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August 2009 Archives

August 3, 2009

Game Releases - G.I. Joe, Ninja Turtles, Mothership Zeta, Daisy Fuentes, Hannah Montana, Sexy Poker and Queen

Early adopters of the Nintendo DSi may want to download an update later today that adds limited Facebook integration (basically, all you can do is push a button to transmit pics taken with the DSi camera to a linked Facebook photo album). Here's what is due for release for PC, portables and consoles this week (plus some recent releases that slipped in late last week):

  • DS: DSi Facebook update, 8-Ball All Stars, Art Style: Precipice (DSiWare), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Reversal Challenge
  • iPhone: iPhone OS 3.0.1 security update (get this to block a bad SMS vulnerability!), Crazy Monkey Spin, Double Maze, Gomi, iEscaper!, Lifeboat, Minigore, Nano Rally, Nex, Play Marbles, Space Invaders Inifinity Gene, Spy Bot Chronicles and Wild Wild Train
  • PC: 50 Classic Games, Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta (online only) and Hearts of Iron III
  • PS2: Aliens in the Attic, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and SingStar: Queen
  • PS3: Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and SingStar: Queen
  • PSP: Aliens in the Attic, Brave: A Warrior's Tale, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Hannah Montana: Rock Out the Show
  • Wii: Brave: A Warrior's Tale, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Overturn (WiiWare), Real Heroes: Firefighter, Sexy Poker (WiiWare), Tecmo Bowl (Virtual Console) and World Championship Athletics
  • Xbox 360: Brave: A Warrior's Tale, Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3, Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta (online only), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled (Arcade)
So, what will you be picking up - or is this week a pass? Any games we missed? Please let us know...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 3, 2009 9:23 AM | | Comments (0)

Wii and DS Stuff - Overturn, Sexy Poker, Tecmo Bowl, Spinal Tap, Foo Fighters and Facebook photo upload

Here are this week's downloads, demos and videos for the Wii and Nintendo DS:

  • WiiWare: Overturn ($8) and Sexy Poker ($5)
  • Virtual Console: Tecmo Bowl for Arcade ($6)
  • DSiWare: Art Style: Precipice ($5), plus the DSi Facebook photo upload system update
  • Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, Aug. 4) "N.I.B.," "Sweet Leaf" and "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath (covers), "Doll," "Enough Space," "February Stars," "Hey, Johnny Park!," "Monkey Wrench," "My Hero," "My Poor Brain," "New Way Home," "See You," "Up in Arms," "Walking After You" and "Wind Up" by Foo Fighters, and "(Funky) Sex Farm," "(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Stylee)," "America," "Big Bottom," "Cups and Cakes," "Gimme Some Money," "Heavy Duty," "Hell Hole," "Rock 'n' Roll Creation," "Stonehenge" and "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" by Spinal Tap
  • DS Demos (via Wii): Repeats including Fossil Fighters, Mega Man Star Force 3 CrimsonMeteor Battle Card and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
  • Game Videos: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, The Conduit, Cursed Mountain, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, Overturn, Red Steel 2, Rock Band Country Track Pack, Sexy Poker, Spore Hero, Wii Sports Resort, WireWay and DSiWare roundup

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 3, 2009 11:04 AM | | Comments (1)

August 5, 2009

Patch This Game - World of Warcraft

If you've been away from World of Warcraft for a spell, you might be surprised when you next boot it up and patch to v3.2. Here are some highlights on this game-changing update:

  • A Crusaders' Coliseum offering new trials
  • The Isle of Conquest, a 40 vs. 40 siege battleground
  • Expandions to Argent Tournament and the PvP Dalaran Sewers
  • PvP experience (can be turned off for 10 gold)
  • Dungeon loot can be traded for up to 2 hours with eligible raid or group members
  • Dungeon and raid instances can be extended on an individual basis
  • Level 20 players can have mounts
  • New druid art
  • Many more tweaks and changes
Review the full release notes....

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 5, 2009 9:44 AM | | Comments (0)

Beta Watch - Huxley and Star Trek Online

Two MMO betas, two different ways to get in. If you've ever wanted to try a first-person shooter MMO, the closed beta for Huxley: The Dystopia is free now to all FilePlanet account holders (even free ones, apparently!) in the U.S. and Canada. Just login and create a beta account. If you want in on the eventual Star Trek Online closed beta (no date given), you're definitely going to have to pay to play. Entry will be granted to anyone who buys a $60 six-month or $200 lifetime membership to the Champions Online superhero MMO. As a bonus, lifetime Champions members will get a free Mirror Universe costume pack for Star Trek Online...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 5, 2009 11:50 AM | | Comments (0)

August 6, 2009

PlayStation Store - Call of Duty and Call of Juarez map packs, Arkham Asylum demo and Infamous Sackboy

Here's what is new at the PlayStation Store this week (hint: You'll want to go get the Batman: Arkham Asylum demo!):

  • Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 ($10)
  • Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack ($10)
  • Crystal Defenders ($10)
  • TV Show King ($10)
  • LittleBigPlanet Infamous costume ($2)
  • GTI Club+ car pack ($2) adds Abarth 500, BMW Mini Cooper, Peugeot 207 GT and VW Polo GTI
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 Cog Hill Golf & CC ($5)
  • Savage Moon Waldgeist add-on ($5)
  • Cross Edge packs (free to $2 each)
  • Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires Additional Music Set 3 (free)
  • Qore Episode 15 ($3 or $25 for annual subscription) features Katamari Forever, Mag, Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 and Tekken 6
  • Guitar Hero World Tour track ($2) "Camel's Night Out" by Eric Johnson
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Spinal Tap Tap Ten Pack ($18 or $2 each) with "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight," "Stonehenge," "Rock 'n' Roll Creation," "Cups & Cakes," "Gimme Some Money," "Hell Hole," "America," "Heavy Duty," "Big Bottom," "(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Style)" and "(Funky) Sex Farm"
  • PSP: Dynasty Warriors ($15), Hannah Montana: Rock Out The Show add-ons (all free) and Rock Band Unplugged tracks ($2 each) "Had a Dad" by Jane's Addiction and "Renegade" by Styx
  • Demos: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Crystal Defenders, Rag Doll Kung Fu and Worms
  • Game Videos: G Force, Mini Ninjas, TV Show King, Unbound Saga and Watchmen The End Is Nigh Part 2
  • Themes: College Football ($2 each)

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 6, 2009 4:58 PM | | Comments (0)

Xbox Live Marketplace - Mothership Zeta, Turtles Re-Shelled, Call of Duty and Call of Juarez map packs and Arkham Asylum demo

The big news for this week for Xbox 360 owners is the launch of Games on Demand (available now for those who received the dashboard preview, next week for everyone else).

