Amongst the many contests that Blizzard has provided over this past year, they are welcoming applicants for the Holiday Dessert Contest. The rules are fairly simple – create a dessert with the theme of Diablo, Warcraft, or StarCraft. Once the masterpiece is completed take a picture of the Blizzard themed dessert and submit it along with a valid email address. Greatfather Winter may have prizes in store for your grand dessert.
1st Place:
Wilton Ultimate Decorating Set
Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard
Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset
Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse
Second Place:
Marauder StarCraft II Gaming Keyboard
Banshee StarCraft II Gaming Headset
Spectre StarCraft II Gaming Mouse
Third Place:
StarCraft II Zerg Edition Messenger Bag
For a full list of the contest rules and an entry submission check the Blizzard Holiday Dessert Contest link (HERE). The contest ends on December 20, 2011, so get baking people!
Max and The Magic Marker Platform: Nintendo DS (Reviewed), PSN, WiiWare Publisher:Easy Interactive Developer:Press Play Release Date: November 8, 2011 Price: $29.99 – Available Here
Overview
Since launching last year, Max has made quite a mark on the gaming universe. If you have never tried the indie hit yet, this romp puts you in control of a young boy who sets out on an adventure with a magical marker in a hand drawn world. The entire experience is a platformer at heart, but sets itself apart from other genres by letting the player utilize their own creativity to keep Max safe and sound on his colorful journey. After a year of success, Easy Interactive have now brought the game to the Nintendo DS. Considering that the DS uses a stylus, you would think that this would be our young hero’s true home. How does this platform fare for the already popular IP though? Here is my review for Max and the Magic Marker.
Story
Max and the Magic Marker starts off with a young boy receiving a mysterious package in the mail. As you would have guessed, that young boy is Max and enclosed is a magical marker. Max, who already loves to draw takes the tool and draws a picture of a monster. Before our budding artist can even show off his masterpiece, the monster jumps off the page and comes to life, jumping into other drawings. Max must stop his chaotic creation and doodles himself into the world. With just his newly obtained marker in tow, it’s your job to take control of Max as he tries to stop his own artwork.
As a whole, the whole story is rather charming and meshes well with the game’s concept. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be in the imagination of a child? Even though this story is heartwarming and gentle, following the entire narrative is a bit hard to do as the main story is just told through text sequences and run-ins with other characters. A few cut-scenes or even still images could have done a lot to make up for this, but most will probably overlook the lack of plot as just like the gameplay within, Max and the Magic Marker is rather light on delivery and meant to be accessible to all ages.
Gameplay
As I mentioned, the very core of Max and the Magic Marker is a platformer. Each level is broken down into several segments, all separated by checkpoints. Once the player crosses a checkpoint, they must then relinquish their ink and progress through the next area by solving one or more environmental puzzles. Those expecting Max to control like Mario, Sonic, or any other platforming guru will be a bit disappointed however as he is a bit slow, movement wise. Using the D-Pad for control, players can jump and walk throughout the world and must keep an eye out for many dangers such as water, pits, and enemies. Some of these can be avoided by simply jumping, but usually the game requires you to utilize your magical marker to safely cross longer jumps or to access platforms located at a higher point.
Compared to the many other versions of the game, the marker controls are much more precise due to the Nintendo DS’ stylus. If the player needs to draw a anvil to crush an enemy, you can just draw the said item and watch it plummet to the ground. If a staircase is needed, the player can doodle up a staircase and safely jump up to progress through. There really is no limit on your own creations, but after a while you will quickly learn that creativity is not really necessary for the basics. There were several occasions where I would just scribble out a ball to bash a foe or simply make one line to create a ramp to move upwards or across a gap. You see, the game leaves your own creations up to you, so if you’re not willing to use your own imagination, the entire experience will be rather bland and get stale quickly.
