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Growing up with the original NBA Jam on the SNES set me up for a lifetime of disappointment -- no matter how many consecutive shots I made in real life, the ball would never catch on fire.

Video Blips:

• Finally, basketball fans will get to play as today's superstars in this remake of NBA Jam. I can only pray that my favorite legends from the first game -- Bill Clinton and the big-headed wolfman -- will be unlockable characters. [GameTrailers]

Continue after the break for some war-torn Medal of Honor footage, the debut trailer for Puzzle Quest 2, and a Dead or Alive: Paradise video, which at this point should be synonymous with being NSFW.

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The community-submitted tunes just keep on coming! It seems like every week the Jukebox's playlist becomes more and more eclectic, and I'm definitely a fan of this trend. Also, I want to take a second to thank everyone who takes the time to suggest a song each week. I'm grateful for your continued support.

For this edition, I've taken it upon myself to disprove the theory that newer video game music sucks -- every song I chose is a title I have played in the last two months.

The community section of this week's selections is a bit different: Its tunes are from all over the map. Pixel Revolt co-host Jeff Grubb throws in only the second song in Jukebox history from the Atari 2600 (hint: It's from a David Crane game that isn't Pitfall!). Bitmobber Jimmy Flores takes us back to the days when Metroid Prime was getting rave reviews, and Alex R. Cronk-Young keeps it current with a nostalgic track from Mega Man 10. Last -- and most certainly least -- some British guy named Alex Martin who follows me on Twitter donated a stinker from Amped 3. Thanks a lot, Alex -- and don't worry, we still love you!

Want to find out what the hell a Bitmob Community Jukebox is? All you have to do is hit the jump.

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Editor's note: We each have our own preparations for playing video games, and Toby is interested to know exactly how you ready yourself whenever you've got the itch. But I'd like to know which one of you has the most elaborate ritual. Well? -Rob

I always wonder how other people play video games. Where do they plop down? Do they eat or drink? How do they sit when playing Call of Duty online?

I have my own little process down pat, which includes several variations depending on the time of day or what game I'm playing.

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It's the middle of the month, and you know what that means -- nothing at all!

That's right, today is just another indistinct, unimportant day in your life. You'll brush your teeth, watch some television, then hit the sack. With any luck, however, you'll find time for the Bitmob Reviews Spotlight. And with even more luck, you'll enjoy reading it!

So cheer up, because it's time to spotlight reviews and chew bubble gum...and we're all out of gum.

Spencer Grande is the first to step toward the podium, and he makes a pretty convincing case for Duke Nukem 3D -- a game which is just as offensive today as it was in 1996.

Dante's Inferno is potentially as offensive as Duke's 3D adventure, but that doesn't stop Moeez Siddiqui from the world's longest review of the game. It's seriously, like, 2000 words or something.

Andrew Galbraith and Suriel Vasquez call a moratorium on controversy with their reviews of Toy Soldiers and Ace Attorney Investigations -- two games which are as non-threatening and appreciative of their respective subjects as possible (sort of).

But wait! Controversy returns with yet another review of Dante's Inferno, this time by Ryan Finley. But, before someone complains in the comments section, Steven Schmidt defuses the situation with a curt, to-the-point review of Resident Evil 5's first downloadable content pack.

Daniel Feit winds down this undistinguished day with his impressions of a rather distinguished action game -- God of War.

The Old School Charms of Duke Nukem 3D
By Spencer Grande
After 3D Realms permanently closed their doors last year, the desperate hope that Duke Nukem Forever would one day be released was quelled. Anxious and cotton-mouthed, avid fans of the series were given few alternatives beyond revisiting past entries in the franchise. Luckily, one such avid fan calls Bitmob home -- Spencer Grande. After returning to the Duke's misogynistic, tongue-in-cheek world, does this reviewer sense a tangible pain or is he filled with glee and nostalgia?

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You're a nerd -- don't bother denying it.

