Busy Gamer News

Free Stuff Friday - PAX East 2011 Goodie Bag

2011-03-25T07:11:53Z

We've personally attended every West Coast PAX since the first, and we always pick up enough swag to share. But we've never attended the Boston show.

Fortunately for you, our friend and industry insider shinyidol did, and he brought us back some goodies for one lucky winner to enjoy - plus we've added a few bonus items from past PAXes and even a rare Penny Arcade skin set for the GameBoy Advance SP!

Here's what's included (click the image at right to a view a more detailed photo gallery):

Orcs Must Die! t-shirt and pin set
Intel "No Camping" t-shirt
Penny Arcade Cardboard Tube Samurai GBA skin set
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Mystery Skinned Weapon 2 code
Gears of War 3 Thrashball Cole Plushie avatar item code
Gears of War sticker
Star Wars: The Old Republic comic
The Beatles: Rock Band instrument stickers
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars sticker
Katamari Forever lenticular card
Skulls of the Shogun game assets disc (trailers, concept art, screenshots)
Busy Gamer News pin

Here's how to enter and boost your odds with up to 4 chances to win:

Enter a comment here, as usual. That's all you really NEED to do.
Tweet the following on Twitter: Win a #PAXEast 2011 Goodie Bag at BusyGamerNews.com, home of the Busy Gamer Podcast: RT + Enter here: http://bit.ly/iawqMx #bgnfsf
Review (or re-review) our Busy Gamer Podcast on iTunes.
Review (or re-review) the Best of Busy Gamer Podcast on iTunes. This is a short audio highlights feed with our reviews, audio tours and other timeless bits!

If you do 2, 3 and/or 4 (and why wouldn't you?), you do need to let us know your Twitter/iTunes name(s) in your comment so we can find, verify and include your bonus entries in the drawing and match them up to contact you if one of them wins.

If we can't confirm the bonus entry and easily tell who you are on Twitter and/or iTunes, the bonus entry is disqualified.

You DO have to enter a comment here and follow the other rules to be eligible:

]]> Simply post a comment on this page. (You can do the other things listed above if you want to earn some extra chances to win.) Say whatever is on your mind as long as it's not an ad or profane. Be sure to read the Sweepstakes Rules to ensure you are eligible to win and don't get disqualified by double-posting or forgetting to provide an e-mail address.

NOTE: If you play for extra chances on Twitter or by posting podcast reviews on iTunes, you still have to enter here AND let us know your Twitter and/or iTunes names so we can match you up. iTunes ratings alone do not count since we can't see who posted them, so add or update a comment! If you already posted an iTunes review, you can still update your review once a week for a bonus entry in each week's giveaway. Just log in to iTunes and click Write a Review; it should load your existing review and let you modify it. Check to ensure that it appears on top with the new date or it won't count!

You may also want to white list this domain; we've had MANY would-be winners lose out because they never responded to their prize notification! If you use TypeKey/TypePad, be sure your e-mail address will be shared. No e-mail address, no prize. (Don't worry, no one else will see it - and we'll only use it to contact you if you win.)

Note that unless you're an authenticated poster who has been active on the site and marked as trusted, your comment will NOT appear immediately. It will go into a queue for me to approve, which I'll do several times a day (except the first weekend, where comments may not be approved until sometime late on Sunday). Do NOT double-post. We'll extend the entry period for this until 8:01 p.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday, March 30 to ensure you have plenty of time to enter and verify your entry was posted.

We also sometimes give away unannounced Instant Win prizes and podcast extras. Here are a few tips since this can happen at any time. 1) Follow Gamewatcher on Twitter. Before we post the next Instant Win, we'll give you a fair warning tweet. 2) Subscribe to our RSS feed and set it to check for updates frequently.

We continue to stock up on cool goodies for Free Stuff Friday - and we will keep doing so as long as there's enough response, even if we continue to lose money on this site. So tell your friends about this! Hey, if we get bigger, so will the prizes that YOU could win! While you're at it, post comments wherever you see something interesting. Also, if you get a game code you don't need or have some other cool game-related prize you want to donate, we'd be very grateful (we pay for much of this stuff ourselves!).

