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| 3D Dot Game Heroes Blends Modern Technology with
Nostalgic Fun |
| November 17, 2009 at 11:48 am |
This guy is either holding a shield or a waffle.
Those 2D platforms from the good ol' days of 8-bit gaming are now 3D in 3D Dot Game
Heroes.
Like a Star Trek storyline where Captain Picard runs into
Captain Kirk, 3D Dot Game Heroes for
PS3 will blend next-generation technology with old-school ingenuity for a timeless adventure.
The story may sound familiar: a kingdom threatened by an evil demon… a legendary sword nestled in a sacred forest…
a hero sent out on a quest through puzzle-filled dungeons… dozens of useful items to collect, weapons to equip, and oversized
bosses to best…. But that's because it's supposed to sound familiar, evoking memories of the days when blocky characters
set out on their quests, accompanied by monophonic musical scores that would stick in your head for days
at a time.
Atlus U.S.A., Inc., publishers of the Shin Megami Tensei and
Trauma Center series, not to mention the sleeper hit of
2009, Demon’s Souls, tell us that they wanted 3D Dot Game Heroes
to be the ultimate love letter to the 8-bit era and
the perfect blend of retro chic and modern sleek, using full power of the PS3 to bring old-school pixel-sprite visuals
into the 21st century. We just think it's fun. Older gamers should find comfort and nostalgia in the familiar music and sounds, while an entirely new generation of gamers
may come to love the magic of the classic action-adventure epic — and maybe they’ll figure out why their parents and older siblings are always raving about those all-time gaming classics.
However, it's not intended to be merely a carbon copy of those
old classics. Plenty of little touches, hidden features and creative additions
should make it a classic in its own right. You can use the included character creator to design, animate, and play as the hero of your dreams, assuming you dream in 8-bit.
You'll also be able to take one of the many different weapons you’ll collect over the course of your adventures and pay the blacksmith to make them stronger
or imbued with special powers. Don your explorer’s cap,
because the game will be rich in hidden areas and bonus content in the Kingdom of Dotnia,
where you should leave no stone unbombed to discover what they hold.
3D Dot Game Heroes is slated to arrive May 11, 2010
in North America. Stay tuned to our 3D Dot Game Heroes product page for more
details about this next-gen blast from your gaming past.
|
| More Autumn Games Than You Can Shake a Rake at |
| October 27, 2009 at 3:48 pm |
Forza Motorsport 3 released this week, featuring more cars than you can shake a stick shift at.
We thought we had a bumper crop of games coming out last week, but this week, even more are shipping. In keeping with the autumn theme,
we thought of comparing them to the number of leaves falling from the trees, which brought the headline idea to mind, "more games than you can shake a rake at,"
playing on the old cliché, "more than you can shake a stick at." Then we started wondering what that phrase meant. We take it to mean "an abundance," but why would
one want to shake a stick at something just because there happened to be a lot of it? The mighty interwebs was little help. Some word origin sites suggested that the
phrase was used to mean "more than one can count," conjuring up the picture of someone pointing a counting stick at a large group of objects to help keep the tally, but
becoming tired from all of that stick shaking before he can finish the job. Other sites suggested it was used to mean "more than one can threaten." For example, if
someone was confronted by an angry mob, he would think twice before making any threatening moves toward them, such as shaking a stick at them in a menacing manner — especially if it were an angry mob of stick haters.
The cliché really falls apart when we try to apply it to leaf
raking, for no amount of counting or threatening can
make leaves magically jump into a trash bag, no matter how hard one shakes a rake. Then trying to make the jump from leaves to video games removes it even further from the intended meaning. But we're up against
a deadline, and we have to come up with something.
Suffice it to say that a lot of video games are shipping out this week, but "a lot of video games are shipping out this week" just isn't as catchy. Please take a look at the list below.
Monday, October 26
SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Square for Xbox 360, Wii, DS & PSP.
