Round 1..... Fight!!!!

Oh Tekken...What can I say. You have won my heart again.





Now you might be wondering where this is coming from. In my morning ritual of surfing the net and checking email, I caught an article about the upcoming Tekken online service. In reading the article I heard something inside me scream "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!!" I have played hours of Tekken in the past, and with my backlog of games I have been playing I put Tekken back in the game case for the time being. So today I dug it out and threw it in the PSP. Like an old friend, it all came flooding back in my mind. The beautiful scenes. The great sound affects and music. What a great escape. So tonight I fully intend to slip on the triports, and kick some tail.

What's in the Xbox bag? (or E3 part 2)

Okay, back to the E3 stuff. Today I'm going to look at the 360 announcements. I must say that as the new kid on the block the Xbox crew has put there finger on what will really change gaming. People want to get connected, they want that same feel of playing with friends in the living room. I think that Xbox Live Arcade has really nailed this concept perfectly. The ability to buy and play games online, as well as talking to others you are interacting with in the game is brilliant. They are really putting the stranglehold on the online market with this concept. If Sony doesn't do something soon they are going to be in a world of hurt. Games like Bomberman Live are what XBLA was made for. Not the difficulty of a game, but the community that surrounds the game.

Now onto Halo 3. I think the trailer was a bit anticlimactic personally. I do think it's going to be a great game though. The multi-player has gotten tons of good reviews. Halo was really the first theatrical type game done right. I could really care less about the Halo version Xbox.

Like I mentioned earlier Bomberman Live is going to sell a bajillion copies. Just a fun competitive game that is easy to pick up and play in short spurts.

Okay, I think that's it for Microsoft's E3.

If Fragging's Wrong I don't want to be Right!!!

Is it so wrong that I get immense satisfaction from blowing things up and shooting at the end of a long work day. You know people keep saying that games turn people into killers. I believe they have it all wrong. Games KEEP ME FROM killing people ;-) It allows me to get out my pent up aggression after a long day. So in short, Jack... You are so wrong about games. Maybe you just need to sit down and frag a bit, and you'll feel right as rain.

I'm BAAAAAAAAACCCCCK!!!

Well, I had an unplanned 2 week hiatus. I got bronchitis, and then my knee decided to fill with fluid. So needless to say I've been nursing myself back to health. So, the biggest event of the gaming year happened 2 weeks ago. E3. Over the next few days I'll be going over all the game news, and giving my opinion on what I saw.

So the first game I thought I would give my thoughts on is Super Mario Galaxy.






Now I know that Nintendo is the Biznass these days, but that is not why I picked to review this game first. Honestly it was one of the first that came to mind. That and I don't want people to think I'm biased toward Sony. So anyway, on with the write up. This was the game that everyone wanted to hear about from Nintendo. Some have said that Nintendo has forsaken it's hardcore roots. With brain age, pokemon and whatnot, it feels as though this company has gone the way of old people and kids. Now I'm not saying that's all bad. It's making them booku bucks. So it was refreshing to see clips of Mario Galaxy. This game is turning platforming as we know it on it's head. Mario 64 was one of the first non sidscroling mario's ever. It took our 15 or so year concept of Mario and left us happily bewildered. Well, now Mario is blasting thru space and reinventing our box that we have put him in for so long. fighting upside down, adjusting for gravity, Mario is not willing to be pigeonholed. Of course one of the big announcements was that of the bee suit. Now whether or not it will be as big as the tanuki suit, that will remain to be seen. But, for some reason I have a feeling this is going to be a huge draw for the game. New controls, new look, new physics, new suits, my overall feeling is that this might be as big as Super Mario Bros. 3 when all is said and done.

