Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is speeding ahead and closing in on its November 16, 2010 release date. What better way to celebrate than to release a video with British cops and racers trying to outdo each other? Actually, there may be a better way, but lets not get into that. Also, enjoy another video showing off what happens when Need for Speed goes on tour. Suffice it to say, we all need lives with more sports cars, beautiful women and parties by EA. How to get that happen is, unfortunately, an entirely different manner. Let us know how much in need you are for the game!
Alright, look, I know this is nothing new, but I just got shown this tonight so I figured I would make a post about it for those of you who aren’t aware. If you get the Bing toolbar (only works in IE as far as I can tell, so take note firefox/chrome users) you can accumulate bing points, which can be redeemed for various things, one of which being MS points. 100 bing points=100 MS points.
Go here and download the toolbar. Install it, link it to your windows live ID thats linked with your gamertag, blah blah. Once all of that is done, load up internet explorer and you should see the bing toolbar with your points flashing in little tab in the toolbar called “rewards”. Click that tab, go to current offers within that tab and there should be a bunch of ads that you can click on for more points, usually 12 each. You should another 60 or so with that. Also within that current offers tab, at the top, it should tell you that for every 2 searches or so (some its 2, others its 5, I haven’t been able to figure out why its different) you get 1 point, up to 12 points a day. That means you just need to search 26 times to get another 12 points a day, equating to over 100 points a week. It doesn’t have to be anything big, I just search each letter of the alphabet. In order to redeem your points, go back into your rewards tab and at the bottom of it should be redemption center. Click on gift cards and MS points should be floating around somewhere in there, 100 bing for 100 MS.
Don’t believe me? Go try it. Act fast, apparently the points you get for searching used to be higher, somewhere like 15 instead of 12, so who knows how much longer this will last until it becomes negligible.
Is there possibly a Gran turismo 5 conspiracy going on in the world? First off the head MAchismo of Gran Turismo, Kazunori Yamauchi says “the GT5 discs are being stamped as we speak. He said it to Jolopnik here. Then there have been been sightings of Gran Turismo 5 disc copies in europe. The uber-fan site GTplanet has pics of it here
Now rumors may be one thing but I like solid proof and this is as close as it can get than the real copy being in your hands. The game was delayed to an unspecified date of next year. Maybe a end of the month release is in the works? Lets hope so.
Yes, you heard that right, Nintendo has now trademarked the famous phrase “It’s on Like Donkey Kong” in celebration of the release of Donkey Kong Country Returns next week. Back in the ages of arcade, the phrase was started as a competitive way of trash talking your foe and now that Nintendo owns the phrase for Donkey Kong Country Returns, I would expect it to be used more than ever.
I remember when everyone used that phrase when I was growing up, then our teachers started to use it and it became about as cool as “the bees knees” but with all respect for the king of swing, I will accept the return of the lingo. Donkey Kong has declined comment about this rebirth of 90’s culture, but Diddy was available to give us this bit of commentary on Nintendo’s latest trademark.
“Hooo Haa”
There you have it. Donkey Kong Country Returns Launches next Tuesday the 16th in the states and the 21st in Europe. For more information you can check out the official site at http://donkeykong.nintendo.com.
Earlier today Capcom announced that they are bringing MotoGP 10/11 to the PS3 and the Xbox 360 sometime in March of 2011. After being developed by Monumental Games MotoGP 10/11 will be giving players all the content that is available from the MotoGP series of 2010, and will be also provide update DLC for free when the 2011 MotoGP series begins.
MotoGP 10/11 will be bringing five different modes of gameplay for players to experience, such as: Championship, Time Trial, Challenge, Career and Online Mode. The online mode is especially impressive by being able to support 20 different racers at once each competing for the number one spot. If you are interested in racing with a friend you will have that opportunity in Career mode for the first time as well. This is accomplished by an easy jump in system that places your friend in a split screen and allow you to team up.
More has been changed other than the game modes however as MotoGP will now sport an improved physics engine and handling system that will make the authenticity level reach a height that players have never seen before. Put this together with the ability to customize your bike and racer to fit your style perfectly. You can even switch on an assisting mode if you happen to have trouble with racing itself.
Not too long ago, we brought you news on Nintendo’s Fluidity, an action/platformer/puzzle game that was announced for the WiiWare. Nintendo has apparently scrapped the name and released quite a bit of new information on the title which will be launching the 24th of December in Europe. Now titled “Hydroventure”, the physics based water platformer is looking quite impressive.
Here is a look at the Official Press Release detailing what to expect from the game:
Set in an illustrated magical book called Aquaticus, Hydroventure combines a true-to-life physics engine that takes on the characteristics of flowing water, with innovative and intriguing gameplay.
Players must navigate their way across multiple chapters to rid Aquaticus of a corruptive goop called the “Influence”, solving puzzles along the way in order to find Rainbow Drops scattered around the world. Using the three forms of water – liquid, ice and cloud – players can transform to continue on their adventure, for instance become a cloud to float to hard to reach areas, then make the cloud rain to return to a liquid state, or turn into ice and stick to surfaces..
