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Join sisters NinJaSistah and Pandalicious and the rest of the ESH Crew each day as they discuss video games, tech gadgets, anime, manga... pretty much everything within the geek chic lifestyle.

From Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PC game reviews, previews, news, and gushings to audience questions and rumor mill seeding galore you'll find it here at ESH!
First Nerdgasm of 2010: ESH@CES Las Vegas!
 

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    CES Coverage

    We went to CES and here's what we saw and molested.

    E3 Coverages

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    Xbox 360 Stuffs

    Check out crew rantings on the XB360 platform.

    PS3 Things

    Yeah, we've talked about Sony stuff too, check em out!

    Wii Little Bits

    Get your Nintendo bits and bobbles here.

    Oh Hai! Anime-niacs

    Peep the stuff we've written about on the anime tip.

    Manga Love

    We less than three manga as well, so peep the manga reviews.

    ESH Photo Galleries

    Check out the snapshots we've taken at events and more here...


    What Does "Going Black" Really Mean?

    posted @ 10/21/2009 07:21:00 AM by Pandalicious

    Looks like Nintendo is compensating for something…or absolutely nothing.

    The range of color that gaming consoles have had over the years has been a consistent pattern of: black, white, or gray. There were only a few instances where we saw bursts of color and those were primarily in our portables. Has the gaming industry been subconsciously mind fucking us into thinking that a successful console has to look a certain way? Well to answer that question: yes and no. Yes the gaming industry has been mind fucking us; we just happen to like it. And no, it just could be tinkering with that idea in its head.

    This is only being brought into the light because of pictures I’ve encountered of the anticipated black Nintendo Wii. Any general concern that I have over this drastic color change is Nintendo’s logic in all of this.

    Nintendo consoles over the span of gaming history have been established by its trademark color: Gray. It wasn’t too dark or too light, much like the games that soon came out of the Nintendo think tank. What happened Nintendo? Why the sudden change?

    There was an instance where the console had hit its puberty stage. It hated itself, cursed the world, and became slightly emo in color branching out to a darker gray- that’s right, I’m talking about you Nintendo 64. It wanted to be a wolf in the land of sheep.

    Frankly I do not judge the Nintendo 64 for being a little depressed, everyone was gawking at Sega and its exotic color and shape. It didn’t matter that in terms of capabilities, the Nintendo 64 was more gaming forward, by playing in the third dimension.

    After Nintendo 64 made it out of middle school and high school, it felt a sense of self-discovery. It wanted more time being an individual, and this is where the game cube was born. It was more compact, light -no emo baggage here- and it changed to pleasant purple color. Later on, the console was presented in black, however by then Sony and Microsoft weren’t really paying too much attention. Nintendo had its friends and it was happy with that. Though Nintendo secretly vowed to be seen and recognized as a powerhouse again someday. Several years later, the Wii captivated the world, with its fresh take on game involvement and its pristine white color!


    Feeling superior, dare I say godly even, it shed its horizontal form for a more pronounced stature. Nintendo stands today as one of the big three along with Microsoft and Sony, I still pose the question of why release a second color?

    The obvious answer is money related, frankly what isn’t these days? However, in a time where people don’t just see consoles as a status symbols -cough Sony cough- most people have opted into a period of customization. If they are dissatisfied with the initial color, they put a decal on it and move on.

    Is there anything unique about this new black Nintendo Wii? Will the black Wii have two black guys promoting it? Ha. I doubt that. Will it come with cool and innovated new games? Doubt that too. So essentially, we get to choose a specialized fate for our Nintendo Wiis- Do we want black dust on our white Wiis or white dust on our black Wiis?
    You decide.

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    Is This the Happiest Place on Earth?

    posted @ 8/02/2009 10:50:00 PM by Vichus Smith

    What would happen if the bright, happy place Mickey Mouse and his friends call home became a ruined, dark wasteland? Well, you get Epic Mickey, a curious set of concept artwork that have caught many a geek's eye.








    The word going around is that Epic Mickey will be a Wii exclusive. No word, though, on what story is being told or what characters are involved in this game. UK based artist Fred Gambino is responsible for the images created thusfar. If you've watched cartoons like The Ant Bully, The Tale of Desperaux or Jimmy Neutron, you're familiar with his work. Warren Spector (System Shock, Deus Ex) is behind the story that will bring these beautiful scenes to life.

    So what adventures are in store for Mickey Mouse in Epic Mickey? Details are scare, but the game involves painting with your Wiimote. The main adversary of The Mouse is a character we (presumably) have never seen before, a character who has long been forgotten. I can't wait to see what this turns into.

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    Mmm, Podcast Goodness

    posted @ 6/15/2009 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Once again, Monday brings with it a new episode of the Electric Sista Hood podcast, and in this one I think we finally put the nail in the post E3 wrap-up content.

    Pandalicious and Ninjasistah talk about some of the lesser known or presented games like Warner Bros. Scribblenauts for the DS and a few titles from Playlogic including Section 8 Who had the best looking man candy by far. From Alpha Protocol to The Lord of the Rings: Arrogorns' Tale we talk through the last bits of our E3 notes... until we finish unpacking that is.

    So kick back, relax, and enjoy ESH podcast episode 150: The Brownies Were Mad Crazy Delicious

    p.s. more photo galleries to come, so be sure to check out the website this week often.

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    New Podcast Episode For Ya

    posted @ 6/01/2009 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah

    Right before we head off to LA we cooked up a fresh new podcast episode for you to enjoy while we sleep on planes.

    In this episode of the podcast hosts NinJaSistah and Pandalicious talk about what they hope to see, learn, and play at E3 this year as well as deal a bit gossip out for your enjoyment. From the confirmed PSP GO to discussing some of the many ways Harmonix/MTV Games will be storing all the money they are stand to make with The Beatles: RockBand we leave no gaming cranny uncovered.

    Then we cap it all off with our first reactions to the upcoming hand-drawn Disney feature length animated film, "The Frog Princes," which features a nearly all black cast of characters. There's a lot of energy and a lot to enjoy in ESH podcast episode 148: A Disney Movie With Black People? Well, Zippity-Do-Dah

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    First Red Steel 2 Trailer

    posted @ 5/06/2009 09:27:00 AM by Douceswild


    Rumor has it that the first Red Steel on the Nintendo Wii sucked big time. I never played it because of what I heard and read so I couldn't tell you for sure. I've seen videos and I wasn't that impressed. On the other hand, I am impressed by the new Red Steel 2 trailer which uses the Wii Motion Plus. The controls definitely look more intuitive than the first, but I don't want to put all of my money on this horse until I see him in action first. Until then, check out the trailer and let me know what you think.

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    Podcast Awesomeness

    posted @ 5/04/2009 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah

    It's time to enjoy another new ESH podcast episode folks, and this one stays fairly well focused which is a bit out of the norm for us.

    Pandalicious and NinJaSistah go on and on and on for a bit about the state and future of handheld gaming thanks to Furian09's submitted question as well as the upcoming PS3 title Katamari Forever, Magna Carta 2 on the XBox 360, this weeks new Rock Band DLC, and the anime series Hetalia.

    From Pandalicious' tales of the weird and wacky world of Hetalia to NinJaSistah's Mt. Dew fueled awkwardness throughout the hour, this episode of the podcast is a great way to kick off year 3 of the ElectricSistaHood show. So grab your warm and or frosty beverage of choice and enjoy ESH podcast episode 144: It Might Not Be the Best, But It's the Bessssssst

    Oh yeah, make sure you stop by the site and check out the new digs!

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    Rise of the New Assassin

    posted @ 4/17/2009 09:45:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    To say that the original Assassin's Creed left me wanting would be an vast understatement. I try to avoid hype whenever possible but my efforts were in vain and it was nearly impossible to avoid. With Ubisoft taking another crack at Creed I find myself wanting to believe the hype.

    AC2 sets out to separate itself from it's predecessor by following a new assassin Ezio, an Italian noble during the Renaissance who has been betrayed by the rival ruling families of Italy. In a press release sent out yesterday Ubisoft promises "new gameplay elements, diverse weapons and a profound character progression that will appeal to fans of the original Assassin's Creed..."

    I will say that I do like the character style of the new assassin in the game, and I would be lying to you if I said the premise of running through the streets and buildings of renaissance Italy does not entice me on a few different levels. While I'm going to be a bit more cautious on the approach of this title, I am starting to look forward to it.

    Besides, Ezio looks hot. Look for AC2 to drop on the platform of your choice this holiday season.

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    Please God Make This Real

    posted @ 4/07/2009 11:46:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    I want to start this off by saying that vandalism is bad.

    It harms the community, and should not be viewed as any kind of positive artistic expression... but there is a lot of graffiti that can be viewed as art and some that should not be thought of as anything less. This category of graffiti is creative, leaves a positive affect on it's community, and can inspire creativity in others. I absolutely adore anything that inspires creativity, so when a friend of mine showed me WiiSpray I about wet myself.

    I hope this thing gets a green light because I would love to be able to work on a digital canvas during the day and then share some of my artwork with my Wii pals. This application would probably get me to using my Wii again. The thing about WiiSpray that intrigues me the most is that it was created as part of the Master Thesis work of Martin Lihs and Frank Matuse, students at the Bauhaus University Media Department in Germany.

    The best way I can put it is innovation born of education and curiosity. If that sound interesting to you, then make sure to check the teaser video and then you too will know.



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    Gimme Back Dat Podcast...

    posted @ 4/06/2009 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    ...Gimme dat podcast! Okay, it's not as catchy as this, but I had to grab your attention to remind you that we have a new episode of the ESH podcast ready for you now.

    You can yell at me for the song being stuck in your head later.

    In this episode of the podcast, we talk about all kinds of crazy stuff from the rampant ravishing of our treasured entertainment pasts to create feature length film like the upcoming Tekken movie and G.I. Joe movie to the classic game title Bubble Bobble which is currently available as Wiiware. Both NinJaSistah and Pandalicious answer some audience questions, including one from Bootleg Pete as well as promote the Gamer Daily News Spring Cleaning event, and then cap off the hour with the manga turned anime series Rideback

    We are up to the usual monkey business in this episode, and if you don't believe me here are some of the titles we came up with but chose not to use for this episode:
    • Reality In Video Games - Isn't That An Oxymoron?
    • There Will Always Be Wire Hangers
    • He's More Buffy Than Buff
    • The Tekken Movie? That's The April Fool's Joke
    • It's At The Bottom End of The Wayans Scale
    • G.I. Joe Doesn't Make You Gay
    • Pandalicious Talks About Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged - And This Isn't A Rerun
    • It's Not A Motorcycle - It's a Motor-Psycho!
    • Panda's Swan Lake Would Include Alligators
    • You Know There's a Crotch Underneath That Dress
    • and finally
    • Next Week At This Time: Pandalicious of Love

    See? Fun to be had here folks, so sit back and enjoy ESH podcast episode 140: Drinking Games Add So Much to Anime!

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    New Monday, New Podcast Episode

    posted @ 3/30/2009 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    It's Monday once again, so that means we have to hit you with a new episode of the ESH podcast doesn't it? Yep, sure does, and we're glad to do so.

    In this weeks episode of the podcast NinJaSistah and Pandalicious cover a wide range of topics starting with Pandalicious' need of a new job, to video game titles Batman: Arkham Asylum,God of War 3, as well as the Final Fantasy and Tenchu franchises and the manga Pride of Bagdad. Oh yeah, we talk a bit more about the lack of mature and "seasoned gamer" titles on the Wii platform as well.

    Did I mention the tangents we go on? Nope? I should have. One of the tangents might involve a limerick, I'm not sure, but for a better idea of what we end up talking about in this episode, check the titles we came up with but didn't use for this episode:
    • Help Wanted? Have We Got a Panda For You
    • There Once were Some Ladies From ESH...
    • Did You Say Talking?
    • Wii Need Some Excitement, Nintendo
    • The Monkey Boy In Pandalicious Was Suddenly Unleashed
    • And Certainly Not Batman: The Bold and The Beautiful
    • When Revers-Puberty Occurs, This Vehicle Will Be Unmanned
    • It's Like The Lion King With Guns
    • Her Hot Pants Have a Bow In The Back - For Modesty
    • Episode Includes Our Impression of Oprah!
    • and last, but not least
    • No Trees Were Killed To Produce This Podcast

    Told you it was an interesting show. So sit back, relax and enjoy ESH Podcast Episode 139: When You Get Home, Slap Me... Don't Ask

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    Nintendo Announces Punch-Out Wii

    posted @ 10/03/2008 09:41:00 AM by Douceswild


    If you didn't read the title or look at the above picture, guess what's coming to the Nintendo Wii.

    Along with the new DSi announcement at the 2008 Fall Press Conference, Nintendo boss, Satoru iwata has announced, Punch-Out! The 8-bit Nintendo game is FINALLY getting a remake and it looks awesome! I sold my Wii to a friend a long time ago, but this is definitely worth picking up another one, if I can find one...

    Check out the gameplay. Little Mac is back along with with his (and our) favorite opponents. No word on a release date yet.

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    How Good Looking Are You?

    posted @ 8/15/2008 01:58:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    I only ask the question because Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People is available on the PC and Wii now, and you might want to pick it up.

    I was a huge Homestarrunner.com fan a while back, but ESH, the day job, and web comics pretty much eat up all of my time. But Telltale Games is pretty proud of the new game and have a whole page devoted to it. Check it out here, and read more about the game below... here.

    From the press release:
    In the season premiere, Strong Bad's plans to beat the snot out of his rival Homestar Runner backfire, and he ends up with an unwanted houseguest cramping his style. Now he needs to get life back to normal, by any means possible. Comical point-and-click gameplay progresses the story, with side quests, mini games, achievements, and an "extended play" sandbox mode that unlocks after the story is completed rounding out the game experience.

    New episodes can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel each month for 1000 Wii Points, and the game takes advantage of the WiiConnect24 technology by giving players the ability to send Strong Bad-themed emails to Wii friends directly from the Lappy. Photos taken using the in-game camera feature can be attached to emails, allowing players to show off Easter eggs uncovered or hidden costumes collected during the game.

    "We are very excited," said a Videlectrix spokesperson from his pretend high-rise office, "Our last game topped out at 8 bits. We've heard this one might reach 9 or 10!"

    Downloadable versions of each Strong Bad episode will also be available for the PC exclusively from Telltale's website, with preorders starting today at www.telltalegames.com/strongbad. Episodes can be purchased individually for $8.95 or as part of a five-episode subscription for $34.95. As with Telltale's popular Sam & Max series, customers who purchase the full series from Telltale will later be eligible to get a disc version for the cost of shipping and handling.

    After the "Homestar Ruiner" premiere on August 11, storylines in the monthly episodes will run the gamut from political struggles to rock’n roll to the world of videogames (of course), building to the exciting season finale in December. Many fan favorite characters from Free Country USA will appear in each episode, along with special new super 8-bit style mini-games from Videlectrix.

    I guess it's time to get some Wii Points.

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    New Podcast Episode: De-Generation X and Y

    posted @ 8/11/2008 12:30:00 PM by evermore
    It's another all-videogame podcast, but, as usual, the Sistahs careen dangerously toward the profane and near-profane.

    While Ninja proclaims the goodness of the Pure and Braid videogames, Panda admits her love for retro games, particularly those that can be found through XBox Live. It all leads up to a future topic for the podcast: How to Turn Your Wii Into a Micro-brewery.

    I think we all have to admit that would be quite effective in selling the Wii to hardcore gamers.

    So please enjoy Episode 109 of the ElectricSistaHood podcast, How Do You Play Where's Your Pickle?


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    Mmm, Zombie Massacre

    posted @ 7/21/2008 10:36:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Get ready to use your wiimote to shoot down and hack through some zombie mallrats folks, Capcom today announced that Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is in development for the Wii.

    The new title will be based on the previous Dead Rising videogame, but not be a port of that title.

    Capcom promises that Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop will
    "delivers a more immersive, intuitive and interactive experience as players use the Wii Remote to shoot, slash and bludgeon their way through a zombie infested shopping mall, fighting for survival.

    In the game, you are Frank West, an overly zealous freelance journalist on a hunt for the scoop of a lifetime. While tracking a juicy lead, he makes his way to the small suburban town of Willamette only to find that it has become overrun by zombies. Frank escapes to the local shopping mall, thinking it will be a bastion of safety but it turns out to be anything but. It will be a true struggle to survive the endless stream of enemies, but players will have full reign of a realistic shopping centre and its varied stores offering an endless supply of real and makeshift weapons to fight off the flesh-hungry mob. If Frank is running low on health he can pay a visit to one of the many restaurants or cafes for a meal in order to restore his energy and continue the fight.

    The game is split into a series of individual cases, all of which Frank must complete in order to gain mission critical info that will allow him to figure out what the hell is going on with all the zombie bastards.

    Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop’s infectious humor delivers some welcome relief from the incessant tide of zombies with players able to dress Frank up in a variety of comedic costumes and take on the undead hordes with a selection of improvised and sometimes highly ineffective weapons such as a toy sword or a football.

    Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop is scheduled to hit store shelves this Winter.

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    New Podcast Day: Artificial, Smart, And Sneaky

    posted @ 6/23/2008 08:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Monday brings with it yet another episode of the ESH podcast, and in this one the sistahs' steal the limelight and hold it hostage for about an hour.

    NinJaSistah takes the mic first this go 'round to speak on a topic near and dear to her heart, Ninja Gaiden II. From new visuals, lamest ninja name ever, to best and worst aspects of initial gameplay NinJa brings the sexy black. I mean back.