Even though Max’s marker is magical, it still requires ink. After each checkpoint is reached, the player will have their pen drained and must gather up enough ink to properly complete an upcoming puzzle all over again. You would think having your ink taken away so often would be frustrating, but that’s actually where the true challenge and strategy of the game comes in. Later on, ink supply can become very limited and the player must conserve and constantly “erase” previous creations to keep their pen usable. With fewer lines and strokes able to be used, the game then requires conservation and more elaborate creativity to be successful. The puzzles also get more difficult and clever as you move on, which is where the game truly shines. For example, there are many areas with clouds that pour acid rain. To safely pass, you must draw a bubble around max and push your way through. Sometimes you might also need to hit a switch that is out of reach, so the player would then have to create a see-saw and drop a bit of weight onto one end to have the other end trigger the button. Yes, it’s nothing too complex, but there were still quite a few areas where I spent a good time just trying to figure out what to sketch up. Once you do find a solution however, seeing the result play out is always rewarding and that is one feeling that never gets old.
As solid as Max and the Magic Marker is control wise, there are still a few moments of frustration to be found. I had many times where I would get stuck under a see-saw and have to completely restart the level to continue. The actual response of the touch screen can also be hit and miss, with some drawings taking more than one try to properly place. A lot of these gripes don’t really effect the overall game, but having to replay a difficult level due to a bug can be a test of patience. When you finish traveling throughout the three worlds offered, there is a lot to keep you going back in as well such timed achievements, collectibles, and several hidden secrets.
Visuals/Audio
The graphics in Max in the Magic Marker are obviously the stand-out feature. Each backdrop, platform, and character within all boast a hand-drawn art style that does wonders to create a playful and light atmosphere. Animations are a bit more of a mixed bag though, as frame-rates are jumpy and seem to have gotten the shaft when Easy Interactive ported the game over to the Nintendo DS. I know Scribblenauts also had a few hiccups in this area, but other developers have proven that the DS can handle standard animation and whether it was intended or not, the sluggish animations can definitely lead to a bad first impression. Yes, you get used to it and it doesn’t really effect the gameplay, but considering the gimmick, Max a deserved better treatment.
The soundtrack also is hit and miss. The main theme of the game is an absolute earworm that is catchy and pleasant to listen to as you complete the game in it’s entirety. The problem is however that there isn’t much variety. It’s that same tune nearly all the time, on a constant loop. Most enemies are very quiet as well, which makes them feel generic, even though they have an appealing design. Much like the visuals, just a little more time and love would have went miles into making the presentation and charms in the game greater, and it’s sad to see that not much attention was given in this area.
Overall
Max and the Magic Marker started off as a small game with big dreams over a year ago on the digital scene. Of course since then, we have seen the title tackle more platforms and Max himself escalate into a household name of sorts. As great as it is to see an IP grow, this port doesn’t really do much to separate itself from any other versions we have seen thus far. Those looking for a new way to play the game will fall in love with the more precise stylus controls and still get a lot out of the innovative mechanics offered, but the DS version feels almost like a downgrade in comparison due to the presentation of the overall package. If your a handheld guru and want to own Max and the Magic Marker for your dual-screened handheld, then by all means, pick this one up. If you own any of the other platforms that Max and the Magic Marker is available for however, you would do best to do your doodling in another manner for a fraction of the price.
I hope you have all been enjoying the wonder and stress that is Christmas shopping, just know that there is one place that can take away that stress and replace it with the warm, fuzzy knowledge that you have gotten a great deal.
EA Daily Deals of course! For those with a smart phone (iOS or Android, it doesn’t matter) who enjoy their good quality games at heavily discounted prices, EA Daily Deals is the perfect place to go, with new deals announced daily at 9am GMT, so even if the current deals don’t interest you, a good one is bound to pop up at some point.
This weekend we’ll see some fantastic deals on Monopoly: Here and Now edition and Plants vs Zombies for iOS and Tetris and Bejeweled 2 for Android. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to the EA Daily Deals site and get yourself a bargain for Christmas without the queue!
