Round-Up: Kids Wish Network, Spartan-458, Thunderlords in THAW

Today's wrap-up includes a call for video games for sick children, a revelation regarding the Halo-related secret character for Dead Or Alive 4, and a very unique band contributing to the Tony Hawk's American Wasteland soundtrack, as well as today's product news and Gamasutra job postings. - The Kids Wish Network, a charity organization devoted to providing sick children with video games to play during their hospital stays, is calling for donations to the program. The foundation is looking for game hardware and software appropriate to ages 3-18, with a special emphasis on teens from 13-18. "Most of our patients are medically indigent, with very limited resources," said Volunteer Coordinator Martha Benzor "The wonderful toys they received helped enlighten their lives!" Information on how to donate is available at the Kids Wish Network site. - The true Halo-related secret character in Dead or Alive 4 for Xbox 360, hinted at in early October, has been revealed. Rather than the widely suspected Cortana, the hidden fighting game character will be a female Spartan warrior named Spartan-458. Players will admittedly have to take Bungie and Team Ninja's word that the character is female, since unlike the rest of the buoyant DOA4 cast, the character will be fully hidden behind the Spartan armor that Halo protagonist Master Chief is famous for. - The unique heavy-metal band The Thunderlords has been tapped to contribute a song to the Tony Hawk's American Wasteland soundtrack, alongside such bands as Green Day, Bloc Party, and the Bravery. The Thunderlords' songs, including the THAW-featured track "I Like Dirt," are written for young children, evident in its album title Noisy Songs For Noisy Kids. "It's Pufnstuf meets GWAR! It's Clifford the Big Red Dog on 20 chocolate bars!" one of the band's fans, a mother of four, enthused. "We love dirt too! `I Like Dirt' makes us think of our two-year-old. You must know him very well! Thank you for bringing some fun into our lives! " - Also updated today: product news including BioGraphic's provision of AI for Midway's studios, as well as today's job postings from companies such as Backbone Entertainment, Blue Fang Games, Columbia College Chicago, HopeLab Foundation, Pandemic Studios, Rockstar San Diego, Sucker Punch Productions and Walt Disney Internet Group.