Who knew it
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Chewbacca is left handed. I bet he throws a mean curve ball.
Link updated. Sorry about that, Bobster 
Congrats to 4 Color Rebellion…
… on showing up as a Yahoo! Daily Pick. (screen shot from My Yahoo!. No, really, it’s my Yahoo! page. It’s mine, all mine!)
4 Color Rebellion is a great site for all things Nintendo. Their DS coverage is the best and I check them out all the time.
My DS and Me
It’s been over two weeks since I picked up my DS so I figured I’d post my experience so far with this Nintendo wonder.
I’m not really sure why I took so long to take the plunge into the world of Dual Screens. At first I thought it looked too big. That definitely isn’t the case. It isn’t small but it’s not as unwiedly as I thought it would be. The screens are fabulous and the touch screen is quite responsive. The buttons are a little too small for my fat fingers and the shoulder buttons aren’t perfect but overall playing feels great.
So what am I playing? The funny thing is, even though I already own two DS games, I’ve been engrossed in Metroid Fusion and that’s all I’ve ben playing. I kept my GBA SP so I could play my old Game Boy and Game Boy Color games but I can see myself playing most of my GBA games on my DS. It looks perfect and controls great.
So GBA games look great. What about actual DS games? I’ve been playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour and Advance Wars DS. Advance Wars makes a perfect transition to the touch screen. I love Advance Wars I/II but I was never in love with navigating with the D-pad. The touch screen is great and really takes AW to the next level. Tiger Woods, on the other hand, doesn’t make as good of a transition. The touch screen could be a good substitute for the golf swing but I just don’t love it. The game itself isn’t so bad but the use of the touch screen isn’t my favorite.
Other ruminations: You can definitely tell the sound (and speakers) are better for the DS. The music and sounds for Advance Wars DS sound much better than the GBA counterparts. Another thing is the stylus. The one that comes with the DS is too small. I would like a bigger stylus.
And games? I blogged way back in February linking to a movie for Another Code (now called Trace Memory). This was what first piqued my interest in the DS and the first game I’m really, truly looking forward to. It hasn’t received a lot of acclaim but I will still give it a try. Of course I’m also looking forward to the online DS games, especially Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing. I am definitely looking forward to online gaming with the DS.
I also want some sweet DS accessories. I would love one of these (from Video Game Media Watch) and I’d love one of these. I thought about getting a touch screen cover. Does anyone use these?
I’m no trend setter, but since I’ve purchased my DS I’ve noticed that two bloggers I read regularly have also purchased a DS. Jason at loonyblog and Bill Harris at Dubious Quality. (Notice the firs lines) Okay, maybe I am a trendsetter.
Let the cards fall
I said after OSU’s loss to Texas that the Buckeyes aren’t completely out of the National Championship hunt but the road is tough. Not only do they have to run the table in the Big Ten but other cards have to fall into place, namely we need other teams to lose.
As I write this, Tennessee is in a position to make that first card fall. As much as my brain hurts to say this, here it is: “Go Vols!”
Update: Gerald Riggs Jr. just scored the winning TD in overtime, the Volunteers beat LSU. The cameras scanned the stands after the score and you could see the disbelief in the eyes of the LSU fans.
I know how that feels, man. I know how that feels.
Buckeye Blogging, Week #4 (3-1)
Ohio State seems to have recovered from the “Texas hangover” they were suffering from during the San Diego State game to come to their offensive senses and take the Iowa Hawkeyes behind the woodshed and give them a royal thrashing. Pay back for last year or not, OSU laid the smack down. 530 total yards on offense to Iowa’s 137. Iowa had -9 yards rushing. I hope that isn’t lost on anyone. OSU defense is TUFF. -9 yards? That’s crazy tough. In the last two games, OSU has allowed 4 yards rushing. Teams would be better off passing the ball seventy times and forego the run all together.
