This blog... is moving. Oh no!
I received an email from Gamer Limit, one of the sweet video game blogs I follow, asking if I'd want to move my blog over there. Ba-DOOP level up! Now I can be read by more than five people.
It's still not paid or anything, but this will be an excellent first real step towards my eventual career as a video game journalist. Check out the site, and I would be pleased as punch (whatever that means) if my four fans would follow me to my new blog site:
http://thegamellama.gamerlimit.com.
Thanks for everything, but I have to move on to greener... uhh... pastures. Way to go out on a high note, me.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Bullseye.
There are a lot of websites that lead you to good deals on video games: Gamer Deals, Amazon's Outlet Area, and, of course, this place. And if those don't have what you're looking for, there's always eBay.
But I don't want to wait for a game to be sent to me. Sometimes, the thrill of the hunt is as exciting as finding a bargain. That's why I always stop at Target when I go to a new town.
Last week, Target, Southern Minnesota: LocoRoco 2: $4.98, Left 4 Dead: $12.48.
Another Target, Central Minnesota: MK Vs. DC Universe: $14.98, Prince of Persia (the new cel-shaded one): was $59.99, now $14.98.
These games will never be this cheap again brand new. Left 4 Dead in particular is currently going for $45 USED at GameStop.com. Target doesn't care. They have to make shelf space in their one 360 case (Wii and DS each have 2 cases) for L4D: Game of the Year Edition. I don't mind. I save all the money.
Sure, and unscrupulous type would buy these and bring them to another Target (or Wal-mart, or ShopKo, or wherever) with the "I got these for my birthday" excuse to rake in a cool $60 in store credit. Nothing like cheating the system. I wouldn't do that though... I just wanna play!
Every Target has a clearance games section. Sometimes, it's by the pharmacy. Sometimes, it's by the book section. But there's always one somewhere. I found PGR3 for $2 at one in North Dakota just as PGR4 was coming out. Sure, the games are a few months old, but you can't find these in questionable condition at pawn shops for these prices. And honestly, who doesn't like scavenger hunts?
But I don't want to wait for a game to be sent to me. Sometimes, the thrill of the hunt is as exciting as finding a bargain. That's why I always stop at Target when I go to a new town.
Last week, Target, Southern Minnesota: LocoRoco 2: $4.98, Left 4 Dead: $12.48.
Another Target, Central Minnesota: MK Vs. DC Universe: $14.98, Prince of Persia (the new cel-shaded one): was $59.99, now $14.98.
These games will never be this cheap again brand new. Left 4 Dead in particular is currently going for $45 USED at GameStop.com. Target doesn't care. They have to make shelf space in their one 360 case (Wii and DS each have 2 cases) for L4D: Game of the Year Edition. I don't mind. I save all the money.
Sure, and unscrupulous type would buy these and bring them to another Target (or Wal-mart, or ShopKo, or wherever) with the "I got these for my birthday" excuse to rake in a cool $60 in store credit. Nothing like cheating the system. I wouldn't do that though... I just wanna play!
Every Target has a clearance games section. Sometimes, it's by the pharmacy. Sometimes, it's by the book section. But there's always one somewhere. I found PGR3 for $2 at one in North Dakota just as PGR4 was coming out. Sure, the games are a few months old, but you can't find these in questionable condition at pawn shops for these prices. And honestly, who doesn't like scavenger hunts?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Seriously now.
At my day job (bleh), a coworker was listening to sports talk radio. There are thousands upon thousands of people in the country that know every player on their favorite team and can rattle off seemingly unrelated stats at each other in deep, meaningful discussion. Sure, there is the occasional caller with his inane "Woo! Red Sox!" cheer, but many fans only call in because they have some important point to make. Today, for example, one caller had an idea to make the MLB All-Star game more competitive and fun to watch. And yes, it's true that MLB bigwigs probably won't base their entire business model on the ideas of one solitary fan, but the mere fact that topics such as the MLB All-Star Game can promote intelligent discussion amonst peers says something about the status of baseball. It's a serious business, with serious fans.
Baseball is a game. Why can't video games receive the same intellectual and social status?
If anything, video games should be more worthy of discussion. They are a beautiful conglomeration of many different art forms - writing, animation, visuals, music, and more - into a hot mess of splendor and wonder.
In baseball, there is an art to throwing a ball, and hitting a pitch, and the top athletes in the world may be seen as works of art, but the game of baseball itself is not really "art." It's a set of rules and equipment put together in an enjoyable, competitive way. Video games seem to be so much more.
But say they're not. Pretend that video games have the same cultural relevance as baseball today. Where are the gamer radio talk shows? On the Internet, being Podcasted around the world. That's not nearly as accessible to the general public as an AM radio station you can flip to in your car. Gamers have G4 (when they're not showing Cops re-runs); baseball has an entire cable package. Yes, baseball has been around longer. But it has not evolved like gaming has. Do you think anyone, seeing Space Invaders for the first time in the 1970's, would image it would morph into Gears of War 2 in just about 30 years? Where will we be in 30 more? Natal is just the beginning. Games have so many million$ invested in them, and half the country is made up of gamers, yet they are still denied the respect owed to them. This needs to change.
In the average mind: game = fun = not serious = laughable = throwaway. Baseball and Halo are both games! And while baseball is primarily an American tradition, video games have unified the world, both in the design, creation, and marketing of them, as well as the mere fact that you can play Uno and Left 4 Dead with a friend on the other side of the world. Isn't that cool? Doesn't that deserve a little fair, scrutinizing attention? Video games have long been a scapegoat for violent child outbursts and lack of social skills. Yet Obama has a Wii and he is arguably the most important, influential man in the world. Doesn't that say... anything?
Baseball is a game. Why can't video games receive the same intellectual and social status?
