There’s a plethora of giant sized videogame controllers and systems, but nothing’s more impressive than a beautiful fan-made Nintendo coffee table that exactly resembles the NES controller. For Nintendo loyalists especially, the table is still on sale after going without a bid in a recently ended eBay auction.
Some people just love their videogames giant-sized. Back in March, we talked about the 100-pound, 3-foot tall GameMan. Now, a hardcore gamer is selling his handmade coffee table that perfectly resembles the NES controller. Even better, the table plugs into the classic Nintendo console and actually works!
Although the eBay auction has expired, no one has yet to claim the artsy item. It could probably because of the whopping starting bidding price of $1200. Still, Nintendo fans can own a fantastic piece of Nintendo history in jumbo-sized form and the owner has affirmed the item’s good build quality and sturdiness with the coffee table being only a year old.
Can you imagine playing button-mashing gams like Track & Field or Tecmo Bowl on that thing? Let’s just hope nobody starts playing the oversized buttons with their feet. Now that’d be a gaming revolution that would require way too many wet wipes.
After playing a near final build of Mafia 2 at a private media event hosted by 2K Games in San Francisco, the game’s 1950s authenticity is its most intriguing feature. The open world action-adventure not only brings fans back to a gritty world of organized crime, but shares an engaging story that’ll have Mafia purists clamoring for more. Oh yeah, it’s got Playboys all over the place too.
The 1940s and 50s was a time for war and organized crime. America wasn’t a safe place. In 2K Games’ latest sequel, the world of Empire Bay has references to San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Detroit to set the atmospheric tone. It’s this tone that hooks you in, and will standout as the most talked about sandbox game of 2010.
1950s style atmosphere: It’s everywhere. From the big band music being played on the radio stations, to the handling to 1950s cars, to stereotypical jobs, greaser guns and the Italian-American invasion. It’s all here. Let’s not forget about the terrible pollution by factories either. Regardless, the sense of urgency that the story missions revolve around help make the entire game experience believable. This feels like a time travel event, stepping into Mafia 2.
Extremely violent battles: Being even more violent than the original, you’ll see execution deaths, accidental deaths, and cold-blooded murders despite the constant yelping and begging from your enemies. The world of Empire Bay is a scary world that’s built upon survival of the fittest. The game’s multitude of small operation battles rather than huge firefights also make successful missions more satisfying. This isn’t your usual “run in and shoot 20 people without dying” game. You’ll need to surgically mow down your enemies up close and personal while utilizing a simple cover system, so you can savior the violence.
Voice Acting: According to the development team over at 2K Games, the game’s cutscenes and dialogue are almost double than the original, now well over two hours. While the story is interesting, it’s really the superb voice acting that shines.
Focus on story-driven missions rather than side missions:Mafia 2 will have its share of side missions and optional side quests, but the game doesn’t distract the player from completing their story-driven mission. A minimal HUD while driving prevents the player from seeing all that is available to him/her and that is a good thing. Playing through the levels at a steady pace actually makes the story feel more cohesive. It’s a development decision that shows how passionate developer 2K Czech’s team is for the plot.
Everyone is a potential murder victim: Most games will attempt to surprise the gamer with random deaths of main characters, but Mafia 2 takes murder to a new level, which leaves you feeling like no one is safe. Vito’s enemies and cohorts are being killed, and you never know when someone you just grown close to might get whacked.
Playboy Magazines: They’re fully nude, authentic and could entice a horde of perverted gamers to the table. And it’s brilliant. 2K Games’ decision to further authenticate the game with a real pop culture item from the era is something that also helps define Mafia 2’s classic theme. And who wouldn’t want to collect these for a nice virtual collection anyway?
It’s refreshing to see a sandbox game tinker with so many different options. Gamers who haven’t experienced a Mafia game yet shouldn’t shy away. And those that think they already seen it all with other sandbox games are in for surprise. From the half day I got to play the game, I can say that this game is top notch. Mafia 2 releases on August 24th for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
At least that’s what was told to us at EA’s Studio Showcase event yesterday. The game continues to impress with creative levels that involves everyone’s favorite NBA Jam staple, breaking the backboard and the newly unveiled boss battles. But the game’s new career mode, Remix Tour, takes the cake and I love cake.
