This is the coolest little app I've seen on the DS in ages: a full-fledged KORG synthesizer complete with sequencer! The KORG-DS10 basically lets you become a portable techno-band... you can even link several units together via wireless link. I might have to get a couple more DS's! How long before we see someone uses this (these) live on stage?
(I have a cool home-brew synth cartridge for the original GameBoy that I used non-stop for years... this makes me want to dig it out again.)
I've been seeing more lists like this in 2008... I think I need to make one.
Here's GameTrailer.com's lists of what they are looking forward to this year:
10. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
- A dozen new characters, including Solid Snake, Sonic and Olimar as well as online play, expanded single player and co-op modes and a stage builder puts this highly anticipated game on the list
9. Ninja Gaiden 2
- Blood, blood and more blood is included in this Xbox 360 exclusive sequel where lopping off limbs modifies enemy behavior resulting in dynamic and dangerous combat situations that will test gamers ninja reflexes like never before
8. Prototype
- All the action takes place in a war torn New York City where infected mutants and the military are vying for control, providing a perfect backdrop for gameplay chaos
7. Grand Theft Auto IV
- The latest GTA touts new cover systems, transportation methods, communication tools in a spit-polished Liberty City
6. LittleBigPlanet
- The big draw for this highly anticipated title is that gamers can easily create their own objects and levels to share with their PSN friends
5. StarCraft II
- The game, in production since 2003, will boast new units, a new non-linear story campaign and a glossy new 3D veneer powered by the Havoc physics engine
4. Final Fantasy XIII
- Not much is known about this highly anticipated sequel but gamers can look forward to an intricate narrative, fantastic characters and a new combat system upon its release
3. Fallout 3
- Fallout returns, and it's packing mushroom clouds and other amazing features, like having your father generated based on your character's features
2. Metal Gear Solid 4
- Sure to be a fan favorite for its stellar production values, the series' stealth-action gameplay as well as an intriguing plot rife with mystery and monkeys
1. Resident Evil 5
- Topping the list at number one, the horror title Resident Evil 5 is sure to capitalize on the excellence of its predecessor with outstanding weapon upgrades, headshots and a creepier story line
Rarely, oh-so-rarely, does a game company delay a game to fix the problems found in press previews.
For example, 'Lair' should have been delayed and its control scheme overhauled.
Last fall, early press impressions of 'Army of Two' were awfully negative towards a nearly finished game. EA pulled the game from 2007 release and moved into 2008. Well, the release date is almost here, and it looks like the developers have removed the fat and firmed up the title.
VICTOR UPDATE: Actually, if you read the "apology" article, it sounds like 3D Realms isn't apologizing for the denial.
They're apologizing for the confusion created by the original article. In other words, "We're sorry this happened," not, "We're sorry we impugned the reputation of the DBJ."
The "apology" link also includes an audio clip of the original interview where 3D Realms boss George Broussard says DNF "might" be out this year. Well, look, DNF "might" also come out when the sun finally begins to run out of nuclear fuel in a few billion years. Granted, the whole part about maybe missing the mark by a month or two sounds like the game is on the verge of being completed. But I wouldn't bet on it.
Bottom line: 3D Realms obviously screwed up in the interview, and is trying to obfuscate without actually denying or apologizing for anything.
Speaking of PS3, if you buy its version of 'Devil May Cry 4,' you have 25 minutes of downloading to do before you start the game (at least it's optional). What's up with recent PS3 games and all the downloading from the game disc to the hard drive?
Hey, here's something else about hard drives: those 7 gamers that bought 'Burnout: Paradise' for the 360 are having a hard time playing parts of the game because IT REQUIRES A HARD DRIVE. Developer Criterion responds.
Oh, and if you smoke, don't Wii. Smoking gamers in Japan are finding their Wiis choking from second-hand smoke. The good news: Nintendo will clean the dying systems for free.
