You know how gamers always point fingers at the parents when the media blames video games for violent acts? Well, gamers have some fuel to show just how terrible parents can be these days. Two North Carolina parents have let their kid drop out of school to play Guitar Hero.

Yes, really. No, I really mean it. Read it for yourself.

So, why did they let him do it? They see it as a career opportunity, and the kid annoyed them:

“We couldn’t take the complaining anymore,” says Hunter. “He always told me that he thought school was a waste of time.”

Want to know why the country is going down the tubes? Righter there is a small sample of the things that go wrong.

Sometimes, it’s nice to wake up Monday morning and see the latest offering from Nintendo on WiiWare. Lost Winds, Gyrostarr, and some others have been mildly memorable releases. Then you get crap like My Aquarium from Hudson. This is $5 of real money for an aquarium “simulator.” Really.

Oh, but according to the trailer, it’s therapeutic and that must be true if you’re some kind of hermit. Look Nintendo, you could be releasing games from indie developers that actually use the Wii Remote in inventive ways, certainly unlike what your third parties are currently doing. Instead, we get My Aquarium (WiiQuarium?) which lets us share our creations on WiiConnect 24. Wow. Thanks for nothing.

Hey Australians! Are you excited for Rock Band? Sure you are! The rest of the world has been playing it for the better part of a year, so the anticipation must be killing you.

Well, considered that anticipation officially dead. The game ain’t comin’ down under. Sorry.

Due to retailer apprehension about the game’s age, the massive box which takes up valuable shelf space, and the overwhelming popularity of Guitar Hero, it’s just not going to happen (or so the strong rumor suggests). Want your day to be ruined even more? Rock Band 2 probably won’t find it’s way into Australia either. Ouch.

Yes, the original Mega Man is also available the same day, but everyone knows that Capcom classic. The special release for the Virtual Console owners should be Neo Turf Masters. While Tiger Woods and Hot Shots dominate the golf gaming landscape, Neo Turf Masters stands as one of the true greats of the genre, and not just golf games, but all sports games in general.

Neo Turf Masters is special to me personally. I loved it enough after playing it on MAME I tried tracking down an actual Neo Geo cart. When I realized what it goes for (four digits at least), I ended up paying a ton for a bootleg cart just to have it. The game’s speed, beautiful visuals (and animation), and pick up and play mechanics make it a steal for $8.00 on the Virtual Console.

And just in case you’re curious, the miniature version released for the Neo Geo Pocket plays just as well, plus adds features. The console and game can be had cheap online. It’s worth the money.

EA made a bold move putting a retired player on the cover of Madden. It was a nice way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series, and it marked the first time it’s ever happened in general.

Unfortunately, Brett Favre pulled a Michael Jordan and didn’t stay retired. An even bigger problem? He was traded to the Jets.

So, with all of those copies on stores and OCD Madden fans eagerly waiting to buy it, EA has released new cover art which is available to download and print off. The question is, will karma come back to bite Favre in the ass when the Madden curse comes knocking?

Worried about your kids getting their hands on porn? How about real violence? No, of course you don’t. In America, the big fear are those evil video games. Duh.

That begs the question, what is it inside those video games that makes them worry so much? Sex. never mind the severed heads. Those are nothing. In fact, two men kissing inside a video game is even worse than cutting off craniums. These horrific and asinine conclusions come way of What We Play’s study on 3,000 parents across the country. You can check out the full report here, and do nothing but shake your head about how backwards this country can be.

Seems some people can get cranky when you use their likeness without permission. Take former NFL star Jim Brown. Seems that EA has used a generic character model on the classic Cleveland Browns team with his number 32. However, the likeness was enough for the HOFer to sue both EA and Sony, apparently unaware that the same thing is happening on Microsoft and Nintendo hardware.

This could be one of those long term lawsuits that effects sports games as a whole. What happens if a company includes a generic #23 on the Chicago Bulls in their next NBA title? Is that enough to warrant a lawsuit?

Are you notoriously cheap? Have you been waiting since the launch of the PS3 to pick up Resistance? Do you simply want some extra HD DVD cases?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above, then today is the day you’ve been waiting for. There are 10 titles in the library, donning red cases which yes, are the exact same color as HD DVD cases. The games are:

Resistance
Warhawk
Motorstorm
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Oblivion
Fight Night Round 3
Call of Duty 3
Need for Speed Carbon
Assassin’s Creed
Rainbow Six Vegas

These should all feature their new price as of this moment. If you’re quick and hate the new packaging, the regular editions should feature the same price as well.

Apparently, putting an unnecessary letter at the end of your game title means it’s cool. However, it doesn’t help Gyrostarr that much. This unique, somewhat bland shooter borrows from classic titles Tempest and F-Zero for its gameplay, but the addition of four-player co-op is certainly its finest feature.

Players control a ship barreling down a tunnel at ridiculous speeds, fending off incoming enemy forces and snagging power-ups. While the initial levels may seem slow and sluggish, Gyrostarr wastes no time in picking up the pace. While not graphically spectacular (in fact, it’s quite bland), there’s a nauseating sense of speed when speed hits full thrust.

With the behind-the-ship viewpoint and targeting zone, Tempest players will feel right at home. However, Gyrostarr also has its simplistic style. The levels are limited in that the tunnel is always the same, except for some twists and turns that for the most part have little purpose other than to block the view of incoming objects. This is a title that feels space constrained.

When four players are tacking this challenge, this High Voltage Software developed title takes on new life. While overly hectic and almost impossible to tell what’s going on most of the time, fighting not only enemies but for power-ups creates a secondary level of challenge along with additional intensity. A grappling hook can grab bonuses down the track, and with that much ammo being dispersed, that may be the only way to get what you need.

With F-Zero’s classic racing speed and the timeless shooting mechanics of Tempest, WiiWare fans have a winner on their hands. There may not be much replay value, and the concept does become tiring due a severe lack of variety, but any game that can cause this level of stomach sickness along with solid shooting mechanics deserves a purchase.

Looking to use some flamethrowers with your Wii Remote? Who wouldn’t? You can do that in the Wii port of Call of Duty World at War. Utilizing the Wii Zapper (don’t all games technically?), gamers can band together to fight off the Nazi horde. Sadly, no online details were announced, though they’ll have to try something to counter EA’s excellent Medal of Honor with its massive online options.

Wii Sports Resort will be the follow-up to the pack-in Wii title. Included games shown during the E3 were jet skiing, dog frisbee, and sword fighting (however that fits into the resort theme). The game will debut next spring, and will be packaged with the new Motion Plus accessory. This will be required to play the game, so it’s only appropriate. Other games need to be programmed to take advantage of the new 1:1 motion controls and is apparently not backwards compatible.

Animal Crossing City Folk is set to hit the Wii in 2008. The graphical style is staying the same, with simple land and big headed people. A new city, including an auction area in which you can buy and sell items, will let players visit various locations. You can send messages to other players, even to their cell phone or PC. Wii Speak is a new microphone that sits on top of the TV and lets everyone in the same room talk about their game when they meet up for competitions or just hanging out.