EA Mobile have added two more games to their impressive arsenal, with The Sims Freeplay and Trenches 2. So for those of you who have not yet found the game you will be wasting away the holidays with, these two are prime candidates for the position.
First off, there is Sims Freeplay, for which an article has already been written up here on the impressions and a bit of information on the game. To refresh your minds (or if you simply don’t want to click), you can control up to 16 sims, each with their own unique personalities, there are over 1,200 ways to customize each home, or you can simply buy already furnished places, and – most importantly – it all takes place in real time. Take control of your town and make the town wealth go up! And all for free!
Sims Freeplay is available NOW on the iPhone, iTouch and iPad for FREE! Grab it HERE.
Trenches 2 is also available on the App store, in which you get to fight an epic campaign through an expanded world map, in even more realistic battlefields with all-new artillery and troops. You get to lead your troops through over 50 locations across Europe, can customize armies with over 20 different units, and play with some all new military units and weapons.
Trenches 2 is available NOW on the iPhone, iTouch and iPad for $2.59. Grab it HERE.
In what could be seen by many as a complete turn around regarding their views and stance on piracy, CD Projekt RED have sent out thousands of legal notices to alleged German pirates of the Witcher 2, asking for payment for the game and threatening court action for any non compliance. Not long ago, Marcin Iwinski, co-founder and CEO of the studio spoke out against the use of DRM as an anti-piracy measure, saying his company was focused rather on bringing more value to loyal paying customers. CD Projekt have since issued a statement to the press, stressing the point that its non-inclusion of DRM in its titles is definitely not to be seen as a “green light to pirates”.
According to Torrentfreak, the payments have been up over the $1000 mark, something which CD Projekts Michal Nowakowski denies, stating in a recent interview with PC Gamer, “In terms of the compensation, the amounts that were circling around the internet were higher than what is actually asked from people as a settlement.” The actual number requested is private as part of the settlement’s confidentiality, but Michal wanted to make clear that no one was getting rich from the pirates. This all begs the question of how exactly the studio is hunting down the alleged pirates and making sure they have got the right person for the crime.
While I’m sure we all trust the unnamed methods CD Projekt RED’s hired unnamed security company are using to find these alleged pirates, how are they possibly going to decipher between users within any household or living arrangement with multiple dwellers. Nowakowski is confident that their wont be the same backlash as previously seen in other cases where studios employ these Nazi like tactics to round up pirates. I live in an apartment building and get over 10 different WI-Fi connections. While they are all encrypted and I have an unlimited connection, it wouldnt take much effort to hack into these networks and download whatever I please. Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge than myself on wireless networks and packets can explain if they can possibly identify me as the offending target. Personally Im pretty sure they cant but like most things in life I could be wrong as well.
It will be very interesting to see which way this goes, and while it doesnt seem like it will become an industry norm to hunt down pirates, it could provide many other studios with the incentive and legal means to behave in a similar manner. Unless the game has an inbuilt feature that can sense a pirate and activate their webcam, I cant see how they are doing anything different than tracking individual IP addresses. If so, I really cant see it holding up in court, unless of course you happen to live in Germany, where the laws are much more in their favour. Let us know what you think, is this going a bit too far or are CD Projekt justified in their actions. Whatever the outcome I cant see this as being pre-meditated in an effort to increase profits through any means possible, but its clear the only ones profiting from all these legal battles are the lawyers and their wallets. It all has a slightly deceitful feel to it, almost like a setup of sorts,but maybe thats just me being paranoid. Oh and also, what if someone who has subsequently purchased the game but also downloaded it recieves a letter; are they obliged to pay up, I don’t think so.
Welcome to Capsule Computers’ weekly anime segment, Anime Say! Each week I will be diving into some of the biggest anime related topic of the week and having my say on anything that matters in the anime world. To top it off each episode will conclude with a recommendation from your’s truly of an anime or manga that you should check out.
This week I discuss why I think that adaptation anime need more time to fully develop. You can check out this week’s Anime Say! below.
