First he blamed video games for his dog’s obesity. Now Crunchy is blaming his dog’s failing grades at obedience school on… video games.
It wasn’t funny the first time. It isn’t funny now. Please, just stop.
Camp Fatal1ty!
Do you know who Fatal1ty is? If not, read up here before continuing.
Now, if the first thing you thought, after reading the Wikipedia article linked above, was “I sure wish I could take lessons from someone like that,” then you are IN LUCK. (If you thought, “man, he sure uses a lot of commas,” welcome to the Club)
For a mere $3500, you can go to Camp Fatal1ty and learn things such as “Unreal Tournament tactics and strategies developed by Fatal1ty and other professional gamers.” Then you can go swimming at the lake and learn life lessons around the campfire. (Okay, I added that last part). Something about summer camps for video games rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s the Boy Scout in me, but summer camp was for building fires and sleeping under the stars. Not learning how to play Unreal Tournament and making machinima.
But I guess I can’t knock these guys for trying something new. In fact, I would imagine the 13 year-old me would totally love to go to a camp like this. Maybe they’re on to something!
Camp I ain’t Yer Pa isn’t far behind!
Nintendo, wrecking living rooms all over again
Oh Daily Mail, how we love you. You tell us about a kid who eats nothing but chips and coke and you try to convince us that women playing Wii Fit in their living rooms are suddenly going to become bulls in China Shops, doing millions of dollars (pounds, euros, ducets, whatever) worth of damage.
You crack us up.
(I think the real problem may be guys (or girls) being *ahem* distracted)
Buttonmashing dot com turns 4!
It’s hard to believe, but yesterday marked another glorious year of video game blogging around these parts. Believe it or not, but buttonmashing.com is four years old. We’re creeping ever so closely to the half-decade mark. That’s insane to think about.
I think I’ll get myself a Gamefly subscription to celebrate.
Mario Kart in Javascript
Check it out. (via Kottke)
That is some cool stuff.
Father’s Day: Nat’s Smokin’ Edition
Yesterday I received a smoker from my family, and we spent the evening playing Boom Blox. I “cured” the smoker late last night, and then got up at 6AM this morning to fire it up. Five hours later, it’s amazing what hickory will do to country style ribs. (I’d have some pics, but, alas, it was like vultures circling overhead.)
If this was my last meal, I would die a very happy man.
I love my kids.
Pony up? Did any other fathers out there score some sweetness?
Customizable NCAA 09 Covers
First of all, did you know Wal-Mart had a Blog? Not just a blog, but a rather large, multi-authored blog? I sure didn’t.
Anyway, I’ve railed for a long time that EA should offer regional covers for their sports games, but more specifically, for the NCAA 0X series. I don’t mind buying a college football game with Reggie Bush or Jared Zabransky on the cover, but as a Buckeye fan, I’d be much more inclined to get one with Troy Smith or Vernon Gholston on my cover.
Well, this year for NCAA 09, you can do just that. You can “customize” your NCAA cover to fit your fandom. But, it’s exclusively available at Sam’s Club:
Sam’s Club will be the ONLY retailer to offer OFFICIAL EA alternative cover images. What does this mean to you? Well, if you are like me and NOT a Razorback fan (almost illegal here in Arkansas, I still will not to that “wooooo pig” thing), you can put an image from a selection of images on YOUR box front at no additional charge.
It’s a very cool idea, but it looks like it’s being executed poorly. First of all, the example posted at the Check Out blog, with the Lucky Charm Leprechaun, looks like a character model from the game. If they use mascots from the game engine as the cover pictures, that is pretty lame. If they’re not using actual photographs, this is a bad idea. And I know there are licensing agreements and NFL player associations to deal with, but it would be really cool if they worked it out to have a few fan favorites from each team available for covers. That would make it an instant buy.
And for those wondering, here’s my dream cover:
(And by “dream cover,” I mean that literally. I dream about buying NCAA 09 with Mount Vernon on the cover. Nightly)
[Cross posted at my other blog, for obvious reasons][2 Minute Review] Trials 2:Second Edition
Are a simplistic physics engine, simplistic controls, and impressive visuals enough to make a great game?
Yes, yes, and yes. Read on.
DO: You control a bike rider in a straight line in a warehouse full of ramps, jumps, and other obstacles. The catch: the way you lean forward and back on the bike. There are timed modes and stunt modes. Uses a keyboard or gamepad.
TYPE: Casual (that can be played for hours or as little as 30 seconds)
PLATFORM: Digital download online or via Steam
PRICE: $9.99, FREE Demo
PERKS: Leaderboards; achievements (Steam); team play; download-able content; video editor; price +
VERDICT: Buy. Own it on Steam.
I am feeling generous, and to celebrate our first 2 Minute Review I’ll be gifting one copy of this game via Steam. All you have to do is post your Steam ID in the comments and leave us some feedback on the review (like the idea? thoughts?). Drawing closes a week from posting.
2 Minute Reviews
I’m getting sick and tired of online reviews and magazine reviews of games. I feel that if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. Also, have you ever noticed that the reviews are getting longer? Every little nitpicking detail is gone over. I usually end up just reading the summarizing statements and the scanning the scores anyway—oh, man, the scores—don’t get me started.
I want to try something new: a 2 minute review—a review you can read quickly and get a (hopefully) good overview of what it’s about and if it’s worth the price to play.
I did a count and I have just under twenty new games that I can cover over the course of the summer. My requirements are this: that I play the game for 5 hours and then summarize (1) if I should keep playing and (2) is it good (+) or bad (-).
Maybe then I bring myself back to a little more sanity and you can hop along for the ride.
Why All the Love for Metal Gear Solid 4?
Tycho at Penny Arcade has hit the nail on the head. He’s usually got his finger on how things work. He has never more been right on than with today’s news post:
I sometimes wonder why I buy every MGS game that comes out when I profess to hate them, and also authentically do hate them, but I know the answer. It is because I actively want to be wrong. I want to see the game people keep talking about. I want to be forced by its exacting auteur to apologize for everything I’ve ever written. I’m ready to have my ego obliterated and to truly learn something about the nature of liberty. And, like most Playstation owners, I’m hungry to use the machine for something other than Planet Earth.
Wow. That sums up everything I know about Metal Gear Solid as a game series and most PS3 owners I know. It the same way I feel about both items.