Rumours of a new balance board compatible WiiWare title have surfaced from Studio Zan called Overturn. Exact details are still sketchy and although there is a teaser site, since it's in Japanese I'm afraid I can't tell you much. For more info and screenshots visit andriasang.com.

Good news balance board fans - Amazon.com is offering $20 off your next video game purchase when you buy a copy of Wii Music. Ok, true, Wii Music is not as exciting a release as Shaun White Snowboarding or Skate It but it will be enough to keep you occupied until those titles are released next month. So, get your copy of Wii Music at Amazon before October 31 to claim your bonus.

And while I'm on the subject of Shaun White Snowboarding, Amazon.com are also offering a $10 bonus if you pre-order a copy before November 15 so why not also pre-order SWSB at Amazon for a total bonus of $30 towards your next games.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (October 8, 2008) – Fresh powder, pristine slopes and winter fun will again drift into homes in March 2009, as NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today announced We Ski™ and Snowboard, a sequel to its much lauded snow sports game for Nintendo Wii™.

Topping the list of enhancements in this latest installment of Wii Balance Board standouts is the addition of high-performance snowboarding, as well as improved skiing functionality, two massive new mountains and 10,000 more vertical meters. Complete with fun boxes, rails and a half-pipe, both skiers and snowboarders alike can boost huge air and over-the-top aerial tricks in this epic wintry experience.

"We made major feature additions and control enhancements to an already impressive design set with We Ski and Snowboard," said Andrew Lelchuk, EVP of marketing and sales for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. "Our goal was to provide gamers with the same great experience of being on the slopes that they enjoyed in We Ski and evolve it by adding snowboards, two world class hills, real-time trick capability and a fully-interactive environment. And We Ski and Snowboard has accomplished just that."

We Ski & Snowboard is a wintry thrill ride through many different environments on the awesome Mt. Angrio and cool Jamboree Snow Resort. Players enjoy the classic motion-based controls popularized by We Ski using the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk controllers, or by adding the increased realism of the Wii Balance Board™ for even more ski and snowboard action. Custom characters and player Mii’s™ add even more dimension to snow-capped adventures across even more mountain terrain than ever with vast free-riding areas. Leisurely gondola rides to sloping peaks invite a breathtaking panoramic experience, while heli-drops from extreme dizzying heights offer-up opportunities to shred down vertical cliffs and severe precipices. Players should be sure to watch out for avalanches!

Hot Doggers can quench their thirst for excitement with half-pipe courses, and ski technique challenges, while loungers can look forward to other activities including ski school, board school, moguls and slaloms, as well as animal search and rescue. Players can enjoy the sprawling vistas with day, night and dusk skiing, offering countless nuances to an ever-expanding list of experiences. The whole family can still enjoy fast-paced racing action or free-skiing with four-player fun, while single players can enjoy the ride with up to three AI-controlled skiing buddies.

For more information on We Ski and Snowboard, please visit: www.namcobandaigames.com.

Good news Target.com shoppers. With the imminent release of Shaun White Snowboarding next month, Ubisoft has announced that Target will be offering a special version of the game with exclusive content.

Target has been a long time sponsor (since 2002) of Shaun White so it certainly seems to make sense. According to the Ubi press release:

"The special Target edition of the game, available on Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and Wii, will have exclusive extended content and features that consumers won’t be able to find anywhere else, including the Target Mountain – an entire mountain environment found only in the Target exclusive edition. Gamers will also be able to take advantage of exclusive jibs, additional scenes and more characters. Additionally, players will be able to cozy up in the game’s virtual version of the Target Chalet, the real-life mountainside home where Shaun and his fellow Target athletes hang out with friends and family at the annual Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. Among other exclusive features, the Taget Chalet is the only indoor environment anywhere in the game."

"Target guests are now able to purchase a $5 pre-sell card to ensure they’ll be shredding the mountain as soon as the exclusive version hits shelves."

Now it's just a matter of time until we see Target versions of the games for sale on eBay at ridiculously inflated prices.

Those lucky devils at Gamespot have been fortunate enough to get a proper first look at We Ski & Snowboard (Family Ski 2 for UK/Europe) and I have to say, it's really sounding great. Let's face it, Wiiboard support in We Ski/Family Ski was pretty weak but I think that all will be forgiven when this sequel is released next year.

From the sounds of things, you will now be able to use your balance board for steering, tricks and even jumps. Another big improvement is that they will be opening up the environment so that you can go off-piste - no more bouncing off invisible walls.

For more screenshots and to read Gamespot's full preview check out We Ski & Snowboard First Look.

Hudson US has issued a press release for the sequel to Kororinpa: Marble Mania, this time called Marble Saga: Kororinpa. I could be wrong but I'm assuming this is simply the US title for Kororinpa 2 which was announced at this year's Games Convention and is scheduled for European release at the beginning of 2009. Assuming I'm correct, here's the latest info you need to know for these two releases:

The story takes place with players heading out on a journey with Anthony the Ant as he searches for the Golden Sunflower. By guiding Anthony's marble around the Ant World and searching for items which are valuable to help reach the Golden Sunflower, gamers will help Anthony save his colony. Along the way players will face dangerous mazes and use cool and amazing widgets and gadgets to guide Anthony to his objective. With multiple levels to explore and three difficulty stages within each level, no area is ever the same.

Unique features in Marble Saga: Kororinpa allow fun customization for players. From designing the ball with attributes to helping players navigate through stages easier, to Miis and preset fun images, to an Edit Mode which allows for custom design of a unique stage, gamers can really make this entertaining experience their own. For a more competitive tone, a 4-person multiplayer mode allows players to compete with three other opponents on the same map as each races to the finish line. For more customization and group fun with others, the Wii Connect 24 feature allows gamers to share the unique stages they created with their friends or to receive extra stages from Hudson after the game's launch via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Additionally, Wi-Fi Leaderboards let players compete online against each other to see who can navigate through the world the fastest.

For those who can't live without gaming peripherals, the Wii Balance Board can be used as players navigate through the world as the ball with this new feature. In addition, gamers can utilize 40 innovative and useful widgets to help assist them in guiding their marble, including shrinking machines, movable bridges, vacuum tubes, cannon vaults and more!

Namco was pretty quick off the mark with the release of Family Ski which made it one of the first third-party balance board compatible games available after the global release of Wii Fit. While it was a fun game and a welcome break from the games that came with Wii Fit, there was an obvious omission - no snowboarding support. The good news is that Namco is set release a sequel to this already popular title and this time snowboarding is included.

Details are a little sketchy at the moment and while the game is rumoured for release in Japan on November 13th, there's still no mention of a US/European release date. The good news however is that the game is on Namco's lineup for the Tokyo Game Show this month so hopefully we'll find out a bit more there. Until then, here are a few screenshots to wet your appetite.