If anything, video games should be more worthy of discussion. They are a beautiful conglomeration of many different art forms - writing, animation, visuals, music, and more - into a hot mess of splendor and wonder.
In baseball, there is an art to throwing a ball, and hitting a pitch, and the top athletes in the world may be seen as works of art, but the game of baseball itself is not really "art." It's a set of rules and equipment put together in an enjoyable, competitive way. Video games seem to be so much more.
But say they're not. Pretend that video games have the same cultural relevance as baseball today. Where are the gamer radio talk shows? On the Internet, being Podcasted around the world. That's not nearly as accessible to the general public as an AM radio station you can flip to in your car. Gamers have G4 (when they're not showing Cops re-runs); baseball has an entire cable package. Yes, baseball has been around longer. But it has not evolved like gaming has. Do you think anyone, seeing Space Invaders for the first time in the 1970's, would image it would morph into Gears of War 2 in just about 30 years? Where will we be in 30 more? Natal is just the beginning. Games have so many million$ invested in them, and half the country is made up of gamers, yet they are still denied the respect owed to them. This needs to change.
In the average mind: game = fun = not serious = laughable = throwaway. Baseball and Halo are both games! And while baseball is primarily an American tradition, video games have unified the world, both in the design, creation, and marketing of them, as well as the mere fact that you can play Uno and Left 4 Dead with a friend on the other side of the world. Isn't that cool? Doesn't that deserve a little fair, scrutinizing attention? Video games have long been a scapegoat for violent child outbursts and lack of social skills. Yet Obama has a Wii and he is arguably the most important, influential man in the world. Doesn't that say... anything?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
No more new old games
A few weeks ago, it was announced that the Xbox Originals are no more. Remember? It's where you can download original Xbox games to your 360 for much more than you would pay at GameStop or a pawn shop. In honor of Max Payne 3's announcement, for example, they re-released the first two games at the standard Xbox Originals price of 1200 Microsoft points each ($15). You can buy both Max Payne and Max Payne 2 from Gamstop for $12 combined. But then you wouldn't get all the achievement points you can get only on 360! Oh wait... Xbox Originals don't offer those. Major Nelson said it was, "to preserve the integrity of the original gaming experience". And yet Galaga, Pac-Man, and Paperboy have achievements. That doesn't really seem fair, does it?
Another problem with the Originals is that most of them will steal about a gig of hard drive space. I only have a 20-gig hard drive on my 360 (big ones were too expensive!). That's a lot of wasted space. I would rather have the game take up space on my shelf. There's a lot more room, and then visitors can revel at my geek-tastic wall shrine!
The last issue is the same one facing Wii gamers with their Virtual Consoles - the good games that were re-released for download are already owned by the people that wanted them. People aren't going to pay another $15 to play an exact duplicate of an Xbox game they completed 6 years ago. That's three times the price of nostalgia of an NES game on Wii. For 400 Microsoft points, you might have yourself a deal. Triple that... probably not.
Still, it was nice seeing some underappreciated gems like Psychonauts and Dreamfall getting a little bit more attention a few years too late. Maybe it will get the three people that downloaded them to try something obscure and interesting in the future? We can only hope.
Another problem with the Originals is that most of them will steal about a gig of hard drive space. I only have a 20-gig hard drive on my 360 (big ones were too expensive!). That's a lot of wasted space. I would rather have the game take up space on my shelf. There's a lot more room, and then visitors can revel at my geek-tastic wall shrine!
The last issue is the same one facing Wii gamers with their Virtual Consoles - the good games that were re-released for download are already owned by the people that wanted them. People aren't going to pay another $15 to play an exact duplicate of an Xbox game they completed 6 years ago. That's three times the price of nostalgia of an NES game on Wii. For 400 Microsoft points, you might have yourself a deal. Triple that... probably not.
Still, it was nice seeing some underappreciated gems like Psychonauts and Dreamfall getting a little bit more attention a few years too late. Maybe it will get the three people that downloaded them to try something obscure and interesting in the future? We can only hope.
Friday, June 26, 2009
NEW BATMAN GAME!
I was really excited for the new Arkham Asylum game... until I saw a gameplay video on my Xbox. First off, it's an Eidos game. You know, the guys that ran the Tomb Raider franchise into the ground. Over, and over, and over. And then they got bought out by Square Enix. Because they suck.
Arkham Asylum is going to be a stealth game that just happens to have Batman in it. Sure, they got the voices from Batman: The Animated Series (Kevin Conroy and Mark "Skywalker" Hamill), but that's just not good enough. This will be a darker version of Hitman with cooler gadgets. Hitman was sloooooowwwww. I'm Batman. I don't want to hide in the shadows and sneak around all slowey! I want to kick some henchman butt with my funkey gadgets, then kick some Killer Croc and Joker butt, also with my funky gadgets, crazy intelligence, and millions of dollars. I know Batman sneaks around in the shadows and is one with the night... but I want to be the fun, exciting, cool parts of Batman. Maybe there is a small chance that the game will work; Eidos did create Desu Ex, after all. But B:AA isn't Deus Ex. It's Tomb Raider and Hitman. Bleh.
Ever seen a video for MadWorld on Wii? The game looks cool, and stylish, and gore-tastic, and fun. But you see the game in action, it's not that interesting. You run around, grab people, and toss them into sharp objects for five hours. Weeee...
XIII had style too. But the hit detection was shoddy and the graphics, while interesting, were actually kind of ugly. Also, the controls always felt a little... off. It had a sweet soundtrack and a huge amount of style, but that wouldn't save it. It won't save Batman either. Arkham Asylum will sell millions, and fanboys will love it, but it will not be a classic. It will be just another slow-paced Eidos disappointment. Oh well.