Hasbro Family Game Night 2 for Wii & DS.
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Game Time for Xbox 360, Wii & DS.
World of Zoo for Wii, DS & PC.
Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Super Game Day for Wii & PS2.
Nerf N-Strike Elite with Scope for Wii.
Tuesday, October 27
Forza Motorsport 3 for Xbox 360.
Ben 10 Alien Force: Vilgax Attacks for Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP & PS2.
Petz Dogz Family for PSP.
Petz Dolphinz Encounter for DS.
Petz Hamsterz Bunch for PSP.
Press Your Luck 2010 Edition for Wii, DS & PC.
Dance Dance Revolution X2 Bundle for PS2.
Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 Bundle for Wii.
Adventures to Go! for PSP.
100 All-Time Favorites for DS.
Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure for DS.
DJ Hero for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, & PS2.
CSI: Deadly Intent for Xbox 360, Wii, PC & DS.
Fairytale Fights for Xbox 360 & PS3.
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time for PS3.
Tekken 6 for Xbox 360 & PS3.
League of Legends: Clash of Fates for PC.
All Star Cheer Squad 2 for Wii.
Mountain Sports for Wii.
Atelier Annie Alchemists of Sera Island for DS.
Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter for Wii and DS.
Sim Animals: Africa for Wii & DS.
Monster 4x4: Stunt Racer for Wii.
The Stronghold Collection for PC.
Barbie and the Three Musketeers for Wii & DS.
Jurassic: The Hunted for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii & PS2.
Diner Dash: Flo on the Go for DS.
Dream Salon for DS.
Sushi Academy for DS.
Thursday, October 29
Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City for Xbox 360.
Friday, October 30
Remington North American Bird Hunter for Wii.
Ghostbusters for PSP.
|
| We're Celebrating the Arrival of Some Bundles of Joy |
| October 23, 2009 at 1:50 pm |
Can you tell the real baby from the Squeeballs plush
toys? You can get one — a toy; not a baby — when you purchase Squeeballs Party
for Wii.
Purchase Squeeballs Party
for DS, and you'll also get this Squeeballs stylus, while supplies last.
Earlier this month, Squeeballs Party for Wii and DS
arrived in GameStop stores, and at almost exactly the same time, baby Zane arrived for
Mark in our Merchandising Department. At first we didn't think anything of it,
but you can never be too careful. So we
launched an investigation. Here are some eerie similarities that we found. You can be the judge of whether
we have a coincidence or a Squeeballs conspiracy on our hands.
If you buy a copy of Squeeballs Party for Wii, you can get a free Squeeballs plush toy, while supplies last. Shortly before Mark brought
his bundle of joy home, he was seen with a copy of Squeeballs Party.
Squeeballs are small creatures manufactured on a secret island somewhere in the
Pacific Ocean. Mark claims that his baby was born in a hospital, but when we
tried to visit, Mark balked at the idea, just because some of us had the Swine Flu at the time.
Before they can be sold to children as toys around the world, Squeeballs must be
fully tested… to the point of destruction. We have it on good authority that this
alleged hospital ran some tests on baby Zane before Mark and his wife Patricia
brought him home.
Apparently, Squeeballs have to be "Torture Tested." You can do whatever you want to them and they will still love you. Sadly, Mark's brother
Matthew informed us that Mark's dating life was a lot like this until he met Patricia.
Inside sources also tell us that, at three weeks old, Zane is already rolling over. Squeeballs can roll over, too, if you give them a
good shove.
We think the facts speak for themselves. We'll leave the verdict up to you.
By the way, we think the plush Squeeballs toys that arrived at our warehouse are reproducing like Tribbles from Star Trek. Either that or somebody got them wet and fed them after midnight.
So
order a copy of Squeeballs Party for Wii to get your free plush before they all escape
or Animal Control takes them away.
