Toy Fair 2013: Flip2BFit and Bakari Will Put A Forever Spring In Your Step…

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flip2bfitEven though I know a few folks who’ve lost weight using WiiFit, Let’s Dance, Zumba or other video games, the fact is, these aren’t for everyone. In general, not enough people in the US exercise and eat right period, video game consoles aren’t in every home for any number of good reasons and some people need a bit more motivation than taking the relatively expensive way out of buying more devices that they probably won’t use once they’re unpacked. That said, adding some sort of play to one’s exercise routine is a great thing and that’s where Heather Parisi and her all ages fitness games Flip2BFit and Bakari come in. Sometimes, a good old fashioned board or card game is the way to go for anyone looking to shape up with kids they don’t want glued to the TV or a device when they should be concentrating on a few important things like diet and exercise…

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Defiance: New Alien Sightings Make For A Spring Workout Plan…

 

More looks at syfy’s upcoming series DEFIANCE in a quickie alien preview. As noted earlier, this is really looking like it’ll be a show worth running home to see each week, provided you LIKE running home or running before you catch a favorite TV show. Hey, it’s SPRING and you could use to lose that winter fat, buddy. Yeah, me too, but I work at home, so I’ll need to run around the block a few times (or back from the library which is about 1/2 a mile from home) or the Starbucks with the better internet connection about 1.2 miles away. OK, I’ll “walk quickly”, as I don’t run for anybody and I’m certainly not going to run for office, even if it’s at home…

Woo. That’s cyclical humor at its finest, folks! I’ll be here all week – 2 shows nightly, 2 drink cover. Don’t forget to tip your server!

Star Trek The Video Game – Making the Game Part 2: All Gorn, No Corn…

Another behind the scenes look at Digital Extremes’ upcoming Star Trek game, this time featuring a peek at the redesigned Gorn. I like the faster, meaner versions here over the one from that classic Trek episode, “Arena” (itself based on a great sci-fi story) – Kirk would have been eaten alive before he was able to get. Out. His. Dialog. in that inimitable Shatner style. If this one’s at Namco’s upcoming NYC press event next month, I’ll get some hands-on time and let you fine folks know what’s what…

BioShock Infinte’s Elizabeth: Creating Much More Than Just A Pretty Face…

It takes a good deal of work to put together a video game and with being Women’s History Month, I’m gathering Irrational Games is trying to celebrate their version of the event in a bit more interesting manner by showing what it took to create Elizabeth in its upcoming game, BioShock Infinite. As you’ll see, it wasn’t an easy process at all, but the end results seem to be working for both male as well as female fans of the series. Of course, the final test of that comes when the game hits stores on March 26, 2013 for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Transistor: Supergiant Games’ Next WIP (PLUS, Buy Bastion Cheap If You Haven’t Yet!)

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Transistor_19-mar-2013_01Meet Red, heroine of Supergiant Games‘ currently in development action/RPG, Transistor. That’s a mighty big sword she’s swinging, isn’t it? Turns out that weapon is integral to the plot, as it was previously used in an attempt to kill the poor gal, but she survived and is out to find out who wanted her dead and why they used such a damn big butter knife when an accidentally dropped piano would have done the job. OK, so THAT piano stuff is probably not part of the plot (I hope), but those of you who played Supergiant’s amazing Bastion on any platform it ended up on know that Transistor will be a spectacular and memorable experience. Keep an eye on this one, folks – it’s going to be one for the ages, I predict…

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Capcom Arcade Cabinet: Next Stop, 1986!

 

Capcom continues crawling through the classics in their rather large arcade games library and yes, a few of the more snarky elements in the emulator crowd who’ve never paid a dime for anything they play are still wondering why. Too bad for them, I say. Anyway, for those folks not trolling for ROMs who want to get Capcom a little extra money for these updated HD conversions, three more gems from the past are all ready to play over PSN and XBLA on Capcom Arcade Cabinet. This week’s lineup includes Legendary Wings, Trojan and Side Arms Hyper Dyne, all extremely cool and vastly replayable.

The Croods: Prehistoric Party Hits Nintendo Systems: It’s Time to Get Seriously Stoned!

 

Hey! You thought I’d forgotten to post today, hmmm? Well, I was working on some reviews at the home office and then I went to a screening of Dreakworks’ latest CG animated flick, The Croods. It’s actually quite good and pretty hilarious with some fine performances overall. Nicholas Cage actually makes a MUCH better animated caveman in this film than he does in the last couple of movies he’s made (ha ha), the 3D is pretty cool and yep, there’s a message rolling throughout, so expect some dramatic points mixed in with all the fun.

 

 

Just in time for the film, D3Publisher of America is shipping out The Croods: Prehistoric Party for the Nintendo Wii U and Wii, as a collection of 30+ mini-games presented in a fun family board game format a la Mario Party. The 3DS and DS also get versions of this, but geared toward solo play action.

Anachronox Is $2.39 On GOG.com…(!) Yes, You Should Give It A Try.

 

anachronox coverTo some gamers, Ion Storm’s excellent 2001 role-playing game, Anachronox hasn’t aged so well in terms of visuals (the 3D character models in particular can be quite ugly thanks to the aging, but heavily modified Quake II engine), but the story, writing, art direction and turn-based combat are all prime reasons for checking this out. As usual, GOG.com comes to the rescue with a temporary price drop on this gem that makes it well worth a test drive. The game is often very funny, there are some interesting quests and NPC’s to meet, nice nods to eastern and western RPGs and film noir in all that sci-fi shininess and yeah, it’s pretty darn long. The ending is the weakest link as the game was so huge and seemed ripe for a follow-up that never got made. Nevertheless, at the end of the day there’s a lot to love about this not quite forgotten slice of gaming history, so yes indeed… I say you should set aside time to check this out…

(*whispers* It’s kind of hard to pass up a value like this, is all I’m saying…)

Capcom Makes With The Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Humor So You Don’t Have To…

 

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! I have the funny as hell feeling that somewhere on the Internet, SOMEONE is thinking this video is for a REAL product and is very madly tapping out that 800 number, credit card at the ready. Sucker. Of course, if Capcom DID actually release swag like this and put it up on their web shop, it would sell out in about the time it takes to watch that video. Yeah, you know how those rabid fans are. A fool and his money actually NEVER get parted because he or she sits in the corner crying because that fake number didn’t dial though. A real smart dude or dudette is broke and happy because they have a crapload of too cool swag filling their shelves. That, dear reader is today’s wisdom. Now go buy something too cool for yourself… oh, a brand new Wii U and/or 3DS and copies of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for both systems would be a great start, I (and Capcom) would say…

BioShock Infinite TV Spot (Long Version): A Good Week Is Many Miles Away… Look Up!

 

March 26 is what, a week away and 2K Games is finally getting the bigger, more splashy ads for this out in full force. As usual with a game so long awaited and important, I’m not going to go poking around for quickly written reviews or the opinions of friends who blow through this in a day at all. I’m thinking this is yet another one of those deeper than it looks games that deserves a full play on my own time and not some speedy rush through just to make a deadline. I’m gathering Ken Levine and Irrational Games would prefer people take the time to “relax” when they’re not being shot at or otherwise maimed in the game world and check out as much of Columbia as they can survive, as I can see the potential for Easter Eggs galore that take a bit of Sky Hook action, some deft shooting skills or other fun, challenging navigation and/or gameplay to reach. As usual, we shall see, folks… we shall see…