Welcome to the new place to shoot the shit here at VG! I think this will work better for our small group and now you only have to remember one login! That’s a brian savings of 50%!

I’m playing Crysis Warhead right now. Anyone else? The Crytek people say this is easier on your system than Crysis was but I’m not seeing it. The game however is faster paced with more action and less sneaking around.

You’ll be happy to know the North Koreans still only speak one word of English — “asshole!”

I also picked up NHL09 for the PS3 and it’s really good (though not a giant leap over 08) but then my apartment went into renovation mode and there’s paint cans in front of the TV.

Wait, there’s a world outside Spore? Whoa.

In other news, I’m waiting eagerly for Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead. StarCraft 2 and Diablo III remain distant blips on the horizon that, shockingly, now have me raising doubts about how good they could really be.

I hope Left 4 Dead lives up to its premise. The big problem with it is that it lives or died by the willingness of the players to co-operate.

Have you played online recently? Not always easy to do.

First off thanks to everyone who participated in the forum for so long. I tried to find a way to blame the failure on Glark, but the numbers just didn’t bear it out. GODDAMN NUMBERS!

Anyhoo, I think I’m done with “Spore” permanently. The space level was fun, but it’s just not my thing, overall.

I’m loving “Rock Band 2″ and I really liked “Soul Calibur 4,” but I got sick over the weekend and haven’t played anything the last few days.

On my list for perusal soon: “N+” for DS, “Mega Man 9″ on XBLA, “Sonic Chronicles” for DS and “Crysis Warhead,” which I haven’t even installed yet.

Dear Nintendo, please stop releasing new DSs and make some real games for the Wii. Actually, I stopped caring. Carry on Nintendo.

They’re remaking GameCube games for Wii, instead. Nice strategy if you can swing that.

I am excited about “Punch Out!” for Wii, though.

Have you noticed the new commenting system? We're trying out Disqus. It has threaded comments, voting and reporting. I've set the default ordering to oldest-to-newest but you can override it when you are in this thread (or any other for that matter).

I hope Left 4 Dead lives up to its premise. The big problem with it is that it lives or died by the willingness of the players to co-operate. Have you played online recently? Not always easy to do.

We tried Dinkus first, but it was a total weenus, following us around everywhere..

I'm just play

Oh shittlesticks Wipeout HD is out? I am OUT OF THE LOOP! I wish my PS3 was reachable. It is surrounded by paint cans and dust.

Oh shittlesticks Wipeout HD is out? I am OUT OF THE LOOP! I wish my PS3 was reachable. It is surrounded by paint cans and dust.

Oh man, I completely forgot about Wipeout. TOO. MANY. GAMES!

Seesmic video reply from Disqus.

Omar on Videogamey

u r 12 yrs old. xthxbai!

That wasn't me! It was OMAR. You can see it in the video!

Oh, right. I forgot I did that to myself.

I'm psyched about Sin and Punishment 2. Don't know what the point of all that GameCube rereleasery is.

This new format terrifies me. I fear change! I'll try to cope.

Egads, this is all very new. Bright. Shiny. I don't even know if the HTML works or not. And it looks like it'll work with my camera, horror of horrors. The trick will be swapping the video feed for a computer-animated dog.

I'm also looking forward to the consequences: Jorge. Video comments. Recipe for disaster.

OMG. What have we unleashed here?

Let the finger pointing begin!

I'm playing Mega Man 9 on Wii and totally feeling like I'm twelve years old again. Meaning I'm crying and yelling at the TV because I can't beat Hornet Man and now I'm not allowed to play for the rest of the day.

Just finished Crysis: Warhead. It seemed much more linear than Crysis which was good for the action-to-inaction ratio but I did miss sneaking around the bases and encampments to figure out the best plan of attack. The developers know how to build an engine (tip: turn off motion blur and your frame rate will drastically improve) but they really REALLY suck at cut scenes. The pacing of the cut scenes was really awkward and very anti-climatic. Of course it's the gameplay that's important and Crysis: Warhead does that well. 8 out 10.

You could have done like two videos in the time it took you to type that!

Right now, I'm concentrating on Mass Effect and Lego Batman. I found out GTA IV will be coming out in November for the PC, so I'm pretty excited that I'll finally get to play it. I'm jonesing for Silent Hill Homecoming, but have heard a rumor that it's going to be available for PC solely as a Steam download.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention: Currently I'm gnawing on De Blob (Wii). It sounds so radical, the idea of painting an entire landscape the way Bob Ross never could, until you realize that all you have to do is pick up a color and simply touch a building, and the whole thing will turn color (with variations depending on which styles you've picked up). So, less artistry, more contact. There are missions where you have to paint things specific colors (i.e. , or pass a series of checkpoints before time expires, or get a certain amount of paint in a certain color and transform a landmark or two. And the occasional here-are-a-bunch-of-enemies-now-go-squash-them mission.

Controls are workable, though occasionally mildly frustrating at times. Direction is controlled with the nunchuk stick, and jumping is done by shaking the wiimote rather than pushing a button. You can lock onto something with Z and then shake the stick to jump at it. Given that's how you attack, you'll do that a lot and quickly. Camera controls are somewhat flexible, but you'll have to reach up and tweak your view occasionally.

