I accidentally left my Wii and PS3 games at my parent's house.

I have no games to play.

Just Donkey Kong, Bomberman and that MotorStorm demo.

Sigh.

I guess I could chainsaw the boxes:

I wouldn't believe this if I hadn't seen it:

I have spent a full week with both the Nintendo Wii and the Sony Playstation 3. I am really happy with both. Really.

Most my disappointments with the PS3 have now fallen to the side. I am really starting to like this machine. Playing 'Resistance' for hours on a 55" 1080p television is like night and day compared to playing it on a standard-def monitor. What looked bland and uninspired before now has details and depth. I'm diggin' it. The game is way more fun than I initially found and online play is nuts! There must be some sort of hypno-ray emanating from the PS3 that has changed my mind.

As for the Wii, just play it with a house full of holiday friends and family. It's a whole other beast. Everyone loved it so such, we camped out to get a couple more for holiday gifts. Being able to download 'Donkey Kong' and 'Bomberman '93' (two of my favorite games) was the icing on the cake. Oh, and 'Excite Truck' (which not many people were excited about) is still a complete blast for me... I love this game. I just wish Nintendo would hurry and get the Forecast and News Channels working!

Sony's online efforts with the PS3 are a good start, in a lot of ways. But the developers also made some dumb mistakes that they should have easily avoided.

The good stuff:
*The store seems to be well laid out. You can download demos, videos and movie trailers, and the options are easy to read and understand.
*A free Web browser is included with the system. It even plays YouTube videos, which is probably the sort of content that PS3 buyers are most interested in.
*Online gameplay -- at least in Resistance -- is rock solid, with no lag even when a ton of players are in the game. Very nice work, Sony.

The bad:
*No background downloading. When you're downloading something from the store, you have to just sit there and watch the download meter. You can't play games, surf the Web or do anything else. Microsoft took a lot of heat for this same issue with the 360, before finally fixing it with a patch several months ago. Microsoft should have known better, but Sony's failure to learn from Microsoft's blunder is just inexcusable.
*The Web browser is nearly useless for almost all regular browsing. It's slow, requires to you to click an "okay" button every time a site wants to run some standard software, and entering text into the address bar with the controller is tedious. If you have a USB keyboard, plug it in and spare yourself the hunting and pecking.
*No way to tell what your friends are doing online, or even if they are online. With the 360, you can see what all your friends are doing with the click of a couple buttons, and then quickly send a game invite if any of them are online. You can't do any of that on the PS3.

Sony will probably get most of the online issues sorted out with some software patches and updates. But there's no reason to be reinventing the wheel when Microsoft already spent a lot of time and money hammering out a perfectly good model.

Sony does have some interesting long-range plans for the online service.

Going Forward

I got to interview John Smedley, head of Sony Online Entertainment, last week, and he said that Sony does plan to release big-budget titles purely as digital downloads at some point in the PS3's lifespan. These games will only be available online, and the first title will be an MMO of some sort.

He also said that Sony will eventually introduce a network storage service, so that instead of having to download all this content to your PS3's hard disc, it will be stored on Sony servers, and you'll be able to access it whenever you want. Sort of like video-on-demand. That should be a boon for gamers who don't want to spend a fortune on extra hard drives.

Finally, the ability to buy and download vintage PSone titles and play them on your PS3 or handheld PSP will open up a massive catalogue of older titles that many gamers may have missed the first time around. That service is just getting started in Japan and should be available stateside soon.

SOURCE: Nintendo (but it really is this much fun to play)

I've been skeptical of the Wii for a long time, but a couple gaming encounters recently changed my mind. Click through to read the long version, but the short version is that everyone I've seen play the Wii has loved it, while the PS3 only appeals to a certain type of gamer.

Before either system had been officially released, a co-worker and I took both the PS3 and the Wii over to my co-worker's friends' apartment. Okay, forget the convoluted social relationships. The important thing is, these guys had two HDTVs in their apartment, are in their mid-20s, had a surround sound system. Basically, Sony's target demographic.

It took me about five minutes to set up the Wii. Plug in the composite cables, attach the sensor bar and sync the wiimotes. Time for Wii Sports!

The PS3 took forever to get wired up. First, I wanted to attach the console via HDMI cables. But the TV only had a DVI connection, so one of the guys had to venture out to radioshack to buy a HDMI-to-DVI converter plug. Thirty minutes later, he's back with the plug. So I plug in the HDMI with the converter, fire up the system and... nothing. Blank screen.

Fiddle with cable connections, flip through TV inputs, scratch head.

Okay, so I remembered that you have to start the system with the composite cables plugged in, then go to video settings and enable the HDMI output, then restart the console. Done. But now there's no sound via the optical output. Sigh.

Go back into the settings, enable the optical output, and, viola, sound! Time to play Resistance (45 minutes after I unboxed the dang console).