    Then Pandalicious talks about her newly addicted Wii Fit experience. The yoga that is easy, what the game is and is not, and how it affects her daily life. MagicMystic chimes in a time or too before having to head out early. All in all, it's one of our normal, wacky shows. Here are some of the episode titles we rejected:
    • It Helps If You're Nimble and Omnicient
    • From The Look Of The Ninja Gaiden Girls You'd Think Goodyear Was The Sponsor
    • Lamest Name For A NinJa: Joe
    • AI Can Be A Sneaky Bastard
    • No, The Dog Didn't Eat Panda's Homework
    • And Then She Mentioned Richard Simmons' Weiner
    • If Your Kid Turns Into A Pretzel, Turn The Wii Fit Off Now!
    • My Fat Mii Haunts Me
    • and
    • Gravity Is A Bitch And Always Wins


    Told you it was the normal wacky episode from the ESH girls. So sit back, relax and enjoy podcast episode 102: When NinJa Talks About Her Nuts, People Listen

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    Oh No He Didn't (Oh Yes He Did)

    posted @ 6/16/2008 09:48:00 AM by evermore
    The man in the photo here is a guy named Laurent Fischer. He's not remarkably unlike you or me. But when he puts his foot in his mouth, he manages to jam it as far in as he can.

    You see, Fischer is the director of marketing for Nintendo's European division. And, as a director of marketing, he really ought to know better than to do what he did last week.

    Nintendo users have been clamoring for more memory for the Wii -- an external hard drive would be awfully nice, especially as games take up more space. But, in a story for Edge, a gaming magazine, the editor's asked Fischer about the demand for more space:

    As is always the case with Nintendo’s press events nowadays, the dirty word ‘casual’ was raised at its WiiWare preview, only to be dismissed in favor of a distinction between gamers and non-gamers. Playing these semantic games is fine, but when a pertinent question about the limited Wii system memory was raised, Laurent Fischer, managing director of marketing at NOE, easily slipped into talking about how “geeks and otaku” were the only people who would want this issue addressed.

    Otaku, if you're not hip to the Japanese language, is a slang term that characterizes gamers as pimply, fat guys who spend all their time playing videogames in the basement of their parents' house. It's like inferring that Ninjasistah eats only watermelon and fried chicken. It's not a very nice word.

    The story was posted on the Next Generation gaming website on Wednesday and the blogosphere has had a field day with Fischer's comment. On his blog, God of War creator David Jaffe said, "Ok, so if this is true, it's really, really sad. And not so much because Nintendo seems to be telling a chunk of its loyal fanbase to go fuck itself, but because it's just reeks of junior high school vibe immaturity bullshit."

    In the meantime, Fischer has retracted his comment, with the following missive on the Videogaming247 website:

    "I have huge respect for those who, like me, share a common passion for Nintendo and want to make it clear that I would never use and I didn't use this terminology in such a context or way to cause offence. I regret that this misunderstanding has created such offence and disappointment within the community."

    Oh, I see. He was using the word "otaku" in the nicest way.

    The upside of the whole thing? The geeks and otaku apparently are the winners, according to Wired:

    Immediately following Fischer's statement, geeks and otaku around the world turned on their Wiis to find that the on-board storage had been magically quadrupled through the power of apology.


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    Didja see?

    posted @ 6/12/2008 07:26:00 PM by evermore
    The videogame industry is packed with news these days, but I'm sure you must have read about some of this stuff:

    Didja see? There's a new Blackberry case from Otterbox.

    It protects the Blackberry from the iPhone!

    Didja see? Square Enix says Final Fantasy XIII is still intended to be exclusive for the PS3.

    I guess if no one plays it, no one will know how badly it sucks.

    Didja see? In order to save tens of millions of dollars on the Xbox 360, Microsoft designed its own chip for the thing. Then when the chip red-ringed everyone's Xbox 360, the recall cost Microsft a billion dollars.

    As the politicians say, a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you're talking real money.

    Didja see? An analyst says that the reason we can't get Wii Fit here is because Nintendo is sending them all to Europe because of the strong Euro.

    That, and that the only people who want to become fit are already fit.

    Didja see? Lucas Arts laid off 100 people last week.

    It means Ninjasistah won't see her Wii lightsaber game for a while longer.

    Didja see? Take Two has announced BioShock 3 -- even though BioShock 2 isn't even out yet.

    What's next, BioShock: The Musical?

    Didja see? Scientists have discovered an algorithm that solves the Rubik's Cube in only 23 moves.

    Or, just one move if you have 46 hands.

    Didja see? They're coming out with a Metallica version of Guitar Hero.

    Unfortunately, while on your network it checks your computers for copyright-infringing music.

    Didja see? Sony has quit development on two games for the PS3 and one for the PSP.

    They're taking their football and going Home. Oh, that's right, Home is still vapor, too.

    Didja see? Game developers are taking advantage of the accelerometer in the iPhone to make some really great games.

    How much is that Nintendog in the window?


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    Momma Says Knock You Out

    posted @ 6/06/2008 10:29:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    2K Sports announced that Don King Presents: Prizefighter, the first documentary-style boxing extravaganza, has officially gone gold and is ready for production on the XB360.

    Brainchild of Venom Games [a 2K studio] Don King Presents: Prizefighter is said to try to find and focus on the balance between sports simulation and mystique inside and outside the boxing ring.

    Don King Presents: Prizefighter puts the player in the role of an unknown boxer fighting his way out of obscurity and into the international spotlight while attempting to claim the world championship title. Players will have rigorous training regimens and have to fight the temptations of wealth and stardom. [My personal advice is to not end up like Mike Tyson]

    The game sports a
    "...live-action sports documentary style that features real-life legends and current stars from the world of boxing including Ken Norton, Larry Holmes, Andrew Golota, Joe Calzaghe and many others."


    And for the dudes that like pixel vixens, both the Penthouse Pet of the Year Heather Vandeven and video vixen Bria Myles also star in the documentary and will try to distract you.

    I ain't sayin' she a gold digger, but Don King Presents: Prizefighter

    Prizefighter hits your local game-a-torium on June 10 for Xbox 360, and this fall for Wii.

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    Technical Difficulties Suck

    posted @ 5/26/2008 10:00:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Being Monday, we had to hit you with a new episode of the podcast... but this one probably should have been left in the oven a bit longer.

    Poor Pandalicious has having some serious internet issues which left Evermore with a hell of a job editing a show together, but they pulled it off pretty damn well if you ask me. In this episode of the podcast, Panda shares her top five video games of 2008 [so far] with you. There are a couple of honorable mentions and a list that I only have a single problem with. Let's see if you can guess which game gives me the heebie geebies.

    Have a seat and enjoy: My Top 5: Video Games of 2008.

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    My Life As A King

    posted @ 5/13/2008 09:25:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    SquEnix has announced that Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is now available via WiiWare, Nintendo’s new downloadable games service.

    In MLAAKyour mission is to rebuild a deserted kingdom and discover what it takes to rule a nation. MLAAK is a new sim game from SquEnix complete with a storyline that includes varying difficulty levels, 17 building types and a total of 38 dungeons. MLAAK allows players to raise "adventurers" [people] of the Clavat race, customizing them with the four available jobs, and build an inn to encourage other tribes (Lilty, Selkie, Yuke) to visit their kingdom.

    The game will set you back a cool 1,500 Wii Points but has a lot of add-on content that will be available for download later on. Expand your kingdom with extra dungeons, house bundle packs and new outfits to customize characters. Click the image on right to see the add-on breakdown.

    Rebuild a nation by building houses and shops, carefully considering the best interests of the citizens. If you do it right your nation regains its former glory and the "secrets of the land..." may be revealed. Enlist adventurers with varying levels, jobs and abilities to carry out dangerous missions in return for rewards. Be mindful of the passage of time, and plan each day accordingly in order to efficiently carry out construction efforts. If it's done right, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King may be just as addictive as Animal Crossing!

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    Pro-to-What-Ta?

    posted @ 5/08/2008 09:04:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Ubisoft, announced that Protöthea is dropping in May for WiiWare here in the US. I'm not yet sure if I'm happy about that or not.

    Protöthea is a 3D top-down vertical scrolling shooter game where the player pilots a spaceship using the WiiMoteote and Nunchuk in tandem.
    "Ubisoft is excited to bring Protöthea exclusively to the platform and we feel it's a must-have WiiWare title,”
    shared James Regan, VP of third party operations, Ubisoft.

    The storyline isn't doesn't vary far from the standard scrolling shooters of your [and my] arcade days: destroy all comers. In Protöthea the evil thing you have to destroy is an asteroid called "Maqno 01,” and while you are at it, sabotage the plans of a political faction called "The Core.” Ubisoft promises that enemy AI is "...dynamic and will change based on the player's actions..." even going so far as to say that,
    "there are no predictable enemy paths and therefore always a different game play experience."
    Again, a claim that I will wait to see if it's genuine or just hopefully thinking.

    In the game players will have eight different air-to-air weapons and two different air-to-ground bombs at their disposal, and can attack however they choose. There will also be a special power that decelerates time, allowing players to easily avoid enemy fire while they are able to move rapidly and attack enemies. I love vertical scrolling shooters as they take me back, back in the day when 10 bucks worth of quarters could provide you with an entire afternoon's worth of entertainment. Let's hope the implementation of the WiiMote and Nunchuk help bring that nostalgic feeling back instead of being a painful reminder that I ain't in no arcade no more!

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    Resident Evil 4

    posted @ 5/07/2008 09:05:00 AM by FreeLoader
    If you’re the type of gamer that likes to be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, then Resident Evil 4 is the game for you.

    The game starts out several years later after the destruction of Raccoon City. The character you play is Leon S. Kennedy, an agent for the U.S. Government. Leon has been sent to a small village in Europe to rescue the Presidents kidnapped daughter Ashley Graham. The evil Saddler has infected mostly all the people in the villages, even Leon and Ashley. Thus, begins the search for an antidote in addition to the rescue of Ashley, and ultimately escaping this awful place.

    At the same time you’re fighting against the "Las Plagas". They are a variety of “things” infected by this virus that mumble and yell profanities in Spanish. Behind every door you open there is something lurking, just waiting to attack! The game has six adrenaline-rushing chapters and within each chapter is a vicious viral beast that must be taken out with patience and tact. As you move along the "Las Plagas" change and become more resilient to your attacks. Luckily there are save points along the way with a man who buys, sells, and upgrades weapons at a cost. This is the only source of comic relief you get in the game because the man sounds like an Australian who says “Got some rare things on sale stranger!” and “What are you buying?” and “What are you selling?” You’ve got to play the game to understand, when you hear him speak its like a pusher on the street trying to make a buck. At first you don’t know if you can trust him and you shoot him and he dies. There goes your chance to shop. Oops!

    The end ensues with an epic battle between Leon and Saddler; you must be patient and come up with a plan to destroy him. When you do beat the game it unlocks several mini games where you can play as different characters. It’s really cool because when it comes to an end you kind of miss the "Las Plagas" and blowing their heads off. So this game is also the gift that keeps on giving because just when you think its over you can go back and have a few more heart palpitations. With the Wii remote and nunchuck it actually feels like you are holding the guns (my favorite is the Magnum, gets the job done). The music is what keeps your heart racing and mind going a mile a minute as you’re trying to figure out how to solve the little riddles and along the way and come out a survivor.

    If you have surround sound I highly suggest you use it. Grab a buddy; you’re not going to want to be alone. Get some munchies and get ready for an exhilarating experience. Sometimes I actually thought I was going to have a panic attack. It was amazing! I could not shut the game off; I played it nonstop from 10am in the morning to about 11:45pm. When you play a game like that you know you got you’re moneys worth.

    Submitted by freeloader HOTmess

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    Touching Stories

    posted @ 3/23/2008 01:02:00 AM by evermore
    Here are some little bits of news that you might have missed:

    Headline: Panasonic Unveils Touch-Screen Camera

    Just don't touch the wrong side.

    Headline: Japanese Influenced TV@ART Kabé Hits the Market

    These are decorative flat panels designed to hide large screen TVs. Hold it a second. One reason anyone buys a large flat screen TV is to show it off -- not hide it! Bad timing.

    Headline: Aleratec Launches USB Flash Drive Duplicator

    With recordable CDs costing about a penny apiece and DVDs costing maybe a nickel in bulk, why would anyone want a mass Flash Drive duplicator?

    Headline: Razer Lachesis Gaming Mouse Features 4,000 DPI Sensitivity

    A 4,000 dpi computer pointing device might make a difference if it were a pen, but as a mouse? It's like drawing with a bar of fresh, new Ivory soap.

    Headline: Power Supply Purchasing Guide Published

    Look at it this way, it's cheaper than buying sleeping pills.

    Headline: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards Debuts On Wii

    Sixty-four? I didn't know Kirby was so old! But as demonstrated in the graphic here, the popular character is showing his age.

    Headline: Two New Distribution Amplifiers from Gefen Deliver Component Video to 1080P with Audio up to 300 Meters in Distance

    Ideal for those apartment buildings filled with deaf (or soon-to-be deaf) people.

    Headline: Share the Love This Valentines Day With Romeo And Juliet On Your Mobile Phone

    Excerpt: "Launched in time for Valentines Day, Romeo & Juliet will test your gaming skills at every level. You control Romeo in his quest to save Juliet, who has been imprisoned by her disapproving father in his castle."

    I bet William Shakespeare is rolling over in his grave about now.


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    New Podcast Wednesday?

    posted @ 2/05/2008 08:17:00 PM by evermore
    We're a little late on the draw this week, but it's for a good reason. After a few months of being under the weather, both NinjaSistah and Pandalicious need a little extra time off, so we're extending the time between podcasts just a tiny bit. Thus, you're getting the new program on a Wednesday (instead of the previous Monday), and the next one will be out a week from Monday (President's Day). So give this episode a listen.

    In this episode, the Sistahs are together once again, as Panda makes the long trip down to ESHington for Ninja's birthday. And all that noise in the background? It's ESH Mom making the bed, of course!

    The topics for this week's show: OMG Headsets and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

    We know how much you love reading the rejected titles and listening to the podcast to see how we came up with them. Here they are:

    After 20 Hours, Anything Would Hurt

    Ears Can Be Very Sexy

    Logitech Won't Be Able To Use This Endorsement

    Why Ask Why (Over and Over Again)

    Nintendo, WTF?

    I Sense a Giant "But" Coming

    I'm All About Kinks, But Not In My Games

    Say "Duck Hunt" Three Times Fast -- I Dare You

    Bowzer Wants Some Spaghetti and Meatballs

    Don't Forget To Remember


    So hunker down and enjoy episode 85: Pandalicious Likes the Mic In or Around Her Mouth. And we'll talk to you again in about 10 days.


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    Don't Forget About Guitar Hero 3

    posted @ 12/22/2007 12:20:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Activision really would really appreciate it if you stopped being obsessed with RockBand long enough to remember that Guitar Hero 3 does, you know, still exist.

    So to remind you of that, from December 20th, you will be able to download an original rendition of "We Three Kings" for your Xb360 or PS3 by Steve Ouimette. Best part, they are absolutely free!

    If you are looking to expand your GH3 song list have no fear: a new track pack featuring songs by Linkin Park, The Used, and some group called Mastodonas well as single tracks "So Payaso" by Extremoduro, "Antisocial" by Trust, and "Ernten Was Wir Säen" by Die Fantastischen Vier.


    And if that wasn't enough, the "13 Days of Holly Rock" tournament for signed by former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash GH3 gear and other prizes is still going on.

    Remember people, Activision still totally hearts you.

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    You Alert, Wii Alert

    posted @ 12/18/2007 01:46:00 PM by evermore
    I don't need to tell you that finding a Wii is nearly impossible. But it is only nearly impossible. I was able to get a Wii for Christmas -- and there may be time for you to get one, too.

    When I was faced with a similar dilemma last Christmas, to get both a Wii and a PS3, I took the path of least resistance: I shelled out for the game bundles offered by GameStop. It was the coward's way out, really. In order to get the boxes I wanted, I was willing to shell out a premium for a bunch of games and magazine subscriptions I didn't really want.

    I was determined to avoid that this year when trying to buy a Wii for my sister and her three grandchildren. I didn't want a bunch of leftover games and magazines when all I really wanted was a Wii for the suggested retail price of $249.

    Prospects were not good. Obtaining the game at a big box store like Best Buy meant developing a friend at UPS. I had no such friend. I wasn't the kind of person to mindlessly drive from store to store, and I sure wasn't the kind of person to stand in line overnight for a Saturday Morning Special.

    That left the internet. A quick search at the popular stores resulted in a big zero. Ebay was even more disappointing, with prices topping double what I would want to pay and no guarantee that the seller was legitimate.

    And then I found wiialerts.com. It was designed for a guy like me. You pick the websites you want it to shop and when a Wii shows up, they alert you by text message on your phone. Next, you go to wiialerts.com (or open an email they send you) and you get bounced directly to the purchasing page.

    Only it seemed I was always out of place when I got the text messages. I was just seconds too late on the first Wii alert I received. I was in the doctor's office on the second alert. I was in a cab on the third alert. I was asleep on the fourth and didn't see it until the next morning.

    But the planets aligned on the sixth alert -- I was directed to an Amazon.com page, where I could have purchased up to three Wii's. I got only one, though. I'm no Ebay speculator. One was all I needed. Ordered on a Friday, it arrived on Monday and I shipped it out to my sister and her grandkids a couple of days ago (I included a full complement of controllers and nunchuks).

    And the wiialerts.com site is good for more than just Wii's. The Rock Band special edition for the Xbox 360 (the one with guitar, mic and drums) is apparently rare. They track those, too. As well as Guitar Hero 3 with guitar for the Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360.

    They've even added custom alerts for whatever product you're looking for. And it's all absolutely free. Just sign up your email and cellphone for text messages. When you find what you want, buy it and come back to wiialerts.com to unsubscribe.

    I sure could have used wiialerts.com last year -- they could have saved me from reading all those dreadful issues of Game Informer magazine.


