Gaming Dope

My Best of 2009 Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:33:00 +0000

Games I didn't play but probably would have made an impact:

Uncharted 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Mario & Luigi: Bower's Inside Story

With those games being announced I'm sad I didn't get a chance to play them because I know they are gaining a lot of attention for being great games but I don't have the time and I also don't have a PS3 (that one was more geared for Uncharted 2).

Best of 2009:

Best Xbox 360:

Halo 3: ODST

I really enjoyed this title amongst others and amongst other Halo titles as well. I thought the dark setting and the great soundtrack really set this one apart from other titles and brought the player in well within the environment. The new Firefight mode also brought a new multiplayer mode to the game that was fitting for the ODST setting and is very enjoyable. If you haven't picked this game up already I highly recommend it.

Best Wii:

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Truthfully the Wii didn't have much of a big year compared to other consoles but this game really stood out and was hyped. It was worth the wait, this is a very enjoyable game alone but even better with friends. It's almost like Nintendo should have thought of this idea sooner but it's here now and it's awesome.

Best Nintendo DS:

Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Spirit Tracks adds everything that made Phantom Hourglass great and fixes a lot of the problems it had making this DS Zelda title a great one with new challenges and puzzles that make it a fresh new experience. Amongst the slew of DS titles that were released in 2009 this game stood out at the top.

Best PSP:

Dissidia: Final Fantasy

A much anticipated title when first announced, a Final Fantasy game that would include all the heroes and villians from FF I through FF X fighting in a style much like Super Smash Bros. but with added depth from adding armor, equipping summons and fully customizing your move set. Dissidi! a is an excellent addition to the PSP collection that has enough replay value to last through the next year.

Best Console Multiplatform:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Possibly the most hyped game of the year surely delivered it's best on the Xbox 360, PS3 and the PC and became a must-have for all video game players boasting a riveting storyline and an excellent multiplayer and a new special ops game play mode distinguished this title from others. I'm sure many will be playing this for years to come.

Best Handheld Multiplatform:

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars returns to it's birds-eye view camera roots to the PSP and DS. A great storyline to follow and many new added features makes this a lengthy game on the go. Chinatown wars is a great game to have on a handheld on those long trips, you can spend hours just doing the optional side quests and to top it all off it comes with an excellent multiplayer mode.

Best Original Game:

Brutal Legend

An outst! anding c ast of voice actors and the creative mind of Tim Schafer makes Brutal Legend a hit new title with great characters, epic monsters and an awesome soundtrack makes this action/adventure title a sure hit.

Best Indie:

Machinarium

Machinarium is a very beautiful looking point-and-click adventure title that has puzzles that will make anyone stop and think for awhile. Machinarium had a very whimsical feel to it but at the same time a very dark one that told the story of a young robot reuniting with his robot girlfriend. It's a great indie title that everyone should check out.

Best Shooter:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Ca! ll of Du ty has always been pretty awesome and Modern Warfare 2 proved that it's a series that's not about to slow down. With many new and old weapons and a bunch of attachments that will keep any FPS fan coming back for more.

Best Best Strategy:

Plants vs. Zombies

I bought Plants vs. Zombies out of the blue when it was on sale on Steam and if I would have known how addicting this game was from the beginning I would have bought it sooner, sale or no sale. First of all plants against a horde of zombies is the last kind of defense you would think about but when you see what the arsenal of the plants can do you will be reassured. With more unlockable plants to earn this is a game that will have you hooked for a long while.

Best Sports:

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10

Despite all the bad publicity Tiger Woods has been getting as of late his games are always good and PGA Tour 10 continues that pattern. With a much easier way to putt and the Live Weather Feed your experience with golfing just got a whole lot better. Just ignore the sometimes annoying commentary and for a much better experience play the Wii version with the new Motion Plus.

Best Action/ Adventure:

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Who said superhero games were all bad? Well, it's usually true but Batman is out to break that mold. Arkham Asylum makes you feel like the best superhero out there with an awesome combat system and sweet stealth moves will bring fear into the hearts of your enemies. The dark setting fits well with this Batman title and the Jokers crazy antics makes you really realize just how insane he is. Pick this one up if you haven't already, the sequel is already on it's way.

Game of the Year:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 simply amazed me. Just how involved the game made you feel during the missions. You really felt like an asset to the team you were involved with but! not so much like previous games where only you could advance and pass the invisible barrier that stopped spawning enemies. This game is loaded with action and despite what people may think I don't think the campaign was too short, if it was any longer those missions would have felt like a filler, the campaign told the story and told it well.

Aside from the campaign the game returns with it's popular multiplayer mode with a higher level cap, more weapons, more attachments, a much better perk system and customizable kill streak rewards. With so much content in the multiplayer there are definitely people that are going to prestige and keep on going through the ranks.

Spec Ops mode definitely does not disappoint with fast paced action that you and your friends can enjoy aside from multiplayer. I'm still obsessing over getting those stars and trying to manage my time between this and multiplayer but I'll get them all one day.

I may receive some hate mail for choosing Call of Duty as Game of 2009 but I truly enjoyed this game for it's unique cinematic experience and great multiplayer modes. I really don't understand some of the hate floating around the internet about this game, maybe some people really over-hyped it expecting random impossible things that weren't included but nevertheless I'm a huge fan of this game.

Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox 360 to be released soon

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:40:00 +0000

For those of you are on the lookout for new xbox games, now know that Modern Warfare 2 will be released in the UK on November 10th. This is one of the most awaited tittle of the year and if you want to get a good deal for it without having to rip your pockets open, so pre-order online through savebuckets.co.uk. The good news is that now you can even play this game on your laptop as well as high definition TV as is available to play on any version of Xbox 360 and PS3 and PC

I think the best gaming platform will be on the a 29" Tv, and as my son is a fan of games and loves to play these xbox 360 games and consoles at the parlor(we don't encourage at home due to addiction), am thinking to consider buying the game for our home and gift him what he thinks is a dream. I feel our whole family can enjoy a homely gaming experience :-)

Please read below to gain info on a PS3:
When a PS3 is connected to a HD television both graphics and sound are fantastically crisp and clear.