The first few levels were basic, but it's starting to ramp up now with more platforming elements and trickier enemies that require more paint to squash. More on this story as it develops.

I beat Hornet Man with the Laser Trident. It'll destroy a hornet (sometimes two) and also hit the buzzer bot. Now if only that strategy worked on that asshole Magma Man.

Touching the tip of a spike with my Mega Man's pinky toe and seeing the game over screen helps me understand why the Wii remote has a strap on it. My instincts! I'd need a new TV by now.

I tried MM9 last night and lasted about 10 minutes. Seriously. I could not hang.

New Virtual Console stuff (let me know if you guys are still interested in me posting these each week or not):

WiiWare
Midnight Bowling — (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Plunge directly into the trendy and electric atmosphere of Midnight Bowling. With awesome playing sensations, prepare for ultra-fun gaming thanks to a new physics engine that lets you control your throws precisely and easily with your Wii Remote controller and make spectacular spins that will impress your opponents. Face up to three friends in the fun party mode, where your playing abilities will be put to the test. Whatever your experience level, launch yourself into the immersive career mode, where you will play in the trendiest bowling spots on the planet against charismatic characters that will give you a run for your money.

MadStone — (Riverman Media, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Time is short. Earth trembles as the forces of nature stir and grow restless. Can you turn the tide? In this dynamic puzzle game, you must clear the path for your elemental MadStones to reach the bottom of the screen. Blocks can be broken by striking them directly or by the force of falling objects. The novice tries frantically to break enough blocks, while the master sets up cascading collapses with only a handful of direct strikes. As two sides struggle for domination, titanic forces build, only to be unleashed in an earth-shaking final confrontation. Experience the mystical single-player journey, or challenge a friend in competitive two-player mode.

Virtual Console
Mario Golf — (Nintendo 64, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points)

Shining Force II — (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points)

I managed to beat Galaxy Man, but every other level I've tried has kicked my ass.

I'm trying to just have fun with the game and not too think too much about what it says about gaming, because what it says kind of pisses me off: “Let's just discard everything we've learned about making games in the last 20 years — except for named achievements. Those can stay.” It's no Pac-Man: Championship Edition, that's for sure.

First of all, yes, please keep posting the VC updates! Your valuable public service is much appreciated. Second:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHINING FORCE!!!! *squeegasm* Oh, and hey, as a bonus, Mario Golf 64! Sweet!

Incidentally, those of you feeling like contributing to the Give Rituro Wii Points For His Birthday Fund may start now. November is a ways off yet, so there's still time to donate!

I'm up to the second Dr. Wily stage now (SPOILER–he's behind it all!). I don't know how this plays on the 360 or PS3, but for those of you playing it on the Wii–the game is forced into 480i, which means it has to be upscaled on an HDTV, which introduced subtle but game-killing lag on my set. As soon as I connected it to my bedroom SDTV, I got approximately fifty times better at it. Seriously, it made all the difference.

It's still brutally difficult at times, but man I am loving it now.

I have a new recommendation for you. Well, new to me anyways. It's called Galcon and it's available for PC, Mac, Linux and iPhone. It's like a real-time game of Risk played out in space. Unlike Risk the games are short.

http://www.imitationpickles.org/galcon/

Is anybody else on the “Little Big Planet” beta? It's so cute I want to punch it in the mouth. But in a good way.

Wow. I, uh… wow. That's it? On the one hand, yeah, it's an elegant word that symbolizes all that is geeky, but… that's it?! This had better be a freakin' awesome class.

But it's just 4-player co-op right? I think it's a lot harder to be a dick in such small groups, and this seems tailor-made for playing with at least one or two friends.

Watching the video on the official site, it looks like they ramped up the traditional sorceress with some new powers, some of which came from other classes. The wizard appears to have the druid's tornado, but more powerful, and a time slowing field that looks kind of like the Amazon's slow missiles skill. She also has magic missiles and a disintegration beam that looks pretty cool.

As for the “lore,” I made a mental prediction to myself when I discovered 20 years had passed between Diablo II and III that one of the five classes was going to be young and headstrong from not having been around for the last fight. I had guessed it was going to be whatever replaced the Amazon, but it's apparently this class. Young wizards who don't have respect for the massive powers they wield — truly we're breaking new territory in fantasy storytelling.

Speaking of the official site and breaking new territory, Blizzard is on a hiring blitz for an unannounced “next-gen MMO”. So… StarCraft Online? Diablo Online? Blackthorne Online? Lost Vikings Online? Rock n' Roll Racing Online?

All of them mixed together?

According to folks at Blizzcon, the MMO is going to be a completely new IP, but we won't know anything more for quite some time.

Oh, and apparently the witch doctor has revealed more bad-assery that is making everybody forget the necromancer. Two new spells: a plague of toads, and fiery bats.

The skill system is still going to be set up with the trio of trees per class but with some changes that seems like you won't get stuck focusing on two or three spells. Their intent is for players to be able to easily use around six active skills/spells. And the runes apparently will return, but will customize spells rather than weapons (kind of like the new inscription profession in World of Warcraft).