If you'd rather enjoy Squeeballs Party on your DS, you should order it now to
get a free stylin' Squeeballs stylus, while supplies last. As far as we know,
they're not causing any trouble yet. |
| It's a Bumper Crop for Harvest-time Games this
Week |
| October 20, 2009 at 10:22 am |
This week, orange leaves are falling from the trees
and orange female wrestlers are falling from the sky as WWE Smackdown vs. RAW
2010 arrives.
Ahh, autumn. The weather is changing; the leaves are turning; and a bountiful harvest of fresh games is beginning to hit shelves.
Please take a look at the virtual cornucopia of titles shipping this week.
Tuesday, October 20
WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2010 for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
Marvel Super Hero Squad for Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo for Wii.
Backyard Football 2010 for Xbox 360, Wii and PS2.
Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun for Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
Astro Boy: The Video Game for Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
Bakugan Battle Brawlers for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2 and DS.
FIFA Soccer 10 for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, DS and PSP.
Littlest Pet Shop: Beach Friends for DS.
Littlest Pet Shop: Friends for Wii.
Littlest Pet Shop: City Friends for DS.
Littlest Pet Shop: Country Friends for DS.
Cooking Mama 3: Shop & Chop for DS.
LIPS No. 1 Hits for Xbox 360.
Imagine Fashion Designer World Tour for DS.
Charm Girls Club: My Perfect Prom for DS.
Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Mall for DS.
Charm Girls Club: My Fashion Show for DS.
Charm Girls Club: Pajama Party for Wii.
Tropico 3 for PC.
Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for DS.
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for PSP.
Medieval Games for Wii.
Way of the Samurai 3 for Xbox 360 and PS3.
Wednesday, October 21
Madagascar Kartz for Xbox, 360, PS3, Wii and DS.
iCarly for Wii and DS.
Mytran Wars for PSP.
Motorstorm: Arctic Edge for PSP.
Water Sports WiFi for Wii.
Mountain Sports for Wii.
Logitech G330 Headset
Logitech G9x Laser Mouse
(It's a computer mouse — not an real mouse with a laser strapped to its head. But that would be cool if it were.)
Logitech G13 Game Board
Dance Dance Revolution: Hottest Party 2 - Game Only for Wii.
Alien Monster Bowling League for Wii.
LittleBigPlanet Ultimate Sticker Book
Thursday, October 22
GameStop Xbox 360 Controller and Charger
Nostalgia for DS.
Friday, October 23
Borderlands for PC.
|
| Brutal, Wild, Adventurous and Cuddly Games Arrive this Week |
| October 12, 2009 at 1:04 pm |
Roadie Eddie Riggs, voiced by Jack Black, will save the world of metal in Brütal Legend this week.
It's almost here. The hard-rocking, face-melting power of
metal arrives when
Brütal Legend hits stores Tuesday.
If you've ever rocked in your life, you need to get this one, where every
heavy-metal album cover you've ever seen comes to life when roadie Eddie Riggs,
voiced by Jack Black, is transported to a rock-and-roll fantasy world. See a list of stores holding
Midnight Launch Events for Brütal Legend and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves here. If you
want to get really wild, play through the classic tale, Where the Wild Things
Are, and live like a mischievous boy on an imaginary island of strange creatures
and no rules. A limited supply of games will contain a voucher for a free ticket to the Where the Wild Things Are movie. If real-world adventure and treasure-hunting are more your style, they don't get any
more realistic than Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,
where fortune-seeker Nathan Drake gets himself into and out of tight spots as he
seeks lost ancient treasures. See a list of stores holding
Midnight Launch Events for Brütal Legend and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves here. Or if cute and cuddly is more your style, dress up
a pony with Petz Pony Beauty Pageant. As far as we know, there are no monsters,
no one's face gets melted, no one gets shot at and nothing scary happens, unless
the thought of your Haflinger's tail braid coming undone sends shivers down your
spine. The complete list of this week's releases follows.