The Playstation 3 comes in three versions, with either 30GB, 60GB and 80GB hard drives all able to play the latest action games - Modern Warfare 2 - with dazzling graphics and awesome sounds.

There is little difference between the three versions of the PS3, with all three being able to store video, photos, music and game information files with ease and speed. The PS3 also features a wireless Internet connection for connecting to the Sony Store, multi-player gaming and new software updates.

Microsoft Cuts Xbox 360 Elite Price $100

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:44:00 +0000

In a move made almost mandatory by the recent announcement of the PS3 Slim and a $100 price cut by Sony, Microsoft announced Thursday that the price of the Xbox 360 Elite, the high-end model with a 120GB hard drive, will be dropped by $100 to $299.

In addition, the current $299 60GB model will be reduced to $249. Microsoft's press release, however, notes "while supplies last." Based on that, it sounds as though eventually, the only two Xbox 360 models at retail will be the 120GB version and the $199 Arcade model, which comes without a hard drive.

This price drop, along with the new PS3 price, will place pressure on Nintendo to drop the price of its aging Nintendo Wii console. While the Wii's definitely redefined gaming with its innovative controls, Microsoft is quick to point out that the Xbox 360 you buy this year will be compatible with the controller-less "Project Natal."

Nintendo's Wii has never been a technological powerhouse, and with these other consoles dropping close to its MSRP of $249, there are going to be some market share changes, most likely. Of course, as I said, the innovative Wiimote has made video gaming fun again, but Project Natal will eliminate that advantage.

Naturally, Microsoft didn't indicate the price cut was anything but a cut for the upcoming holiday season, not mentioning the PS3's price cut.! Shane Kim, corporate vice-president of strategy and business development for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft said:

"With the holiday season right around the corner, it's already time to start looking for entertainment and gifts that everyone will enjoy. If you're looking for deep experiences that don't require deep pockets, now is the time to purchase an Xbox 360. We've got the best games, a vast library of TV shows and movies, new music experiences, more ways to connect friends and family, and so much more on the horizon including 'Project Natal' - no controller required."

PS3 Slim Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Kaz Hirai has just announced the PS3 Slim at GamesCom 09 in Cologne, Germany. The new model will be $299, starting the first week of September of this year.

PS3 Slim Coming Soon?!

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:44:00 +0000

More and more evidence is pointing to the imminent release of the PS3 slim, a Playstation 3 that is smaller, lighter, and very cool looking. When will it be unveiled. The recent events that have come to light suggest sooner than first thought.

In the past weeks we have seen a few hints showing up online:

1. Amazon Germany posted a PS3 "Konsole Slim"
Engadget

2. The 80GB PS3 has been discontinued in Japan
Kotaku

3. The component cost for a PS3 is down 70 percent from when they began, making construction cost roughly $240 (instead of $800)
Gizmodo

4. The approaching August 18th Sony Pre-Press Conference
Engadget

5. Orders on PS3 components up significantly recently (enough to construct 1 million PS3's in 3 months)
Digitimes

6. Spy Shots appearing online here and there
Gizmodo

I sure hope it comes out soon! I would get one but it would mean I'd lose my hardware emulation of PS2 games that my old 60GB release PS3 has.

Gizmodo

Gaming laptop MainGear eX-L 18 with two video cards

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Company MainGear presented a bulky 18.4-inch notebook aimed at gamers. The main feature of the device is to have just two high-quality graphics NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M with 1 GB of video memory. They support a number of technology NVIDIA, including PhysX (for creating realistic three-dimensional effects), and CUDA. In addition, the laptop can play HD-video, and even equipped with a TV-tuner high-definition (optional). And, of course, a large amount of memory and storage, processor and wide range of ports. The cost of gaming laptop MainGear eX-L 18 starts from $ 2999.

Specifications MainGear eX-L 18:

Operating system: Windows Vista
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8700 (2,53 GHz) / T9600 (2,8 GHz) or Intel Core 2 Extreme X9300 (2,53 GHz)
Display: 18.4-inch diagonal, resolution of 1920x1080 pixels
Chipset: PM45/ICH9-M
RAM: up to 8 GB (DDR3)
Graphics: 2 adapter NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M (1 GB of video memory x 2) in SLI mode
Drives: a hard drive up to 500 GB or 80 GB solid-state drive, o! r 3h500- GB hard drive
Adapters: Wi-Fi a / b / g / Draft-N and Bluetooth 2.1
Card reader SD / MS / MSPRO / RS-MMC / MMC
Ports: 3hUSB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, TOSlink, IEEE 1394a, ExpressCard, E-SATA, mic, headphones
HDTV-Tuner (optional)
Battery: 12-element
Dimensions: 397.5 h299, 7h43, 2 mm
Weight: 4,3 kg

Fallout 3: Mothership Zeta DLC Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:52:00 +0000

After the release of Point Lookout, Bethesda now releases new information about the next DLC for Fallout 3 called Mothership Zeta. The Mothership Zeta DLC will be âOut Of This Worldâ as you get trapped in an Alien spaceship that you will need to get to the bridge of the space craft. The DLC will be released on August 3rd for US$10 on Games For Windows Live. Via bigdownload:

The storyline has your character finding a crashed alien spaceship in the Capitol Wastelands. The problem is that the aliens are still around and beam you to their orbiting mothership. Your goal is to explore the ship and get to the bridge. to escape. Of course the aliens and their robot drones have other plans. New weapons like the Alien Atomizer, the Alien Disintegrator and the Drone Cannon will be used along with new outfits and of course new enemies. Mothership Zeta is the last of the downloadable expansions that Bethesda Softworks has announced for Fallout 3 but there's every possibility that more could be in the works.