Happy happy fun time!

The Wii was a total hit. And all we did was play Wii Sports. While I'd enjoyed the game in singleplayer, watching two players battle in tennis, boxing and baseball was a revelation. These guys were hollering, yelling, swinging wildly in the air, laughing nonstop at the entire thing and just having a grand time. No one cared the graphics weren't HD, or that you couldn't control your character in tennis, or whether they looked like a doofus swinging the Wiimote like a racket or bat. A total blast.

Once the PS3 got going, the guys were all equally impressed with the stellar graphics in Resistance, and were just as enthusiastic about blowing up monsters as they were about playing tennis as a cute, legless blob. They also loved the video quality of the Blu-ray movie Talladega Nights.

Even more interesting, though, was when my co-worker's wife showed up. She sat quietly through a few minutes of Resistance, commenting on the graphical quality but eventually losing interest in the gorefest on the screen.

A few minutes later, though, she was laughing in delight as she played tennis on the Wii. That console is just a magnet for casual gamers, and the first ever system that I think Nintendo can legitimately sell as a party machine. Seriously, bust this thing out at any gathering of non-gamers, and just watch how everyone's faces light up once the games start.

My wife, a few days later, had the same reaction to the Wii. An occasional hardcore gamer (she was seriously into Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast, and finished co-op Halo with me on Legendary difficulty), she was more excited about Wii Sports than any game I've shown her in recent years. Even my two and a half year old son wanted to swing the Wiimote around.

Sony has a solid console. It's a technological terror, and will definitely impress anyone who already plays a lot of games. Non-gamers will never be interested in the PS3, though. Too expensive, too difficult to set up, and the games are too complex and violent. The Xbox 360 is likely to suffer from some of the same problems, but is much cheaper.

But the Wii is the machine that can realistically turn gaming into a mainstream entertainment option. You have to have a dark, dark soul not to giggle while playing.

Sony and Microsoft will sell more than enough consoles to make money and advance the technology of games into new territory. I like complex, violent, photorealistic games, and hope they never go away.

But Nintendo is about to give gaming a big shot in the arm.

My first thoughts on the new consoles ...enjoy.

It looks like the hardware malfunctions that plagued the Xbox 360 last year are creeping onto the PS3 and Wii, as well.

In the Wii's case, looks like Nintendo already has a system in place to replace crashed consoles. On the one hand, that's nice. On the other, it's depressing that they need a system at all.

Maybe it was just a more naive time, what with the lack of blogs and Web sites to spread the word, but did anyone have issues with their Genesis or SNES systems at launch? Those things just seemed to work forever.

I picked up my PS3 at 9:00 am this morning and have spent approximately 6 hours with it.

What I like:

- 1080 goodness. Once I finally got a working cable, I got to see my PS3 in glorious HD.
- The web browser. It's faster, easier and HD-ier that I expected. Very cool!
- Several cool download-able demos are available... love the MotorStorm and F1 demos.
- Photo viewer. I just popped the memory stick from my camera into the front slot and, bam, HD photos!
- Blu-Ray DVD's. Monster House looks spectacular.

What I don't like:

- The PlayStation Store is no where near as cool or as fast as the Xbox Live blades.
- Extra SIXAXIS controllers cost $50!
- No HD cables included with an HD system.
- All the games I really wanted don't launch until 2007.

More later... I'm on vacation!

Kudos to eBay's press team for quickly crunching the numbers everyone wants to see.

These are the latest totals, hot off the presses:

*As of 6:30p, 1070 Playstation3 consoles have sold for an average selling price of $2,713.56
*At present there are 3285 live listings for PS3 consoles
*There have been 4,345 PS3 sold from October 17 pre-sale through today, November 17 for an average of $1,962.77
*A month ago [the week of 10/17], the unit was going on average for $959.60; now the average price [the week 11/11-17] is $2,266.36.

Once again, the bottom line here is that Sony missed a HUGE opportunity.

There's a very cool story up on DallasNews.com right now about Richardson resident Ben Gold, one of the first gamers to break through as a (mini) national celebrity for his gaming prowess.

The interactive story from reporter April Kinser not only tells Ben's tale, but highlights some of the seminal moments in the early history of gaming. There's also an archive of all-time high scores in several classic games, and a quiz to test your gaming knowledge. Well worth a visit.

Shooting, muggings, near riots. The PS3 launch had it all.

Now, all the scalpers are unloading their systems on eBay. Check out some stats that eBay sent out this morning:

As of 9:23am this morning, 174 Playstation3 consoles have sold for an average selling price of $2,618.47; since its availability on eBay in pre-sale [10/17- today], 3533 PS3 have been sold in pre-sale to date for an average sold price of $1,788.88.

A month ago [the week of 10/17], the unit was going on average for $959.60; now the average price [the week 11/11-17] is $1,955.29.