It's worth noting that while downloadable games are a great convenience (no more waiting for stores to open or even leaving the house!), they do have a few gotchas. They are usually more expensive than used games, there's no resale value and the games are tied to the console you purchase it on for offline use (and your gamertag if you're able to get online). Plus you have to sacrifice hard drive space (nearly 6GB for Oblivion, which does NOT appear to be the fully loaded Game of the Year edition), so you may need to pay for bigger/more proprietary hard drives if you buy a lot of big games.

With all that in mind, here's what is new on Xbox Live Marketplace this week:

  • Arcade: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled ($10)
  • Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta ($10)
  • Call of Duty: World at War Map Pack 3 ($10)
  • Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Old West Map Pack ($10)
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 Cog Hill Golf & CC ($5)
  • Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires Additional Music Set 3 (free)
  • Marvel vs. Capcom 2 video strategy guides ($1 each)
  • Guitar Hero World Tour track ($2) "Camel's Night Out" by Eric Johnson
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Spinal Tap Tap Ten Pack ($18 or $2 each) with "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight," "Stonehenge," "Rock 'n' Roll Creation," "Cups & Cakes," "Gimme Some Money," "Hell Hole," "America," "Heavy Duty," "Big Bottom," "(Listen to the) Flower People (Reggae Style)" and "(Funky) Sex Farm"
  • Lips tracks ($2 each) "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" by Chris Brown, "It's Not The Fall That Hurts" by Caesars and "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross
  • Games on Demand (available now for preview invitees): Assassin's Creed ($30), BioShock ($30), Call of Duty 2 ($30), The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ($30), Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga ($30), Mass Effect ($20), Need for Speed Carbon ($20), Sonic the Hedgehog ($20) and Viva Piñata ($20)
  • Demo: Batman: Arkham Asylum (added late Thursday night)
  • Indie Games (usually $2.50-$10 each): CardArcade, Extreme RPS Online, GhastlyGhouls, Mayan Countdown, The Oracle, Reef Rave, Spaceman, Spectra Musical Massage and 尊い犠牲 Ultimate Sacrifice
  • Game Videos: Aliens vs. Predator, Alpha Protocol, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Chaotic Shadow Warriors, Darksiders: Wrath of War, Fallout 3 Mothership Zeta, Gears of War 2, Guitar Hero 5, Madden NFL '10 and The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
  • Themes: Call of Duty: World at War Premium ($3), Section 8 ($2) and Final Destination 4 (free)
  • Pictures: 1 vs. 100 (free; enters you in sweepstakes), King of Fighters XII ($1 each) and Final Destination 4 (free; one enters you in sweepstakes)

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 6, 2009 5:19 PM | | Comments (0)

August 7, 2009

Free Stuff Friday - Halo Helljumper and Gears of War Sourcebook comics

Halo Helljumper    Gears of War Sourcebook
This week's Free Stuff Friday is for fans of comics and shooter games.

Halo Helljumper #1 is the start of a new series that explores the realm of Human/Covenant conflict through the eyes of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs).

Gears of War Sourcebook features the intriguing backstory of Dominic penned by Joshua Ortega and an expressive art gallery, all in one.

You can enter for both of these comics, or whichever one suits your tastes. One note: Generosity may be rewarded with a mystery bonus item (as it was last week!). So if you aren't really into Gears of War, play only for the Halo comic - or vice versa. But if you really do love both worlds, both comics could be your prize.

Here's how to enter:

Continue reading "Free Stuff Friday - Halo Helljumper and Gears of War Sourcebook comics" »

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 7, 2009 12:00 AM | | Comments (78)

August 10, 2009

Game Releases - Madden NFL '10, Civilization Revolution for iPhone and not much else

If you're not a Madden fan, this might be a good week to dig up those unopened games you've stashed away or raid the used game bins at your local videogame store. Here's what is due for release for PC, portables and consoles this week (plus some recent releases that slipped in late last week):

  • DS: Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters (DSiWare), C.O.R.E., Fossil Fighters, Imagine: Soccer Captain, Monster Mayhem: Build and Battle and Sky Pirates of Neo Terra
  • iPhone: Call of Duty: World at War Companion, Civilization Revolution, The Deep Pinball, Dungeon Scroll, iNetHack, Mini Golf Wacky Worlds, NFL 2010, Pac-Man Remix, Paper Toss World Tour, Q-Bert Deluxe, Simon the Sorcerer 1 and Skabooki
  • PC: Death to Spies: Moment of Truth, Joint Operations Complete Collection, Polar Sports Vol. 1, Still Life 2 and Texas Cheat 'Em
  • PS2: Madden NFL '10
  • PS3: Madden NFL '10 and Marvel vs. Capcom 2
  • PSP: Madden NFL '10
  • Wii: Active Life: Extreme Challenge, Madden NFL '10, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits (WiiWare), Phantom Brave: We Meet Again, Rock N Roll Climber (WiiWare) and Super Star Wars (Virtual Console)
  • Xbox 360: Madden NFL '10 and Trials HD (Arcade)
So, what will you be picking up - or is this week a pass? Any games we missed? Please let us know...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 10, 2009 8:50 AM | | Comments (1)

Wii and DS Stuff - NyxQuest, Super Star Wars, Rock N Roll Climber and Brain Age Express

Here are this week's downloads, demos and videos for the Wii and Nintendo DS:

  • WiiWare: NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits ($10) and Rock N Roll Climber ($8)
  • Virtual Console: Super Star Wars for Super NES ($8)
  • DSiWare: Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters ($8)
  • Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, Aug. 11) "Dammit," "Down," "Feeling This" and "The Rock Show" by Blink-182, "Out Here All Night" by Damone, "Creeping Up the Backstairs," "Flathead" and "Henrietta" by Fratellis, "100,000 Years (Live)," "Deuce (Live)" and "Parasite (Live)" by Kiss, "Are You Gonna Go My Way," "Freedom Train," "Let Love Rule" and "Mr Cab Driver" by Lenny Kravitz, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar, "Space Cowboy," "Take The Money & Run" and "The Joker" by Steve Miller Band, "The Boys Are Back in Town (Live)," "Cowboy Song (Live)" and "Jailbreak (Live)" by Thin Lizzy and "My Name is Jonas," "Pork & Beans" and "Undone – The Sweater Song" by Weezer
  • DS Demos (via Wii): Repeats including Ant Nation, Classic Word Games, Fossil Fighters, Mega Man Star Force 3 and MySims Racing
  • Game Videos: Active Life: Extreme Challenge, The Beatles: Rock Band, Cursed Mountain, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, Dead Space Extraction, Guitar Hero 5, Imagine: Soccer Captain, Madden NFL '10, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits, Rock N Roll Climber, Super Monkey Ball Step & Roll, Super Star Wars and Tony Hawk: Ride