Ok, that's it for today. Keep watching for more insight into E3

Why I Think Steve Jobs Is Secretly In Love With the PSP!! (and other ramblings about the iphone)

Now some might call this crazy, I think there is some founding for this arguement. I am a happy PSP owner, as you all know. And, I was helping a friend who recently recieved a iphone as a gift set it up. I have seen and iphone in person, but not till last night did I draw this corrolation between the iphone and the PSP. Now people have been clamoring for a device that would give them the web in portable form. They want movie play back and music at the touch of a button. The ipod has accomplished the latter 2 very successfully in the past few years. What is little known though is that the PSP has given us all three for quite a few years now. And on top of that the gaming is amazing.

Enter the iphone. the wide screen aspect ratio, music playback and wifi capability all mimic the PSP. So, did Steve Jobs really come up with something new, or was he really lusting after the PSP. I believe the truth will set him free!

I enter exhibit A:



...Is that what I think it is? A PSP on the table in the breakfast nook. The plot thickens.....

So honestly, I have no clue if Steve Jobs is smitten by the PSP. But, there are some very interesting parallels between the PSP and the iphone. The internet capablilty. The movie and the music playback. So, for the iphone owners, welcome to what the PSP owners have been enjoying for years!

News: Back in the Saddle Again (AKA E3 comments)

E3 is upon us again, but in a different format. I'll be giving my thoughts on the revelations at E3. Here's to hoping it lives up to half the hype.

Gaming Culture: Sony Ruling with an Iron Fist!!

Well, this debate has been heating up for quite some time now. The battle between the Colossus that is Sony Computer Entertainment, and the the hard working owners who want to love the company that made their beautiful handheld. This week Sony officially stated in writing what their feelings on the Homebrew scene are. Now this is nothing new in and of itself to PSP owners. They continue to circumvent the measures Sony has tried to implement to lock down the PSP. But, I believe this battle is just getting started for 2 very good reasons.

The first reason is the Pending release of God Of War for the PSP. This will be the first time since, well, launch day that Sony has had leverage on the Hombrew scene. The demand for this game is going to draw a line in the sand for Homebrewers and Sony. Like thirsty people in a desert land Sony will say "update or no new games!" I don't believe we have seen the true potential of a firmware update yet. This one will be just short of having an SCEA employee sitting next to you making sure that you haven't installed hombrew on your beloved PSP.

The second reason is the pending opening of the PSP store. PSP owners have been itching for this since the PS3 launch made PS1 games available on the handheld. As great as the release of God Of War is I think this is where Sony becomes the 800 lb gorilla. For some reason Sony hasn't realized that they could have PSP owners lined up like crack fiends for this thing. More games are what people want. Retro games, new games, any kind of games they can get their hands on. I think that part of the reason Sony hasn't realized what it's got in it's hand is that it hasn't figured out that this group of gamers are net savvy. I don't believe your normal demographic for the age group fits here. I know I am more apt to buy a game if all that I have to do is go on the net and download it instead of having to trapse to the store to buy it. I think that they are seeing the potential of what the PSP store could be in Japan. I have read many times where people in the US are dieing for the selection of games that Japan has. Now that I think of it, I've come to an interesting conclusion. I think that Sony has the US and Japanese markets pegged backward. Japan to me seems like more of a laid back culture. Not a "give it to me now" culture at first glance. And we all know the US is very much an instant fix society. Sony get a little crazy, try something new out in the US for once. You might be surprised at the response. The PS2 did so well because it was just that good. I have played with both the DS Lite and the PSP, and I'm sorry, but the PSP is miles beyond the DS. They need to realize that the PSP is JUST THAT GOOD!! LocoRoco is just as addictive as any pokemon game ever was. So start there and put the stranglehold on the DS!!

Now I have heard that Sony has called out their game devs. Asking them to be imaginative. I hope that Sony has been kind to Ready At Dawn, because they are the goose that lays the golden eggs. GOW is already impressive, and we haven't even see what it will truly be able to do with the speed upgrade. RAD needs to put on a seminar on how to design for this platform, because they have it down. They have embraced what this platform can do rather than complain about a missing analog stick. They have proven that this little handheld is more than a match for many full fledged consoles out there. Sony needs to remember that the whole industry shuttered when they heard that Sony was making a handheld. Nintendo should be scared, this thing can turn out pure visual crack!! Sony stop keeping the PSP being "the little handheld that almost was", and turn lose the machine to live up to it's potential.