BioShock 2 Delayed To FY 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:11:00 +0000

Your return to Rapture will be a bit delayed, as publisher Take-Two Interactive announced today that BioShock 2 won't be releasing in the company's fourth quarter as previously planned. Now for the bad news.

While the game was previously slated to hit European store shelves on October 30, 2009, just squeezing into the company's fiscal 2009, the company has now moved the title to a more vague "fiscal year ! 2010." T he sequel was expected to arrive on these shores November 3rd, a few days after its ship date in Europe.

Now, BioShock 2 could very well be pushed into calendar 2010, missing the holidays completely.

Officially, Take-Two blames the delay on the need to "provide additional development time for the title."

Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two called the delay "the right decision for the product," but calls the impact on its revised financial outlook a "disappointment."

"The decision to shift a release date is never an easy one, especially with a product as highly anticipated as BioShock 2," Take-Two CEO Ben Fed! er said in a financial release. "We felt that it was essential to invest the additional time to ensure that this title will deliver what its fans expect and deserve."

Take-Two announced delays of Red Dead Redemption and Mafia II in May, both of which are expected to ship in the publisher's fiscal 2010.

kotaku.com

Modern Warfare 2 release

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Are you going to pick up the game on it's release date, do some midnight release party, or have it delivered to you on the release date.

Typically when you purchase a game it ships on the release date. But Amazon is offering a delivery guarantee on the release date.

I'm finding somewhere to get it at midnight, using those few hours as an advantage. Oh yeah, I'm taking the day off work.

Check out Amazon's link here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00267S2A0?tag=plays0b-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B00267S2A0&adid=0M7TKBB5HP8A8AC800QE&

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 XBLA Release Date Announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:12:00 +0000

According to Major Nelson, the Xbox Live Arcade version of Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will debut on July 29th as part of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion for 1200 MS Points ($15). Capcom's official Twitter confirmed this early earlier today.

As for the PlayStation Network version, a release date will be announced "soon." Hang tight!

Resident Evil 5 and Racism!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:48:00 +0000

First off, how's that for a article title? Doesn't that just get the blood flowing? (And also get this article to pop out nicely in a list of blog posts, thus generating more hits.) This is how sausage is made.

I got through about three quarters of Resident Evil 5 before my XBox died. I just got my replacement system, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to work up the energy to finish the game. This is a real disappointment to me.

I was really looking forward to Resident Evil 5, since Resident Evil 4 is one of my favorite shooters, like, ever. It was the first Resident Evil game I'd played, and man, I loved it. It's out for pretty much every system in existence. You really should play it, though the Intellivision and Vectrex ports are, frankly, subpar.

And Resident Evil 5 definitely has it's good points. It's very pretty. The battles are paced nicely. It gives you a period of exploration to catch your breath, and then it hits you with a horde of zombies. I'd prefer the hordes were bigger, but still, it rarely irritates you with enemies constantly coming in dribs and drabs. And the boss fights are very cool. I liked them a lot.

But there are several elements I found super-disappointing.

1. The Plot Is Dull. This simply amazes me. The game is about a zombie outbreak. In Africa. Zombies. In Africa. HOW CAN THAT NOT BE AWESOME!?!? Packed cities. Desperately poor people with automatic weapons. Incompetent and corrupt governments. Plus, you know, the relentless assault of the living dead.

And yet, the plot is just sludge. Most of it involves finding out what happened to the former partners of the two main characters (about which I could not care less) and chasing some terr! orist fo r reasons that are never explained. (We're supposed to hate him as part of some Pavlovian response to him being called a terrorist. Didn't work.) And, while the city settings are cool and creepy, you're soon wandering around solving puzzles in some generic ancient tomb, losing all of the awesomeness of being in Africa.

What a waste.

2. The Inventory System Constantly Spoils Your Fun. Fighting the inventory system is a constant distraction. The inventory system in Resident Evil 4 was cool and realistic, and I actually had fun shifting the items around in my briefcase to solve the puzzle of making things fit. In comparison, the new system is an aggravation and trading gear back and forth with your partner is doubly so.

Now, I know I wrote a few months ago how you shouldn't be afraid to make changes to your game. But that doesn't mean every change is good. You must be merciless about improving the worst elements of your design, but you also should be determined to leave alone the parts that are actually good.

3. About the Racism Thing. I didn't have any problem with this for most of the game. You have to fight zombies somewhere. And, wherever they are, you're gonna' shoot a bunch of former people. Having that take place in Africa is no more racist then setting the action in Dubuque. The early levels, in the city, are very foreign and cool, and I think you'd have to be pretty oversensitive to have a problem with them.

Then you go out into the back hills. You enter villages of straw huts and fight zombies wearing straw skirts and wielding spears. And the bosses are ooga booga witch doctors with big masks.

I'm not going to call this racist. Throwing that accusation around cheapens it. It's not racist. It's just dumb. I may be wrong, but I suspect, if you go to an African ! village today, the young men won't have grass skirts and spears. They will be wearing ratty t-shirts and wielding AK-47s. And they will mess you up.

This is like setting the game in modern-day Japan and having the villages be full of sumo wrestlers, samurais, and J-pop stars. Although, of course, if this was the case, I would never stop playing that game.

Also, since every pot in the villages was full of either gold coins or bullets, I think they could afford something a little deadlier than spears.