PS3 to overtake Xbox 360 by Summer? So says Sony. In Europe.
Posted by Doug 6:09 PM, January 24, 2008
SCEE president and CEO says the PlayStation 3 will overtake the Xbox 360 in Europe by the Summer.
I don't know about you, but after feeling kind of "blah" by the Fall releases and cancelations, I'm starting to really love my PS3 again. New content for 'MotorStorm,' some decent downloadables, Blu-Ray movies and 'Ratchet and Clank' have lured me back.
Will the same love occur with gamers in the U.S.? Time will tell.
If you were bummed by the Xbox Live outages over the holidays, get ready to stop the bummin'.
This appeared today on xbox.com:
We’re pleased to announce that from 2:00 a.m. PST Wednesday, January 23, 2008 through 11:59 p.m. PST, Sunday, January 27, 2008 you can download the full version of the recent Xbox LIVE Arcade game, Undertow free of charge.
Hooray, right? NO! I already purchased 'Undertow!'
I called into the Xbox support line... got connected to another country... and after an hour of complaining, and confusion, got my 800 points refunded.
Hooray for me!
I never got my 500 points for "Live is Five," though.
I can't believe IGN.com is 10 years old. It's still one of my favorite gaming/dork/geek sites out there; and I think I'm still paying for a subscription. I think.
Over the last decade, more than any other gaming site, IGN has been a huge influence on what I'm hyped about, what I'm "tired of" and how I spend my gaming dollars. And, while I don't always agree with the editors' points of view, I find the entire site ultimately entertaining and worthy my subscription moolah.
Oh yeah, it's also the most over-designed site in the history of the internet(s). But that's one of the reasons why I still love it.
At this year's CES Sony demoed the PlayStation 3's ability to transfer Blu-Ray movies to PSP (storing them on a memory stick).
PC World doesn't mention if this is more than a tech-demo showing the possibility of portable movies, but I'm impressed that it's at least an official application from Sony.
• Recent Xbox Live downtimes were NOT due to malicious attacks and Microsoft is giving Live users a free Arcade game (here and here)
• The Nintendo DS will not be able to download FULL games from the Wii. Instead gamers will only be able to download demos from the Wii to the DS. Does that make sense? (here)
• Hope you got a PS3 for Christmas (or holidays)... Warner Bros. goes exclusively Blu-Ray (here)
Most news sites have been all over this, but it was just so weird, I thought I should mention it. 'WolfQuest' is available now as a free download, HERE. It's an RPG-like, pseudo-educational, wolf simulator.
Here's what the site says:
Learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Play alone or with friends in on-line multiplayer missions, explore the wilderness, hunt elk, and encounter stranger wolves in your quest to find a mate. Ultimately, your success will depend on forming a family pack, raising pups, and ensuring the survival of your pack.
The WolfQuest experience goes beyond the game with an active online community where you can discuss the game with other players, chat with wolf biologists, and share artwork and stories about wolves.
I can't wait for the mods... I want a 'WerewolfQuest!' PRONTO!
Participate in video game focus group in Dallas, get paid $75
Posted by Victor Godinez 3:32 PM, December 20, 2007
A research firm called Murray Hill Center sends word that it is looking for male gamers between the ages of 18 and 34 to participate in a focus group study next month.
The company is specifically looking for console owners who play online, and who are willing to spend about two hours on January 8 participating in the research.
And you'll get paid at least $75!
Full info and phone numbers if you want to participate are after the jump.
If any Punchbutton readers get selected to participate, drop us a line afterward and let us know how it went.
New 'Halo 3' maps and 'Rock Band' offers "Punk Pack #1"
Posted by Doug 10:03 AM, December 12, 2007
The new "Heroic Map Pack" is available for 'Halo 3.'
