Articles by Mr.Mog!
There are times when you just sit back and think to yourself "really?", and my friend, I think this is one of them.
Nintendo Australia has decided give an hour-long "beginner's class" for first time DS players in Melbourne, Australia, focusing on the systems two most family friendly and successful titles Nintendogs and Animal Crossing. Apparently the intention is for "people to come along and learn about one or two Nintendo's most popular and unique games on the DS". Or in a nutshell, PR. There will be lots of goodies up for grabs as well apparently so even if AC and Nintendogs are old hat or you just don't care it's still worth going for the chance of collectibles.
It may sound gimmicky but in my personal opinion it sounds like an awesome and creative PR excerise. Sure there are events where people can get hands on the with the game, but those are sadly limited to industry or fan gatherings with the regular consumer left in the dark. Plus it's an perfect opportunity for parents to be taught that there are video games that don't feature violence as many so sadly believe.
The event takes place this Thursday (May 15th) from 6-7pm in the Screen Pit at ACMI in Federation Square (just take the entrance facing Swanston street). People are asked to bring their copies of both titles if they can. It sounds interesting, but being very familiar with both titles I think I might give it a miss. However if you've got parents, friends or family that need to see the light, this might be the perfect opportunity.
Nintendo Holding DS Beginner Class In Melbourne [Aussie-Nintendo]
It's the second week of the Hanabi festival for the PAL Region, which gives players a chance to check out titles that never made it's way here. Last week we received two excellent shooters and a puzzle game, and this time we get... two excellent shooters and a puzzle game (and a billiards game), this time with a very Japanese vibe!
First up is Metal Slug (Neo Geo, 900 Points), the run n' gun coin-op classic. For those of unfamiliar with the game and the series, it's simply just about picking up your controller and blasting everything that moves (except your partner in co-op mode who joins you in the genocide of your enemies). It's simple but heaps of fun, and is a reminder that not all games need extreme depth to be enjoyable.
Next is Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu (MegaDrive, 900 Points), which even though released in March in the US is still seen as part of the Hanabi Festival line up (not that I'm complaining, it's a good thing!). The western world did technically get this title, but under the re-branded Doctor Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (also on the VC). Pretty much the same as all of it's puyo brothers and sisters, the game forces you to think fast and create chains of 3 or more same colored "puyos" that fall from the screen. Let and too many pile up and it's game over. Multi player and it's awesomely super cuteness (which I'm a huge sucker for I sadly admit) make this a fun puzzle game.
Cho Aniki (TurboGrafix, 900 Points) finally and surprisingly makes it way to the VC in all of it's weird and wonderful glory. In this infamous side-scrolling shooter, you take control of ethier Idaten, a guy or Benten, a gal (Adon and Samson the two very beefed up guys the series is known for only play a secondary role in this title) as they fly around and shoot up the most bizarre stuff. Sadly unlike the other titles this week, the game only supports single player, but makes up for it with multiple difficulty levels.
Hopefully this great batch will get you through till the next and final week of the Hanabi festival. As usual, have a great week of gaming!
For those you in Australia who have been living under a rock, Nintendo's much talked about fitness software Wii Fit (and with it the bundled Balance Board) hits tomorrow. But can you afford it? With a AUD $150 RRP tag, it's certainly singling itself out as a luxury piece of "fitness equipment" rather than an average game. The average cost for a current generation console game is $100 for major releases.
Thankfully though Economical Gamer, which helps people play on a shoestring budget, has done the hard work and compiled a list of major retailers offering the bundle at a discount, as follows (all prices are in $AUD):
- Myer: $109 (using Myer One voucher)
- Kmart: $119
- JB Hi-Fi: $119
- Big W: $124
- Target: $129.95
- WOW Sight & Sound: $129.95
- Toys 'R' Us: $129.99 (preorder for $20 off coupon)
- JB Hi-Fi: $134
- Dick Smith: $134 (preorder only or $144 normally)
- Myer: $139 (without Myer One voucher)
- David Jones: $149.95 with bonus massager and towel
- JB Hi-Fi: Trade in 4 Wii games, get it free
The clear winner is the department store Myer, at $109 but only for Myer One members, who are few and far in between. Otherwise the crown for thrift belongs to K-Mart and JB Hi-Fi, though it's trade-in deal (as with many) seems a rip off, at least in my opinion. David Jones, keeping up it's pricey reputation offers Wii Fit at full price, but includes a massager and towel to what I guess is meant to be used for a post-standing still massage.
Expect a price war and many a sell out within the coming weeks, and let's not forget that the list doesn't include online retailers which are always great places to save. Will you be picking it up, and if not is the price the main reason?
[Via Vooks]
I love it when we down under and our European friends get a title early or god forbid an exclusive (extremely rare, but it has happened). It instills a bit of hope into me that we aren't just spare change behind the sofa cushions.