Monday, October 12
Cars Race O Rama for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS, PSP and PS2.
Midnight Club: Los Angeles Complete Edition for PS3.
NBA 2K10 for PC.
Tuesday, October 13
(Street Dated) Brütal Legend for Xbox 360 and PS3.
(Street Dated) Where the Wild Things Are for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii and DS.
(Street Dated) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves for PS3.
(Street Dated) Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for Wii and DS.
Fate: The Traitor Soul for PC.
Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
MagnaCarta 2 for Xbox 360.
Hero’s Saga: Laevatein Tactics for DS.
Afrika for PS3.
Cake Mania 3 for DS.
Friday, October 16
Shimano Xtreme Fishing for Wii.
|
| Exclusive Q & A with A Boy and His Blob
Director and Special Guest |
| October 9, 2009 at 11:24 am |
What's more heartwarming than the age-old bond between
a boy and his alien, jellybean-loving blob?
Editor's Note: We were curious about
A Boy and His Blob,
a revamped Wii version of the 1989 classic; so we submitted some questions to developers at WayForward Technologies.
Not only did we get answers from A Boy and His Blob Director Sean Velasco, but we were also treated to a rare appearance
by the Blob himself! Their answers follow.
Considering that the NES original was rather umm… "blocky," what
prompted the choice to go with hand-drawn cels for the current Wii version?
Sean: We came up with the look based on the feelings we wanted
to illicit from the player. Because we focused on a heartwarming friendship between two characters,
making everything soft and adorable helps the player to establish an emotional connection.
Blob: (transforms into a heart)
Sean: By the way, the blob can’t speak; so I’m going to translate for him.
The musical score seems to have been upgraded quite a bit from its original
monophonic beepiness. What went into making the new orchestral soundtrack?
Sean: We knew as soon as we established the look and feel of the game that
we wanted to have a classic, orchestral score. We tried out many composers before we landed on Daniel Sadowski,
who delivered an incredibly inspired soundtrack. The leitmotifs of the characters that intertwine the songs are
amazing! I guess you could say the music and the game inspired one another.
Blob: (transforms into a player-piano)
Sean: Somehow, blob got really into ragtime music like Jelly Roll Morton
during the creation of the game.
How does the motion-guided play of the Wii change the approach of creating a platform-based game?
Sean: Motion control opens up different avenues for platform games, but developers have to be
careful not to make the controls gimmicky. We felt that for this project, motion control would not be required.
Blob: (gesticulates wildly at Sean)
Sean: The blob says that unfortunately, with the Wii Remote it’s easy to be trapped by the
lack of buttons. Because of this, making complex games is more difficult than with a classic controller. The control
scheme must be well thought out and context sensitive.
When re-imagining a classic hit, how do you tread that fine line between taking full
advantage of technology and your creativity without deviating too far from the original feel and story?
Sean: Having the blob here as a consultant certainly helped.
Blob: (gives a stern look)
Sean: He was instrumental in deciding what to preserve about the original.
We had some stressful times since he is such a perfectionist, but I think the game is better for it.
Blob: (gives approving nod)
Does the Boy have a name?
Sean: I’m sure he does, but I don’t know what it is. Any idea, Blob?
Blob: (gesticulates wildly)
Sean: Oh, that’s his name? Ha! What possessed his parents to name him that!?
Does the Blob really like the Boy, or is he just in it for the jellybeans?
Sean: I’m sure he does, but I don’t know what it is. Any idea, Blob?
Blob: (looks slyly at Sean )
Sean: Uh… I think the game speaks for itself. The Blob and Boy love each other!
What is it about solving puzzles that appeals to us so much? Is it the sense of accomplishment;
the challenge to the brain cells; the curiosity to see the next level; or something else?
Sean: You are correct on all accounts. I have said multiple times that "a game is a problem you buy".
It doesn’t matter if it's real or not; providing solutions to problems makes people feel good!