Every time I get additional hands-on time with this game, it gets better. With the newly traded and signed players, including Lebron James and updated team logos like the Warriors all in there, it’s hard to believe that the classic franchise is truly coming back. With an updated build shown to me inside EA HQ’s “Tim’s House” Basketball Gym, EA Sports creative director Trey Smith demo a new career mode: The Remix Tour. His explanation of the new gameplay mode was definitely something I couldn’t get out of my head during the demo: “NBA Jam’s Remix Tour is like NBA Jam meets Streets Fighter.”
Comparing EA Sports’ October-bound NBA game to Capcom’s legendary fighting game series, Smith’s demonstration of the objectives in Remix Tour’s level styles further validated his claim. Here are a couple of the new levels I played in Remix Tour:
Backboard Smash: Getting its roots from its olden NBA Jam days, this new kind of gameplay style pits a 2v2 matchup with the simple goal of trying to break the other team’s backboard. Three pointers, short jumpers and layups will lower the “enemy lifebar” meter. But nothing will hurt your opponents’ backboard more than showstopper dunks and being “on fire”. It becomes an endless frenzy of trying to block each other’s dunks, while the backboard slowly starts to shatter, eventually catch on fire until its life meter is depleted. It’s a fast-paced type of game that will test the streakiness of players. Remember, Street Fighter 2’s car-breaking minigame? Here’s its sports equivalent.
Boss Battles with NBA Legends and Celebrities: Probably one of the most exciting aspects of NBA Jam I’ve seen thus far were the 1v1 boss battles against NBA Legends. The Remix Tour will have certain level tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, etc.) that lead up to this boss battle and I had the opportunity to play against Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. Naturally, I chose the much controversial Miami Heat player Lebron James.
Like most boss battles, this boss can only be beat by taking advantage of a certain exploit or weakness, usually related to the boss’ special move or pattern. Punch-Out! especially comes to mind. Magic Johnson is known to be a great passer during his career, and his “cheap” special move had the NBA Hall of Famer passing alley-oops to himself in mid-air, where he would teleport high in the air to complete the dunk.
The only way to beat him was to perfectly go for a block at the time when Magic would go for the dunk in this sequence. And it was ultra-satisfying flicking the Wii-mote back and forth trying to time it perfectly. In the end, I came back from a 14-0 lead from Magic to beat him 22-20 with a Lebron James signature dunk. To my surprise (or not), Smith mentioned to me that I was second person outside of EA Sports to beat the boss on the first try. Naturally, a Golden State Warriors fan like me (The new logo is in there!) would care beating the Lakers.
I can’t wait til Oct 5th, when NBA Jam finally drops. My only qualm? Its online-play which Smith mentioned to me “is going to be close” in having it ready in time for release. “I played the online mode recently and it’s still clunky, so we’ve got two guys working very hard to get it perfect,” he told me. Here’s hoping for the game-winner.
We just got back from EA's massive Studio Showcase press event and we're already in awe at how diverse their lineup continues to be year after year. We were treated to several hands-on demos that we just can't talk about yet, but we can show you some of their newest screenshots on many of their most anticipated upcoming titles, including Dead Space Ignition and Dead Space 2.
Fresh to you from EA, here's high-quality screenshots of just some of the variable titles that EA's upcoming lineup has to offer:
G4TV's Olivia Munn's latest book, Suck It, Wonder Woman!: The Misadventures of a Hollywood Geek, is the basis for a bold contest posted at Olivia's official website. Fans must submit video entries highlighting points from the new book. The deadline just recently passed and there's already been a plethora of good entries. However, nothing has been more bold than a male hardcore fan who showed up to Olivia's Los Angeles book signing dressed as Wonder WoMAN.
A grown-up man dressed in the female comic icon costume interviewed the book-signing audience and Olivia Munn herself, sporting a plastic microphone and plenty of body tattoos.