And for any Starcraft II fans, apparently they're splitting up the single campaign into three separate games to buy, which is going over exactly as well as you might imagine.

Well. My mind is now completely blown. What's next? Episodic delivery via Steam?

I am, I got in at the last minute when USA Today gave away 15, 000 keys. Of course when me and the other 14, 999 people swarmed onto the servers they promptly became overloaded and it became impossible to play online at peak hours, which has me a little worried for how they're going to cope on launch day. But, yes, it is awesome. I thought I wasn't going to bother with the level editor and just play with other people's creations, but honestly after messing around with it, it's so ridiculously easy to make stuff that I might give it a go.

WiiWare
World of Goo — (2D Boy, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 1,500 Wii Points): World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game made entirely by two guys. Grab living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore—but they don’t know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. World of Goo Corporation is contractually obligated to state that everyone is a winner, and is enthusiastic to celebrate everyone’s Goo building opportunities equally.

Art Style: CUBELLO — (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Art Style: CUBELLO mixes the strategy and feel of a traditional puzzle game with the precision and reflexes required in a shooter. As each stage begins, various colored cubes form into one large object called a Cubello, which floats and rotates as you play. Launch additional cubes from your magazine and try to connect four or more of the same color, removing them from the Cubello and eventually leaving only its core. Take on the challenge of either Stage or Endless mode and watch what happens when Bonus Time is activated. The straightforward controls and goal ensure that anyone can play, while offering enough depth that even advanced players will find themselves quickly addicted to the unique world of Art Style: CUBELLO.

Virtual Console
SECRET OF MANA — (Super NES, 1-3 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 800 Wii Points)

STREET FIGHTER II’: SPECIAL CHAMPION EDITION — (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 800 Wii Points)

Yeah, I'm seriously gonna have to load up on Wii points now. Awesome stuff on VC.

I downloaded this, and then promptly forgot about it, as I seem to do with most iPhone games that aren't on the first page of my home screen. But today, while I was waiting for one of many EXTREMELY late trains on my way home, I remembered it, and happily wasted a bunch of time spitting out triangles and beating the crap out of Orange. Good thing, too — I was almost bored enough to start reading the book in my bag. Thanks Galcon, for rescuing me from literacy!

I've been craving Secret of Mana for months! My SNES crapped out a few years ago and it didn't look like Nintendo had any plans to put it on the DS or the VC. My other half is playing Tales of Vesperia and I keep telling him how much the ridiculously adorable enemies remind me of SoM, and now I can show him.

New IP, or new-ish IP? I'm laying down Blackthorne Online right now as my prediction. You heard it here first! Dibs! Yoink!

Yeah, I just finished it. That was made by, like, two guys wasn't it? That's some serious talent.

Tetris with the Balance Board? Huh.

WiiWare
Tetris Party — (Tetris Online, Inc., 1-6 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,200 Wii Points): Tetris Party is a deceptively simple, totally addictive puzzle game that is sure to keep you and all of your friends and family entertained for hours on end. The WiiWare game features 10 never-before-seen single-player and multiplayer variations of Tetris, including Field Climber, Stage Racer, Shadow and Wii Balance Board-enabled modes (Wii Balance Board accessory sold with Wii Fit). Several of the modes give users the chance to take advantage of the unique point-and-shoot capabilities of the Wii Remote controller. The party doesn't stop there, though. Take the Tetris fun online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, where you can play multiplayer Tetris against up to five friends at a time. You can also see how your Tetris Party skills stack up against the rest of the world using the global ranking system.

The Incredible Maze — (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Get lost in The Incredible Maze! Simply tilt your Wii Remote controller to navigate a series of exciting and twisted mazes. Entering the maze could not be easier, but finding your way out will require a keen eye and a steady hand. Obstacles and traps are around every corner, so move your ball around the maze without falling off the edge. But watch out, there are lots of surprises in store. You can hunt for gems in a timed challenge, or test your abilities in a race against the clock. The Incredible Maze is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board, so you can really put your weight into it. This is the way in, but you’ll have to find your own way out.

Virtual Console
Digital Champ Battle Boxing — (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Mild Violence, 700 Wii Points)

GRADIUS II GOFER NO YABOU — (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points)

Tetris with the Balance Board? Huh.

WiiWare
Tetris Party — (Tetris Online, Inc., 1-6 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,200 Wii Points): Tetris Party is a deceptively simple, totally addictive puzzle game that is sure to keep you and all of your friends and family entertained for hours on end. The WiiWare game features 10 never-before-seen single-player and multiplayer variations of Tetris, including Field Climber, Stage Racer, Shadow and Wii Balance Board-enabled modes (Wii Balance Board accessory sold with Wii Fit). Several of the modes give users the chance to take advantage of the unique point-and-shoot capabilities of the Wii Remote controller. The party doesn't stop there, though. Take the Tetris fun online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, where you can play multiplayer Tetris against up to five friends at a time. You can also see how your Tetris Party skills stack up against the rest of the world using the global ranking system.

