May 3, 2010 looks like it's going to be a pretty important day for some people, and not just because it's World Press Freedom Day either. 

Video Blips:

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Editor's note: Think video games are a big waste of time? If so, check out Brian's humorous list of other things many people do that are far more boring and pointless. -James

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As gamers, we share a sense of identity. We're all lazy man-children (or tomboys) who sit around in our underwear chugging six-packs of Mountain Dew, so that we can stay awake to beat the game. Besides being lazy, we're all unintelligent, repulsive bastards who burn books in bonfires. And who knows, we may even eat babies.

All jokes aside, any of us with an ounce of intelligence realizes that most stereotypes about video games and gamers aren't true. I mean, we all know that they don't really rot our brains, right? They may occasionally distract us from more valuable pursuits, but they don't dumb us down or turn us in to mass murderers.

Since we're now all aware that video games aren't a waste of time, I'm going to provide you with a list of handy alternatives that'll make your days go by faster than an Olympic skier on a training run. If you're looking for activities that'll truly insult your intelligence, I encourage you to keep reading.

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It's always good to have a friend. Can you match these video-game characters to their loyal companions?

1)

A)

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The month of March is starting out with a resounding bang! Bad Company 2 hits stores tomorrow, Final Fantasy 13 comes out in a week, and God of War 3 is looming on the horizon. If anything, this month will leave our thumbs sore and our wallets empty.

But don't worry, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Despite being tired and broke, we all have a goal to work toward, thanks to Austin Hargrave. Better known as "PeanutButterGamer," the prolific ScrewAttack blogger, has issued a challenge to all gamers. He wants us to beat as many games as we can by April 1st, 2010.

Are you man enough to accept his challenge? If so, hurry -- you only have 30 days left!

In recent weeks, I haven't been gaming as much as I would like. But with school winding down and new, exciting games just around the corner, Austin's challenge is enough to motivate me to pick up the controller once more!

I'll be playing (and hopefully completing) Bad Company 2, Metro 2033, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, and Doom 3. How about you?

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Somebody take their big PlayStation 3 back in time to a little over 10 years ago and see it's Y2K compliant.

News Blips:

Due to an internal clock bug in non-slim PS3s, many users are unable to sign onto the PlayStation Network or play any games -- even single-player ones -- and some have even lost their trophies. Sony has a list of the various error messages that have popped up and estimates they’ll have things figured out “within the next 24 hours.” In the meantime, the company recommends that non-slim PS3 owners don’t turn on their consoles until the issue is resolved. Follow the PlayStation Blog for updates. I wonder what the error was -- did some developer program 2010 to be a leap year when it wasn’t?

Activision puts a halt to a fan-made sequel to King's Quest. The affected independent development team originally made a deal with Vivendi Universal back in 2005, allowing them to create The Silver Lining as part of a non-commercial fan license. Now Activision, who picked up the rights to the King's Quest license when it merged with Vivendi back in December of 2007, has decided to shut down the operation. Let us have a moment of silence for this (one-of-many) fan projects taken out by the man. [Joystiq]

Game Politics reports on two research groups' conflicting findings on the effect of violent video games on youth. Analyzing 130 existing research reports on the subject, Iowa State University's Craig Anderson and his team concluded that "violent video game effects are significant in both Eastern and Western cultures, in males and females, and in all age groups." Anderson feels that these findings are "definitive." Researchers Christopher Ferguson and John Kilburn of Texas A&M International University, however, released a paper that challenges Anderson's findings by identifying holes in the studies used and claiming a lack of real-world evidence (i.e., more violent video games today but low crime rates among youth). Video games don't make me violent -- researchers that say they do make me violent!

Ubisoft is giving away free copies of the Assassin's Creed 2: Multiplayer iPhone app for the first 48 hours of its release. Afterward (aka Wednesday), the price jumps up to $2.99. Be warned: If you don't like the game, you won't really be able to get your money back. [AppAdvice]

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Got any hot news tips? Send 'em over to [email protected].

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Comedians Sheila Bryson and Dave Karraker join Bitmob's Dan Hsu and Demian Linn on the latest and greatest episode of the Mobcast.

The group discusses each person's first professional experience in the gaming industry, Nintendo's recent press event, interesting console launches, personal metrics of nerd cred, and which game hunks Sheila finds attractive.