Arkham Asylum is going to be a stealth game that just happens to have Batman in it. Sure, they got the voices from Batman: The Animated Series (Kevin Conroy and Mark "Skywalker" Hamill), but that's just not good enough. This will be a darker version of Hitman with cooler gadgets. Hitman was sloooooowwwww. I'm Batman. I don't want to hide in the shadows and sneak around all slowey! I want to kick some henchman butt with my funkey gadgets, then kick some Killer Croc and Joker butt, also with my funky gadgets, crazy intelligence, and millions of dollars. I know Batman sneaks around in the shadows and is one with the night... but I want to be the fun, exciting, cool parts of Batman. Maybe there is a small chance that the game will work; Eidos did create Desu Ex, after all. But B:AA isn't Deus Ex. It's Tomb Raider and Hitman. Bleh.
Ever seen a video for MadWorld on Wii? The game looks cool, and stylish, and gore-tastic, and fun. But you see the game in action, it's not that interesting. You run around, grab people, and toss them into sharp objects for five hours. Weeee...
XIII had style too. But the hit detection was shoddy and the graphics, while interesting, were actually kind of ugly. Also, the controls always felt a little... off. It had a sweet soundtrack and a huge amount of style, but that wouldn't save it. It won't save Batman either. Arkham Asylum will sell millions, and fanboys will love it, but it will not be a classic. It will be just another slow-paced Eidos disappointment. Oh well.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Zombie Rediscovery
So I recently rediscovered Left 4 Dead. I bought it a while back on sale at Target, and only played it for a few hours before it was relegated to the massive game collection lining my wall. But I liked it. And I felt like blowing away a few zombies again recently, and there is no better place to do that than in Left 4 Dead. It showcases Valve's commitment to excellence and feels just like one would imagine the zombie apocalypse to be like. They're everywhere! Yet there are still some problems.
First, there are only four "levels," and they're all "get from point A to point B" types. No deathmatch levels, no capture the flag, just survival. "But that's what the game is all about!" you say, and "Most people on Counterstrike only play three or four maps anyway, too!" Whatever. Four is a very small number, especially if you have no friends to play with online.
My least favorite part is the time commitment. Now, I have no problem with sinking dozens of hours into a game, but I don't want to set aside an hour-and-a-half chunk just to play a L4D campaign. There are checkpoints, but no saves. Even while playing a one-player game, you can't stop playing after hitting a checkpoint and come back to play later. You are in it the whole way, and there's no getting out alive! It's like a zombie apocalypse being spawned from your Xbox to suck away your free time, not with little casual gaming bites, but with movie-sized blocks that would feel better spent on something productive.
The problem is, I would probably play a whole campaign to completion most of the time anyway. But by forcing me to every single time, it removes any of the "quick gaming fix" potential. Left 4 Dead is a great game, and a lot of fun... if you have the time. Clear your schedule, and grab your shotgun.
First, there are only four "levels," and they're all "get from point A to point B" types. No deathmatch levels, no capture the flag, just survival. "But that's what the game is all about!" you say, and "Most people on Counterstrike only play three or four maps anyway, too!" Whatever. Four is a very small number, especially if you have no friends to play with online.
My least favorite part is the time commitment. Now, I have no problem with sinking dozens of hours into a game, but I don't want to set aside an hour-and-a-half chunk just to play a L4D campaign. There are checkpoints, but no saves. Even while playing a one-player game, you can't stop playing after hitting a checkpoint and come back to play later. You are in it the whole way, and there's no getting out alive! It's like a zombie apocalypse being spawned from your Xbox to suck away your free time, not with little casual gaming bites, but with movie-sized blocks that would feel better spent on something productive.
The problem is, I would probably play a whole campaign to completion most of the time anyway. But by forcing me to every single time, it removes any of the "quick gaming fix" potential. Left 4 Dead is a great game, and a lot of fun... if you have the time. Clear your schedule, and grab your shotgun.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
My favorite game store
Since BragGameRights didn't really live up to my expectations, I thought I would describe what I really did like in the world's best game store: Game Doctor in Casper, Wyoming.
Now, I couldn't find anything on the web about this place, so I think it might have gone out of business. And I'm also pretty positive that it is no relation to Gamer Doc, a new chain based on the East Coast. But I was taking a cross-country road trip with my family, and we stumbled across this place.
The store was probably about 1,000 square feet, and the whole place was filled with glass jewelry-style cases. These were PACKED with used games, organized alphabetically and by system. If you wanted you see one, you had to ask. If you wanted to try one, you asked the guy to boot it up on one of the many TV's set behind the counter. No charge, and you could try as many as you wanted. By keeping the actual games out of the hands of the customers they stayed nicer, and cleaner, and in a more valuable pristine condition. It may sound cold, but you would be in such awe of the sheer volume of classic games that you would not care at all. You and your friends would be darting around, looking in cases, and yelling, "Hey, come look what I found!" every time you stumbled upon a gem.
The prices were very reasonable, and they stocked games from pretty much every system you've ever heard of, including newer games. The really rare ones where held up on a pedestal behind the counter, eagerly awaiting someone with a big enough bankroll to drop $200 on a mint-in-box Legend of Zelda or a complete-with-map copy of Earthbound.
I don't know if the store is still around; I haven't been there for over ten years. But I do know that if I ever open my own game store, it's going to be a lot like this one. Try before you buy, a friendly and knowledgeable staff (one guy pointed out the differences between Mega Man 8 and Mega Man X4 for me when I was torn between which to buy), and more games that you know what to do with. There is still a huge market for retro games; people will always be nostalgic for their younger days. Now if someone would just take advantage of that fact, and do it right this time, the world would be a richer place.
Now, I couldn't find anything on the web about this place, so I think it might have gone out of business. And I'm also pretty positive that it is no relation to Gamer Doc, a new chain based on the East Coast. But I was taking a cross-country road trip with my family, and we stumbled across this place.
