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After finishing the Green Day: Rock Band demo the above picture shows the standard Rock Band bass, drum, guitar, and mic icons, but as you can see there is also what appears to be a piano icon. What does this mean for the franchise? What will the set list look like for the next game? Only time will tell, but I think Stevie Wonder (Better than has been previously done with this one hopefully), Ray Charles, Elton John, and other great pianist could easily make their way in to the music gaming fray with this new instrument. Click here to view the article

There are 3 Deals of the Week this week on Xbox Live and 2 games coming to XBLA. Lazy Raiders, Band of Bugs and Madballs in Babo: Invasion are all reduced from 800 Microsoft Points to 400 this week, while Avatar Wave Snowball Fight is also available for 80 points. Voodoo Dice will be coming to the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 MS Points. However the biggest news this week is the arrival of Doom II on XBLA. I'm sure this one will come in at 800 MS Points as well, but a price has yet to be confirmed. This is really great news for fans of the Doom series and I assume we can look forward to Doom 3 hitting Games on Demand pretty soon as well. Click here to view the article

The much anticipated release date for Halo: Reach has been announced as September 14th (9/15 in Japan). The pre-order, Limited Edition, and Legendary Edition bonuses have also been announced. Check after the break for screens of the new skins. The Legendary Edition will come with the "Flaming Spartan" skins seen below: While the Limited Edition will get the "Elite Officer" armour for the Covanent: And pre-orders will get the "Spartan Recon Helmet" which has some weird looking antenna or satellite on top of his head: Not bad in this day and age of pre-order and bonus crap for most games. Click here to view the article

In a move that really should surprise no one, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to bring a Mass Effect movie to the big screen. With the success of the game(s), this is no real shocker for anyone. With the likes of Halo, Bioshock, and rumors in the industry of a God of War film, a game with such a deep story could easily be brought to your local cinema. Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend) has been hired to pen the script. His work hasn't really impressed me thus far, but with him being a more character driven writer, it could be a good thing for this project. Also, if the studio could snag Matthew Fox (Who Commander Shephard's look was modeled after) fresh off his Lost career, the film may have even more of a fan base built in. Let's just hope this project can actually get off the ground, unlike some of the other major game franchise to movie adaptations. Click here to view the article

A recent video that showed up on Youtube shows what could be a leaked trailer for Marvel Vs. Capcom 3. I can't confirm or deny the credibility of said trailer, but if it isn't real, it should be. Take a look: **UPDATE** Looks like it's real. Here is the official press release: CAPCOM®, MARVEL® LIFT VEIL ON LONG-AWAITED FIGHTING GAME MARVEL® VS. CAPCOM®3: FATE OF TWO WORLDS After a Decade, the Most Iconic Characters in Entertainment Return To Face Off In One of the Most Popular Game Franchises of All Time SAN MATEO, CA — April 20, 2010 — Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, and the legendary Marvel Entertainment, LLC today announced the latest installment in their epic fighting game series with Marvel® vs. Capcom ®3: Fate of Two Worlds. It’s been a decade since MarvelTM vs. Capcom® 2: New Age of Heroes was first released and now the most popular Marvel and Capcom characters join forces again in a re-envisioned team fighting game for a new generation. Fill the shoes of legendary characters from the most beloved franchises in entertainment as you battle in the first VS. Fighting game powered by Capcom’s MT Framework. “We are so pleased to be working with Marvel again. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has been one of the most requested titles for us to produce by our fans,” said Christian Svensson, Corporate Officer and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Capcom. “Our Capcom development studio is creating the most epic fighting game ever developed and Marvel’s input into that process has been invaluable.” Get set for the ultimate faceoff when Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds hits PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in Spring 2011. Click here to view the article

Made as part of the Bricks In Motion Challenge, Youtube user "xxxfancypantsxxx" created this AMAZINGLY done stop motion Lego Star Wars lightsaber battle. I know it's technically not gaming related, but with the popularity of the Lego Star Wars games I thought it would be great to pass along to everyone. Entitles Lego The Force Unleashed, we see Darth Vader's apprentice kick some major butt. Enjoy. Click here to view the article