Submitted by Kartel fan Anthony, the recently-posted video is a direct response to Olivia's website contest, where fans must purchase the book and create a video that touches upon its contents, which include sex tips and what to do when robots invade.
This video touches upon the Ten Major Points of Olivia Munn's 2024 Presidential Campaign Platform section of the book. It's an embarassing stint, but could also be a last-minute entry that eventually rewards the fan with an opportunity to hang out with Olivia for a day. Check out the video below:
The three handpicked winners of the contest, chosen by Olivia herself, will get a personal visit from Olivia to their hometowns. Imagine introducing her to your friends and family! Olivia also mentioned that if her schedule doesn't allow it, she'll fly the winner(s) to her current location.
The contest might be over and the winners yet to be decided, but gaming enthusiasts around the world just can't begin to imagine the things you could do with Olivia in a full day.
Straight on the heels of the announcement that a new company would be bringing Japanese titles to the USA, MonkeyPaw Games' president John Greiner has announced that their first project will bring Japanese PSOne classics to Western shores. He also confirms bringing games to the Virtual Console and XBLA as well.
As the former president of Hudson Entertainment in the U.S., John Greiner has had plenty of experience scoping out titles from different genres, each with their fun features like Bomberman, Bonk and Adventure Island. A large number of these titles originated in Japan, the reasoning behind Greiner's playful obsession with games from the other side of the world. In a recent interview with Joystiq, the MonkeyPaw Games president referred to gamers who also want a piece of Japanese gaming:
"I know, just by talking to what I call "Japanophiles" or people who love Japanese culture, that they have certain needs and wants and they've never been met. So, okay, if you tell me what games you want, I go after those games, and bring them over." -- Greiner, as told to Joystiq's JC Fletcher
MonkeyPaw Games' focus is on digitally publishing classics and newer games, so fans of all genres can jump in on the fun as well. The first four titles, slated to come out soon, will be "Sonomama," which Greiner refers to as "as-is" titles that aren't translated, and will appear in its original form.
When asked about his favorite Japanese-developed titles, Greiner quickly mentioned Policenauts and Snatcher, referring to Konami's great game lineage.
Greiner also mentioned that MonkeyPaw Games is also interested in developing for the Nintendo 3DS, after a recent business meeting with Nintendo went well.
"I was just there right before I came here and we talked about it, and they want our titles. They said, "Yeah, definitely, this would make a great launch title -- so hurry up and go." Of course, they're going to be very aggressive and gain third-party support. Okay, that's good, so we'll move forward."
We'll be sure to keep you updated on more developments for Greiner's new venture soon. For import and Japanese gaming lovers, it looks like some dreams are about to come true.
It's one of the most interesting non-gaming related topics to talk about at E3... Booth Babes. These attractive young women add some sex appeal to numerous gaming companies' booths during the big show and they're truly back after a short disappearance a few years ago. This year had a lot more actual gamers in the booth babe mix, while still showcasing plenty of personality for the products they were promoting. Here's our Top 10 selections of booth babes from this year's E3.
10.) Nyko Booth Babes
The Nyko girls and their red hair have begun a certain booth babe trend and still continue to impress onlookers.
9.) Perfect World's Forsaken World girls
It was great seeing these two constantly give each other weird looks, because in some men's minds, that was sure enough to get them excited. Not to mention, these two are also around a great "photoshoot-esque" background allowing for attendees to easily take pictures of the two.
8.) Sony Online Entertainment booth babe
We're not sure what Zylvin is doing here, but the fact that the booth babe isn't overly fazed by his insanity, gives this one a spot on the list.
7.) G4 Booth Babes
In the past, G4 booth babes have actually risen in popularity. Heck, if they keep on trying to find girls hotter than Olivia Munn, I'm all up for it!
6.) Namco Bandai's Pac-Man booth babes
Pac-Man just recently celebrated his 30th anniversary and these girls around him at E3 2010 are the cherries on top.
5.) UFC Undisputed booth babes
Ring girls are usually very attractive; with more than one in this booth, I'm sure a lot of people were distracted away from the game screens.
4.) Glee booth babes
Not only are these girls very cute, but they're also part of a growing American culture. We're not sure they can sing, but they sure can smile.