From Major Nelson:
The Heroic map pack contains three new maps, each presenting a totally different play style. Standoff’s symmetrical valley, with its entrenched bases and fields of boulders is ideal for mid-sized objective and Slayer game types, while Rat’s Nest’s vast, labyrinthine passages bring something quite new to the Halo multiplayer experience – an indoor vehicle paradise, strongly influenced by the Campaign mode ideal for big team battles. Finally, Foundry is the ultimate Forge map – players can edit every single object in this voluminous industrial warehouse, place stairways, walls, bridges and tunnels to create an entirely new play space and build almost any kind of map they can think of.
AND for all you 'Rock Band' members, check out the new "Punk Pack" with these songs:
• "I Fought the Law" by the The Clash
• "Rockaway Beach" by the Ramones
• A cover of "Ever Fallen in Love" by Buzzcocks
(Available for PS3 and 360)
Matt Slagle, the AP tech writer, created his end of the year gaming list. I like the dissing of 'Halo 3' and the praise of 'Call of Duty 4.' Also, Matt's "worst trend" is spot-on...
BEST GAME: "BioShock." A first-person shooter turned morality
play, a thinking person's action game, a piece of electronic
fiction with a soul. There are many positive ways to describe this
gripping game and they're all true. There's just nothing else like
this eerie vision of an undersea social experiment gone horribly
wrong. Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, $59.99, Rated M.
BEST DEAL: The Orange Box. For $59.99, the innovators at Valve
Corp. have provided one of the best bargains in 2007. You get five
games, and all of them are excellent. "Portal," in particular,
seems destined for legendary status, having spawned a cottage
industry for plush companion cubes. (If you don't know what that
means, you're really missing out). Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows
PC, $59.99, Rated T through M.
BEST GAME THAT INVOLVES GETTING OFF THE SOFA: "Rock Band."
Close the windows, lock the doors and warn the neighbors before you
blare the volume. "Rock Band" elevates music rhythm games to
arena-filling levels in a game that gets better the more people
there are. For a true rocking experience you'll at least need two
guitars -- lead and bass -- plus a drummer and a singer to belt out
the dozens of tunes. Groupies are optional.
WORST TREND: The annual holiday video game deluge. Please, video
game makers, you're only hurting your most loyal fans here. We
spend all year with hardly anything new to play, then October rolls
around and it's like an avalanche. Suddenly, we're faced with tough
decisions about which of the dozens of good games we can actually
afford to buy. Why not release more of these gems in the winter,
spring or summer doldrums, when we're really looking for -- and more
able to afford -- something new?
The fours! 'Grand Theft Auto IV' trailer and 'Street Fighter IV' stuff
Posted by Doug 3:11 PM, December 6, 2007
The new 'Grand Theft Auto IV' trailer is up. And, is it just me, or does this look far less impressive than the original trailer from earlier this year? Not the story so much, just the look of the game seems a lot less "next-gen."
ALSO, 1up.com has the first kickin' image of 'Street Figher IV.' I think this looks spectacular... it's just one shot of Ryu, but it's making me all giddy to get the next issue of EGM.
Family report card shows the 10 games your children need to avoid
Posted by Doug 11:06 AM, December 6, 2007
MediaFamily.org posted their annual report card on the video game industry. You can download your own copy HERE.
Besides giving a "C" letter-grade to parental involvement with gaming, a "C-" average to retailers' enforcing of the game rating system (national retailers got a "D" and rental stores got an "F"), a "C" to the game industry as a whole, the group also pointed out the 10 most avoidable games for children and teens.
Let's take a look at the list: • Assassin’s Creed
• Call of Duty 4
• Conan
• The Darkness
• Jericho
• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
• Manhunt 2
• Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
• Stranglehold
• Time Shift
Doug's opinion of a glaring omission: 'Soldier of Fortune: Payback.' And what's up with 'Conan?' Did anyone even play that game?
So what are better alternatives that the report card suggests?
