Later today, a launch of a new service could turn the gaming industry upside down: Games on demand, no hard copies, and no downloading. Gamers would play the games across a network. Up to now, this hasn’t been possible because, while the technology requiring computer power to process the games has been rapidly improving, the ability to compress data has not. The new project, called OnLive, has the potential to move beyond gaming and could finally be the missing piece of the puzzle that brings the internet into our living rooms. Read more…
Sister site WatchMojo.com takes a closer look:
from Kotaku.com:
A Taiwanese study - backed by British researchers - has found that playing too many video games can (can) contribute to a a rise in stress levels and feelings of anxiety in “young people”.
The report found that many games cause a “fight or flight” reaction in the player’s mind, which can often trick the brain into releasing adrenaline into the body. Because that’s what the body needs to either fight or take flight.
Problem being that when playing games, the body doesn’t do either of those things. It just sits there. And if the adrenaline is released into the body and stays there - which it will if you don’t fight/run it out - it can contribute to an adrenaline “overload”, which in turn can lead to neurological issues like anxiety disorders.
It doesn’t mean this happens to all gamers. Nor that the effects - which are similar to that of a drug addict - mean you’re all a bunch of worthless drug addicts. They’re just sayin’, is all. Be careful.
Konami will be making available four of its titles for download to the iPod Touch and the iPhone later this month. The games are Metal Gear Solid Touch, DanceDanceRevolution S Lite, Silent Hill: The Escape and Frogger. Read more…
Check out WatchMojo’s videos on the Metal Gear series:
The good people at 1up.com have done all the hard work for you. Now there’s no reason not to capitalize on the great deals to be had on the most annoying shopping day of the year! From 1up.com:
Microsoft Xbox 360
* $199.99 - Arcade Holiday Bundle with 20GB HDD and Wireless Controller (Circuit City)
* $199.99 - Arcade Holiday Bundle with Rock Band 2 (game only) (Dell)
* $199.99 - Arcade Holiday Bundle with Guitar Hero 3 and Wireless Guitar (Wal-Mart)
* $299.99 - 60GB Pro Holiday Bundle with NBA 2K8 and Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground (Best Buy)
* $299.99 - 60GB Pro Holiday Bundle with $30 Gift Card (Circuit City)
* $299.99 - 60GB Pro Holiday Bundle with 12 month XBL Gold (K-Mart)
* $299.99 - 60GB Pro Holiday Bundle with $50 rebate card (Radio Shack)
* $299.99 - 60GB Pro Holiday Bundle with $60 Gift Card (Target)
* $199.99-$399.99 - Any Holiday Bundle with included Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (GameStop)
* $199.99-$399.99 - Any Holiday Bundle with included Wireless Controller (Sears)
* $299.99-$399.99 - Pro or Elite Holiday Bundles with included Guitar Hero 2 (Game Crazy)Sony PlayStation 3
* $399.99 - 80GB PS3 with Ratchet & Clank Future and Casino Royale (Best Buy)
* $399.99 - PS3 with NHL 2K9 and HDMI cable (Meijer)
* $399+ - Buy a PS3 and a PS3 game, get a free Blu-Ray remote and Blu-ray movie (Amazon)*Valid through 11/27 onlyNintendo Wii
* $249.99 - Wii with Game Party and Wiimote skins (Meijer)
* $425 - Wii Console with 3 Wiimotes, 3 Nunchucks, Mario Super Sluggers, and King of Clubs Mini Golf (Sam’s Club)Nintendo DS
* $136 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros. (Wal-Mart)
* $139.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros. (5 a.m.-11 a.m., Circuit City)
* $139.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros. with 3 pack Stylus pens (5 a.m.-12 p.m., Meijer)
* $139.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age (Microcenter)
* $149.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros., includes $25 off next Nintendo purchase (K-Mart)
* $149.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros. with $19.99 DS Accessory (5 a.m.-1 p.m., Toys ‘R’ Us)
* $149.99 - Ice Blue DS with Brain Age or Mario Red with New Super Mario Bros. (Multiple locations)
* $199.98 - Metallic Rose DS with Nintendogs, Purr Pals, and Princess Peach Game Case (Sam’s Club)Sony PlayStation Portable