Wow!! that was a rabbit trail. Anyways back to the topic. Homebrew and Sony. The Homebrewers are sick of waiting on Sony to make this into what they want. Sony would be smart to troll some blogs and get a feel for what people are really looking for. IR keyboard support, SKYPE, Full Flash support, maybe that second analog joystick. Much of what people want is software. You want to make money Sony, people are telling you what they want. People really are willing to pay if you give them what they want!!! So in parting, referring to the slogan above, Sony we want to play in your world. Just remember that ours is the one that pays your bills. Here's an equation Sony would be well served to learn: Giving us the things we want+PlayStation Network= BIG $$

Retro News: Contra is the new black!!

So, in light of the pending release of the new Contra 4 for the DS Lite, I thought I would break out the old Contra games and play them again. Now Contra has a special place in my heart. This was a game my brother and I used to play for hours as kids. So there are fond memories tied to it. I will try not to let them bias my writings on this, but I don't feel that it is going to do much good.

Well, I started with the first Contra. Nothing beats the waterfall level. This game is where people began to dream big about boss battles. Visions that engulfed the screen. Beasts that snacked on those extra lives you worked so hard for like they were peanuts. The spread cannon changed platforming shooters forever. Then I switched to Super C. Now I have to admit that I really hadn't had much experience with this game. The pace is definitely much, much faster. I found the original game more of a sporadic shooter. Where as Super C and the following are more of hold down the fire button type games. Definitely twitch play type games. Now I'm not a twitch gamer by any stretch of the imagination, but there is something about these games that draws you in. They were amazing graphically for their time. I loved the progression of the weapons. The heatseaker gun is by far my favorite. And I can see why people say Contra III is the game to beat. I've seen footage of Contra 4 and can't imagine how crazy this game is going to be on 2 screens. I'm glad they didn't scrap the look for something new. Rather, they realized that this is one of the reasons people love this game so much.

Retro gaming is big not just because it reminds us of our childhood, but because they were great games. Solid, well thougth out, tough games. Back when games set out to kick the crap out of you. You got abused, but always came back for more. This is one of those rare games. The ones that make an indelible mark on gaming forever. I would dare to say that this game is right there with Mario as far as affect on the gaming industry. Games that define geners. If this would have been a game that was thought of today it would be a killer app for whatever console it ended up on. After hearing Igarashi talk about Castlevania, and why it is still 2D, he's right, a game doesn't have to look like reality to be great. People play games to escape for a while. To unwind. Let games be games.

Enough of my soapbox. Great game!! Must Play!!!

IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOU BETTER ASK SOMEBODY!!!!

So I think I might possibly have stumbled onto a new addiction..... Super Smash Bros. You know sometimes you just need to kick Kirby in the head!!!! Cute characters beating the crap out of each other, that is a brilliant idea!!! Who says Japanese don't know stress relief. Anyway, I know it's a retro throwback, but it's such a great find. I haven't been this jazzed about a game since Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts. Back to smacking Samus around!!

Manhunt 2

Okay, so everyone has made a huge stink about this game. The Brits have said it's so bad they won't even rate it (outlawing it's sale). The ESRB gave it the infamous AO rating. Here's the deal, if they don't want this game to get publicity, then they are doing an awful job of it. I'm not going to be a prude and say "NO NO, you can't play this game!!" But, this game makes me wonder about society as a whole. No, I have not seen enough evidence that games turn people into crazies. But, what in the world are we doing playing games like this anyway. It worries me when our society derives entertainment from taking on the role of a serial killer. Now I'm no saint, I've played GTA and shooter games before. I just don't know what to do with games like this. And I think Rockstar Games is the Howard Stearn of gaming. After a while the "shocking" just gets boring. There are plenty of things to make video games about besides serial killing. So, alas in parting this all just saddens me.