So who's to blame for all this random thuggery and extortion? Sony, but not for the reasons you may think.

Read on for my take.

The problem here is that Sony did not charge enough for the PS3.

Yup, you heard me.

At launch, demand far exceeded supply, leading to extreme scarcity.

As a result, the average price consumers were willing to pay was well beyond $499 or even $599. Look at those eBay numbers. So far, 174 systems have been sold at an average price of $2,618.

Now, Sony could have avoided any perception of a shortage by raising the launch price of the PS3 to the point where the number of buyers willing to pay that price exactly equaled the number of systems available. At that point, there's no shortage, because everyone who wants and can afford a PS3 is able to get one.

As a bonus, Sony would actually be turning a profit on the PS3.

Later on, as demand for the $2,000 PS3 receded, Sony could lower the price accordingly to keep supply in line with demand.

Instead, Sony chose to leave free money on the table, let scalpers pocket that money, and create a massive surge in demand that can't possibly be satisfied for several months.

Now, there's no question Sony would have taken a little bit of a PR hit for charging two grand for their game console. But so what? It wouldn't have been a permanent price. Just a premium price for determined early adopters. Besides, Sony has already said it expects to lose $1.7 billion in its game division for fiscal 2007. I'd rather take the PR hit.

Yes, the campouts and line-sittings sound like an intense experience, and Sony created a lot of hype around the PS3.

But remember, people, all the jokes about trampling old ladies and babies to get your PS3 are just jokes.

If you go home without a PS3 this weekend, it's not the end of the world.

Of course, I already have mine!

By chance, I had to drive all over the Dallas / Fort Worth area in the last couple of days. The PS3 lines are everywhere. I thought it was a fluke to see a few tent cities popping up in front of a couple of Best Buys, but there were mini compounds in front of Fry's stores too. Then I started seeing larger and larger tent-towns in front of more and more BB's. I passed over half a dozen of the blue box stores with huge lines of camping equipment... in Fort Worth, Irving, Las Colinas, Frisco and on and on.

The Frisco line rules! I could have its own zip code and gravitational pull. I might need it's own law enforcement soon... I saw the villagers toying with a dead pigeon on a stick. It's like Lord of the Flies!!

I'm trying so hard not to mix a tent-pitching phrase with people camping out for Wii's.

Okay, Doug and I dumped on PS3 launch title Resistance: Fall of Man yesterday. Then I saw this Joystiq article containing review scores handed out by several game sites for Resistance, and they were all in the 80s and 90s.

What gives? Are these guys in the tank for Sony, or did I miss something in this game? Given that I'd only played Resistance for a few hours, I decided to go back in and push a little farther into the game, to see if the action improved.

Read on for my second opinion.

Basically, yes, things do pick up after the first several levels.

Once you get into the alien conversion facility, where humans are mutated into enemy soldiers, the graphics improve substantially and the level design gets a lot better. Later on, you venture back into the English countryside, but new enemies and weapons, as well as more interesting visuals, maintain the epic scope of the conversion facility level.

I haven't finished the game, nor am I able to test out the multiplayer stuff, since you can only register as a Japanese user for now (so I don't know how the reviewers quoted on Joystiq managed to test out the multiplayer), but it is better than I first thought.

That being said, there's no way this game deserves to be scoring in the 90 percent-plus range. The action drags in spots, the visuals are far behind the state of the art standard just set by Gears of War, and it feels like some corners were cut. For example, when you click on the analog stick to zoom in, there's no animation that shows you lifting your sight or scope to your eye. Your gun just jumps right in front of your face, and the image on the screen jumps with it. It's a small detail, but it is jarring.

Anyway, I'll keep plugging away. Look for my full review in the paper next Tuesday.

Marc Note: You have to invest some time in the game. As Victor mentioned, it does truly get better after a few hours. Give it some time and dont write it off too quickly.

Midnight Gaming Championship finals are THIS SATURDAY! There's a chance to win a PS3, a Wii and a 360... not to mention a TON of other cool prizes.

GET OUT TO AMERIQUEST FIELD!

Here's the press release (more after the jump):

Playing games at midnight can get you great prizes if you know where to be. Gamers have the opportunity to win cash and prizes with the first ever Midnight Gaming Championship. This Saturday, November 18, 2006 marks the final championship tournament allowing gamers to play late into the night at The Diamond Club at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, TX. The doors open at 7 p.m. to be followed by the ultimate battle of gaming skills, culminating with the crowning of the Midnight Gaming Championship Champions.

The event will feature the 24 winners from the previous Midnight Gaming Championship tournaments held at various McDonald's locations around Dallas/Fort Worth throughout September and October. The games featured are NCAA Football '07, Guitar Hero and Tekken 5. As in weeks prior, players will compete in a single elimination format until the champion is declared. Grand prize winners of the MGC will receive a generous prize package including a $1,000 Best Buy Gift Card, an Xbox 360, Sony PSP, $100 McDonald's Arch Card® and other prizes. Additionally, the Guitar Hero Champion will receive a one-of-a-kind autographed guitar from the Guitar Hero development team.

