All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

Koji Igarashi I’m worried about Igarashi right now. Where has this guy gone, and what is he working on? He’s not involved with the Castlevania on consoles, and Iga loves working on his Castlevania. Is he going to be tethered to the portable side of things for the rest of his career?

Obviously you can’t sell this game, as it’s just a Super Mario Bros. hack. With that said, this particular mod shows just how much some players love to torture themselves. I do love these kind of games, as I know what I’m getting into when I play them. When I hit this [...]

Being a giant, beloved video game blog has its downsides. For example, we sometimes neglect to give independent developers our coverage love (or loverage, if you will) as we get caught up in AAA, AAAA or the rare quintuple-A titles. To remedy that, we're giving indies the chance to create their own loverage and sell you, the fans, on their studios and products. This week we talk with Markus Hofer of Blackish Games. His studio's feeding that dirty little addiction you know you developed during the Winter Olympics with Age of Curling.

Joystiq: How did you or your company get started?

Markus Hofer: I had a pretty good job as a graphic artist, but I always rather wanted to work on my own stuff. I figured it would take me about a year to make my first game and so I saved as much money as I could. I looked into all sorts of tools, talked to a lot of people and once I was confident I had found everything and everyone I needed, I quit and got going ...

First Star Software and Dutch developer Catnip Games recently announced their upcoming collaboration on an Xbox Live Arcade remake of the classic gem-collecting puzzler, Boulder Dash. That's not to be confused with the classic dishonesty-based board game Balderdash. Or the exclamation popularized by mustachioed, portly gentlemen from the 1920s who found themselves upset by a piece of nonsensical information.

Very little pertinent info was revealed by the developers' joint press release announcement, though we do know the game will include "sparkling diamonds," "hordes of enemies," "numerous traps," and "falling boulders." The release doesn't mention dashing, but we assume it will also play a pivotal role.

Though we've thoroughly enjoyed Just Cause 2's "Anatomy of a Stunt" videos, we're not sure the one you see posted above is accurately titled. Though the name "Rocket Launcher Jump" does capture some of the components of the stunt, it fails to mention a few other important buzzwords; namely "speedboat," "ramp," "explosion," "death," "aerial," and "unimaginably awesome."

Do yourself a favor and check out the video above, which we've chosen to remoniker "Unimaginably Awesome Speedboat Ramp Jump Aerial Rocket Launcher Explosion Death."

The master of unlocking unlocks some gaping holes in zombies

Don't want to wait for a Blu-ray disc from Netflix? Wish you could watch an HD program instantly (provided your internet connection is robust enough)? The PlayStation Store will be updated today with HD movies for purchase from all six major studios. Previously, movies for purchase were relegated to SD options, whilst HD movies were available exclusively for rent. According to a press release from SCEA, "PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios," including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros.

The HD update will be available today on the PlayStation Store in the US, with "plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain." (Sorry, Canada!) While we still prefer owning Blu-ray discs, this downloadable option is yet another way for people to access content.

Wayne Barlow's 'Cerberus' ... gross
Held in conjunction with the Into the Pixel and Video Game Art Show exhibitions, San Francisco's Hotel des Arts is dedicating its entire fourth floor to "The Making of Dante's Inferno" through April 2010. We've got a sneak peek at the art on display in the gallery below, but if you want to see the real deal we'd suggest you make your way to the opening night reception being held at the Hotel des Arts on Thursday night, from 6pm to 10pm, smack dab in the middle of GDC week.

In advance of NPD sales results for February 2010, analysts are predicting year-over-year declines for pretty much everything. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, according to Gamasutra, is predicting that hardware and software sales will decline 10 percent, with Wii hardware sales hit particularly hard (around 40 percent) due to shortages. Beyond the Wii, the continuing decline of the music genre is partly to blame for the reduced sales.

Analyst Colin Sebastian is guessing at a 15 percent decline, despite encouraging early sales for games like Heavy Rain and preorders for games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (which, as an early March release, may fit into the NPD February sales period) and God of War III. The fact that high-profile games are likely to show sharp declines after strong first-week sales will prevent software trends from turning for the better.