The store was probably about 1,000 square feet, and the whole place was filled with glass jewelry-style cases. These were PACKED with used games, organized alphabetically and by system. If you wanted you see one, you had to ask. If you wanted to try one, you asked the guy to boot it up on one of the many TV's set behind the counter. No charge, and you could try as many as you wanted. By keeping the actual games out of the hands of the customers they stayed nicer, and cleaner, and in a more valuable pristine condition. It may sound cold, but you would be in such awe of the sheer volume of classic games that you would not care at all. You and your friends would be darting around, looking in cases, and yelling, "Hey, come look what I found!" every time you stumbled upon a gem.
The prices were very reasonable, and they stocked games from pretty much every system you've ever heard of, including newer games. The really rare ones where held up on a pedestal behind the counter, eagerly awaiting someone with a big enough bankroll to drop $200 on a mint-in-box Legend of Zelda or a complete-with-map copy of Earthbound.
I don't know if the store is still around; I haven't been there for over ten years. But I do know that if I ever open my own game store, it's going to be a lot like this one. Try before you buy, a friendly and knowledgeable staff (one guy pointed out the differences between Mega Man 8 and Mega Man X4 for me when I was torn between which to buy), and more games that you know what to do with. There is still a huge market for retro games; people will always be nostalgic for their younger days. Now if someone would just take advantage of that fact, and do it right this time, the world would be a richer place.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Store Review: BragGameRights
Good store name guys. I'm not sure exactly what it means... something about being the best at a game and trash-talking to everyone within earshot like it's your God-given right. No, it's not. Sore winner.
BragGameRights is a new game store that just opened in Duluth, Minnesota, right across the street from Best Buy. There is a GameStop-style wall of new games, food and drinks for the hungry gamer, and over a dozen individual gaming stations set around the wall like private viewing rooms at a sex shop. There is also a pitifully small retro gaming section in the back, with about 24 square feet of old games. I was expecting more... why would I come here instead of GameStop?
You see, BGR's gimmick is that if you see a game you like, you can try it for 30 minutes at one of their private HDTV's for $2.50. If you like it, you can buy the game and have your $2.50 taken off the price like a down payment. If not, then you only wasted $2.50 instead of $60. Also, there are in-store tournaments every Monday through Thursday. Most are $5 to enter, and the winner get $40 store credit or $25 cash. It'd be kind of fun to go there every night and take home a cool $80 a week. Still, at 2 hours a tourney, that's only $10 an hour. Not exactly a pro gamer living wage, but it's still cool that this is even an option. Before, you'd have to wait for GameStop to hold one of their tournaments, and those are, at the maximum, once a month.
The biggest problem with BGR is the lighting. Because of all the TV's lining the walls, the entire store has to be kept in a perpetual twilight to reduce glare. Whereas GameStop is comparable to Wal-Mart fluorescent bright, BragGameRights is lit a lot more like a church - subdued, quiet, and oppressive. Also, their old game stock is lacking and their new/used game stock is not very extensive either.
Maybe I just don't get the gamer lifestyle of Jolt Cola, Fritos, and all-night Halo 3 sessions. Maybe I just didn't show up there on tournament night. Maybe I'm too old to care about game stores. Or maybe BGR is just doing it wrong. You can check out their decent website and decide for yourself, or make a road trip to Duluth. Still, there's always room in the world for a GameStop competitor. But you HAVE to do some things better than them, or you won't survive. And that's sad.
BragGameRights is a new game store that just opened in Duluth, Minnesota, right across the street from Best Buy. There is a GameStop-style wall of new games, food and drinks for the hungry gamer, and over a dozen individual gaming stations set around the wall like private viewing rooms at a sex shop. There is also a pitifully small retro gaming section in the back, with about 24 square feet of old games. I was expecting more... why would I come here instead of GameStop?
You see, BGR's gimmick is that if you see a game you like, you can try it for 30 minutes at one of their private HDTV's for $2.50. If you like it, you can buy the game and have your $2.50 taken off the price like a down payment. If not, then you only wasted $2.50 instead of $60. Also, there are in-store tournaments every Monday through Thursday. Most are $5 to enter, and the winner get $40 store credit or $25 cash. It'd be kind of fun to go there every night and take home a cool $80 a week. Still, at 2 hours a tourney, that's only $10 an hour. Not exactly a pro gamer living wage, but it's still cool that this is even an option. Before, you'd have to wait for GameStop to hold one of their tournaments, and those are, at the maximum, once a month.
The biggest problem with BGR is the lighting. Because of all the TV's lining the walls, the entire store has to be kept in a perpetual twilight to reduce glare. Whereas GameStop is comparable to Wal-Mart fluorescent bright, BragGameRights is lit a lot more like a church - subdued, quiet, and oppressive. Also, their old game stock is lacking and their new/used game stock is not very extensive either.
Maybe I just don't get the gamer lifestyle of Jolt Cola, Fritos, and all-night Halo 3 sessions. Maybe I just didn't show up there on tournament night. Maybe I'm too old to care about game stores. Or maybe BGR is just doing it wrong. You can check out their decent website and decide for yourself, or make a road trip to Duluth. Still, there's always room in the world for a GameStop competitor. But you HAVE to do some things better than them, or you won't survive. And that's sad.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Ta daa!
My first Club Nintendo purchase... it's so shiny and promptly delivered! Good job, Nintendo! You don't suck all the time after all. And there's reflection in my picture, I know, but that's because the game is still all sealed and beautiful! There's even a "Not for Resale" label on the back... I feel like I'm in a cool members-only club that has dues and things. And all I had to do was buy $800 worth of Nintendo stuff! What a deal.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Why should WiiCare?