Fellow PALians might remember last year the "Hanabi Festival", based on the Japanese holiday, which saw several previously Japan only titles make it's way to the Australian, European and New Zealand Virtual Console. I took advantage of it, snagging Treasure's Sin And Punishment (during it's Sci-Fi Week) and Mario's Picross (in the Mario Week which included the Lost Levels). Ah, such a fine 3 weeks it was... And it's now time to do it all over again!
Starting last Friday and going for the next two weeks, the festival will bring previously Japan only titles "untouched" (meaning untranslated). The first titles up for download are Gradius II Gofer No Yabou (900 Points), Columns III: Revenge of columns (900 points) and Star Solider (700). I don't understand the markup with the "import" titles in the library since they are offered as-is and distributed digitally. But hey, at least we're getting them.
Looking down the track, we'll be seeing a range of releases during the festival such as the adorable Puyo Puyo 2, Grey Lancer, Star Parodier, and the ever so homo-erotic Cho Aniki, after much speculation. I think it's going to make the "must-download" list for me, just to see if all the attention is warranted.
So start hoarding those points boys and gals, particularly if you're an import junkie, and stick with GayGamer.net as we bring you the release list each Friday over the next two weeks!
Another PAL Hanabi Festival [Kotaku]
Sick of all the GTA news that's been hitting recently? Well, too bad! Rockstar have not only taken control of the gaming media, but also the gaming market, with impressive sales to the sum of around $US 400 million and nearly every gaming shop I have ventured into having low or sold out stock. So sadly we're going to be hearing about it for a long time to come. But is all this attention taking the limelight away from the other belle of the ball, Nintendo's money maker the Wii? According to Forbe's Brian Caulfield it may be so.
Caulfield in his article ponders and asks if the lack of GTA IV on the Wii will impact and slow down the sales of the machine as a result. He doesn't go as far as to give a definitive answer, but makes some strong points for the theory. The biggest is the fact that as much as Nintendo wants to deny it, there is still a huge market for "traditional" IP, such as the GTA series, which was unable to be put on the system due to technical restraints, missing out on a slice of the multi-million pie. And it's pretty much a system seller (I have talked with a few people who have brought a PS3 solely for GTA IV), with one analyst in the piece stating the sad truth:
"It's one of a series of good games that will each convince consumers that there is alot of good content on the other boxes"
The article also highlights the two strong points that both the xbox 360 and PS3 have over the Wii, using GTA IV as the prime example: The 360 with it's robust and strong online presence offering good multilayer and plenty of DLC, and the PS3 is a next-gen movie player that offers the best possible visual experience out of the two consoles. He does note that "the Wii won't die, for sure...".
Could this be the end of Nintendo's stranglehold on the video game world? Or will not having one major title not matter in the grand scheme of things? Only time will tell.
How Grand Theft Auto Threatens The Wii [Forbes]
[Via Kotaku]
Just a friendly reminder for all of you on the PC version of Team Fortress 2 (and that's quite a many) that the latest update is out!
This time around brings new content such as the map Goldrush to wage all out tactical war on and 3 additional weapons for use by collecting medic achievements. The update is free to all with a steam account.
So what are you waiting for... get to it! Now let's hope us 360 users get some love.
[Via PALGN]
Oh no, here it comes! It's getting closer.... it's... it's... another piece of GTA IV news! Hoorah!
With the game of the day (and pretty much the next couple of weeks) enjoying incredible success, both sales wise and critically, Rockstar and Microsoft are in a generous mood, giving all who buy GTA IV for the 360, a month of LIVE, for FREE!
While I'm sure many of you already have a gold account (myself included), if you ever wanted to test the waters of online gaming, 360 style, then this is the time (again, kinda pointless with the free trial month, but it's the thought that counts!). And it sure beats the usual weekend period that many other games provide. Just yet another reason to pick it up. Like they all said.
Buy GTA IV, Get Xbox Live Free For A Month [Kotaku]
Continuing on with what seems to be our GTA IV (which hits selves today for all regions) theme yesterday, comes this story that might make me think twice about selecting the "UPS" option for shopping online (well okay, that's a bit extreme but you get the idea).
Ars Technica has reported that according to an insider at UPS (one of the world's largest courier companies), most likely in HR, has apparently had a number of it's workers stealing games from shipment containers (and getting caught red handed), in particular Rockstar's GTA IV. It's even got to the point where in an single day, "three workers were fired, and more interviews were scheduled for today that would likely end in termination" over the matter. Alarming stuff!
It is thought that the copies are actually being used for playing, and not financial gain (read: ebay), as many employees caught had stolen only one copy. I guess even posties like to wind down with a game or two at home.
But before you snub UPS entirely, you'll be glad to know that this isn't a common occurrence, as they have "ways" (such as the obvious torn flaps and the overuse of tape) to tell if employees have helping themselves to your wares.