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 10, 2009 7:43 PM | | Comments (0)

August 11, 2009

Pre-order Goodies - Blur

BlurIf you're the kind of person who would do anything to win a racing game, Activision and select retailers have some deals for you. Keeping with the recent tradition of offering people who pre-order games an advantage in multiplayer matchups, Blur players will have a choice of perks come November if they plunk down their $5 between now and then:

  • Best Buy: 600-hp Dodge Hennessey Viper unlock
  • GameCrazy: Earn twice the cash for your first three single-player races
  • GameStop: Multiplayer Advantage Booster Kit which includes an exclusive Last Man Standing multiplayer mode, Ford Bronco unlock and twice the fans for your first 10 multiplayer races (which means more cash, upgrades, power-up slots and cars)
The game, for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360, is from the makers of Project Gotham Racing (and, before that, Metropolis Street Racer for the Dreamcast) so it may well be worth picking up. And if you do, sigh, you'll probably want one of these offers so you don't get schooled online...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 11, 2009 5:21 PM | | Comments (0)

August 12, 2009

R.I.P. - GRIN

Swedish game developer GRIN has shut its doors, citing cash flow difficulties - due, no doubt, to a string of underperforming titles that included Bionic Commando, Terminator: Salvation and Wanted: Weapons of Fate. Company founders lamented that their unnamed "masterpiece" will now never see the light of day, but some employees are already founding Outbreak Studios, which will develop games for the various downloadable game outlets including iPhone, PSPgo and Xbox Live Arcade...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 12, 2009 10:17 PM | | Comments (0)

Free DSi App - Flipnote Studio

Flipnote StudioFinally, there's something free to entice Nintendo DSi early adopters back to the DSi Shop: a free app! Flipnote Studio lets you create flipbook-style animations on your DSi and then share them online or with friends. You will need to suffer a system update before you can access the DSi Shop, and you'll need to sacrifice 88 blocks of system memory (not counting room for any animations you might download or create)...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 12, 2009 10:26 PM | | Comments (0)

August 13, 2009

PlayStation Store - Marvel Vs Capcom 2, original Tomb Raider, Gorillaz and free Guitar Hero tracks

The PlayStation Store is offering quite the eclectic haul this week:

  • Marvel Vs Capcom 2 ($15)
  • PS1 on PS3/PSP: Dead In The Water ($6), Ten Pin Alley ($6) and Tomb Raider ($10)
  • LittleBigPlanet historical costumes and packs ($1 to $3 each) including Mozart, Ghengis Khan, Ada Lovelace and Boudicca and a historical materials pack with new building materials
  • Pain Smooth Jarvis character (free), Museum ($6) and Knockin' Bloks Mode ($2)
  • Red Faction Guerrilla Demons of the Badlands Pack 1 ($10) new single player campaign with added weapons, Guerrilla Actions and achievements
  • Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires armor sets (free)
  • Cross Edge packs (free to $2 each) with bonus dungeon and gear
  • Disgaea 3 DLC Complete Set ($50) for all downloadable packs released to date and a custom theme
  • Madden NFL '10 packs and upgrades ($0.50 to $10 each)
  • Guitar Hero World Tour Activision Music Track Pack (free) with "The Silence is Deafening" by Awaken, "Nothing All The Time" by H is Orange and "I'll Never Know" by Hundred Reasons
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Gorillaz Pack 01 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Clint Eastwood," "Feel Good Inc." and "Re-Hash" plus tracks ($2 each) "Chest Fever (Live)" by The Band, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin and "Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)" by The Who
  • PSP: Rock Band Unplugged tracks ($2 each) "The Number of the Beast" and "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden
  • Demo: Marvel Vs Capcom 2
  • Game Videos: Alpha Protocol, Astro Tripper, Battle Tanks, Darksiders, Mini Ninjas, Unbound Saga and Pulse magazine
  • Themes: Disgaea 3 All Star ($1), Amplified, Azmodeus Dark Angels, Metal Battalion Maidens and World's Apart ($1.50 each) and Fear 2: Reborn and Lingerie Football League ($2 each)
  • Wallpaper: Fat Princess (free)

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 13, 2009 9:29 PM | | Comments (0)

Xbox Live Marketplace - Call of Juarez demo, Trials HD, Gorillaz and free Guitar Hero tracks

Here's what's new on Xbox Live Marketplace:

  • Arcade: Trials HD ($15) and Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers Backgrounds ($2)
  • Red Faction: Guerrilla Demons of the Badlands Pack 1 ($10) new single player campaign with added weapons, Guerrilla Actions and achievements
  • Dynasty Warriors 6 Empires armor sets (free)
  • Madden NFL '10 packs and upgrades ($0.50 to $10 each)
  • Guitar Hero World Tour Activision Music Track Pack (free) with "The Silence is Deafening" by Awaken, "Nothing All The Time" by H is Orange and "I'll Never Know" by Hundred Reasons
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Gorillaz Pack 01 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "Clint Eastwood," "Feel Good Inc." and "Re-Hash" plus tracks ($2 each) "Chest Fever (Live)" by The Band, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin and "Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)" by The Who
  • Lips tracks ($2 each) "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" "Song For Whoever"
  • Games on Demand: Battlefield: Bad Company, Burnout Paradise, Dance Dance Revolution/Dancing Stage Universe, Fight Night Round 3, Karaoke Revolution: American Idol Encore, Kameo: Elements of Power, Meet the Robinsons, MX vs. ATV: Untamed, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Perfect Dark Zero, Ridge Racer 6 and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
  • Demo: Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood
  • Indie Games (usually $2.50-$10 each): 360 Mega App Pack HD, Advanced Rock Paper Scissors, Agent MOO: Maximum Overdeath, Beer Screensaver, BitStream, Chaos, Destruction Tank, Glitnir, The Last Cannonball, Madrism, Music Roll, PebbleDash, Sbdm-1, Smart Splitter, Superspace, Ultra-powered Massager, Zen Sound, Zombie Mania, X Over（クロス・オーバー. コロンでジャンプ and 継長忍鋼伝～春夏秋冬～
  • Game Videos: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, IL-2: Birds of Prey, Madden NFL '10, Mini Ninjas, Raven Squad: Operation Hidden Dagger, Red Faction: Guerrilla Demons of the Badlands and Wet
  • Themes: F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn Premium ($3) and IL-2: Birds of Prey ($2 each)
  • Pictures: F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn ($1 each), IL-2: Birds of Prey ($1), King of Fighters XII ($1 each), Axe and various sweepstakes and event registration items (free)
  • Avatar Marketplace: Not sure whether to cover this - very hard to keep track of. Looks cool but very overpriced. Anyone buying this stuff? If I can find a decent source for these, and it's not too insane week to week, and people actually care about it, I'll add it.