I had a chance to attend the game which was a great game to be in the stands for. The only problem I have is that certain OSU “fans” are dumb. They can’t wrap their head around Tressel-ball. For the uninformed, Tressel-ball consists of field position, special teams and no mistakes. Conservative plays and easy scores are also part of TB. When OSU had the ball as the first half was winding down (about a minute left), Tressel-ball kicked in and instead of trying for the endzone, OSU ran up the middle to get into field goal range. They let the clock run down to 4 seconds, called a time out, kicked the field goal and went into the locker room at the half, up 17-0. Ohio State was in control and winning 17-0. A reason to be happy, right? Not for some “fans”. People were booing. That’s just sheer stupidity, people! This is Jim Tressel, not Steve Spurrier. He’s gonna play the way he knows how to play. It isn’t pretty, it isn’t flashy and it isn’t always exciting but it wins games. How quickly people have forgotten the 2002 season. Lighten up, OSU fans, and let Tressel do his job.
Oh, and those of you who hold up four fingers at the beginning of the fourth quarter? Please stop. You’re embarrassing us.
I’m just sayin…
I’m not trying to bash Sony. This is not flame bait. Nevertheless, this can’t be good.
I’m just sayin’.
The Tilt-a-Whirl makes me sick
Jason over at Flicker Gaming is hosting the Carnival of Gamers #7. It’s never too early to start thinking about submitting something. The Carnival has been going strong, which is great, but we’d love to have some new people join in, too!
See the Carnival HQ for any questions you might have.
Listen and win!
I haven’t paid a lot of to podcasting yet. Mostly because I haven’t made time for them. Another factor is that I usually listen to my iPod at work for “background” noise and listening to a podcast would be too distracting. But now I have a reason to start — winning stuff.
I got a note from buttonmashing.com reader, Josh pointing me to one of his favorite podcasts - Insomonia Radio. I haven’t checked any episodes out yet but the one Josh pointed out to me includes a contest to win a PSP. I thought other buttonMashers would be interested in checking it out. They way I see it, I’ll win me a PSP here and get an Xbox 360 for free from Pepsi. I’ll be sitting pretty for the next generation without spending a dime.
If you guys are into the podcasting thing or already listen to Insomnia Radio, let me know what you think.
Nintendo DS and Wi-Fi
4 Color Rebellion links to a pamphlet spelling out Nintendo’s plans for DS wi-fi access. While I’m still getting used to my DS (more thoughts on that later), wi-fi is definitely one of the reasons I picked up a DS. The little pamphlet has some interesting little nuggets of information (including a nod to Microsoft’s success with Xbox Live) but this is what intrigued me the most:
Perhaps a more interesting statistic is that by the end of 2006, 90 per cent of all DS owners will be accessing wi-fi gameplay.
Wow. 90% is rather ambitious. I’ll definitely be part of that 90%.
More information at Eurogamer.
The Revolution will be blogged
I linked a handful of the “pro” sites with information about the new revolution controller when I first blogged it. Not to discount their contribution as gamers but I wanted to take a look around the gaming blogs and see what gamers are thinking. Here are a smattering of comments I’ve found over the past few days.
Kearns, like a lot of us, wasn’t sure about it at first but concluded, “Hot, hot, hot. No doubt, this is a must by.”
Kieron divides the haters and lovers into two camps - tedious luddites and Good People. Count me in with the Good People
For Tom at G-pinions, this was, “the most important news in gaming [he] can ever remember.”
Not exactly a ringing endorsement but Joseph at Space Worlder says “Revolutionary? Depends on how you look at it.”
Alice’s great Wonderland has Iwata’s speech (in note form) and says the controller is “fantastic.”
The patron saint of La Revolution thinks everything will work out just fine: “Motion sensor controllers are actually kind of… obvious. Surprised it hasn’t happened before–and since they’re basically just another way to capture directional information, this should not, as I had worried earlier, make it all that hard to port to/from Revolution… You’ll just use a joystick for the non-Revolution versions.”
From Nintedorks: “after thinking about it more, I realize how incredibly awesome this is.”
Gaming Steve has a bunch of Revolution info, including the slides to Iwata’s speech. Be careful, there’s a lot there and your head may ache afterwards.
