Category: Videogames

Coffee Talk#167: Who’s Your Favorite Boutique Publisher?

Here’s another simple Coffee Talk topic for you: who’s your favorite small publisher? In the gaming industry, it seems like every other story is about Activision or Electronic Arts, but smaller publishers are important to the business as well. I love that Atlus bring quirky Japanese games to America. I love that Nicalis helps small games like Cave Story get attention.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the NXT season one rookies being renamed “The Nexus”, the stupidity of penalty-kick shootouts, or class action suits against Apple, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Here’s another simple Coffee Talk topic for you: who’s your favorite small publisher? In the gaming industry, it seems like every other story is about Activision or Electronic Arts, but smaller publishers are important to the business as well. I love that Atlus bring quirky Japanese games to America. I love that Nicalis helps small games like Cave Story get attention. Small publishers give gamers access to lesser known games and developers. Publishers like Atlus and Nicalis add variety and character to a cookie-cutter business.

As for my favorite boutique publisher, I’m going to go with NIS America. I love Nippon Ichi Software games, especially Disgaea and its various spin-offs. The company brings over loads of great RPGs that are different, cute, and fun. Plus, prinnies are awesome.

Now it’s your turn! Who’s your favorite small publisher?

Read My Green Day: Rock Band Review on Machinima (Please)

I meant to post this last week, but forgot. Do you have the time…to listen to me whine? If so, I’d super appreciate you checking out my review of Green Day: Rock Band for Machinima.com. I enjoyed the game, but wished MTV and Harmonix went with a Guitar Hero: Metallica approach and included artists that influenced the band (Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, etc.). It would have broadened the game’s appeal and made it look less ridiculous following The Beatles: Rock Band.

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Pokemon Black/White Dated for September 18…in Japan

Nintendo of Japan has announced that Pokemon Black and Pokemon White will be released on September 18, 2010. If the company’s pattern holds true then expect a North American release around April 2011. *sigh* I’m kicking myself for dropping Japanese class after one semester. Being able to read Japanese would have been incredibly useful in this line of work. Ah well…capricious youth.

Danny Fong Rocks the Pokemon Theme Song A Capella

My old Pokemon nemesis Jimbo sent me a link to this completely awesome a capella performance of the original Pokemon cartoon theme song (North American version). Danny Fong did an excellent job with this and should win a medal or a trophy or something. Check it out and let me know what you think (please)!

Coffee #166: Is PlayStation Plus a Better Value Than Xbox Live?

Sony made a bold move at E3 2010 with the announcement of PlayStation Plus. A premium addition to its PlayStation Network service, PlayStation Plus launches tomorrow, June 29. It’s available for $17.99 for three months or $49.99 for 15 months (one year + a three-month bonus). For this chunk of change you get free PSN games, the Qore video-magazine, PSN discounts, automatic update downloads, full-game trials, and more. Here’s a PlayStation Blog post with more details.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, your pending application to be a FIFA referee, the summer of LeBron kicking off this week, or A-Rod + Cameron D, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Sony made a bold move at E3 2010 with the announcement of PlayStation Plus. A premium addition to its PlayStation Network service, PlayStation Plus launches tomorrow, June 29. It’s available for $17.99 for three months or $49.99 for 15 months (one year + a three-month bonus). For this chunk of change you get free PSN games, the Qore video-magazine, PSN discounts, automatic update downloads, full-game trials, and more. Here’s a PlayStation Blog post with more details.

On paper, PlayStation Plus looks like a better value than Xbox Live Gold. Microsoft’s excellent service gives you online play, access to certain content, and discounts on games. It”s different from PlayStation Plus in that gamers are primarily paying for online play with Xbox Live Gold. Sony’s service is more about non-essential (but valuable) content and services. That said, people love console wars and will compare the two no matter how different they are, so I might as well do it here too. Ha!