These: • FIFA Soccer 08
• Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
• Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour
• Madden NFL 08
• Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
• Need for Speed Pro Street
• The Sims 2: Castaway
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Super Mario Galaxy
• Viva Piñata
Ewww, 'Hannah Montana'? That's way scarier than 'Manhunt 2!'
Early season for the Grinch...pwns Guitar Hero III customers
Posted by Melcolm 5:38 PM, November 19, 2007
I stumbled upon an article which describes a bunch of people picking up "Guitar Hero III" from EB Games. Oh, I can picture the amount of joy expressed on their faces when they opened up the box to find the actual game missing!!! What makes the situation even more joyous *evil grin*, is the fact that by EB Games' policy, they weren't able to return the bundle for an exchange or refund (the game was missing...muahahaha!!!).
I’d say this is the perfect example/excuse to open up those holiday gifts early…just to be sure you’re getting what you or your loved one has spent all that money on. To those of you getting video games as an Xmas present from me, I hope you don’t mind that it’s already opened…and tested (I wouldn’t want to give you a faulty disc now would I?) *grin*
OK, it's not the amazing 'Gears of War' meets haunted New York that we told you about in January (here), but it's very cool news. A 'Ghostbusters' game is in the works at Universal Vivendi Games. The best part? The movie's actors (including Mr. Bill Murray) have signed on to provide their likeness(es?) and their voices.
I'm calling, I'm calling!
No word on systems or availability, but you can bet it will be a fairly broad release.
I've also pasted the official announcement from id below the jump.
id certainly has the pedigree to make this work, and John Carmack told me the handful of DS and cellphone games that id has already created are profitable for the company.
But that "games ghetto" mentality that hovers over mobile games that Carmack mentions in the article will be tough to overcome.
Now, you'd think that the new generation of high-end smart phones -- particularly the iPhone -- would herald a new opportunity to elevate the reputation of mobile games to the ranks of popular DS and PSP games.
But Carmack told me that the iPhone isn't the great games platform he had hoped for (I didn't have space to include this issue in the print article):
I’ve been having discussions with Steve Jobs about iPhone-related things, and we don’t see eye to eye on a lot of issues there. The iPhone is obviously doing well. [But] games are not a particularly important thing to Apple. They’ll never come right out and say it, but it’s not a cornerstone of their strategy, and some of the things they do are not exactly as I wish it would be.
I'm perpetually stunned that Apple hasn't moved more aggressively into the downloadable games industry. They've already built the infrastructure with iTunes, and the new generation of Macs has plenty of graphical power to run all but the most high-end titles, while the iPod lineup could easily become a nifty game platform.
I'm still wondering how games that haven't been released get nominations.
'Skate' deservedly earned a nomination for best individual sports title. But for me, it's game of the year. By far.
Spike's choices for Game of the Year? Here:
• BioShock
• Halo 3
• Mass Effect
• The Orange Box
Of that list, I pick 'Orange Box.'
My other favorite, 'Call of Duty 4' got nominated for best multiplayer and best graphics. And 'Ratchet and Clank Future' got nominated for best PS3 game.
I don't understand these awards. Are they really real or just an MTV kind of thing?
Besides the upcoming WiiWare program (info here) that allows Wii users access to developers' games without massive budgets (and developers' experiments), Nintendo is also hinting at what's to come next year.
You can't read the whole article (requires WSJ subscription), but Wall Street Journal is saying that Nintendo has a lot of plans for the DS and Wii that include projects not meant to entertain, but are for practicality. HUM?
More fitness stuff? Cooking apps?
Apparently it's continuing effort by the big N to keep this new generation of non-gamers that were wooed over by the Wii and DS with non-traditional games.
HAXRs beware... Nintendo cracking down on pirate devices
Posted by Doug 12:11 PM, October 23, 2007
Hey! I pay for my games.
Some people don't.
Those people will burn in... uh, I mean, will get stopped by the angry Nintendo police.