WiiWare - a land of opportunity, where small indie developers can stand toe-to-toe with the big boys like Square Enix and EA. This is where weird, interesting games should go to live. The Wii has a controller unlike any other in the industry, and games like Lost Winds and World of Goo show how to utilize it very well. Unfortunately, there are a few things holding WiiWare (and the Virtual Console, as well) back from competing with the "real" next-gen systems:
- No demos
- No standard pricing structure on WiiWare
- Lack of consistent release schedule
First, no demos. Now that Nintendo (finally) did something about the Wii's lack of storage (Yay for SD!), there is room on gamers' consoles for game demos. On 360, the demo is the same size as the full game, but purchasing the whole game "unlocks" the rest of the content. Wii doesn't need to do it that way. A shorter download time for a first level would be fine for A.D.D. types that still play Wii. If I want the full game, yes, I would wait to download again. It's not a big deal.
Without free trial demos, countless interesting games are getting lost in the shuffle while people buy tripe like Major League Eating: The Game. A demo will allow gamers to try something they normally wouldn't, because there's no risk. "Want to try Swords & Soldiers for ten minutes before you buy it? That'll be ten dollars. Hope you like it. No refunds."
The pricing on WiiWare is also all over the place, ranging from $5 (Texas hold'em Tournament), to $6 (Bubble Bobble Plus), to $8 (Final Fantasy IV: The After Years), to $10 (Let's Catch - What the crap?), to $15 (World of Goo). The prices don't seem to be based on anything besides what the developers hope people will pay. That, and probably development costs. But gamers don't care about that. They just want a good deal for their dollar.
Lastly, the release schedule. New XBLA games come out every Tuesday. New WiiWare games come out... whenever. There are new games released every week, but there is no guarantees that they are WiiWare games. It could be DSiWare, or a Virtual Console title, or WiiWare, or maybe, if you're lucky, a good WiiWare game. It's probably just another calculator or clock for your DSi, and no matter how cool it may be, it is not delivering on the potential of the technology. Pick up the slack, Nintendo! If Sony can do it with the slumping PS3, you can do it too. You have enough money. Use it for something that doesn't suck, for once!
- No demos
- No standard pricing structure on WiiWare
- Lack of consistent release schedule
First, no demos. Now that Nintendo (finally) did something about the Wii's lack of storage (Yay for SD!), there is room on gamers' consoles for game demos. On 360, the demo is the same size as the full game, but purchasing the whole game "unlocks" the rest of the content. Wii doesn't need to do it that way. A shorter download time for a first level would be fine for A.D.D. types that still play Wii. If I want the full game, yes, I would wait to download again. It's not a big deal.
Without free trial demos, countless interesting games are getting lost in the shuffle while people buy tripe like Major League Eating: The Game. A demo will allow gamers to try something they normally wouldn't, because there's no risk. "Want to try Swords & Soldiers for ten minutes before you buy it? That'll be ten dollars. Hope you like it. No refunds."
The pricing on WiiWare is also all over the place, ranging from $5 (Texas hold'em Tournament), to $6 (Bubble Bobble Plus), to $8 (Final Fantasy IV: The After Years), to $10 (Let's Catch - What the crap?), to $15 (World of Goo). The prices don't seem to be based on anything besides what the developers hope people will pay. That, and probably development costs. But gamers don't care about that. They just want a good deal for their dollar.
Lastly, the release schedule. New XBLA games come out every Tuesday. New WiiWare games come out... whenever. There are new games released every week, but there is no guarantees that they are WiiWare games. It could be DSiWare, or a Virtual Console title, or WiiWare, or maybe, if you're lucky, a good WiiWare game. It's probably just another calculator or clock for your DSi, and no matter how cool it may be, it is not delivering on the potential of the technology. Pick up the slack, Nintendo! If Sony can do it with the slumping PS3, you can do it too. You have enough money. Use it for something that doesn't suck, for once!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Useless game tie-ins, part I
So there is this soda out now (you may have heard of it) called Mountain Dew. Apparently, it's very popular among the young folks. So is World of Warcraft. Hey, marketing people got a brilliant idea:
And why not. They did it with Halo 3:
Because gamers like to stay up all night, incredibly caffinated, playing Halo 3 and WoW. It's true. This collaboration makes sense.
But how about this one:
Apparently, since most gamers are hairy man-beasts, they have a different skin type than people who actually go outside and see the sun occasionally. It's hard to see this connection.
But it gets better:
http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=40
Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis came packaged with a Fruit Roll-Up. Wonder if there are still sealed copies sitting around somewhere, waiting for a hungry gamer to break the seal and eat the hard sugary treat from decades past before partaking in one of the finest shooters of the generation?
There might even be weirder tie-ins, but it's going to be hard to top a Fruit Roll-Up. Just have to wait and see!
And why not. They did it with Halo 3:
Because gamers like to stay up all night, incredibly caffinated, playing Halo 3 and WoW. It's true. This collaboration makes sense.
But how about this one:
Apparently, since most gamers are hairy man-beasts, they have a different skin type than people who actually go outside and see the sun occasionally. It's hard to see this connection.
But it gets better:
http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=GameMuseum.Detail&id=40
Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis came packaged with a Fruit Roll-Up. Wonder if there are still sealed copies sitting around somewhere, waiting for a hungry gamer to break the seal and eat the hard sugary treat from decades past before partaking in one of the finest shooters of the generation?
There might even be weirder tie-ins, but it's going to be hard to top a Fruit Roll-Up. Just have to wait and see!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
More neat stuff from the future
At E3, Natal was the big hit of the show. But there was also some surprising technology going on over in the DS section. I'm talking about Scribblenauts, a new action puzzle game with a twist. When you reach an obstacle, you write a word on the DS screen, any word, and the thing you wrote manifests itself in the game world, as usuable in the game as it would be in real life. Check it out:
The guy said no copyrighted or vulgar words, but you can be sure that everyone will try to get it to draw a wang right off the bat. But once that novelty wears off, you will discover the thousands upon thousands of words that materialize, whether they have a purpose in your particular puzzle or not. With 220 levels, it will be interesting to see the creative YouTube videos that come out of solving puzzles in incredibly weird ways. In the video, the hero encountered two different dinosaurs. One, he fed a salad. The other, he hit with a crowbar. I want to hit it with "evolution" and make it turn into a man so it can be my sidekick. That would be super awesome.