While it is always sad to see people steal (and the resulting dismissal), at least the irony isn't lost on this worker:
It's kind of funny, isn't it? It's a game about theft, and people are stealing it."
Well, Rockstar, you've got people risking their livelihoods just to play your game. I say that speaks volumes more than any press release. Wouldn't you?
Grand Theft UPS: Copies Of GTA Stolen En Route To Retailers [Ars Technica]
[Via Kotaku]
Justice is a fair, but cruel (not to mention reasonably priced) mistress, particularly when it comes to the virtual scum that is the griefer or the just the guy/gal who wants his/her name on a leaderboard regardless of the means. Far too often have I seen an online game or match broken because of the stupidity of some of it's dumber players, ruining the fun, enjoyment and reward that comes from playing a fair game.
Well Microsoft have refused to sit back and watch such a thing happen (being the bastions of morality that they are), at least for it's gamerScore and Achievement system, by resetting all the gamerscores of all players found to have tampered with their "achievements" through methods such as gamesaves, which is apparently a huge no-no in their terms of use, to a big fat zero. A pretty fair punishment I reckon, but it's doesn't end there...
In addition to having your gaming penis destroyed, you'll also be quite literally labeled a cheater on the xbox.com community (as shown in the screenshot above) for all to see and on your personal 360 dashboard. Finally, you won't be able to gain any of the achievements you had before the banning, though you are able to redeem yourself on any future game you decide to play. Their reasoning:
We believe in players reforming themselves, which is why gamerscore correction only applies to previously earned achievements. This allows these players to earn achievements like other "fair" players without having to get banned from LIVE. However, any user who violates the LIVE Terms of Use is subject to having their gamertag banned.
Awww... aren't they sweet?
While I think that naming and shaming cheaters is a great idea and detractor to a degree, it doesn't address the problem completely. This is the internet, where usernames can be changed at whim. What's to say they won't just get another gamertag and repeat the process (unless they go as far as to mark the IP Address)? But, like Nintendo's recent monitoring of Mario Kart Wii, it's a huge step in the right direction for providing a level playing field to all.
The moral of the story: Be a good gamer and work hard for those points... or else! Tell us what you think!
Gamerscore Correction [Major Nelson]
[Via Gizmondo]
Gaming supergod Will Wright's latest creation, the "everything sim" Spore, seems to be shaping up quite nicely, with it definitely looking like the sim game to end all sim games. I mean seriously, after building and controlling a world/universe, where else is there to go?
For those of you who can't wait till the September release, here's some good news: The Spore Creature Creator, which allows you to mold and give birth to creatures for use in the full game, has been given a solid release date of June 17, via download.
The software will set you back $9.99US (hopefully you won't have to buy it separately in the final product), but if you just want to wet your feet or have a glimpse of what the fuss is about, then a free demo will be up on the same day via the Spore site.
It's great when developers decide to allow potential customers to start developing content and mods for a game before it's release. It immediately creates a strong community scene upon the product's launch and therefore makes it much more accessible to newer players and gives users a personalized experience from the beginning. Pretty neat, but I don't know if I would spring the cash till I know for sure that spore lives up to all the hype. Will you?
Spore Creator Creator And Demo Coming June 17 [Joystiq]
There's no denying it: Rock Band is the shiz at the moment. It's one of those games that consoles want it to be on and publishers want to emulate (but sadly can't, judging by videos and screens of the competition's efforts). It's made MTV games, Harmonix and EA quite a tidy profit and I suspect that Activision is kicking themselves over losing such an valuable and talented asset. But it seems the publishing giant Activision has a plan up their sleeves...
In an interview with financial site Conde Nast, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick made the comment "It's not just about guitars" while talking about their current cash cow Guitar Hero. Really? You could've of fooled me considering IT'S THE PREMISE OF THE WHOLE GAME! He went on to say that future games in the series will "include a lot of other instruments, such as vocals".
Surprise... surprise... It was only a matter of time before this happened. Though I guess the Guitar Hero games have just enough to polish to make it work almost as decently as Rock Band, so it might be interesting to see how this pans out, particularly with Harmonix's reaction.
New Peripherals For Guitar Hero [Eurogamer]
[Via PALGN]
My my my, this is the week of big releases isn't it? No matter what you're into, funky handheld action RPG's, wacky Mario themed racing games or just a quick causal living room romp it seems to be there for you! I must say I've picked up at least one of this week's titles, The World Ends With You (DS) (Top Pick) and it's a blast (lookout for a review real soon)! As per usual have a great week of gaming and may the force be with you!
Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
Time Crisis 4 (bundle) (PS3)
Riviera (PSP)
NBA Ballers: Chosen One (360)
Jetix Puzzle Bubble (DS)
Starz (DS)
Dr. Reiner Kinizia's Brainbenders (DS)
And girls who like girls who like rumble packs!
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