All Topics Gaming older than one year ago

Ubisoft hearts platforming, and we heart the developer for it.

The Prince rules all.

Bass Pro Shops: The Hunt features deep single player environments, fast-paced multiplayer arcade mini games and innovative motion-sensing firearm controller.

Starting today, Mari the rune caster joins "Grand Chase" in the popular MMO.

Put-put with the power of Cell.

Five years of analog nubbin.

Blitz 1UP partners with AirPlay to bring mobile puzzler Super Yum Yum: Puzzle Adventures to PC.

Peter Molyneux says that the biggest problem with Project Natal isn't the difficulty in programming for a new technology, but the potential users themselves. Speaking with the Times Online, Molyneux says that the Natal tech is "so different and new that trying to get a focus group to look at it and respond is almost impossible." Perhaps it's not just that people aren't responding to the likes of Milo, it's that they don't realize he will respond to them.

Molyneux clarifies that his team is still working on the to-be-announced project, which we saw "glimpses" of at E3, and that they've increased "emotional engagement" since then. "The only way I see you at the moment is through your thumbs," he says. But Natal lets a virtual character see everything from body movement to facial expression, and that, says Molyneux, allows his team to "design experiences that truly resonate with you as an individual, rather than with a mass of people." While its an intriguing concept, such an open-ended design makes for a lot of pressure on the developer to ensure accessible to all kinds of individuals. Good thing there's plenty of time to pencil in more focus groups before Natal's holiday launch.

[Via TVGB]

#nintendo Nintendo lightens up the logo for Super Mario Galaxy 2 with the addition of an adorable representative of the Luma race, the transforming stars of Super Mario Galaxy. More »

Quest for glory.

#preview Seldom in life does someone cackle in front of you like a James Bond villain, explaining how they will deliver your demise. When game designer Chris Hecker did this to me in an Francisco recently, I knew I had him. More »

New Nintendo DS game lets users create and share their own microgames.

Here's the good news: According to our budget-minded buddies (budgies?) at CAG, GameFly has a sale on several appealing Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 titles, including Batman: Arkham Asylum (360 / $19.99), Bionic Commando (360 / PS3 / $9.99), Brütal Legend (360 / $14.99) and The Beatles: Rock Band (360 / $21.99). We also spy some stellar deals on Red Faction: Guerrilla (360 / PS3 / under $15) and 2D fighter BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger ($19.99 / $24.99). GameFly games are guaranteed to be in working condition and include manuals and cases.

And here's the bad news: The sale comes to an end on March 30. Also, our industry is woefully ill-equipped to produce a product called "Bionic Batman and the Brütal Beatles" and will succumb to creative and financial bankruptcy long before you ever get to play something of such magnificent magnitude. Oh well.

Jeff was kind enough to welcome me into SCEA’s offices to film an interview and record some footage to show off the forthcoming Blue Toad Murder Files for PS3/PSN. What you can’t see in the video is that they kindly supplied a background of rain and cloud, just to make me feel more at home!

(Editor’s note: You may notice some slight flickering in the video. Please note, this was caused by an issue with our capture system, NOT the game.)

Blue Toad Murder Files – The Mysteries of Little Riddle will be available on the PlayStation Store tomorrow, March 25. Episodes 1 – 3 can be bought together for $14.99 or individually for $7.49 per episode. I hope you have fun solving the puzzles and uncovering the ‘Whodunnits’ in each episodes. If you enjoy the first three episodes, there’s not long to wait until April 29 when episodes 4, 5 and 6 launch.

Happy detecting!

#clips Super Street Fighter IV will have plenty of great additions to warrant the $40 purchase. More »

We actually did post this up long ago. It was back when the game originally hit Japan, and we saw a report on the Japanese version. Now, with the English version out, I’ve been getting tons of pics/emails about this portion of the game. Since so many have requested it, I’ll repost [...]

- Etrian Odyssey 3 (9/9/8/9, 35 points): “The core charm of the series, with its Wizardry-style gameplay and player-built maps, is strong as ever. If you’re the sort of RPG fan who enjoys exploration and the struggle for survival over plot and story scenes, then you’ll love it.

It doesn't sound like Sony's going to jump on the 3D handheld bandwagon right away. SCEA Director of Hardware and Marketing John Koller told IGN that Sony's interest in 3D technology is limited to the PS3 -- you know, the system that can sell Bravias. "Our focus on 3D right now is on the console," Koller said. "There's a tremendous amount of opportunity on PlayStation 3 with 3D. The amount of interest in 3D from the retail side and game publishers is off the charts. We know we have a hit with 3D on PS3, and we're going to concentrate our efforts there."

While that in itself isn't a definitive dismissal of adopting whatever 3D tech is in the Nintendo 3DS for a new PSP model, Koller's followup statement makes clear his skepticism about the competitor's new strategy: "I think it remains to be seen where Nintendo goes with 3D on a portable," he said. "Having been in the portable space for quite awhile, I think it's an interesting move, but one I'd like to see where they go from a demographic standpoint. 8- and 9-year-olds playing 3D is a little bit of a stretch given where some of our research is right now."

Of course, having been in the portable space for quite awhile, Koller must have some suspicion that a new DS could be a massive hit -- as Nintendo handhelds tend to be -- and create a market for 3D handhelds. In the meantime, PSP players looking for a 3D experience have the third-party V-Screen and Solid Eye peripherals at their disposal.

It looks like Wii Sports Resort might be making its slow departure from the top 30 on Amazon. Once that happens, I think the descent down the charts is going to speed up quite considerably. That is, until a holiday hits!

Specs * Input: Wii AV Connector x 1, USB Type A Plug x 1. * Output: HDMI x1 , 3.5mm Stereo Audio Jack. * Video In Supported: EDTV(480i/576i), SDTV(480p/576p) * Video Out Supported : 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 1280

#iphone Zenonia 2: The Lost Memories, sequel to one of the most popular role-playing games on the iPhone, will likely be submitted to Apple for publishing by the end of the week, the developers tell us. More »

Thanks again to everyone who turned out to chat with The Tester cast members, Luge and Doc, last Wednesday. We all learned some fun stuff about them and what it was like during the production of the series. The special ‘appearance’ was such a hit that PlayStation Home Community Managers have arranged another special event tonight.

The Tester’s own Big D and Nauseous are scheduled to appear in The Tester PlayStation Home theater from 6PM PDT/9 PM EDT – 7PM PDT/10 PM EDT this evening. Both are hardcore PlayStation gamers who surprised us all with their mad LARPing skills back in Episode 4. Please join us for this unique opportunity to meet two of The Tester’s most popular cast members.

And remember, check back every Thursday to see The Tester – there are only two more episodes before the finale!

See you in PlayStation Home.

The good news: Microsoft's new cross-platform Game Room service is now available. It's free to download and gives you access to 30 different classic arcade games that can be played on Xbox 360 or PC. The bad news: You can't actually play any of those games. Upon the initial Game Room load, users are prompted to download at least one of two game packs, after which the service should load them up and let you start playing.

Unfortunately, Game Room simply hangs on the loading screen, allowing you to enjoy the retro music playing in the background, but not the actual retro games. Major Nelson has stated via Twitter that Microsoft is aware of the issue and it is "being investigated." He reminds users that the Game Room application itself is still available, and it should be okay to download it now and wait for the issue to be resolved. We'll update this post once we hear any new information.