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    Online Content Is King

    posted @ 12/03/2007 01:23:00 PM by MadameRoslin
    I thought that I would take a look at what was going on in the realm of online on the next gen systems.

    I started with the PS3, headed over to the Wii, and finished out the night with the XB360. I'm exhausted.

    I started out with the PS3 because I have high hopes for the system this year. I am hoping that the kick ass, "you're going to have a life changing gaming experience..." game will be hitting the shelves of the local big box stores leaving me bereft of funds in the old wallet. I am hopeful that games like Echochrome, Little Big Planet, and Haze make me glad for dropping $600 bucks on the thing. Add to that Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wii Fit on the Wii and Fable 2, Mass Effect, and Lost Odyssey on the XB360.

    But new "console exclusive" titles are not the most fair or balanced way to compare the level of enjoyment one can have on the various systems. The way I see it, the console with the most diverse online content will end up being the ultimate victor.

    When it comes to retro game titles, all three of the console systems are equally balanced in what they offer. Just about every game that becomes available on the Wii Virtual Console shortly thereafter becomes available on the Playstation Network and XBLive Marketplace. With title availability being equal, the deciding factor will be playability, and online extras. XBLive as well as some PS3 game titles offer direct player to player interaction while the Wii has [of yet] no direct PvP action. Both the XBox and PS3 offer other downloadable online content in the forms of video game demos, TV show episodes, and feature length films.

    We've seen it with the success of games like World of Warcraft and EverQuest, and we will see more of it going forward on the gaming front. It won't the amount of polygons thrust at the player that will determine the king of gaming but the social networking piece of gameplay that will establish the victor in the video game arena.


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    MMO Is (Animal) Crossing the Line

    posted @ 10/24/2007 04:39:00 PM by evermore
    British gaming magazine Edge has a cryptic line in its latest issue: "A Japanese source has confirmed to Edge that the upcoming Wii iteration of Animal Crossing is set to be a social networking MMO." If true, it means that we might not see hide nor hair of NinjaSistah for years to come.

    She spent a good six months in 2003 playing the original GameCube version of Animal Crossing. Break it out of its single-player mode on the Wii and it could cause avid players like NinjaSistah to quit their jobs and make a career of fishing and feng shui-ing their houses.

    With a rumored massively multiplayer online version of the game, the options for Animal Crossing addicts would grow exponentially. NinjaSistah would end up playing the game as she records her podcast, just like her sister Pandalicious has done with World of Warcraft.

    Now, don't get me wrong. I've got nothing against Animal Crossing. I still prefer its graphics to the over-the-top 3D effects of the similar but newer Viva Pinata.

    In fact, I've always wanted to create a Machinima version of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" using Animal Crossing. Unfortuately, there's no way the Kerouac estate would ever license those rights. But it's a dream of mine.


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    Nintendo's Got a Brand New Airbag

    posted @ 10/02/2007 12:18:00 PM by evermore
    As reports keep pouring in (and YouTube videos keep pouring out) about windows, walls and televisions being destroyed by flying Wii remotes, Nintendo has introduced a new solution guaranteed to keep personal property safe. Voila! The Nintendo Wii-mote with Airbags! (An artist's rendition can be seen on the left.)

    An accelerometer located inside the Wii-mote senses the speed at which the device is being waved. This action is compared with a heat sensor, which senses the loss of heat as the player loses his grip on the device. If the two actions occur simultaneously, the airbag action is triggered, causing more than a cubic meter of air to rapidly fill balloons on both sides of the device, allowing it to harmlessly bounce off most any household object it comes into contact with.

    Analysts see some drawbacks to the device, of course. The need for indestructible balloons and compressed air cause the device to weigh about 16 pounds, making it virtually impossible for anyone to hold and wave around for more than a few seconds without tiring. In addition, the new accelleration and heat sensors cause the unit to cost more than the Wii itself. Unfortunately, once exploded, the remote control cannot be used again, forcing customers to have to buy replacement units.

    And, even though the product has just been announced today, Nintendo says it already has a four-month backlog of orders. In the meantime, according to a Nintendo spokesman, Wii players using the original remote controls should "watch out."


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    New Podcast Day: Episode 68

    posted @ 9/24/2007 08:11:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Monday brings with it yet another new episode of the ESH podcast. This episode I have to say, was kinda a weird one. Good, but weird.

    It's just the two sistahs Pandalicious and NinJaSistah holding it down for episode 68. Pandalicious tries to help NinJaSistah wrap her mind around the anime series Nerima Daikon Brothers, and I emphasize the word tries. Then on the flipside of the hour, NinJaSistah glosses over some of the news from the Tokyo Game Show and shares her first impressions of the PS3 title Heavenly Sword.

    Yeap, it's a fun, and weird hour this week, and if you don't believe me, just check out the rejected titles for this weeks episode:
    • Don't Take Her Shoes, She Needs the Height
    • It's Not The Size of Your URL, It's How You Use It
    • We Were Sharing Bodily Fluids LAST Week
    • Why Is The Radish Throbbing?
    • The Words, "Big Throbbing Daikon" Scare Me
    • The Most Forbidden Love: When Man Meets Panda
    • What She Did With a Fishcake: On The Next Maury
    • Sony made Me Go Dutch Then Tried To Rape Me
    • The PS3 Controller Was A Pain in the SIXAXIS
    • Hopefully, This Will Be the Last Sexually Oriented Wii Joke
    • The Inevitability of the Response to "What What?"
    • To Gank or To Frag? The Question Endures


    After reading that list of rejected titles, I'm sure you want to dive into this weeks episode. So, sit back, get your a cup of joe, and enjoy episode 68: Caffeine Plus Pandalicious Equals Bad Idea

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    That Ain't No Scooby Snack!!

    posted @ 9/23/2007 07:38:00 AM by Douceswild

    The Nintendo Wii has been extremely popular since it€™s release last year, but not just among humans. It seem as though man'€™s best friend has taken an interest in the system also, well at least in the Wii-mote, that is.

    When the Becknells'€™ family dog began coughing up blood, they decided to take him to the veterinarian. An x-ray showed a remote-like device in the dog'€™s stomach, which the family thought to be a television remote, but they were wrong. It turns out that the canine swallowed a Wii-mote!!

    "The Vet started massaging the dog's belly and it just came flying out of the dog," said owner Marie Becknell. "I knew what it was right away by the color and shape of it -- it was my son's video game remote. The dog had swallowed the boy's Nintendo Wii controller."

    Although the dog is doing well, the controller didn'€™t quite make. It had to be tossed. Mrs. Becknell said that as punishment, the boy is out of two weeks allowance to cover the cost to replace the controller. The dog declined to speak with us.

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    Good News/Bad News

    posted @ 9/20/2007 01:30:00 PM by evermore

    For those of you who are tired of reading bad news about everything, today we present the first in a series of Good News/Bad News stories. For those of you who just like good news, pay attention to the left side. For bad news junkies, enjoy the right side of the page.

    News item: You can't go Home -- at least not until next year. Sony announced that it's Home virtual world for the PS3 will not be available until Spring 2008. "We want this to be a worldwide service," said Sony CEO Kaz Hirai. "We want to make sure that we have a range of services which can be satisfactory to our users throughout the world... so we decided to delay the service’s launch date... Please be patient in this regard."

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    It leaves more time to design Mii's on your Nintendo Wii.

    It leaves more time for Sony to develop add-ons to Home, such as in-game ads, email and other things gamers don't really want.


    News item: Nintendo has announced that starting with the December issue, Nintendo Power Magazine will be published by Future US, the folks behind the Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, and Mac|Life.

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS
    Future already publishes a Nintendo magazine in Britain. Chopping down treees, turning the wood into pulp, painting the pages and shipping the results by snail mail is so 1929. Wake up, people. Magazines are dead.

    News item: Kaz Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, told the assembled audience at the Tokyo Game Show that he considers the PlayStation 3 to be "a game machine."

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    After a year touting the wide and varied uses of the PS3, it was refreshing to hear someone at Sony admit that the primary purpose of the PS3 should be to play games.

    From Wired: But outside of announcing the DualShock 3 controller, Hirai made no announcements of new products -- certainly nothing that would by itself represent a change in PlayStation 3's fortunes in Japan, where it is being outsold about three-to-one by the Wii.


    News item: It doesn't look any different, but reports say it feels heavier. What is it? Why, the new DualShock 3, a new controller for the PS3 that brings back the force-feedback "rumble" functionality left out of the original controller.

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    It'll be available in the U.S. in Spring 2008, and will replace the Sixaxis controller in new PS3 boxes. The list of games that will take advantage of the new rumble features is a long one.

    Ya gotta buy a new %&*$@#! controller!


    News item: LucasArts has announced Krome Studios will release a Wii version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed that will let you use the Wii-mote as a lightsaber.

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    Although some bloggers originally announced that the lightsaber action was available only in duel mode, in actuality you can use the Wii-mote as a lightsaber throughout the game.

    You're going to have to push buttons to work the lightsaber in the Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS versions. May the Thumb Doctor Be With You.


    News item: More anime is coming to Xbox Live. From Joystiq: "Beginning today (and continuing over the coming weeks) you'll be able to find titles from the Starz anime library like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (Seasons 1 & 2), Street Fighter II V, Noein, Tokko, Virus and Astro Boy on the service."

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    Starz has a tremendous catalog of anime titles.

    I'm trying to code this item in a way that NinjaSistah doesn't see it. Between Xbox Live and iTunes, she won't even have to walk the three blocks to the local anime store to get her fill.


    News item: The E for All Show shoots itself in the foot by moving its 2008 date from October to the same weekend in August at the very popular Penny Arcade Expo.

    GOOD NEWS BAD NEWS

    This should put the final nail in the coffin of the badly managed spin-off of the old E3 Expo. It is a fitting end for E for All show host IDG, which killed the summer Mac Expo a few years ago by moving it from New York to Boston.

    This is all everyone is going to want to talk about in the run-up to the 2007 E for All event in October (which Sony and Microsoft have already vacated).


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    The Force Is Strong With This One

    posted @ 9/19/2007 11:04:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    It was bound to happen. Nay, it was destined since the dawn of the Wii for this moment to arrive. And now that it's been made official, I feel as though I am vindicated in my total geekfoolery for desiring it.

    What in the blooming, bloody, bleep am I talking about. I'm talking about being able to use the Wiimote as a lightsaber in a game. LucasArts announced today that in the upcoming Star Wars game: Star Wars: The Forced Unleased. Sure, the game is also going to be released on the XB-360 and PS3... but WiiSaber people. Need I say more?

    Really?

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    New Podcast Day: Episode 67

    posted @ 9/17/2007 12:44:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Monday has once again sneaked up on us from behind with intentions of molesting your ears with a new episode of the ESH podcast.

    I don't want to ruin it for you by going into too great of detail about this show right now, but Pandalicious leads off the hour with hands on review of Mario Party 8 on the Wii, and MagicMystic steps up to the M1KT to share her thoughts on Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3. Then NinJa closes out the podcast episode talking about the anime series Moon Phase, and the new Ninja Gaiden 2 trailer.

    Oh yeah, we have a candy bitch. Congrats Ariel!!

    Now, I give you, the rejected podcast episode titles:


    • The Monkey's Part is the Part I Remember

    • It Explains Why You're Not Black Very Often

    • Watching Magic's Melons Rise

    • Is 1+1 a Trick Question?

    • Every Girl's Gotta Have Her Bling

    • The Sistahs Share Bodily Fluids With You

    • It's Got Anything You Could Possibly Want

    • I Haven't Been With Skeevy Perv, Doucebag

    • I Hate It When Itchy & Bitchy Happen

    • Grandpa's Boning the Blonde Vampire



    Catch a sample of Persona here.


    Then hit up this NinJa Trailer here



    In any case, enjoy episode 67: When you Can Play With More Than Just Yourself.

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    Attorney at What?

    posted @ 9/04/2007 07:31:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Who's the guy in the suuuuuuuuuuuuit? Whooooooooooooo's the guy in my WIIIIIIIII?

    You guessed it! Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law is coming to the Wii [and PS2 and PSP] this November in the form of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law™...the video game. From the fine folks that bring you the Adult Swim and the creative folks over at Capcom comes what they call a
    "unique style of gameplay... players will step into the shiny wingtips of Harvey Birdman, a third-rate superhero turned third-rate defense attorney charged with exonerating parodied classic cartoon characters.


    In the game, players must guide Harvey through a series of oddball cases. In order to prove his client’s innocence, Harvey must peruse the scene of the crime, gather evidence, talk with other cartoon characters, occasionally have drinks with opposing council, and of course, tear holes – no matter how ridiculous – in the testimony provided by the witness for the prosecution.

    What sounds cool about the game is that all of the original voice talent is on board including Peter MacNicol and Gary Cole, so I'm a happy chiquitita.

    So, LOOK OUT!

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    More Tennis On The Wii

    posted @ 8/29/2007 11:25:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    2K Games recently announced that they were going to be bringing Top Spin Tennis to the Wii next summer... get your best tennis elbow jokes excuses rehearsed now.

    2K Sports, [the sports arm of Take-Two Interactive], and according to them Top Spin Tennis on for the Wii will feature
    "...flawless tennis action and the most real life tennis experience to date for the Wii."


    Top Spin Tennis will be available exclusively on the Wii in spring 2008.

    The new Top Spin Tennis promises "pick-up-and-play action" making use of the Wiimote and nunchuku to matches the movements players would make on a real court. The Nunchuk controls the player and aim, while the Wiimote acts as your tennis racquet and determines the style of your shot... ranging from a top spin move [get it?] to a slice. The Wii Remote also allows players to control the power and the quality of the shot and to serve as well.

    The game will feature multiple gameplay modes including singles, doubles, mixed/non-mixed matches, exhibition, tournament and more, and have four levels of difficulty and ten international venues. When the game ships it should feature at least dozen licensed tennis stars as well as ten original characters. Up to four players can play the game at a time, and to add to the group fun, there are a collection of party games included.

    “We are excited to bring our popular Top Spin series to the Wii,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K. “Given the Wii’s unique controllers and the fun family-oriented gameplay, Top Spin Tennis effectively bridges the gap between a sports and a party game.”


    Top Spin Tennis will ship summer of 2008, and will be exclusive to the Wii.

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    Get Your Wallet Ready

    posted @ 8/06/2007 03:07:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Nintendo has upped the ante, and added one of my favorite games to their Wii Online marketing place.

    But why am I so excited, what could they have possibly added to twist my panties into a knot? Wave Race that's what. Yeah, you heard me, I said Wave Race, it's available today for a mere 1,000 pts.

    Three titles went up today, but I'm only really concerned with Wave Race being on the Wii Shop Channel. The games went live at 9am PDT.

    From the release:
    Wave Race® 64 (Nintendo® 64, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Take to the waves on your own personal watercraft and experience some of the best water effects in video game history. Choose one of four characters, each with his/her own unique abilities and style, and master the game's excellent controls. Make your way through nine courses, each with its own challenges. If the ramps, mines and hairpin turns aren't enough, you'll also have to deal with varying weather conditions that can make the water choppy or cover the course with fog. And if you ever feel like taking a break from racing, then try out Stunt Mode to polish your skills by pulling off handstands, rolls and more. Get good enough and you might even be able to ride a dolphin-just don't get seasick.


    If you aren't as excited as I am about being able to revisit Wave Race through the virtual console to relive the game that I swear the jet ski mini game in DOA: Xtreme Beach Volleyball wishes it could be when it grows up, then I'll be killing you shortly because you sir are no gamer, you're a freakin' pretender to the throne... and it would be my honor to stealth kill you.

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    New Podcast Day

    posted @ 4/29/2007 11:20:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Do I even need to tell you it's new podcast episode day? I didn't think so, but I did it anyways, because that's the way I roll here at the sistahood. This weeks episode just happens to be titled, "Episode 48: I French Fried When I Should Have Pizza'd" and is ready for a listen.

    In this episode of the podcast Pandalicious tackles the tricky subject of Jesus in anime as discussed by a panel she went to at AB2k7 while MagicMysticGrl shares some cosplay "Do's & Don'ts" with you lovely folks in hopes of making your con experiences [and ours] better. And bringing up the rear as always is NinjaSistah with her take on the Wii game SSX Blur by EA Big. The conversation is deep at times, and for the other sixty minutes it's the usual laugh riot that you're used to.

    All in all it's just another funMONday here in the hood, so grab your morning cup o' joe and enjoy the show.

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    I Was Right About the PS3

    posted @ 4/19/2007 01:09:00 PM by evermore
    I don't mind taking credit for it. I made the prediction in May 2006, and now it's all coming to pass.

    Last May I wrote the following post about the pricing of the XBox 360 and the two forthcoming game consoles, the PS3 and the Nintendo Wii. According to this story, it seems that I may have been on target after all...

    An executive from Sega, one of Nintendo's largest publishers, told Forbes.com last week that he expects the Wii to sell for less than $200. With a $200 price point, the Wii might not only be a video game system, but the new currency exchange unit for video game system sales. Consider this:

    Nintendo Wii: 1 Wii
    Microsoft XBox 360 Base: 1.5 Wii
    Microsoft XBox 360 Deluxe: 2 Wii
    Sony Playstation 3 Premium (retail in November): 3 Wii
    Sony Playstation 3 Premium (on eBay in December): 6-8 Wii
    Sony Playstation 3 Premium (retail, next May): 1.5 Wii


    Sure, I got the Wii price point wrong (it was $250, not $200), but I was otherwise close to the target.

    And to all those Sony fanboys who have been berating me for my disparaging comments regarding the PS3, I'd like to point out that they sold a whopping 167,000 PS3's in February. At that rate, they'll clean out the entire initial 6 million PS3 run... by, uh, June 2010.