* $189.99 - PSP Holiday Bundle (Thursday 6 a.m.-Midnight, Meijer)
* $199.95 - PSP-2000 with one game (Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Shaun White Snowboarding, or God of War), Surf’s Up UMD, Screen Protector, Road Kit
* $199.99 - Madden Cobalt Pack with $30 Gift Card (GameStop)
* $199.99 - Any PSP with $25 off next Sony purchase (K-Mart)
* $199.99 - Ratchet & Clank PSP Bundle with $20 Target Gift Card (Target)Sony PlayStation 2
* $129.99 - PS2 with Micro Controller (Circuit City)
* $129.99 - PS2 with $30 Gift Card and free ($19.99 or less) game (GameStop)
* $129.99 - PS2 with 6 games, 21 DVD and PS2 DVD Remote (5 a.m.-1 p.m., Toys ‘R’ Us)DLC Discounts
* 360 Add-on: Crackdown - Getting Busy Bonus Pack (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* 360 Add-on: Forza - March Car Pack (250 MS Points / $3.12)
* 360 Add-on: GH3 Metallica “Death Magnetic” Full Album (1000 MS Points / $12.50)
* 360 Add-on: Lips - Jason Mraz’ The Remedy (100 MS Points / $1.25)
* 360 Add-on: Rock Band - All That Remains Pack 1 (290 MS Points / $3.62)
* 360 Theme: Castle Crashers Premium (180 MS Points / $2.25)
* 360 Theme: Gears of War 2 Last Day (180 MS Points / $2.25)
* 360 Theme: Sonic Unleashed (180 MS Points / $2.25)
* PSN: echochrome for PS3 ($4.99)
* PSN: The Last Guy ($4.99)
* PSN: Novastrike ($4.99)
* PSN: PixelJunk Eden ($4.99)
* PSN: Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 ($4.99)
* XBLA: Arkadian Warriors (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* XBLA: Assault Heroes (250 MS Points / $3.12)
* XBLA: Boogie Bunnies (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* XBLA: Brain Challenge (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* XBLA: Catan (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* XBLA: Golf: Tee It Up! (500 MS Points / $6.25)
* XBLA: Rez HD (500 MS Points / $6.25)Software (arranged alphabetically)
* All-Pro Football 2K8 ($9.99, 360) - Circuit City
* Assassin’s Creed ($9.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Battlefield: Bad Company ($29.99, 360) - GameStop
* BioShock ($19.99, 360) - Circuit City
* BioShock ($19.99, 360) - GameCrazy
* Boom Blox ($20, Wii) - Target
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($17.99, 360/PS3) - Toys R Us
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($19.99, PS3) - Best Buy
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($19.99, 360/PS3) - Circuit City
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($19.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($19.99, 360) - GameStop
* Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway ($20, 360/PS3) - Target
* Bully ($10, PS2) - Wal-Mart
* Burnout Paradise ($20, 360/PS3) - Target
* Call of Duty 4 GOTY ($39.99, 360/PS3) - GameStop
* Call of Duty: World at War ($49.95, 360/PS3) - Amazon
* Call of Duty: World at War ($49, 360/PS3) - Target
* Civilization Revolution ($19.99, DS) - GameStop
* Civilization Revolution ($49.99, 360/PS3) - GameStop
* Cooking Mama ($9.99, DS) - Circuit City
* Cooking Mama ($15, DS) - Target
* Cooking Mama ($19.99, DS) - GameCrazy
* Cooking Mama: Cook Off ($14.99, Wii) - Toys R Us
* Cooking Mama: Cook Off ($19.99, Wii) - Circuit City
* Crysis Collector’s Edition ($19.99, PC) - GameStop
* The Darkness ($4.99, 360) - GameCrazy)
* Dead Rising ($9.99, 360) - Circuit City
* Dead Space ($30, 360/PS3) - Target
* DeBlob ($39, Wii) - Target
* Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed ($14.99, Wii) - Toys R Us
* Fallout 3 ($39.95, 360/PS3) - Amazon
* Far Cry 2 ($37.99, 360) - Best Buy
* Far Cry 2 ($39.99 from 7 a.m.-12 p.m., 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Far Cry 2 ($49.95, 360/PS3) - Amazon
* Final Fantasy XII ($9.99, PS2) - GameStop
* Ghost Recon 2 ($14.99, 360) - GameCrazy
* God of War ($15, PS2) - Target
* Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories ($9.99, PSP) - Circuit City
* Guitar Hero 3 ($20, 360) - Target
* Guitar Hero 3 Bundle (49.99, 360/PS3/Wii) - Toys R Us
* Guitar Hero 3 Bundle (54.99, 360/PS3/Wii) - K-Mart
* Guitar Hero 3 Bundle (54.99, 360/PS3/Wii) - Sears
* Guitar Hero 3 with Guitar Hero 1, 2, and 80s ($50, PS2) - Wal-Mart