New puzzles, new songs, and co-op details.

In advance of NPD sales results for February 2010, analysts are predicting year-over-year declines for pretty much everything. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, according to Gamasutra, is predicting that hardware and software sales will decline 10 percent, with Wii hardware sales hit particularly hard (around 40 percent) due to shortages. Beyond the Wii, the continuing decline of the music genre is partly to blame for the reduced sales.

Analyst Colin Sebastian is guessing at a 15 percent decline, despite encouraging early sales for games like Heavy Rain and preorders for games like Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (which, as an early March release, may fit into the NPD February sales period) and God of War III. The fact that high-profile games are likely to show sharp declines after strong first-week sales will prevent software trends from turning for the better.

Thus far, we've really learned only one thing from the trailers released for Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition: You can plan to spend a lot of time in the game pounding very strange looking people in the face. Whether you do so by yourself or with a friend is up to you. Now, thanks to the latest trailer from Atlus, we learn a little bit about the story of Zeno Clash. It seems that the main character kills someone or something known as Father-Mother. We're not sure what started the dispute -- perhaps a forgotten Father-Mother's Day present -- but the end result is a dead tribal leader, banishment and a quest for the truth. You know, that old chestnut.

Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition hits XBLA on March 31.

Sure, Ferraris are fun and all, but they aren't exotic enough. EA's looking to increase Need For Speed: Shift's roster of wacky, expensive rides you'll probably never drive in real life through the Exotic Racing Series Pack. Available March 18 for 800 ($10) on Xbox Live and PSN, the Exotic Racing Series Pack parks seven new rides in your virtual garage:

• Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
• BMW M1 Procar
• GUMPERT apollo
• Honda NSX
• McLaren MP4-12C
• Maserati GranTurismo S
• Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss

Though we already know the bulk of the March release schedule for new content on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Major Nelson's blog recently laid out how the rest of the month will play out. Tomorrow, we'll get our hands on Scrap Metal for 1200 ($15), next Wednesday will see the release of Perfect Dark for 800 ($10), and on March 24, we'll get our hands on the (somewhat) free Game Room hub. Oh, and the Games on Demand service got a bit crazier today with the release of Condemned: Criminal Origins for $19.99.

If you're an insatiable value-hound, you should turn your attention to the upcoming Deals of the Weeks: The original Fable will have its price reduced to 800 ($10) from 1200 ($15) during the week of March 15. All of Fallout 3's add-on packs, including Operation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta, will be offered at half price (400, or $5) during the week of March 22. For the rest of the schedule, including Avatar outfits and add-on packs, check out the list after the jump.

In the latest Iwata feature, we find out about the microgame constructor.

Though we already know the bulk of the March release schedule for new content on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Major Nelson's blog recently laid out how the rest of the month will play out. Tomorrow, we'll get our hands on Scrap Metal for 1200 ($15), next Wednesday will see the release of Perfect Dark for 800 ($10), and on March 24, we'll get our hands on the (somewhat) free Game Room hub. Oh, and the Games on Demand service got a bit crazier today with the release of Condemned: Criminal Origins for $19.99.

If you're an insatiable value-hound, you should turn your attention to the upcoming Deals of the Weeks: The original Fable will have its price reduced to 800 ($10) from 1200 ($15) during the week of March 15. All of Fallout 3's add-on packs, including Operation: Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta, will be offered at half price (400, or $5) during the week of March 22. For the rest of the schedule, including Avatar outfits and add-on packs, check out the list after the jump.

Yesterday, we announced that Steam and all our Source engine games will be coming to the Mac. Sound too good to be true? Well, guess what: It is true! There are no catches! Sometimes life actually works like that. The bad news is that we've just truth bombed your hard-earned lie detector back to the stone age, and you'll probably lose all your money to the next international lottery scam that sneaks through your spam filter. Still, Steam on the Mac!