Brinstar has good advice for nay sayers: ” We should be welcoming this direction, rather than fearing it.” (and some good links, to boot)
Press the Buttons has a bunch of Revolution stuff. I feel the same way: “All I want is to make Mario run and jump.”
For a needed dose of reality, Hello, Nintendo links to this Ars Technica article asking some questions that will surely be addressed in the coming months but are germain to the discussion notheneless.
Video Game Pundit has a lot. Just go read it.
Astarte at Utopian Hell has Nintendo’s dream scenario. Her thoughts on the Revolution? I feel like the kid I once was, eagerly awaiting the next Zelda to come out.
Everyone and their mother are linking Lost Garden, but it really is something that must be read and digested.
Lots of stuff at Infendo, too.
Wow, that went a lot longer than I originally thought it would. Of course, this isn’t everything. A quick search at Technorati reveals that this something that a lot of people are talking about. If you’ve blogged about the Revolution and I missed ya, don’t hesistate to drop me a link. (I couldn’t possibly get everyone but if you take the time to let me know what you thought, I’ll gladly link it)
Personally, after I read that there will be ports for “regular” Gamecube controllers I felt a little relieved. IGN even has a mockup of what a Revolution Wavebird would look like. Drool. That makes me feel a little better. I was worried about third party support like many others, but this will help the skittish developers ease into the Revolution. Things will get interesting when developers are comfortable with the Revolution and see the possibility of the new controller and we start seeing some really cool stuff. Sounds like the “DS” cycle all over again. The hardware/concept gets poo-poohed, then interest and intrigue grow, and finally new, fun ideas begin to emerge.
The possibility of that cycle repeating itself sounds great to me.
Update: I know there’s a lot of gamers out there who don’t exactly agree with the direction Nintendo is going with the Revolution (as if it’s their call) but it really seems to have a polarizing effect on people. Cody at PixelJunkies seems to think Kieron Gillen’s statement is “moronic. Not I, you, or her have played a single game with this. A few reviewers on the other side of the planet have played several short tech demos in a completely Nintendo controlled environment, the furthest possible thing from playing a real game in your living room, and people are already passing this off as the single most brilliant innovation ever in games.”
Sure, only a few people have used the controller so far but it doesn’t take much imagination to start contemplating the possibilities. I don’t think anyone is calling it the “most brilliant innovation ever” but it has to be one of the more ambitious innovations. Hyperbole aside, Gillen is right, I think. It really comes down to who wants to give it a chance and those who have already made up their mind that it doesn’t fit in their idea of what a video game controller should look like or how it should handle.
The only people who are currently qualified to make any form of educated opinion are those that have used the controller. And they have all been unanimously positive. Let’s leave it at that for now. Let’s see what the big N does. Let’s look at what the developers say once they start putting the Revolution through its paces. Until then, let’s just chill.
More: Of course, we could just look to what Peter Moore, the Xbox VP. He says, “I want to give kudos for Nintendo for its attempt at innovation with the new controller…”
There’s more praise out there. I’ll link to it as I come across it.
Buckeye Blogging, Week #3 (2-1)
I was out of town all weekend visiting family and we got home late, so this will be a quick Buckeye Blog.
I watched the first 2.5 quarters of the game and listened to the rest (waiting for a parade) and what I saw and heard was mostly positive. The offense still seems to be trying to figure out who it is. While the stability of having a #1 QB seems to have made the talking heads happy, Smith’s throwing ability scares me. He’ll be fine but I get nervous when he cocks his arm back to throw.
The defense doesn’t worry me at all. If you take away the first play SDSU scored on and the defense only gives up 120 yards total offense. That is domination, plain and simple. They held them to 13 yards rushing. This Buckeye defense is one of the best (if not the best) in the country.
Tokyo Game Show
The Tokyo Game Show starts soon and everyone is expecting the unveiling of Nintendo’s Revolution Controller. Rumors have done their rounds on the internet and now, hopefully, everything will become clear.
This fanboy waits anxiously. Updates to come…
Update: Joystiq has the goods with the new controller. I’m still digesting it. IGN has more.