* Guitar Hero 3 Guitar Bundle with Guitar Hero World Tour Guitar Bundle ($129.99 from 7 a.m.-11 a.m., Wii) - GameStop
* Guitar Hero Aerosmith ($19.99, Wii/PS2) - GameStop
* Guitar Hero Aerosmith ($29.99, 360/PS3) - GameStop
* Guitar Hero Aerosmith with Guitar Hero 2 ($50, 360) - Wal-Mart
* Guitar Hero Aerosmith with Guitar Hero 3 ($50, Wii) - Wal-Mart
* Guitar Hero On Tour with Guitar Grip ($29.99, DS) - Circuit City
* Guitar Hero On Tour ($29.99, DS) - GameStop
* Guitar Hero World Tour ($49, 360/PS3) - Target
* Halo 3 ($30, 360) - Target
* Haze ($14.99, PS3) - GameCrazy
* Left 4 Dead ($49.99, 360) - GameStop
* Lego Batman ($20, DS/PSP) - Target
* Lego Indiana Jones ($34.99, 360/PS3/Wii) - GameCrazy
* Lord of the Rings Online ($29.99, PC) - GameStop
* Madden NFL 09 ($30, 360/PS3) - Wal-Mart
* Mario Kart Wii/Wheel with $10 gift card ($49.99, Wii) - Microcenter
* Mercenaries 2 ($39, 360/PS3) - Target
* Metal Gear Solid 4 with Bluetooth Headset ($89.99, PS3) - GameStop
* Midnight Club 3 ($9.99, PSP) - Circuit City
* Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition ($10, PS2) - Wal-Mart
* Midnight Club Los Angeles ($49, 360/PS3) - Target
* MLB 2K8 ($19.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* NASCAR 09 ($30, 360/PS3) - Wal-Mart
* NBA 2K9 (39, 360/PS3) - Target
* NBA Live 09 ($30, 360/PS3) - Wal-Mart
* NBA 2K9 ($49.99, 360) - GameStop
* NCAA Football 09 ($30, 360/PS3) - Wal-Mart
* NCAA Football 09 ($39, 360/PS3) - Target
* NFL Head Coach 09 ($10, 360/PS3) - Wal-Mart
* NFL Tour ($9.99, 360) - Circuit City
* Okami ($19.99, Wii) - Circuit City
* Orange Box ($19.99, 360) - Circuit City
* Pure ($39.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Rainbow Six Vegas 2 ($9.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Resident Evil 4 ($9.99, PS2) - GameStop
* Rock Band game or bundle with Rock Band Track Pack Vol. 2 for $.99 (7 a.m.-11 a.m.) - GameStop
* Samba de Amigo ($19.99, Wii) - GameStop
* The Sims 2 Deluxe ($4.99, PC) - Circuit City
* Spider-Man: Web of Shadows ($29.99, PS2/PSP) - GameCrazy
* Spider-Man: Web of Shadows ($39.99, 360) - GameStop
* Spider-Man: Web of Shadows ($49.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Star Wars: The Force Unleashed ($19.99, DS) - Circuit City
* Soul Calibur 4 ($37.99, PS3) - Best Buy
* Soul Calibur 4 ($39.99, 360/PS3) - GameCrazy
* Soul Calibur 4 ($49, 360/PS3) - Target
* Soul Calibur 4 ($49.99, 360) - GameStop
* Tom Clancy’s EndWar ($37.99, 360) - Best Buy
* Turok ($14.99, 360) - Best Buy
* World of Warcraft ($9.99, PC) - Circuit City
* World of Warcraft ($9.99, PC) - GameStop
* World of Warcraft ($9.99, PC) - Meijer
* World of Warcraft ($9.99, PC) - Toys R Us
* World of Warcraft Battlechest ($14.99, PC) - Circuit City
* World of Warcraft Battlechest ($19.99, PC) - GameStop
* World of Warcraft Battlechest ($19.99, PC) - Meijer
* World of Warcraft Battlechest ($19.99, PC) - Toys R Us
This is probably a significantly harder list to generate than the Ten Hardest Games of All Time, but its still pretty interesting. Here’s a look at some criteria behind the decisions from the gang at Old-Wizard.com:
What makes a game easy? How about an unlimited amount of lives? How about an unlimited amount of continues after you lost all your lives? How about a seemingly never ending amount of energy? There is something noticeable about all these traits that make a video game easy. All these traits are embodied in most new video games that are released. Gone are the days of working hard to beat a game. Sure, you could beat Contra in ½ an hour, but achieving the skill level of mastering the game took months, if not years. Today’s games are long, and require no mastery to accomplish. With what seems like an unlimited amount of life for the protagonists of new games, comes a gaming disposition that is ubiquitously lazy and lacking in patience. Fight your way to the end of the game without focusing on anything specifically. In this list then, we will go through the top 10 easiest games of all time with the central theme being that new games in the video game medium define what it is to be an easy game. Oh yeah, we will include one old game, but at #10.