Have a question you want answered? Want to share some important insight with the world? E-mail the crew at [email protected].

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Editor's note: Chris absolutely nails why I named New Super Mario Bros. Wii my game of the year last year: It provides simple, unadulterated fun. Does that mean we need more simplicity in our video games? -Brett

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A funny thing happened to me as I played through New Super Mario Bros. Wii: I realized that I wanted to beat it simply for the sake of beating it. No narrative, achievement system, or buzz on the Internet motivated me to complete it. Nothing but the gameplay itself compelled me to finish it, or play through it a second time in search of all the Star coins and secret paths.

But even though I knew I was having fun, I didn't understand the uniqueness of New Super Mario Bros. Wii until I thought about why I enjoyed it so much.

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Editor’s note: When I was younger, "children's games" never earned a spot in my collection simply because they were usually poorly executed. I suspect those experiences have carried over with journalists reviewing games today. And I fear that I won't have the same patience as Matthew to sit through Bakugan with my own son when he's older. I can only hope to instill a decent sense of taste.... -Rob

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When I read reviews that are meant for a younger mindset, I cringe. No matter how many times the reviewer says that he’s doing so with respect to the game’s audience, you can tell that just isn’t true. I don’t know whether it’s because reviewers can’t think like a 9-year-old or that they’re just afraid of losing their “hardcore” cred in whatever culture they wrap themselves, but they miss the point every time.

Want to know how to review a game with adorable woodland creatures sporting googly eyes or whatever flavor-of-the-week cartoon character happens to be the current fad? You play the game with a kid.

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This week on Hit or Miss: Nintendo announces some release dates or something (is that a big deal?); Doritos tries to convince us that lending their brand to a "Pro-Gamer Combine" can make the idea of a "Pro-Gamer Combine" not-absurd; Tecmo tries to convince us any pornographic undertones in Dead or Alive: Paradise were totally "unintentional" (large, obvious wink); and Electronic Arts suggests the new Medal of Honor may -- gasp! -- actually be a thoughtful and empathetic examination of real-life combat in a big-budget shooter.

Where the hell do they get off, right?

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Having this fancy new article editor has doubled the number of posts I've seen in the Mobfeed compared to recent months. Glad to see so many people are taking advantage of this opportunity and cranking out intriguing stories.

Jeremy Sigor starts with his stance on Darwinia+, and how developers could learn a thing or two about porting RTS games from PC to console based on Darwinia's XBLA release. Next, B.J. Saricks is fed up with 1-10 review systems that refuse to accept five as their average score. It's in the middle, what's the problem?

Fred Olson II finds comfort in assuming a decisive role in games, finding the ability to make world-changing decisions and to do the right thing in situations empowering. Finally, Chas Guidry tackles the latest news on a remake of Final Fantasy 7, and why an HD version of the game may not be the best option.

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Three Simple Ways Darwinia+ Teaches Us How RTS Games Can Work on Consoles
By Jeremy Sigor
Fans of the strategy game Darwinia were concerned at how it would fair when ported to Xbox Live. While many RTS titles don't stand up when brought over to consoles, Jeremy feels Darwinia+ not only works, but sets the bar for future games making the jump between platforms.

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Editor's note: Jeff's history lesson provides a sobering -- and hilarious -- look at the history of gaming peripherals. It's a must-read for anyone excited about Project Natal or Sony's wand controllers. -Brett

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Maybe you've seen them at your local video game shop: piles of odd looking plug-ins, add-ons, and thingamajiggers in the corner collecting dust, over-excited proclamations screaming from their worn boxes -- "FULL BODY ACTION!" "Everything else is child's play!" "Now nothing comes between you and the game!" 

What are they? Gaming's forgotten history, that's what. A history that could possibly repeat itself with the heaps of futuristic peripherals coming out from Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

Not that I blame them for trying to sell gamers on the future. The positive perception of any video game company is fueled by technophiles in lust. However, if the technophiles would stuff their e-boners back into their file and think back a decade or two, they might remember that while the tech has improved, the promises haven't changed much.

And if they don't remember, I'm here to help: Here are five gaming technologies that were ahead of their time -- and the lessons companies can learn from them today.

