Posted by Michael Sacco on Dec 31, 2010 in Videogames
It’s always neat to see prototypes or early versions of video games and looking at how they differ from the final release. Shadow of the Colossus had a bunch of colossi cut from the game before release, for example. But it’s not just recent games; Lost Levels got their hands on a prototype for the original NES Legend of Zelda, and they discovered that the game was actually made more difficult for its retail release. In the prototype, it was easier to acquire rupees, dungeons had less enemies clustered together, and the enemies come in less-threatening combinations. I guess it isn’t just confirmation bias that makes me think that NES games are just flat-out harder than other games. They did it on purpose! Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 30, 2010 in Videogames
You can snag yourself a free episode of Telltale’s Back to the Future: The Game, that is, if you want to wait until February to play it. The deal has been going on for awhile now, but Telltale Games — the guys behind the recent Sam & Max, and Monkey Island titles — are giving away that first episode to anyone who registers via this site. Of course, if you’d rather just buy the game outright, you can download it right away and start playing. So far, it’s recieved mostly rave reviews, so I wouldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to wait. Still, pretty awesome of Telltale to just hand out the first episode for free. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 29, 2010 in Videogames
Check out this amazing video of Hironobu Sakaguchi’s The Last Story for Nintendo’s Wii. The battle system looks fantastic and seems to mix a number of popular elements. In addition to the classic menu-based combat we’ve seen in his previous titles, we’re given a bit of action-oriented stealth gameplay as well, and it looks fantastic. Unfortunately, the game will be a Wii exclusive, so it might lack the visual polish that we’ve come to expect in modern roleplaying games, but to be honest, none of that really matters to me so long as I actually enjoy playing it. Read more…
2008 was a rough year for releasing a game based on an original IP — sorry, Mirror’s Edge — but EA took a big gamble on the excellent sci-fi horror excursion Dead Space. And it paid off! Dead Space sold pretty well for a new IP, and nowadays you can snag it for $20 as part of the Xbox 360 Platinum Hits collection, or get the spinoff Dead Space: Extraction for the Wii. Now, if you’re already familiar with how awesome the original was, you’ll probably be very interested to know that a playable demo of Dead Space 2 has just hit Xbox Live and PSN, letting you unleash Isaac’s mighty boot once again. So go get it! And if you haven’t played the original yet, go do that too! Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 23, 2010 in Videogames
You don’t have to be a card carrying member of the NRA to appreciate a wide selection of projectile weaponry. In fact, anyone who has spent enough time playing first-person shooters would tell you that nothing beats having options and that’s exactly what you get when you play Borderlands. The title reportedly contains close to 17,000,000 weapons — though, arguably they’re mostly variants. The game hit consoles late last year and garnered plenty of positive reviews, so I have to wonder why they’ve waited so long to make the game avaialble for download via PSN or Xbox Live!
I’m surprised we haven’t really brought this up yet, but I imagine some of you haven’t already heard about the upcoming Level-5/Studio Ghibli collaboration, Ni no Kuni. You can expect the classic art and animation we’ve come to expect from Ghibli, looking very much like your standard Miyazaki fare, and Level 5’s previous titles have proven the studios ability to seamlessly blend animation and 3D using beautifully rendered cell-shaded visuals.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 21, 2010 in Videogames
Okay, so I’m not really sure it ever was a secret to begin with, but it sure seemed that way. Back in June, Square Enix showed off a small set of upcoming titles for Apple’s iOS devices and for whatever reason, almost nobody took note. It could be because, at the time, Apple had yet to make a signifigant impact in the portable gaming market. Regardless, that didn’t stop Square Enix from pushing forward with some notable classics. The first of which, Secret of Mana, finally hit the App store last week. The port largely stays true to the original, while featuring slightly updated graphics and new artwork. It’s currently priced at $8.99. The soundtrack is also available on iTunes for 25% off until January 5th. No word on when to expect any of the other titles they showed off at E3, but personally I’m still looking forward to their upcoming port of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 15, 2010 in Videogames
Literally. The first in-game footage from the highly-anticipated Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception debuted last night on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Naughty Dog’s Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra were on-hand to show off the game, and while I imagine they’re still working out a few of the bugs, they put on a pretty good showing. The demo featured a few minutes of gameplay that takes place presumably early on. Nathan Drake, and his partner/mentor Sully are caught in what appears to be a burning mansion in France and are under assualt by numerous gun-wielding mercenaries intent preventing their escape. It’s pretty exciting footage, despite Jimmy Fallon’s inability to press the shoulder buttons when prompted. The game is currently slated for release on November 1st, 2011.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 14, 2010 in Videogames