But what kind of nerd are you? Do you only play video games or do your interests expand beyond the glossy surfaces of compact discs?

Needless to say, the historical diversity of nerds is jarring in its scope: Computer geeks dominated the turn of the century, fans of science fiction television serials typified the '80s, and the post-war era belonged to Dungeons & Dragons nerds and roleplayers.

But, I say we start before all that -- with comic books

As long as pretty graphics or controller inputs aren't the only appealing aspects of gaming to you, comic books will probably prove of interest. If you consider yourself a gamer, I'm confident that you'll take pleasure in reading the following comic books. With any luck, they may even enhance your appreciation for video games in general!

So, without further ado, here are the top five comics (in no particular order) which are sure to convert any gamer into a regular customer at the local comic book store.

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Editor's Note: Richard flexes his creative muscles here and tackles the topic of linear games from the perspective of a Roman Senator. I'm glad that this inventive piece found a home at Bitmob, and I'm interested to read what he comes up with next. - Jay

My fellow gamers, as the moon turns and the long foretold coming of the Thirteenth of the Fantasies Final draws nigh, one word has been spat like a curse across the realm. It is spoken of as the black death upon gaming's soul, festering away at all the good and leaving not but an untouchable rotted corpse. Like the word “witch,” the mere accusation spreads like wildfire and becomes truth amongst our community. And lo doth any hapless victim receive this title for they shall forever be burned within the flames and hatred of their once most faithful of supporters. Yet, I stand here today, in the Grand Hall of the Internet and surrounded by this most fickle of counsels, to defend this greatest of sins: Linearity.

At the birth of our kingdom, we were but a simple people, content to bounce our square balls and gather food from ghost-riddled caves. Yet, with time came complexity and with complexity, the birth of legends. Who here can forget the tales of the great Fixer-of-Pipes and his battles with the Reptile King? What child does not know of the adventures of the Blue Rodent and his Twin-Tailed companion? Do not forget my fellows, that even in that golden time, linearity was there. For both the Fixer-of-Pipes and the Blue Rodent could not move but right; forever right to victory. Lo! I hear you cry, “but what of the Hero of Hyrule and the Masked Hunter of Men?” Indeed, their legends can be told in many different ways. Yet, even their epics must be told in a certain order, lest they have not obtained the items with which to conquer their trials.

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Ahh...the Game Developers Choice Awards. They're kind of like the Oscars except nobody really cares which fashion designers the nominees are wearing. 

Uncharted 2 cleaned up at the GDC Awards last night with five trophies, including Game of the Year, Best Writing, Best Technology, Best Visual Arts, and Best Audio. Also during the ceremony, Will Wright (of The Sims fame) presented id Software's John Carmack (Doom, Wolfenstein 3D) with the Lifetime Achievement Award and did a presentation on "Why John Carmack Rocks." Boy, I'd hate to be the guy who has to tell James Cameron that Avatar: The Game didn't take home any awards. [GamePro]

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Editor's note: Heated debate is always more interesting, especially when you've got a dog in the fight. Suriel makes the case that more video game podcasts should strive to spark that kind of exchange between participants. I'd only add that these programs also drop the non-gaming banter in the beginning and get right to the topic I tuned in to hear. -Rob

When I listen to a podcast, I usually imagine myself in the room with the participants. I converse with them in my head, take their viewpoints to compare them with my own, and arrive at my own conclusion -- not unlike that which you might do with real-life group of friends.

I don't agree with everyone's point of view, but that's only to be expected. I usually enjoy the discussion more when I debate someone else's points than when I agree with his arguments.

This metaphysical experience works best when the breadth of perspectives that a podcast provides creates genuine discussion on a topic and when those opinions are as varied as possible. What I've found is that an assortment of expressed thoughts on a podcast is the exception rather than the norm.