Got any questions for Anime Say? Send all your queries to [email protected] and I will do my best to answer anything you can throw at me.
What do you think of the fourth episode of Anime Say? Let us know in the shoutbox and comments section.
Everyone’s favourite little naughty boy-turned-knight-turned-every-other-mythical-creature has gotten a special Christmas update! Angry Mob Games has added two brand new levels called SantaVille that has Capture the Flag mode and Beanstalk that adds endless jumper mode, a new Yeti character that freezes enemies, and a new game mode called Emperor. Merry Christmas Muffin Knight fans!
As well as these Christmas add-ons, they’ve made a few updates to the general gameplay such as being able to unlock any level at any time, switching to any of the game modes at anytime, comparing scores to Game Center friends, Chinese localization, Bull and Panda character fixes, achievement fixes and heaps more!
So if you have Muffin Knight make sure to update it, or if you haven’t gotten it yet make sure to grab it on iOS or Android.
Muffin Knight is available on iPhone, iTouch and iPad for $0.99 – grab it HERE
Muffin Knight is also available on Android for $2.98 – grab it HERE
Are you living in Beijin China? Do you love Comic Books? Well then make sure you don’t miss out on ComicDive 6 that’s taking place tomorrow, 18th of December for one day only at the (National Agricultural Exhibition Center New Hall – 全国农业展览馆新馆). Now for anyone that isn’t familiar with what ComicDive is let me give you a brief run down. ComicDive is a Comic / Dojinshi convention that happens once a year in Beijing China and yes you guessed it has been running for its 6th year now. Comic Books / Dojinshi from all over China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan are on sale to the public and range from well known mainstream comics such as One Piece, Hetalia, Tiger & Bunny, Batman, Superman and Gundam etc along with popular Chinese video games such as GuJian (古剑奇谭), The Legend Of Sword and Fairy (仙剑奇侠传) to local and fan made ones. If you’re a fan of Comic books / Dojinshi this is certainly a convention you should attend.
Address : No# 16 E. 3rd Ring Road North Chaoyang, Beijing, China (link to google maps)
The convention Center this year is quite large (13000 meter squared) and will have approx 400 stalls with thousands and thousands of comic books/Doujinshi for sale. The Chinese really do love their comics and attend in full force for this event, so if you’re planning on making your way to the show tomorrow be prepared for the CROWDS! As this is Beijing’s biggest Comic Book convention all year, the amount of people attending go to the event will be huge. Unfortunately from what we’ve heard, 99.9% of comics on sale will be in Chinese so if plan on making your way down to the convention to pick up a comic book or two and can’t speak or read Chinese you might be dissapointed, still we recommend picking up a few just for the amazing artwork and drawings that go into them, especially some of the fan made ones.
Another great thing about ComicDive is the price of the Comics. Pretty much most of the comics on sale will only set you back approx 20-40RMB which is roughly $3-$6 AU/US each, so you can certainly stock up on Comics for the entire year if you really wanted to, this is why so many people will be there tomorrow. If you don’t live in Beijing or can’t be bothered trolling through the crowds and really want to get your hands on some comics, you can hire the services of certain people attending the event, all you need to do is provide them with a list of what you need and they’ll do the rest for you and pick up any comic you wish and for an extra 10% of the price payed will ship them straight over to you, now that’s what you call service and you don’t even have to leave your house.
ComicDive 6’s floor plan this year is broken down into two major sections. The top left section (休息区) is the entrance and rest area, the top right section (拍照区) is the photo section and everyone’s favorite where all the cool Cos-Play characters all congregate. YES they also have Cos-Play even in China, we’re not sure what to expect and what sort of characters will be in attendance tomorrow but don’t worry we’ll keep you posted with a special Cos-Play article tomorrow once we’ve check it out. The last section is business end of the event, the stalls and shops that sell all the comic books / Dojinshi. The stalls are broken down into 8 sectiond A through to G / EX. With each stall selling their own comics to the public, looks pretty straight forward and it is.