About Midnight Gaming Championship The first-ever Midnight Gaming Championship, sponsored by McDonald's, is produced by Video Gamers League, the premier console gaming league in the United States. Contributing sponsors include Time Warner Cable; G4 television network; K104, Dallas' #1 radio station; and Punchbutton video gaming blog. Also, GameZnFlix (OCTBB: GZFX), at-home DVD and video game provider; I-play mobile entertainment; Best Buy Corporation; Red Octane, provider of interactive entertainment software, hardware and accessories and Coca-Cola. Visit http://www.midnightgamingchampionship.com for event details or text "L8NITE" to 37438 for tournament information and a free mobile game demo.

Lair

Early 2007 is looking like a good time for PS3 owners, assuming that list from VideoGamesBlogger.com is accurate.

Here are the ones I'm most eager to play

* Heavenly Sword was delayed to March, 2007.
* John Woo Presents Stranglehold was delayed to March, 2007.
* Lair was delayed to March, 2007.
* MotorStorm was delayed to March, 2007.
* WarHawk was delayed to Q1 2007.

So don't feel bad if you can't buy a PS3 before then.

PS. Here's the trailer for Lair. A little old, but still cool.

PS3:

Resistance: It's an okay shooter, but Gears of War makes this game look like Pong. That's not entirely fair to the developers of Resistance, since the developers at Epic have had a year head start. But if Sony didn't want these comparisons, it should have made its initial Spring 2006 launch.

Genji: Maybe this generic button-masher is the reason my SIXAXIS controller is feeling so mushy. Nah, I don't think I played Genji long enough to have any lasting impact on the controller.

Wii:
Wii Sports: Well, that was a fun five minutes. Actually, the golf game is pretty good, and while the baseball game is totally neutered (no fielding), the batting is cool. Your on-screen bat moves almost in perfect tandem with the Wiimote. Suddenly, bunting is a lot of fun.

Zelda: One of the best GameCube games ever made. On the Wii. Seriously, Nintendo has no right to call this is a next-gen game. The graphics are pure GameCube, and while they did a good job of melding the Wiimote controls into the game, it's obvious that this was a Cube game that got transplanted onto the Wii to make the Wii's launch lineup look stronger than it really is. If you're a GameCube owner, and this is the only Wii game you're interested in, just wait until the GameCube version ships on Dec. 13.

ExciteTruck: I've got nothing against ExciteTruck. Using the Wiimote as a steering wheel takes some getting used to, but overall a completely playable racing game.

Bottom line: These are launch titles. Don't expect to be wowed. Just be happy you got your PS3 and/or Wii.

But that's just my take. Marc? Doug? Your impressions?

Doug's impressions:
The PS3 is so underwhelming that I'm kind of sad (sniff, must hold back tears). 'Resistance' just looks plain. I was hoping for 'Gears of War' level stuff, but it's not even close. It's just blah.

I trudged through a few levels of Genji and while the characters looked cool and the fire effects were neat, there's nothing to this game. No camera control, no intelligent level design and no fun.

As for the SIXAXIS controller... it's as cheap and fragile feeling as was reported. It's 'blah' like the rest of the system.

Oh... I almost forgot, Marc's updating of the system software took forever!

I'm really sad.

At least I had fun with Wii.

Marc's Impressions: Sorry it took so long to post. I have been trying to get as much playtime in as possible for this week's Texas Gamer.

PS3: Wasn't crazy about having to update, not once, but twice, right out of the box! I'm onboard with Victor. The console itself is a hulking unit, but with a stylish design that will definitely draw gazes at your entertainment unit. Staring at it sitting there with the rotatable PS logo, the system just looks like a monster of a gaming machine. However I wish I could say that the initial line up of launch titles are blowing me away, but they are not. I wanted them to and I think in time they will, but for now we are seeing a quality I would compare to titles akin to the 360 launch. Remember how impressed we were with COD3 when it launched along side the 360? To me that's the level we are seeing on the BLACK MONSTER right now. While Resistance is a very competent and entertaining shooter, especially further into the game, it just does not have the same level of polish as Gears. I'm not hating though, as Victor said, these are the first crop of titles for the system. To be fair let's see what happens after the developers have had some more time to work under the hood. Genji is a true showcase of the graphical power of the system, but the gameplay is another exercise in repetitive button mashing with absolutely no control of the camera! I did fire up some third party titles like EA's NFS: Carbon. Again, looks really good, but I'm not seeing anything that I have not already seen on the 360. Very unimpressed by the 2K Sports titles NBA and NHL. Further proof that the developers still need some time working out the kinks of developing on this new hardware. As far as this SIXAXIS controller, I have yet to play any game that has really taken advantage of it and I do truly miss the force feedback.