In a move that really surprises no one, Netflix and Nintendo have finally announced that Netflix streaming will be available on the Wii this spring. As with the PS3, a disc will be needed to access the streaming on the Wii, as well as a $9 per month subscription to the Netflix service. No additional fees from Nintendo or Neflix will be required. As I'm sure you are aware, the Wii does not have high-def capabilities, so no HD streaming will be available. Hopefully with Netflix on all 3 major consoles everyone can access some of the great stuff that Netflix has been working hard to add to their streaming lineup. Stay tuned to Gamercide for information on how to get your Netflix streaming disc for the Wii, as soon as they become available. Click here to view the article

A new Wii game is coming from Zoink Games, where you jam the Wii-mote down a stuffed animals throat and move the stuffed animal around to play the game. Interesting idea for kids if it works well. Take a look at the promo video below and see what you think. Click here to view the article

Game’s Release Coincides With Announcements About Bonus TMS Content, New Website, and Free DLC for the Original Splosion Man July 13th, 2011 - Austin, TX - Ms. Splosion Man releases today on Xbox LIVE Arcade, but amongst the joy comes the sudden announcement that her TMS could strike at any moment. TMS, or Title Managed Storage, is a special feature of the Xbox LIVE® service that allows Twisted Pixel to present free extra Challenges for the players on a regular basis. These week-long Challenges appear off of the Main Menu and take a level from the game and give it special rules and new content. There’s no predicting the effects of TMS, you just have to adapt to the new rules and do your best to survive until the end. Leaderboards created especially for these TMS challenges rank players on their success at playing the level. “From time to time, we will be awarding real prizes and other fun stuff to the top finishers, and sometimes random players, from the Challenge’s leaderboards,” states Jay Stuckwisch, Marketing Director. “We are finding it harder and harder to ‘one up’ ourselves with new ways of giving away free stuff to people who buy our games, but TMS has opened an exciting new door for us.” Worried that you’ll miss the signs of Ms. Splosion Man’s approaching TMS? Not to worry, the brand new version of www.MsSplosionMan.com launches today, with a wealth of information on story, character bios, game information, and everything you need to know about the next TMS challenge. Free downloadable extras like wallpapers, game soundtrack, and the Ms. Splosion Man development blog are all available there as well. Ms. Splosion Man has garnered rave reviews in the days leading up to her release and follows the adventures of Ms. Splosion Man as she splodes her way free of Big Science and out into the world. Featuring 50 single-player levels and a separate 50 level multiplayer campaign, this sequel to the award-winning Splosion Man brings a host of new gameplay and features like ghost leaderboards, new mechanics, new bosses, extra gameplay modes, and tons of unlockable content. Ms. Splosion Man retails for only 800 points and can be found on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Check out the new trailer below: Click here to view the article

Serious Sam: Double D, that is all . . . Click here to view the article

Our good friends at Hyperduck Soundworks are working with Extend Interactive again on their next game So Many Me. The pre-alpha trailer below has some rough sound work that The Ducks would like you to ignore and just enjoy the game play. Take a look and let us know what you think. http://vimeo.com/25086057 Click here to view the article

