What is Your Metascore?

Yes we are talking to you.  We are not interested in what developers and publishers are shooting for (obviously they want a very high score).  Read more

Are Hardcore Gamers Buying the Nintendo Wii?

I consider myself to be a hardcore gamer.  I’m currently playing the PS3, Xbox 360 and PSP with a touch of PC gaming to keep things spicy.  It’s well documented that the Nintendo Wii no longer caters to the traditional hardcore gamers that have made it so successful in the past and the most recent Nintendo press conference at E3 did nothing to win the hearts and minds of the Nintendo faithful.  We all know that the Wii is being snatched up by casual gamers who like to have a gaming system around that is easy to learn and increasingly trendy.  Sure Wii Sports can be fun – if you are drinking with your friends or trying to show Mom and Dad that games aren’t intimidating and overly violent.  However, I still can’t bring myself to buy one.  The graphics leave much to be desired, the games offered are almost laughable in their immaturity and the only carrot that Nintendo has dangled for the hardcore is an casual remark that Mario and Zelda games are in development.  Well no kidding.

In my experience the gamers that read these sites, watch E3 and actually pay attention to news in the gaming industry typically fall into the hardcore gamer demographic.  I don’t see my Mom hitting the forums and message boards and commenting on posts with fiery passion.  Nintendo has forgotten about the fans that brought them to where they are today and helped them survive a pretty weak system in the Gamecube.  Where would they be today without the support of their most loyal fanbase?  Would the Wii even have seen the light of day?

So my question for you, as hardcore gamers, is do you own a Wii?  Sure there are some great games there: Zelda: Twighlight Princess, Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.  But what else are you playing?  Are you really buying Wii Fit and excited about Wii Music?

For years I was a loyal Nintendo fan.  I grew up on Mario and Zelda.  I still remember the excitement of getting my first Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64.  I regret that those days of unbridled enthusiasm for everything Nintendo are gone.  Nintendo has done little, if anything, to remind me that it still has gamers interests in mind.  Like all major corporations that stumble upon a big idea at the right time, it is now more about exploiting that idea and making as much money as possible.  I guess I can’t fault them for that.  It’s what corporations (and people in general, do).  However, I do think that by turning their back on the hardcore fanbase that kept them alive for so many years they are taking a risk.  If they believe that the casual gamers will be ready to move on when a Wii HD is inevitably announced they may find that the market in which they now operate isn’t as prepared to buy another Wii…

So tell us, if you are a hardcore gamer do you have a Wii?  Do you own any of the other systems?  What games are you playing on the Wii?  Do you still trust Nintendo to deliver the gaming experiences you want?

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Nintendo Fanboy Weekly: Oct 16 – Oct 22 – Nintendo Wii. Wii Fanboy Review: Tetris Party We play it and offer our two cents; Top 5: Castlevania Games Our weekly column offers up the top Castlevania games; It’s-a Mario World: Fan Art We celebrate the great Mario fan art on the … Wii Fanboy presents: Game Night – Welcome to Game Night, a fun activity where we (the staff) and you (the reader) get together and enjoy the multiplayer games available on the Nintendo Wii and DS, every Thursday evening. We meet in a chat room (which you can access by … Nintendo Wii Finder – Rising Demand for Wii Finder Websites – The Nintendo Wii can not be found in any retail store and it is causing my shoppers to go online. Many of them are resorting to services like this Wii … We’re Giving Away a Nintendo Wii! – We’re probably starting to bore you guys with all our free give-aways but we can’t help ourselves so here’s another one. Who wants to win a brand new in the box Nintendo Wii and a $50 free game voucher to top it off? You do! … Wii Availability – The Nintendo Wii is the playing console that has the highest demand since it has … http://www.scribd.com/doc/499426/wii-availability. wii+avalability … Time is running out to get your free Wii Opera-powered browser – Just a few days are left for you to get the Opera browser free for the Nintendo Wii. Starting on Sunday the Wii Opera-powered browser will cost 500 Wii points or roughly $5 (US) to download. If you’re lucky enough to own a Wii and … Review My Blog – Get A Free Linkback and A Free Nintendo Wii! – Yes you Read that Right, Review My Blog and Get A Free Linkback and A Free Nintendo Wii … well at least a chance to Win A Free Nintendo Wii! Dot Com Mogul John Chow has created one of the best ways to get feedback about any website by … Earn $1 Million By Not Buying a Nintendo Wii! – It’s true! You can earn $1000000 by not buying a Nintendo Wii! What? You don’t believe me? All right. Let’s look at the numbers and see if I can show you how not buying a Nintendo Wii (and a few key accessories along the way) can earn … Wii Fanboy Review: The Incredible Maze – Filed under: Reviews, WiiWare. The Incredible Maze is based on a simple, solid game concept: the wooden “labyrinth” toy. You know the one: you turn dials to tilt a wooden maze so that a ball rolls to the destination point without … retro nes skin for the nintendo wii – If you’re feeling nostalgic for the game systems of the 80’s, but still want all that the latest consoles have to offer, look no further than the Retro Revolution skin for the Nintendo Wii. DecalGirl’s 8-bit NES skin for the Wii is made … why the nintendo wii is a glorified board game – wii board game collection. i’ve had a thought mulling around my brain for the past few weeks regarding the nintendo wii, but i thought it too crazy to bring up here. after all, i’m trying to run a somewhat legitimate blog here–or at … Buy Nintendo Wii Online – 3 Smart Shopping Tips You Can Use To Buy … – With US retail supplies still severely limited, your best bet – if you want a Wii, is to buy Nintendo Wii online now. Don’t wait until the rush of the …