3.) Lucha Libre booth babes
Believe it or not, it seems that both of these booth babes were actually from Mexico. So that makes them international booth babes. Now that's exotic!
2.) NOS booth babes
So technically they aren't booth babes because they had no booth. Just a big case of NOS energy drinks they were standing over and handing out. And technically they aren't even given away anything game related. But still, the asian game is dreamy, and then I forget about all the technicalities.
1.) Nintendo 3DS booth babes: All of them
Our first glimpse of E3 2010 booth babes came from Nintendo's Press Conference when near 100 attractive models simultaneously came out with the new 3DS attached to their hips and ready to be played. Ouch, this I just say that? This is like choosing a Deal or No Deal case times four.
Join in on our E3 2010 discussion on the best and worst things at E3 2010.
Heading into E3, Sony probably had a pretty healthy lead-in to this media briefing, showcasing some of its most anticipated titles, including the rise of 3D high-definition gaming with good examples like Killzone 3 and Gran Turismo 5. Here's my initial gut reactions to each announcement, without any holds barred. Updated live from the Sony Press Conference at USC's Shrine Auditorium.
On Killzone 3 in 3D: Hope owners have a solution in mind for their soon to be overheating PS3's.
On 3D HD gaming in general: Seems like most FPS and racing games might be the genres that will really take advantage of this most.
On new PlayStation Move game Sorcery: Looks like Sony is going to be giving EA all its ideas for its eventual Harry Potter game compatible with Move.
On Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11: It's just way too hard to get a "feel" for this game without actually playing it yet. First swing... glitch!
On Heroes on the Move, a new game starring some of Sony PlayStation's most iconic characters: If they're not fighting then... what?
On Kevin Butler's epic speech: Sure it was scripted, but the well-timed jabs at Microsoft by everyone's favorite PlayStation spokesperson is something that should prove viral around YouTube right about now. Since when did Sony suddenly have a more cool spokesperson than the competitors?
On God of War: Ghost of Sparta for the PSP: Should be just as good as the previous title, let's just hope this doesn't end up being another battery drainer.
On the new PSP ad starring the foul-mouthed kid from Role Models: A pretty good spokesperson to compliment Kevin Butler for these commercials, but I wish the guy would be allowed to f*cking swear more! All all love kids that swear.
On the announcement of Tester 2 casting call starting today: It still amazes me that the person who wins this still only ends up with a $12/hour job.
On the upcoming LittleBigPlanet 2: Looks like you can really create anything... I'm looking at a glorified version of Connect Four.
On PlayStation Move launch details: Not exactly all of the features that some fans were hoping and Sony is will still "slowly reveal more after launch," so why pay for this right off the bat?
On Medal of Honorannouncement including a PS3 exclusive SKU with Medal of Honor: Frontline included: Do people still play those old games bundled anymore?
On Dead Space 2's continuation of fighting the Sprawl (which got left short during the EA conference): Amazing looking game with an even more amazing bundle exclusive to PlayStation 3, including Dead Space 2 and Dead Space: Extraction with PS Move support.
On Portal 2's unveiling for the PS3: Gabe Newell really seemed nervous when he got up on stage, and it's probably because some people (like me) were hoping for news on Half-Life 2: Episode 3 or Half-Life 3 itself.
On Final Fantasy XIV: Classic Final Fantasy IV music gets me all pumped up for this trailer.
On Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood: Since when were cloaking devices invented in the 1500s?
On Gran Turismo 5: Finally… there’s a release date for the game…. November 2nd of this year.
On inFAMOUS 2: So what’s new… huh? Oh I see. Ice.
On a Twisted Metal ice-cream truck hitting the stage: It’s coming back, but I hope that Sony can give somebody a chance to win that truck!
Overall? The best showing of the big three. Sony, I now actually think you can catch up and be a contender. Bravo.
Nintendo's E3 2010 press conference is here and much of the hype is built on the eventual unveiling of the Nintendo 3DS and the new Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Since most of you can't be here, I'd like to share some of my initial (and brutally honest) reactions to the announcements during the media briefing. Of course, I'm limiting myself to a sentence each for my reactions. Keep checking for live updates!
