War, Kratos.

Click here for our full review.

The hard-working folks over at the EFA (Electronic Frontiers Australia) have let us know that their discussion paper - an in-depth submission for the Attorneys-General's public consultation process - is now online for public viewing.

The document was drafted by AusGamers contributor, Jessi Citizen, whom many of you may know from her past work over on ISP Internode's Games On Net site and presently at 18 pages, provides an incredibly in-depth overview and analysis of the Australian videogames rating system and the need for an R18+ classification.

Additionally, EFA are providing the opportunity for community contribution to their submission. So if you have any comments or suggestions you can submit them via the Google Docs interface.

This is a thoroughly recommended read for anyone interested in educating themselves on the topic or contributing to the cause, so head over to efa.org.au for all the details - including detailed information on how to put together your own submission (if you haven't already).

Fans of SEGA's spiky blue speed demon, Sonic The Hedgehog, especially in the old-school sense, will be happy with today's reveal as Sonic 4: Episode 1 made its debut in trailer form.

While not a new direction for the series, they have gone back to Sonic's 2D side-scrolling roots; hopefully allowing for fast, frenetic edge-of-your-seat gameplay ala days of yesteryear.

You can check out the trailer here, but look out for the game on XBLA, PSN and WiiWare in the not-too-distant future.

The first 2010 episode of Byteside kicked off earlier this week, and AusGamers was part of the panel to discuss the future of games and the games industry. We had a lot of fun, covered some cool stuff and attempted to counter the 'devil's advocate' as often as possible (thanks Yug) with some reasonably split conversation.

We're looking at getting the videos up locally on AusGamers, but in the meantime, you can just head over here to watch, or if you're more into the tech stuff, they also have a 'future' discussion available to check out here.

Anyone who has maxed out their character(s) in Fallout 3 and explored every inch of the main game as well as its subsequent episodes can finally emerge victorious from the Capitol Wasteland and set their sights on a new frontier; the West Coast (oft mention in Fallout 3's story), or as its known to everyone else, New Vegas.

Bethesda have today finally released a teaser trailer for Fallout: New Vegas, which is very much in line with the teaser we got for Fallout 3 but hey, consistency is a good thing in this case, and it looks very tantalising. We've also been given a release window of this year in the "Fall" (our Spring) and in case you missed it, this one is being handled by Obsidian (though still published by Bethesda). Stay tuned for more as it becomes available.

Click here or simply watch the embed below.

No, there's not some secret football mode to unlock in Dante's Inferno, EA have just released a trailer that will presumably be aired as a 30 second commercial spot during this weekend's Superbowl XLIV, the massively popular NFL premiership game that always sees advertisers pulling out their best efforts.

Of course, there's no actual gameplay, just a cinematic but still cool. While not necessarily a bad thing, I can't help but think of Arrested Development's Steve Holt when Dante is screaming "Beatrice!". Watch it right here on AusGamers.

Dante's Inferno hit Australian shelves today (two days before Europe and a week before the US) for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Stay tuned for AusGamers review, coming very shortly.

SEGA have just announced a new fighting title for the Nintendo Wii - Tournament of Legends:

Tournament of Legends offers a 3D fighting experience for one or two players, featuring a host of fighters based on legends from world mythology: the Minotaur, a powerful Gladiator, a mighty Valkyrie and other well known and awe-inspiring characters. Take these fighters to epic battles in fantastic fighting arenas where the combatants wield legendary weapons, launch magical attacks and dodge giant mythological creatures that protect their lairs. Master a range of incredible combat moves; including unleashing a man-eating lion, summoning a deadly rain of arrows and throwing a nest of venomous snakes.

Our Tournament of Legends game page has more information and a few screenshots.

SEGA have sent through the official word we'll be seeing a demo for their forthcoming FPS romp, Aliens Vs Predator, hitting the airwaves later today on all three formats, meaning you'll be able to grab it from Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and Steam.

We're looking into grabbing the demo and hosting it locally for you right here on AusGamers, so stay tuned, otherwise start getting excited and we'll try and let you know when said demo is live on all three platforms.

Check out more for AvP on our game page.

Update: The demo for PC has landed early and is now available on Steam. The PC demo is multiplayer only, so stand by for word on servers.

According to ITNews' live-coverage of this mornings proceedings, Australian ISP iiNet have emerged victorious over AFACT (Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft) as the trial adjourned this morning.

BW, iTnews: Justice found iiNet did not authorise ciopyright infringement!

BW, iTnews: great news
"the mere provision of access to internet is not the means to infringement"

BW, iTnews: "iinet has no control over bittorrent system and not responsible for bittorrent system."

BW, iTnews:
The fact there is worldwide piracy "does not necessitate or compel a finding of authorisation, just because it is felt there is something that must be done.

A high court appeal is expected, but the Internet industry in Australia is no-doubt still breathing a sigh of relief today.

If you haven't watched any of the previous videos for BioShock 2, then this should be your first stop.

The launch trailer is a realisation of the elements that BioShock 2 fans have been clamoring for. Breathtaking action set against the backdrop of a decaying underwater Utopia provides players with the slice of Rapture, all presented in a style that is distinctively representative of the BioShock universe. The trailer is over 3 minutes in length, so sit back and enjoy!

2K Games' subaquatic sequel is due on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on February 5th 2010. Watch the launch trailer right here on AusGamers and for more details on the game, check out our recent in-depth preview.

The folks at EA Blackbox have released a pair of new trailers for Skate 3, the next title in their successful skating franchise and the one to keep an eye on after the lacklustre reception of Activision's Tony Hawk RIDE.

The latest clips offer a developer-described tour of a couple of distinct locations in Port Carverton, the game's new fictional city. Check out both Downtown and the Industrial District here on AusGamers.

Skate 3 is expected (though not yet confirmed) for a May 2010 release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.