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Music Games Will Make A Comeback, But How Is A Mystery
Rock Band and Guitar Hero aren’t the sensations they used to be. That doesn’t mean they’re bad. Not Rock Band 3. But they’re not the cultural phenomenons they once were. That’s temporary, according to a man who should know. “I think the music genre is going to recover,” John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, the…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 30, 2010 -
These Xbox Indies Look Very Good
Did you ever look at the Xbox Live Indie Games channel and think that the games all suck? If so, you didn’t look closely enough. This week starts the Winter Games Uprising, a week of new indie games that aren’t supposed to be stinkers or cash-ins. That’s the official trailer for the games up top.…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 30, 2010 -
The Newest $350 Zelda Statue
For $330 next year, you could show your love for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and buy a Midna and Wolf Link statue from First 4 Figures. But why? For $350, you could get the better version. The people at First 4 Figures revealed today that their “exclusive edition” of the Midna/Wolf-Link statue is…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 30, 2010 -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
Another month draws to an end. Say goodbye to November by talking here about video games. Thanks to Roth for today’s image. Tomorrow is December, so go ahead and nominate your favorite old public-domain painting for December’s installments of Talk Amongst Yourselves. Please provide the artist’s name and the name of the paining. Don’t post…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 30, 2010 -
Kinect Hype Vs. Kinect Reality
In June 2009, Microsoft premiered a terrific hype trailer – “product vision,” they called it – for the device that would become this season’s Xbox 360 Kinect sensor. Vision trailers tend not to match reality. How close did Microsoft get? Here is that Kinect trailer, shown at E3 2009, back when the Kinect was still…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 30, 2010 -
It’s Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas
To: Ashcraft From: Totilo Re: Leslie Nielsen, R.I.P. What you see here, Ash, is the way Christmas trees are sold in New York City. This row was propped up along Houston Street this morning. I spotted it while I was on my way to work. Couldn’t miss it. Can you smell the pine needles? I…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
Your User-Generated Android 2010 Gift Guide
The Android is a Google mobile phone platform that has games on it, and that’s about all I can tell you with confidence. I have no Android, but let’s fear no obstacles to having a 2010 Android Gift Guide. Since we’ve run holiday video game buyers’ guides for every other modern gaming platform over the…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
Gamers At The Supreme Court, Arguing For Video Games
In the battle between people who want to criminalize the sale of violent games to kids and the video game industry, the video game industry’s fans made a video. This video was shot by the Entertainment Consumers Association, a gamers’ advocacy group, at the Supreme Court on November 2. On that day, the Court heard…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
A War Game Where Nothing Could Happen
Video game creator Sion Lenton had an idea for one level of his next war video game. The sequence would feature Marines, probably in near-future Tajikistan, on assignment, on patrol. They’d walk around, looking for bad guys. They’d find none. “I was contemplating having a mission where nothing happens,” he told me while he was…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
Sonic Does Not Win This All-Star Video Game Footrace
It’s Sonic vs. Mario vs. Samus vs. Earthworm Jim vs. the kid from Aladdin and a bunch of other old-school gaming icons in animator Steve Williams’ great video game race. Who wins? Watch. Classic video game characters in a race [YouTube]
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
Diehard Nintendo Fans Debate Whether Donkey Kong Is Good Or Evil
Nintendo’s famous ape seemed like a villain back in the original Donkey Kong game, but he’s been a good guy recently. Which is it? We asked people who would know, some of whom were dressed as Nintendo characters. This video was shot in November at the Nintendo World Store. Thanks to all who agreed to…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 29, 2010 -
Massively Multiplayer Gotham City
Back in grade school my friends tried to convince me that Batman was cooler than Superman. While they were probably right, Gotham City is no Metropolis. Here’s a flythrough trailer for Batman’s Gotham City as it is featured in the early 2011 massively multiplayer PC and PlayStation 3 game DC Universe Online. Arkham Asylum is…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 26, 2010 -
Gran Turismo’s Pursuit Of Visual Perfection, One Game At A Time
Gran Turismo is video game’s premiere iconic racing game series. Like Lara Croft, it has improved graphically. Take a look, at how good-looking it’s become, game by game, for over a decade. Gran Turismo (1998, PlayStation) The game doesn’t look bad until the 1:50 mark or so, when the cars start bouncing off each other…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 26, 2010 -
Assassin’s Creed 2011 Will Be A ‘Big’ Game
November 15’s ‘Something Around Assassin’s Coming In 2011’ appears to = today’s “next year we will have another big Assassin’s Creed game” from British gaming news outlet MCV. Both quotes come from top people at Assassin’s Creed publisher Ubisoft.
By Stephen Totilo Published November 26, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem Is More Donkey Kong Than 2010’s Other Big Donkey Kong Game
Some other Donkey Kong game came out from Nintendo in November 2010. Donkey Kong Country Returns, they call it. Yeah, sure. Like the essence of Donkey Kong is running to the right. The ape must stand defiant. Mario must run. Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem is the third fourth of the Mario Vs. DK…
By Stephen Totilo Published November 25, 2010 -
Talk Amongst Yourselves
It’s Thanksgiving in the U.S., it’s a month before Christmas, and it’s the day to talk about games. Why don’t you thank your favorite game or game developer in the comments here today. And I will thank Yossarian for today’s image. Boldly submit your images to #TAYpics
By Stephen Totilo Published November 25, 2010
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