Weekend Essentials - Issue 31

Rock the stage with Green Day, an intro to 3D gaming, PSN prepares for footy fever and heaps more in the latest edition of Weekend Essentials.

Welcome to Paradise

Play up to 47 songs as Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt or Tré Cool through their expansive career from their humble beginnings with Dookie to full blown stardom with American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. Green Day: Rock Band takes place in three unique venues that capture the raw energy from Green Day's early punk years to the explosive arena shows that the band is known for all over the world.

A world of 3D awaits

Are you ready for the 3D revolution? Fun Stereoscopic 3D gaming can be yours to show off with the 3D Collection download pack, available exclusively from PlayStation Store. The download includes full games of PAIN, Super Stardust HD, WipEout HD and a demo of MotorStorm Pacific Rift, all in glorious 3D, as long as you have a 3D TV to take advantage of them. It's an experience you can't afford to miss out on, so treat yourself to some fun in a new dimension now.

NOTE: to enjoy Stereoscopic 3D features, you will require a 3D TV that supports 3D Stereoscopic display and 3D active glasses. Your PS3™ system must have system software version 3.30 or later installed and must be connected to your 3D TV using an HDMI cable.

This week's Store specials

Pick up a PlayStation®Store bargain this week from a range of games and downloadable content. There's full games including Greed Corp, Section 8, LocoRoco 2, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars and more, or choose from a bunch of downloadable content such as the LittleBigPlanet Metropolis Theme Level Kit and the Ferrari Challenge track and cars pack, all at discounted prices.

Aussie PlayStation community events

This week you can download videos from three recent PlayStation Aussie events, attended by members of the PlayStation.com, IGN, GameSpot and Kotaku communities.

The first is the launch of the PlayStation®Network Video Store held at a private residence in Sydney. The event also played host to a number of exciting tech-demonstrations of the latest PlayStation 3 technology - namely 3D gaming and the PlayStation Move motion controller.

Secondly, the ModNation Racers go-karting community event held at Sydney's Kartatak Raceway were community members were able to 'mod' their real-life go-karts and take part in an action-packed race to the finish.

And finally, the God of War III community event with Kratos himself making an appearance, as well as Jonathan Hawkins, Senior Designer and Bruno Velazquez, Lead Animator from Santa Monica Studios.

Net a few football downloads

Kick off the FIFA World Cup the right way with some football related PlayStation 3 downloads from PlayStation Store and PlayStation Network.

First up is the Football Fan Styling Pack for EyePet, which features a few new outfits for your lovable pet to wear in time for the big kick off.

If that's made you sing with happiness then don't waste the feeling - there is a new downloadable SongPack for SingStar for you to croon to. Football Anthems lets you sing along to a number of classic football songs, such as Queen's We Are the Champions and Collapsed Lung's Eat My Goal. And that's not the final whistle on footy related song content, either. With VidZone you can boot up the ultimate football playlist with World Cup Anthems, which features over 30 songs from around the world to keep the sports mood going.

Want to take a break from belting out the classics? Then the Buzz! World Football Quiz is the ideal half-time breather. Test your football knowledge with friends and family and show them what the real score is with this football crazy Buzz! quiz pack. There's also the chance to try your hand at some of the football quizzes created by the PlayStation community at mybuzzquiz.com.

His name is Danger

The world's most determined stuntman has arrived on PlayStation Network to put you on the seat of a thrilling ride. Welcome to Joe Danger, a PS3 action game where you can take on friends and the reckless Team Nasty in a spectacular stunt driven racing game. Download it from PlayStation Store and laugh in the face of danger.

Heavy metal

The popular Metal Slug series continues on PlayStation Store with Metal Slug XX - an explosive double-barrelled blaster on PSP which features classic shoot 'em up action, two player co-operative gameplay and new Slug vehicles to fight in. Download it now and prepare yourself for an addictive portable Slug fest.

E3 is fast approaching

Videogame developers and publishers everywhere will be flocking to the Los Angeles Convention Centre from 15 June 2010 to take part in E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), one of the largest videogame conventions in the year. E3 2010 promises to be one of the most exciting yet, so make sure you keep reading au.playstation.com and blog.au.playstation.com for the hottest PlayStation news from E3.

This week's announcements

THQ announced that Red Faction® Armageddon™ is currently in development at internal studio Volition, Inc. and is scheduled to release on PlayStation®3 in March 2011. The game expands on the critically acclaimed, best-selling franchise with new, groundbreaking challenges.

Rockstar Games confirmed that The Outlaws To The End Co-Op Mission Pack for Red Dead Redemption will be available for download from PlayStation Network from 23rd June 2010. The pack will be free to download and includes six brand-new co-op missions, as well as new co-op challenges, bonus multiplayer XP rewards and extra opportunities to unlock additional Trophies.

SEGA Australia announced they will be releasing Yakuza™ 4 exclusively on PlayStation®3 in Autumn 2011. For the first time, western fans will be able to experience the Japanese underworld - not just through the eyes of Kiryu Kazuma, but three intriguing new characters, each with their own compelling back-story and a gripping interwoven plot.

Konami Digital Entertainment and Mindscape have confirmed that Def Jam Rapstar will be available for PS3™ on 4th November 2010. Developed by 4mm Games, Terminal Reality and Def Jam Interactive, Def Jam Rapstar is the first true interactive Hip Hop music game experience.

PSP Free Game Offer

The PSP Free Game Offer offers a colossal ten free games with your new PSPgo purchase including Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, LittleBigPlanet, 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, Gran Turismo and more. The offer starts on 10 June 2010 and runs for a limited time only, and you can also take advantage of this offer if you've brought a PSPgo after 1 April 2010.

Keep an eye on PlayStation Blog at blog.au.playstation.com for the latest PlayStation news as it happens.

Be sure to opt in to receive PlayStation emails when you sign up for a PlayStation Network account. If you already have an account, sign in to your PlayStation Network account settings at au.playstation.com/registration or via the XMB™ (XrossMediaBar) and opt in. That way, you can keep bang up to date and receive the latest PlayStation news direct to your inbox.