Where did the fun go? Over the past few years games have become more and more dependent on real world situations, social commentary, and political correctness to drive their narratives along. The days of the simplistic story and overall fun gaming seem to be slowly coming to an end, with little resistance from us, the gamers. The select few games at the top echelon in gaming are becoming more and more like simulations and less and less like the games that started the industry. “Games as art” has become the battle cry for almost every company out there trying to reach the top. While I have no issue with that comparison, what concessions are we allowing companies to make their art? Sacrificing fun for art, in a hobby that was built for fun, is truly sad and somewhat asinine. Back in 1985 when I received the NES and Super Mario Bros. as a birthday gift, after much begging and pleading, I knew from pressing Start that I was a gamer from that day forward. The story, as everyone knows, revolved around a kidnapped princess. However, without reading the manual you didn't know that until the end of world 1-4 when the major crux of the story was, "I'm sorry Mario but the Princess is in another castle". No matter how hard you try the sheer fun of running, jumping, and shooting fire from god knows where never felt forced or serious at all. It literally was just fun in its simplest form. Even before the NES the Atari, Commodore 64, and even Tennis for Two were all just "fun". No social commentary. No "art" comparisons. Just fun. Fast-forward to present day. The biggest franchises in gaming are arguably Call of Duty, Halo, Gears of War and many others of the same type. All of which amount to "war simulations". The stories try and try to take themselves seriously to convey the argument of "Videogames should be considered art" as best they can, but at what cost? I tried playing through Call of Duty 4 and found myself getting more and more depressed by the story that was playing out. The "shocking twist" that happens to one of the main characters did more to make me not want to continue than anything else in the game. If I want to see death, images of war, and the horrors of history or present day, I would turn on the history channel or the nightly news. Yet a game that resorts to dick and fart jokes or making off color jokes about things such as abortion are literally shit on by critics and most players alike for being juvenile/crude. The people that find these diversions from reality fun and funny are more often than not ostracized or called out for not wanting to have everything in gaming be so damned serious. A good story does not have to have some social or moral commentary to be meaningful or fun. Hell, some of the best games don’t even have a story. This is not to say that the games mentioned can’t be fun but I have yet, in a single-player environment, found anything remotely fun about them. Multiplayer can be a plus in quite a few of these games. Whether it be rolling through the story in co-op and saving your buddy’s ass from certain death or just making up your own game types in open world environments, this can be the saving grace for some games. Take GTA IV, it is/was a critical darling. Yet, the overall story just got monotonous and wasn’t very fun. However, get a group of friends together (drunk or otherwise) and get set for some truly fun times. Non-scripted, no story, everything as YOU make it. Boiled down to its simplest form, it is fun. Yes, I understand the word "fun" is all a matter of opinion and everyone has their own views on what the word means. However, any gamer my age can agree that pouring hours and hours in to Super Mario Bros. was a hell of a lot more fun than seeing a group of innocent people being gunned down with machine guns, mass graves being covered up, or an atomic bomb going off in the middle of a populated city. If "games as art" have to sacrifice the fun to gain critical acclaim or we have to be serious constantly throughout our pixelated adventures, this old timey gamer may need to find a new hobby. Click here to view the article

Be sure to check out the screenshots and game trailer here: http://www.ninjabee.com/akimi-village/ Click here to view the article

Telltale Games, the leading independent publisher of cinematic adventures and the pioneer of episodic content delivery, today announced that the highly-anticipated Puzzle Agent 2, the sequel to the smash hit game Puzzle Agent, will be available for purchase on June 30. Puzzle Agent 2 for PC and Mac can be pre-ordered at the discounted price of $8.99 from www.telltalegames.com, and as a special bonus, includes the original Puzzle Agent game for free. Touch screen players are not left out of the action either as Puzzle Agent 2 will also be available on iPad and iPhone. For series newcomers, the original Puzzle Agent for iOS will be on sale for the period of June 7-14 for $2.99 on iPad and $0.99 on iPhone. “The Puzzle Agent series illustrates what can happen when top indie development talent has an opportunity to shine in front of a big audience,” said Telltale CEO Dan Connors. “As the first game in our Pilot Program, Puzzle Agent validates our decision to create the program and set the stage for Puzzle Agent 2 as well as other amazing indie projects.” Puzzle Agent 2 builds on its award-winning predecessor with a wider variety of rewarding puzzles based on the feedback of Puzzle Agent fans. Developed in collaboration with comic artist and animator Graham Annable, it garnered PC Gamer’s “Puzzle Game of the Year” award and IGN’s Best iPhone Game of E3 2010. Puzzle Agent 2 picks up after FBI Agent Nelson Tethers “solved” the Scoggins Eraser Factory case. However, with factory foreman Isaac Davner missing and the “Hidden People” mystery largely unsolved, troubled Agent Tethers goes rogue and ventures back to the eerie town of Scoggins, Minnesota to solve the biggest case of his career. Telltale Games is providing a first look at Puzzle Agent 2 at this year’s E3 conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Room #8205 in the Concourse Hall. Click here to view the article

MonkeyPaw Games and Frozen Codebase released the first full gameplay trailer and a ton of screenshots for the upcoming HD remake of the classic Burgertime. Take a look at the the screenshots below and the full press release after the break. We will have the trailer uploaded later today. Click here to view the article