Players can “tip” the world left to right to move the water in a realistic motion, depending on which direction players angle their Wii Remote. By balancing the Wii Remote in just the right position, players can move lumps of ice, pools of water or liquid laden clouds through each level. Shaking the Wii Remote will also make the water jump over obstacles and help players to complete tasks and challenges.
Fear not, if all this splashing about sounds like a tidal wave of tricky combinations to learn, the game offers detailed tutorials that introduce basic game controls. Once you have mastered the fundamentals, utilise special powers which can be acquired to take on increasingly difficult enemies.
Beware though, as the finite amount of water acts as it would in real life and can be split, trapped or even evaporate. If the water reserves get low, players can refill their supplies by collecting water found throughout levels. Water however will be lost if it is hit by enemy attacks, and if the water touches arid or hot surfaces, such as sand or lava, things might get steamy and it could be game over.
In order to clear up the goop, players must search each of the four chapters – Countryside, City, Mountain temple and Seaside – for Rainbow Drops. To access later chapters of Aquaticus, players will need to find these Rainbow Drops to progress and restore the book to its former, colourful glory.
There are over 80 Rainbow Drops which can be found by exploring each level and using six different unlockable abilities. For example, in order to increase their speed when in cloud form, players can use a gust of wind to propel them forward or hitch a ride on a passing hot air balloon with the aid of suction power. When under attack, clouds can be charged up to launch a lightning bolt to destroy enemies and interact with electrical equipment in the levels. In liquid form, players can squirt water onto higher platforms or transform into ice form and stick to walls and platforms for a few seconds to reach their goal.
I don;t know about all of you, but when Nintendo develops an original title, I expect a lot. This one looks to fully live up to any expectations though as from the innovative control scheme to the magical world of Aquaticus Nintendo painted a picture with in their press release, this is my most anticipated WiiWare title for the remainder of 2010.
Hydroventure will debut with a demo and full version of the game on December 24th at 1200 Nintendo Points for Europe and I imagine that Nintendo of USA will release a pending date very soon as well which I am thinking will be near or the same date as the European release.
As we grow closer to the release of the 3DS, more and more developers are announcing titles that will launch with Nintendo’s latest platform. EA has now announced that Madden NFL Football will be one of the first from the developer for the 3DS. One thing that surprised me with the Nintendo DS’s library was that there wasn’t too many football games on the system, which is fine for the most part, but sports fans are now off to a great start with this upcoming release.
Now to go over the modes and features of the title. Players can throw down in 11-on-11 football, or a more fast paced game of 5-on 5, as well as season mode. Of course the game will be using the 3D technology and with “Spotlight Moments” and “Call Your Shots” the system’s technology and touch-screen can be fully utilized. The “Call Your Shots” feature will allow players to draw their own plays on the touch screen and watch them come to life in the game.
Three Modes that will be available are Gameflow, Classic, and Arcade, each playing different than the next. GameFlow automatically selects the best play for the situation based on real NFL team gameplans; streamlining play calling and shortening overall game length for a more accessible experience. Classic play call allows users to experience the full depth of selecting formations and individual plays, while Arcade play call simplifies options through a more concentrated playbook.
Madden NFL Football will also bring each of the 32 NFL teams and stadiums to life like never before with a presentation optimized for viewing in 3D, including 3D specific cameras that provide new levels of depth, making Madden NFL Football the perfect on-the-go game for every football fan.
I am not normally excited for Madden titles, but I am so ready for the 3DS that this will be one I will have to check out for sure as it looks to be a heavy hitting launch title. For more information, check out the official website at http://maddennfl.easports.com/
One of the Wii’s most anticipated shooters of 2011 has now got some extra incentive to be purchased with Gamestop. Those who pick up the game at any Gamestop location will receive quite a bit of extra content including an art book, a new armor skin, and an enhanced ASE search device.
Here are the details for the bonuses in the limited edition:
44-page art book featuring a rich selection of concept art and design development insights into Conduit 2’s science fiction world, weapons, and enemies.
The “Eye of Ra” device is an enhanced in-game “All Seeing Eye” (A.S.E.) device that captures Conduit 2’s hidden secrets in twice the speed.
The “Gold Destroyer Armor” multiplayer skin based on the lead character’s primary armor.
Those are some very solid freebies Sega is throwing in and it looks like this will be the version to get when the game launches in February of 2011. I honestly would put in a pre-order if you are interested as limited editions are…well, limited. Click HERE to be taken to the official product page from gamestop.com and as more details come forward about this sequel, we will keep you updated so check back here for future news.
It’s the madness sale again! This time, it comes from Pangea Software, a dedicated team of people that focused on developing original software for the Apple/Mac/iPhone platforms. Five of their award-winning titles are on sale for a very limited time on the Apple App Store. Make sure you check them out before it’s too late (We will never know when the next sale is).