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    New Podcast Day

    posted @ 3/05/2007 12:17:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    It's Monday, so you know what that means: a new episode of the ESH podcast has been edited and submitted for your approval.

    In this episode of the podcast Pandalicious shares her take on the World of Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy manga series by Jae Hwan Kim, and NinJaSistah sheds some light on the Ubisoft game Rayman Raving Rabbids.

    It's fun, it's fast, it's Episode 42: WoW, Wii have an addiction!

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    Mii Parade

    posted @ 1/25/2007 09:42:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    I'm taking some time to read the Destructoid website because I just love Dtoid and I see this article about some dude over at 1UP that has over 1000 Mii's on parade, and I got totally jealous.

    I'm a fun kinda gal. Why don't I have more friends registered on my Wii? I want thousands of Mii's on parade. I don't want to sound all consumed by it or vain or anything, but damn man... I wanna be poopular, er popular with the Wiioples, so what gives?

    So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to post my Wii numbah, and if you want to help me grow my entWIIrage, comment with your Wii Numbah below. Whoever helps me cross the 200th, 500th, and 1000th Mii on parade will get some ESH M&M's.

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    Tower of Power

    posted @ 1/22/2007 10:08:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Months and months after moving into my new digs I have finally reassembled my tower of power is back in business.

    I speak, of course, of my gaming rig... the center of my entertainment world is whole once more. It's taken me months to find all of my cables, power cords, power bricks, games, and then the time to put the sonofabitch together. I put the most important systems on the TV to start [being the next-gen boxes] but the PS2, Xbox, and PSP sort of kinda languished in a box over in the corner of the room. A dimly lit corner of the room to make it even more pathetic. I would have had a GameCube in the tower as well but it was given to Pandalicious in hopes that it might lure her away from WoW. It did not.

    So what's in my gaming rig you might ask? Well, in what has now become the "Tower of Older Power" we have the Xbox with slight modification, a PS2, PSP, Gameboy SP, 6-input S-Video switch, XB360 quick-charge stand, digital cable box, and games awaiting a trip to the local Gamestop for trade in.

    In the main arena I have my PS3, XB360, and Nintendo Wii tucked away under my 42" TV from LCD Olevia Yes, the NinJa is back in action people. Now some of you may have noticed that I mentioned a bunch of consoles that have online gameplayability, [hehe, I made a new word] but didn't mention how I have them networked... it's because I don't yet. Right now, the Wii connects to my existing wireless network and my XB360 and PS3 are share a connection from an Apple Airport Express. Until I decided on a good ethernet switch for these guys to share it will stay that way.

    Now all I need is enough furniture so that the gaming parties can begin. What about you guys? What do your rigs look like? What would you like to add? Wanna send us a picture? I'm putting some larger images of my rig in the gallery, so check it out.


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    2007's Most Wanted

    posted @ 1/02/2007 11:24:00 AM by Douceswild
    It’s a new year people! Resolutions have been made (and probably broken already). As far as the gaming industry is concerned, there will definitely be new and exciting things coming our way. What are you looking forward to the most?

    I’m sure a lot of people would name Halo 3 the most anticipated game of 2007. I’ve had mine reserved for the past month and will be standing outside of Gamestop if they have another midnight release. Even though I’m excited about that title, and can’t wait to put Master Chief back into the fight for mankind’s survival, it’s not at the top of my list.

    One of the games of 2007 that has me sitting at the edge of my seat is Mass Effect for the Xbox 360. It’s an action rpg from the developers of Jade Empire and Knights of the Old Republic, both of which are awesome games. In both "JE" and "KOTOR", as they’re called, a lot of the plot twists and the outcome of the game depend on the choices you make. Your decisions may also effect the way your party members feel about you and whether they choose to join you at all. The same concepts have been added into Mass Effect and amped up a bit. All of this plus unbelievable graphics is enough to make my mouth water.

    This year will undoubtedly bring new and exciting releases for all systems. What titles have you running to your local game store to place on reserve status? I’ll get the ball rolling since most of you are still probably recovering for your New Year’s celebration.

    (Some of the these titles are coming out on multiple systems but I’ve listed the system I plan on playing them on.)

    Mass Effect – Xbox 360
    Assassin’s Creed – Xbox 360
    World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade - PC
    Tabula Rasa – PC
    Halo 3 – Xbox 360
    Wii Play – Nintendo Wii
    Crackdown – Xbox 360
    Rogue Galaxy – PS2

    There’s plenty more but I’ll stop here because I have to go look for a second job to pay for the rest of the stuff that’s going to come out this year. I’ll turn the keyboard over to you. What’s your 2007’s Most Wanted?


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    And You Thought There Wasn't Anything to Watch At The Theater

    posted @ 12/30/2006 09:48:00 AM by Douceswild
    You think your Nintendo Wii looks good on your television because you got the big plasma screen with the surround sound and the entertainment center. Let me tell you something. You have no idea what big is yet.

    I got my Nintendo Wii hooked up to my 52” plasma and I’m pretty proud of it. When playing Wii Sports or Zelda, I can see just about every detail of the game without having to strain my eyes. When I walk into a friend’s house and see they’re puny 17” television, a sense of pride comes over me as I smirk.

    So I’m browsing You-Tube to find a jewel that I can close out the year 2006 with and I got a little more than I hoped for. I’m just going to call this one Screenis Envy.



    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!


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    One Thing's For Sure About Half-Naked Girls

    posted @ 12/30/2006 01:28:00 AM by evermore
    One of 28 new Girls of the PS3
    (Also check out the 9 new Girls of the Wii)
    The jury is in about half-naked girls. They're good for a lot of things, but are they any good at selling PlayStation 3 consoles on eBay? After a great deal of research, we've got the answer for you.

    In a word: No. Half-naked girls suck at selling PS3 consoles. Stories abound on the web about people who had invested a great deal of time and money, shivering in long lines at Best Buy and being trampled in stampedes at Wal-Mart, only to discover that no one was willing to pay $2,000 or more for a $600 gaming system.

    Even pimping out their sisters or girlfriends or wives or MILFs didn't help. After all, gaming consoles weren't about Pr0n -- they were about playing video games. So most of those guys who had only dollar signs in their eyes trudged back to the Best Buys where they spent a long, cold, rainy week in mid-November and pleaded for their money back.

    Here's a tip for all of you who want to play the Futures market -- do it with gold and corn and pork bellies and oranges, like everyone else in the Financial District of New York. But if you buy a video gaming system, just open the sucker up, pull out all the stuff inside, hook it up to the Magnavox and have fun. Like God and Nolan Bushnell intended.


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    Naughty Or Nice?

    posted @ 12/25/2006 02:45:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Well, it's get er' schnit day folks, and I'd love to hear what you got in your stockings/under the tree.

    As y'all know, I was extremely naughty and got a Wii and PS3 from Santa. I haven't been all that impressed with the PS3 yet, but I have high hopes for the Wii. What was the best thing that you got, or happened to you this Xmas? So far for me, the best thing that happened was that I didn't get socks as a present. Rock. On. Once of the nice surprises was a copy of Trauma Center: Second Opinion on the Wii. I didn't get Project 8, but I do have a birthday coming up.

    From all of us here at ESH, I want to extend to all of you wonderful folk reading this post and those that listen to the podcast the warmest of wishes today. May your extra lives be bountiful, and may your AK never run out of ammo!


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    Pandalicious: This Is For You

    posted @ 12/21/2006 08:54:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Don't say I never did nothing for ya.

    Travelling around ye olde interwebs again, and saw this article on Joystiq and saw this video.

    Submitted for your perusal: The Mac Wiimote: Warcraft Style


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    Keep Your Wiimote Handy

    posted @ 12/15/2006 01:00:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Nintendo has said it's going to exchange existing straps for the Wiimote with new "thicker" ones... but until that happens, what is one to do in the interim?

    Well, you could do what this guy did and replace your strap with some handcuffs. It's definitely one way to wii-strain your controller from flying off into your TV. [Sorry about the pun... I had to do it, for legal reasons. No foolin.]

    Yea, I was boppin' around ye olde interweb this morning when I noticed that one of the FrESH folks had Hit Us Up and tipped us to this image on a forum. Thanks for the tip ALH.

    Now, I fancy myself a hardcore-type gamer. By most standards I'm not, but I like to think that I am. I can not, however, imagine handcuffing myself to a controller. When I do, I get an image of some kinky, flashy, S&M thingies going on which is totally the subject for a different post. I do have to say that I admire this guys tenacity though. It takes some outside the box thinking to come up with this solution.

    You sir, are hardcore. I salute you.

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    Last Chance To Be A Hero

    posted @ 12/14/2006 11:12:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    USA Today says that this weekend is going to be the last weekend that you might have a shot at getting your mitts on a PS3 or Wii... so get your camping gear out now people.

    Basically the low down is that it is suspected that December 17th will be the last Wii/PS3 shipments that retailers will receive before Christmas. So if you don't get your console by this weekend, you are most likely getting a gift card for EB Games instead for Christmas from Mom & Dad.

    I say, get you a thermos full of Blue Goose, [that's hpnotiq, grey goose, and pineapple juice... if you are 21 yrs old or better of course]whew! a tent, and some chinese delivery and stake out your local Circuit City or Target this weekend. You're kids will love you more if you do. And you know that you want your kid to not only love you, but think you are cool.

    Me, I already got mines!

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    Wii's Anatomy

    posted @ 12/14/2006 10:52:00 AM by Douceswild
    Have you ever wondered what goes on behind that curtain in the operating room? How would you react with a patient’s life in your hands? Trauma Center: Second Opinions for the Nintendo Wii puts a patient on the table and a scalpel in your hand.

    I was curious about this title when it came out for the Nintendo DS, but I didn’t play it because I have yet to pick up the system and the game didn’t seem like a system-seller to me. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I was wrong. It’s a remake of the DS version but the Wii-mote draws you into the game as opposed to the stylus. I’ve been on it for the past week because it’s addictive and I just can’t get enough of playing doctor.

    You’re given a patient with some sort of ailment ranging from throat infections to broken bones. During the course of an operation the Wii-mote acts as your instruments such as a scalpel, a drainage hose, sutures, a precision laser, an ultrasound machine, forceps, and more. Precise incisions, fluid suction, and bandaging determine whether you lose the patient or not. If any of you old-schoolers remember a board game called Operation, this is a more intense version of it. If you react too slow or too sloppy, you risk losing the patient and the operation is terminated.

    The game’s use of the Wii-mote is brilliant. The nunchaku is used to navigate and select your instruments, which you’ll utilize via the Wii-mote in different ways. Before the operation, you’re given objectives that you need to complete for a successful surgery. A nurse is provided to guide you through the first few surgeries but after that it’s a memory game. There’s a series of steps that you must perform in a certain order during the operation. Remembering those steps can be complicating and frustrating at times, but to see a healthy patient in recovery makes it worth the hard work. You receive a ranking based on how accurate the operation goes and the amount of time taken to complete it. I’ve found it hard to get anything over C ranking but you’re given the option to replay any scenario for a chance at a higher rank.

    Trauma Center: Second Opinion throws in some new and redesigned features. For example, if a patient’s heart rate drops, then you have to break out the defibrillator. To simulate pushing down on the patient’s chest you’ll move your arm towards the screen. Now that’s what I call interaction.

    The game boasts a storyline told in traditional Atlus style using images and text dialog. You’re Dr. Derek Stiles a surgeon who finds out he has the Healing Touch inherited through the ancient Greeks. It’s a bit “out there”, but if that’s not enough for you, then let’s add a world-threatening epidemic that’s believed to be the work of bioterrorists. Tell me that doesn’t peak your interest.

    I’m giving Trauma Center: Second Opinion a 3 and a half out of 5. It’s loads of fun when you just feel like playing something unconventional and the game provides good exercise for the brain. To release this game as a Nintendo Wii launch title was a brilliant idea. If you find yourself stuck on a particular operation and the nurse is just hassling you, look her square in the eyes and scream, “Dammit! I’m a doctor, not a miracle-worker!”



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    Bringing Back More Than Just Sexy

    posted @ 12/06/2006 05:50:00 PM by Douceswild
    All of you old school G4 TechTv fans may remember the days when that channel was actually worth watching because you’d learn something new on a daily basis. There were shows that taught you about technology and informed you of new and upcoming games hosted by people WHO ACTUALLY PLAYED THE GAMES and were at least FAMILIAR with what they were reading on the teleprompter. What does this little trip down memory lane mean for you? You guessed it. It's time for another one of Douce's Jewels.

    Among the many knowledgeable hosts was one of my favorites, Laura Foy, who co-hosted a show call G4tv.com. They talked about games and technology and gave their input on what was worth your time and what wasn’t. The show was cancelled last year and Laura disappeared from the station. Since then, she has gone on to do other things like hosting an internet radio show and, well, music. You won’t find her being exploited on MTV. I’ve saved that pleasure for this very moment.

    With all of the hype over the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii launch, many have forgotten about the initial next-gen console, Xbox 360. Laura Foy has taken it upon herself to remind gamers of which system is the best buy as of right now and what better way is there to draw people together and get a powerful message out to the masses than with the power of song?

    I bring to you the latest installment to my internet jewel collection which I’m calling Hey DJ, Bring That Back.



    Enjoy!


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    New Podcast Episode

    posted @ 12/04/2006 01:42:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    It's that time of the week again... it's new podcast episode day here at ESH! And this week we bring you Episode 29: Save The Monkey. Save The World.

    This episode teaches us many things, one of which is the following equation:
    Caffeine+NinJaSistah=Bad Idea
    But we also learn that the Motorola Razr is a bomb phone saddled with pitiful and schizophrenic ringtones that suck, Pandalicious gives us the low down on the anime series "Death Note" while MagicMysticGrl explores all things "Fate/Stay Night"... including making the suggestion that the series' opening and closing songs by Sachi Tainaka are required listening. [Those songs are: "Disillusion" "Kirameku Namida Wo Hoshi ni" and "Kimi to no Asu"] And not to be out done, NinJaSistah brings it home as usual with her review of "The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess" for the Nintendo Wii.

    This episode is full of so many tangents, double and even triple entendres that we can't keep track of them all for this synopsis. You'll just have to listen to the episode and catch em' all!

    Congrats to our newest candy bitch: DreamsIn6.1! Hit Us Up, and claim yo goods!

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    Game Hardware Shopper

    posted @ 12/03/2006 11:43:00 PM by geekwoman
    Holiday Hardware Guide by Geek Woman

    If you are looking for some shopping advice on game hardware for the female, or male, gamer on your list then hopefully this article will help you understand it all. The location that is preferred for a game environment is an important choice to be aware of if you are shopping for games and accessories for your gamer. Games come in three basic types which are the PC, Console or Handheld. I'm going to try and give you the keys to the kingdom of the consoles.

    First of all "What is a game console?" These are a box like machine that you attach to a TV set. Games are played with a controller that is held in the hands and effects the action on the screen. These have indeed been around since Pong and Pac Man, and if that is where you left the game trail, then you might be glad to know that those old school or retro games are still offered, in game packs and collections. Sometimes they have been updated and upgraded. If you want to pick up something like that for a gift you need to know the brand name and the model of the console or game device that your gamer has. Write it down and take it with you when you go shopping.

    Some people opt for playing games on their PC rather than on the television. It seems that older people and women are the dominant demographic that enjoy using the PC for gaming. PC game - play are very popular for playing the massively multiplayer online games or MMOG's. Games such as World of Warcraft or Guild Wars are played on a PC with a keyboard and mouse. These games enable the player to interact with thousands of other players. Some of them also include the ability to talk to the other people while you are playing with them. Thought those features have been developing more slowly on PC. If your friend is playing an MMO there aren't many additional accessories for those. If they are a Guild Wars Player they may not have the new chapter called Nightfall which is a great game to add to the original Guild Wars or to buy it as a stand alone game. There are the Limited Edition Keyboards that are available for the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing) games that are good looking and work well which are sold by a company called Zboard. Zboards

    Perhaps the best way to determine what console to buy is to go by the age of the person who will be playing it. Right now there are three "next gen" consoles. Last year in November Microsoft upgraded their hardware and it is called the Xbox 360. It has mid - range graphics. There are over 100 games available for it at this time. The games are mainly of the first person shooter type or FPS and sports games. If you have heard of Halo 2 and Gears of War, or Oblivion those are titles for the Xbox 360. These games are for a mature crowd. The action is fast paced and bloody. Often the most popular games for the "360" carry a "T" for Teen or an "M" for Mature rating. Those ESRB ratings mean that Teens of 17 and 18 years old and above are the recommended age limit. These ratings can mean that there could be language or behaviors that some people would consider too crude for younger kids. It is no joke either. If you have a mix of older and younger kids in the house, the choice of games is crucial and requires your attention as much as monitoring what movies on DVD or cable that your younger kids could get into.

    With Xbox the online aspect is called Xbox Live. A paid subscription is required for this additional service. With the online feature more games and demos are available to download directly into the console. The console can be bought with one of a few choices of hard drive size for saving downloadable games and other functions. Xbox Live gives players access to playing with many other players at the same time. It isn't 'massively' multiplayer as it is with with PC. Although large groups of strangers can interact with each other in an open ended party - line conversation. There are over 4 million users on Xbox Live. Xbox Live has something of a reputation for "Trash -Talking" which in short, means that a player that is wearing the headphones is opening themselves up to the possibility of hearing unkind and curse word laced tirades about the flaws in their game from other players. There is no one monitoring these conversations and there is no one censoring what the others could be saying. Because of this tendency, I would not recommend the Xbox 360 for little girls or young women under 18.

    Costs for the annual subscription is approximately $50 US, its called Xbox Live Gold which includes voice chat, and Xbox Marketplace for gamers to buy and sell content. Sometimes original games, and old school arcade titles are downloadable. Xbox 360 works on HD TVs. They claim to have 250 old Xbox or "original Xbox" games that will play on the new console. Be careful to look up a list online for games that are called "backwards compatible" prior to inserting an old Xbox game into the Xbox 360. The digital media that it plays are DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD.