4. Oh. One more race comment. About your hot, sexy, hot girl sidekick. She's an amazing bit of art direction. It's amazing how they were able to make her as white-looking as a human being could possibly be and still be plausibly identified as not white. I'm just sayin'.

This is all not so much a review as a bunch of impressions. And a bit of public mourning. I suppose it was foolish to expect more, but after the pure game goodness of Resident Evil 4, I wish I could say more than, "Meh. It's worth a rental."

Oh, and to pre-empt any criticism. I'm not politically correct. I'm just plain correct.

Nintendo DS or Sony PSP - Which Is The Better System?

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:31:00 +0000

By Paul Wilcox

The Sega Game Gear? Pffft. It was as much a challenge to the then reigning king, the Nintendo Gameboy, as a local football club in Tibet would be when pitted against the Reds of Manchester United. The truth is, Nintendo has remained unchallenged in the handheld gaming department since it released the very first Gameboy, and it has continued to rule the roost with the current dominance of the Nintendo DS.

Until now, that is.

With the latest generation of handhelds, Nintendo is facing some strong competition from the Sony PSP, or Playstation Portable. It's not exactly a neck-and-neck race, but the PSP is winning in some parts of the world. This is something that Nintendo has never had to face with previous generations of handheld systems. Sony's PSP is not going to disappear like the Sega Game Gear and most other competitors from past years.

The question that many people are asking - especially people planning to buy a portable gaming system - is this: Is the Sony PSP a better investment than the Nintendo DS?

Let's answer this important question by breaking it down into 4 important sub-questions that will ultimately tell us the handheld that will define this generation of portable gaming.

1. Which console is more powerful? There's really no contest here. The Sony PSP was designed to be a powerful unit, with two 333MHz CPUs rendering both gameplay and amazing graphics. The screen is built for widescreen gaming, and has a much better resolution than the DS. PSP games take more space as well, because there is so much more to them. Most Nintendo games are under 100MB. PSP games range from 300MB to 1.5GB. WINNER: Sony PSP.

2. Which console has more games? Many experts say that software creates hardware and not the other way around. What would you do with a highly powerful handheld if you won't have any games to play! with it , right? When it comes to depth of gaming library, the Nintendo DS is the runaway winner. Its releases outnumber the releases of its competitor by a ratio of almost 4:1. There are many development companies focusing only on developing games for the Nintendo DS. WINNER: Nintendo DS.

3. Which system has better multimedia capabilities? Many of today's gadgets perform specialized functions. Ipods play music.

PDAs allow mobile browsing and data mining. Digital cameras take pictures and videos. Cellular phones serve as personal organizers aside from being communication devices. However, the trend these days is for a gadget to at least attempt to become a Swiss knife of sorts for the technology-crazy market.

Handhelds are no different. The more functions they serve, the better they will appear for potential buyers. The Nintendo DS play limited audio and video files. The Sony PSP can play many audio formats and an accepted MP4 file type for videos. The Sony PSP can also surf the web, store a variety of data, act as a TV (with the aid of a TV tuner), and serve as a remote controller for the Playstation 3, even if the console is in another continent. WINNER: Sony PSP.

4. Which console has more exclusives? No doubt, not a single company can compete with Nintendo. The Nintendo DS is the home of original properties like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon , Donkey Kong, Kirby, Animal Crossing and many more. These are the biggest selling points of the system. WINNER: Nintendo DS.

The bottom line? A 2-2 tie. The better system will really depend on what you expect from your handheld gaming system. If you want the most functions and raw power, the PSP is the way to go. But if you're looking for a deep library of games with a varied gaming experience, choose the Nintendo DS.

About the Author:

Get up-to-the-minute news and information abo! ut all t he hottest video game systems at the Game Console Bundles website. We've got the best deals on games, accessories and hardware for all the popular systems, including Nintendo DS & Wii, the Xbox 360 and Sony's PS3 & PSP. Visit http://www.gameconsolebundles.net for more tips & information.

Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Third-party wireless guitar controllers for the Xbox 360 have been disappointingly hard to come by to date, but Logitech has now come to the rescue with a new Guitar Hero-licensed controller that's similar to its PS3 and PS2 offerings, with the exception of being orange, and Xbox 360-compatible. Otherwise, you can expect the same wood neck, rosewood fingerboard, and metal frets as before, along with a touch-sensitive slider on the neck, strum bar and fret buttons that are "virtually silent," and a promised range of 30 feet. Unfortunately, the guitar also packs the same hefty $199 price tag as its PS3 counterpart, but if that's not too big a deterrent, you can look forward to picking up one of these up in August. Head on past the break for a quick video overview.

Continue reading Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360

Filed under: Gaming

Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

by stinger2

Review: New Super Mario Bros.

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:45:00 +0000

written by Blain Newport

written on Sunday, June 7, 2009

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. DEAL WITH IT PINK BOY.

New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo, 2006) is a throwback. Sure, the graphics are 3D, but the gameplay is all 2D. Part of me says I should start discussing the game's merits and flaws, but all I can think of is how it's not as good as Super Mario 3 or Super Mario World. Of course those are flagship titles, system sellers. NSMB is portable. And it feels more like an homage to than a continuation of the 2D Mario games.

The main changes to the formula are added collectibles. Every level has three special coins to find. Some are easy to get to. Some are a huge pain. I can use them to unlock bonus levels and toad homes with power ups and extra lives. It also has the hidden worlds and levels of the older games, so there are plenty of secrets. And to me there's nothing more satisfying than clearing an especially difficult level and saving my game with a sense of accomplishment.

It's too bad the game doesn't let me do that. It's a portable game and it only lets me save when I clear a castle, and even then only the first time. This is seriously annoying and makes all the time between when I wanted to quit and when I can quit without losing all my progress annoying. There are probably dozens of perfectly good levels that I just wanted to end because of this design error. Plus I think now that I've beaten the main game, the only way to clear some of the bonus levels I skipped and save that progress would be to complete them, then finish the final castle again.

