Tag: Wii

This Week’s Videogame Releases

February getting to chilly for you? Then let these hot games warm you up! Bulletstorm has been getting a ton of buzz for its unapologetic action and this Mike “Busta” Capps interview (*snicker*). Killzone 3 is sure to dazzle PS3 action fans. If those action games aren’t for you then perhaps Knights Contract is just what the doctor ordered. I’m personally hoping De Blob 2 does well; the first game was refreshingly original and I hear that the second one is even better. Last but not least is a pair of excellent RPG re-releases for the PSP: Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Ys I and II.

Anyone picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

After a dull start, February roars back with several interesting releases. One surprise that a lot of my journalist friends are enjoying is You Don’t Know Jack; it’s just amusing that hardcore gamers are using their powerful consoles to indulge in a trivia game. A storied Atari (via Infogrames via Accolade) driving series makes its return in Test Drive Unlimited 2. Gamers looking for some action-RPG excitement should give Trinity: Souls Of Zill O’ll a look. Lastly, Mario and pals return to get their athletic groove on in Mario Sports Mix.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Virtua Tennis 4 Screens and Artwork

Sega just sent out a bunch of sweet screens for the upcoming Virtua Tennis 4. As a longtime fan of the series and a former competitive tennis player, I’m really looking forward to this game. As a videogame verbal entertainter, I’m interested in VF4 since it supports motions controls for Wii, PlayStation Move, and Kinect. It’s motiontastic!

Any of you interested in buying this game? If so, for which platform?

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Coffee Talk #287: Cutting the Cable Cord with Consoles

“Cutting the cord” was a popular phrase among tech nerds in 2010. The practice of cancelling cable or satellite service and relying on streaming television will become even more popular in 2011. There are several reasons for this…

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, who should replace Regis Philbin, HP’s upcoming WebOS press event, or if Lance Armstrong is a cheater (or not), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

“Cutting the cord” was a popular phrase among tech nerds in 2010. The practice of cancelling cable or satellite service and relying on streaming television will become even more popular in 2011. There are several reasons for this. A lot of people are still struggling financially and it’s cheaper to go with streaming. It’s fashionable among hipster douchebags to rely on modern services. And most importantly, streaming movies and TV shows has gotten really, really good.

A person can subscribe to Hulu Plus and Netflix, as well as rent movies on Vudu, for less than the cost of cable service with a premium channel. The offerings have gotten so good that many consumers are able to watch their favorite TV shows and new movies for a fantastic price. I’m super tempted to cut the cord, but that would leave me without live HBO boxing, live WWE Monday Night Raw, and original HBO shows (Entourage, Curb) when they premiere. Streaming services have gotten pretty excellent…but they’re not quite there yet for me. (To be completely honest, I might have to cut the cord whether I want to or not. Ha!)

How about you? Are any of you considering cutting the cord in 2011? Does the combination of Hulu Plus, Netflix, and Vudu provide you with enough entertainment? Why do cable companies suck so hard? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

NPD 2010 Console Sales Figures (Flame On!)

NPD Group has released its December console sales figures, giving flame warriors some nice 2010 numbers to play with. I haven’t been able to track down the PSP year-end totals yet, but I’ll add them as soon as I do. Here are the total U.S. console sales in 2010 according to NPD Group:

  • Nintendo DS:  8.56 million
  • Nintendo Wii: 7.07 million
  • Xbox 360: 6.76 million
  • PlayStation 3: 4.33 million

While most of the numbers were lower than 2009, Microsoft had a tremendous year with the Xbox 360, selling more than 40 percent more units in 2010 than 2009. The new model combined with Kinect made the Xbox 360 a huge winner in America.

What do you guys and dolls make of the 2010 console wars (in America)?

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2010 Videogames: The Year in Review

In case you missed any of these excellent videos starring 1Up.com’s Sam Kennedy, Gamasutra’s Christian Nutt, and GameFly Media’s (Shacknews) Garnett Lee, here they are! Let’s start with their favorite games of 2010. Find out why these three excellent writers felt that Bayonetta, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, and Red Dead Redemption were the cream of the crop.

Next, find out why Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIV, and Gran Turismo 5 were the most disappointing games of the year to Christian, Sam, and Garnett.

Discovering sleeper hits is always a fantastic thing. There are games we all love that don’t get the attention they deserve. In the following segment, my dynamic guests tell you why Split Second, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, and Bayonetta should have your attention.

Last, but certainly not least, is the biggest gaming news in 2010. In a truly fascinating year for the business that kicked off tons of change, Garnett, Sam, and Christian reveal what news they thought had the biggest impact.

If you have any closing thoughts on videogames in 2010, speak now or forever hold your peace!

This Week’s Videogame Releases

The holiday rush has slowed down, but there are still some big games left in 2010. I usually don’t include PC games in the mix, but World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is too huge to ignore. Tying into the movie, TRON: Evolution hits every platform known to man…and robot. Technically, this game comes out next week, but Super Mario All-Stars hits Sunday with all sorts of excellent bonus goodies.

Any of you guys and dolls picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

There’s not a whole lot going on this week, but if you want quality over quantity then this is a brilliant week to be a gamer. Disney’s Epic Mickey will be one of the most critically acclaimed games of the year. I’m a huge Warren Spector mark, so I hope you give the game a try. As most of you know, I’m an RPG mark as well, so I’m super psyched for Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

This Week’s Videogame Releases

After 72 years of delays (not really), Sony is finally releasing Gran Turismo 5 for PlayStation 3. Whether or not the game is worth the wait, it’s sure to sell millions. The games I’m looking forward to this week are from Namco Bandai: Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom and Splatterhouse. Need some pop in your life? Then check out Michael Jackson: The Experience. Last, but not least, is Raving Rabbids Travel in Time.

Random note: as of this writing, GT5 is #2 and Michael Jackson: The Experience is #11 on Amazon’s videogame best seller list.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

NPD Console Sales Figures Top 10 Games of October 2010

It’s time for NPD Group’s sales figures! It’s the second month of neutered NPD numbers (*sniff* *sniff*) and I miss the flame wars the old numbers started. That said, the game sales data is still interesting. Let’s have a look!

It’s time for NPD Group’s sales figures! It’s the second month of neutered NPD numbers (*sniff* *sniff*) and I miss the flame wars the old numbers started. That said, the game sales data is still interesting. Let’s have a look!

  1. NBA 2K11 (Take-Two Interactive, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC)
  2. Fallout: New Vegas (Bethesda Softworks, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
  3. Medal of Honor (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
  4. Fable III (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
  5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (LucasArts, Xbox 360, PS3, WII, PC, NDS)
  6. Halo: Reach (Microsoft, Xbox 360)
  7. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft, Wii)
  8. FIFA Soccer 11 (Electronic Arts, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, PSP, NDS, PC)
  9. Madden NFL 11 (Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, PS3, WII, PS2, PSP)
  10. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 (THQ, PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, WII, PSP)

I’m said that more people didn’t buy SmackDown vs. Raw. The people need games with superior writing and that game has the best writing (of any kind) of 2010. Combining platforms and market saturation have changed the way the top 10 has looked for the last few years — way fewer Wii exclusives on the list. I’m surprised  and pleased that NBA 2K11 and Fallout topped the list. Not that those games were release by “small” publishers, but it’s good for the business when Acitivsion and EA aren’t completely dominating the scene.

What do you think of October’s numbers? Any surprises for you?