Wii: Frankly, I am tired of everyone complaing about the quality of the graphics or lack there of. We all knew that from a processing standpoint the Wii was not going to compete with the other two. So to hold the Wii to such high graphical expectations is ridiculous. What Nintendo has delivered on is their promise to bring entertaining, accessible games to the masses. I have never been able to get my wife to join me in a deatmatch let alone even watch me play, but when I fired up Wii Sports and she saw my 6 year old bowling strikes, she couldn't resist! I am impressed with the accuracy of the WiiMote as well as the internal speaker and vibration features. Zelda lives up to the hype. Yes, Victor, the graphics don't ooze "Next-Gen" but honestly they do look a little better than a GC title. Granted, not leaps and bounds better, but an improvement none the less. I even fired up UbiSoft's Red Steel yesterday. Again, not very high expectations for the graphics, but great use of the WiiMote and Nunchuk. Took some getting used to, but when I turned my WiiMote to the side and watched my onscreen hand tilt my pistol horizontally, I felt like I was inside a John Woo flick. There are great possibilites with the Wii and I hope third party developers find ways to take advantage of this unique control scheme without making it too much of a gimmick.

Back to the edit bay. I'll post this week's Texas Gamer so you can see the games in action.

Was it a good idea to start camping out for PS3 a week early? NOPE!

Remember when GameStop took too many Xbox 360 pre-orders, found out it wasn't getting as many consoles as it thought, and a lot of gamers ended up with IOUs in their Christmas stockings?

Remember when GameStop promised it wouldn't make the same mistake with the PS3?

So much for that.

Doug Note: My store had to cancel the employee pre-orders in order to NOT cancel the 5 customer pre-orders. That's nice of them.

They are offering a free game if you choose to wait until the second shipment. Nice too!

Having had a chance to test out both the Wiimote and the SIXAXIS, it's time for the head-to-head showdown.

CLICK to read the rest.

Bottom line: I like the Wiimote more.

Why: The PS3's SIXAXIS controller, in theory, is a fine piece of equipment. It's basically a standard Dual Shock, only wireless. It also has motion sensitivity, which I've tested briefly on Warhawk at E3. But, as far as I can tell, the two games I've received so far (Resistance and Genji), don't use the tilt function. Rumble and force feedback are gone, thanks to an ongoing patent dispute with a company called Immersion (more on that in a later post).

The tilt/rumble tradeoff could eventually be a wash, if developers take advantage of the tilt.

But the bigger problem is the cheap-o quality of the controller that came bundled with my PS3. The buttons feel mushy, and the left shoulder button often gets stuck when I press it. I either have to pry it back up with a finger nail, or press it very gently so it doesn't get stuck.

Plus, the USB recharger cable that comes with the controller is way too short, about five feet. So when you plug your controller into your PS3 to recharge, you either have to sit right in front of the screen to keep playing, or turn off your console and go do something else until the recharge is done. Me no like.

The Wiimote, on the other hand, is a pleasant surprise. I've been very skeptical of this controller since it was announced. And it does have a learning curve. But it's really growing on me.

Having to set up the sensor bar was annoying, but the Wii package includes tons of adhesive stickers and even a little plastic holder for the sensor bar to make sure you can attach the bar to just about any surface, in front of or on top of your TV.

The Wiimote is also surprisingly precise. You can easily pick out tabs and buttons in the Wii menu or in games. The little speaker in the Wiimote and the built-in force feedback are extremely well deployed. For example, when you move your cursor over a button in the Wii menu, the controller vibrates briefly. The tactile feedback complements perfectly what you're seeing on the screen.

I found the most comfortable playing position was seated on the edge of my couch, with my elbows on my knees, just flicking my wrist to activate the Wiimote. Standing up and waving the controller around like an Olympic gymanist twirling a baton is a recipe for exhaustion.

My official review of the two new consoles will be running in the paper on Wednesday.

But I'll be posting initial impressions all this week of the PS3 and Wii.

I thought I'd kick things off with a visual comparison of all three next-gen consoles.

While this picture doesn't tell the whole story (the 360's more slender profile is somewhat of an illusion, due to the massive external power brick lurking behind my TV cabinet, while the PS3's power system is integrated into the console itself), it is a good visual illustration of which two systems are competing head to head, and which one is aiming at a different market.

More to come.

If you're not already close to passing out from Wii/PS3 anticipation... here are a few links gathered from the weekend to push you over the edge:

• PS3 online manual

• PS3 dissected (from DailyTech.com)

• PS3 campers (part 2) (from Engadget.com)

• PS3's video download service in Japan (Engadget.com)

From Gizmodo.com:

• Wii and PS3 unboxing
• PS3 backward compatibilty demoed
• PS3 scratches easily

Victor: The next time they see that pinata, they'll be sure to eviscerate him on the spot and devour his warm, gooey insides before he can get away.