Nintendo DS, Oh Nintendo DS!!

I have a dilemma... I want to love the DS Lite. I truly do!!! I've been tossing the idea of picking one up around for a while now. So, the other day I was in the store and looked at the overall game selection for the DS. I was thinking to myself "watch they will have way more sweet titles than I thought!" Alas, I did not find this to be true. It seems that the DS's affinity for Mario knows no bounds. Know this, I have no lack of love for Mario. He has mad platform gaming what it is today. I do however find it a problem when all a console can come up with is games with one character for the most part. That and my other problem is that the games are geared toward teens and younger for the most part. I think that concepts like big brain academy and the like are wonderful. A true testament to the brilliance of the DS. I just wish they would get more complex "games" for the system. You know FPS and RPG's and what not. I think that Puzzle Quest was a great move for them. I just wish there was more to gaming on the DS than Pokemon, Mario, and Hanna Montana. So, until then, No DS for me.

Sad day for PSP.

Today it was announced that Atari has put the breaks on the new version of Earthworm Jim for PSP. I must say I'm truly sad about this decision by Atari. Earthworm Jim is one of the games that got me back into gaming again. The tongue-in-cheek nod to trash and off-beat humor is what I loved about it the most. Just an easy game to get into. There are very few games out there that present a challenge, but are mindlessly wonderful entertainment. So David Perry, Here's to hoping that Atari will come to their senses sooner than later.

4 GB Memory Cards for $49:99 @ Circuit City!!!

So, I'm getting ready for a trip back home here in the next week. I was thinking that it would be nice to have some movies to take with me on the plane home. This would require me to get a new memory card for my PSP, which I have been meaning to do for some time. So, I sat myself down in search of the biggest memory card I could afford. I figured I could find a 2 GB card on the cheep, but was hoping that I could find a 4 GB card in my price range. Low and behold Circuit City had quietly posted a deal on their site. They took almost $50 off their San Disk 4 GB cards. I'm sorry I didn't post this sooner :-( I wanted to let you all in on the deal as well. Apparently the deal has lapsed. But, I will be loading mine up for the trip home!!

Prince of Persia: Rival Swords

I was sick this week, and while I was out for a bit I decided to get myself something to play to pass the time. I had been looking at Prince of Persia: Rival Swords for a while, but hadn't brought myself to buy it up till now.

Now, I'm new to the Prince of Persia series. At first the timing was the biggest issue for me. Timing jumps while running along walls. By the way, the running on the walls is by far the coolest feature ever for a platform game. The attack controls are bit "button masher", but all in all it's a great game so far. I just received the daggertail, so I'm not too far into the game, I don't think. I have yet to be the dark prince. But, once I am I'm going to give the daggertail a workout. I'll keep you posted on what I think of the game at the end.

Oh Arthur you're my hero!!!

So with that being said, you might be able to figure out what this post is about. I recently beat Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts. I had a bit of trouble getting the hang of the controls at first. As a mater of fact I played the blasted first level for over a week before I got through it. The thing that threw me off the most was how responsive the controls were. It's as though the developers did this at the last minute, because they felt bad that the enemy AI was so ridiculously clever, and decided that they needed to balance it out somehow to make it fair.

On a side note...The more I play SNES games the more I fall in love with the system. Games don't have to have real skin texture to get us involved. The SNES proves this without a doubt. Super Mario World, Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts, and Earthworm Jim to name just a few games that are truly beautiful, yet no real textures. It's amazing to see the approach developers took to the SNES. The game play is what really drove the system. I believe that is why it is beloved by so many people.

Back to the review...
Ghouls 'N Ghosts is rated as one of the hardest games of all times by many, and the game play just sucks you in. The AI throws curve balls at you that makes you hate it even more. No wonder people threw controllers at the wall. It often feels like the computer sits there and goes "what can I do that would just send them over the edge?" My personal favorite is when the AI spawns an enemy underneath you while you're in mid air. Somehow developers got this game to the point where it has that "watching a car accident" feel. You know, it's one of the most disturbing things you've ever seen, yet for some reason you can't take your eyes off of it feeling. If you don't have this one in your retro catalog you need to go get it. Ghouls 'N Ghosts is not just a game it's a right of passage.