A few game sites noticed Scribblenauts, but not nearly as many as it looks to deserve. If it works, (Big if? Maybe a medium if.) it will be the coolest game/thing to ever hit the DS. Its simplistic nature combined with an incredible amount of replay value will have many gamers hitting the dictionary in an attempt to stump it. It even has "plumbob." Hope I can go Kiss-style and equip the guy with a guitar and huge amp and slay dinosaurs with the power of rock! I'm giddy already. Please do everything you promise, Scribblenauts!
The guy said no copyrighted or vulgar words, but you can be sure that everyone will try to get it to draw a wang right off the bat. But once that novelty wears off, you will discover the thousands upon thousands of words that materialize, whether they have a purpose in your particular puzzle or not. With 220 levels, it will be interesting to see the creative YouTube videos that come out of solving puzzles in incredibly weird ways. In the video, the hero encountered two different dinosaurs. One, he fed a salad. The other, he hit with a crowbar. I want to hit it with "evolution" and make it turn into a man so it can be my sidekick. That would be super awesome.
A few game sites noticed Scribblenauts, but not nearly as many as it looks to deserve. If it works, (Big if? Maybe a medium if.) it will be the coolest game/thing to ever hit the DS. Its simplistic nature combined with an incredible amount of replay value will have many gamers hitting the dictionary in an attempt to stump it. It even has "plumbob." Hope I can go Kiss-style and equip the guy with a guitar and huge amp and slay dinosaurs with the power of rock! I'm giddy already. Please do everything you promise, Scribblenauts!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Braid.
I was three puzzle pieces short before I hung it up for the night, frustrated as all get out. So I exited the game to the Xbox Arcade menu and powered off for the evening. Came back the next day, all the pieces were gone. Apparently, when I clicked on "Play game" my Xbox decided to boot up my Braid demo version, ignoring all the progress from before. Even when I select "Download again" I can only start from the beginning. AHHHHH!
Since I sent in my 360 to get it repaired, they sent me a new one, ensuring that my old downloaded games can never be played on my new system without being signed onto Xbox Live. I was. It didn't matter.
Maybe I'll never beat it... Until a few more months from now when I'll have another Braid marathon and get just a little bit closer. I don't care about the save file. I just want the story's ending and the achievement points. Why must you be such a harsh mistress, Tim? Why?
I'm a sad panda. Going to go play Feeding Frenzy now. Delete my save, will you?! I'll teach you.
Since I sent in my 360 to get it repaired, they sent me a new one, ensuring that my old downloaded games can never be played on my new system without being signed onto Xbox Live. I was. It didn't matter.
Maybe I'll never beat it... Until a few more months from now when I'll have another Braid marathon and get just a little bit closer. I don't care about the save file. I just want the story's ending and the achievement points. Why must you be such a harsh mistress, Tim? Why?
I'm a sad panda. Going to go play Feeding Frenzy now. Delete my save, will you?! I'll teach you.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Always use protection.
I downloaded some games onto my Wii, and my family has one too, so I stuck the games onto my SD card and brought it over. SD to Wii memory... copy... "Cannot copy to this Wii console."
PUNK'D BY COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.
Forgot that Nintendo likes to keep all the money. I'm sure there are ways to hack it, but that's so illegal and naughty naughty. Stealing games isn't like stealing music! The difference is that games are harder to "share." There's no such thing as Game Napster! Except Bit Torrent. And everything like it. Hm.
PUNK'D BY COPYRIGHT PROTECTION.
Forgot that Nintendo likes to keep all the money. I'm sure there are ways to hack it, but that's so illegal and naughty naughty. Stealing games isn't like stealing music! The difference is that games are harder to "share." There's no such thing as Game Napster! Except Bit Torrent. And everything like it. Hm.
Friday, June 12, 2009
A baby seal walks into a club...
Since the early days of the NES, there has been some form of the current Club Nintendo. The Super Mario Fun Club, My Nintendo, Nintendo Power Club, I'm sure there's more. Today, they offer special gifts to people who join the club and earn a certain number of points. The catch: you can only get points from official Nintendo products. First party games only. With the Wii, that's not so bad. Who's buys third party Wii games anyway? You get 30 points for registering a DS game and 50 points for a Wii game. At 300, you achieve "gold" status and at 600 you are "platinum." Also, with more points, you can cash them in for Nintendo cards or DS game cases or, the motherload, a Club Nintendo-exclusive Game & Watch Collection game for DS.
A number of months ago, a Tingle (the fruity elf guy from Zelda) game was made available to Japanese Cllub Nintendo members. Since then, the value of the game has basically skyrocketed. Hopefully, this game will do the same, because I have nearly enough points to order it. Still, it takes an awful lot of loyalty to afford it. 800 points = $800 spent on Nintendo products. And, since the Nintendo fiscal year ends on June 30th, I am fairly sure that Nintendo will mix up their rewards at that time. And then G&W will be gone forever! And that makes me a sad panda. But I do already have 720 points, and I'm sure there are some more Wii games sitting around this house. If only I cared about my Wii, I would know where the games are! I must have the shiny golden game. I don't even want to unwrap it or play it, however. I want to sell it when I'm 60 and buy a Ferrari with the profit.
