It's pretty much amazing how many video game-related blogs there are out there. And also how many of them I read via RSS, 'til my brow furrows.

Anyhow, this time there's a tremendous range of randomness, from the latest Xmas-themed text adventure competition (yay!) to more Surfer Girl, Mark Mothersbaugh (pictured!) & the new Spielberg game soundtrack, and some Perplex-ing news on educational ARGs. Take it away, Sirs:

The Independent Gaming Source: Text the Halls: Voting
Those seasonal text adventure games are available to play/vote on, yay.

Surfer Girl Reviews Star Wars: December twenty-fifth things.
'A2M is working on Indiana Jones for people who cannot stand to play consoles with the number three in the name' - sounds right, more Montreal scene rumors.

Japanmanship: 2007, a look backwards at a retrospective of the past in hindsight
Some good, not entirely cynical thoughts, blimey.

synaesthesiaJP » Blog Archive » PlatinumGames Official Blog
JP Kellams is the 'Ryan Payton' of PlatinumGames, the ex-Clover folks' new developer. Iiinteresting.

LA Weekly - Music - Are You Not Devo? You Are Mutato
Awesome article on Mark Mothersbaugh's music company, also noting they're soundtracking Spielberg and EALA's Boom Blox (aka PQRS!)

Six to Start » Stealth mode, unstealthed
Alice Taylor of Wonderland fame has commissioned Dan Hon (Perplex City)'s new startup for a UK Channel 4 educational gaming project, 'The Ministry, which explores privacy and identity online'. Iinteresting.

stevewetherill.com » Blog Archive » Uztek Athletics for Nokia S40 - free download!
A free mobile game from the IGF Mobile judge and veteran.

British Gaming Blog » BGB Awards 2007: 20 Greatest Moments
Thank you for picking Elite Beat Agents' 'You're The Inspiration' - I was going to write a column about how moving this was at one point.

Phases Crossed
Chaim Gingold's post-Spore personal blog, with crazy diagrams about his thought processes on departing - fun.

Radio Taiwan International: 'Taiwanese dancer takes Pump It Up crown in Mexico'
Another great microscene example, for Andamiro's DDR clone: 'In the end 20-year-old Shen Shiou-hwa saw off champions from fifteen other countries to take top prize in the female speed event.'