NHL 2009 Unveils Revolutionary New Feature

Arguably the best sports game released in 2007 is set to return with a vengeance in 2008.  Already the recipient of much praise from journalists at IGN and 1Up, Electronic Arts’ Vancouver Studio has reinvigorated hockey for gamers with their innovative “skill stick.”  So what is new for NHL 2009?  Is it just going to be another roster update with a few extra skating animations thrown in?  The answer is a resounding no.  Once again, the NHL franchise will be pushing the thinking forward for sports games, integrating a new and very exciting feature called the EA Sports Hockey League (EASHL).  Really rolls off the tongue doesn’t it?  Ok, maybe not.  For millions of hockey fans that live and breathe hockey, this may be the feature that you have been waiting for.  For all other sports fans, you can bet that the NHL test bed for this idea will find itself soon in Madden, Fifa and many more EA titles to come.

So what exactly is the EASHL?  It isn’t just another online mode…it’s basically an introduction of RPG elements into the sports genre with a dash of MMO for flavour.  In the EASHL, you take control of your own player and you (yes you, it is your name on the back of that jersey and your real name that appears on the leaderboards – not your gamertag), play online and are graded on your performance.  With the new performance tracker feature, you are graded on how well you play hockey, not on how well you play a video game.  A new system for tracking your progress and skills allows players to “level up” their hockey player by attributing skill points and improving stats…just like an RPG.  Perform well on a consistent basis and your hulking power forward will improve with you.

When you first begin there will be 10 player types to choose from across 3 categories of players:

Forwards: dangler, grinder, playmaker, power forward, sniper
Defensemen: defensive defenseman, offensive defenseman
Goalies: stand up, hybrid, butterfly

Want to be the next Sidney Crosby?  Become a playmaker.  Think you may be the next coming of Patrick Roy…choose a butterfly style goalie.  Point is, you get to tailor your own player and make him into a superstar…that is, if you have the skills to back it up.

So how do the RPG elements work?  As you play online with your created skater you will be awarded hockey cards which give you points to spend on your player’s growth in three areas: offense, defense, and athleticism for skaters and reflexes, puck control, and athleticism for goalies.  You may choose to level up your player across any of the three areas.  Even better, if you decide at any point in your career to change player types you retain all of the points you have earned and can redistribute your skill points to the new player type.

So how is it like an MMO?  All of this player development takes place online in the EASHL with teams made up entirely of gamers just like you.  You will have to work with your team and play your position if you are to have any chance of winning.  Players can emerge online as snipers, grinders or shutdown defensive specialists.  Best of all, it will be your name the opponents fear.  As you prove yourself online you will ascend the leaderboards and can challenge for the distinction of being the best player in the game at your position.  For once the leaderboards truly will mean something.

For anyone that has ever played a sports game this has to come as exciting news.  Finally, gamers have the chance to prove themselves in a system that rewards the player for playing better than everyone else.  Maybe it will finally help answer the question that all sports fans ask…who is the best?