The Gunstringer and Fruit Ninja Kinect Packaged Together This September Get the Ultimate Kinect Bundle! A Shootin’ and Slashin’ Good Time for $39.99! Mark your calendars for a bullet-slinging, fruit-slashing party this September because Twisted Pixel’s Kinect-enabled action shooter “The Gunstringer” AND the highly anticipated “Fruit Ninja Kinect” will be bundled together at retail for just $39.99 USD! Whether you shoot-em-up or slice-em-up, YOU are the controller in these two fun, action-packed titles. The retail bundle will be available September 13 in North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia; and September 16 in EMEA. In “The Gunstringer”, you control a fiery gun-toting marionette through his adventures, combining solo platforming and shooting mechanics into fun, competitive action with a full suite of collectibles, unlockables, abilities, rewards and more. Plus, as a special bonus to celebrate the release of “The Gunstringer,” players can also download a free add-on pack for the game at launch called “The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles” which pits players against the time-traveling son of Wavy Tube Man, the first boss players battle in the game. In this add-on, Wavy Tube Man Jr. steals a time machine to prevent his father’s death at the hands of “The Gunstringer,” and it’s up to players to battle classic western cowboys and futuristic warriors to save the world from destruction. Along with the disc for “The Gunstringer,”the retail package will include a token code for the full downloadable version of “Fruit Ninja Kinect” via Xbox LIVE. “Fruit Ninja Kinect” is an amazing evolution of the slice-em-up genre created by Halfbrick, which brings the worldwide mobile gaming phenomenon to Kinect so you can use your arms as blades in an epic battle against the world’s most delicious produce is just beginning. Is September too long to wait to sharpen your Ninja skills? Don’t wait! Buy “Fruit Ninja Kinect” via Xbox LIVE Arcade for Xbox 360 on August 10 and get a jump start on your friends. Finally, pre-order “The Gunstringer” from select US and European retailers today, and you’ll receive two tokens for a free Avatar Prop from the game, available exclusively through the pre-order program! Click here to view the article

San Diego, January 05, 2010—Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading worldwide third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced a new range of Licensed Nintendo accessories for use with Wii™, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DS™ Lite video game systems. The new range of accessories marks the first Nintendo licensed products to be released by Mad Catz on Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. Check out the full list after the break. The new range of licensed accessories include: · Wireless SenseBar – Wii Battery or AC adapter powered, the Wireless SenseBar features a built-in timer which can be set for one, two or three hours of operation in order to conserve the lifespan of your batteries. MSRP: $19.99 · Premium Suede Folio Case – Nintendo DSi Ideal for the discerning gamer, the Premium Suede Folio Case presents a fashionable yet practical solution for carrying the Nintendo DSi, up to 6 DS games, and up to 2 extra styli. With micro-suede inner lining, the console, games and extra styli are certain to travel in style. MSRP: $14.99 · Premium Suede Game Wallet – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite The Premium Suede Folio Wallet presents a fashionable yet practical solution for carrying up to 6 game cartridges and up to 2 extra styli on the go. Featuring micro-suede inner lining, games and extra styli are sure to travel in style. MSRP: $19.99 · Brain Pak – Nintendo DSi Comprised of a protective hard case with a built-in adjustable strap, the Brain Pak helps ensure that the handheld stays in the palm of the player when held in a horizontal or vertical position. Perfect for puzzle or ‘train your brain’ style games, all Nintendo DSi buttons and ports are still accessible when the console is safely nestled within the play-and-protect case. Includes two clear styli to match the protective clear case. MSRP: $14.99 · ArmorStore Case – Nintendo DSi Provides convenient storage and protection for Nintendo DSi, three DS games, three SD cards and an extra stylus. The durable, impact-resistant case permits access to all buttons and ports, allowing for unhindered game play. The easy-to-install design allows the console to be stored and protected, making the ArmorStore Case the ideal solution for the gamer on the go. MSRP: $9.99 · Sockz 2-Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite The Sockz are durable, washable, and compatible with both Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite. Vibrant colors, high quality design and plush feel make the licensed Sockz a fun and contemporary method for storing and protecting the console. Includes two different color Sockz in each pack. MSRP: $9.99 · Stylus and Screen Protector Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Features a trio of high-quality styli, ideal for all handheld gaming needs. Designed for comfort and provided in colors which match the console, the Styli have been designed to fit flush in either the Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. A set of screen protectors (with a squeegee to simplify application) for both consoles is included as an added bonus. MSRP: $7.99 · Stylus Pak– Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Features twin high-quality styli, ideal for all handheld gaming needs. Designed for comfort and provided in colors which match the console, the Styli have been designed to fit flush in either the Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DS Lite video game systems. A unique thumb stylus which simulates analog joystick control, is included in pack, providing an alternative method of handheld game play. MSRP: $7.99 · Screen Protector Pak – Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi Lite Consisting of two sets of high-quality protective layers, the Screen Protector Pak will help shield the screens of your Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DS Lite systems from scratches, smudges and fingerprints, helping to keep your handheld in prime condition at all times. MSRP: $5.99 Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented: The new range of Mad Catz licensed accessories is expected begin shipping to North America and key European territories beginning spring 2010. Click here to view the article