I don’t even know what to think right now. I can’t wrap my head around 2 seperate controllers. I can’t see how playing with a remote control is better than what we already have. Things are going to move rapidly now. Forums and comment boards will be abuzz with Nintendo is teh doomed but we’ll see. I’ll reserve judgement for the time being. But honestly, while I have the utmost faith in Nintendo, I’m not optimistic. This took some big brass ones to drop a bomb like this.
Click the picture for a larger version.
More: Here’s another IGN piece talking about some of the possibilities that the new controller. Color me intrigued. 1up has more, but it’s basically a rehash of IGN’s article. Things are happening fast now.
Of course, you could go right to the source.
Another Update: Since I just finished my piece on MMO sports games, I already see sports possibilities for the new controller. Swing the golf club, swing the bat, throw a football. That would be pretty sweet.
Some more: You can watch the controller in action here. I want a three stooges simulator.
It’s late, I’m going to bed.
MMORPG Sports (Part II)
I originally planned on one big article on the convergence of MMORPGs (or MMOGs in general) and sports games. After I finished the first part of the article I realized there is a lot of ground to cover. So this is the second part of my article on MMOSG. This is also submitted to the September edition of the Blogs of the Roundtable (specifically, Topic Choice 1E(xploratory): Pick a genre of games and discuss how it would benefit from adopting some of the game mechanics of another genre. If the merging of the genres would create a new genre, discuss the core gameplay and boundaries of the new genre..)
Helping out the little guy
Here at buttonmashing.com we are fighting the good fight for video games. We try to get the word out about the positive aspects of gaming while we refute spurious claims that violent video games are bad for kids. Last month I wrote a little piece about the topic of violent video games, quoting a couple articles that had some empirical evidence that refutes the claims by the anti-gaming cadre (definition 2a). Little did I know that it would actually have tangible results.
Last week, “Bloody Vamp Man” left me a comment, thanking me for the information and the graphs. Why? I’ll let his comment speak for itself:
Bloody Vamp Man
Comment by Bloody Vamp Man | 2005/09/07 at 13:24:06 | eThx for backing up the video game community. we needed some proof that the video games didnt cause violence. because of your graphs my mom is buying me games like resident evil 4 now. i apreciate your time being spent on this site thx.
;.;Bloody vamp dude
While I am a little nervous about his nick name, (Bloody Vamp Man/Dude doesn’t exactly conjure up happy, non-gory thoughts) I’m glad he is doing his homework and his mom has an open mind. Thanks to WP’s commenting system, I know where his comment originated from. I don’t know what grade Bloody Vamp Dude is in but I do know he’s still in school somewhere. So he is probably 15 or 16 years old and he wants to get his Resident Evil 4 on. I think RE4 is okay for that age. I wouldn’t have a problem with my older teenagers playing a game like RE4. I guess the graphs I used from the articles convinced his mom that video games of the violent/gory variety were okay. Good on ya, BVM.
I just hope his mom also does her homework, too. She could start by checking out some reviews of RE4 to determine if it’s okay for her boy. A good place to start would be Gamer Dad’s review. Gamer Dad does a good job of reviewing games with kids in mind.
This works both ways. I’m glad kids are proactive in the defense of their hobby and I’m glad parents can have an open mind. Neverthless, parents need to be informed. As much as I enjoy BM.com I still recognize I am just one voice in the overwhelming interweb. I hope parents are interested in their kids hobbies enough to know what their kids are doing. That includes making the tough call when to say “No, you’re not ready for that game/movie/book/whatever.” Being a parent I can say it isn’t easy saying no, but once and a while it needs to be done. But it’s easier when you’re informed.
And I’m glad to help.
What I’m playing
I haven’t had a much time the past couple weeks to play as much as I’d like to. I guess I need to reorganize priorities! Anyway, here’s what I’ve been playing lately:
I’d really like to get some playing time with Guild Wars soon. It’s been almost a month since I played any GW so I need to get back to Ascalon. Especially with the new content that was released last week.
I’m also looking to get a couple other DS titles. I’m thinking about Meteos and Tiger Woods. Any other suggestions?
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What we're playing
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