    Microsoft has two variations of Xbox 360 available for sale. One has the Xbox 360 faceplate, and a Silver Xbox Live package, $300 known as a core package, that comes with one wired controller, standard A/V cable, and the console. The Gold package is required to actually play online games. There is a $400 system with a 20 GB hard drive, Xbox 360 Remote Controller, High Definition TV component cables, Xbox 360 headset and a wireless controller.

    Next the Playstation 3 was released last week the manufacturer's suggested retail price is between $600 and $700 dollars US. It has been in the news and has gotten some bad press. Most of the incidents involved mismanagement of the long lines of people who were camping out to be able to get the very low quantity of these premium machines that were produced. One Massachusetts man was shot in a hold up of a line of customers waiting outside a store in Putnam Connecticut. The gunmen were attempting a hold up when this man refused to pay them. Because Sony was not able to make enough of these complicated advanced machines to fulfill the demands for them, it created chaos in several ways.

    In the past Playstation 2 has been the most popular gaming console in the US with the most millions sold. Perhaps Sony should have waited to launch the sale until they had more of them ready. The PS3 Platform plays a few more accessories peripherals than the 360. It also boasts to be the most graphically advanced system. The new Blu-Ray Disc™ is a type of High Definition disk for playing movies that is supposed to be the future of disk published media. The way that DVD's replaced VHS a few years ago. The PS3 has what is called a SIXAXIS™ wireless controller that interacts with the screen in a close to 3D experience. You can use your Playstation 3 with High-Definition displays as well as conventional or standard TVs. It comes with either a 20GB or 60GB removable hard disk drive (HDD). The thousands of PS One® and PS2 PlayStation®2 games as well as CDs and DVDs are useable on the PLAYSTATION®3. The thing supposedly plays just about everything including some digital photo cards.

    The PS3 has online capabilities including multiplayer gaming, text and video messaging, voice chat, downloading content and browsing the web. Even though the PS3 has impressive technical specifications, you may not be able to get one for the December holidays. It could be a moot point until sometime next Spring. There are over inflated PS3 prices on ebay, and buying those is not only exorbitantly expensive, but could be risky as well.

    The PLAYSTATION®3 is available in two configurations with either the 20GB hard disk drive or the 60GB HDD. Some PlayStation 2 or PlayStation format software titles may perform differently on the system than they do on the native systems for example the PS3 doesn't support a vibration controller.

    Then last Sunday the offering of the first Nintendo Wii consoles' launch was a 1960's "Love In" where the people in lines waiting were exchanging free hugs, ordering lunch for each other and playing games together. Something can be said about the two different types of people that were attending these launch parties. For the most part the Nintendo Wii draws a younger crowd and is most popular with younger kids and people that enjoy Nintendo's cute and quirky games.

    There are approximately 50 games for the Wii, and we are told that there will be enough of the consoles to go around. Nintendo and developers seem to be in a rush to create new games for this innovative new product. Nintendo wanted to bring gaming to everyone, and has many titles that are rated for all ages and for kids. They went one more step and made a controller that is supposed to be easier to pick up and play since it is designed to resemble a television remote controller. You play with two hands and the actions resemble the actual movements of slashing a sword or driving. The remote is used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions . The controller set called the "nun-chucks and wii-mote" interact with a sensor strip that you placer near your TV for a realistic complete 3D experience. A one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection in conjunction with the sensor bar to sense its position in 3D space. Some people have found the workout to be a bit strenuous

    The Nintendo Wii is not all things to all people the way that the other two consoles are attempting to be an all around media hub that takes the place of all the other components in your home entertainment center. What the Wii does do is add another level of fun and mirthfulness back into games. The unique controller has been a big hit so far and has gotten high marks from every reviewer. It is rare for something so gimmicky and unusual to get such a unanimous welcome from the jaded and snarky gaming community. People that have the 360 are getting the Wii too because it is like the apples and oranges in the PC world yet again.

    The Wii is an ideal choice for a household with older and younger kids, seniors, and for the homes that do not have a High Definition TV set. Those aren't interested in the more mature titles, and those chat capabilities that are for adults or older kids can have a fairly safe online experience with the privacy and Friend policies from Nintendo. The console also features its own online service WiiConnect24 , which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet. The Wii console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware. The console has a few kid safety features such as parental controls to prohibit younger kids from playing the wrong games. It reads the content rating and won't play games that are not set to the right age level.

    The number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout are expected to meet demand and sales of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 are anticipated. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."

    The launch Wii package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the sensor bar, one external main power adapter, AV cables (component video and other type of cables will be available separately), and a copy of Wii Sports in the US and Canada. The Wii console is the smallest home console unit of the three contenders and the least expensive at $250. US. The front of the console features a slot-loading media drive lit up by a by distinct blue light and it accepts both Wii software and discs from Nintendo's prior console, the Game-Cube. They are telling us that it is fully backwards compatible with all the Previous Game Cube games.

    Additionally the interface for the console is designed around the concept of television channels, with a Wii Menu. Nintendo will not charge fees for playing games from the service. Channels are graphically displayed, and are navigated using the point of the Wii Remote. They are the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, News Channel, Forecast Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Internet Channel. The Virtual Console Channel is basically an “online service, similar to Xbox Live Arcade. The Nintendo DS will be able to play game demos downloaded from the Wii console which gamers would receive from Nintendo, similar to a DS Download Station. Gamers can download retro games not only for the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64, but also Sega’s Genesis, NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 and others. The Wii has average graphics and only a 512 MB built-in flash memory, expansion is available via SD card memory, up to 2 GB max. It will take Game-Cube Memory Cards for saving GCN games only.

    In addition to the larger game consoles or PC games that you find at home, mobile games have become very popular. The Nintendo DS is a hand held, rechargeable dual screen portable game system. It comes in a variety of colors and it is pocket sized. It is the most popular handheld game console, which easily buried the competition, which were the Sony PSP and the N-Gage. it has continued to hold the record for the most units sold just as the Game Boy has for years. It comes in two sizes. The original unit that made its debut last year, is referred to as the 'NDS' and it can play both the library of Game Boy Advance games as well as games for the DS. The DS Lite is a smaller sleeker version of the same DS machine, but it smaller and does not have the additional slot for the GBA games. You can find several reviews and editorials about the DS right on this website. Nintendo DS and the Wii are expected to have a type of connectivity to use functions like the Nintendo DS's microphone and touch-screen as inputs for Wii games like Pokémon Battle Revolution. It is expected that all of Nintendo's huge repertoire of well known game franchises, such as Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Animal Crossing, and Pokémon will come to the Wii in some form.

    For very tiny kids and toddlers Leapster has the education interactive toys for under $100 Leapster

    For an easy comparison chart you can check out Gamefly. They have a chart showing the three consoles. The Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, and the Playstation 3. Renting games or giving a Gamefly subscription is a good gift idea.

    For a stocking stuffer I recommend Geek Woman's Game Guide 2006


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    Hit Me Up... Wii Style

    posted @ 11/27/2006 05:31:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Got a Wii? Need a friend to message or send Wiiople [you know, the Miis you make?] to? Then look no further... well, a little further as my info is after the jump.

    I'm postin my Wii addy here so you can hit me up while you are enjoying your Wii online. My little coven of Wiiople are lonely, so send me some of yours.

    Here's my addy: 1563 4367 2818 4427


    Wiiople...
    wiiople who meet wiiople,
    are the luckiest wiiople
    in the world!

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    Wiimarkable!

    posted @ 11/27/2006 02:51:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Finally got my shiny, oh-so-tiny, brand spankin'' new Nintendo Wii in this weekend y'all! First of all I have to say that it's [at least for me] more fun than I thought it would be.

    No lie. No exaggeration. I swear to Bob that you would have to be completely against having fun while playing games to hate the Wii.

    I know I have been talking about the Wii for months now with gleeful anticipation, and now that I finally have one I can compare my own personal hype to the Wiiality. [I couldn't help myself on the pun, please forgive me.]

    The motion sensor is really interesting. I have been playing Wii Sports nearly non-stop since plugging the console into power and it's awfully addictive. I must preface the rest of my review with this statement: learning to accurately use the Wiimote will take time. For me it took a couple of hours to crest the learning curve. Going into the system settings and playing with the sensitivity is a huge help. While many people may think that Wii Sports is an easy or simplistic game, it is and it isn't. Each of the individual game concepts is simple [hit the ball, or hit your opponent] but using the Wiimote to control or function in the game can be complex. The bowling game is more about finesse than speed or strength. I can't tell you how many times I dropped my bowling ball behind me in the game before I got the swing of things. Within the golf game, even more concentration and delicate use of the Wiimote is required to not bogey a hole. I completely suck at golf, but what surprises me is how fun and enjoyable each of these games are.

    Playing a game on the Wii is just such a new experience that it's hard to not find some aspect of gameplay that's not just cool. Wiggle the Wiimote while playing the Baseball game, and your bat in the game wiggles in real time. Physically throw and uppercut in the boxing game and your character on screen does the exact same thing. It's neat as hell!

    Now, I have several other games that I need to play [which include Red Steel and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess] but I have to say, I've been pleasantly surprised by the Wii. I thought it would be fun, but I didn't expect the system to be as responsive, to honestly grab my attention and hold it from the moment I power it on until I actually have to shut it off.

    Now, I have to wait to get my hands on a PS3 in order to share my first hand experiences on it with y'all. Any Wiiople out there that want to share their first impressions on the system, feel free to comment.


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    The Sincerest Form of Flattery

    posted @ 11/25/2006 12:27:00 AM by evermore
    For the past week, the ElectricSistaHood website has featured photo galleries of the brave women who have been baring all in order to sell their new PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii videogame consoles. Well, some other websites have gotten into the act as well.


    Girls of the PS3

    85 new photos!

    Girls of the Wii

    23 new photos!


    One site has a few photos and another has a video of the things, which is going the rounds on YouTube. But I'm here to tell you now that ElectricSistaHood was the original and is still the best source for nekkid ladies hawking their videogames on the eBay.

    To prove that we're still the best, we've added a whopping 108 photos in the PS3 and Wii galleries, which are available by clicking the photos above.


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    Get a New Xbox 360 for $100? Yes!

    posted @ 11/22/2006 07:19:00 PM by evermore
    Everyone's talking about the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii, but here's a deal that's hard to pass up: a brand new Xbox 360 for only $100.

    You'll need fast fingers to take advantage of this deal. Amazon.com is offering 1,000 Xbox 360 Core Systems (which usually retail for $299) for only $100 on Thanksgiving Day. The sale starts at 11 a.m. Pacific Time (that's 2 p.m. in the Eastern time zone). They probably won't last long.

    Amazon.com suggests that you read up on the details of ordering and offers this page with the information. Then at the appointed time, just go to this page to get a fabulous deal on an Xbox 360.

    When does the PS3 go on sale for $100? I wouldn't hold my breath on that one.


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    Anticipation... It's Making Mii Wait

    posted @ 11/22/2006 02:30:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Here I am, the day before the annual "Feast of Overstuffment Day," and I'm still waiting for my Nintendo Wii to arrive. To say that this has been a difficult week would be a gross understatement.

    I was actually one of the lucky folks to get in on the Gamestop Wii Bundle Pre-Order, but my billing address is not the same as my current living address... hence the delay in my actually ripping open that puppy and getting my Red Steel on. This has also been the major contributing factor in us not having any first hand accounts with either the Nintendo Wii or Sony PS3. We haven't been able to get our hands on the systems, and neither company has graced us with a demo box... which makes NinJa a sad panda.

    Not to rub it in, I was also able to get a PS3 Bundle Pre-Order from Gamestop [those ho's go soooo much of my hard earned cash this past month it's ridiculous!] so I expect that puppy to pop up shortly after the Wii. Then it will be time to start re-assembling the "gaming rig of joy!" [Damn that TV is FINE!!] Moving on. The reason that I'm so excited about having both bundle systems isn't for the greedy reason you may think. Both bundles have some similar game titles in them so I can do a direct comparison of the same title across all of the next-gen systems. That's XB360, Wii, and PS3 for anyone that may forget that the year old XB360 is still a next-gen system. Lots of people say that you can't compare the systems because their individual architectures are so different, it would be similar to trying to compare donuts to dinkleberries. And I will concede to that to a point. But having the same game title, made by the same developer, on each system concurrently I think is a great way to do a superficial system comparison.

    So first up on my hit list [once all systems are in, hooked up, and gtg] will be Madden 07. If you have any suggestions for games that are on all 3 console systems that you would like to see on NinJaSistah's Assassination List, let a sistah know!

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    What Have Wii Learned?

    posted @ 11/21/2006 10:25:00 PM by Douceswild
    The final two combatants in the console war, Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii, have stepped onto the battlefield to stand against the Xbox 360 and all that remains is the verdict on the winner. Right now there are many gamers around the world enjoying their newly acquired systems after waiting in a long line for days, bribery, or paying twice the retail value on an auction site. What about those poor chaps who couldn’t get a system? Who speaks for the little guy that was fifth in line at a store that received four? That would be the Douce.

    After getting a tip the night before the Wii release day that the local K-Mart would have about seven systems in stock and ready to sell when they unlock the doors at 7am, I begin the necessary preparations for a 6:30 am stakeout.
    Fresh cup of coffee…check
    Something warm to wear…check
    PSP…check
    Money in my account…check
    Bulletproof vest…check

    The alarm sounds and off I go. I get there at about 6:30am and to my surprise, there’s only one guy standing at the door and two people sitting in a parked car a few feet away from him. Let’s do the math…seven systems and three people here so far including me (I assumed the two people in the car would be picking up one system). “YES!! Douce is getting a Wii today!” you say? No, Douce is not getting his Wii.

    To make a long story short, K-Mart got six system in, two were purchased by employees, the remaining four were reserved and sold to customers who got there before me(the two people in the car each got a system), and I was SOL. Being the loyal ESH fan/writer that I am, even though my heart was heavy over not getting a Wii, I sucked it up and interviewed a couple of others who couldn’t get the system. The general consensus was that the whole system launch situation could’ve been handled better and it’s a shame that nowadays in order to get a gaming system you must camp a store before it opens. I asked about the violence that’s been breaking out around the world over people waiting to get these systems and one guy replied, “Things like that just confirm what people like Jack Thompson are saying about gamers. People have been incited to violence over the HOPE of getting a system and haven’t even put a violent game in yet.”

    Another customer said that if the stores would have handled the system launch with a little more organization then things wouldn’t have spiraled into violence. “If I’ve been camped out first in line at Best Buy for a week and then a few hours before they open the doors to let us in to buy the system, some employee with a security guard comes out and tells us that we have to form a line at a different location, I’d be pissed too. Employees have been going in and out of this place for days, looking at me stand in this line, probably laughing at me and NO ONE thought to tell me that I couldn’t stand here. Now I stand the chance of losing my number one spot and not getting a system. I’d probably be upset too.”

    Could the system launches have been handled better? Was this year’s launches a sign of things to come? Is this what we, as gamers, have to look forward to every launch year? Is getting a system at release-minute worth a possible stick-up or fight? I’m curious as to what you think could have been done differently. Put in your two cents because change has to be start somewhere.


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    The Sexiest Saleswomen in the World

    posted @ 11/20/2006 01:20:00 AM by evermore
    The Sony and Nintendo fangirls and boys already know which new console is better. So the only question that remains is this: Which group is sexier -- girls selling PlayStation 3's or girls selling Nintendo Wii's?

    On Friday we presented a slideshow of females hawking the PlayStation 3 on eBay -- some of them showing a distinct lack of clothing. Well, it seems that the moment people got their hands on the Wii on Sunday morning, girls started stripping for the cameras again in order to gain a little bit of advantage while trying to sell the Wii on eBay.

    Here's your chance to compare for yourself. Click the links below to check out each gallery of game-sellin' girls and let us know which camp you think has the sexier girls:

    Click here for The Girls of the Wii

    Click here for The Girls of the PS3

    If you've previously viewed the PS3 girls, we've added a dozen more photos to the gallery today, so please visit it again.


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    After the Buying, There's the Selling

    posted @ 11/18/2006 01:22:00 AM by evermore
    Let's say you've spent 48 hours sitting in a cold, wet tent in order to try to get one of a handful of PlayStation 3 machines at your local Best Buy. Then you're going to spend another 48 hours in the same tent, in front of the same Best Buy to get a Nintendo Wii. Whadda ya wanna do next?

    You're going to try to sell the thing! At least, that's what thousands of people are doing right now on auction sites like eBay. What's going to make your identical 60GB PlayStation 3 stand out in such a big crowd?

    SEX! That's right. Sex, in case you hadn't got the memo, sells. Of the thousands of PS3 machines on sale right now on eBay, dozens of them feature females of all ages, sizes and shapes. They've got one thing in common -- they're all holding those giant PlayStation 3 boxes.

    I'm sure some of them are wives, girlfriends, sisters, mothers, cousins, aunts or just plain friends, but they've all given it up for the cause: to help some guy collect a couple of grand on a machine they bought for $600 plus tax.

    The image you see here is just one of almost two dozen we collected today from eBay. You can see the rest in our special gallery called "Sellin It" by clicking here.

    Let's hear it for the girls who gave up their dignity (and their shirts) for commerce.


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    Daily News: Launch Week Rumors

    posted @ 11/13/2006 12:48:00 AM by evermore
    It's Launch Week for the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii and there's nothing but rumors of riots in Japan, where the PS3 went on sale this past weekend, and rumors of folks being thrown out of Best Buy waiting lines. Here's some more stuff you might have missed...