A number of months ago, a Tingle (the fruity elf guy from Zelda) game was made available to Japanese Cllub Nintendo members. Since then, the value of the game has basically skyrocketed. Hopefully, this game will do the same, because I have nearly enough points to order it. Still, it takes an awful lot of loyalty to afford it. 800 points = $800 spent on Nintendo products. And, since the Nintendo fiscal year ends on June 30th, I am fairly sure that Nintendo will mix up their rewards at that time. And then G&W will be gone forever! And that makes me a sad panda. But I do already have 720 points, and I'm sure there are some more Wii games sitting around this house. If only I cared about my Wii, I would know where the games are! I must have the shiny golden game. I don't even want to unwrap it or play it, however. I want to sell it when I'm 60 and buy a Ferrari with the profit.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Collect 'em all!
"Collector's Editions" of games have become more and more prevalent within the last couple of years. Is it just a way to squeeze another ten, twenty, or sixty bucks out of consumers, or are gamers actually getting a deal? If you keep the game shrinkwrapped, then yes, it will eventually be worth more money than the mas-produced standard edition. But if you open it, you will find... what? A bobblehead? A "Making of" DVD? A Master Chief helmet that will fit your cat? Fable II's Limited Edition included a "Making of Fable II" DVD and a few extra in-game items. For ten extra bucks. Couldn't these things just be downloaded? Sell them on XBL Marketplace for $5, and eliminate the need to promote and package two different versions of the same product. Oh, and the LE Fable 2's were originally supposed to include a miniature Hobbe figurine and some fate cards that should have been pretty cool... but if you preordered it on GameStop you got this message a few weeks before the shipping date:
Dear Valued Customer,
We are writing in regards to your Fable II Collector's Edition preorder. Microsoft has recently informed us that due to supply chain issues, the contents of the Collector's Edition have been revised. As a result, the price has been lowered from $79.99 to $69.99.
The original advertised contents: premium box, five printed fate cards and Hobbe figure will NOT be included as part of the Collector's Edition. It will now include:
*Fable II game disc
*Bonus DVD with new "Making-Of" Feature
*Bonus in-game content (requires Xbox LIVE)
- "The Hall of the Dead" Dungeon
- "The Wreckager" Legendary Cutlass Weapon
- Spartan armor and energy sword
To show their commitment to you the faithful fan, a special Fable album has been created for free download for a limited time. This includes a wonderful selection of music from the original Fable game and three brand new tracks from the upcoming Fable II soundtrack.
Weaksauce. Another ten bucks for some wimpy DLC that would sell for five on Oblivion.
Don't get me wrong, I love when companies go all-out with fan service. Working Designs' Lunar and Arc the Lad collections were behemoths with beautiful instruction manuals, cardboard standups, jewelry, soundtracks, the works. And their games were usually only about $10 more than the standard MSRP's of other games at the time too. Then they went out of business. Sad story. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sealed copy of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for the PS1 for less than $150 (except this one signed edition on Amazon for $145... how cool would that be?).
Since Working Designs has gone belly up, limited/collector's editions of games have been less and less impressive and have offered nowhere near the quantity and quality they offered. Yes, there are a few rare exceptions (here, here, here, and here), but they are big-budget games from companies with deep pockets, not little companies that love their fans.
And then there are the movie-style limited editions, like when a new DVD comes out for $25 at Wal-Mart because it has special features. Special features don't make a DVD "limited" or "collectible." They make it a DVD. Certain things are expected out of the format; it's not a VHS tape. Despite the fact that I never watch the making of documentaries on movies, if they're not on my disc, I feel cheated. Weird that we can expect so much more out of something that comes in the same-sized box.
Dear Valued Customer,
We are writing in regards to your Fable II Collector's Edition preorder. Microsoft has recently informed us that due to supply chain issues, the contents of the Collector's Edition have been revised. As a result, the price has been lowered from $79.99 to $69.99.
The original advertised contents: premium box, five printed fate cards and Hobbe figure will NOT be included as part of the Collector's Edition. It will now include:
*Fable II game disc
*Bonus DVD with new "Making-Of" Feature
*Bonus in-game content (requires Xbox LIVE)
- "The Hall of the Dead" Dungeon
- "The Wreckager" Legendary Cutlass Weapon
- Spartan armor and energy sword
To show their commitment to you the faithful fan, a special Fable album has been created for free download for a limited time. This includes a wonderful selection of music from the original Fable game and three brand new tracks from the upcoming Fable II soundtrack.
Weaksauce. Another ten bucks for some wimpy DLC that would sell for five on Oblivion.
Don't get me wrong, I love when companies go all-out with fan service. Working Designs' Lunar and Arc the Lad collections were behemoths with beautiful instruction manuals, cardboard standups, jewelry, soundtracks, the works. And their games were usually only about $10 more than the standard MSRP's of other games at the time too. Then they went out of business. Sad story. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a sealed copy of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for the PS1 for less than $150 (except this one signed edition on Amazon for $145... how cool would that be?).
Since Working Designs has gone belly up, limited/collector's editions of games have been less and less impressive and have offered nowhere near the quantity and quality they offered. Yes, there are a few rare exceptions (here, here, here, and here), but they are big-budget games from companies with deep pockets, not little companies that love their fans.
And then there are the movie-style limited editions, like when a new DVD comes out for $25 at Wal-Mart because it has special features. Special features don't make a DVD "limited" or "collectible." They make it a DVD. Certain things are expected out of the format; it's not a VHS tape. Despite the fact that I never watch the making of documentaries on movies, if they're not on my disc, I feel cheated. Weird that we can expect so much more out of something that comes in the same-sized box.
How hard is it to write a cover letter?!
Stayed up all night writing a beautiful, eloquent cover letter full of quips and witty insights to please the Penny Arcade gods so they would hire me for the most satisfying job in the history of time.
Hit "Apply."
"Your cover letter is over the maximum character count. The maximum allowed is 2,000 and you have 3,428."
*&(^**$%^%@@%!@#
So I took out a third of my personality and sent it in anyway. Kind of like a homemade lobotomy, except more painful because it was self-inflicted. I'm sure I removed some unnecessary embellishments and a few overly florid phrases, but there wasn't that much to edit off.