Top Ten Easiest Video Games of All Time.
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WatchMojo tackles the age old question when a new game comes out… Do you rent it, or man up and buy it. These clips should help you in your decision:
A new pilot program by AllState Insurance is checking to see if there is a correlation between playing computer games and lack of car accidents. The study will see drivers aged 50-75 play specially designed games with the thesis that age-related cognitive decline can be reversed, and driving improved. Read more…
Microsoft is locked in a three-way competition with Nintendo Co Ltd’s Wii and the PlayStation 3. The Wii is currently leading the race, while Sony’s PS2 was the winner of the last generation of consoles.
“Xbox 360 will sell more consoles worldwide this generation than PlayStation 3,” Don Mattrick, a senior vice president at Microsoft’s Xbox division, said at a Microsoft news conference before the start of the E3 video game industry trade show.”
Click here to read more about what the Xbox 360 and the competition have to offer!
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire/ — Starting Nov. 23, Nintendo gives the holiday season a fresh blast of color with the launch of two special-edition Nintendo DS(TM) bundles. Each pairs a custom-color Nintendo DS system with one of the platform’s hottest titles. The new Gold edition comes with The Legend of Zelda®: Phantom Hourglass, while the Metallic Rose Nintendo DS comes with the “Best Friends” version of Nintendogs(TM).
“Nintendo DS remains the portable system of choice for gamers,” says George Harrison, Nintendo of America’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. “Our new bundles will be collector’s items for current gamers while offering an attractive way for people new to video games to play with style.”
With its dual screens, touch-screen, amazing franchises and innovative games, Nintendo DS has been a cornerstone of Nintendo’s efforts to expand the world of video games to new audiences and to get as many people playing as possible. According to information from the independent NPD Group, Nintendo DS sales in the United States:
— topped 458,000 in October.
— are nearly 4.5 million for 2007.
— exceed 13.6 million since the system launched three years ago on Nov.
21, 2004.
— boasts 14 different million-unit sellers in North America, including
Brain Age(TM): Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day, Pokemon® Diamond
Version, Pokemon® Pearl Version, Yoshi’s Island DS(TM), Pokemon®
Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, Big Brain Academy(TM), New Super
Mario Bros.(TM), Animal Crossing®: Wild World, Mario Kart® DS,
Super Mario® 64 DS and four versions of Nintendogs(TM).
The new bundles will build on this legacy as they offer shoppers something new for the holidays.
The glimmering Gold edition of the Nintendo DS shows the world your passion for excellence and grandeur, since it comes bundled with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass — the year’s biggest hand-held adventure game — and is emblazoned with the series’ signature Triforce logo. It’s a shiny nugget that any gamer — girl or guy — would be proud to show off.
For those looking for a different kind of dazzling color, the new pretty-in-pink Metallic Rose edition puts a futuristic sheen on your color scheme. It’s bundled with Nintendogs, the acclaimed puppy-interaction software that lets players select, train and play with their own canine companions. And the hardware comes accented with a distinctive pink puppy paw print.
Whichever DS bundle you choose to complement your look, don’t let the stocking-friendly size fool you: These packages are big on style and fun. For more information about Nintendo DS, please visit http://www.nintendo.com.
The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii(TM), Nintendo DS(TM), Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube(TM) systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.5 billion video games and more than 430 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario(TM), Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zelda(TM) and Pokemon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.nintendo.com.
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