On The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Sadly, this could be one of the most underwhelming Zelda demos to date, but does the game's control inaccuracy have to do with the MotionPlus' inefficiencies or just Miyamoto not being a good player at his own game?
On Mario Sports Mix: Traditional sports rules are now thrown out the window in every Wii owners' minds.
On Wii Party: Sure hope that this game has a high score and achievements tracking system for each Mii as it'll definitely increase replay value.
On Golden Sun: Dark Dawn: The RPG battle for DS is ON: Dragon Quest IX vs Golden Sun.
On GoldenEye 007 Wii remake: Sure it's classic, but I never thought that the applause for this game would be bigger than Zelda.
On Epic Mickey: The graphics are actually quite detailed, eclipsing (sadly), the new Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's visuals.
On Kirby's Epic Yarn: Finally a game that grandmothers around the world can relate to.
On Dragon Quest IX: Nintendo's own playing 140 hours and just getting started... is that person a game tester?
On Metroid: Other M: Saw some over the shoulder camera shots of Samus... it's Nintendo's version of Dead Space!
On Donkey Kong Country Returns: Welcome back to your roots DK... 2D DK: Country is back (literally).
On Nintendo 3DS: Looks sleek and a 3D slider to maximize 3D effect... FULL please!
On Kid Ikarus: Uprising for 3DS: Wasn't this supposed to be announced a couple years ago... just love Pit's opening line, "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
The Ubisoft E3 press conference had some really cool showcases, most of which were presented beautifully with the extremely huge HD projector and bass-heavy system the Los Angeles Theatre was equipped with. Here's my reactions for each reveal, summed up in a sentence each.
On new rhythm shooter game Child's Eden: If Mizguchi's Rez was an acid trip, then this visually-pleasing shooter (that shoots lasers out of your hands using Microsoft's Kinetic) is an entire rave.
On Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood amazing finishing kills: Why stab regular enemies when you could throw swords or shoot them in the face?
On Shaun White's entrance for Shaun White Skateboarding: The game allows you to create your own skating surfaces in MID-AIR... somehow Tony Hawk catching air isn't so cool.
On Battle Tag's motto of a "videogame you play away from the screen": If this be the ultimate game to play at home, then I would feel really sorry for parents.
On the relaxing feel of the new breathing game Innergy: The perfect game to play after going crazy with Child's Eden.
On the name for Motion Sports: Were all the Wii clone names taken or what?
On Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for Kinetic: It's calibration made simple... just stand there and don't worry about the Balance Board messing up.
On the reasoning for coming out with Raving Ravings: Travel in Time: So Rayman is completely out of the picture by getting stomped by drunk rabbits?
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier's motto: "The future soldier will be a F-16 on legs."
On Driver: San Francisco: If you can drive around all of San Francisco, does that mean that we'll also find the crazy hippies hanging out in the Haight District?
On Project Dust: A new game based on the Mayans can't be a Black and White sequel can it?
On Rayman: Origins: Bravo to the team who developed this game... all five of them.
On TrackMania: After playing ModRacers Nation, it looks like we could have a track creator game battle!
On Beat It beating played at the very end showcasing a Michael Jackson videogame slated for later this year: This could possibly be one of the most anticipated games of the show... and we didn't see any gameplay at all.
NFL Training Camp is here!Tebow and McClain have gotten big contracts, while the top 5 in this year's draft have yet to get anything yet.AND...Terrell Owens is a Bengal.Here's his first workout:www.nfl.com/trainingcamp/story/09000d5d8...Anyone else e
So all of you know the deal. Lebron James spurned the Cleveland Cavs and decided to sign with the Miami Heat just around a month ago, ending his once pronounced "loyalty royalty" to the Cleveland fans. Now imagine a Heat fan wearing a Lebron James HE
Yeah, definitely. That was an awesome trailer. I especially like the bit where Loki attempts to stand up for Thor when Odin takes his hammer, just to get shut up before he can say anything. That quick scene actually does a good job of showing that th