I hope I still sound awesome. :(
I feel awesome. Except that it's 7:30 in the a.m. and I woke up yesterday at 10:00 then worked 15 hours then got home and cranked out a beautiful cover letter then was told it was too long so I fixed it after another hour of preening and now here I am.
Sleepy.
Good night for now.
But I'll be back.
GL out. ;)
Hit "Apply."
"Your cover letter is over the maximum character count. The maximum allowed is 2,000 and you have 3,428."
*&(^**$%^%@@%!@#
So I took out a third of my personality and sent it in anyway. Kind of like a homemade lobotomy, except more painful because it was self-inflicted. I'm sure I removed some unnecessary embellishments and a few overly florid phrases, but there wasn't that much to edit off.
I hope I still sound awesome. :(
I feel awesome. Except that it's 7:30 in the a.m. and I woke up yesterday at 10:00 then worked 15 hours then got home and cranked out a beautiful cover letter then was told it was too long so I fixed it after another hour of preening and now here I am.
Sleepy.
Good night for now.
But I'll be back.
GL out. ;)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Remembering the past
On a whim, I fired up Braid today for the first time in many months. I had never been able to beat the game, and I am trying by bestest to never have to resort to YouTube to find solutions to the puzzles. Unfortuately, there was no save file left on my Xbox (weak) so I got to experience the whole game for the first time all over again.
Braid is beautiful.
It is a masterpiece of aesthetics, and music, and interesting, simple, clever gameplay. The story is told in snippets of books between levels, and the wording is such that it evokes an incredible emotional response in just a few lines of text. You connect with the hero, Tim, even though he doesn't say a single word. The game is only a few hours long, but there are so many "A-ha!" moments when you solve a puzzle all by yourself after 30 minutes of struggling. You actually feel proud of yourself for outsmarting this simple, sophisticated game - no - this experience.
On my first playthrough, there were always a few puzzle pieces I could never seem to reach. This second time, I felt much more self-assured. I already understood the mechanics of the game; I just needed to master it, to complete it. This time, I got closer. I completed level 4 and earned a nice, shiny, new achievement. But there are still a few puzzle pieces left... I am still stumped. I can't earn the beautiful Ico-esque ending I've read about in so many magazines, and heard about all over the Internet. I want so badly to know what happens myself, without reading spoilers, and without having to resort to finding solutions to the game on the Internet. Will this be another of life's great mysteries? Or will my searching mind stumble upon a solution in my sleep? I hope the latter. Maybe I just need to take a break from it for a few months again... but I can't. I'm hooked in its beautiful claws, and I don't want to be free again until I learn the truth.
Braid is beautiful.
It is a masterpiece of aesthetics, and music, and interesting, simple, clever gameplay. The story is told in snippets of books between levels, and the wording is such that it evokes an incredible emotional response in just a few lines of text. You connect with the hero, Tim, even though he doesn't say a single word. The game is only a few hours long, but there are so many "A-ha!" moments when you solve a puzzle all by yourself after 30 minutes of struggling. You actually feel proud of yourself for outsmarting this simple, sophisticated game - no - this experience.
On my first playthrough, there were always a few puzzle pieces I could never seem to reach. This second time, I felt much more self-assured. I already understood the mechanics of the game; I just needed to master it, to complete it. This time, I got closer. I completed level 4 and earned a nice, shiny, new achievement. But there are still a few puzzle pieces left... I am still stumped. I can't earn the beautiful Ico-esque ending I've read about in so many magazines, and heard about all over the Internet. I want so badly to know what happens myself, without reading spoilers, and without having to resort to finding solutions to the game on the Internet. Will this be another of life's great mysteries? Or will my searching mind stumble upon a solution in my sleep? I hope the latter. Maybe I just need to take a break from it for a few months again... but I can't. I'm hooked in its beautiful claws, and I don't want to be free again until I learn the truth.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ode to PopCap Games
You jerks. Why are you making games that are so addictive? They seem harmless, at first. But just as I was researching your site for nice things to say about you, I stumbled onto a free trial of Bookworm. Zap. There goes an hour of my life that I will never get back. "Yods" doesn't even sound like a word, but it won me 600 points.
You made Bejeweled, and moms all over the world have been in your grasp ever since. Sequels, and pseudo-sequels, and everyone still loves you. On their computer at work, on iPhone... your reach is limitless.
You just released Plants Vs. Zombies, and everyone loves it. A tower defense game, and it won numerous Game of the Month awards, despite the fact that that tired genre was originally created roughly twenty years ago. Your best selling game ever.
Feeding Frenzy, Zuma, Astropop, you can do no wrong... and I hate you. Now that you're on 360, the quest for achievements makes your games even more time-consuming. And Peggle is on WoW... what's next? Feeding Frenzy in the shower, on the fogged mirror on the wall, with your soapy finger? Perhaps.
That is all the attention you get. I must get back to Bookworm.
Thanks for nothing, PopCap. You addictive jerks. Why can't I quit you?
You made Bejeweled, and moms all over the world have been in your grasp ever since. Sequels, and pseudo-sequels, and everyone still loves you. On their computer at work, on iPhone... your reach is limitless.
You just released Plants Vs. Zombies, and everyone loves it. A tower defense game, and it won numerous Game of the Month awards, despite the fact that that tired genre was originally created roughly twenty years ago. Your best selling game ever.
Feeding Frenzy, Zuma, Astropop, you can do no wrong... and I hate you. Now that you're on 360, the quest for achievements makes your games even more time-consuming. And Peggle is on WoW... what's next? Feeding Frenzy in the shower, on the fogged mirror on the wall, with your soapy finger? Perhaps.
That is all the attention you get. I must get back to Bookworm.
Thanks for nothing, PopCap. You addictive jerks. Why can't I quit you?
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