In the latest Iwata feature, we find out about the microgame constructor.

By now we’re hoping many of you out there are enjoying everything White Knight Chronicles has to offer on the PS3. For those of you who have gone through the single player campaign, there’s still plenty to do on GeoNet and with the Georama. If you haven’t taken a look, be sure to check out this video that tells you all about it!

And if you think you’ve done it all, guess again. Beginning this Thursday, March 11th, we’ll be offering up additional quests for free every week through the end of June! You read right, free. Just log into the PlayStation Network, start up your copy of White Knight Chronicles and you’ll see new quests pop up on the World Map. Each week we’ll be releasing a new permanent quest, as well as limited quests that will only be available for two weeks at a time. To find out which quests are active, be sure to follow our Twitter account. We’ll be shooting the names of the permanent and temporary quests out through there.

To celebrate these weekly updates, we’re going to run a sweepstakes! Just log into any of the following quests in White Knight Chronicles:

• All in the Cards
• All in the Cards II
• Station Attendant
• Station Attendant II
• Heat Waves
• Heat Waves II

Log in between 5pm PST on Friday, March 19 and 11:59pm on Sunday, March 21 to get entered into a drawing to win a 12-inch White Knight figure:

Specific rules to the contest are below.

Good luck!

“Get The Loot” Sweepstakes

The following promotion is intended for viewing in the 50 United States and D.C. only and shall only be construed and evaluated according to United States law. Do not proceed in this site if you are not a legal resident of, and located in, the 50 United States or D.C. at the time of entry.

White Knight Chronicles International Edition “Get The Loot” Sweepstakes

OFFICIAL RULES

1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void outside the 50 United States and D.C. and where prohibited. To enter, you must have a valid PlayStation Network account, a PlayStation 3 system and a copy of White Knight Chronicles International Edition (“WKC”). Entries are submitted by signing in to the PlayStation Network and playing an on-line quest within WKC. The on-line quests are titled “All in the Cards”, “All in the Cards II”, “Station Attendant”, “Station Attendant II”, “Heat Waves”, and “Heat Waves II”. Each time you log in and play one of the quests listed above, you will qualify for an entry into the Sweepstakes. Quests do not need to be completed to qualify for an entry.

To be valid, entries must be received between March 19, 2010 5:00 p.m. (PST) and no later than March 21, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Sony Computer Entertainment America (the “Sponsor”) is not responsible for lost, late, mutilated, illegible, incomplete or misdirected entries. Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions which may limit an entrants ability to participate in the contest. Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to modify, cancel or suspend this sweepstakes should virus, bugs or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control corrupt the administration, security or proper play of this Sweepstakes. If the Sweepstakes is cancelled for any reason, winner will be selected from among all valid entries received prior to cancellation and all prizes will be awarded. Entries not satisfying these Official Rules will be automatically disqualified.

2. PRIZES: Twenty Five (25) Winners will receive one (1) White Knight Figure (approximate retail value, $100). Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize of equal or greater value if prize is unavailable. Prizes are non-transferable and no substitutions allowed. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prizes.

3. WINNERS: Winners will be determined by a single random drawing of all valid entries received by Sponsor, whose decisions are final. Drawing will be held on or about March 26, 2010. Winners will be notified by the e-mail account used to set up their PlayStation Network ID within 10 days of drawing.

4. ODDS OF WINNING: The odds of winning depend on number of valid entries received.

5. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal U.S. residents 13 years or older. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. All unclaimed prizes will not be awarded. If the winner is a minor, then prize may be awarded to winner’s parent or legal guardian. By acceptance of prize, winner agrees to the use of their name and/or likenesses for purposes of advertising, trade, or promotion without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. Additionally, by acceptance of prize, grand prize winner agrees to release Sponsor, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates from any and all liability, claims or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership or use of the prize or while participating, in any prize-related activity. Employees of the Sponsor and its parent, subsidiaries and affiliated companies and their immediate families are not eligible to participate in this sweepstakes. Neither the Sponsors nor its affiliates, subsidiaries, division or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes, or expenses that winners might incur as result of this sweepstakes or receipt of prize.