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Editor's note: People often bandy about a somewhat amorphous term to describe video game fans and characters: "emo." What does it mean? I make immediate connections with the origins of the term: mid-'80's post-punk emotional hardcore bands like Embrace and Rites of Spring. Brian makes connections between the supposed affectations of people who are "emo" and the lack of sensitivity this may indicate toward mental illnesses such as Major Depressive Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. Whatever the case, I'm in full agreement that this is a somewhat loose, very ineffectual way of describing something. -James

Disturbing trends in game journalism are nothing new, but one annoys me more than most others -- the increased use of the term "emo." Since the start of the new millennium, the term "emo" has infected pop culture faster than Swine Flu swept PAX '09. When used in everyday discussion, it's often associated with people who appear to be unhappy and wear dark-colored clothing.

One definition at Urban Dictionary describes "emo": "An entire subculture of people (usually angsty teens) with a fake personality." Whether or not such people exist is debatable, but the term "angst" is nothing to laugh at. According to Dictionary.com, "angst" is when a person has "a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish." Certainly, having a small amount of these feelings is normal, but when they overwhelm an individual, it can endanger that person's existence.

I'm sure some people feel they have earned the title of "emo" -- although I have never met any -- by pretending to hate the world and acting depressed because they crave attention, but that doesn't mean we should use such a term lightly. As someone who frequents game sites, I've noticed that people throw the word about carelessly to describe certain characters and people who enjoy relatively niche genres. This is a shame, because not only does it misrepresent certain real-life and virtual individuals, but it also reveals the ignorance of much of the gaming community.

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My biggest interest in media studies is in understanding propaganda. Bioshock and Mega Man 10 tie together my passion for convincing the masses with suggestion and empowering imagery with video games. You can't deny the inspiring presentation of Solar Man in this poster [via TinyCartridge]:

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It seems America's competitive spirit extends to exorbitant spending on digital pixels.

News Blips:

GamesIndustry conducted a study that shows American gamers spent $3.8 billion on massively multiplayer games in 2009. Consumers spent nearly half the amount ($1.8 billion) on monthly subscription fees, with subsequently smaller spending on annual subscriptions and other forms of payment such as micro-transactions. Unsurprisingly, Blizzard's World of Warcraft reigns supreme; its players comprise the largest portion of the total player base (46 million) in the United States. That's odd -- I didn't know playing as an elf would be so lucrative.

Game-design guru Warren Spector (System Shock) has warned the industry against becoming too engrossed with motion control and other input methods. While not scorning outright the recent trend of motion control devices, Spector (who is currently working on Epic Mickey for the Wii) stresses the importance of maintaining perspective in the ever-broadening video game audience. "I don't know if we want to throw away our entire history because we want to use gestural controls. I hope we keep our perspective a little more rational." Spector's right: How am I going to enter my Konami codes on a silly nunchuck? [Gamasutra]

Industry analyst Michal Pachter portends the outcome of the Infinity Ward/Activision lawsuit.  While not going into specifics, Pachter expects the lawsuit to "progress to trial or settlement, with some compensation likely awarded." The Webush Morgan analyst admits that Activision could be in serious trouble if Infinity Ward heads Jason West and Vince Zampella decide to work for EA, which has recently revived the Medal of Honor franchise. I'm glad Pachter is here to tell us about how a lawsuit works. [IndustryGamers]

Developers of classic games have noted their preference for working on smaller, social-centric titles. Longtime designers and industry veterans (such as Richard Garriot of Ultima fame) have turned to smaller-scale projects -- like iPhone apps and Facebook games -- that resemble the creative mentality of gaming's halcyon days. “I remember, early in my career we would make a game in six months," said designer Brenda Brathwaite (Wizardry). "I love the idea of just putting a game together with a small group of people. I can’t imagine anything I’d rather do.” A return to smaller games is a nifty idea...but nothing will convince me to buy an iPhone. [Wired]

Got any hot news tips? Send 'em over to tips@bitmob.com.

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