While I admit I’m equally excited about the recent announcements of Elderscrolls V: Skyrim, and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, nothing had my jaw drop quite as fast as the debut trailer for Bioware’s upcoming Mass Effect 3. I’m sure what we’ve witnessed is a pre-rendered CG film clip, but if the visuals even come close to that, we’ll all be in for quite a treat. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 14, 2010 in Videogames
It’s been well over a year since this stripped down, arcade-friendly version of the popular Magic the Gathering videogame, Duels of the Planeswalkers, hit Xbox 360’s Live! online gaming service. Back in June, the game launched for the PC, giving those of us who were left out by the Xbox exclusive launch a chance to own the game. Well, now it would seem the game has finally launched on Playstation Network, complete with all three current expansions. Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved the original trading-card game but in addition to being incredibly addictive, it was also perhaps the most expensive hobby I’ve ever had — aside from music. I can’t fathom how much money I must have wasted in college trying to build decent decks. The nice thing about this scaled down version of the game is that it includes all the rules and gameplay of the original at a fraction of that cost. How so? Read more…
Not quite sure what to buy a musically-inclined gamer for Christmas? Well, this might do the trick — assuming you’re quick about it. The circut bending experts over at GetLoFi recently finished this sweet little mod that takes an original Nintendo Entertainment System and creates a fully functioning electric guitar. Currently, they only have one left in stock and I have no idea if they intend on building any more in the near future. Still, if you’re interested, it wouldn’t hurt to visit their site. I would imagine the higher the demand, the more they may produce. The last one they have in stock is currently priced at $150 with an optional internal fuzz upgrade for an additional $40. Reasonable, considering the novelty of it all.
The animation isn’t exactly Pixar, but the humor in Warriors of the Unknown will bring a smile to any gamers face. This video (which is available on DVD) was created by the Cosmic Radicals, a team of online gamers who know their subject perhaps a bit too well. Watching the videos I loved the juxtaposition of romantic fantasy elements set against conversations about dog food: Read more…
Telltale Games, the studio behind the new Sam and Max games, acquired the rights to make two awesome IPs — Jurassic Park and Back to the Future — into their classic point-and-click adventure style. Ever since we heard that Christopher Lloyd would be returning to voice Doc Brown, we’ve been pumped to hear Marty McFly and see the game in action, and now Telltale has given us the first teaser trailer for much-anticipated game. Is it me, or is the Marty McFly voice actor eerily accurate? Heavy. Read more…
I love Katamari Damacy, so I couldn’t resist sharing this t-shirt with you guys. While I’m sure the designer didn’t intend to make a statement with his doodle — he admitted to doing it in class shortly after one of the games had been released — it’s actually quite profound. I can’t imagine the King of All Cosmos putting his prince at the short end of the evolutionary chain, I can see the young prince representing the concept of natural selection. Of course, I could be way off base, but who cares. It’s a neat design and it’s only available for the next 24 hours, so if you want one of these sweet t-shirts, head over to TeeFury and order yours while supplies last.
When a character is ingrained in our heads well enough, we can recognize their color and shape even after they’ve been simplified many times over. 4×4 Pixels is out to prove this, with a growing gallery of 16-pixel renditions of pop culture heroes, like Legend of Zelda’s Link, shown above. I personally loved their interpretation of Jaws (yes, the shark) and Chewbacca — both instantly recognizable despite being little more than blocks of color. It really is amazing the gaps that our brain can fill. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 23, 2010 in Videogames
I’ve always been fond of pixel art, but I’ve never had the time to sit down and create some. I’ve always seen it as incredibly tedious, requiring a lot of precision and attention to detail. Of course, one could argue that it’s no different than playing with Lego blocks, but I beg to differ. Lego has always been, at least for me, a tangible experience. Well, it looks like someone decided to give pixel art some tangibility. J-List recently listed these sweetSuper Mario Brothers pixel-art kits. How do they work? Instead of building blocks, you’re snapping them in place. like pins in a Light Bright — or so the product claims. It sounds neat, especially considering you can use the blocks to create the patterns provided, or whatever you feel like. You still have to import the product from Japan, but at $14, it might be worth the price of shipping.