The Incredible Maze — (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Get lost in The Incredible Maze! Simply tilt your Wii Remote controller to navigate a series of exciting and twisted mazes. Entering the maze could not be easier, but finding your way out will require a keen eye and a steady hand. Obstacles and traps are around every corner, so move your ball around the maze without falling off the edge. But watch out, there are lots of surprises in store. You can hunt for gems in a timed challenge, or test your abilities in a race against the clock. The Incredible Maze is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board, so you can really put your weight into it. This is the way in, but you’ll have to find your own way out.

Virtual Console
Digital Champ Battle Boxing — (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Mild Violence, 700 Wii Points)

GRADIUS II GOFER NO YABOU — (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points)

Fable II: Finally! A game that with the press and hold of a button, allows me to poop myself whenever I want to.

Fallout 3 is all kinds of win. Initially, I was hestitant to make the “win” call because of those damn radscorpions and fire ants. Once I remembered I had 'nades, those damn bugs stopped being a nuisance. Also, ripper = autowin.

It's all about no pants, boys.

appove

Well Jorge, if you're not wearing pants anyway…

It's a Team Fortress 2 Hallowe'en this year!

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/Rituro/En...

OMG, Spy's sappin' mah self-esteem!

OMG, Spy's sappin' mah self-esteem!

Okay, so a lightly more real analysis. Modest fun, controls a big improvement over Fable I, story rather short (I think shorter than part I) and ends rather abruptly, post main story content is … okay … not as much as they'd have you believe. Money is really easy to come by if you start buying shops as soon as you get enough cash (the job minigames help here). Played gay so haven't done the family thing, but families aren't nearly as interesting to me as others seem to think. I have three husbands who seem to exist to give me the occasional decent experience potion amid a bunch of crappy rings and necklaces (which I then use to woo others like an utter bastard).

The rewards for the collection quests are not well thought out. One quest apparently rewards you at the end with 50,000 gold. Completing this quest requires you at one point to buy a 1,000,000 gold castle. (I bought the castle this evening and I didn't really push the real estate revenue until after beating the game — so it's not a huge challenge).

I do hope they intend to add more downloadable content or an expansion. I liked the game, but Oblivion offered far, far more as far as places to go and things to do. On the other hand, I couldn't commission a statue of me pooping my pants and then place it on the docks of a port town in Oblivion, so there's that.

Two weeks' worth:

WiiWare
Strong Bad Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands — (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,000 Wii Points): Rock and roll! Hurting for cash, Strong Bad sets out to dominate the “Battle Royale of the Bands.” Can he rule the stage and win the big prize? Or will he be drowned out by the competition? Find out in this high-voltage episode.

Art Style: ROTOHEX — (Nintendo, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Use colored triangular panels to create a vibrant mosaic of stained glass in Art Style: ROTOHEX. As triangles fall from the top of the screen, rotate them to group six panels of the same color and create a matching hexagon, or HEX. Once the HEX has been formed, it will disappear, allowing the existing panels to shift and more panels to fill the playing field. A clear-cut goal and two different styles of intuitive controls allow you to focus solely on the game play—which is vital, as the playing field will be full of panels before you know it. With multiple modes (unlock more as you progress further in SOLO mode), special item panels at your disposal, and the ability to play cooperatively or competitively with a friend, there will always be another HEX to create.

ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS — (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS is the ultimate incarnation of the popular TurboGrafx pinball classic, Alien Crush. Boasting innovative game and control features, this is one Wii experience that you don’t want to miss. With all the ball-blazing simplicity and flipper action thrills of standard pinball, ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS has all the visual and digital elements that you’ve come to expect in a video game, including grotesque, eye-stunning playfields as well as unique Action Ball gimmicks that redefine the fun and excitement of pinball. You can even nudge the machine with your Wii Remote controller. What’s more, you can connect via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to enjoy a variety of features such as four-player head-to-head action, high score competitions and Extra Stage downloads.

Home Sweet Home — (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Picture this scene… You move into your new home, and every room is perfect. Every room, except one. Here is the blank canvas for your vision, but you lack the know-how. Who do you call? The Home Sweet Home team! Home Sweet Home will give you the chance to unleash your hidden talents as an interior designer. You choose the furniture, patterns and colors to create a masterpiece that will blow your client away. With simple controls, a fun graphical style and an easy-to-use interface, Home Sweet Home allows you to nurture your creative side. Remember, a house is not a home until it is a Home Sweet Home.

Virtual Console
Earthworm Jim — (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points)

Space Harrier — (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points)

I had to take a break and visit some other places because getting killed 8-10 times in a row by fireants was just too depressing for me.

Hey, just FYI, I switched back the commenting system to the old WP one because WP2.7 which comes out soon has comment features I wanted for here (like paged comments in reverse order for this entry).

New Virtual Console stuff:

WiiWare
Brain Challenge — (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Just like your body, your brain needs to be exercised to stay in shape. Boost your brain and relieve stress through various minigames in a personal session to get a detailed evaluation. Challenge your friends’ brains in delirious party games to see who is the smartest. Test your brain’s abilities in Visual, Memory, Logic, Math and Focus minigames. Compare yourself with friends by challenging their brains in three multiplayer modes. Develop your resistance to stressful situations that could happen in real life. Use a customized Mii character to create personal sessions. Choose your favorite personal coach. Track your overall performance with detailed statistics and graphs. The special Kid Test and Senior Test modes will gather everyone around the game.

Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam — (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is a frenetically active cooking game in which you must serve food to your customers as quickly as possible. This could be a simple task, but the customers aren’t very patient, and you’ll find a multitude of annoying insects that make the noble mission of satisfying your small gourmets’ stomachs much more difficult. In the game’s Career Mode, your goal is to become the best chef in the city. To do so, you have to prove your worth by cooking in four fantastic restaurants: the Hot Dog, Hamburger, Pizza and Mexican Restaurant. Enjoy playing Yummy Yummy with your family, serving delicious food to the most surprising characters: vampires, ninjas, extraterrestrials and mafia thugs. Put on your chef’s hat, sharpen your knives and turn up the heat.

Virtual Console
Mega Man 3 — (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points)

Left 4 Dead — thoughts on the demo? I’m pleasantly surprised by the lack of douchebaggery (so far). Teamwork isn’t just encouraged, it’s mandatory and the groups I’ve been in have understood this quickly.

I will admit the amount of friendly fire is concerning. You’d think after years of Counter-Strike being in our collective gaming conciousness, people would learn not to block f**king firing lines with their bodies. Memo to all brave souls willing to walk in front of three itchy-finger comrades: duck!

Wiileases:

WiiWare
Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 — (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Move over, generically buff action heroes. Strong Bad is here to show you how it’s done in his hand-crafted cinematic masterpiece, Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective. You play Dangeresque, a dirty cop in pursuit of a little action and several big sacks of cash. Can our hero stay alive long enough to defeat his arch-nemesis, save the world and get the girl? Looks like he’s gonna have to jump.

Target Toss Pro: Bags — (Incredible Technologies, 1-16 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Target Toss Pro: Bags is a new video game based on beanbag toss, the nation’s hottest backyard and tailgate sensation. Bags – or Cornhole, as it’s called in some parts of the country – originated in the Midwest in the 1960s and has since become a staple at outdoor social events from coast to coast. Similar to horseshoes, Bags is a deceptively simple yet extremely competitive game where players try to toss beanbags into a hole in a slightly raised platform or “box” for points. Whether at a tailgate party or a summer barbecue, the game has become a social focal point, and the unmistakable thud of bags hitting the box is now a universal party soundtrack.

Virtual Console
SPACE INVADERS: The Original Game — (Super NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points)

FORGOTTEN WORLDS — (SEGA GENESIS, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points)

I’m dividing my time between Fallout 3 and Dead Space, both on PC.

F3 just blew me away from the get-go. I also had problems with the fire ants, at first. I mean, the game frickin’ CALLS them “fire ants” and I was STILL surprised when they breathed fire at me. I ran my smoking carcass away for a while and came back when I had better weapons and armor.

DS is also living up to its hype for me. It’s actually pretty damn scary and intense, but pretty easy with keyboard and mouse. I can’t imagine trying to play it with a controller. I actually have to take breaks from playing it to untense myself.

That’s funny because I think the PC controls in “Dead Space” feel really clunky and slow. I actually feel like this one would play better on a console, which is weird, I know.

I do like the game, though. It definitely gets better as it goes.

Hey, anyone else playing Mass Effect right now? Anyone?…

*bows head*

In slightly more relevant gaming news, I also just got Mirror’s Edge from GameFly. Just finished Chapter Two (of 8). In some ways, it is absolutely amazing and I would love to read a design postmortem about it as they clearly thought very long and very hard about the first-person experience.

In other ways, it’s a little too reminiscent of the Stuntman games in its zero-error-margin design, but at least it contains ridiculously frequent checkpoints.

Hey all, review for Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party.

It’s freaking me out!

Yeah, PJ told me you had some issues with DS on the PC, but I haven’t had any problems. I had to turn the mouse sensitivity down a bit to be able to aim. It’s true that there are a lot of buttons, but they’re all adjacent to the WSAD keys.

My biggest problem is accidentally hitting TAB when I’m trying to heal during combat with the Q key. That’s a bitch.

I’m also playing Mass Effect, Count Floyd, but I’m having my attention divided with these other two games, which are much newer and shinier to me right now.

Fallout 3 still has my attention, but Left 4 Dead is barging its way to the front of my playlist like a Tank Infected through a mass of lesser zombies. Now that the full version is unlocked, Versus mode is truly a riot. Laying down some Hunter hurt on a lone straggler just as a Boomer vomits/explodes on the rest is deliciously satisfying.

Also, I just cashed in 6,000 Wii points from my birthday. Shining Force 2, Metal Slug, Super Mario RPG, Sonic 2, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Earthworm Jim join River City Ransom in my VC collection with some points to spare for later purchases. Joy!

I think EA should have gone with the slogan “In space no one can hear you poop yourself,” because GAWDDAMN that game keeps me jumping!

See, now THAT’s a marketing campaign I could get behind. I still wouldn’t buy the game — too cweepy for my pwecious wittle mind — but at least I’d get some enjoyment out of it.