Now you might ask, “With all these comics how in world will you know what’s on sale and where to find it?” Great question, well let me answer that for you. If you purchase your ticket online, like I did, you receive an awesome 145 page guide / information booklet that provides you with everything you need to know about the event, and most importantly what each stall/shop is selling. Take for example a section from the booklet, section D Stalls D23-D32 (shown below) as you can see each stall has their own comics/Dojinshi on sale, so all you need to do is look through the sections find the specifc comic/Dojinshi series you are interested in, take note of where it’s located and on the day make your way through the crowds to the stall, reliquish your hard earn dollars in exchange for the comic book/Dojinshi you want, repeat till you run out of money then go home happy. The guide is very easy to follow and if you know or can recognise your favorite comic book artwork it will make your job even easier.
*note* Some stalls have a STAR next to their name – this means that some of the comics/Dojinshi they are selling are going on sale for the very first time.
Now with every great Comic Book Convetion there’s always specials guests, right? Well yes, but if you’re not a fan of Chinese Comic book / Dojinshi you might not have any idea who the guests in attendance are, but still guests are guests and here is a list of who they are :
Catfish – 猫鱼 (Creator of the most famous Dojinshi website in china – http://doujin.bgm.tv/)
钠欧 (Very famous writer in the Dojin circle)
Sherry (ComicDive VIP Orgaizer that also organized ComicDive 2&3 – also known as the ComicDive Queen)
香香 (Special Comic Book/Dojinshi store owner, Store name : 龙堂 Longtang – Dragon’s Hall – website www.i-tang.blogbus.com)
绝对无视 (Organizer of ComiDay, which is another comic book convention in Cheng Du, China)
El ifaus (Presenter of Comic Book group called 绘墨文坊 Hui mo wen fang)
For more information on Comic Dive 6 make sure you head on over to the official website : http://acg88.org/comicdive/ (take note that it’s all in chinese) The official website contains all the information provided in this article, floor plans, ticket pre-sales and also on online guide to to all the comics that will be on sale sale along with other useful information.
Anyone attending the event, let us know what you’re looking forward to doing, buying or getting up tomorrow. If you’re dessing up and Cos-Playing what will you be dressing up as. Let us know leave a comment below. We’ll have a special follow up article in the next few days to recap the event and also share with you the great Chinese Cos-Players which I’m personally excited about.
SummitX Snowboarding is the new release from Com2uS and Free Range Games, a super fun, super sexy looking, realistic snowboarding game. So come on guys, who is ready to shred some mountains? As someone who has never seen snow, I’m definitely up for some shredding, without the embarrassing learning how to balance thing, and also not ruining my romantic view of snow.
SummitX Snowboarding includes 36 multi-branching runs on six different mountains with some slick terrain, six customizable boards, and a licensed soundtrack with over 20 rock bands to pick from or – and this is my favourite feature – pick your own iTunes play list. With Airplay support, you can play on your big screen .
The controls use two-thumb sliding, as well as tilt controls and beautiful UI and art design, so this is definitely something to pick up!
Available on Android for FREE – grab it HERE
As well as on iPhone and iPad for $4.99 – grab it HERE
Toy Shot, Gamevil’s new physics-based puzzle game, has been officially released onto the App Store. Toy Shot has got a hugely reminiscent quality in terms of the graphics, and features over 100 levels of casual yet tricky puzzles, this one looks very innocent but don’t take it just as that, because you might find that you’ll be surprised.
You play as a knight equipped with boomerangs, crossbows and more, with the aim of breaking the walls of Undead Warriors guarding their block castles. You collect gems across each levels and your main aim is to rescue the princess (seriously, they need to beef up security on princesses, or teach them martial arts or Capoeira or something, they get kidnapped way too often).
There are also boss levels and defense levels, each which will provide some definite challenges, and give a good variety to the levels.
Toy Shot is available NOW for iPhone, iTouch and iPad for $0.99. Grab it HERE