6. WINNER LIST: To obtain a copy of the rules and/or the name of Prize winners, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: “Get The Loot” Attn: Promotions, 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd. 2nd Floor Foster City, CA 94404. Prize winners name request will be fulfilled within four weeks after prizes have been awarded. Requests for winner list must be received by April 30, 2010.

7. RESTRICTIONS: Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

8. SPONSOR: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., 919 E. Hillsdale Blvd. Foster City, CA 94404

With Shank now being published by EA, Klei Entertainment is putting the increased development budget to good use -- with a trailer! Well, it's likely there would be a trailer this week anyway, as this week also marks the hyper-violent XBLA/PSN/PC brawler's appearance at the Independent Games Festival.

The brutal violence may dominate the trailer, but our eyes were immediately drawn to the acrobatics. There's so much somersaulting, swinging, hanging, and other exciting-looking methods of movement that they even manage to distract us from the usually thrilling shoot-stab-saw combos on display.

Third iteration of music title coming this year.

Auction here FACTORY SEALED NES NINTENDO STADIUM EVENTS NTSC Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Signed by Evanescence 1994 Vintage Video Game Boogerman BoogerBall Interplay Nintendo Video Game preview VHS tapes SNES Vintage 1993 Nintendo Video game Mortal Kombat Display Super Mario Bros. shampoo

The big day is finally here. As Yakuza 3 begins the journey to stores across the west, we take another look at what makes Yakuza 3 something you’ll find only on the PS3.

“If there’s one thing about Yakuza that these last few months have taught people,” I thought as I sat at lunch on Monday, “It’s that the fans are a force to take seriously…usually.” Fans can be the biggest allies and proponents of games that may not be the huge, multi-million sellers like (insert generic FPS here), or (insert additional generic FPS here). They can create amazing successes for games that were never expected to have them – looking at you, Valkyria Chronicles – and they can just as easily do the opposite, in some cases.

But more than anything, most fans just want to be heard. Fans want interaction, and to be responded to. So let’s begin this blog post by jumping right in to one of the biggest things fans have been asking about: the content.

Yakuza 3 is huge. Besides exploring Tokyo and Okinawa, you can also visit restaurants, pick up ramen at a local convenience store, go golfing, bowling, fishing, karaoke, or bust some heads in a local street fight.

As someone who enjoyed Shenmue, my love for Yakuza grows in knowing that some of the people who developed the original Shenmue games also work on Yakuza now. The similarity in feel between the two is no coincidence – and the epic feel of exploration, and Japanese culture, that the game offers are things you won’t find anywhere else. I’m also a big fan of playing darts while drunk – the extra level of difficulty is quite entertaining, besides being notably safer in Yakuza 3’s virtual world than it is in real life. (Note: I do not condone playing Darts while intoxicated. You’ll probably take someone’s eye out.)

Also, we’d like to make special note that while not everything from the Japanese version made it to the western shores, our community team has been – and will be– reading, compiling, and passing all of that feedback upwards here at SEGA. I can’t say more than that presently, but know that you are being heard, and we’ll make sure of that for you. To clarify additionally, as has been mentioned: Hostesses are in the game, and you can take them out on dates, build relationships, and sing karaoke with them to your heart’s content.

As Yakuza goes out the door and into the homes of hundreds of thousands of fans, I’d also like to take a moment to give some thanks to the people that really deserve it – and that’s you guys. It goes to the people who pushed from the beginning to show SEGA how much they wanted this game here. To those who post in the comments sections encouraging us, offering bright and helpful viewpoints even when the going got rough. And finally, to those who continue to support this PS3 exclusive by picking up the game, and in doing so give the franchise the legs on which to stand.

Know that we appreciate the support so many of you have already given to this series – and that we are now, and will continue to listen to your feedback.

That said – here’s to Yakuza 3!