Dead Nation staggers to PS3

The zombie menace--unlike the zombies themselves--is alive and well. The latest such example leads the new arrivals on the PlayStation Network, as the arcade-style shooter Dead Nation debuted on the PlayStation 3 downloadable storefront today.

A dual-analog-stick shooter set in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, Dead Nation gives one or two players upgradable weapons and sets them on a cross-country bad-will tour in the name of zombie population control. The game was developed by Finnish studio Housemarque, which previously demonstrated its twin-stick shooter aptitude with 2007's Super Stardust HD. Dead Nation sells for $14.99.

The PS3 sees one other new downloadable release in the form of Funky Lab Rat. Compatible with the Move controller or a standard PS3 pad, Funky Lab Rat is an action puzzle game that sees players tamper with time and gravity as they help a lowly lab rat to freedom through 81 levels and 10 worlds. Developed by French studio Hydravision (Fairytale Fights, the Obscure survival horror series), Funky Lab Rat is available for $9.99.

Two more titles were also added to the PSone Import Classics collection. Blockids is a 3D take on the Arkanoid-Breakout style of game and was actually published in North America by Natsume in 2003, but the PSN version is the untranslated Japanese release. The other new PSone Import offering is as much a tool as a game, as Dezaemon Plus allows players to make and share their own arcade-style shoot-'em-ups, similar to Blast Works for the Wii. Each title sells for $5.99.

That was it for stand-alone PSN releases for the week. The PS3 also received new add-on content for games, including Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Fist of the North Star, and more, while PSP gamers will have to settle for a demo of No Heroes Allowed, some Christmas-themed Little Big Planet content, and an episode of Sony's reality QA show The Tester.