The big "N" is cracking down on copying devices that allow miscreants to copy and download games over the internet. Looks like they're starting in Hong Kong.
If you haven't finished 'Portal' (part of the 'Orange Box') or you're expecting to play 'Portal,' stop reading now. This is a huge spoiler.
The infectious song at the end of the game is taking on a life of it's own. It's all over YouTube (like here) and it's haunting my dreams (I can't stop humming it).
So what's the story behind it?
MTV has posted an article about the song's writer here and the man himself, Jonathan Coulton, has come clean in his blog here.
If you've played Valve's 'Team Fortress 2' (part of 'The Orange Box') on Xbox Live, you've probably found that games, with large numbers of players, tend to lag horribly.
Good news, Valve has finished the patch to correct the problem... it should be out soon.
'Super Smash Bros. Brawl,' now in time for Valentine's Day!
Posted by Doug 10:21 AM, October 12, 2007
Looks like holiday news for the Wii keeps getting more frustrating. Not only will it probably be amazingly difficult to find a holiday Wii due to anticipated shortages; but now we get word that some of the most anticipated games won't make it to the popular console until 2008.
'Super Smash Bros. Brawl' is heartbreakingly being delayed until February of next year. Dang!
Kotaku's does it again... learning that Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe has announced a PS3 price drop for October 10th. Sony, we're waiting for ours!
Acitivision just released some additional tracks to be included in the already massive song list for the upcoming Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
The additional tracks:
>Same Old Song and Dance (by Aerosmith)
>Helicopter (by Bloc Party)
>Stricken (by Disturbed)
>Monsters (by Matchbook Romance)
>Before I Forget (by Slipknot)
>Kool Thing (by Sonic Youth)
>When You Were Young (by The Killers)
>Devil Went Down to Georgia (as made famous by Charlie Daniels Band)
>Sunshine of Your Love (as made famous by Cream)
>Holiday in Cambodia (as made famous by Dead Kennedys)
>Cliffs of Dover (as made famous by Eric Johnson)
>Hit Me with Your Best Shot (as made famous by Pat Benetar)
>Black Magic Woman (as made famous by Santana)
>Story of My Life (as made famous by Social Distortion)
>Pride and Joy (as made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn)
>The Seeker (as made famous by The Who)
>Black Sunshine (as made famous by White Zombie)
The blog-o-sphere is rampant with rumors and postings. Nothing earth shattering but here's the Cliff's Notes version:
• Rumor: $399 40-gig PS3 (rumor-in-rumor: maybe with reduced or no backward compatibility??) on October 28th. May have been confirmed by Best Buy inventory leaks.
• Xbox 360 Arcade for $279.99 showed up on Amazon (oh, here it is!) with an October 23 release date.
Wii Remote Jackets. Free and embarrassing for your Wiimote.
Posted by Doug 11:13 AM, October 2, 2007
In an effort to humiliate every svelte Wii remote out there, Nintendo is including these new Wii Remote Jackets in all new Wii systems currently shipping. If you bought your Wii a while ago, you can get free Jackets by going here.
Supposedly, these Wii bumpers will reduce the Wii-related fatalities and damage caused by flung remotes. How? With lots of rubber padding! This will aid in better controller grip and more cushion during cranial impacts.
Nintendo points out, even with an attached Wii Remote Jacket, gamers still need to follow procedure and attach the wrist straps properly. Dang!
VICTOR COMMENT: So let me get this straight. We're supposed to wrap our Wiis in a protective rubber coating to prevent unwanted "accidents," but we also need to remember that there's no such thing as guaranteed protection? Okay. Should I tell Nintendo that my older brother asked me to pick up his jacket?
The 'Project Gotham' series of games have been my 'Halo' during the times when there is no 'Halo.' I love these games. And on the eve of 'PGR4's' launch, the studio that created them is no more... absorbed by Activision.
Blog rundown
Yea! No one saw this coming (sarcasm, sarcasm).