Downloaded “Left 4 Dead” last night.

It is awesome. That is all.

I just can’t get behind the whole “numbers for words” thing. It’s one of my pet peeves. I actually hiss like a vampire and recoil if someone confronts me with a Prince lyric sheet.

Yeah, but zombies are stupid, so just pretend they’re the ones who came up with the title.

Preferable while ’sploding their heads from afar with an assault rifle. Seriously, even after my Fallout 3 binge, L4D has arguably better heads a-splodin’.

Finished Dead Space last night. AWESOME final boss. Haven’t enjoyed a game this much in some time.

The word from the phone company is that my house might finally be included in the coverage area for broadband sometime next month. Keep your fingers crossed. Right now, my 86 year old uncle, who lives on the same road as me but further from town, just got DSL but I still can’t get it. I fully expect to report next month that the houses on either side of me have DSL but I’m still not eligible.

New stuff:

WiiWare
Boingz — (RealArcade, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Stretch, flex and flick your way to freedom. A truly mind-bending experience, Boingz introduces you to cute, colorful, stretchable friends lost in an alien world, searching for the magical gates that will take them home. Boingz springs to life with 30 levels of puzzle-platforming fun. The Boingz are bendy little critters that can be pulled, stretched and flicked from place to place like rubber bands. It’s a team effort, as all the Boingz will have to work together to unwind the game’s puzzles. What’s more, many of the Boingz have fallen into a deep slumber, and you’ll have to lead the stronger Boingz to find and wake up their sleepy friends. Explore surreal landscapes, sail through the air like a trapeze artist, walk along the seafloor, and collect the Twinklies to power up your elastic-powered flights.

Sudoku Challenge! — (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Now’s your chance to play the brain-busting puzzle game taking the world by storm. With over 100 million Sudoku puzzles, you’ll never see the same puzzle twice in Sudoku Challenge! You can select the classic nine-by-nine Sudoku game boards as well as Grand Sudoku, which challenges you to complete five intersecting Sudoku boards simultaneously. Just a beginner? Don’t worry—with three difficulty options, even a novice player can complete a Sudoku with ease. But if you’re a seasoned pro, challenge yourself in Expert mode and test your true skills. It’s time to get your thinking cap on and see how many Sudoku puzzles you can conquer.

Virtual Console
Boogerman: — A Pick and Flick Adventure (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points)

Left 4 Dead! Who’s up for some in the coming week on PC?

I have it, Omar’s got it, Jim’s got it… anyone else?

Definitely enjoying — reloading! — Left 4 Dead here. Count me in for some zombie-surviving good times.

Anyone here playing with (breaks out in sweat, looks left, looks right, grits teeth) Animal Crossing on the Wii?

Yeah, I know, it’s horribly lame and little more than an expansion on the NGC version with some flimsy promise of online play, but really, is there any other game out there that provides compelling reasons to go to bed at 2 in the morning with your pockets stuffed with live insects and fish? Without getting blind stinking drunk first?

I got a copy of it with the Wii Speak thingy and passed it on to a coworker. I’ve just never gotten into Animal Crossing. Looks cute, though.

Sad to say, I may have found in the unrelenting, oppressive, babbling cuteness of AC:CF the one thing that could overcome my disdain for Sony and drive me to the PS3*. That, and they have a 160Gb model out now.

* At least, until Madworld is finally released.

I’m afraid to commit to Animal Crossing. I thought the GC version was lame, but then spent months obsessively grooming my town on the DS. I’m not sure where the Wii version will fall on the spectrum. It helps that I have a high tolerance for babbling cuteness.

Of course, since my friends and coworkers have all conspired to drag me back into WoW, I suppose I won’t have much time for it anyway.

I just bought a Wii, and like Omar, I love playing Punch Out. It is amazing how simple, yet how difficult, yet how re-playable it is. So far I have not been able to get past the second coming of Bald Bull.

“Left 4 Dead” PC is $20 tomorrow on Amazon. You have no excuse not to grab it: http://www.joystiq.com/2008/11/27/amazons-incredible-black-friday-deals-and-newegg-too/

New Wii stuff:

WiiWare
SPACE INVADERS GET EVEN — (Taito, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): The Space Invaders are back, and this time they’re out to get even. Take control of a UFO and make those Earthlings pay by unleashing your fleet of heroic invaders against their puny tanks, fighter jets and artillery—but watch out for the massive boss awaiting you at the end of each stage. Use your invaders’ five attack types and the might of the mother ship to rack up high scores, then upload them via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and see where you stand in the global rankings. (Note: Router and broadband access required for online play. For more info, visit http://www.nintendo.com.)

Pit Crew Panic! — (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Pit Crew Panic! is a frantic, action-packed game that unfolds on the racing circuit. During the game, the pit crew is not only faced with repairing vehicles, but also various WHATSITs. Handling the WHATSIT repairs is a pit crew made up of legendary beauties. The controls are simple: Just grab a member of the crew with the Wii Remote controller’s A Button, then release the button when the Pointer is over the damaged PART, and that crew member will begin repairs. Assign repairs to the members of your team and provide support using the Wii Remote to send a fully repaired WHATSIT out of the pit as quickly as you can. The game features Normal mode, which can be played using one of two rules: Abnormal mode (players split into two teams and compete against each other) and Ranking mode (compete with players around the world for the top record). Each mode can be played with a maximum of four Wii Remote controllers, allowing you to team up with friends and family. Your teamwork could lead to outstanding records.

