Gallery: Dead or Alive Dimensions (3DS)

Dead or Alive Dimensions looks to bring the long-running series back where it belongs as a fighting game franchise and based on these excellent screens and character renders, things are coming along quite nicely indeed. I'd say as long as there's no beach volleyball mode to be found in the game, this one's got 'Winner!” stamped all over it. Tecmo Koei and Team Ninja are certainly proud of their baby, releasing more screens than I've seen from other 3DS title to date. Just for fun, I've also added two more UK trailers that feature gameplay footage below the jump. Enjoy the gallery!

Read more »

Super Monkey Ball 3D Trailer

Stupidly cute and funny trailer for Sega’s upcoming 3DS game which should have quite a few commuters rolling off subway and bus seats worldwide once its released. The Super Monkey ball games are always a ton of fun (more fun than a barrel of… well, you know), but the addition of the third dimension should make things really nuts… er, make that bananas!

Gallery: Ridge Racer 3D


What’s a new console without a
Ridge Racer game at launch (or somewhere in the launch window)? We’ll see when RR3D screeches into stores with the 3DS in March. It certainly looks like a winner from these screens…

Gallery: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS)

Yeah, yeah, there are a ton of 3DS games I need to cover (and I'll get to them starting this weekend), but I'm actually really looking forward to this one the most. Atlus is bringing a souped-up version of one of the best RPG's of 2009 to the 3DS with a few cool new features. Overclocked includes full voice acting, an all-new epilogue, revamped visuals and more. The game's official site is going up soon, according to Atlus… just keep coming back and clicking on that link 'til you get a picture. Or I'll just post here again when it finally does go live. Press release & five screens below the jump

Read more »

Nintendo Reveals 3DS Launch Details

In short: so I was right on a few fronts: The US Nintendo 3DS will cost $249.99, come with a few built in games, an upgradable 2MB SD card and will get around 30 games within the launch window (March-June). The 3DS has three cameras, can auto-generate a pic of you into a Mii (nice) and will be able to play DS games (not in 3D) as well as downloadable GameBoy and GBA games. Street Pass” is an optional “social networking” function that allows for trading high scores and other data with nearby 3DS units.

3DS will be stores February 26 in Japan, March 27 in the US, March 25 in Europe and UK (which have a quirky “per retailer” price point structure that so far ranges from 219-249 Euros/Pounds – yikes!). The fine folks at engadget have a lot more clout than lil’ ol Mii, so here’s link to their deeper coverage. I’ll have a list of confirmed titles shortly.

Conduit 2 Weapons Trailer (Plus a Few Other Things)

Here's a look at some of the many different weapons from Conduit 2, High Voltage's followup to their groundbreaking Wii FPS. Sega of America has confirmed a new March 22, 2011 release date for the game, which is indeed a good thing. Since I'm in a really good mood (being the only person I know who's never played Angry Birds on a device I own is part of that), I may as well run the other two game trailers – enjoy!

Read more »

Commentary: Why We ALL Need Wizardry Back!

Sometimes, I just hate Japan, but in a decidedly more “grrrr… how come they get THAT game?” manner (and not anything more overly dramatic than that, mind you). While the Wizardry franchise hasn’t seen a new Western-developed PC game in the states since the ill-fated, (but mostly well-rated) Wizardry 8 (back in 2001!), since the late 80’s, Japanese gamers have had nearly 40 ports or completely original Wizardry games and side-stories created by an assortment of developers for a number of consoles, portables and even cellphones.

More recently (as in a big, fat “what the what?!”), the Nintendo DS in Japan has gotten their own original Wizardry games in the form of three titles that will probably never, ever see the light of day in English unless they get fan-patched translations (*grrrr!*). You can keep your Angry Birds, and other “casual” games, folks – I’d rather play something with real meat on its bones.

Continue reading

Radiant Historia Time-Traveling Walkthrough Trailer Radiates Historically…

Yes, this walkthrough was released a few days back, but I’m just now getting to it (Hey! I’ve a LOT of stuff on my plate!). Atlus USA just keeps it coming with yet ANOTHER fine Nintendo DS/DSi RPG, Radiant Historia, set for release on February 22, 2011. I’m still playing Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey and SMT: Devil Survivor, but as I’m winding down the many, many hours spent on those, it looks as if I’ll be getting a bit busy with this one. As usual, expect a nice deluxe package complete with a CD soundtrack and more gameplay than you can shake a stylus at… back with more in a bit.

Nintendo 3DS Pre-Order Madness Starts With Nary A Price Point In Sight (AND Your Kids WIll Go BLIND… Er, Maybe)…


I’m gathering that reports that the upcoming 3DS will carry a warning about use of its innovative 3D functionality being not recommended (or good, for that matter) for the eyesight of kids under six years old isn’t going to stop anyone from putting down a fat deposit at Gamestop and posting copies their receipts online. Of course, those pre-ordering folk aren’t six years old (and hopefully don’t have kids coming up on that age they want to introduce to that sort of eye/brain strain) and heck, trying to stop early adopters from throwing packs of money around is sort of bad for the economy (which someone should tell those AGAINST alternative fuel sources).

Still, Nintendo really needs to play offense as well as defense here as they address this potential sales-killing (or class action lawsuit bringing) issue as more of the dopier media outlets (you know, the ones that ALWAYS take the “Video games will turn your kids into mass murdering sex fiends in three seconds!” approach to this sort of news) take this negative angle and run wild with it. I say, as long as parents can read the damn box (or have a clerk point this age limit out to them) BEFORE they buy it, it’s all good. Now, about that price point… Guess we’ll see by CES (my prediction: $249.99, but perhaps with a pack-in and maybe loaded with some cool stuff)

My REAL question is this: Why the hell do we keep seeing kid’s movies arriving in theaters (then later on DVD or Blu-Ray) in 3D if kids under six shouldn’t be able to watch them at all? Granted, you can sit around playing “normal” games for hours on end with only a few issues. 3D gaming has been headache-inducing since the 90’s when there were something like two to four minute experiences along with a few other applications. I guess we’ll see what happens after the 3DS ships and more folks can afford 3D televisions and those expensive glasses.

Still, I’m crazy that way. I can see myself playing a 3D game ’til I fall off the couch from dizziness, but I just can’t imagine myself or someone else watching more than two 3D movies in a row before their butt tries to bite them for making them sit so long doing nothing…

WIN FREE STUFF!!! Disney Epic Mickey Swag Up For Grabs!

Well, heeeeeeeere we go again! I'm in the holiday spirit, it is indeed the holidays and that means YOU want FREE stuff, right? From now until the end of the month, I'll be running Friday giveaways of game-related gear, mostly featuring items you won't find in stores. First up, a twofer: I've ONE Disney Epic Mickey Jacket (size XL) and ONE Disney Epic Mickey Oswald the Rabbit T-shirt (size XL, with a Epic Mickey Ears Cloisonne Pin) in need of two good homes!

Read more »