$*(# that.

The main mechanics also don't feel quite right. Sometimes I'll lose speed in the middle of a jump. Infrequently, I'll fail to jump entirely. Of course, the DS directional pad is worse than the NES one from 20 years ago, and the buttons aren't the b! est eith er so maybe it's the hardware. Regardless, it still feels good, but not great. But sometimes the difference is life and death, and that's frustrating.

For some reason the game has weird difficulty spikes. Some levels are super easy. I just breeze through and get all the secret coins, barely going out of my way. Some are a huge pain in the butt and it takes me a long time and many deaths to get all the secrets. I noticed no pattern to where these more difficult levels would occur, either. Sure, there were more of them as the game progressed, but even on the final world, there were some super easy levels and the worst level for me was back in world four. It just doesn't feel like the polish was fully applied.

Because of its faults and possibly because I'm just not that interested in the genre any more it gets a three

out of five.

I gotta go back and play the old Mario games again to see if I just don't like them any more.

Oh, and I almost forgot the spoilers. People who played the original SMB know that you beat Bowser at the end of every world. They put a bizarre and macabre spin on it in this game. You beat Bowser in the first world by dropping him into lava, just like in the original game. But instead of just disappearing he flails and screams and turns into a skeleton. When you meet him again his child revives his bones with dark magic. You fight skeletal Bowser and drop him from a great height so that he breaks in pieces. For the finale, the child throws the broken bones into a cauldron to resurrect a giant Bowser. For a world where death usually means disappearing or making a face and falling off of the screen, it feels pretty creepy and out of place. I think Nintendo got tired of Mario a long time ago.

Who will be on NBA2K10? Kobe? LeBron?

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:21:00 +0000

2K Sports will reveal the cover athlete for its much anticipated basketball simulation game, NBA 2K10, Thursday night during a 30-second spot that will run during the pre-game show for the NBA Finals (9 p.m., ABC).

Black Wii announced

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Nintendo unveiled in Japan a black Wii console which will be launching on August 1st at the same price as the white Wii.Â

Of course the Wiimote, the Nunchuck and the classic pro controller also come in black. It is not known yet if Nintendo will sell the black Wii outside of Japan.

Nintendo also announced a new red Nintendo DSi to join the currently available colors on July 11th.Â

Via this Japanese Nintendo announcement.

Microsoft's

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:51:00 +0000

My E3 2009 Preview (Microsoft)

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:30:00 +0000

So E3 is next week at Downtown LA as it hopes to recapture the same magic it used to have before by opening the doors to the public (sort of). I already shared my thoughts on what Nintendo might bring to the table this year, so now its Microsoft's turn (Sony's later this week).

As expected, Microsoft will draw first blood again this year by being the first press conference out of the big three, which is on Monday. They promised to show titles that will come out both this fall and the next year from both first and third parties (Out of the three, most of the conference will be a third party showcase). So, might as well started with what Microsoft may or may not show next week.

Modern Warfare 2 - I expect a big showing for Infinity Ward's next FPS at their conference just like the first one two years ago. Call of Duty 4 is still the most played shooter on Xbox Live and it is Â a no brainer for the IW guys to show off one of the new levels in their new blockbuster. Plus, that trailer above is an example of how a game trailer (whether it looks good or not) should be done with all those epic setpieces that the player will experience. Honestly, I skipped on Modern Warfare 1, and for now, I'm not skipping on Modern Warfare 2. Considering the success of the first game on Xbox Live, I won't be surprised if another exclusive multiplayer beta gets announced before the game's release on November 10.

Tony Hawk Ride - Also, expect the new Tony Hawk game to make a big splash at E3 next week with the Birdman himself Tony Hawk showing off the new skateboard controller and gameplay at the press conference. If you already know, Tony Hawk Ride only uses the new skateboard controller that actually looks like a skateboard without the wheels and trucks. Plus, if GameStop is right, expect this game to be expensive at around 120 bucks. Of course, I'm still skeptical on how Tony's return to the gaming world may fare out with Skate 2 around, but this desperate idea for motion controls is something me and others would consider trying.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony - This was just announced today by Rockstar themselves, which is the second downloadable exclusive episode for Grand Theft Auto IV. Once again, Rockstar is willing to push the envelope like they always have done in the past, especially the title alone grabbing people's attention. Just like Lost & Damned, this DLC is 20 bucks or 1600 Microsoft Points, but Rockstar is smart enough to bundle the two episodes together for 4! 0 bucks as a retail standalone disc not requiring GTA IV to play them. For their press conference, I expect the debut trailer for this to be shown and it should be interesting what Rockstar will pull off this time.
What's next for the "Plastic Instrument" genre? - I also expect something Rock Band and Guitar Hero related at Microsoft's press conference as well since the downloadable content has been a major success for the companies involved. Of course Activision has their milking of plastic instruments to go crazy about with DJ Hero, Band Hero, and Guitar Hero V and I expect a DJ Hero demonstration to be shown at the conference since it is the most interesting of the three games they have coming soon. Hopefully DJ Hero will bring something different to the genre, but I don't see that happening. As for Harmonix, they have said they're not doing Rock Band 3 this year, which is good, but I predict a big showing for Rock Band Beatles at the show and especially Sir Paul McCartney making an appearance to talk about the upcoming game. I have claimed on Twitter and elsewhere that I am pretty much done with this genre, but we'll see if this E3 will bring me back (I hope not honestly).
Other things in MS's 3rd party showcase - There are many big 3rd party games that Microsoft would show off in their press conference even though the ones above should the ones that may spark the most interest. Of course, there's Splinter Cell Conviction, Assassins Creed 2, Madden 10, Brutal Legend, BioShock 2 (confirmed for November?), Lost Planet 2, Dante's Inferno, Fallout: New Vegas, whatever is next for Valve (Half-Life 2 Episode 3?) and more. Actually the most curiosity out of Microsoft's third party support is what the Japanese third parties will bring to the table for their system. Will Kojima finally fess up and announce a special edition of Metal Gear Solid 4 after being teased for the l! ongest t ime? How much of an impact will Final Fantasy XIII have on both systems? - Is MS willing to moneyhat their way for an US exclusive demo (the same one that is out at Japan, but on PS3 only)? What is Capcom's other secret game besides Tatsunoko vs. Capcom on Wii? Hopefully things will be answered next week.