I’m excited to see how well (or not) PlayStation Plus works. For now, let’s discuss which service offers the better value, on paper. Do you favor Microsoft’s rock-solid and time-tested Xbox Live Gold? Or do you think PlayStation Plus is where it’s at? Kindly vote in the poll and elaborate in the comments section!

[poll id=”56″]

Shigeru Miyamoto Says That Cats Are Like Girls

During a roundtable discussions at E3 2010, Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that cats were originally part of Nintendogs, but they didn’t behave quite right. For example, when dogs are happy they wag their tail. Cats…not so much.

As with several Miyamoto games, a lot of the ideas behind Nintendogs + Cats were derived from his personal experience. As many of you know, a lot of his ideas from Zelda came from playing in caves, likewise for Pikmin and gardening, and finally Nintendogs and his family dog. Miyamoto picked up a kitten and was fascinated by the way it interacted with his dog.

Miyamoto jokingly stated that cats are similar to women:

Cats are interesting. They’re kind of like girls. If they come and talk to you, it’s great. If you go and talk to them, sometimes it doesn’t turn out so well.

Too true Mr. Miyamoto. Too true.

Fat Princess DLC Adds Three New Character Classes

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that the “Fat Roles” DLC for Fat Princess will be available for download on Tuesday June 29. “Fat Roles” will cost $4.99 in America. The DLC adds three new classes: pirates, ninjas, and giants. Here are more details from the PlayStation Blog:

Pirates can call in cannon ball attacks, Ninjas can hide in the shadows to sneak through doors, and the all-mighty Giants can cause rumbling earthquakes and gain health by chomping on their enemies.

Pirates are cool. Giants are cool. Ninjas frickin’ rule!!! I’m looking forward to checking out this batch of Fat Princess DLC next week. Anyone else down?

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Coffee Talk #165: What Game Have You Played the Most?

Today’s Coffee Talk is super simple. I want to know what game you’ve played the most. Easy, hey?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, all four major American mobile carriers having hot phones in July, the Chicago Bulls getting a ton of salary cap space, or holding your phone properly, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today’s Coffee Talk is super simple. I want to know what game you’ve played the most. Easy, hey?

As for me, it’s definitely Pokemon Pearl. I spent a year writing a Pokemon column for GamesRadar. I also happen to love the series. Put those two things together and you get 600+ hours of Pokemon Pearl. It seems rather insane after typing that number out.

Now it’s your turn! What game have you played the most? Kindly give a guestimate of the hours you’ve put into it. This will be a fun getting-to-know-you exercise. I can’t wait to see your comments!

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

E3 2010 is finally out of my head (i.e. I’m no longer having flashbacks), so it’s time to get gaming again! I recently picked up Turtles in Time: Re-shelled and want to get my t-u-r-t-l-e power on. My ankle is gimped, so I’m going to use that as an excuse to stay in bed and play Glory of Heracles.

How about you? What’s on you weekend playlist?

Last Batch of Shacknews E3 2010 Stories

Finally…Raymond has returned to RPad.tv!!! It’s fun talking like The Rock. It’s also fun writing for Shacknews. Here’s the last batch of stories from E3 2010. Check ’em out and shoot off any questions you have about the games/people. (And yes, this post means that my full attention is back on this site.)

Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: This is a pretty cool action-adventure game with unique tandem gameplay mechanics and a really cool setting. Plus it has Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma Talk Zelda: Skyward Sword: Aonuma spills some details on the story while Miyamoto briefly talks about the art direction. You know…it’s frickin’ awesome that I got to hang out in the same room as Aonuma and Miyamoto.

David Cox Talks Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: As a huge Iga fan, I’m approaching this game cautiously, but the crew seems to be doing a great job. Cox talks about working with Kojima, being compared to other God of War, and the game’s WTF moment.

Virgin Gaming: Virgin’s supplementary service lets you bet on your online matches and win some cool prizes. The company claims that Virgin’s other branches will throw in prizes too. Virgin Galactic anyone?

The Sims 3: The console version of The Sims 3 is shaping up to be the best console Sims yet.