The Japanese Mario Sports Mix Wii website has been updated and many more playable characters have been revealed. Classic Super Mario characters like Mario, Peach, Bowser, Yoshi, Toad and Donkey Kong aren’t the only ones who’ll be showing up for some volleyball and dodgeball, a few Square Enix icons will make an appearance too. So it’s going to be like Mario Hoops 3 on 3 for the DS.

This isn’t because Square Enix offered because it heard Nintendo was short on playable characters…

Welcome to the first installment of Who’s On Crack (in video games), a concept rudely stolen, er, politely borrowed from another site.The basic idea is this: People do crazy schtuff. Companies, which are run by people, do crazy stuff on a much larger scale. And when you mix fantasy worlds, die-hard fandom and entertainment industry PR, even crazier stuff happens.

Nearly a year after its Japanese launch in December 2007, and half a year after its North American launch in July 2008, Square Enix’s Chocobo-centric rogue-like role-playing game for the Wii, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon, will finally be made available across Europe and other PAL territories on November 7, 2008.

Featuring character designs by Toshiyuki Itahana (Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles), Chocobo’s Dungeon follows Final Fantasy staple character Cid and his trusty Chocobo companion as they find themselves in a mysterious village full of amnesiacs.

Players are tasked with guiding the Chocobo through a series of randomly generated dungeons in order to track down the villager’s lost memories…

It was an ordinary day. I was checking a site to add as a link to another story on Gamertell, when an unusual icon at the Square Enix Members site caught my eye. “Game Zone is now open?” I wondered, though not aloud as I was still at work and didn’t want to attract interest. I clicked through to find four mini-games, all promoting Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon.

There are four flash games available, and all are pretty similar to the mini-games found in Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales, which was released on the DS a while back. There’s Chocobo’s Snowboard Glide, Chocobo Flight, Chocobo’s Balancing Act and Chocobo’s Classmate. All games use the mouse, and have happy perky Chocobo themes playing in the background.

This has to be one of the cutest, Square Enix-related items I’ve seen. In honor the of the recent Chocobo’s Dungeon Wii release, the Uki Uki Chocobo was created. Yup, he’s a little rubber duck Chocobo, which NCSX is affectionately referring to as a “rubber chocky.” NCSX is also taking preorders for the $13.50 item, which is expected to ship before the end of June, 2008.

This adorable little chocobo can either be used like a rubber duck, helping defend you against bathtub kraken (like Ultros) or act as a decorative accent on a shelf. Either way works, and either way is incredibly cute. It is also appropriate for all ages, since its a solid chunk of plastic.

The fine feathered creatures known as chocobos will soon be infesting the Wii. Square Enix has announced that on July 8, 2008, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon will be released on the Wii. Chocobo’s Dungeon is an established rogue-like rpg series in Japan, with two previous titles appearing on the PS1. For its release outside of Japan, however, it is being grouped into the same catagory as the previous DS release Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales. A rating hasn’t been assigned to the game yet, but Square Enix has confirmed that it will retail for $39.99.

Strapya has recently stocked new Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales keychain accessories. Both items are randomly packed in boxes and are being sold for $4.89. The keychain accessories are the perfect size to either guard your keys or to act as a charm on your cell phone or portable console. The Final more »

Our favorite Japanese import site, J-List (J-Box), is offering another silly stuffed creation to adorn your bed: The Chocobo plush. This little yellow guy – or gal? – is approximately 7×7 in. and is being offered as a preorder for $20 on the site. In its hands is a book, as if it can read, more »

Peter Payne’s site specializing in all thing Japanese, J-List (and J-Box for the under-18 crowd), has posted a few new videogame related items.

For today’s installment, one of the silliest licensed products I’ve seen – the Chocobo Seat Cushion.

I’d get this just to psych out opponents at game tourneys. Sit there, looking all tough and bad ass. Then, when that crucial moment in the game arrives when you need to score the winning move/kill/slash…