Armored Core V “DOOMSDAY” Trailer (Plus A GameStop Exclusive… A Pretty Cool One, At That)

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

Usually, I kind of roll my eyeballs around in my skull until they fall out of my head and get all linty from rolling under a dresser when I see these pre-order bonuses. This time, I managed to catch one eyeball and pop it back in just so I could do a proper double-take. Pre-ordering ACV from any GS in North America will get you the Heavy Armor Pack DLC, which features 168 parts you can use to give your Core a big honkin’ advantage over those who just grab the game at retail on day one and have to work harder to get the cool gear.

On the other hand, a GOOD AC player will probably figure out a way to rig up a mean mech without taking the pre-order plunge. Of course, 168 FREE parts are very hard to pass up, that’s for sure…

Mass Effect 3 “Take Earth Back” Teaser – Stellar Storytelling (Short Version)

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

I saw the full-length version of this last week at the Spotlight EA event and it’s pretty spectacular, stirring stuff by time the dramatic ending rolls around. Not that Mass Effect 3 needs the hard sell at all. Hell, BioWare has pulled out all the stops with the upcoming PS3/Xbox 360/PC game an you’ll see many improvements plus a super 4-player co-op mode that ties into the main single player storyline. It’s almost like the developer (and whomever did the CG work) is showing off how well their game is going to yank players all across the emotional spectrum and leave them in sobbing, yet defiant heaps of Shepard-ness right before they hop back in to finish the fight. Wait, wrong game franchise! Oh, you know what I mean. If you STILL haven’t played the other two (or Mass Effect 2, if you’re only a PS3 owner), you should pick them up ASAP, as they’re cheap and will get you even more revved up for this finale. Also, the demo is out NOW, so give it a whirl – the single player is about 2 hours or so and you’ve got some co-op fun added as well.

Final Four Street Fighter X Tekken Characters, Release Dates Revealed

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

No huge surprises here, but the addition of Street Fighter’s M. Bison and Akuma plus Tekken’s Jin and Ogre brings the tally to 38 fighters… which to me, means we’ll probably see some more coming via DLC down the road from Capcom. Er, not that 38 fighters is anything to sneeze at, mind you. It’s just that between the two fighting franchises, methinks there are some other characters that are MIA for any number of reasons. Of course, Namco’s upcoming Tekken X Street Fighter may also bring in a few of these new challengers, so we’ll need to see what up with that still in development follow-up at some point…

More trailers below the jump!

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A Twisted Metal Valentine (a bit late, thanks to Toy Fair)…

Posted on February 15, 2012 by geelw

Day Three of the show was pretty exhausting and again, I’m BEAT. As I didn’t check my email until now (Hey! I needed a nap after all that walking around), I missed this cool TM Launch trailer (oops) Anyway, here you go (a day late, too). Oh, well… it’s the thought that counts, right? Now, I just need to snag a copy of the game and play it…

Tekken 3DS Prime Edition Trailer: This Week’s Fight of the Century…

Posted on February 14, 2012 by geelw

POW! Namco Bandai’s firstly familiar to Sony fans fighting franchise finally flies onto a new platform. 40+ characters and a lot of precise button crunching await those 3DS owners looking for another cool fighter for their favorite handheld. Of course, with the publisher also releasing Tales of the Abyss for the 3DS on the same day, it’s going to be a tough choice for some gamers on a budget. On the other hand, that’s what next week’s paycheck is for, right? Game on!

Toy Fair 2012: Loog – Because Everyone Needs A DIY Guitar…

Posted on February 14, 2012 by geelw

There were a lot of musical instruments at Toy Fair geared to kids, but, NYC-based Loog Guitars was probably my favorite booth to drop by. Loog creator, founder and CEO Rafael Atijas was there (dressed more like an average guy and not like a stuffy CEO, by the way) with his Kickstarter-funded creation drawing much interest at the show. From the quality (and simply finished) wood in three body styles to the plain yet distinctive packaging and adult-sized neck option,this is something that’s a great DIY gift for anyone wanting to get into the instrument. While there have been kid-sized guitars made for ages, the three-string Loog is wonderfully cool because you assemble it yourself. And that assembly is amazingly simple, as you can see in the above video.