While Victor is storing his Wii and PS3 under his desk, Marc invited us next door to actually play the Wii.

We had a blast, it's almost a little too much effort for a video game (we're sweating from the boxing game).

I especially like the speaker on the Wiimote. The sounds that it makes are pretty hillarious.

The games with the included Wii Sports are simple and quick... making it a great party experience.

I can't see myself, alone at home, jumping around to the point of exhaustion (like the boxing game), but maybe I should! We'll see next Sunday!

Victor note: Hey, some of us still have to work for a living. Actually, I'm busy hiring the armed escort I'll need to drive home if Marc actually does sell me out.

...and raise you a PS3.

Both are currently sitting under my desk.

Marc Note: For a fee, I will give you Victor's work address, what time he gets off and what he drives. What you do with that info is purely up to you.

Microsoft will officially launch the Xbox 360 in Brazil next month for the low, low price of $1,400.

Let that sink in for a minute.

The package includes a premium system, as well as three games.

In the U.S., you'd pay about $580 for the same bundle, assuming each game costs $60.

And Daniel Cervantes, director of Microsoft's Latin America games and entertainment division, is quoted as saying (presumably with a straight face) that the price is "very competitive."

Now, the story does point out this is the first time one of the hardware makers has sold their consoles directly in Brazil -- most game systems there are purchased by third-party vendors and then imported for re-sale. But the imported 360s generally cost a little over half of what Microsoft will charge.

I lived in Brazil for a couple years, and yes, there is a tiny niche of super-rich Brazilians who live like robber barons who will be able to afford the official 360s. But $1,400 is just absurd.

Got this release a few minutes ago and laughed. I thought I was hardcore!

Sony Computer Entertainment America
Media Bulletin
November 9, 2006

Consumers Line Up One Week Early for PLAYSTATION®3’s November 17th Launch

Reports today from around the country indicate that consumers interested in purchasing PLAYSTATION®3 have already begun to line up at U.S. retail locations. These lines form more than one week in advance of the PLAYSTATION 3’s North American launch date of November 17, 2006, and demonstrate the expected demand for the system this holiday season. Lines have already formed at stores such as Best Buy in Burbank, California, among other locations.

Victor note: Jobs? No. Girlfriends? No. A life? No. $600? I guess so.

By the way, check out this photo of the campers from Kotaku. If they do manage to score some consoles, I think it's safe to say it will be a Pyrrhic victory, at best. Congratulations! After wasting a week and a half of your life and emptying your bank account, you get to play... Genji: Days of the Blade! For Massive Damage!

Guess what I will be doing this weekend? Thanks to the "BIG N", I will be spending this weekend playing with my, uh, Wii. I'll spend the next week running the system through it's paces as well as playing Wii Sports, Excite Truck and f course ZELDA!!! Needless to say I wont be sleeping much this weekend. Stay tuned for a Texas Gamer video wrap up of the games and system at week's end.

After picking up my Xbox 360 HD-DVD attachment I got a horrible sinking feeling in my gut.

The feeling that I just shelled out 200 bucks for a technology that might not be around in a year. I really didn't even know what I was getting into with this gadget.

Before unpacking the drive, I started worrying how this thing would connect to my 360. I already have the wireless adapter and the camera attachment so I wasn't sure how it would all work together.

Here's the good news: the wireless adapter snaps onto the back HD-DVD drive and then plugs into its USB port. There's another port to handle the camera. Then the whole drive, and whatever is attached, plugs into the rear USB (or front ports) on the 360. Cool, a bonus USB port!

Then I had to unplug it all. You have to install the software first and attach the drive during the installation process. Weird.

Now the bad news: you get another power brick to deal with. Thankfully it's not as bad as the planet-sized 360 brick. Couldn't Microsoft find a way to build this brick into the design? I swear I have 95 things plugged into power strips behind my TV. At least two more plugs to go before I see New Year's.

Now, some more good news: you get the Xbox 360 Universal Remote (the big one) packed in the box and an HD-DVD copy of Peter Jackson's King Kong! That would have been completely cool if I didn't already own the remote pack-in (the little one) from last year and the same big remote that I bought during the 360's launch.

Think about it. Universal Remote: $30. King Kong: $25. Adjusted cost of HD-DVD attachment: $144. That sinking feeling was going away.

All it took was watching 5 minutes of King Kong and my stomach was doing happy back-flips. The picture and the sound was astonishing. This thing is amazing. Really amazing.

I've lived with an HDTV for almost four years now and this HD-DVD player is one of the most satisfying examples of High Definition I experienced since I first started watching digital television. It's that good... and it's not even connected with a pure digital connection (it uses the 360's component cables, not HDMI or DVI). The box says "HD-DVD has six times the resolution of standard DV" and it shows.