Okay, enough with the big third party stuff as we should focus on Microsoft's first party offerings now, since they're still the weakest of the big three companies, and their other online services.

Halo 3 ODST - This Halo 3 expansion is still coming out this fall and while it will appeal to Halo fans, it won't be the 360 shooter of the year. We'll see how Bungie will try to spice up the gameplay a bit in this one as no gameplay footage has not been revealed yet. Hopefully its playable in some form at the show, but I think only a new trailer will be the only thing Bungie will show next week.
Forza 3 - This has been teased for a while as well as Turn 10 has been declining that it exists. They might as well confirm its existence at the show and show off any new features that hopefully will beat the competition (if Sony shows off Gran Turismo 5).
Alan Wake - Will this E3 be the coming out party for Remedy's long awaited action thriller? It seems likely that it may be.
What's next for Rare? - After Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, who knows what Rare is doing now other than updating the avatar thing on the NXE. It seems likely that Perfect Dark will be officially announced for Xbox Live Arcade after all those leaks. Then again, their big game is still somewhat of a secret as I'm betting on a new Jet Force Gemini game or the heavily requested Killer Instinct 3 (U! LTRA COM BO!!!).
The Gears 2 downloadable movement and what's next for Epic? - Epic continues to support Gears of War 2 with more downloadable maps for multiplayer and a recently announced single-player expansion. So expect Cliff to show off some of that at the show and maybe his new game too since that has been a hot rumor heading towards next week.
MS continuing their casual division? - Last year, Microsoft tried to go after the casual market dominated by the Wii, but failed with disappointments of Lips, You're Into the Movies, and Scene It Box Office Smash. It will be interesting to see whether or not Microsoft will continue their efforts towards getting more of the casual market with things like Xbox Live Primetime, and the heavily rumored motion controller.
Xbox Live Arcade - XBLA continues to be the #1 downloadable game service out of the three with the quantity and quality of games being a mix mash of old and new games (Even though PSN is still getting better and better). I expect them to continue their trend even though we are seeing bigger games in terms of size (They might as well get rid of the size limit) with more original games and others from established franchises. In terms of established franchises, expect MS to brag about Marvel vs. Capcom 2, TMNT Turtles in Time remake, the new Behemoth game, and perhaps new classics getting the remake treatment that we don't know yet. Expect one of those crazy montages like they always have done next week.
Another dashboard update? - Even though the New Xbox Experience is a success for Microsoft, hopefully they will fix some things and add more features to their dashboard. With Netflix support at their grasp and working well for them, I could see Microsoft trying to get a d! eal with a social phenomenon like FaceBook or Twitter to be used on the 360. That would be interesting if they managed to pull that off.
Games for Windows? - Who knows if Microsoft will show some PC games at their press conference, but maybe they will with Valve's new stuff, Crytek's new game, and others. It will probably be just another random montage of the same old stuff.
The big question... Will they jumpstart the next generation or rehash the 360 again? - It is probably still too early for the next generation of consoles to start, but considering that the 360 launched in the fall of 2005, will they announce the new Xbox or put out a rehashed 360 with the biggest hard drive, HDMI out of the gate, WiFi enabled, the rumored motion controller, and hopefully fixes all those red ring of death issues? I'm leaning on the latter likely to happen because they need a new SKU even though there are too many SKUs already. Maybe a price drop will happen as well to make it the cheapest console out on the market too.

Okay, this is getting long, but there are so many surprises Microsoft can pull off here other than the suggestions I listed above. They are actually the only ones out of the big three that can pull something crazy out of their hands considering we don't have a firm answer on what in the world they are officially showing from themselves. I still expect half of the conference to be a third party showcase since they're still the lead platform for most of these games and the other half to be on first party, hardware, and online related stuff. We'll see if Microsoft will make me buy their console again even though I have already given up on that system due to their numerous hardware failures.

Nintendo prepares to set new Wii gizmo into motion - Yahoo! News

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:56:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES – There's nothing all that charming about Nintendo's latest gadget.

It's not as zany as a zapper or as sexy as a steering wheel. It doesn't even tell you whether you're losing weight. However, the gamemaker is hoping a small cube-shaped device called Wii MotionPlus will take the Wii's motion-sensing controls to a new level of precision.

It's no secret the wrist-flicking Wii Remote's lack of accuracy has long been the console's clunky downfall. The Wii MotionPlus, available beginning June 8, successfully defeats that dilemma by using gyroscopic sensors to exactly mimic gamers' hand movements, making such activities as sword fighting, disc throwing and golfing look seamless on screen.

"The great thing about this particular new technology, which isn't always true for other new technologies, is that we immediately saw the benefits of it," said "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10" senior producer Jason Shenkman. "Before I even touched it or got my hands on it, I knew exactly what having a gyroscope in our possession would do for this game."

Electronic Arts' "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10" will be the first game bundled with the Wii MotionPlus. Shenkman insists the increased sensitivity doesn't boost difficulty because instant feedback helps gamers before their shots.

