Toy Fair 2013: A Crowded Coop: Valve’s (Other) Secret Weapon

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

If you’re one of those video game fans who collects assorted goodies related to your favorite games or if you’re just interested in fun finds with a quirky edge, I bet there’s a nice possibility that there’s something from A Crowded Coop on a shelf or hanging on or from something you own. Based out of Monroe, Washington and made up of a couple of professional genius business types with heavy experience in all things toy related as well as being some very talented artistic types with vision to spare, the company creates its own products as well as licenses and distributes other trendy, hip gear the cool kids (and old farts like me) love through a number of retail outlets such as Think Geek and other quality online and brick & mortar emporiums. At this year’s Toy Fair, the company showed off an outstanding line of collectibles from some of Valve’s hit games (Portal 2, DOTA 2 and Team Fortress 2), a new line of beautiful plush toys from artist Justin Hillgrove, another upcoming fun plush line called Whim Whams and more that had me smiling even as I walked up to the booth…

Continue reading →

Here’s MUD In Yer Eye: Namco Bandai Gets Milestone’s Moto Racer In Stores Next Week

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

Namco Bandai Games is turning into quite the busy bee of a publisher these days, picking up distribution rights to a bunch of cool-looking titles from a few developers. Milestone’s upcoming MUD FIM Motocross World Championship is coming to the PS3, PS Vita and Xbox 360 on February 26, 2013, so here’s a look if you haven’t seen it yet. The game combines simulation and arcade racing with some real-life riders and racing that’s based on the FIM series plus some stunt-heavy maps to tool around on when you’re not racing. While it probably won’t wow the graphics hounds out there, the game looks decent enough and might be a bit of a fun diversion for those seeking a bit of bouncy bike action in an off-road flavor. You can catch bugs in your teeth at home when the game jumps into stores next week (and on PSN for the Vita).

Continue reading →

NEOGEO X Classics Coming In April With Another Cool Bonus

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

And so it begins (or continues, actually). In case you were wondering when and how SNK/Playmore was going to be getting new NEOGEO X games out, well the mystery has been solved. In late April, selected game retailers will stock the upcoming 3-game card NEOGEO X Classics: Volume I, which is the first of five three-game card compilations on the way. This next series of game cards will feature the following arcade hits from the company’s huge library:

ART OF FIGHTING 3
BLAZING STAR
BREAKERS REVENGE
FATAL FURY: MARK OF THE WOLVES
KIZUNA ENCOUNTER
THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’96
THE LAST BLADE 2
METAL SLUG 2
SAMURAI SHODOWN 3
SAVAGE REIGN
SENGOKU
SHOCK TROOPERS
SUPER SIDEKICKS 3 – THE NEXT GLORY
TOP HUNTER
WORLD HEROES JET

In addition, each card will ship with the “ROCKET” High-speed Data Transfer and Charging Travel Cable, at no additional cost. There’s also a system update on the way as well as a travel case for the handheld. More details will drop soon, so stay tuned for more. I’m quite happy with my X, so seeing it get more support is making me a happy camper indeed…

PS4 Reveal Event (Full Version)

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

Put on a pot of whatever and pull up a seat. Here’s the full press event I didn’t get to see live, so whee, we get to watch it together! Hey, it’s NOT a rerun if you’ve never seen it, right? Hmmm. this brings back memories, though. I need to interview Mark Cerny at some point, as he’s been missed for a while on the gaming scene. KNACK looks like a classic PSOne platformer remade with amazing physics and I can’t wait to see more. Amusingly enough, I haven’t seen Dave Perry in years (he’s something like seven feet tall in person), but I remember a chat we had about Shiny’s development on The Matrix: Path of Neo and some other fun stuff a few years back at a loud Atari event. Enjoy the ride, folks… Sony’s just getting started.

Below the jump is the official press release (I fixed a silly spelling error I caught), as I’m too busy to edit the darn thing down, you get to pore over every official word and hold Sony to the fire if they don’t deliver the goods…

Continue reading →

More PS4 News? OK: The Witcher 3 Will Be A System Seller For Some.

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is confirmed as coming to the PS4 (as I figured as soon as I read the initial press release a few weeks back), so FINALLY, Sony fans get to play a CD Projekt RED game and see what they’ve been missing. Hopefully this also means we’ll see The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings or even better, ALL The Witcher games get some love on the new console, as together they make up one of the best written and best looking fantasy/RPG games you’ll play, bar none. I don’t know what’s in the water or food there, but the team at CDPR is made up of some truly talented and smart folks who get it done and get it done right. I can’t wait…

All I need now are some trailers and screens to keep me dreaming of misty woods, crumbling castle and creepy beasties to avoid (or dice up like a sack of carrots if they get too hostile) and I’m good…

New PS4 DUALSHOCK 4 and PlayStation Eye: A Little More Peripheral Vision…

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

Oops. I allllllmost forgot the new PlayStation 4 DUALSHOCK 4 Controller and PlayStation 4 Eye camera. Which means… it’s Speccy time! I hate tech specs, folks – as long as the darn things work like they should and keep me happy and playing while that box is purring away under the TV (well, above and to the left here), I’m good. Boring specs and more exciting beauty pack shots are below the jump. I have a few more controller images (update; POSTED!), a long press release here with console specs (no pics, though) and all the publishers and developers working on new games, but I’ll post those in a few hours, as I’m wiped out. Good Night!

Continue reading →

Watch_Dogs & Watch The Future Arrive on PS4

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

That’s almost it for the PS4,
some cool tech on the way
A new controller, camera too,
and some new games to play.

I’ll post more vids later to-day
I’m just about to drop
Expect more Sony stuff to see
(your eyes, they just may pop!)

NEW Driftmoon Trailer: It’s All Done (The Game and Trailer, That Is), So Go Buy It, Already!

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

As in noted last week (I think – this month is a TOTAL blur!), Ville and Anne Mönkkönen indie adventure/RPG Driftmoon has been getting some final tweaking and as you can see in the new trailer above, it’s tight as a drum and all set to brighten up your hard drive. The game is fresh, funny and near perfect, now has a nifty modern camera angle adjustor 2.0 added (er, in English, the Pg Up/Pg Dn keys tilt the viewpoint), a gentle kick in the lighting’s pants by accident has boosted it a bit more and yes, the game is easy on the eyes, to boot. Did I mention the level editor? No? Oh, I did last week? Well, I’m glad someone is actually reading this site! Either that, or I’m having a conversation with myself (shhh!).

Continue reading →

Disney Infinity Announce Trailer: Kids… Take Your Toys Outside, But Stay Home!

Posted on February 21, 2013 by geelw

OK, I’m sure Disney won’t be marketing their upcoming (and fun looking) multi-platform game this way and I’m sure those parents who prefer their kids get some actual exercise in a real theme or other park will be rolling their eyeballs as the wallet comes out later this year, but that’s how it goes. New cool tech means old school parental units wondering what the fuss is about. Granted, the game is mixing up the figure collecting fun of Activision’s billion-dollar grossing Skylanders franchise with the ability to create and share game worlds with other players, so there’s more to this than meets the eye. Still, I’m wondering why Disney didn’t ring up Square Enix so both companies could rake in probably half that billion Activision is making furniture out of with a Kingdom Hearts: Infinity game. Hmmmm… I wonder if either company is hiring? I’m an idea guy first and foremost and I’d bet a whole dollar that I’ve got a few good ones rattling around upstairs some folks can make a mint off of…