Jan 04, 2010 – A Connecticut man has become the first person in video gaming history to top the fictional "Costanza Score" made famous in a classic episode of Seinfeld. According to Twin Galaxies International, the official organization for scorekeeping on all eras of video gaming since 1981, the fictional 860,630 points held by Seinfeld character George Costanza (played by Jason Alexander) has been broken on an original Frogger machine for the first time in history by Pat Laffaye of Westport, CT.Mr. Laffaye's new World Record mark of 896,980 points was verified by Twin Galaxies referee Eric Akeson and announced by Twin Galaxies at the stroke of midnight on New Years as the ball dropped in Times Square. "Even though it was imagined by television writers, Pat has broken one of the most famous scores in pop culture," Twin Galaxies Division Manager Patrick Scott Patterson said. "Pat's amazing score will now forever be attached to not only Twin Galaxies history, but pop culture trivia as well." Pat Laffaye, also a record holder on the classic game Paperboy, has been in a long-running duel with gaming champion Donald Hayes for the top Frogger ranking. Twin Galaxies offered a cash prize to any gamer who could top the Seinfeld score in 2005 that no gamer was able to claim before the deadline or since until Laffaye's score. Twin Galaxies, established in Iowa in 1981, tracks record scores and times for video games going as far back as the 1970s to current day hits for the Nintendo Wii, XBox 360, and PlayStation 3 via it's website at: http://www.TwinGalaxies.com Click here to view the article

Today Ubisoft announced that both Splinter Cell: Conviction and R.U.S.E. have been delayed in to the companies next fiscal year. While Splinter Cell was given a release date, R.U.S.E. was given no tentative date. With both originally scheduled for release in February and Splinter Cell's numerous delays, this may not be a good sign for either. Click here to view the article

Download Complete Trogdor Episode from Telltale’s Game Series Today only at www.trogday.com SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – January 13, 2010 – Happy Trogday, everyone! Seven years ago today, the beefy-armed dragon, Trogdor, first appeared on HomestarRunner.com, burninating the hearts and minds of audiences around the globe in the Strong Bad email installment, “Dragon.” In celebration of this momentous anniversary, Telltale Inc is giving away the very special Trogdor-themed episode of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People for free at http://www.trogday.com. As part of this celebration, Telltale is also making the full season available for $19.95 (reduced from its regular $29.95 list price). First drawn into existence through the artistic aplomb of Strong Bad, Trogdor is best known for terrorizing countrysides and burninating peasants and their thatch-roofed cottages at every available opportunity. Over the years, the green scaled menace has exploded in popularity, with devotees paying tribute through homemade offerings, including delicious Trogdor-shaped baked goods, Halloween costumes, custom plushies, and some pretty legendary tattoos. "From the instant I drew Trogdor, I knew I'd done something special, something lasting,” said Trogdor creator and all-around awesome dude, Strong Bad. “Even cooler than that butt with three cheeks I one time drew." In the Trogdor episode of Telltale’s game series, entitled 8-Bit is Enough, the beefy-armed dragon of legend has broken free of his arcade cabinet prison and is burninating Free Country, USA without remorse! With the help of classic 8-bit Videlectrix characters, Strong Bad must find a way to conquer the scorching menace and restore Strong Badia to its former glory. This episode is the fifth episode of the critically acclaimed five game series. More information can be found at http://www.telltalegames.com/strongbad Click here to view the article