Nominated as the “Best App Ever 2008 Awards”, you pilot a flying dinosaur from the future, equipped with massive firepower. You are tasked to find and retrieve the missing dinosaur eggs as you battle other Nanosaurs.
You are Otto Matic (as the name suggest, you are a robot), and your task is to save Earth from Brain Aliens. There are 10 levels on amazing 3D alien worlds with 25 different alien creatures for you to battle through.
You play as the hungry caveman named Brog who races through Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages in 11 different primitive vehicles with primitive weapons and power ups on 9 different race tracks. The wildest racing 3D game ever.
As Skip McFly (a grasshopper), you explores the areas inside and around a house, in beautiful 3D animation and meet with great characters from spear-throwing roaches to blood-sucking ticks.
SingStar Guitar Platform: PS3
Developer: London Studios
Publisher: SCEE
Released: November 2010
Price: (AUD) $49.99
It’s hard to argue the fact that Sony’s SingStar is the king of the hill when it comes to console karaoke, and this seems unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. That title is not enough though, and Sony has added guitar support to a more rock-oriented track list to bring us the very first iteration of SingStar Guitar.
As the name suggests, SingStar Guitar is… well… SingStar with added support for a guitar peripheral controller. If you have Rock Band or Guitar Hero then you have a compatible guitar. For the purpose of this review I tested the game using the Les Paul from Guitar Hero 3 and the Fender from Guitar Hero: World Tour, both of which worked perfectly from a hardware perspective.
With the features of SingStar remaining pretty much the same across the lifetime of the franchise each version lives or dies on the strength of the playlist, and whether or not the playlist fits into your views on what great music really is.
The track list for SingStar guitar is suitably rocking, featuring tracks by Muse, Paramore and The White Stripes, along with older tunes by the Buzzcocks and The Clash, and Australian rock from the Choirboys, The Angels, and Eskimo Joe. It’s true that you could question the rock credentials of a song by The Veronicas being included, but overall it’s a solid set of songs. The full track list is as follows:
3 Doors Down – Kryptonite
Bloc Party – Helicopter
Blur – Song 2
Buzzcocks – Ever Fallen In Love With Someone
Choirboys – Run To Paradise
Colbie Caillat – Bubbly
David Bowie – The Man Who Sold The World
Eskimo Joe – From The Sea
Florence and the Machine – Kiss With A Fist
Franz Ferdinand – No You Girls
Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict A Riot
Kasabian – Fire
Keith Urban Days Go By
Ladyhawke – My Delirium
Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
Paramore – CrushCrushCrush
Pixies – Debaser
Pulp – Disco 2000
Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure
Stereophonics – Just Looking
The Angels – Take A Long Line
The Clash – Rock The Casbah
The Cult – She Sells Sanctuary
The Living End – Prisoner Of Society
The Saboteurs – Steady As She Goes
The Stone Roses – Waterfall
The Veronicas – Untouched
The White Stripes – Fell In Love With A Girl
The Wrights – Evie Part 1 (Let Your Hair Hang Down)
U2 – Beautiful Day
As far as the vocals are concerned there is nothing that will surprise you with SingStar Guitar, with the game following the mechanics laid out by previous iterations in the franchise. The guitar side of the game is like a stripped-down Guitar Hero experience, with a plain “highway” that the notes appear on, no “Star Power” boosts, and no combo bonuses.
The note transcription feels fairly smooth and was enjoyable enough to play, but the total lack of features that I’ve come to expect in a guitar simulation game really hurts this game overall.
If you own Guitar Hero or Rock Band there is simply no reason why you’d want to play this game instead other than the track list, and many of the songs are available on the “big two” franchises anyway. The simulated guitar experience served up in SingStar Guitar is so inferior to the other games that it feels almost pointless.
There are some big negatives to the guitar play that really impacted on my enjoyment of the game. While it’s a good thing that the music video for the track plays full screen in the background while playing the song, I also found that in some cases the video strobes and it can become very distracting – to the point of dropping some notes. The first time I played the game I also triggered a bug when I tried to switch the note layout to left-handed. The guitar picked up the switch perfectly, but the notes onscreen kept coming down the highway in right-handed mode, i.e. green was advancing down the orange path and so on. This bug almost caused me to quit playing the game then and there, but a quick restart corrected the issue and from that point on there were no further issues.
Overall I think your enjoyment of this game will come down to your experience with other guitar simulation titles. If you have Guitar Hero or Rock Band, this game is probably not for you, it’s the equivalent of driving a BMW around for years and then taking a joyride in a Hyundai. However, if you are a long-time SingStar fan and you can pick up a guitar peripheral cheaply, I can highly recommend SingStar Guitar. The vocal mechanics are as strong as ever, and the simplified guitar features might just prove to be a great entry into the world of guitar games.