Virtual Console
METAL SLUG 2 — (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Blood and Gore, Violence, 900 Wii Points)

Is there seriously going to be a re-release of all the Metal Slug games on VC? Was there even a point to compiling the Metal Slug Anthology two years ago?

New ones:

WiiWare
Bruiser and Scratch — (Steel Penny Games, Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Bruiser and Scratch are stranded in a strange world with a dark secret. Their only hope in finding a path home is to unravel the mystery of this place, one oversized puzzle at a time. Along the way, they make new friends and meet up with old adversaries, each of whom plays a role in their journey. Bruiser and Scratch offers a number of tutorial levels to bring the player up to speed gradually. The story unfolds over 48 puzzles and six landscapes. And for players who can’t get enough, Challenge mode offers 75 additional puzzles that range from child’s play to mind-bogglingly difficult.

Hockey Allstar Shootout — (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Use the Wii Remote controller as a stick and take the shot as you compete in three exciting Hockey Skills Challenges. In Head 2 Head, it’s just you versus the best goalies in the world in a five-puck shootout. Race against the clock to post the most goals in the fastest time. The three difficulty levels will place you against three increasingly talented goalies, each donning the jersey of their home country. In two-player mode, each player will take a turn as shooter and as goalie, and the player who scores the most goals in five shots is the winner. In Sharp Shooter, you post a high score in one of three difficulty levels by breaking as many targets as you can. Each time a shot fails to break a target, an X will appear in the upper left corner. Three misses and the game is over. Power Shot has you take your best shot and watch the Shot-Speed Clock light up. You have three attempts to blast the fastest shot you can, and only the best speeds will grace the high score list.

Virtual Console
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 — (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points)

TF2 announcements at their blog: Scout is the next class to get an class pack (woo!). Spy and Engineer will be getting immediate tweaks (woooooo!!).

For those who are interested, Rhythm Tengoku Gold for DS is the new Cocaine.

New Wii stuff:

WiiWare
Strong Bad Episode 5: 8-Bit Is Enough — (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,000 Wii Points): Trogdor, the beefy-armed dragon of legend, has shaken free from his video game and is running through the countryside, “burninating” everything in sight. With a dragon on the loose and 8-bit classics leaking into the real world, it’s all fun and games until the proud land of Strong Badia falls to Trogdor’s fiery wrath. Now Strong Bad must take back the night by sending this scorching menace back into his arcade cabinet once and for all. Just one problem: Does anybody know how to kill a dragon?

Big Kahuna Party — (Reflexive Entertainment Inc., 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Embark on a tropical adventure with the explosively charged Big Kahuna Party. Looking to make the ultimate party game, we started with a concept that’s accessible to the whole family—the popular match-three game. On top of that, we crafted a unique multiplayer experience in which you can choose to work together to complete the challenging levels before the timer runs out, or go head-to-head and compete in a frenzy of fun. To top it off, we added 99 uniquely free-flowing levels, the challenging Tiki Pole, 20 hidden tropical sea creatures to unlock, the strategic Fish Net and more. The result is a family party game like no other, easy to pick up but impossible to put down. Play alone or with friends, and unleash the Tiki spirit within.

Virtual Console
Enduro Racer — (SEGA Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points)

Can someone recommend a decent gamepad for the PC? The one I have is the Recoil, a generic $20 Wal-Mart special that (fun fact!) Wal-Mart continues to sell despite the manufacturer going under and no longer offering support. It has numerous exciting features: unresponsive buttons that ensure failure at rapid button-mashing contests; thumbsticks that randomly lock themselves into left or right movement; many other features that are not available under Vista and never will be with the company’s demise.

I’ve heard that you can use XBox 360’s controller on PC, but none of the details. Can you use it with any game that supports a gamepad (i.e. is it programmable?), or does it have to be a Windows LIVE game? I’d hate to drop $50 on a controller and only be able to use it for two or three games.

I don’t know if they’re considered “decent” anymore, but I still have my wireless Logitech Wingman for the rare occasions that I need a gamepad. It has six face buttons, four shoulder buttons and a throttle control, plus two analog thumbsticks and rumble.

The Xbox controller (wired as is or wireless with some special thing) works with anything.

Thanks, Glark. I was already predisposed towards it. I like the ergonomics of it. It feels all happy in my hands.

The adapter thingy is only about $19, so probably cheaper than getting another controller if you already have an Xbox wireless anyway. Haven’t tried it myself, though. Let me know how it works out.

WiiWare
Tiki Towers — (RealArcade, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Tiki Towers is a game of construction, destruction, problem-solving and monkeys. Reclaim the islands of your tribe by defeating a series of evil enemy chiefs. Work with your monkey friends to build towers out of bamboo poles, coconuts and vines. Match wits against the enemy chiefs bent on destroying your towers and driving you from the islands. Navigate levels filled with crazy building challenges, and deal with unfriendly wildlife and other environmental obstacles. Get your monkeys to chant for the BananaMana necessary to counter enemy attacks. Play in either single-player or two-player cooperative mode in this game where monkeys rule.