    • If you're camping out in front of a Best Buy, a Target, a Wal-Mart or wherever for a PS3 or a Wii, you'll want to know just how many they have on hand, eh? Here's how to get those numbers.
    • Some PS3 die-hards have more money than sense. That's evident from these current Yahoo Japan auctions, which, as of late Sunday night, have bids on single PS3 systems of more than 2 Billion Yen. Comparatively, things were much more civilized in the U.S., as a top-of-the-line PS3 went for a mere $9,100, according to this eBay auction.
    • The PS3 case is beautiful and black -- as long as you keep it in the box. The Gizmodo guys discovered to their dismay that it doesn't take much to mar the surface of the case.
    • Bungie is adding a female voice to Halo, according to Frankie on the Bungie website: "Anyway, one of the things we're looking at for Halo 3 multiplayer (Master Chief is all man) is adding a female voice to the Spartan character should you choose it as part of your custom character."
    • USA Today says you might be better off just waiting to buy a next-gen console until next year. Awwwww, whadda they know?
    • Defying the laws of economics, it seems that, according to this article, the Xbox 360 is actually becoming more expensive to manufacture as time goes on.
    • HD takes a big step backward on Xbox Live, as one of the first games to be released in 1080p resolution will be a modernized version of Atari's classic Missile Command.
    • Already have a PS3 pre-ordered and just waiting on it to arrive? Time to RTFM! Sony has its PS3 online manual just waiting for you by clicking here. Enjoy!
    • Some people were upset about last week's GameStop online Wii preorder, which required the purchase of six games, an extra controller, an extended warranty and a magazine subscription, pushing the total to nearly three times the cost of the console alone. Well, GameStop's got nothing on CompUSA, which according to this ad will allow you reserve a PS3 -- as long as you purchase a 40-inch or larger Sony HDTV first.



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    Daily News: What? No Kitchen Sink?

    posted @ 11/09/2006 12:09:00 AM by evermore
    In today's news:
    • Just like razors... or ink jet printers
    • Free, as in beer
    • Winners galore
    • Playing the Game Name Game
    • Being popular has its price


    How to spend $700 for a Nintendo Wii: The great thing about the Nintendo Wii is the cheap price, right? You won't think so after hearing about tonight's sale on the GameStop.com website. Tonight you can buy a Nintendo Wii Bundle in a GameStop online-only sale for the low, low price of... $694.88, which doesn't include tax and shipping. What do you get for the extra $450 you're spending on a $250 machine? Six games (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Trauma Center: Second Opinion, Red Steel, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz and Madden NFL 2007), an extra controller, a 1GB memory card, a 12-month product replacement plan and subscription to Game Informer magazine.

    How to get a Wii for free: GameFly is giving away a Wii each day through Nov. 30. If you're a current GameFly subscriber, just go to the GameFly website and click on the link to the contest. Not a subscriber? You could sign up for a trial subscription or just go to this link. The official rules are right here.

    How to win more stuff: While we're on the subject of winning game-related stuff, here are some more current giveaways: Enter here to win a $3,000 package of consoles and games, including the PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 and PSP from RewardTV. Enter here for an Xbox 360 package, including 27-inch HDTV and a copy of Gears of War from GamePro. Enter here to win a Wii and a copy of Red Steel from 7-Eleven. Enter here to win a Wii, the games Excite Truck and Legend of Zelda and an extra remote controller from Nintendo. Enter here to win a Wii from Pringles.

    Just don't call it E3.1: Some are calling it the successor to E3, but whatever it is, it doesn't have a name yet. IDG, which owns GamePro and many other tech-related magazines, will be conducting a consumer-focused gaming event at the Los Angeles Convention Center Oct. 18-20, 2007, according to the GamePro website. What to call it? IDG has started a contest through Nov. 20 for that very purpose. Grand prize is a free trip for two to the thing.

    Negima, Vol. 3: Magic 301 - Practical Application of Magic (Limited Edition): Life at Mahora Academy is anything but predicatble, a theorem which Negi Springfield and the girls of Class 2-A seem determined to test! When a class project incurs the wrath of one of their own, what follows is a virtual, digitally-enhanced popularity contest, no holds barred. How about a little war, World Wide Web style? I understand this Limited Edition version contains a collectible Negima figure.


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    First Wiimercial

    posted @ 11/08/2006 05:24:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    From the fine folks over at Kotaku comes a YouTube video of the first commercial for the Nintendo Wii.

    And guess what? It's for a game that you might have heard about called, Red Steel. Sure, it's really corny, some may say that it's even cheesy, but I think it's funny. So here is the Nintendo Wii Red Steel commercial.




    What do you think about it?

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    Daily News: Crazy Talk

    posted @ 11/08/2006 12:04:00 AM by evermore
    In the run-up to the launch of the PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii, there's going to be lots of rumors out there. At ElectricSistaHood, we're in as much of a fog as you are, so you can just take or leave these latest bits of information coming at us from all directions. It's all talk, and it's mostly crazy.




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    Track Down That Wii

    posted @ 11/06/2006 12:43:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Don't say I never hooked you up peoples!

    Need to find out which Target stores near you will have Nintendo Wii's on launch day? Wanna know how many Wii's they will have? Need contact numbers for stores and a map as you travel on your WiiQuest, weary, and befuddled?

    Well then look no further than this tracker from WiiSeeker! This handy dandy lil piece of web code will help you on your journey, providing you with locations, stock numbers, and the store numbers so you can devise a solid and strategic plan of deployment.

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    Daily News: An All-Wii Report

    posted @ 11/06/2006 12:06:00 AM by evermore
    In today's news, we look at All Things Wii, with advice on how to get one on launch day, whether you'll need to bolster your health insurance to play the new controller, some Zelda pics, choice quotes from a Nintendo spokeschick and the lengths that a famous TV star will take to get one.

    Need a Wii? Here's how to get it: If you missed out on the pre-orders, here are some great tips on how to get a Nintendo Wii on launch day.

    Here's Best Buy's launch playbook: Planning on buying a PS3 or Wii from Best Buy? Then you'd better bone up on the company's launch weekend playbook. Kotaku provides all the details. Prefer shopping at Target? Here are their plans.

    All about the Wii Startup Disc: Startup disc? That's right. You'll set up your Wii with an included startup disc. What will it do? The folks at Joystiq aren't sure, but there are certainly plenty of opinions.

    The answer to the most important question of 2006: Will you get tired using the Wii controller? According to this story from someone who pounded hard at the Legend of Zelda for more than 10 hours, the answer is no.

    Spoiling Zelda for you: Can't wait to see just how Zelda is going to look? Here's a site that reveals a bunch of screens from the Wii title.

    Nintendo's questions and obfuscations: Game Informer magazine recently interviewed Perrin Kaplan, vice president of marketing and corporate affairs for Nintendo of America, about the Wii. According to Kaplan, several celebrities are already queueing up for the console, including Sean Combs and Uma Thurman. When asked about Nintendo's vantage point in the console war between Sony and Microsoft, Kaplan told Game Informer, "I think it could be the tortoise and the hare."

    Will the Wii support custom soundtracks? This screenshot on the Darkzero site certainly suggests it.

    Will Cartman get a Wii? The little South Park sparkplug was so anxious to get a Wii that he had himself frozen in last week's episode, with some unfortunate results. The conclusion can be seen this week, Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern time, and repeating at midnight Wednesday, 10 p.m. Thursday, 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 p.m. Sunday. If you missed last week's episode, you can search for it on YouTube or wait for it to show up on iTunes.


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    Daily News: Console Deficit OK for EA

    posted @ 11/04/2006 10:51:00 PM by evermore
    In today's news:
    • EA expects PS3, Wii shortages
    • Take that Wii-mote off your head
    • Are some game blogs just advertising?
    • Your WoW habit may be imaginary
    • The Bad News Go Clubbers


    Game maker expects PS3, Wii shortages: The folks at Electronic Arts aren't kidding themselves -- there could be fewer PlayStation 3's and Nintendo Wii's than the manufacturers are admitting. "It's probably going to be just as challenging to find a PlayStation 3 this year as it was to find a XBox 360 last year," said Warren Jenson, electronic Arts' chief financial officer, on a conference call with analysts Thursday. "There are many short term uncertainties. There could easily be hardware delays."

    The controller that thought it was a hat: Did you know the Wii-mote controller for the Nintendo Wii started off as something you wore on your head? This and many other facts about the creation of the Wii are featured in this story from the Wall Street Journal. From the article: "The company has sponsored private Wii-playing parties in volunteers' living rooms. At a recent one in the Kansas City suburb of Tonganoxie, Kan., Karlye Weatherford stood and punched the air with her fists, clutching controllers that translated her hand and body movements to the screen. In front of about 50 friends and family members enjoying a catered barbeque lunch, the 29-year-old mother of three knocked out her husband's character after a series of blows. She says she rarely touches the family's Microsoft Xbox 360."

    Should "adver-blogs" reveal their company connections? The GameSetWatch website investigates the trend of videogame blog sites that seem to know a little too much inside information about a specific company. Are these sites semi-official company organs? And, if they are, should they have to be labeled as such?

    Tired of people complaining about your WoW habit? If so, you need to read this story from the Philadelphia Inquirer. Here's an excerpt: "Temple University psychology professor Donald A. Hantula said he believed the medium was not to blame for dysfunctional behavior by its users. 'I know people who spend 40 or 50 hours a week playing golf,' said Hantula, who is executive editor of the Journal of Social Psychology."

    Hikaru No Go, Vol. 4 -- The Ghost in the Net: Now that Hikaru is a full-fledged student at Haze Middle School, he's ready to join the Go Club and enter tournaments. Unfortunately, his team is one player short. Can he convince Yuki Mitani, a fellow classmate, to give up scamming players at the Go Salon and join the team? Aww, heck. Why not?


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    Wii Virtual Bummer?

    posted @ 11/01/2006 01:31:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    Thanks to one of our FRESHpeeps by the name of Ro, I got this link in my email box this morning and was slightly bummed.

    As you may know from many of my posts over the last month, I'm really looking forward to the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console. I really do miss my NES and SNES systems, as well as the old Sega Genesis. I used to play Altered Beast literally until my fingertips went numb... and don't even get me started on The Legend of Zelda or Shinobi [which by the way is why I am called NinJaSistah btw] So when I read the line up of VC titles, I was kinda bummed. I've created a table similar to the one posted in the link posted above but made it a bit easier to read. It's a long table, but you need to see it.
    NES
    JAPANUSA
    Ice HockeyIce Hockey
    Urban ChampionUrban Champion
    Legend of KageNot Getting It
    GradiusNot Getting It
    Go-moku NarabeNot Getting It
    SoccerSoccer
    Super Mario Bros.Not Getting It
    Legend of ZeldaLegend of Zelda
    Solomon's KeySolomon's Key
    TennisTennis
    Donkey KongDonkey Kong
    Donky Kong Jr.Donky Kong Jr.
    Ninja Jajamaru-kunNot Getting It
    PinballPinball
    BaseballBaseball
    Mario Bros.Mario Bros.
    Wario's WoodsNot Getting It
    XeviousNot Getting It
    SNES
    JAPANUSA
    F-ZeroF-Zero
    R-Type IIINot Getting It
    Super Castlevania IVNot Getting It
    Contra IIINot Getting It
    Sim CitySim City
    Street Fighter IINot Getting It
    Donkey Kong CountryNot Getting It
    Super Mario WorldNot Getting It
    Zelda: Link to the PastNot Getting It
    Fire Emblem: Monsho no NazoNot Getting It
    Super Mario PicrossNot Getting It
    N64
    JAPANUSA
    Super Mario 64Super Mario 64
    Sega Genesis
    JAPANUSA
    Ecco the DolphinEcco the Dolphin
    Gunstar HerosGunstar Heros
    Golden AxeGolden Axe
    ColumsColums
    Shadow DancerNot Getting It
    Altered BeastAltered Beast
    Space Harrier IISpace Harrier II
    Sonic the HedgehogSonic the Hedgehog
    Toejam and EarlToejam and Earl
    Puyo PuyoDr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
    RistarRistar
    Turbo Grafx 16
    JAPANUSA
    Bonk's AdventureBonk's Adventure
    NecromancerNot Getting It
    Super Star SoldierSuper Star Soldier
    New Adventrue IslandNot Getting It
    Dungeon ExplorerDungeon Explorer
    Battle Lode RunnerNot Getting It
    Victory RunVictory Run
    Bomberman '94Bomberman '93


    Gotta say, I hope this us just a launch list and not a "forever" type list. By that I mean that I hope that this is just a list of what will be available in each country on launch day, with eminent roll out of the missing titles to follow. Not ever getting Gradius, Super Mario Bros., or Super Mario World is just plain unacceptable in my book. Having Space Harrier II does help my soul, but I'm still bumming about this list.

    If anyone out there has the scoop, or can clarify this grey area up for us, I'd appreciate it. Otherwise this will be the first dark spot on my painting of a perfect gaming system roll out.

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    Daily News: WoW! I Lost 41 Pounds!

    posted @ 10/31/2006 12:31:00 AM by evermore
    In today's news:
    • Big WoW loser a big winner
    • Get the inside numbers on the PS3
    • Oops! Amazon did it again
    • Scientists blinded by games
    • Devlish, yet beatific


    Just like Jared and Subway: During the past three months, a blogger named Greg has been Warbiking to lose weight. Warbiking? That's playing World of Warcraft while pumping away on his stationary bicycle. How much weight did he lose? A whopping 41 pounds -- 15 percent of his body weight. He says, "Warbiking is the best of both worlds. I get to do 2-plus hours of cardio without being aware that I'm really doing it. And as I can only play Warcraft while doing cardio (that's a self imposed rule - no cardio, no Warcraft), it's self regulating -- no way am I going to play for 6 hours or something, my legs wouldn't do it."

    How many PS3 consoles will your local Wal-Mart get? Blogger dsthunder writes on digg.com: "simply print out the barcode and take it into your local walmart and ask an associate (in electronics) to scan it with the telzon, they can then tell you how many they will get, how many they have, and how many are in their warehouse."

    Amazon.com does an oopsie: Friday's short pre-order session on Amazon.com for the Nintendo Wii was just an accident. That's the word from Amazon.com, at least: "During system maintenance on the morning of Friday, October 27, the Nintendo Wii was briefly made available on our Web site for test purposes only and was not intended to be available for pre-order." The posting continues to say that Amazon.com will honor the pre-orders that were successful -- for only one unit per household. The posting adds: "Once we officially begin to take pre-orders, you can be assured that all customers who have signed up to receive e-mail confirmation of Wii's availability will be notified." I can guarantee you that NinJaSistah is not convinced.

    Scientists LOVE video games: "It's like hiring an individual tutor for every student. There's a big argument going on now about whether kids are being tested too much or too little. In a game, you're continuously being tested and you don't mind it." That's no fanboy talking -- it's Federation of American Scientists president Henry Kelly, whose organization is hot about using videogames to teach children. According to Newsweek, a report by the distinguished group calls for a new generation of educational games that are as immersive and graphics-intensive as megabudget titles like Madden NFL 07 and Battlefield 2142.

    This Ugly Yet Beautiful World, Vol. 3: Red Swarm: Takeru is your typical teenage average Joe -- until he meets Hikari, a beautiful girl who fell from the stars. Immediately Takeru's life turns upside down, as strange creatures and dark forces converge on the unlikely pair. But even while adversity brings them closer, Hikari's mysterious past threatens an even greater danger to Takeru and everything he's known. It's a cosmic love affair with Earth hanging in the balance. Dontcha just hate it when that happens.


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    Are These People Having Fun?

    posted @ 10/30/2006 03:05:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    From the bowels of moving hell, I take this break to ask a question...

    Are these people having fun?

    A lot of gaming news websites and blogs have been going ga-ga over the Wii experience videos that are popping up on the official Nintendo Wii website. And after watching the videos, I found myself asking the question, "Are these people having fun?" Obviously the answer is yes. Do you see how into that bowling game g-pa is over there? Dood, G-Pa's gonna spank your ASS in that game, and from launch day on will only be inviting you over to the house so he can tap dat ass! I digress.

    I only pose the question to you because I'm curious as to what you think about the Wii experience videos. Do you really thing the people testing out the games and controllers for the first time are really having fun? Do they look like they are acting? Now, compare those videos to the few video commercials and snippets that you have seen for the PS3. Do the PS3 video at any time convey to you the idea of fun? What about the overall feel, do the videos feel light, or charismatic? Have you seen any people in the videos actually use the system? And what about the XB360 videos. You find any fun ones going around?

    Just a question for ya to let pop around in your head. I'm curious as to your takes on the media being created and pushed around by the big three. What gets your attention and what doesn't?

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    Daily News: Circuit City Giving Away 10 Ultimate Game Packages

    posted @ 10/30/2006 12:25:00 AM by evermore
    In today's news:
    • Become the ultimate fanboy/girl
    • Here are 22 PS3 launch titles
    • Nintendo entering Russia
    • Anime Tour goes to Seattle, Vegas
    • New Guyver series hits stores


    10 winners will have it all! You can become the ultimate fanboy or fangirl by being one of 10 winners in Circuit City's Ultimate Gaming Giveaway. Winner will get a prize package that includes a 60GB PS3, Xbox 360 Pro, Nintendo Wii, a home theater setup, two Xbox games, two PS3 games and a Wii game and wireless controllers for all three consoles -- a package valued at $2299.88. You have only until Nov. 4 to enter and you can enter only once. Go to www.circuitcity.com and follow the prompts. Here are the official rules.