If you want to learn more about the game be sure to check out the official NHL 2009 website here.

Bungie Plays it Safe

Is it just me or was the recent revelation that Bungie Studios is rumoured to be announcing a Halo prequel very disappointing? Are gamers really ready for another installment with Halo 3 still fresh in our minds? Sure the Halo franchise has been great ride. I’ll be the first to admit I played and won them all within 24 hours of their release dates. But I can’t help but wish that Bungie, newly separated from Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), would put their immense talent into developing a new intellectual property. Something we have never seen before. They are basically the forefathers of the modern day first person shooter on consoles. With so much creative talent one can only imagine what other pet projects they have on the backburner or filed away in a desk somewhere.

With that being said, what has led to this decision to retread old ground?

Is Bungie continuing to work on the Halo franchise because the fans are demanding it? Do you, as a gamer, want another adventure with Master Chief? For me the answer is no. I think Bungie did a good job of wrapping up the story (if you want to call it that) and left the franchise on a high note with Halo 3. The multiplayer was amazing and still ranks in the top 3 most played games on Xbox Live month after month. Truthfully, I’m just not sure there are many new directions to take this franchise…and I fear it will only lead to disappointment in the future.

Maybe it’s part of the deal signed with Microsoft when they struck out to be independent. Perhaps they were only permitted to distance themselves from MGS if they promised to continue developing games exclusively for the Xbox 360 for a certain number of years. That would certainly make sense for a company like Microsoft strictly from a business perspective. In effect, Bungie would be unable to develop games for rivals Nintendo or Sony. The console wars continue…unless the unthinkable happens to Xbox 360 fanboys and the game is announced for multiple platforms (retribution at hand for Sony fans perhaps?)

Heck, it may just be that Bungie loves Master Chief and the Halo universe so much that they are eager to visit it again. For some reason, I think this may not be the case. They have worked on Halo games now for the better part of a decade. It’s like eating macaroni and cheese every day. Sure you love mac and cheese, but on the one day you are offered the chance for a hamburger wouldn’t you take it?  I don’t think Bungie was allowed to reach for that burger…at least not yet.

Regardless of the reasons a new Halo game is on the way. And that only leaves one question remaining…are you happy about the upcoming game that is essentially Halo 4? Is this something you wished for every time you saw a falling star? You know what I think already. Let’s hear what you have to say.

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Too Human Demo: Vindication for Denis Dyack

Everyone knows the long and sordid history of Silicon Knights’ new game for the Xbox 360, Too Human.  It had a terrible showing at E3 in 2006, is part of a huge lawsuit against Unreal 3 engine maker Epic Games and is being led by one of the industries most outspoken individuals in Denis Dyack.  Since that poor showing in 2006 Too Human has been on its heels trying to repair the damage done by an on-floor demo that was crippled by an incomplete Unreal Engine and in a form not ready to be seen by the public.  For Dyack, this battle has raged on now for almost 3 years…and is finally about to come to its dramatic conclusion.  The game is finally releasing in August of 2008 and, as promised, Canada’s own Silicon Knights have released a demo for a game many not only expect to fail, but want to fail.  Dyack has ruffled enough feathers and talked enough game to rile up the most outspoken gamers in the community.  The question now is, did Dyack deliver a hit, or is it another Haze?

Once I fired up the game I was already impressed with the visuals.  This has been a point of contention on the net with many claiming that the game looks no better than PS2 games with sparse envirnoment and terrible character models.  Well, no, it certainly doesn’t look like a PS2 game.  I have just come off playing some of the best games that the PS2 has to offer in God of War 2, Okami and MGS2.  Too Human takes them all to school.  The art design is excellent and the norse setting make for a truly unique game world.  Character models look good, not great.  Certainly, Too Human should not be confused with the visual powerhouses of the industry – think Gears of War 2 and Killzone 2.  However, the game manages to have its own style and it works well here.

In the demo only one character class is unlocked, but you can access all of them through some easter eggs that the Silicon team threw in there.  If you want to try all the classes, here is how you do it:

1. Disconnect from Xbox Live.
2. In the Dashboard go to System blade > Console Settings > Clock
3. Go to “Date and Time” and change the year from 2008 to 2009
4. Launch the Too Human Demo
5. By changing the date you have already unlocked the Berserker and Commando classes
6. To play as the Defender or Bio-Engineer position the screen on that character class.  Then simultaneously flick the left thumbstick right and press A, to play the demo as a Defender or Bio-Engineer

Sounds complicated but its as easy as pie.  Definitely check out all the classes.  I’ve now gone through and played the demo with all of them and they are all unique with very different sets of abilities.