Download This! - Game manuals

2010-04-28T23:09:57Z

With the recent news that Ubisoft is discontinuing game manuals, you might wonder if they're even still relevant. I mean, can't you learn everything you need to know from in-game controller references and tutorials?

As one of the few people who enjoys a good game manual, I'm saddened by this loss but can revel in the past glory days of game manuals thanks to replacementdocs.com. This site is a repository for all of the game manuals it can find, from the Atari 2600 (even if I can't download Pitfall for Game Room this week, I can revisit the Pitfall manual) to more modern fare (like Luigi's Mansion for GameCube, which I just started playing but couldn't figure out how to save my %*#&$% game!).

Have a game manual that's not there? Read the contributor tips and upload it! Just be sure to check out the "banned" list first. Right now, Bethesda Softworks is refusing to allow any documentation for its game to be shared (including the Elder Scrolls series and Fallout 3), and there are a few others that are not permitted. Hopefully they will come to their senses and realize we just want to revel in their games anywhere, any time and on any device that can display PDFs...

Blog - The GBA, the Leapster and Black Friday

2007-11-26T19:01:30Z

For several weeks, I've been preparing to hand off my aging GameBoy Advance SP to my soon-to-be 5-year-old, Xander. It took me some time to find all of the components (case, charging station, etc) and some age-appropriate games (he's not getting my Pinball of the Dead, Final Fantasy Tactics or Doom II!). I had finally tracked down used copies of Pokemon Pinball, Yoshi's Island, Namco Museum and Sega Arcade Gallery (plus my old Super Mario 3) when something unexpected happened.

He fell in love with the Leapster. At a friend's birthday party, Xan played the Ratatouille game for the Leapster, ignoring the guy making balloon animals and swords and stuff in the living room and staying totally focused for longer than I can ever remember.

The Leapster is actually a lot like an oversized gaming portable, but with educational software from Leapfrog. Xan loves Ratatouille, often pretending to be Remy the rat, and has been frustrated by the incredibly difficult and not-young-kid-friendly game for the Xbox 360 (though he refuses to try anything else). He seemed so much more at home with the Leapster, and I wondered why I had never noticed this gizmo before. He's already a big fan of the Leapfrog videos, which teach helpful rules for learning to spell complex words and understand concepts like silent e.

I scanned the Black Friday ads and found a Leapster L-MAX for $70 at Kohl's. I could get a near equivalent deal online, but have heard reports that the devices sometimes fail in their first few days and wanted the flexibility of an in-store return. Plus, they promised a $10 coupon towards another purchase, which will bring down the price of another game cartridge.

So I set the alarm for 3:30 a.m. Friday. Personally, I've never participated in Black Friday. When I was a teenager, I had a part-time job in a retail department store back East and worked holidays for the double pay. I recall the store opening around 7 a.m. and seeing a small trickle of people that grew as the day progressed. They might squabble over the occassional fad like Cabbage Patch dolls, but otherwise it was peaceful and busy - but not insane.

Things have changed. I first guessed I might be in trouble when I saw traffic backing up about half a mile in the left turn lane. The place was packed. I parked several lots away and hustled into the store. UTTER MAYHEM. There was a line wrapping around the store to go upstairs on the escalator, which is where I determined the toy section was. The aisles were jammed with people. I located the Leapster and asked someone to pass me one, and then ran for the checkout line - which was equally long.

About an hour later, I briefly contemplated a stop at another department store, which had a 20% off coupon for all videogames that might have saved me almost $35 on Rock Band. But I figured if they even had any copies, they would go to people who got in line before I even woke up.

I did glean a few tips for those who want to brave the crowds in future years:

Check the ads at a site like bfads.net first to see if it's even worth your while.
Get as much sleep as you can after Thanksgiving dinner.
Camp out only if you're hunting for a very popular item and/or a really good deal. Otherwise, showing up 5-60 minutes early will probably work out.
Bring a buddy/spouse with a cell phone so you can coordinate. One person can camp in line while the other shops.
Allow up to 2 hours to check out. Don't assume you'll be able to run from one store opening to the next.

The good news is that I was successful and learned from my trip. Next year, I doubt I'll go out into the Black Friday night - but if I do, I'll be ready.