    PS3 to have 22 games at debut: The list of games available at the launch of the PS3 (according to NamHuy.org) will be: NBA 07, Resistance: Fall of Man, Genji: Days of the Blade, Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, Call of Duty 3, EA Sports Fight Night Round 3, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, F.E.A.R., Full Auto 2: Battlelines, Madden NFL 07, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire, NBA 2K7, Need For Speed Carbon, NHL 2K7, Ridge Racer 7, Sonic the Hedgehog, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, Tony Hawk's Project 8 and Untold Legends Dark Kingdom.

    Nintendo to compete in Russia: Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Nintendo's European unit has already appointed an agency to start selling its hardware and software in November, according to a story carried by Reuters.

    Anime Tour for the Cure announced: A nonprofit convention to help raise up to $250,000 for the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Anime Tour for the Cure has announced tour stops at Seattle, Wash., Jan. 6-7, and in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 13-14. For more information, go to animeff.com.

    Guyver, Vol. 1: Days of Future Past: The original Guyver is one of the first big anime series to become a hit in North America, and it helped create anime fandom as we know it today. Now we have a brand new Guyver with all the bells and whistles and mayhem that otaku have come to expect from an A-list title! Featuring electric action sequences, this timeless tale of a boy who discovers an otherworldly suit of armor and becomes caught in the crossfire of an interstellar war comes to life as you've never seen it before. Or maybe you have.


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    Rumble On Wii Warriors

    posted @ 10/29/2006 09:11:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    NinJaSistah in the spot to be on a fine, fine, football afternoon to share with you some news about the Wii. [Don't get all in a tizzy, I wrote this originally at 2 in the afternoon... Blogger was havin' issues again so just be glad I finally got this thing posted.]

    Moving on.

    In between beers [Guinness if you're curious] and football games [can't BELIEVE New Orleans lost to Baltimore, dammit Reggie, you're a receiver, not a QB!] I've spared a few moments to share with you some wonderful news I've heard about the Wii. Well, more directly, the Wii Nunchaku remote.

    There seems to be a debate about the Wii Nunchaku [the little analog stick dongle for the Wiimote] having a rumble feature. There was a post on the Gaming Tengoku blog that linked to a quote from the NeoGAF forum about a quote from the British magazine EDGE. The forum post didn't link directly to the EDGE article, but I'll help them confront all the naysayers out there. Nintendo's own website SAYS the Wiimote has a rumble feature. This should not be any big news. It's good to know, since SIXAXIS won't have the feature, and makes me curious if the lack of force feedback will be a big noticable difference or not. Now, from the looks of all the attention that this got on Digg with people calling this wrong, inaccurate, and a rumor, I thought I would run with my very own flaming rumors and unconfirmed speculative thoughts through untraceable links and pure flights of fancy, in order to show people what actual bullshit looks like. Maybe that way, when the real info hits, it won't be mistaken for bullshit. Let's test it.

    What is to follow is totally unconfirmed, in all liklyhood never going to happen and as such, should be regarded as incorrect, impossible, or as blatant lies for the sake of entertainment only.

    Not to be outdone by Nintendo, Sony has decided to add in the ability for your PSP to operate your PS3 wirelessly, anywhere. Got to pee? No need to stop the gaming fun, bring your PSP along and you can continue playing your game as you "drop the kids off at the pool." Gotta go to work? Again, not an issue as Sony has you covered with their new PLAYONOYALP system, you can continue to play your PS3 games from your cubical computer, LP2 printer, or fax machine! Sony really means it when they say "Play B3yond!" I heard this over at the forums on the d00dI'mJokin.net website

    Not to be left behind in the race for next-gen game console dominance, Microsoft and Take 2 Interactive in a joint partnership with Dairy Queen are going to create a new XBlive experience for the Gold level members. The new "Just Dip It!" program, not to be confused with Nike's "Just Do It" campaign, will reward XBLive Gold members that (1) pre-pay for 4 years of the XBLive service and (2) can teabag Jack Thompson in public with free small Blizzards, Single-Dipped cones, or Sundays each Friday during their tenure as an XBLive Gold member. Dive right in to the fun with XB360, Take2 Games, and Dairy Queen, and "Just Dip It!"

    You see my friends, THAT is what you can list as being "inaccurate" or "unreliable." Something that is listed on a manufacturers website that you can find by Googling the words "wii controller+rumble" and get in the FIRST FREAKIN RESULT... not bullshit.

    You all my now return to your previous gaming playing, anime watchin', and general geekin' out.

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    Daily News: The Polls are Open

    posted @ 10/18/2006 11:18:00 PM by evermore
    In today's news:
    • One election the fanboys won't want to miss
    • Sony's battery problems hit home
    • Wii remote programming made easier
    • Anime Network expands to more cable systems
    • Here a Trekkie Otaku wet dream

    Vote early, vote often: November's issue of Playboy magazine features the winners of the 2006 Women of Video Games contest, so it's too late to vote. But you can still catch a glimpse of the contestants here. There's also a link to the Amp'd Mobile sweepstakes to win the ability to play video games in the Playboy mansion's game room with two Playmates.

    Vaio Con Dios: Sony laptop owners became the latest victims of the Sony computer battery scandal as the company recalled 90,000 batteries from Vaio laptops sold in Japan and Korea, with news about the recall of U.S. batteries still to be announced. Here's the latest tally, as of Oct. 17:
    Dell...........4,200,000
    Apple..........1,800,000
    Toshiba..........830,000
    Lenovo...........526,000
    Fujitsu..........338,000
    Sony..............90,000
    Sharp.............28,000
    Hitachi...........16,000
    TOTAL..........7,828,000


    Nintendo making life easier for programmers: If the early users are right, the Nintendo Wii Remote is a hit. And now Nintendo and AiLive are making it easier for programmers to incorporate the remote in their games. Using a new artificial intelligence product called LiveMove, developers no longer have to hand-code remote movements into their games. Instead, the developers can directly train the remote by example. "LiveMove will allow the game industry to move away from indirect digital control to more natural analog control for the first time," said Dr. Wei Yen, chairman of AiLive.

    Anime Network reach grows: If you get your cable TV from RCN, Insight or Cogeco Cable, you're could start getting Anime Network. The company announced the new carriage deals Monday for its popular subscription-based video-on-demand service. "Anime has a very passionate following and is exactly the kind of on demand content we believe will be successful and will attract new viewers," said Melani Griffith, vice president of programming at Insight.

    New Manga creates Trekkie Otaku wet dream: It's the Starship Enterprise against Gundam-style mobile suits in "Star Trek: Shinsei Shinsei," the first Manga version of Star Trek officially sanctioned by Paramount. No need to know more about it. Here's how to get it.


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    DS As Wii Controller

    posted @ 10/18/2006 10:55:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    It's twoo, it's twoo, er true I mean.

    According to SiliconEra the upcoming Pokemon Battle Revolution game will be the first Wii game to allow the DS to be used as a controller for the game instead of the Wiimote.

    This Poke-game that they speak of is supposedly the first Wii game with online play and is slated to come out around the Japanese Wii launch date in 07. In the article they state that you will select the attack you want your Pokeslave, er, Pokemon to use, and then watch it carry out your orders on your TV. I'm not sure if that's fun or not as the mechanics sound a lot like that NFL Head Coach game that came out this year that NO ONE liked. Maybe it would sound like fun if I liked Poke-games even the least little bit, but I don't. You can sue me if you want, but I just don't find the Poke-games, or Poke-movies the least little bit interesting.

    Still, you will be able to use your DS as a controller for the Wii, so maybe we will see some cool implementations by game developers. I think any game where your character gets update or maps via a PDA type device would be best served by allowing your DS to be your PDA where you could make item selections or check messages using the touch screen. That way you would get the sense of being immersed in the game.

    Just a thought

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    Daily News: How to Win Friends and Influence Microsoft

    posted @ 10/08/2006 02:15:00 PM by evermore
    In today's issue, influence Microsoft with your smooth prose, discover the similarity between Sony's PS3 wireless controller and Nazi Germany, revisit the Old School and try to decide why today's stuff just isn't as fun as it used to be.

    Want to Affect What Happens At Microsoft? Blog About It: Former Microsoft employee Robert Scoble told CIO Insight of the company's unscientific approach to feeling out its customers: "We used blog-search engines to find anyone who wrote the word 'Microsoft' on their blog. Even if they had no readers and were just ranting, 'I hate Microsoft,' I could see that and link to it, or I could participate in their comments, or send them an e-mail saying, 'What's going on?' And that told those people that someone was listening to their rants, that this is a different world than the one in which no one listens. It was an invaluable focus group that Microsoft didn't have to pay for."

    The Sixaxis of Evil: During World War II, the troika of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan was called the "Axis Powers." In his 2002 State of the Union address, President G.W. Bush said North Korea, Iran and Iraq "constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world." So it's no wonder that Sony, with all its ultra-intelligent decisions thus far this year, would finally give a name to its new wireless controller for the PlayStation 3: The Sixaxis. The folks at Sony must be hoping it will take over the world.

    Old School Will Be Represented Well on the Wii: Several games defunct gamemaker Epyx made for the Commodore 64 will be emulated on the Nintendo Wii, according to Nintendo Power magazine. Initial titles include Impossible Mission, California Games, The Last Ninja, Gottlieb Pinball Classics, Super Fruit Fall, Puzzle Ball, Leaderboard and Tennis Masters.

    Star Fox Command Comes to the Nintendo DS: Originally released as an SNES title in 1993, the Star Fox series has gone through several iterations. In a review of the newest version, Slashdot reviewer Zonk says, "[Star Fox] Command offers some simple strategy elements, an innovative control scheme, and the tried and true dogfighting gameplay the series is known for. It also dwells on one of the series' weaknesses, plot, to the detriment of the game."


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    It's Gonna Be Ugly!

    posted @ 10/05/2006 04:00:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    That's what a Gamestop manager revealed to Ben Kuchera over at Opposable Thumbs there at the arstechnica website. And by the way, "Opposable Thumbs" is an awesomely clever name for a blog... wish I had come up with that one. But I digress...

    Again, having some time to bop around ye olde interweb to catch up on all the news that's out there in between working for the day job, and I came across this article on the arstechnica website. The people that Kuchera talked with paint a very bleak PS3 roll out next month that's for sure. I know it seems like I'm picking on Sony yet again, but I swear I'm not. It's just every time I hit up my regular game sites for news, most of the Sony stuff gives me pause. I don't have to make Sony out to be a bad guy or create a scenario to make them seem like they are out of step with the rest of the next-gen console makers, they do that all on their own on what seems like a daily basis.

    From the arstechnica article what sticks out to me at least is this continuing theme of Sony seeming to be less prepared for what is coming than it's competitors. While Nintendo comes across as having a well defined ramp up to roll out and subsequent roll out plan for the Nintendo Wii. Even though at this point I think the code name of "Revolution" will prove to have been a better choice if the system can reach it's potential. Same with the XB360. I make no bones about the complaints I have with the XB360 system [from the pay for tier of the XBLive system, or the freezing issues] but game development is picking up on the platform, and they have adapted to new technologies to try and be even a tiny bit cutting edge. And while I think Sony is well meaning, I can't escape this horrible feeling. To use a sport analogy [because I didn't get to watch any boxing this past weekend] lets say that the next-gen console war that's about to start is a heavyweight boxing match. Well, instead of taking their opponent seriously the "undisputed champ" Sony has come into the ring without going through training camp and having a wild orgy the night before the fight with 4 hookers and some dude that was down at the bus depot: ill-equipped and unprepared.

    But hey, it's just my opinion.

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    Daily News: TotemBall Goes Live Today

    posted @ 10/04/2006 12:14:00 AM by evermore
    In today's issue of our daily news report, play a little TotemBall, beat Cartman at a game of WoW, get put on the disabled list by the newest gaming sensation, try to sit through just one more Pokemon movie and buy the second volume of Basilisk.

    TotemBall Available Today on Xbox Live: Playing with your Xbox Live Vision camera just got a little physical now that TotemBall is available on Xbox Live Arcade. The gesture-based game uses Xbox Live Vision to control the characters in the game. Help Pterry the Pturtel uncover all the musical totems while grooving to your own totem beat. The game is offered for FREE on Xbox Live Arcade, starting today at 4 a.m. Eastern time, 1 a.m. Pacific time.

    South Park Kids Make Love, Not Warcraft: As Douceswild reminded us in yesterday's news, tonight's first episode of the tenth season of South Park will feature the kids playing World of Warcraft. Here's a sneak peek.

    Nasty Injur-Wii: Microsoft's U.S. Xbox 360 chief Peter Moore loves the Nintendo Wii and believes dual platform ownership of the two systems could reach 40 percent. However, in a story on the Next Generation website, he warns about the Wii, "The controller is innovative but it remains to be seen how innovative your shoulder will feel after an hour's play." Could the Wii result in rotator cuff injuries, as suffered by major league pitchers? Below is an example of the damage that could be suffered internally by a voracious Wii player:



    Seems Like 88: Continuing the long-running series, Pokemon Movie 8: Lucario and The Mystery of Mew has just been released. The DVD package also contains "making-of" footage, an hour-long TV special and a mini-comic book. Buy it here, if you dare.

    Available Starting Today: "The passions of the past quickly reignite as one scroll seeks to undo two powerful tribes. Death is on the wind, and the storm continues unabated." That's the description of Basilisk, Vol. 2, The Spoils of War, which just became available in the U.S. today. This limited edition includes an exclusive Japanese insert, collectible cards and original Japanese features.


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    Wiiople Preview

    posted @ 10/03/2006 10:58:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Yeah, I'm a day behind in the news... so sue me.

    Unfortunately I'm not making any money yet doing this awesome ESH stuff so I still have to go to the day job and they worked my ass off yesterday... which is killing me because I missed out on the interim Wiiople maker that someone made and premiered over there at Joystiq. The only thing that is missing is the ability to change the skin tone of your Wiiople because as we know, not all Wiiople, er people, are of the caucasian persuasion... ya know? ;)

    Click the link and try it out.


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    Sony Does Something Right, Again

    posted @ 9/27/2006 09:02:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    It's official, Sony is not completely up their own ass.

    Looks like new games for the PS3 are going to come out at the $59.99 price point here in the US. [Guess this means EA was right as well, who knew?] Yes, that's a mere $60 bucks for new titles for your shiny black box o' joy people. Everybody say "YAY! It's not $75!"

    [This is the part of the post where the Sony fanboys start patting each other on the back]

    Just consider this, if Madden 07 costs $59.99 to play on a $299 or $399 XB360, $49.99 to play on the $249 Nintendo Wii, will the better graphics of the $59.99 version of the game on a $599 PS3 be the predominant purchasing choice of the consumer given the economy's present state?

    Just a question.

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    Do the Math: Will Sony Go Broke?

    posted @ 9/25/2006 03:16:00 AM by evermore
    For video game players, the competition among the three game console manufacturers must seem like a Dead or Alive tournament. There's always a winner and a loser, but someone else is always lined up for another bout with the winner.

    Few tears were spilled when the No. 4 console maker, Sega, dropped out of the market a few years ago. But can you imagine if, in a year from now, there were only TWO console game makers?

    Not only COULD it happen, but we're going to tell you why it WILL happen.

    Can Video Games Bring Down a Multinational Corporation?

    Sony has a book value of $27 billion. It has nearly $9 billion in cash. Sony's not going anywhere. Or is it?

    Sony is looking at a potential for demise it has never faced before. With the failure of its TV and music electronics businesses and its up-and-down movie business, it has relied more and more on the video game business to keep profits up.

    But now even its video game business can't save the company. In fact, it's the video game business that could put the whole company right down the toilet.

    Here's a story of a company in trouble. Sure, you think you could help it by buying a new PS3 at the end of the year. But purchasing a PS3 this year could be the very thing that pushes Sony over the edge.

    The Seeds Are Sown

    Sony's troubles didn't just begin this year, but we all started to realize the wheels were falling off the train when Sony started delaying the release of the new PlayStation 3. The first excuse Sony made was that licensing issues were causing the delay from Spring 2006 to November 2006.

    Around the same time Sony was putting off the release, analysts released a disturbing story about the disparity in the cost of raw materials for the PS3, compared with the estimated purchase price.

    Analysts had predicted the PS3 cost would be in line with the cost of the Microsoft XBox 360 consoles.

    In a February story for CNet, it was estimated that the total cost of components for the PS3 would be in the neighborhood of $725 to $905 -- and that was before it was rumored that Sony would have to put PS2 components in the box because the new chip lacked the ability to emulate the earlier PSOne and PS2 games.

    The CNet story said, "The materials price estimates do not include marketing, software development, advertising or other costs, which will push Sony's total cost per console even higher."

    That there is such a disparity between the price of materials and the suggested retail price for a new console is not unusual because most new consoles are sold as loss-leaders, with the game maker making up the difference with the high margin of profit they get by selling games for the console.

    In contrast, the materials cost for the XBox 360 is estimated at only $501, and should continue to drop as the console ages. While Sony pays $200 to $300 for each raw Blu-ray drive, Microsoft pays only $20 for the simpler DVD drives.

    The Truth Hits Home

    With such estimates for raw materials, video game fans should have known that the new machine would need to cost a lot more. But a huge audience that was prepared to cheer the announced price of the PS3 instead sat in stunned silence when the suggested retail price was announced at the E3 conference: $499 for the basic system and $599 for the premium one.

    Of course, the single most costly item in the PS3 is the Blu-ray drive. Analysts originally figured Blu-ray would add at least another $200 or so to the price of the machine, but that figure has gone way up.

    First, there's more than just the mechanical equipment to figure in. Sony must also pay for all the codecs that must be licensed.

    Second, the slow adoption of high density DVD technology will keep prices high for years.

    Finally, all manufacturers of the blue lasers that are required for high density DVDs are having problems getting up to speed in creating the machines. This will result in low yields, further driving up the price of the drives.

    Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi was not ambivalent about the pricing of the console -- he kept saying it was a premium machine, sold at a premium price. Want a PS3? Work a little harder!