So I was reading an article on Joystiq today about PSP sales in Japan. The most interesting thing they stated was that handhelds blow next gen consols out of the water in Japan when it comes to sales hands down. And that got me thinking What kind of numbers have handheld gaming systems done over the years. So I did a little research on Wikipedia and here is what I came up with:


1. GBC/GBA 75 million (June 06)
2. GB 70 million
3. DS 35 million (to date)/
DS Lite 17 million (to date) (52 million combined)
4. GBSP 39.7 Million
5. PSP 24.7 million (to date)
6. Game Gear 8.65 million
7. Lynx 2 million


Now of course the PS2 is the best selling game system of all time at 115 million units. I'm just shocked that handhelds are putting up the numbers they are. The Gamboy's have all outsold the xbox and xbox 360 combined. That's pretty impressive. I think that this speaks to the fact that availability is key when pushing game systems. I know my handheld gets more attention because I can stick it in my bag and take it with me anywhere. So what's your thought on handhelds? Could you love em or leave em?

   Alright, so I've been playing Metal Gear Solid:    Portable Ops. And, can I just say that I believe    this might be the best game on the PSP to date.    Yes, I know God of War 2 is coming to PSP, and
   I am looking forward to it. But, right now as the    lineup looks MGS:PO is by far the best game on
   the system. As soon as you load the game up it sucks you in. The graphics are amazing, and the storyline is engaging. Of course as with any shooter game, the controls take a bit to get used to, but are the perfect setup for this game.

Now the few things that seem to be hitches in this game are the semi long dialogs, and the game play setup. I wish you could skip through more of the dialog when needed. And as far as the game play, I wish this had shorter play segments. I was hoping for something more of a "pick up and play for 5 minutes" type situation. The dialog issue also plays into that as well.

Overall though, this is an amazing game. I would say it's a must buy for PSP owners. I am new to the MGS series and if this is how the other 3 games on the PS were, (excluding the Acid series and the other MSG PSP titles) then Kojima is a freaking genius. What an engaging game. There have only been a few games that I just didn't want to put down over the years (Super Mario 3, Adventure Island, Super Mario World, Earthworm Jim, Mega Man 2, Guitar Hero 1&2 to name a few). There's that unexplainable X-factor to these games that just won't let go. For Guitar Hero it was the whole living out the rockstar dream, and communal experience of the game that made it great. Super Mario World had amazing scenery and great new characters. MGS: PO has the element of sneaking. Syphonfilter has sneaking, but nothing like this. Somehow they have made it like you are Snake himself. And the element of urgency is very much felt as you sneak around. They couldn't have picked a better perspective to have the camera in.

Well, after a long weekend of fighting with my PSP, I finally got to play the new games I got this weekend. The 3 games I got are

  Gunpey

  Me and My Katamari

and last but certainly not least....
  Metal Gear solid: Portable Ops.

I will give a review on these as soon as I get to play them a bit more. My initial impressions are as follows...


Gunpey- This game was made by a puzzling masochist. The controls aren't hard, your brain just doesn't want to work that way. The most lines I think I've gotten are 6. Yeah pretty bad.

Me and My Katamari- I've played "We Love Katamari" before this, and my impression is the same. What a great time waster.

and lastly..
Portable Ops.- I'm still learning the controls. I've never played any metal gear, but this looks like it will shape up to be a great game. I love the cut scene art. I think it's a better story telling tool than all the real video cut scenes. Kojima is a genius. It reminds me a bit of Syphonfilter: Dark Mirror. That's a must play as well!!


I'll be back with more updated reviews later.

P.S. I think I finally got the hang of Super Ghouls 'N Ghosts. Yet another masochistically hard game. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.