-=Gamewatcher

Blog - PAX and ECA open gamers' rights dialogue

2007-08-29T17:58:03Z

In my harried post-PAX state, I forgot one of the most important things to come out of the show: A renewed emphasis on gamers' rights and the need to get politically involved to protect our hobby. In the opening keynote (MP3; not even remotely safe for work!), gamer geek Wil Wheaton of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame combated the idea - propagated by "opportunistic, pandering" politicans and the media - that gaming is antisocial. In the exhibit hall, one of the first things we did was join the Entertainment Consumers Association (www.theeca.com). For $20, we showed our support and got a T-shirt with the 360, Wii and PS3 controllers and the slogan: "Contrary to popular opinion, these do not make me a killer." This year, think about what YOU can do to help progress the movement to show gaming isn't evil or dangerous...

A Modest Request - Don't Let the Spammers Win!

2007-08-02T16:17:05Z

If you read this site even semi-regularly, I have to make a small one request of you. No, I'm not going to start asking for donations. I just need some public comments and a little feedback to help breathe some life into the site (now entering its 4th year!). Right now, I delete about 20-30 spam comments a day. I figure you don't need the pr0n links, male enhancement ads and malware. But I only get a real reader comment every other week or so!

As you can imagine, this is somewhat demoralizing. Also, you miss the opportunity to highlight the topics you want to see more about, which in turn helps guide my editorial decisions. So post a quick comment now and again; we'll all be better for it. If you don't want to have to wait for comment approval, create a free Typekey login and I'll set your posts to auto-approve.

-=Gamewatcher

Videophile - Haloid

2007-04-19T14:13:12Z

This video blend of Halo and Metroid (with a big helping of The Matrix trilogy) will knock your socks off. That's all you really need to know. Just click it already:

Do Some Good - Child's Play 2006

2006-11-06T18:04:22Z

It's that time of year again - charity season - and for most gamers there's only one place to start: Child's Play. Now in its fourth year, the goal of this program is twofold: first and foremost, to help very sick children through gifts of toys, books, videogames and money donated to children's hospitals, but also to show the world that gamers aren't the violent sociopathic stereotypes portrayed in the media. There are now 28 hospitals you can help worldwide, including new additions in Canada, Australia (coming soon) and Egypt (PayPal only)...

Misery Loves Company - Game Delays, Lik-Sang closing

2006-10-25T04:12:11Z

Holiday shopping just got a little easier for some. Just fill out a IOU card and you're done - if the gamer in your life was dying for The Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft, Assassin's Creed or Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway. All have been delayed until 2007. And don't think you'll make up for it with a stocking stuffer from Lik-Sang. The popular game importer is hanging it up after too many lawsuits from Sony over shipment of Asian PSP and PS2 hardware to Europe. Don't worry, if you have credits or pending repairs, Lik-Sang says it will make sure its customers are taken care of...

E3 Round-Up - News You May Have Missed

2006-05-15T07:55:31Z

In all of the next-gen console hubbab at E3, you may have missed some of these interesting tidbits:

AOL is launching PlayLink, a new game dashboard that integrates instant messaging with game forums, downloads and matching and more - in other words, they're taking on GameSpy
Activision bought Red Octane, makers of Guitar Hero and its forthcoming sequel - speaking of which: Guitar Hero 2 will support two players, each with his (or her) own axe to grind
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is due for the PSP on Oct. 17 - this year!
Rockstar Vienna, the team that ported the Grand Theft Auto games to the Xbox, was shuttered - guess the Rockstar A-Team is working on both the 360 and PS3 versions of the next GTA title
Namco's answer to GTA, Frame City Killer, has apparently been cancelled
The GameCube is still getting some first-party love in the form of Super Paper Mario, Donkey Kong Bongo Blast and its own version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - though the Wii version will be widescreen and take advantage of the motion-sensitive remote
Rare is developing Diddy Kong Racing for the Nintendo DS, due out in late 2006
The PlayStation 3 dashboard looks (un)remarkably like the PSP's
A new Sam and Max PC adventure is expected this fall, and it may be released in episodes
A Sims-esque Desperate Housewives game is in the works - expect it later this year
The next World of Warcraft playable race has been confirmed: It's the Draenei, and they'll be in the Burning Crusade expansion

Misery Loves Company - Amped, Links and Top Spin developer dumped

2006-05-02T07:36:31Z

Say goodbye to Microsoft's better sports franchises - again. In late 2004, the Redmond giant punted Indie Built - makers of Amped, Links and Top Spin - due to mediocre sales and a pact with EA to abandon any game franchise that smelled even remotely athletic. Now Take Two is dumping the Utah game studio as well. What are the odds that these stray pups will find another home before the shelter decides to put them out of their misery forever...