Developed by: X10 Studios Players: 1 Platforms: PC (Available through Gamer's Gate, Desura, Steam, Direct2Drive, and directly from X10) Drawing from various classics such as Metroid and Mega Man X, A.R.E.S. Exinction Agenda is the first chapter in an episodic side-scrolling shooter. Set in the 21st Century, Earch is over polluted and we are facing extinction. A processing station is sent in to Earth orbit to help with this problem, but is overrun by "zytron" that kills the station's systems and turns all the machines hostile. ARES is a robot tasked with clearing out the station, rescuing the hostages, and stopping the machines. Graphically the game is quite impressive. There is a consistent frame rate and everything has a very futuristic aesthetic. The character designs have an anime feel to them which really lends well to this type of game. ARES' look really great after his armor upgrade and in motion really does give a Mega Man X feel that I love. The bosses at the end of each level are really impressive and give a good sense of scale to the game. I would be remiss if I did not mention the music in the game. Our good friends at the newly re-branded HyperDuck SoundWorks do one hell of a job with the tunes in the game. When I interviewed the guys a few months back, we got to sample some of the tracks from the game and I have to say, the remainder of the music did not disappoint. I can not wait to see what these guys have up next for us and hope to nail them down for another interview soon. **Just a subtle hint there for the guys** I seriously urge everyone to go to the Duck's page and take a listen to their stuff, it's amazing. The controls are fairly well balanced. Keyboard and mouse controls are available, but in all honesty, a gamepad or Xbox 360 controller really is a must for this one. Heck, even the explanation of the controls shows an Xbox controller for reference. Each weapon has a good "feel" to it and allowing the player to use the right analog stick to fine tune their firing was a great decision. If I had to pick something to complain about in the game, I would say the jumps feel too heavy. There were a couple of very frustrating areas that took multiple tries to get through because of the jumping issues. I did eventually get used to this, but a little more tweaking in this would really have helped a good bit. Overall, this is a great side-scrolling shooter that fans of the Mega Man X series will love. Great music and suprisingly good graphics round out a pretty solid package. The few jumping issues really don't detract all that much from the experience and could easily be addressed in a later patch, if the developers so desire. I'd highly recommend this one to anyone that wants an old school gaming experience with new school graphical polish and some really bumping music. Go out and drop the $10 on this one now. Links to buy: Steam Direct 2 Drive X10 Studios Click here to view the article

Developed by: Team Meat Players: 1 Platforms: XBLA, (Windows, Mac, and Wiiware coming in November) Rated T (Teen) by the ESRB Team Meat You are Meat Boy. You love Bandage Girl and she loves you. Nobody likes Dr. Fetus and that pisses him off. He steals Bandage Girl and it is your job to save her. This is a simple premise that leads to one of the most perfect platform games in, not just recent, but in all of gaming history. At an introductory price of $10, this is the best game money can buy. This reviewer hasn’t played a game in recent memory that has hit every mark that I had set for it in my mind. And in most cases it well exceeded my expectations. The controls are simple and perfect. You jump with the “A” button and you sprint with the “X” or “RT” button. It’s really that simple and they work flawlessly. You can never use them as an excuse for a bad run through a level. If you die, it is your own fault. The music and sound effects are in a word, AMAZING. dBsoundworks does an awesome job yet again. You may not know these guys, but I can almost guarantee that you’ve heard their work previously. Their growth from games like Canabalt, Gravity Hook, and Steambirds is astounding and their passion for the indie games scene really shines in Super Meat Boy. I think we’ll be hearing more from these guys in the future for sure. Level designs are flawless. Some may seem near impossible as you progress through the game, but that is part of the games overall charm. Once you die for the 30 or 40th time on a level you will want to give up, but once you finally make your way through to your beloved Bandage Girl, the sense of accomplishment is astounding. After completing each level, a replay of all your tries plays all at once. Showing each death and following through to your final accomplished run. It’s a small touch that is so brilliant you will smile each time you see it. There are over 300 levels in the game consisting of the main game levels, dark versions of each one that up the difficulty, warp zone levels, and free DLC from “Teh Internets”. All in all there are 300+ levels. As you progress, new game mechanics open up, as well as, new characters from other great indie games. Tim from Braid, Gish, characters from Castle Crashers, Alien Hominid, N+ and more all make appearances in the game. Each character has their own special abilities in addition to being able to perform all of Meat Boy’s acrobatic moves. If I had to make any criticism at all about the game, it’s the fact that you can’t share your level replays. Honestly, this isn’t a huge knock but would have been a very welcome feature so you can show off your skills without having to use any kind of capture card setup to do so. This little caveat doesn’t make a bit of difference in this being a perfect game. All in all, this game is pure perfection. It is great to see all the press it’s getting and it has become one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games of all time. The difficulty may turn some gamers off and Team Meat says they won’t pay for a new TV if you get frustrated and throw you controller through the screen. They will however Retweet pictures if you send them. I can easily say this is the best and most fun XBLA title I have purchased, ever. You owe it to yourself to spend the introductory $10 (Going up to $15 sometime in November) and pick this game up. What are you waiting for? Bandage Girl needs saving. GET TO IT!! Click here to view the article

