What can we learn about the corporate game development life cycle from Guitar Hero 7? How awesome is the New Super Mario Bros. U challenge mode? Is it OK to limit the number of times a demo can be played?

Listen to Ara's talk on Game Depth at http://x.co/arastalk -- In this episode, we learn that people don't like it when you honk at them, Sportsfriends got funded (!), Nintendo's network got weirder, and low prices might actually hurt us.

Ara will be speaking at the IGDA meeting in a couple days. The topic is depth in games. Details are at http://igdaphoenix.wordpress.com - if you're in Phoenix, he wants you to come. He brings a bit of that talk into this episode, and Alon derails it with a story about installing a NewerTech USB outlet and kind of enjoying Double Dragon Neon game.

Ara finally gets his hands on a Wii U, and it turns out he has good things to say about it. We also laugh a bit about the Tolkien estate and debate the viability of a pay-for-time karaoke game.

Ara recalls an amazing story of overcoming great hardship, a listener asks about inversion, and Wii U... they all Wii U about the Wii U and how Wii U it is.

Alon relives a recent death race experience for you and tells the tale of how he snuck into the front of the Halo 4 line. He also begs you to help with the Sportsfriends (read, Johann Sebastian Joust) Kickstarter project. Ara dives a bit further into the connection between difficulty, learning, and reward.

Ara seems surprised that his $5 copy of The Need For Speed The Run isn't a perfect game playing experience. Alon finally manages to reserve a Wii U Deluxe. American Express is running a truly interesting promotion for Halo 4. Ara dissects Pid.

Ara gives his last pickup play-by-play and tells of a listener who put our tips into practice. We review the Rab Florence and Eurogamer contraversy which, coincidentally, has ties back to ChatterBox from years ago.

Alon laments the Wii U release plans (again) and Nintendo's refusal to simplify online interactions, Alon interviews Ara about the history of his development work, and Ara shares his thoughts on forcing a player to suffer.

By popular demand, Ara's got more stories from the Red Light. We also laugh about EA's big Origin giveaway, and Alon tries to pull his jaw off the floor after seeing a Vizio product that looked good.