Believe it or not, this actually exists — in Japan. Back in 2008 Konami released a first person “on rails” coin-op entitled simply Castlevania: The Arcade. The game lets you play as a whip-wielding Belmont, a Witch, or a gun-toting Eastern wanderer and makes use of a motion-sensing light-wand for attacks. Players then swing it at enemies or pull the trigger depending on their character of choice in order to vanquish the monsters. Sounds pretty awesome right? As if that weren’t enough to sell you on it, Konami threw in a soundtrack of arranged music from previous games in the series. Sadly, the arcade machine was never formally released in the United States, and though Wikipedia mentioned something about a European release back in 2009, I haven’t heard any reports of it showing up. Hopfully with the recent boom in motion-related gaming, Konami might have a change of heart and port it to a console.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 16, 2010 in Videogames
There has to have been countless iterations of this game over the years but it’s looking more and more like Pac-Man Championship Edition DX may be the best to date. Scheduled for release via Playstation Network and Xbox Live!, this sequel features multiple game modes, and gameplay tweaks such as slow motion, bombs and a new type of ghost. Much like the original Pac-ManChampionship Edition released back in 2007, the visuals are stunning, clean, and colorful. If you haven’t seen for yourself, check out the video above. Pac-ManChampionship Edition DX is scheduled to release sometime this week. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 10, 2010 in Tech, Videogames
Hasbro is reportedly developing an accessory that allows users to experience immersive 3D using Apple’s iDevices. The product, known as My3D, requires what the use of binoculars which attach to your iPhone or iPod, allowing you to simulate 3D. Under normal circumstances I’d post the image of the My3D accessory that’s been floating around the net, but seeing as it belongs to AP, who have been more litigious than normal as of late, you’ll have to settle for this lovely image of Nintendo’s Virtual Boy.
Remember these? The classic Atari 2600 joystick — I’m feeling nostalgic just looking at it. It brings back fond memories of classics like Defender and Frogger. Trying to gator infested chasms in Pitfall! or defending my cities from the constant barrage of missiles in Missile Command. Even thoughmy old Atari is broken and sitting in my closet collecting dust, I still enjoy playing those classic games via modern emulation. I’ve had to settle for whatever controller I’ve had on hand, be it an Xbox 360 wireless, or some piece of Logitech hardware, but fortunately, the guys over at ThinkGeek finally have a solution to that problem. Someone decided to finally create a replica of the original Atari 2600 joystick with a USB input. Amazing, right? If you want one of these one-button bad boys, they’ll run you about $25. That’s pretty reasonable if you ask me. Read more…
Back in June, I touched on Capcom’s Okamiden, the upcoming sequel to their modern-cult classic Okami. I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time with the title at the various trade shows I’ve attended and I have to admit it was a lot more fun than I had expected. Well, it would seem Capcom has finally settled on the North American release date of March 15th, 2011. I know that seems a ways off, but they’re looking to make up for that by offering several limited edition pre-order bonuses if you purchase the game through GameStop. the first 20,000 pre-orders will recieve a special stylus for their DS in the shape of a brush, and a custom screen cleaner that’ll feature art of the main characters. Capcom has also created a Facebook app that lets you try your hand at painting a goblin mask. The app will allow users to enter contests to win a Nintendo 3DS, a copy of the game and several other Okamiden-related prizes. Exciting, right?
I imagine the first thought that’s probably running through most people’s heads would be “what’s wrong with that NES controller?” Well, good call. This slick little iPhone 4 case is actually modeled after a Japanese Famicom controller, hence the red and gold color scheme. Personally, I liked it but I wouldn’t dare question Nintendo’s decision-making process to rebrand their product stateside — it was only the best selling console of that era. Still, this design should speak to you, and if the classic d-pad or button layout aren’t enough, the fact that it’s an import might sweeten the pot in terms of nerd-cred. You can order them through geekstuff4u.com, but you’ll want to note that these are imported and will probably cost you a bit.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Oct 19, 2010 in Videogames
Why is it that Wii’s accessories seem so much cooler than its actual games? Last week, I mentioned a nifty Lego Wiimote that recently went on sale over at ToysRUs. This week, we’re taking a look at Shinobii Technologies TT Champion Bat — a Wiimote fashioned after a real ping pong paddle. Suddenly, I find myself wanting to give one of these a try — even if I know I’ll be disappointed by the Wii itself. of course, there are those of us who still manage to find the Wii enjoyable, so I wouldn’t blame you guys for being excited about the prospect. So what’s so unique about this paddle? Well, aside from being compatible with Wii Motion Plus, it’ll feature “Xtra Motion Technology” that supposedly translates the torque, spin control and more. Oh, and it has a built-in rechargeable battery for added convenience. It sounds really promising, and for the $69.99 price tag, I really hope it delivers. While they’re not quite ready to ship, I imagine it’ll probably end up on Amazon at some point, so keep your eyes peeled. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Oct 14, 2010 in Videogames
With Halloween creeping up on us, many of you probably have your costumes already picked out. Some of us, on the other hand, like to procrastinate till the last minute. Well, here’s your chance to be proactive and hilarious at the same time without having to rely on your wit. That’s right, not only does this awesome Pac-Man costume look fantastic, but I’m pretty sure everyone in your office will find it hilarious to some degree. Of course, if you’d rather go as something lame like a ghost, you may as well make it oneofthese. It’s way better than a bed sheet — just don’t get mad if someone tries to eat you.