Fun! Fun! Minigolf — (Shin’en Multimedia, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): Play minigolf with your friends in beautiful environments. Choose a character and turn your Wii Remote controller into a golf club. With its easy-to-use controls, all you need to do is aim, swing and see who’s the best putter. Play 27 holes spread across America, Asia and Europe. Enjoy exotic locations all over the world. Go for gold in single-player mode, or invite your friends. Fun! Fun! Minigolf supports up to four players. You can use one to four Wii Remote controllers. Fun! Fun! Minigolf is the ultimate party game for everyone.

Virtual Console
Phantasy Star IV — (SEGA GENESIS, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Fantasy Violence, Mild Sexual Themes, 800 Wii Points)

There were sexual themes in Phantasy Star IV? Were there actual themes, or are they just assuming they’re there because once you’ve seen a hentai image you’ll never look at anime art the same again, to the point where a picture of Sailor Moon makes you scream, “AUGH! TENTACLES!” and attempt to gouge out your eyes.

Or is that just me?

It’s, uh, definitely just you. Totally. And not me at all.

Well, as far as the XBox 360 controller on the PC: there is actually a PC-ready controller that bundles with the USB adaptor and is a bit cheaper than purchasing the controller and the adaptor separately. Coincidentally, no store will have this bundle in stock, but they will all be more than happy to sell you the two items separately.

As far as compatibility, newer games work great with it. Most of them automatically sense the 360 controller and configure it. In fact, Dead Space and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows will ONLY work with the 360 controller (or mouse/keyboard).

Older games? Not so much. When mapping buttons, the left and right triggers will often not work.

Dear gourd, I am dangerous when I’m bored. And have Best Buy gift cards. Can anyone offer up any PS3 survival tips for the kn00b?

(In case you were wondering, yes, kn00b is a cross between n00b and knob.)

I’d say definitely get the PS3/blu-ray remote. It’s worth the price. As for games, Little Big Planet is a must-own. Been having a lot of fun this week with Motorstorm: Pacific Rift - I like it much more than the original, which felt too floaty and had a boring color palette.

My brother got Guitar Hero World Tour, which was my first actual exposure to the whole GH thing. It was quite awesome, thank you very much. Our band, which included a punk rawker, an emo guy, and a 70’s lounge lizard, kicked much butt. He only had the controllers for guitar and bass, but will be getting the vocals and drums soon.

WiiWare
Maboshi’s Arcade — (Nintendo, 1-3 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Featuring three distinct modes and simultaneous play across three game windows, the constantly changing environment of Maboshi’s Arcade creates an atmosphere unlike any other. Each of the modes is based on one of three familiar shapes (circle, stick and square) and offers the same goal: score a million points. Use the intuitive controls to bash enemies in Circle mode, weave your way through Stick mode or burn a path around obstacles in Square mode—all while dealing with power-up items and keeping watch on which effects the other game windows may have on your own. Also featuring Mii characters, action replays that you can send to your Wii Friends via WiiConnect24, and the ability to download a version to a Nintendo DS, you may never want to leave this arcade.

Cue Sports – Pool Revolution — (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Grab your Wii Remote controller and take a shot at this virtual billiard game. Enjoy match-ups, playing classic favorites such as 9 Ball, 8 Ball, Rotation and Snooker, as well as walk-through trick shots in Puzzle mode. Connect to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (Nintendo WFC) to go head-to-head with your friends, or even hustle opponents across the world in Nintendo WFC match-ups. This game offers two types of controls, allowing you to virtually strike the cue ball with your Wii Remote controller or use the buttons to adjust the strength of your shot and then strike. Hone your skills in Practice mode, learning all the cool techniques you need to be a true hustler. Use the edit feature to create your own challenge and nail the trick shot you’ve always dreamed of sinking. Pull off an amazing shot and show everyone who’s the biggest shark in the pool.

Virtual Console
Zoda’s Revenge: StarTropics II — (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points)

I finally got GTA IV for the PC, and it’s every bit as awesome as I could have hoped. Surly Russians for the win, Alex.

I’ve also started playing WoW on a private server, which means no monthly fees. The server is accessible through mgawow.co.uk. It hasn’t upgraded to Lich King yet and is still fairly lightly populated, but is picking up quite a few people.

WiiWare
Sandy Beach — (Konami, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy a fun day at Sandy Beach as you build elaborate sand castles. You can work peacefully on your sand castle or enter into a battle with invading crabs in Crab Battle mode. Players will strategically build their sand castle and use cannons to defend it against an army of destructive crabs. After successfully defending your sand castle, discover beach treasures and additional cannons with your metal detector to customize your castle even more.

Virtual Console
Kirby’s Dream Land 3 — (Super NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points)

I recently acquired an Apple/Bandai Pippin AtWorld console. Looking forward to actually finding some titles to play on it now.

Am I the last guy in the US to get one of these?