Keep in mind, you must have an HDTV and your 360 connected with the HD component cable to get any benefit... but you already know that.

I popped in two more movies: Mission Impossible 3 and Polar Express (to get a taste of live action and animation) and before I knew it hours had passed.

Movies are good again!

If you have an HDTV and an Xbox 360, the HD-DVD drive is money well spent. It's half the price of a stand-alone player and the pack-in bonuses are great. And thanks to the astounding picture and audio I'm already saving a ton on antacids!

Good news! Even though you won't be able to get your hands on a PS3 until sometime next millennium, Diddy, Owen Wilson, Lindsay Lohan and other sundry B-listers got to rub up against the system last night at an "exclusive event [that] took place at a Beverly Hills landmark," according to a Sony news release.

Good for them! In my opinion, celebrities don't get pandered to enough these days.

Hopefully, all these blue-collar heroes each got a free console, 50-inch LCD television, cooler full of Red Bull and garbage bag-sized allottment of Cheetos.

The rest of us proles should be content with the knowledge that our hardworking celebs are comfortably ensconced in their palaces, cuddled up with a SIXAXIS and a cold one.

Oh, and, by the way, Oblivion is no longer a PS3 launch title. And NBA Live 07 for the PS3 has been canceled.

This is going to be the best console launch EVER!

In case you didn't know:

This Thursday evening (CST), November 9, your opportunity to get in on the excitement arrives when the Wii Bundle becomes available for purchase online at GameStop.com. You'll get the best games, accessories and more in one convenient package delivered right to your door - all for under $699 plus tax and handling.

Following up with Victor's rumor of 360 game price drops, here are the (supposedly leaked) deals from Best Buy's Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) ad:

18 In 1 Starter Kit for Nintendo DS Lite - $9.99
2142 Battlefield (PC) - $24.99
Age Of Empires 3 (PC) - $24.99
Amped (Xbox 360) - $18.99
Bejeweled (PC) - $4.99
Blitz: The League (PS2) - $9.99
Blue Nintendo DS System - $99.99
Call of Duty 2 (XBox 360) (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $19.99
Condemned (XBox 360) - $18.99
Desperate Housewives (PC) - $4.99
GUN (PS2) - $4.99
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2) - $9.99
Mortal Kombat (PS2) - $4.99
NBA Live 06 (Xbox 360) - $18.99
Play & Go Kit for PSP - $14.99
React Wireless Guitar Controller for PS2 - $39.99
Sony Playstation 2 Value Pack W/Game - $129.99
Superman Returns (PS2) (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $19.99
The Outfit (Xbox 360) (Doorbuster Item: 5am - 12pm Only) - $19.99
XBox 360 Core System - $299.99

Desperate Housewives for $4.99!! Do they pay US for that?

Read the full leaked ad HERE.

This makes sense.

According to Destructoid, here are the announcements we can expect from Microsoft on Nov. 22:

• On the hard drive: They are going to announce and release 80GB or 100GB hard drives, but not sure yet which one but possibly both. As well as the future 160GB and 200GB options.
• Cables: HDMI cables and prices should follow this hard drive news. Expect a $69.99 price.
• Game price drops: The Outfit for the 360 is dropping to $10 at Best Buy “FOR SURE.” It’s also a solid rumor that many will drop to $15 and $20 through the holidays. Madden 06, PDZ, THUG, King Kong, NHL06, Ridge Racer (already is) and most dated sports games.

The hard drive is the biggest issue. If Microsoft is going to sell HD shows and movies, a 20 gigabyte drive is just unacceptable. Either Microsoft has to let people plug in their own external USB hard drives, or it has to release its own official expansions.

Since letting people use their own drives doesn't result in any additional revenue for Microsoft, the official larger drives were the only possible outcome.

I picked up my copy of the "Gears of War" collectors' edition last night. Last week I purchased the "Need for Speed: Carbon" collectors' edition for the 360. I thought I would share what joy, if any, my extra $20 has brought me.

As I mentioned a few days ago, tracking down a "NFS:Carbon" collectors' edition caused me quite a few headaches. Was it worth it? Kinda.

The "bonus" DVD that comes with "Carbon" is completely silly. There are non-narrated short features on what went into making the game... and by that I mean the cut-scenes, actors and story-line. There is very little insight into the game itself. Instead we get to see how tons of money is dumped into the portions of a video game that no one watches or cares about.

Quite possibly the most ridiculous vignettes are the "Cars" features. These are nothing more that hand-drawn sketches of the cars followed by their final rendered versions. Huh? It's so goofy I would have expected this on a TurboGrafx-16 game. I really expected more.