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 13, 2009 9:51 PM | | Comments (2)

August 14, 2009

Free Stuff Friday - Grand Theft Auto Classics and District 9 poster

Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection    District 9 poster
Free Stuff Friday was delayed this week due to insanity around our upcoming vacation (little to no updates next week; I will Twitter news as I can and catch things up later) and my early Friday morning root canal (completed with virtually no pain!). The result is that this is being posted late, but it will run for an extra week so you've got plenty of time (through Aug. 27) to enter.

We're giving away two prizes for one lucky winner. First up is Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection. This miniature boxset of PC games includes the original Grand Theft Auto, Grand Theft Auto: London 1969 and GTA2. If you've ever been curious how one of the most popular game series started out, here is your chance.

As a bonus, GrrlGotGame picked up an extra District 9 movie poster when she attended a screening this past week. (I had to stay home; no babysitter plus too many fire drills with work.) This movie, which is apparently FANTASTIC (ranks with Terminator 2 and Run Lola Run), has a gaming tie-in since director Neill Blomkamp was originally tapped to do the Halo movie that fell apart. This movie was conceived from that project's ashes.

Here's how to enter:

Continue reading "Free Stuff Friday - Grand Theft Auto Classics and District 9 poster" »

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 14, 2009 8:25 AM | | Comments (50)

Break Time - A few surprises still to come!

As we alluded in our Free Stuff Friday entry, we are taking some much needed "us" time this coming week. But we will try to post some worthwhile surprises (including GrrlGotGame's first Busy Gamer Review!) so you might not even notice except that a few of the regular features may be incomplete or delayed until we can catch them all up. Many news items may only appear via Twitter, so follow me if you want to keep up. Also, the giveaway will run an extra week to give us some time to recover from a summer truly gone mad...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 14, 2009 3:37 PM | | Comments (0)

August 17, 2009

Game Releases - Wolfenstein, Raven Squad, Plants vs. Zombies, Shadow Complex and More Great Games for Girls

Here's what is due for release for PC, portables and consoles this week (plus some recent releases that slipped in late last week):

  • DS: Ant Nation, Astrology, My Dress Up, My Friend, My Make Up, Paws & Claws: Pet Vet Australian Adventure, Shorts and Sudoku Ball: Detective
  • iPhone: Duke Nukem 3D, Electric Box, The Game of Life, Lion Pride, Red Bull X-Fighters freestyle motocross, Snood, Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor (this game is pure win, and I detest spiders!) and Wolfenstein RPG
  • PC: Code of Honor 3: Desperate Measures, Plants vs. Zombies, Raven Squad: Hidden Dagger, Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy and Wolfenstein
  • PS3: Wolfenstein
  • Wii: Army Rescue, Domino Rally, Spectrobes: Origins, Paws & Claws: Pet Vet and Sudoku Ball: Detective
  • Xbox 360: Raven Squad: Hidden Dagger, Shadow Complex (Arcade) and Wolfenstein
You might check back later in the week since this list is rough and does not include many of the downloadable weekly releases.

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 17, 2009 7:56 AM | | Comments (1)

August 18, 2009

Busy Gamer Review - Infamous

Busy Gamer Review

Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.



Busy Gamer Review - Infamous

Reviewed On: PlayStation 3.

Infamous - Ow, that's gotta hurt!
Infamous - Ow, that's gotta hurt!
In a Nutshell: Climb, jump, run and eventually grind your way through the city’s rooftops while electrocuting the bad guys with your killer bod. Your basic sandbox game enhanced by the now almost de rigueur actions-influence-outcome functionality.

Learning Curve: Relatively easy to pick up and play. Being primarily an Xbox gamer, I was learning both the PS3 controller and the game at the same time. Given how quickly I picked it up, any regular PS3 gamer should be able to master the controls almost instantly! .

The Save Game: Game auto-saves after a completed mission, but does not always save respawn checkpoints during longer missions - so quit mid-mission at your own risk! You can also save at any time, but remember that the game still only saves completed progress (found objects, completed missions and tasks). Also, since this is a massive sandbox game, loading or respawning generates a whole new set of randomized environmental elements (enemies, people, etc.). It won't be just how you left it, but you can still pretty much pick up where you left off.

Family Factor: This one is for grown-ups and older teens only. The game features non-stop violence as roving gangs attack almost constantly, leaving victims dead or dying in the streets. The main storyline requires a high-level of violence regardless of how you play (good or evil alignment). Much of the action revolves around murdering gang members and others related to the main storyline. Those who play for Team Good will see a decline in the urban decay and general nastiness of the game and will have an option to “heal” gang victims in the street. Even these changes are not enough to allow little ones in the room. Those on Team Evil have the option of sucking the life out of victims on the street, a nightmarish image likely to propel small children into a lifetime of therapy.

Buy, Rent or Skip? Buy, with some caveats. Outside of some ridiculously long (and tough) boss battles, the game flies by pretty quickly. Completists will enjoy the opportunity to wander the city looking for shards and finding random side missions that range from mind-numbingly stupid to pretty challenging. The game’s primary play for your repeat business is the light side/dark side business. How you play (good or evil) has a definite impact on how you and the city appear as you progress, but you won’t really notice the difference unless you play through twice. (Or see another person playing the opposite spectrum, which is easy in this household!) Gameplay can be repetitive and the preponderance of bad guys does get annoying at times. But those who can stick with it through the first few hours will be treated to solid game with some truly funny moments. Take time to read the billboards as the city lights up – many of the game’s best jokes are in the background.

On a Personal Note: I hesitated to pick up Infamous because the controller seems, at a glance, so different from the Xbox 360. Yet after just a few minutes, I found the thumbsticks and buttons to be a natural fit in my hands, allowing me to focus on causing mayhem. Speaking of which, I love that going down the dark path not only changed me, it changed the city. For the first time, I saw my actions truly impact my game play, and not in the usual "I got this cut scene instead of that one" format.