Nintendo has been pairing cute peripheral gadgets with games since launching the Wii, such as the Wii Wheel, Wii Zapper and Wii Balance Board, the scale-ish device packaged with "Wii Fit." Just how Nintendo plans to market the obscure Wii MotionPlus accessory — or why such technology wasn't originally included in the controller — is unclear.

"We are always looking at ways to enhance the gaming experience for consumers," said Denise Kaigler, Nintendo vice president of corporate affairs. "This was another way of enhancing the gaming experience, and consumers will hopefully choose to experience that more immersive type of gameplay and enjoy it."

Only five games have so far been confirmed to employ the new functionality. The most prominent is Nintendo's own "Wii Sports Resort," a beachy follow-up to the popular "Wii Sports." Besides "Tiger Woods," the other games are Electronic Arts' "Grand Slam Tennis," Sega's "Virtua Tennis 2009" and Ubisoft's slice-and-shoot-'em-up sequel "Red Steel 2."

Though the original "Red Steel" was one of the most anticipated games to debut alongside the Wii in 2006, the first-person samurai shooter's wonky fidelity left many gamers feeling let down. Creative director Jason Vandenberghe promises Wii MotionPlus technology will remedy that in "Red Steel 2."

"One of the cool things is that with Wii MotionPlus, we know how hard you have swung the remote," said Vandenberghe. "That means we can ask the player to have a more physical experience, like having enemies who are wearing armor that players will have to hit harder with their sword."

If the blockbuster sales of the Wii Balance Board with "Wii Fit" are any indication, gamers want the new contraption even if it's not compatible with their old titles.

Wedbush Morgan game analyst Michael Pachter believes Wii MotionPlus' price — $19.99 for one, $49.99 if bundled with "Wii Sports Resort" — is right for cash-strapped consumers. He anticipates that over 30 million Wii owners will pick up the new accessory in the first year.

"Some people will find Wii MotionPlus really appealing, and some people won't understand it and will wait until they're told by their friends they need it," said Pachter.

Nintendo is likely to promote Wii MotionPlus and announce new games that use the technology at next month's Electronic Entertainment Expo, where the gadget was first unveiled last year. Rumors have been circulating that Nintendo competitors Microsoft and Sony may announce their own motion-control technologies for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles at E3.

___

AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay in New York contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

http://www.nintendo.com/wii/

http://tigerwoodspgatour.easports.com/

http://www.redsteelgame.com/

Cohaggen: Left 4 Dead Survival Pack is Live

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Just a friendly reminder. Time to dust off the 'ol L4D disk and give it another go.

Download PS3 2.70 Firmware Update

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 03:29:00 +0000

Download PS3 2.70 Update Firmware - Good news from Sony, they will release PS3 Update 2.70 in nearly, since they already update this news on their blog, PS3 firmware 2.70 update will release on this April. What we can get from this update? This PS3 2.70 will give great features inside, lets say, now we will be able be able to chat with our friends, its available for more than 15 online friends using the keyboard peripherals such PS3 Wireless Keypad or PS3 on-screen keyboard. It will be great because text chat is accessible while playing PS3 games and with this PS3 2.70 update everyone can join up to three chat room.

According to PS3 official blog, this PS3 2.70 Firmware Update features also give some update.

Sort your friends via their online status
Attach larger files to the messages you send to your friends (file size will increase from 1MB to 3MB)

Download full features HERE.

Everyone try to find related search such as: ps3, ps3 2.70, ps3 update, ps3 update 2.7, ps3 firmware 2.70 to download this update. If you want to download PS3 2.70 firmware update, we will update this post with the link. Please wait until this PS3 2.70 Firmware Update released.

BBC: 50 million Nintendo Wii 's sold

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Over 50 million of Nintendo's Wii console have been sold since 2006. Only 28MM for Xbox 360 and 22MM for Sony PS3.

Global sales of Nintendo's Wii console have passed 50 million, the company's boss Satoru Iwata has said.

The Wii is now the fastest-selling games console in history, surpassing the PlayStation 2.

Mr Iwata also said that Nintendo's handheld DS console had shipped 100m units around the world.

"Almost no one expected them to reach the current level of mainstream acceptance. It's even beyond what we possibly hoped for," Mr Iwata said.

"The market has expanded as video games have been accepted by more consumers than ever before," the Nintendo president, told the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

"It's a cliche but it's not just the 18-year-old kid, it's the mom on the train, it's the high-school girl after she's done with her homework, everyone plays games. "

'Outside the box'

"The Wii and DS have made games more accessible," Tameka Kee of PaidContent.org told BBC News

Jay Lauffer from Blizzard Entertainment was impressed by the figures and put it down to Nintendo's approach.

"I imagine its successful because Nintendo seems to be shifting what is kind of a ! traditio nal sit-down environment to getting people up and moving."

Remy Lavoie, a programmer with DTI Software said: "If Nintendo has such a big share of the market it's pretty impressive.

"They are thinking outside the box and its clearly paying off."

To create some excitement among developers, Mr Iwata unveiled some upgrades for the Wii which included a much-hoped-for new storage system.

It lets users store and launch WiiWare and virtual console games from high capacity SD cards. It is available for download now.

"Your games will no longer be competing on space for system memory," said Nintendo's Bill Trinen during a demonstration.

New titles

Rock 'N' Roll Climber, a new mountain-climbing game that uses the Wii Fit's Balance Board was also demonstrated to the audience. The player's character rocks out on a guitar when he reaches the top.

To date sales of the board have hit 14 million units with pre-orders on Amazon for the new DSi ahead of its launch next month reaching record levels said Mr Iwata.

Some new titles were announced for the Virtual Console including Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Darklord and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years for later in 2009.