Whoa! - Acclaim is back

2006-02-28T08:04:55Z

It seems that Acclaim is back from the dead. Before you panic, it's not the same schlocky publisher that put out crappy movie licenses like the infamous Batman and Robin, not to mention BMX XXX, South Park Rally and those Mary Kate and Ashley games. An L.A.-based company actually bought the Acclaim brand and hopes to erase the lingering stench with imported Asian online multiplayer games such as BOTS, a Transformers-style battle title. If you can overcome the nausea induced by their assumed name, the new Acclaim is taking applications for a closed beta...

CES Round-up

2006-01-05T09:12:40Z

Console news is streaming in from the International Consumer Electronics Show. First, the bombshell: Microsoft will offer HD-DVD support for the Xbox 360 not with a new version of the console as previously rumored, but via an external drive. No word on pricing or how the thing will mount to the 360, but it's due sometime in 2006... Sony's announcements so far have focused on its competing Blu-ray high-def DVD format, due in March, and the PlayStation Portable's support for wireless LocationFree Portable Broadband TVs. These devices, due in September, can stream live programs over the Internet to your PSP. There's also a Connect movie download store launching in March that will offer downloadable feature films, for those who don't like UMD and find ripping DVDs too much trouble. Oh, and Sony said it won't break any PlayStation 3 news at CES, no doubt concerned it would overshadow its other announcements... Not much from Nintendo, except a little nugget about the Visteon Dockable Entertainment System: an in-car DVD/CD player that plays GameBoy Advance games...

[BONUS: Updated Blu-ray/HD-DVD Movie List]

News Flash - GBA SP re-released with backlit screen

2005-09-22T14:54:54Z

This week, you have two new choices in Game Boys at retail. The ultra-portable Game Boy Micro ships, but so does an update to the Game Boy Advance SP that offers a backlit screen (bringing it on par with the Micro and DS). Earlier units used front lighting, designed to preserve battery life. Reviewers detected a small amount of motion blur with the new screens, but also report improved color saturation and much better performance in places where bright light would normally wash out the picture. You'll also have a choice of two new colors: Graphite and Pearl Blue...

E3 Update - Revolution details, GBA Micro, DS Wi-Fi titles

2005-05-18T07:01:54Z

The Nintendo Revolution will feature a slim design that stands vertically and offers not just GameCube compatibility but downloadable access to 20 years of Nintendo titles including NES and SNES games. As expected, there will be built-in Wi-Fi multiplayer over Nintendo's upcoming worldwide network, plus a long overdue optional attachment to play DVD movies... The other big Nintendo news is the GameBoy Advance Micro, an ultra-compact version of the GBA that weighs under 3 ounces and has removeable faceplates - but no new features... On the DS front, Nintendo confirmed its Wi-Fi Connection Service will launch by year's end to support Animal Crossing DS, Mario Kart DS and a new, yet-unnamed Tony Hawk game...

Buzz and Rumors - Nintendo DS online and GBA update

2005-05-11T07:15:56Z

Nintendo announced its wireless connectivity plans for the Nintendo DS, unveiling a deal with IGN's GameSpy network for free WiFi gaming at home (if you have a wireless router and broadband Internet) or at any number of WiFi hotspots. The network will launch sometime in 2005... At E3, Nintendo is expected to announce another revision to the GameBoy Advance hardware. Word is that it will have a built-in wireless network adapter (which makes sense considering the WiFi news) and maybe even the Play-yan A/V adapter that reads SD cards and can play back MP3 audio and MP4 video. Sounds like Nintendo might have some return fire for Sony's PSP, and possibly (gasp!) an online strategy...