Posted by GrrlGotGame on August 18, 2009 8:51 AM | | Comments (1)

August 19, 2009

Be Careful Out There - Rock Band/Guitar Hero Instrument Compatibility Guide

If you've been scratching your head trying to figure out which plastic gaming instruments work with which music games (we took our own stab at awhile back), Harmonix has published an "official" Rock Band/Guitar Hero Instrument Compatibility Guide. The quotes around "official" are there because they can clearly highlight the upcoming Beatles Rock Band game but must neglect their competitor's Guitar Hero 5, at least until it releases (ostensibly it will be the same as World Tour). Anyway, if you're wondering which replacement drums or guitar will work with your favorite games, now you have a reasonably good source...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 19, 2009 8:07 AM | | Comments (0)

August 21, 2009

Wii and DS Stuff - Guitar Rock Tour, Family Slot Car Racing, PictureBook Games, Revenge of Shinobi and Red Hot Chili Peppers

Here are this week's downloads, demos and videos for the Wii and Nintendo DS (better late than never!):

  • WiiWare: Family Slot Car Racing ($5) and PictureBook Games: Pop-Up Pursuit ($8)
  • Virtual Console: The Revenge of Shinobi for Sega Genesis ($8)
  • DSiWare: Brain Age Express: Sudoku ($5) and Guitar Rock Tour ($5)
  • Rock Band 2 tracks ($1-2 each) "Chest Fever (Live)" by The Band, "Clint Eastwood," "Feel Good Inc." and "Re-Hash" by Gorillaz, "Entangled" by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives, "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Megasus" by Megasus, "Apache Rose Peacock," "Blood Sugar Sex Magik," "Breaking The Girl," "Funky Monks," "The Greeting Song," "I Could Have Lied," "If You Have to Ask," "Mellowship Slinky in B Major," "My Lovely Man," "Naked in the Rain," "The Power of Equality," "The Righteous & the Wicked," "Sir Psycho Sexy," "Suck My Kiss," "They're Red Hot" and "Under the Bridge" by Red Hot Chili Peppers and "Magic Bus (Live at Leeds)" by The Who
  • DS Demos (via Wii): Shorts plus repeats including Ant Nation and Mega Man Star Force 3
  • Game Videos: Cursed Mountain, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, Family Slot Car Racing, Flipnote Studio, Fossil Fighters, Guitar Hero 5, Infinite Space, Madden NFL '10, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Mini Ninjas, MySims Agents, PictureBook Games and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 21, 2009 2:01 PM | | Comments (0)

PlayStation Store - Arkham Asylum Joker Challenge, Andy Dick, Foo Fighters and free Marvel Vs Capcom 2 music

Here is what's new at the PlayStation Store:

  • Marvel Vs Capcom 2 game music tracks (free)
  • Smash Cars ($15)
  • PS1 on PS3/PSP: Bloody Roar ($6)
  • Batman: Arkham Asylum Play As The Joker Challenge Map (free)
  • Pain Celebrity Character Andy Dick ($2)
  • Zen Pinball Street Fighter II Tribute Table ($2.50)
  • BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger color palettes ($2 per set or $5 for all) and various unlock codes ($1 each, but please don't buy these; it only encourages them to sell cheat codes!)
  • Cross Edge Service Point Pack (free) and other packs with gear and extras ($2 each)
  • Guitar Hero World Tour track ($2) "Dueling Banjos" by Steve Ouimette
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Foo Fighters Pack 02 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "All My Life," "I'll Stick Around" and "Lonely As You" plus tracks ($2 each) "There's No Other Way" by Blur, "No Rain" by Blind Melon, "Inside Out" by Eve 6, "I'm Shipping up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphy and "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs
  • PSP: Warriors Orochi ($15), Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce Pack 4 (free) and Rock Band Unplugged tracks ($2 each) "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar and "A Favor House Atlantic" by Coheed and Cambria
  • Demos: IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey and Mini Ninjas
  • Game Videos: Borderlands, Gran Turismo PSP, Mini Ninjas, NHL 2K10, Red Faction: Guerrilla Demons of the Bad Lands and Tekken 6
  • Themes: Army Of Two: 40th Day ($2), Bioshock 2 multiplayer (free), Savage Moon (free), Gamer (free) and U.S. Army (free)
  • Wallpaper: Gamer and U.S. Army

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 21, 2009 2:34 PM | | Comments (0)

Xbox Live Marketplace - Shadow Complex, Section 8 demo, Foo Fighters and free Fight Night gear pack

Here's what appeared this past week on Xbox Live Marketplace:

  • Arcade: Shadow Complex ($15) and Madballs Babo: Invasion Obsidian Magmor skin (free)
  • Fight Night Round 4 Boxing Gear Pack (free)
  • Guitar Hero World Tour track ($2) "Dueling Banjos" by Steve Ouimette
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 Foo Fighters Pack 02 ($5.50 or $2 each) with "All My Life," "I'll Stick Around" and "Lonely As You" plus tracks ($2 each) "There's No Other Way" by Blur, "No Rain" by Blind Melon, "Inside Out" by Eve 6, "I'm Shipping up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphy and "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs
  • Lips tracks ($2 each) "Talk" by Coldplay, "Love Is Gone" by David Guetta, "With Every Heartbeat" by Robyn and "The Road To Mandalay" by Robbie Williams
  • Games on Demand: Saints Row
  • Demo: Section 8
  • Indie Games (usually $2.50-$10 each): 1337 Ship Deathmatch, Arbor Vitae, Atomhex, The Drinking Game, A Frog Game, GameFinder, Gogs, Goldens, Johnny's Minefield, Livelayer Prototype, Ninja Train, Power Hour, Shardscape Assault, Wacky Karts, Zens 360, ホースレーススターター (loosely translated, "Horse Race Stater") and クレッシェンドシンフォニー 鏡の騎士 (loosely translated, "Symphony Crescendo Mirror Knights")
  • Game Videos: Army of Two: The 40th Day, Avatar, Dirt 2, Guitar Hero 5, The King of Fighters XII, Mini Ninjas, NHL 2K10, Risen, Section 8, Shadow Complex, Tekken 6 and Wet
  • Themes: Best Ranger Competition 2009, Sprint NFL and T-Mobile Sidekick (all free)
  • Pictures: The Beatles: Rock Band (free), The King of Fighters XII ($1 each), Major League Gaming ($1), Best Ranger Competition 2009 (free), Sprint NFL (free) and T-Mobile Sidekick (free)
  • Avatar Items (usually priced $1-$5 each) Guitar Hero 5 gear including Neversoft Logo Cutoff Shirt, Neversoft Scepter, Dress, Jean Jacket, Leather Jacket, Plaid Pants, Punk Shoes, Revolver Pants, Studded Gloves and Studded Wristband

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 21, 2009 3:42 PM | | Comments (0)

Free Stuff Friday: Extended Play - Grand Theft Auto Classics and District 9 poster

Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection    District 9 poster
Since we were off on vacation this past week (not that you'd know it from the updates, particularly on Twitter!), we've extended the past week's Free Stuff Friday giveaway until next Thursday.