Another addition is the Virtual Console Arcade which is available today with classic games like Space Harrier, Gaplus, Star Force, Solvalou, The Tower of Druaga, and Mappy.

For the DS, clips of a new upcoming Legends of Zelda: Spirit Tracks were greeted with applause.

But none of it convinced Robert Sindt, an associate professor at Johnson Community College in Missouri, that the Wii or the DS is the developers' dream.

"I think they are great platforms but I guess I am a tad sceptical what will become of it. I'm not sure developers will embrace it. Sony is pretty impressive and a better platform."

Software sells hardware

While Mr Iwata highlighted the su! ccess of the Wii and DS, he noted Nintendo did not achieve this on its own and thanked partners, press and consumers for their support.

He said that the major reason that the company is where it is is because "one rule always remains the same: Software sells hardware".

For developers who remain unsure about developing for either device, Mr Iwata said more third-party games were sold on these platforms last year than on any other platform.

Throughout his speech he continued to dazzle the audience with statistics and stressed that in the US, some 20% of owners had never owned a console before buying the Wii. He also noted that 47% of DS sales were made by women.

While Mr Iwata ended by acknowledging hard economic times, he also stressed that they tend to lead to real innovation.

"The great depression in the 1930s resulted in the jet engine, TV and chocolate chip cookies.

"As developers I believe anything is possible. The future of video games is in your hands and I can't wait for you to show us your surprises," Mr Iwata concluded.

'Resident Evil' franchise takes a disturbing turn

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Video-game controversies typically revolve around sex or violence. "Resident Evil 5" has plenty of the latter, but it's catching a lot of flack for a different reason.

Even longtime fans of the horror franchise may find themselves wondering: Is this game racist?

Two years ago, some video-game reporters winced at the first "RE5" trailer, which showed a white man killing dozens of black zombies. The game's Japanese developers seemed surprised by the reaction, and asked us to reserve judgment until we had seen the completed project. Come Friday, you can decide for yourself.

The "Resident Evil" saga (I'm talking about the games, not the movies or comics) began in a small Midwestern town, where experiments by the ruthless Umbrella Corp. turned people and animals into relentless killing machines. By 2005's "Resident Evil 4," the infection had spread to Europe.

"Resident Evil 5" (Capcom, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99) moves the action to a fictional African country called Kijuju, where Chris Redfield (the American hero of the original game) has been sent to investigate a bioterror outbreak. He's teamed with an African woman named Sheva Alomar, and they quickly discover that parasites have taken over most of the population.

Like "RE4," the new game plays more like an action movie than a horror tale. The infected monsters are faster and smarter — they can use machine guns and drive vehicles — but you have a more impressive arsenal, from handguns to grenade launchers. The major change is that "RE5" is designed for cooperative play, and it's much more fun if you have a friend controlling Sheva.

Otherwise, it feels a lot like its predecessor. That's not a bad thing — "RE4" is a landmark — but the shooter genre has evolved over the last four years, and "RE5" feels somewhat clunky and old-fashioned when compared with, say, "BioShock" or "Call of Duty 4."

Still, it looks tremendous, and the sun-drenched African setting still manages to be creepy. The action is smartly paced, ranging from cramped hand-to-hand combat to widescreen shootouts. And the suspense can be excruciating, as you enter each new location knowing that the infected hordes will attack at any second.

Yes, the vast majority of monsters in "RE5" are infected black men. Does that make it racist? I believe producer Jun Takeuchi's claim that the story led naturally to Africa, and it's obvious that a zombie-creating virus unleashed there would lead to hordes of African zombies.

Still, there were plenty of moments where I felt uneasy after shotgunning a path through a crowd of feral Africans. Even though "RE5" makes some points about colonialism and capitalism — the real villains are pharmaceutical companies that have been experimenting on African villages — the racial imagery is more loaded than its creators probably realized.

Judged purely as a game, "RE5" is undeniably entertaining. But many players are going to find it disturbing for the wrong reasons. Three stars out of four.

___

On the Net:

_"Resident Evil 5": http://www.residentevil.com/

The State of the Homebrew Games Scene In 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:25:00 +0000

From Slashdot.org:

"DCEmu has released an article detailing the current state of the homebrew scene on all game consoles, from the Sega Dreamcast to the Nintendo DS to the Nintendo Wii. It even covers unreleased consoles such as Pandora and GP2xWiz. The article explains what is needed to run emulators and games, and whether or not it's worth bothering for each console."

Beatles edition of `Rock Band' video game planned

noreply@blogger.com (Mp3) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 01:23:00 +0000

NEW YORK – Rock Band is getting the perhaps greatest rock group of all time: The Beatles.

The Beatles' management said Thursday that a Beatles version of the Rock Band video game will debut Sept. 9. In addition, they'll sell accompanying instruments modeled after the ones used by the band.

This is the first time Rock Band has based a game on one group, according to MTV Games. It has not yet been determined what Beatles songs will be included in the edition, available for Xbox360, Playstation 3, and Wii video game consoles.

Representatives of the Beatles and Rock Band had been planning a collaboration for months, but initially, the final project was not supposed to be a Rock Band game, but another type of game compatible with the instruments used for the popular series.

But MTV Games said in a statement: "As we moved through the creative process, it just seemed to make sense to clearly highlight the association between The Beatles game and the critically acclaimed Rock Band franchise. The game is being developed by Harmonix and will utilize and build upon the core foundation of Rock Band to create a brand new and innovative Beatles experience."

Giles Martin, son of Beatles producer George Martin, is developing the product. The Beatles, who broke up nearly four decades ago, have been slow in embracing new technology: their music is still not available for sale on iTunes.

The band's management, Apple Corps Ltd., is partners in the project with MTV Games and Harmonix.

___

http://www.thebeatles.com