Developer: Double Fine Productions Publisher: THQ Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 Players: 1-Player Genre: Adventure/Puzzle Tim Schafer and the merry band of misfits at Double Fine are known for their originality in games. Stacking is not your typical puzzle/adventure game, but it is completely infused with Double Fine's unique and quirky style and humor. Fans of the developer are used to this and have fallen in love with it, but the real question is, can it bring in a whole new breed of fan? The overall story of the game is very engaging. A Matryoshka doll family, the Blackmores, are forced to sell off all of their belongings because of the disapperance of their father. A Master Chimney sweep that gets a new job working for The Baron at his new enterprise. As Charlie Blackmore you are easily dismissed by everyone in the world. You receive a letter that lets you know all your siblings have been sold in to slave labor and need your help. You set out to save them from The Baron with only your heart and courage in tow. The graphics in the game are really great. Especially for a downloadable game. The miniature world of these stacking dolls is littered with posts made from sewing pins and suitcases made of matchstick boxes. The 1930s silent film aesthetic is used to great effect. Cutscenes are all created in a diorama style, with all the dialogue being spoken by cards. These small touches make for an engaging world that you just don't want to put down. Gameplay is no less impressive. With Charlie being so small, he can easily "stack" with another Matryoshka doll that is one size larger than him. Each subsequent stacking doll needs to follow suite. You can't just jump from one doll to another without taking this in to account and this is where the puzzle game aspect really starts to shine. You are given a goal and you must find the "special doll" that will help you achieve this goal. Also littered throughout each level are other special dolls to be found, all in the effor to 100% each level. Each special doll also has a unique ability that are used to solve the puzzles or even find alternate solutions. There are also "hi-jinks" that are hidden goals in each level. They are all very inventive and extremely entertaining. Each hi-jink is basically rewarding you for disrupting other doll's lives. Each special doll type, puzzle solution, hi-jink, and more are tracked in a pretty unique way. Charlie meets a hobo named Levi that tracks each and every thing in the game. While this may seem just completely random or just a way to track things, it is very indicitive of Double Fine. The game controls well, but the dolls control like you would expect a doll to control. It takes a bit to get used to, but doesn't hamper the game at all. The camera on the other hand could use a little work. Stacking really is fun and doesn't lose its charm as you go through it. There are some issues with controls initially and the camera has issues, but there is nothing showstopping. The game is graphically impressive and the small touches are what make you want to keep playing. The silent film setting really does justice to the Matryoshka dolls and makes for a great overall presentation. As a downloadable game, there is a lot to find and do in the game. It is fairly short and I think that helps the fun to not wear off quickly. I'd recommed this to any Double Fine fan and would say that anyone that enjoys puzzle games should at least give the demo a shot. Click here to view the article