If what you see gets you thinking your kid (or perhaps even you) might want one of these nifty kits, well… you know what to do (click on that link above, of course). Currently, only an acoustic model is available, but I know there’s some creative hacker out there that’s going to electrify his or her Loog and show it off soon enough…

Uncharted: Golden Abyss Launch Trailer: You’ll Want A Vita Just For This One…

Posted on February 13, 2012 by geelw

… But don’t worry about ONLY have a measly ONE game, though. Sony’s rather impressive lineup of 25 launch titles includes very few lemons from what I can see and even then, the games that don’t “look” like “core” titles are fun for the niche crowd. Oh, who am I kidding… EVERY game genre is a niche, kids – some are just bigger than others. This is going to be a key week plus for the Vita a the folks that have pre-ordered those first issue bundles will be the ones Sony will be hearing from first (well, after the pro critics have their way with the device and launch lineup) and no doubt adjusting whatever based on that feedback.

Toy Fair 2012 Update: He Who Has The Most FUN Stuff, Wins…

Posted on February 12, 2012 by geelw

So, day one of the really big show is down for the count (and so am I after all that walking, oof). I saw a LOT of really cool stuff today that I’ll get around to writing about later this week. Here are some fun facts for you in the meantime to pore over (all of which and more will be covered in detail in the days to come):

. Star Wars FINALLY gets its own Scene-it game! Enough said – get your money ready.

. Little Bits. Remember that name, particularly if you’re into making stuff with assorted electronic components. Just passing by the booth made me think of a few dozen things I wanted to attempt to make…

. Also, remember Mungi Bands. They’re not out just yet, but expect every pre-teen and teen to be hooked on these fun magnetic bracelets from a new North Carolina company. ..

. Board games, card and dice games are NOT dead. Sure they’re coming to iOS and Android platforms, but if you’re looking for a good old box full of excitement that you can play with people sitting around a table, there are an amazing number of options. That said, some of the popular board games getting a tech boost are pretty awesome…

. Speaking of board and card games, I got my biggest laugh of the day playing stuff at the Techno Source booth. Let’s just say that only a dog can beat a dragon in the Where’s Waldo universe…

. Don’t spend too much money on an iPad for your kid, as there’s another device coming that allows far better parental controls for MULTIPLE kids if your have them…

. If you’re in a state where toy guns are still legal (and you don’t have cops trained to go ballistic when they see kids having FUN), you can still buy some of the best quality six-shooters, rifles and other gear you’ll ever see and touch from a 76-year old company based out of Savannah, Tennessee…

. 3D as a fad isn’t dead jut yet. In fact, pretty much every one of those cardboard glasses you’ll find at public events all over the globe at everything from movies, to concerts to fireworks shows and even packed into DVD’s and games, all come from one company (which just so happens to also be from Tennessee)…

. There are Edible Bubbles that you can blow and eat. Like the soap bubbles you played with as a kid. But edible. And rum flavored, too. Yikes (but they ARE tasty!)…

More to come later – off to catch The Walking Dead…

Nintendo’s Fun 3DS Trailers Let You Know It’s Still Going Strong…

Posted on February 12, 2012 by geelw

With Sony launching the Vita this week to early adopters in the US and the PS3 still going strong (Twisted Metal hitting retail on Valentine’s Day is pretty hilarious in a good way), Nintendo is letting us all know they’ve got a big foot in the pool as well as a bigger head start with their portable. Granted, the Vita has a few fun features the 3Ds doesn’t as well as a whole different take on variety in their first party selections, but for me, there’s never been a direct competition between any Sony or Nintendo portable because they do what they do differently. nevertheless, you can’t go wrong with any of the titles here if you own a 3DS or are looking to pick one up…

The Driftmoon Demo Is Officially Live. You NEED To Play It. Now.

Posted on February 11, 2012 by geelw

Last year, Spiderweb Software’s Jeff Vogel (a maker of fantastic games in his own right) called Finland’s Ville and Anne Mönkkönen “two seriously attractive game developers” on his blog and I got a big laugh out of that because I’d been playing Ville’s games on and off for years without ever giving a thought as to what he looked like. The man’s got talent to spare and a unique vision that’s kept him around making a handful of fun independent games at his own pace. Driftmoon, the newest project (done in collaboration with his wife, Anne) is his most polished project to date and also the first game he’s actually looking to make a profit from. With a little assistance from people like you, of course. The official demo for the RPG has just dropped at the Instant Kingdom website and yes, I urge you to try it out and see what pretty much everyone who’s seen the game in development (and played the super early builds) already knows. You DO have a new tab open and are downloading away, right? OK, great – enjoy the demo!

Note: For you modern RPG fans out there – don’t overly obsess over the top-down viewpoint at all. Play the game for about five minutes and it’ll feel just right.