Now on the game disc itself, "Carbon" does give you ten bucks of extra content (at least by Xbox Live Marketplace standards) in the form of extra cars and pre-tuned vehicles. Sadly, there is nothing to designate these extras as part of the collectors' edition (I had to go online to figure out if I even had the right game disc) and none are true exclusives. All extras can be purchased in the Marketplace or earned in the game. If you didn't know any better you would never miss this stuff. It's mostly for lazy gamers that would rather not spend the time to earn better cars and upgrades.

FYI: if you're really lazy, you can buy all the "Need for Speed: Carbon" items online and spend nearly another $50!

(More after the jump)

I feel I eeked out $10 of extras from "Carbon" (that plastic slip-cover is worth at least three cents), but the "Gear of War" collectors' version is great!

"Gears" comes with a small hard-bound book with the game's story line, character profiles and concept art. I loved this and it's better than putting up with it in the game. This book alone was worth the extra ten bucks for me.

Like "Carbon" the ubiquitous "bonus" DVD is also included. Thankfully the included vignettes are much better for "Gears" than what EA gave us. Thumbs up here.

Sadly, there is nothing extra in the game, it's the same ole disc that everyone gets no matter what version you buy. An extra character, a new costume or a bonus gun would have been fun, but alas, nothing. No biggie. The rest of this collectors' pack (and the cool metal box) make up for the lack of in-game extras. Besides, the game is so great I would have been happy with a pack-in stick of "Gear of War" gum!

Okay, you've seen my official review.

I have some additional thoughts, though, that I didn't have room to include in my review that I'd like to expound on, if I may.

CLICK to read the rest.

First off, this is the first 360 game where I didn't care that I don't own a high-def television. The game looks so astounding even on my 27-inch analog set that I don't feel like I'm missing out. Of course, I'm sure an HDTV would make this game look so good my retinas would burst from happiness. But rest assured, this game delivers the goods on just about any display.

Second, the art direction in this game is unparalleled. The graphics don't just look great. They work. Every visual element is coherent. You're actually exploring a world, rather than a series of levels, and the world is a beautiful wreck. If the Roman Empire had survived into the 21st century, then collapsed, you'd expect it to look a lot like Gears of War. Just absolutely breathtaking attention to detail, married to a superb visual style. I could play in this realm forever.

Third, there are some bugs. This is why I gave the game an A- instead of an A. There aren't a lot of them, but they are there, at least in the review code I was sent. The most annoying bug was the stuck cars. In some scenes, you can take cover behind burned out cars, and then push the rusty hulks down the street to give yourself cover from Locust fire. In at least one mission (I'm into Act 4 on hardcore difficulty), you have to push a burning car through the dark to stay in the light, or else the Krill (flesh-eating alien birds who live in the darkness) will devour you. It's basically like a scene from the movie Pitch Black.

But in my game, the car would get stuck halfway between safe zones. When I'd leave the car and just try to sprint for cover, the Krill would dismember me every time. The only way I could circumvent the bug was to exit the game, go to the main menu and reload my game. If I died and just tried to restart from the last checkpoint, the bug would reappear. So every time I died (which was often), I had to exit to the menu and reload. Not a showstopper, but definitely annoying.

Finally, I really like the third-person view. It lends a more tactical feel to the game than regular FPS. Plus, your character looks freaking sweet. All the gear on your soldier bounces and jolts as you run, and you can actually see the guns you're carrying. Switch weapons and your character will reach around and unsling the gun from his back. It's a small touch, but it looks cool.

Gears of War is my new game of the year, ahead of Dead Rising. I haven't played Guitar Hero 2 (which I'm hearing good things about) or Final Fantasy XII, but GoW is a masterpiece.

I haven't even finished the game, and I'm already ready for the sequel...

Victor has his "Gear of War" review HERE.

Microsoft announced that starting on November 22, you will be able to purchase TV shows or rent movies to download on to your Xbox 360.

Read full article here

So you might be asking yourself, "how on Earth can I download this stuff if I only have 2 gigs on my 360 hard drive?"

Good question (because I had the same one). Gizmodo seems to have a possible solution: the oft-rumored larger hard drive for the 360 (Read Article Here). We should know later today if this is going to be a reality before the holidays.

Time to sell some more organs!

For those of you that pre-ordered at your local game specialty stores, "Gears of War" arrives today for the Xbox 360.

Victor has had it since Thursday of last week.

We're anxiously awaiting his first thoughts....

Victor?!

Forgot to pre-order your PS3? Probably because you have a job, go to school, have a life, etc.

Well here's your chance for you to camp out on November 16th for hours upon mindlessly boring hours to get your PS3.

Where? Find out HERE (we're not responsible for misinformation).

Want to know how many Wii's your Target store will get on launch day?

Here's a tool that may or may not be truthfully letting you know your store's allocation. Use at your own risk:

CLICK HERE

(For sensitive eyes: there are some not-so-nice words on this Wii-finder page)

For those in the DFW area looks like Frisco is getting 60 and Plano West Super Target is getting 111! Run to the burbs!