Don't forget to enter here for your chance to win Grand Theft Auto: The Classics Collection and the awesome District 9 movie poster. The giveaway closes at 5:01 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, August 27.

At this writing, odds are only 1 in 30. This could be your moment to shine! Or at least win some ultra-cool semi-valuable prizes.

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 21, 2009 8:09 PM |

August 24, 2009

Game Releases - PS3 Slim, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Cursed Mountain and Professor Layton 2

The big news this week is the 120GB PlayStation 3 "Slim" model launches for just $300 on Tuesday. Here are the games due for release this week for PC, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that slipped in late last week):

  • DS: The Bigs 2, The Clique: Diss and Make Up, Dream Chronicles, Emergency Room: Real Life Rescues, Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming, Imagine Teacher: Class Trip, Logic Island, Mahjongg Ancient Mayas, Marker Man Adventures, Pop+ Solo (DSiWare), Princess Lillifee's Magic Fairy, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Sarah: Keeper of the Unicorn and Wizards of Waverly Place
  • iPhone: Alive 4-Ever, Bust-a-Move, Dragon Portals, Gangstar: West Coast Hustle, Gold Keeper , Inkvaders, iMech, KIL.A.TON, Krazy Kart Racing, Luxor, Modern Combat: Sandstorm, A Quest Knights Onrush and Ynth
  • PC: CrimeCraft, Fallout 3 Add-On Pack Broken Steel and Point Lookout, Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger and The Sims 2 University Life Collection
  • PS2: Mana Khemia 2: Fall Of Alchemy
  • PS3: Batman: Arkham Asylum
  • PSP: Dissidia Final Fantasy and Warriors Orochi 2
  • Wii: Beach Fun Summer Challenge, Cursed Mountain, Harvest Moon: Magical Melody, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Mr. Driller W (WiiWare), Reel Fishing: Angler's Dream, Shimano Xtreme Fishing, Super Empire Strikes Back (Virtual Console) and Ultimate Duck Hunting
  • Xbox 360: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Fallout 3 Add-On Pack Broken Steel and Point Lookout, NBA 2K10: Draft Combine (Arcade) and Watchmen: The End Is Nigh Part 2 (Arcade)
So, what will you be picking up - or is this week a pass? Any games we missed? Please let us know...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 24, 2009 8:30 AM | | Comments (0)

Wii and DS Stuff - Mr. Driller, Super Empire Strikes Back and Foo Fighters

Here are this week's downloads, demos and videos for the Wii and Nintendo DS:

  • WiiWare: Mr. Driller W ($8)
  • Virtual Console: Super Empire Strikes Back for Super NES ($8)
  • DSiWare: Pop+ Solo ($5)
  • Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each; due Tuesday, Aug. 25) "Feed the Tree" by Belly, "No Rain" by Blind Melon, "There's No Other Way" by Blur, "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys, "Inside Out" by Eve 6, "All My Life," "I'll Stick Around" and "Lonely as You" by Foo Fighters, "Wind Me Up" by Ghost Hounds, "I Stand Alone" by Godsmack, "Cold Rain & Snow," "Doin' That Rag," "Don't Ease Me In," "Fire on the Mountain," "Hell in a Bucket" and "Uncle John's Band" by Grateful Dead, "Funk #49" by James Gang, "I Predict a Riot" by Kaiser Chiefs, "Typical" by Mute Math, "Wasted Again" by Turbonegro, "Black Sunshine" and "More Human Than Human" by White Zombie and "War Zero" by Rob Zombie
  • DS Demos (via Wii): Repeats including Ant Nation, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Shorts
  • Game Videos: Bakugan: Battle Brawlers, The Beatles: Rock Band, Daisy Fuentes Pilates, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, Guitar Hero 5, Imagine Teacher: Class Trip, Madden NFL '10, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Mini Ninjas, Mr. Driller W, Pop+ Solo, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Scribblenauts, Spore Hero and Super Empire Strikes Back

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 24, 2009 11:36 AM | | Comments (0)

August 25, 2009

Song Watch - The Beatles: Rock Band

For those who missed it, here is the full track listing SAVE ONE SONG for The Beatles: Rock Band. Harmonix has withheld one magical mystery track to leave some surprise for the game's release Sept. 9. For those keeping score, the final in-game tally is 45 - roughly half of Rock Band 2. More tracks will be available for sale almost immediately, including full albums starting with Abbey Road for $17. Also, unlike other artist-themed expansions, Beatles songs will not be exportable to other Rock Band games.

Here are the songs, broken out by album:

  • Please Please Me (1963): "I Saw Her Standing There," "Boys," "Do You Want to Know a Secret" and "Twist and Shout"
  • With the Beatles (1963): "I Wanna Be Your Man"
  • A Hard Day's Night (1964): "A Hard Day's Night" and "Can't Buy Me Love"
  • Beatles for Sale (1964): "Eight Days a Week"
  • Help! (1965): "Ticket to Ride"
  • Rubber Soul (1965): "Drive My Car," "I'm Looking Through You" and "If I Needed Someone"
  • Revolver (1966): "Taxman," "Yellow Submarine" and "And Your Bird Can Sing"
  • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967): "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "With a Little Help from My Friends," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Getting Better" and "Good Morning Good Morning"
  • Magical Mystery Tour (1967): "I Am the Walrus" and "Hello Goodbye"
  • The Beatles aka The White Album (1968): "Dear Prudence," "Back in the U.S.S.R.," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," "Birthday" and "Helter Skelter"
  • Yellow Submarine (1969): "Hey Bulldog"
  • Abbey Road (1969): "Come Together," "Something," "Octopus's Garden," "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Here Comes the Sun"
  • Let it Be (1970): "Dig a Pony," "I Me Mine," "I've Got a Feeling" and "Get Back"
  • Love (2006): "Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows" (mashup)
  • Singles: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (1963), "I Feel Fine" (1964), "Day Tripper" (1965), "Paperback Writer" (1966), "Revolution" (1968) and "Don't Let Me Down" (1969)
So what's the missing song? We know what it's not: "All You Need Is Love," which will be offered for download at or near launch to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. It's probably also not on Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band or Rubber Soul since the remainder of these albums has been named for eventual download release as well. My guess would be "Strawberry Fields Forever," which is very iconic and not part of any announcement to date - though time (just over two weeks) will tell...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 25, 2009 4:25 PM | | Comments (0)

August 26, 2009

The Busy Gamer Guide to PAX

Penny Arcade Expo logoWelcome to the Busy Gamer Guide to Penny Arcade Expo (PAX). Although we are completely unaffiliated with PAX, we feel that the large amounts of time and dough we've put into every single one qualifies us to share our opinions and guidance. Meydenbauer 2004 peeps – holla!

