All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

#clips At least dad here doesn't look like a doofus flailing the Wiimote. He's still got the swervy hands and overbite that indicate the the guy was told to look like he's playing a video game, not actually play one. More »

#xbox360 If you planned on doing any Xbox 360 purchasing this weekend, it might behoove you to cool your jets for at least a few more days. Amazon is listing a new Xbox 360 Elite bundle that's a solid deal. More »

A patent dug up by Siliconera details a new system conceived by Sony for limiting the content found in game demos. "Degradable" game demos, as described in a patent filed by SCEA, would initially include either a full game or a large amount of content, but that content would gradually disappear over playtime, to unlock again once the full game is purchased. Examples in the patent document include a weapon that becomes less effective over time, and race tracks that become unavailable one at a time.

Essentially, it's the DIVX rental system, but downloadable and for games. You know, DIVX, the system in which you "bought" a cheap disc that would only work for a short time unless you paid a fee to "unlock" it. That lasted less than a year because it was too popular, right?

#feelgood A Chilean woman coping with the devastation wrought by last week's earthquake has looked to games to provide some comfort and normalcy, and a fragile World of Warcraft collectible that somehow managed to survive is her symbol of hope. More »

Krome's new cat girl is going to kick the galaxy's ass.

So, you read our review of Final Fantasy XIII and are prepared to pick it up next week, but you're not sure which version to buy? If you're basing your decision on graphical fidelity, the A/V experts from Eurogamer's Digital Foundry suggest you go with the PS3 version of the game -- as seen in their quartet of video comparisons, the 360 version suffered a bit of resolution reduction during its trip between platforms.

No, the difference in quality isn't groundbreaking or anything. We just wanted you to know all the factors before making a decision. Both versions have their strengths and weaknesses -- for instance, the 360 version requires you to change the disc two times, but the PS3 version of the game is unplayable once every 1,461 days.

#eidos One look at the all-new Tomb Raider game and you'll see why Eidos and Crystal Dynamics have put aside the famous name for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. This is a very different Tomb Raider game. More »

Four Genesis Sonic games for one low price.

Here's a rundown of all the updates to the top Facebook games this week.

Let your creative juices flow.

#walterday Walter Day, a former oil industry executive so captivated by the video game craze that he founded an arcade that would later become the international sanctioning authority for record high scores, has retired from his creation, Twin Galaxies. More »

Attention would-be restaurateurs: Hudson has announced that Diner Dash will arrive on WiiWare March 29. This will mark the first time that the game has been available on WiiWare outside of Japan, where it was released last month. For those unfamiliar with the title, Diner Dash tasks players with running a restaurant. This entails seating customers, taking orders, placing orders, serving food and cleaning tables. You have to manage all of these tasks in real time, so it gets pretty hectic pretty fast. The WiiWare version features new controls and a new multiplayer mode as well.

The press release doesn't mention a pricing, though we'd imagine it will share the Japanese price of $10.

"Split/Second is like Burnout, except the world around you is the thing that gets smashed into bits." - Joystiq's E3 preview

I had the fortune of spending about an hour with Black Rock's upcoming, destruction-laden Split/Second, and, like Xav before me, I had a total blast (sorry about the pun, folks). The idea of using the environment as a weapon is a novel twist, keeping racers on their toes throughout the entire race. Stay vigilant, or else a helicopter might just drop an explosive on top of you. (That actually happened to me, folks.)

While I was equally impressed by the much-touted dynamic environments of the racer, having so much time with the game let me appreciate some of the finer nuances of the gameplay. I only had three vehicles to choose from, but each controlled differently and highlighted the various strategies players could employ during races. I was most skilled with the lightweight car, thanks to its maneuverability and speedy acceleration. The handling was a bit loose, especially when drifting -- but that proves to be an advantage, as I found myself able to build up my power meter with relative ease.

#list What freaks out an old-school gamer more, a Sonic kart-racer or a Mega Man with an easy mode? We have reviews of those games and more, plus too unoriginal movies, all subjected to our subjective blue-and-red judgments this week. More »

Going on a wild ride in 2K Czech's anticipated sequel.

New website is a virtual stock market of people and sites based on how active they are on the web.

#sizematters The Nintendo DSi XL comes out on March 28; the Apple iPad on April 3. Both are essentially bigger versions of things that already exist, but how much of an improvement are they really? More »

Boy, when Crystal Dynamics said it would be creating "something completely new and very different" for Lara Croft, it wasn't kidding around. GameSpot has posted a first look at Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, and we don't know where to begin. It's downloadable, it's isometric-view and it's arcade-y action with just a hint of the old platforming ways. There's a heavy co-op element, too (both local and online), with Lara and her companion, Totec (a "Mayan tribesman" wielding a spear) fighting off evil spirits and the undead, as well as combining their various skills to traverse through jungles and temples.

Actually, it looks ... good. While the pace seems likely to be a little faster than the standard tomb raiding Lara does, this might be just the thing to spice up the still-aging franchise. We'll check the game out for you at GDC next week, and let you know if this left-turn in genre is the right one for Lara to take.

#ruhroh Majesco's share price has again wandered south of Wall Street's Mendoza line, prompting NASDAQ to tell the maker of Cooking Mama to get it back north of $1 or face delisting from the exchange. More »

The small, irradiated pool of Fallout: New Vegas knowledge is about to get bigger. Bethesda has announced that the April issue of Official Xbox Magazine -- set to hit newsstands next week -- will devote its cover story to the game. Readers can expect an eight-page spread on New Vegas and, as a bonus, the included DVD will also feature some exclusive gamer pics (what, no Avatar items?).

Sharp-eyed readers will notice that the magazine has an eight-page feature on Halo: Reach as well. All in all, probably something Xbox gamers should keep an eye on.

The end of winning.

We detail the new abiltiies to be found as you battle the Darkspawn remnants.

#harmonix MTV Games and Harmonix put a little more Jack and Meg in your copies of Rock Band, Rock Band 2 and LEGO Rock Band, a trio of new tracks from The White Stripes (and more) arriving next week. More »

Walmart just announced an exclusive Wii bundle, containing both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort, as well as the necessary MotionPlus attachment. It'll be available in stores today, and on Walmart.com this Sunday. There's no reason not to pick this one up instead of the normal Wii package: this new bundle sells for the same $199 price!

According to Walmart, it'll only be available "while supplies last," which, given the history of the Wii platform, could be a surprisingly short time.

Update: FYI, we were informed by a Walmart representative that the bundle contains "one normal Wii console you would purchase -- comes with all the same components -- for $199, except that you're getting Wii Sports Resort (with the packaged Wii MotionPlus)." Still quite a deal!