Blob: (makes a weird
face)
Sean: The blob doesn’t understand the human compulsion to solve
puzzles. He is pretty much focused on eating things.
Is the Blob at risk for developing Type II Diabetes from eating so many
jellybeans?
Sean: On Blobolonia, foods aren’t comprised of the same materials as
here on earth. Eating earth food, whether it’s sweet or not, raises the blob’s blood glucose to near-toxic
levels. I give the blob daily insulin injections to make sure he doesn’t melt into a pile of jelly.
Was the Boy and his Blob really just an allegory of the relationship of between the Soviet Union and the United States during the 1980's at the height of the Cold War? The Blob with his passion for jelly beans was a thinly veiled 8-bit graphical representation of Ronald Reagan. While
the boy and his quest for discovery was an obvious portrayal of Gorbachev and his policy of perestroika. Or was it just a game about a boy who had a blob that ate jelly beans?
Sean: You are correct! I can’t believe no one else has picked up on this yet. Actually, if you look closely at the boy in the game, you can see a small birthmark on his forehead.
Blob: (transforms into hammer, then sickle)
If you were a Blobolonian, what things would you morph into?
Sean: I wish I could morph into a velociraptor! Then I could approach you from
the front and distract you, while my two raptor comrades attacked from the sides!
Blob: (gesticulates)
Sean: The blob says that he is already a Blobolonian.
Thanks blob, that was a helpful comment.
Blob: (gesticulates)
And would jellybeans do, or would it take some other snack to make you
morph?
Sean: You would have to feed me hot wings to make me transform!
Too bad in real life they just transform me into a fatty!
|
| A Blob of Good Games Shipping Out This Week |
| October 2, 2009 at 5:46 pm |
Feed jellybeans to your blob to make him morph into helpful objects, like this handy parachute.
Remember the good ol' days, back in the late 80s, when you befriended a blob from outerspace and fed him jellybeans to make him morph into different shapes?
Of course, you don't. That was a stupid question. Forget we asked it. But do you
remember the good ol' days, back in the late 80s, when you played
A Boy and His
Blob, a game about a boy who befriends a blob from outerspace and feeds him
jellybeans to make him morph into different shapes? Now we're probably getting
warmer, depending on when you were born. The original version back in 1989 was a
little, well, blobby, graphics wise. This time around, hand-drawn cels were used
to bring the boy and his blob friend to life.The modern version ships this
Tuesday.
If you have a few blobs you'd like to get rid of, you might take a look at Wii Fit Plus,
in stores Sunday, and The Biggest Loser,
shipping Tuesday for Wii and DS. Check out this big blob of games shipping out
this week.
Sunday, October 4
Wii Fit Plus for Wii.
Monday, October 5
Obscure: The Aftermath for PSP.
Squeeballs Party for Wii and DS.
Tuesday, October 6
Cabella's Outdoor Adventures for PC.
(Street Dated) NBA 2K10 for Xbox 360, PS3, PS2 and PSP.
The Biggest Loser for Wii and DS.
Disney Sing It: Pop Hits for PS3, Wii and PS2.
Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.
NBA Live 10 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP.
Demon's Souls for PS3.
NBA 10: The Inside for PSP.
Game Party 3 for Wii.
Star Wars: Clone Wars Republic Heroes for PS3.
A Witch's Tale for DS.
Fate: The Traitor Soul for PC.
SAW for Xbox 360 and PS3.
The Sims 2 Best of Business Collection for PC.
Star Wars: Clone Wars Republic Heroes for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PC, DS and PSP.
Spore Hero and Spore Hero Arena for Wii and DS.
A Boy and His Blob for Wii.
Naruto Shippuden Legends: Akatsuki for PSP.
Afrika for PS3.
Imagine: Zookeeper for DS.
Friday, October 9
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge for PS2.
Shimano Xtreme Fishing for Wii.
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