Seriously, we've been at this rodeo five times before, plus we live in Seattle. So trust us when we say... no one can give you all the info you need. But we can give you enough to help you make the most of your opportunities.

But first you have some decisions to make.

Start a mission
To enter PAX, you must possess a pass or ticket. As of August 26, all multi-day passes were gone and only a handful of single-day registrations were left. If you haven't already claimed a pass or ticket, head to registration NOW. Pricing and pick-up details are available on the PAX site.

  • If you pre-ordered a 3-day pass, it should be in the mail and arriving any day. Report to the mission start point (Washington State Convention & Trade Center) on Sept. 4 with your badge.
  • If you will be picking up your badge, report to mission start point Hyatt Hotel first to pick up your badge. (This is different from previous years!) Badges will be available starting at noon Thursday. Go early to beat the inevitable rush for a first-day mana boost!
Peruse the schedule and decide which quest lines interest you. There are core gamer, casual gamer, MMO gamer, tabletop gamer, game industry wannabe and geek culture quest lines. In addition, some players simply pack up their gaming PCs and spend the whole event leveling up on "Multiplayer LAN Party." The choice is yours, though it is a good idea to enter with a game plan.

Continue reading "The Busy Gamer Guide to PAX" »

Posted by GrrlGotGame on August 26, 2009 4:08 PM | | Comments (0)

August 27, 2009

Unlockables - Metroid Prime Trilogy bonuses (and future giveaway)

Metroid Prime Trilogy In what might seem at first glance as a simple repackaging of the three first-person Metroid Prime games, Metroid Prime Trilogy ports the first two (originally GameCube titles) for Wii control, bundles in the most recent Wii release and adds a few bonuses. Long-time fans of the series will recall that in the original Metroid Prime game, you could unlock the Fusion Suit only by beating the GBA Metroid Fusion game and then linking your games with a special cable. In Trilogy, you earn credits by playing the games that can be "cashed in" for the Fusion Suit, a screenshot tool, some Metroid Prime 3 extras (Mii bobblehead and ship bumper stickers) plus the usual array of character art and dioramas. It's not much to justify the $50 pricetag for gamers who already own one or more of the games, but for newcomers to the series it's a good deal.

NOTE: If you live in the Northwest, you may be able to score a $20 discount: Fred Meyer advertised the game for $30 in their Sunday ad and, even though they are in most cases refusing to honor it, Best Buy and Target may price match if you take the ad with you. If you miss out on this deal or prefer the price of "free," we are planning our own Metroid Prime giveaway for a future Free Stuff Friday - offering up the original three games now that we've picked up the Trilogy as a replacement...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 27, 2009 5:12 PM | | Comments (0)

PlayStation Store - Invincible Tiger, SimCity 2000, Tomb Raider 2 and Wet demo (plus 3 more)

Here's what is new at the PlayStation Store. Late update from Sony this week - was it worth the wait?

  • Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao ($15)
  • PS1 for PS3/PSP: CoolBoarders 2 ($6), SimCity 2000 ($6) and Tomb Raider 2 ($6)
  • LittleBigPlanet artist Vera Bee sticker pack ($2)
  • Crash Commando character and map packs ($2-3 each or $5 for bundle) with new Heist mode included with maps and bundle
  • The Force Unleashed Tatooine Mission Pack ($10)
  • Transformers 2 Maps & Characters DLC ($10) with 11 characters, 3 maps, added achievements and Expert mode
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour '10 Wolf Creek Golf Course ($7.50)
  • Cross Edge stat boosts for bucks ($2 each)
  • Fight Night Round 4 Champions Pack ($5) unlocks Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, James Toney and George Foreman and includes new gear
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each) "Don't Stop" and "World Turning" by Fleetwood Mac, "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol, "She's a Genius" by Jet and "I Won't Back Down" and "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty
  • PSP: Rock Band Unplugged tracks ($2 each) "Black Sunshine" by White Zombie and "She's Not There" by The Zombies
  • Demos: Dirt 2, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, NHL '10 and Wet
  • Game Videos: Crash Commando Heist Map Pack, Heavy Rain, LittleBigPlanet History Pack, Madden NFL '10, MAG, ModNation Racers, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Wet, White Knight Chronicles, more from AST Dew Tour 2009 and Pulse magazine
  • Themes: Batman (free), Fractal Fire ($1.50) and Mythical Creatures Of Pandora ($1.50)
  • Wallpaper: The Punisher: No Mercy and Zen Pinball

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 27, 2009 5:35 PM | | Comments (0)

Xbox Live Marketplace - Mass Effect expansion, Wet demo (plus 6 more) and The Guild Season 3

The big news this week was the Xbox 360 price drop that starts Friday: Xbox 360 Elites for $300 and Pros for $250, though truth be told the Pros are being phased out so really we'll be stuck back at the $300 price point before long, albeit with a bigger hard drive and HDMI on board. Also, The Guild Season 3 launched this week with Xbox 360 Gold members getting the first in the series a week before non-paying Xbox Live members and MSN.