Developer: Capcom, Eighting Publisher: Capcom Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360 Players: 1 - 8 Players (Only 1-on-1 with 8 player lobbies) Genre: Fighting For more than a decade fans of the Marvel Vs Capcom series have begged and pleaded for a follow-up to the wild and crazy fight fest that was Marvel Vs Capcom 2. With the release of Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds' release did everyone get what they wanted? Does round 3 of this legendary arcade staple live up to the hype? Read on fellow comic and fighting game fans to find out if we got what we wanted or are we still waiting for a great follow-up to this great series. When you first start up this game, you can tell right from the beginning that a lot of love and care went in to the latest outing in the franchise. Right from the intro video you will catch glimpses of the new characters that are being introduced. With the roster whittled down from the insane 56 playable characters of MvC2 to a standard 36 characters and 2 available for download. This would initially seem like a negative, however after the palette swapping and redundant move sets that was rampant in part 2, this time around each character has their own play style and move sets. This translates to a ton of play variety and no two characters play the same. Almost anyone can find a character that will just "feel right" to play and almost every character is well balanced. Speaking of move sets, the controls in the game are extremely well balanced. There are 2 control schemes available. One is the "Simple" controls. This limits your move set but makes them extremely easy to pull off with just the press of a button. Also, Hyper Combos can be achieved with multiple button presses. This truly does simplify the game to the point of being cheap as hell. This scheme would be great if it was limited to local only play, but you can take it online and literally watch your win/loss percentage skyrocket. Hopefully Capcom will realize this and put in some limitations on this scheme being used online. The "Standard" controls have been re-tooled to work better with a standard console controller. There are 4 main attack buttons, down from the usual 6. Light, Medium, Heavy, and the new "Launcher" buttons are all mapped to the face buttons on the controller. The right and left bumpers and triggers are used for calling in partners and pulling off Hyper Combos. This redesign really takes some time to get used to for MvC fans, but after a few matches you realize it truly is a better console design. My favorite change is the air combo starter is the same for all characters, which is truly a godsend. Graphics and sound are truly the most impressive in the series. The Street Fighter IV-esque view really works well to give the game a good depth. Anyone that has seen and loved the almost seizure inducing visuals of the Marvel Vs Capcom series won't be disappointed with this one. Colorful moves and insane Hyper Combos have been a series mainstay, but have been amped up to 11 in this latest edition. Remixed songs from throughout the series are really great and sound amazing through a good surround sound. Also, voice acting is pretty stellar and the option to use the Japanese voices for the Capcom characters is a really nice touch. Story mode for each character is told with a comic book panel style ending which really works well in my view. Some may be sad that there are no fully voice acted video endings, but I'm okay with this omission as it gives the game a more comic book feel. There are subtle touches throughout the game that you may not even notice at first. Hearing Phoenix scream out for Scott when she is taken down or hearing Magneto say Wolverine is lucky he didn't pull the adamantium out of his body again really go a long way to give a cohesive feel to the game and the Marvel and Capcom universes. Now, we'll move in to the main issues I have with the game, the online lobby system. I can't say the online play is bad at all. No dropped frames, no lag, etc. However, the 8 person lobby system really needs an overhaul. Basically, 2 players start the match and the winner stays to fight the next person. This is easily trying to mimic the "next quarter up" feel of an arcade. While the concept is great it could really benefit from allowing the waiting players to watch the fight happening. That's right, if you are 8th in line, you sit and wait. This is honestly pretty boring. Why not allow 3 on 3 play as well? Let each player pick their favorite character and start up a huge battle royal? Also, a replay system would be great to watch back your own matches or even the top ranked players' matches. For fans of the series, this game will be a godsend. Tight controls, great sound, and amazing visuals make everything come together to give us almost everything we wanted. However, a few missteps may turn off some of the more fair-weather fans to the series. Simple controls make the game way too easy and some issues with the online play really should be addressed. Those few quibbles aside, I really recommend this game to fighting game and comic book fans. So, until next time my fellow gaming fans I say this...EXCELSIOR! Click here to view the article

Published by: Beatshapers / tastyplay.com Platform: PSN Players: 1 Mix Breakout, pinball, and action-puzzling and you will get Stardrone, Beatshapers' Playstation Move enabled (DualShock controls are available as well.) foray in to Playstation Network gaming. How does StarDrone stack up against the multitude of action-puzzlers out there? Keep reading and see what makes this one special. Overall story is nonexistent here. You are a ship that is set loose in a puzzle with fairly straightfoward tasks. Light the stars, collect the items, or cross the line before the time runs out. It sounds simple, but once you get going in the level, controls are limited to attaching to posts around the level and using momentum as your control. Zero gravity also play a big roll here. Once you get going, you can't stop without attaching to the posts. There is a map of the level that shows a top down view of the map to see where your missing pieces of the puzzle. Also, you can freely view the map to further explore missing pieces. Over 50 levels of play, concepts for each one are introduced throughout and then thrown together in later levels. There are also upgradees for your ship, such as shields or weapons that will come in handy as tougher enemies are introduced. The main key to the game is it's target times for each level. The game is strangely addicting and you'll find yourself going back to earlier levels to try and beat your own time. Eventually you'll be hooked enough to try and beat the par time for each level, which in most cases are really diabolical. They will keep you wondering how in the world you are supposed to get through the level in those short times. StarDrone is a fun game. For some it may not be your cup of tea, but you can easily see the charm for those that get truly hooked. Playstation Move controls really bring a new aspect to the game that PC gamers didn't get to experience. With over 50 levels, tight controls, and a huge amount of replay value this is a really good value for a fairly inexpensive game. Click here to view the article