Now, the important part.  How is the gameplay?  Does the fixed camera work?  Is it fun to play?  Well, the short answer to all those questions is yes.  As Dyack has been claiming all along, you really need to experience Too Human before you will understand it and how it plays.  I’m inclined now to agree with him.  Watching countless videos and looking through screenshots isn’t going to convey how this game feels, and it feels great.  Using the right thumbstick to attack with the triggers as guns is not only intuitive, but is surprisingly deep.  The combo system and air juggling turned out to be far more robust than I imagined and had a great time dispatching the hordes of cybernetic enemies that litter the screen.  Many people have worried that the combat may be too simplistic, but I would challenge that notion after having played the game.  I only played about 45 min of the demo with a low level character and was still learning the intricacies of the combat as I tried each character class.

Check out the video to learn more about the game from Dyack himself:

The bottom line is that Silicon Knights has delivered.  While it won’t be the most graphically impressive game to arrive this year, the unique combat system, incredibly deep loot and customization system and what appears could be an engaging story all add up to an experience that I am officially excited to begin.  I have to give Dyack credit.  His game is good.  My only hope is that enough people give it a chance so the trilogy can be completed.  Before you write this game off be sure to try the demo.  It may change your mind faster than you think.  I already pre-ordered the game…let’s make it the success it deserves to be!

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Kiefer Sutherland to star in Call of Duty: World at War

What could possibly make the next installment in the Call of Duty franchise more exciting than the announcement that Kiefer Sutherland will be the games protagonist.  Best known for playing super badass Jack Bauer in the television show “24,” the addition of Kiefer to the Treyarch (not Infinity Ward, the team behind Call of Duty 4) developed game makes it far more intriguing already.  It will be interesting to see how his character will be integrated into the game, especially since it takes place in multiple locales.  Let’s just hope that Kiefer can get himself into a situation that requires his unique 24 style interrogation techniques…

MEGATON: Final Fantasy XIII announced for Xbox 360

A day that will live in infamy.

Just in, Square Enix President and CEO Yoichi Wada has just announced at E3 that Final Fantasy XIII is coming to the Xbox 360.  This is a massive coup for Microsoft that has been trying for years to get the legendary franchise onto the console.

Obviously, more details to come.  The internet just exploded with this news.  Don’t believe me (because it is that unbelievable) then you can see the announcement yourself below.

Late to the Party: Metal Gear Solid 2 – Substance

It’s hard not to get caught up in the media storm surrounding the release of Metal Gear Solid 4.  What I find most intriguing about the series is how polarized the opinions can be.  Read more

E3 Countdown Begins…Time for all 3 Platforms to Show their Hands

As all gamers know, the biggest and most interesting game conference is just around the corner.  As is always the case, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft will bringing out the big guns and showing the world why their console is the best.  Expect big new game announcements, new peripherals, firmware upgrades, movie services and the list goes on.

Check out just a few of the rumoured announcements that are making the rounds:

• PS3 and Xbox 360 have motion control on the way
• Halo 4 is in development already by Bungie
• Final Fantasy XIII will be there
• Alan Wake may be there
• the Xbox 360 will introduce a motion controlled dashboard (like seen in Minority Report)

And the list goes on.  This is the big industry event that sends game journalists into an over-stimulated frenzy.  Every year there are surprises that catch everyone off guard and the anticipation for the event can be felt throughout the gaming community.  You’d be hard pressed to find a gaming site that doesn’t have full blown, insane coverage of E3.

That being said, IGN has some awesome countdowns for the most exciting parts of E3….the press conferences for Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.  Make sure you don’t miss them.  It would suck to miss Peter Jackson walk out with an assault rifle only to announce his next movie is Halo.

Microsoft E3 2008 Press Conference Coverage at IGN

Nintendo E3 2008 Press Conference Coverage at IGN

Sony E3 2008 Press Conference Coverage at IGN

So sit back and relax…or get more excited with each passing second. The countdowns certainly don’t hurt the anticipation…