    "Our ideal," Kutaragi said, "is for consumers to think to themselves, 'OK, I'll work more hours and buy it.' We want people to feel that they want it, no matter what."

    But the consumer reaction was swift -- and harsh. Even the Official Playstation Magazine had a bold cover headline that asked, "Is It Worth $600?"

    In June, a month after Sony announced its price points for the PS3, analysts at Merrill Lynch estimated Sony would lose more than $1 billion in the console's first year of existence. By comparison, Sony lost only $458 million during the first year the PS2 was available. The company followed that with two strong years of profit -- $759 million in Year 2 and $1.3 billion in Year 3.

    But Merrill Lynch warned that this generation of consoles was not like the last. Microsoft beat Sony for the next generation consoles by a year and a price reduction for the XBox could result in additional losses for Sony -- $730 million in Year 2 and $457 million in Year 3. That's nearly $2 billion in losses over three years.

    The Cost of Doing Business

    Of course, analysts questioning Sony's moves is nothing new. More than 10 years ago, just six weeks before Sony introduced the original PlayStation, the head of the project team quit amid rumors of difficulties in getting the console out on time.

    Analysts at the time believed Sony could lose as much as $200 million on the project in the first year.

    Sony's answer at the time was to require retailers to bundle the packages with one or two games, which still left Sony underwater, but not as much as it would have been.

    This, of course, begs the question, "Will Sony pull the same thing this year?" It makes sense, especially considering that Sony will be charging a premium price for its games (above $59 and below $99, according to most sources).

    The bad news for Sony this year isn't restricted to video game competition. The company is also liable for a large share in the laptop battery recalls being conducted by Dell and Apple. Nearly 6 million batteries have been recalled in the past two months -- all of them manufactured by Sony.

    The battery fiasco alone could cost Sony as much as $500 million.

    "The most important thing for Sony is maintaining the No. 1 quality, whatever the category or area," Sony Marketing (Japan) Inc. Senior Vice President Kiyoshi Shikano told MarketWatch this month. "So in that sense, unfortunately, the recent happenings have caused some small damage for the business."

    In addition, Sony is far behind its competitors in the fast growing LCD flat-screen TV market and has lost its decades-long edge in portable music devices to Apple Computer's iPod players.

    Sony is also likely to face a fight in Europe over its partnership with Betlesmann AG. A European court ruled in July that the European Commission was wrong to approve the venture. The court decision means Sony and Bertelsmann will have to re-apply to win European Commission approval for their venture.

    At the movie box office, Sony has had great success with its Spiderman franchise, but must wait until May 2007 for the next installment to arrive. The company's biggest film this year has been Will Farrell's Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, which has made $145 million thus far, but lags far behind Disney's hit sequel for Pirates of the Caribbean, which has already made more than $1 billion worldwide this summer.

    The Market Leader Goes Into the Cellar

    Although the PS2 captured more than a 70 percent share of the previous generation of console sales, it is entering the next generation at a distant third, with Microsoft predicted to sell 10 million XBox 360 consoles and Nintendo selling 4 million of its new Wii consoles, while Sony will be able to push out only 2 million consoles to consumers by the end of this year.

    That fact alone has analysts betting that Sony will introduce price cuts quickly. But price cuts, in combination with the losses Sony takes on each machine it sells, are a double-edged sword.

    "By reducing the price, it appears that Sony may have prolonged its recouping period of initial investments on the PS3 by a few years," John Yang, a Tokyo-based analyst with Standard & Poor's, told the Wall Street Journal today. According to the Wall Street Journal article, Yang estimates the PlayStation 3 will be unprofitable for at least three years.

    The Journal story brings up another point that may draw the most fear in the ranks of Sony -- the PlayStation will no longer dominate game developers. When the original PlayStation and PS2 were introduced, Sony had an impressive lineup of developers who made games exclusively for its consoles. That won't be the case with the PS3.

    "We don't want the PlayStation 3 to be the overwhelming loser, so we want to support them," Michihiro Sasaki, senior vice president of Square Enix, told the Wall Street Journal. "But we don't want them to be the overwhelming winner either, so we can't support them too much."

    So the price cuts have already begun. On Friday Sony announced a price cut for Japanese buyers (about $410 in U.S. dollars for the low-end version), there was no indication that such a price cut would be given to American customers.

    In addition to lowering the price of the low-end model, Sony added an HDMI port to the machine, which further increases the price of raw materials. Sony will undoubtedly be losing even more money than ever before.

    Do the Math

    As a result, Sony is forecasting an $862 million operating loss for the current fiscal year. But that's going to seem like chicken feed, compared to the loss it's liable to see in 2007.

    How much will Sony lose in the next 12 months? Let's count it up.

    Sony plans on making 6 million PS3 units before April. Let's say that they sell every one of them at full retail price. With what we know about the materials price -- particularly the price of Blu-Ray players -- let's say that they will lose only $300 for every PS3 they sell.

         6,000,000 x
    $300
    = $1.8 billion


    That's the same amount that analysts figure the PS3 will cost the company over the first three years. Why the disparity?

    The analysts are counting on Sony making up the sales of machines with the sales of video games. But it's not going to be as easy for Sony this time. Few game developers are making games exclusively for the PS3.

    Also, Sony has already said that games would be at least $10 more than the games for the XBox 360 and at least $20 more than the games for the Nintendo Wii. With everything being the same, would you pay $10 or $20 more for the same game that you could play on your XBox 360 or Wii?

    In addition, Sony will be nickle-and-diming you at every opportunity -- particularly with the HDMI cable, which will likely cost between $99 and $129. (That's surely why they added an HDMI port for the low-end PS3. They'll make their money back on the cable for it.)

    Surely the discounts will come quickly, but they'll all be a drag on Sony's bottom line. Let's say Sony loses $400 on every box they sell. Here are the numbers:

         6,000,000 x
    $400
    = $2.4 billion


    That really starts taking a mammoth chunk out of Sony's cash. Add to that the half-billion dollars of free laptop batteries they've got to give out and the losses start approaching $3 billion.

    But a company like Sony can afford to lose $4 billion, can't it? Once upon a time, that might have been true, but Sony is a much different company today than it was just a few years ago.

    The Japanese people who owned shares in Sony could see the value in building for the future. But, with its purchase of Columbia Studios and Columbia Records, Sony has become much more of a multinational company. Today, for the first time in its history, less than half of the company is owned by Japanese investors. Investors in the West demand more short-term benefits.

    Devoting nearly half of its cash reserves to losses in the video game and computing sectors, with no guarantee of future profits for another two years, could send the company's stock into a tailspin, once its investors realize the full measure of the grave situation for the company.

    In such a situation, Sony could start selling off large chunks of the company. But even that would come at a large cost. For example, selling off the movie division would result in the loss of the Spiderman franchise for the PlayStation. Without an exclusive there, Microsoft and Nintendo would gain the edge in game sales, since their games cost less than Sony's.

    Sony has become a minor player in the music player and TV industries, so they wouldn't be able to make much money off selling their stake in the aging Walkman and Trinitron franchises.

    When things are all said and done, the most valuable piece of the pie at Sony is its video game division. They could very well put it up for sale. And who could be the potential buyer?

    Microsoft.

    That's right. I said it. Just think about it.

    Who could benefit the most by purchasing Sony's video game division?

    Microsoft.

    You might say there's no way the U.S. government would allow such a thing. Anti-trust, you say.

    Just remember who's running the government. A Microsoft takeover would be treated with the same kid gloves that created DaimlerChrysler.

    Who knows? This time next year you could be playing games on a PlayStation 360.

    Want a PS3? Work a Little Harder!

    So you want to save Sony. What can you do?

    Well, as Sony's Kutaragi says, you need to work a little harder and make a little more money.

    Stop complaining that the PS3 costs $600. It doesn't. In order to cut down on its losses, Sony is liable to do the same thing to consumers that it did 11 years ago at the original Playstation launch -- it'll require that you buy two games in order to get a machine. That'll boost the price for you to around $725 or so.

    But there's more! Want an HDMI cable? That'll be another $100 to $125. Now we're at $850 or so. You've got a Blu-ray player, so you'll want a few Blu-ray movies -- Sony titles only, of course. Buy six of them while you're at it! At an average list price of $25 each, we're talking another $150. That pushes our total price to an even $1,000.

    That'll go a long way to saving Sony.

    Now who's going to save you?


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    All Good Things

    posted @ 9/21/2006 09:13:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    *note: if you get the title reference give yourself a pat on the back...you are a kindred spirit.

    Amazon.com has put a halt on taking Wii pre-orders...all long before they could send out their "we are now taking pre-orders for the Wii" email. Yeah, I signed up for that email and didn't get messaged...I'm STILL pretty pissed about missing out on getting my pre-order in, but what can you do? They said they were sorry.

    Still doesn't get me a Wii on launch day now does it?

    Anywho, I know you've been patient, and I applaud you...you made it this far without complaining. Hurray for you! Wthout further adieu, I bring you my top three reasons to buy a Nintendo Wii!

    Reason No.3: Virtual Console
    You want to play Streets of Rage or Mike Tyson Boxing? Well, using the Wii Virtual Console now [well pretty soon] you can! NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, even Turbo Graffix 16 games will be on deck for your game-time enjoyment. Why is this a big deal? Well the NES games will be $5 bucks a piece, SNES games will be $8 a piece, and N64 games should run you about $10 a piece...all to be downloaded to your Wii...at which point you will own them for as long as you like. Altered Beast, Castlevania, Shinobi, Double Dragon, and the original Zelda game all available on the same console as Super Mario Galaxy and Spore. Dig it!

    Reason No.2: Red Steel - The Game That Sold Me on the Console
    During E3 I had my doubts about the Wii like most gamers that is, or was, until I saw the demo for the game Red Steel. As I watched the player title the Wiimote and the player characters hand mimicking the same movement [which resulted in the player character tilting their hand holding a gun to the side a la gang-banger] and I was sold. This implementation of motion sensor will allow me to be more accurate in first person shooter games and actually make them fun for me to play. I could go on and on about how good the game looks, or talk about how the swordplay works with the Wiimote and why that alone should make you want to play this game, but I won't. Go to the GameTrailers Red Steel and watch the videos yourself. Ubi Soft...you rock!

    - and finally, to complete my Wii-Fangurl-dom -

    Reason No.1: Dude, it's Only $250!
    Seriously, that's cheap! I won't have to donate plasma, or my precious eggs for other people to make babies with in order to buy it like I probably will for the PS3. [Ok, I'm not going to donate eggs to get money together for the PS3, but I have thought about the plasma donation.] I've seen people talk about how "affordable" the PS3 is and it's just not the case. Their argument is if you make more than 500 bucks a week you should have it made, and this might be the case if you still lived at home with your parents, didn't pay room and board, didn't pay for insurance, and never went out to eat, on dates, or had a car. Sure, if you meet those criteria you have no excuse to not buy a PS3. I live in Virginia. I pay monthly rent on an apartment, I buy food to cook [mostly organic, which ain't cheap], pay for cable and high speed internet, insurance, cell phones, transportation, and actually do go out to do "date like" activities. Scrounging together $250 is a lot easier than $600...which won't even get me a game, or the proper high definition cables to connect my pricey lil PS3 buddy to my TV. While I'm sure the PS3 will be a great little console, it will probably be a bit before I can get my dollahs together to buy one, the right cables, and a game.

    Until then, I'll be making Wiiople on my Wii.

    Thus ends my Wiijoicing. Catch the repost tomorrow with all 10 reasons listed together. Can't wait that long? Well then, read reasons 10 thru 8 here and reasons 7 thru 4 here.

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    Wii-Joicing Part Deux: Return of The Emerging FanGurl

    posted @ 9/20/2006 03:17:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    With no further [than necessary] delay, here are reasons 7 through 4. Enjoy!

    Reason No. 7: Zelda Dammit!
    Haters can go on and hate on me, but Zelda by itself is a good enough reason to pony up $250 bucks. And I'm not just talking that fancy schmancy new Zelda game...[with the Virtual Console] I'm talking about being able to play every Zelda game that dared ever play that oh so familiar tune on one box. Try doing that with the DOA series.

    Reason No. 6: It's All About Mii!
    WIIIIIIOPLE....MOUNT UP! Yeah you heard me, I said make your Wiiople army and plop em on your Wiimote. I don't know how they interact or react yet, but I can't wait to find out. But if you are a naysayer and need some convincing...watch this video Blow a whistle and your army of Wiiople close ranks as you command. Customize, organize, deploy, command, conquer...what more could you want. AND, Wiiople are portable. They travel with you in your Wiimote. [The only wiisponsable place for Wiiople to live]

    Reason No. 5: It comes WITH a Game
    Yeah, in case you didn't get me the first go around, the console ships with Wii Sports. You remember that nifty little demo from E3 with Iwata-San playing tennis with the folks on the stage right? You know, the one where they demoed the backhand swing recognition? Yeah, that one COMES with the system. So you can get your Wiimote swinging around from day one...well, once you get your system that is. [Angrilly waives fist at Amazon yet again.]

    Reason No. 4: Component Out!
    Ok, for most people this would be a negative thing but frankly between the XB360 and PS3 I'm all out of HDMI ports...or at least I will be. The XB360 HD DVD drive uses HDMI and the only PS3 worth buying requires an HDMI cable and port on your TV as well. As wonderful as my TV is it only has two HDMI ports, so the Wii not requiring an HDMI port keeps me from having to switch cable connections on the fly until HDMI bridges become available. Seeing as how the "cheapie off brand" HDMI cables start around $80, I don't want to even start thinking about what a four or five port HDMI system selector will put me back.

    Only 3 more to go! Catch reasons 3 through 1 tomorrow with a recap of 10 through 1 to follow a couple of hours later. I'm lazy, so sue me.

    Catch reasons 10 through 8 here

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    Stuck In Detroit

    posted @ 9/19/2006 09:05:00 PM by Ninjasistah
    What's a gal to do? I was flying back to VA from a family funeral today and got stuck in Detroit, Michigan with little other than my laptop, free toothbrush, and a five dolla voucher for breakfast in the morning. =/

    So I started on a top ten list while sitting at the airport waiting for the hotel shuttle to pick me up. I'm not going to give you the whole top ten, just the first few...to wet your appetite. [That and I haven't finished writing the rest of it either.]

    First order of business? We need to discuss why you all should be lining up at your local Best Buys or at least making friends with the stock boys over there quickly. Amazon.com has sold out their first batch of pre-orders on the Nintendo Wii...long before they could send out their "we are now taking pre-orders for them" email. [Which I was on and am STILL pissed that I missed out on getting my pre-order in...but what ca you do.] In the mean time, I thought I would share with you my top 10 reasons that you should be getting up off your ass right now and getting excited about system launch on the horizon.

    With no further [than necessary at any rate] delay, here are reasons 10 through 8. Enjoy !

    Reason No. 10: Group play people!
    The Nintendo Wii allows for 4 players using the new Wii-mote to play games from day one. No multitap adapter needed here. Get your girls, tell them to bring their boys, and Wii can make some noise. Seriously. I need more people to play against, and I have a huge TV to play em on.

    Reason No. 09: It is Backwards Compatible.
    Now, not a lot of people were GameCube fans, but they should have been. There were a lot of fun games to play or grab your attention for short gaming time periods on the console. [I have always personally felt that the system got a bum wrap as being a system or THE system for kids.] You gots yer ports for your old memory cards [no need to buy transferring software and hardware like some other systems we know] and ports on the back for your old controllers. What more do you need? Oh yeah, you can just put your old lil 8cm disc in the system and run them...no external "special drive" needed to get them up and running. So even if for some un-freaking-forseeable reason you don't like the game that comes bundled with the system [or any of the 30 virtual console games available at launch, or the 20 or so Wii games ready at launch you picky bastid you] you can hearken back to your good old WindWaker days and get busy with it.

    Reason No. 8: Dude, it's FREAKIN TINY!
    Have you seen the size and the WEIGHT of the XB360 or the new PS3? Have you been working out? Cuz you are going to need to get your chunky butt to the gym to be hauling these things around, where the Wii is about the size of 3 DVD cases laying on top of each other on their sides. And it's a fraction of the weight, so all the chubbly wooblies out there will be able to lug it around from place to place without breaking a sweat. Rock on!

    More reasons to follow...represent bitches!

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    A Shopping Wii Will Go

    posted @ 9/14/2006 09:35:00 AM by Ninjasistah
    Well, it's official: November 19th is "Give us, us Wii" day!

    According to the Destructoid website [whom I trust because they are teh b0mb] the Wii drops November 19th for $250. [Well $249, but you know the deal] and will include a Wiimote, nunchaku, batteries, console, and a copy of Wii Sports. Holy crap dood, they are shipping the system with a game...like consoles should be sold. It's funtime playtime right out of the box. Nintendo wanted to make one thing clear with today's announcement: Keep It Simple Stupid.

    That doesn't mean that Nintendo is stupid, [they are quite brilliant actually] it just means the realize that keeping things simple often yields better results. Offering One system configuration means no buying confusion on launch day. No one will be standing in front of a sales person asking what the difference is between the core system and the premium one, or how those differences translate for them. Nope, on launch day you just, and knowing now that new first party games are going to be $50 [no more than new GameCube titles today and $10 less than current XB360 titles] If you think about it, that puts the price of the Wii console [by itself] at the predicted sub $200 value.

    If you want more details about the customizable avatar stuff, Wii channels, and all that jazz, check out the Destructoid article...just keep a few things in mind while you are doing that:
    1. Nintendo says they will ship 4 million units between launch day and Dec. 31st
    2. the US is getting the bulk of those units
    3. The Wii won't make it's Japanese debut until December, so the bulk of those 4 million units will be directed toward North America


    Thumbs up to Nintendo for getting this launch thing right on the first try.

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