Here's what's new on Xbox Live Marketplace this week (hint: lots of demos!):

  • Arcade: Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao ($15), NBA 2K10 Draft Combine ($5), Watchmen: The End Is Nigh Part 2 ($15) and Castle Crashers Necromantic Pack ($2) with two characters, plus weapons and animal orbs
  • Mass Effect Pinnacle Station ($5) with a landable space station, 13 combat scenarios, and approximately 2-3 hours gameplay for players who have achieved Spectre status
  • The Force Unleashed Tatooine Mission Pack ($10)
  • Transformers 2 Character and Map Pack Plus ($10) with 11 characters, 3 maps, added achievements and Expert mode
  • Tiger Woods PGA Tour '10 Wolf Creek Golf Course ($7.50)
  • Fight Night Round 4 Champions Pack ($5) unlocks Oscar De La Hoya, Vitali Klitschko, Wladimir Klitschko, James Toney and George Foreman and includes new gear
  • Brady Games Batman: Arkham Asylum video guides (one free, the rest $1 each)
  • Rock Band/Rock Band 2 tracks ($2 each) "Don't Stop" and "World Turning" by Fleetwood Mac, "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol, "She's a Genius" by Jet and "I Won't Back Down" and "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty
  • Games on Demand: Burnout Revenge ($20) and Need for Speed ProStreet ($20)
  • Demos: Dirt 2, F.E.A.R. 2: Reborn single-player expansion, Fight Night Round 4 Ali vs. Tyson & Buttons, Lost Planet 2 co-op, Mini Ninjas, NHL 10 and Wet
  • Indie Games (usually $1-$10 each): Arrow Run, BallsAndBlocks, Bed Time Nursery Rhymes, Dodge These Balls, Hotel Danger, LOLCats, Nasty, Octagon, Puzzle?, Shellblast HD, Storage Inc., Streets of Fury, Track Architect, Zombies 2.0, ダウンタウン激凸ドッジボール！ (loosely translated: Convex Dodgeball Downtown Geki!) and デッドラGO! (Deddora Go!)
  • Game Videos: Batman: Arkham Asylum, Blur, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, Family Game Night, Halo 3 ODST, Mass Effect 2, NBA 2K10 Draft Combine, Section 8, Watchmen: The End Is Nigh Part 2 and Wet
  • Themes: Batman: Arkham Asylum Villains (free), Mass Effect Pinnacle Station ($3), Rocket Riot Premium ($3) and McDonald's (free)
  • Pictures: The King of Fighters XII ($1 each), McDonald's Rock Band (free; enters you in sweepstakes), McDonald's food (free) and I Love You Man (free)
  • Avatar Items (usually priced $1-$5 each): Mass Effect gear including helmets and armor, Normandy Crew shirts and hats and logo tees

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 27, 2009 10:36 PM | | Comments (1)

August 28, 2009

Free Stuff Friday - Rare Penny Arcade Card Battle Game

Penny Arcade CCG UFS Battle Box This week's giveaway honors the Penny Arcade Expo kicking off next Friday. You did see our Busy Gamer Guide to PAX, right? Yeah, we're serious devotees! As a result, we tend to buy everything Penny Arcade - even stuff we're not really into. Case in point: The now rare Penny Arcade UFS Card Battle Game by Sabertooth Games.

The artwork on the cards alone makes this a serious collectible, but if you're into card battle games it's a treasure! We're really not as big on the genre as we tried to be three years ago, so we thought we'd pass these on to someone who could really appreciate them. When it was released in 2006, the game would run you about $30. Nowaways? Out of print and priceless. And, in this case, free for one lucky winner.

OK, so we did find one for sale for $200 new online. These, alas, have been opened. But they're still awesome.

Here's how to enter:

Continue reading "Free Stuff Friday - Rare Penny Arcade Card Battle Game" »

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 28, 2009 12:00 AM | | Comments (63)

August 31, 2009

Game Releases - Guitar Hero 5, Section 8, more Monkey Island, Champions Online, Soul Calibur PSP and Gears of War 2: Game of the Year Edition

Here are the games due for release this week for PC, portables and consoles (plus some recent releases that slipped in late last week):

  • DS: The Hardy Boys: Treasure on the Tracks, Monster Mayhem: Build & Battle and Puzzle League Express (DSiWare)
  • iPhone: Boggle, Boulder Dash Rocks, Krazy Kart Racing, Liberty Boom, Melon Golf, Mixt, Mr. AahH!!, Ramp Champ, Sketch Hop (3GS only), Stay and Success Story
  • PC: Champions Online, Fly to Africa, Fly to Alaska, Fly to California, Fly to New York, Fly to Singapore, Fly to Spain, Fly to Tokyo, Ghost Chronicles, Hoyle Card Games, Hoyle Casino, Hoyle Puzzle & Board Games, Hoyle Slots, Macau City, Reel Deal Casino Imperial Fortune, Reel Deal Slots Treasures of the Far East, Section 8, Sky of Taipei and Sleepy Hollow
  • PS2: Guitar Hero 5
  • PS3: Guitar Hero 5
  • PSP: Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny
  • Wii: 3-2-1, Rattle Battle! (WiiWare), Guitar Hero 5, Monster Mayhem: Build & Battle, Phantasy Star (Virtual Console) and Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 2 (WiiWare)
  • Xbox 360: Defense Grid (Arcade), Gears of War 2: Game of the Year Edition, Guitar Hero 5, Section 8 and Yo Ho Kablamo (Arcade)
So, what will you be picking up - or is this week a pass? Any games we missed? Please let us know...

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 31, 2009 8:54 AM | | Comments (0)

Wii and DS Stuff - Monkey Island: Chapter 2, Phantasy Star, Puzzle League and Judas Priest

Here are this week's downloads, demos and videos for the Wii and Nintendo DS:

  • WiiWare: 3-2-1, Rattle Battle! ($5) and Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 2 ($10)
  • Virtual Console: Phantasy Star for Sega Master System ($5)
  • DSiWare: Puzzle League Express ($5)
  • Rock Band 2 tracks ($1-2 each; due Tuesday, Sept. 1) "Hanukkah Blessings" by Bare Naked Ladies, "Don't Stop" and "World Turning" by Fleetwood Mac, "Mony Mony" and "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol, "She's a Genius" by Jet, "(Take These) Chains," "Bloodstone," "Devil's Child," "Fever," "Pain & Pleasure," "Riding on the Wind," "Screaming for Vengeance," "The Hellion/Electric Eye" and "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" by Judas Priest, "Break My Heart" and "Don't Tell Me" by Nikko, "I Won't Back Down" and "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty, "Blue Christmas" and "Precious" by The Pretenders, and "Christmas is the Time" by Billy Squier
  • DS Demos (via Wii): Repeats including Knights in the Nightmare, Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Council 4 and Shorts
  • Game Videos: Animal Crossing City Folk, A Boy and His Blob, Charm Girls Club, Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Mini Ninjas, Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, Spyborgs, Star Wars: The Clone Wars Republic Heroes and Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 2

Posted by Gamewatcher on August 31, 2009 10:46 AM | | Comments (0)



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About August 2009

This page contains all entries posted to Busy Gamer News in August 2009. They are listed from oldest to newest.

July 2009 is the previous archive.

September 2009 is the next archive.

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