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We finally get to kick ass in ancient Greece, sans whatever type of  proto-bubblegum they had back in those days.

News Blips:

The demo for God of War 3 is now available on the PlayStation Network. The download contains the same content showcased at last year's E3, to remind players just what all the fuss is about. Don't forget to stop and "assist" any suggestive-looking ladies on the way to CHAOS. [PlayStation Blog]

Bungie: not making PlayStation 3 games (at least not yet). While the team is busy working on the upcoming Halo: Reach, community manager Brian Jarrard says that the decision to go forward with any potential PS3 titles is "undefined right now." I'd love to see a Metal Gear Solid remake with Master Chief somehow shoehorned into the zany plot, but they probably aren't taking suggestions. [CVG]

Blizzard opposes account sharing during the Starcraft 2 beta test. While the punishment doesn't necessarily involve a permanent ban, community manager Stefanie Gwinner reminds testers that "sharing your account is not allowed." [Inc Gamers]

At a press event held yesterday, Nintendo VP of Sales and Marketing Cammie Dunaway said that she doesn't expect a successor to the Wii "anytime soon." While the Wii currently sits in more households than the PlayStation 2 did at the same point in its life cycle, Dunaway is confident of finding "a big audience out there that [they] can access with Wii." You're not fooling me, Dunaway: I know world-domination plans when I see them. [GameSpot]

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Editor's note: Sometimes, it's not just a rushed release that hurts a licensed product. Kevin takes a look at all the factors that were working againt Avatar: The Game from the very start. -Shoe

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Ubisoft loses money on an Avatar gamble and now says it will reduce its investment in movie licenses because AAA films' stringent release schedules do not mesh with the needs of AAA game titles.

But it wasn't a single factor that saw Avatar: The Game fail. Mismatched media goals, technology, and game identity all had a hand in its demise.

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Let's hope this General Knoxx thing turns out better than Mad Moxxi....

Video Blips:

• Those Geabox guys sure know how to make a trailer. I have no idea what that narrator lady was even talking about in this Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx DLC teaser, but I am in. [GameVideos]

Continue after the break for an iPhone-ified Street Fighter 4, a Metal Gear: Arcade trailer, a peak at some of the more cunning moves in Red Steel 2, and a preview of the new Army of Two: The 40th Day DLC.

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Editor's note: Some developers secretly or not-so-secretly think you better know your B-splines from your framebuffers before you pass judgment on their games. But the history of criticism across multiple artistic mediums says otherwise. Michael weighs in.... -Demian

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A few weeks ago, I sat in on the Grubb on Games live stream, hosted by Bitmob's own Jeffrey Michael Grubb. I left for a bit to take a break, and when I came back, Jeff was playing an odd Flash game that I had never seen before. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. The art style consisted mostly of dull greys and blacks, and from what I could tell, the character's movement lacked precision. “What is this?” I asked. “Rocketbirds Revolution,” several people in the chat channel replied.

“This game looks underwhelming,” I declared. Jeff and a few others asked if I was trolling, which confused me at the time. As it turns out, one of the people viewing the stream was an artist for Rocketbirds Revolution, and I had just insulted his game based on a three-minute visual demo.

I felt really raw about it. I know what it's like to have people trash your work, and to have it done to your face is one of the worst feelings a creative type will ever experience. My guilt worked its way past the foot in my mouth, stirring up some deeper issues about the role of critics in the game industry. What gives me -- or anyone else in the enthusiast press, for that matter -- the right to critique the work of others, especially when most of us lack the skill to make our own games? Would I still have said what I said if I knew a member of the development team was in the room? And really, how fair was it for me to form an opinion in such a short time, without having touched the game personally?

I thought about it over the past few days. Eventually, I came to some conclusions.

Flash game, or pathway to catharsis? You decide.

 

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Editor's note: Brian shares with us how he gained confidence as a writer. It's a moving piece, and I hope it inspires those of you who may have doubts about your own writing prowess. It's hard to improve if you don't actually write, after all. -Jason

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Nine years ago, when I was 8 inches shorter, I received a paper from an imposing figure. This piece of paper -- my first essay of the year -- was on the transition from nomadic to agrarian societies. Despite my best efforts, I received a D on my 10th grade history paper. At the time, I thought my writing career was over.

I'd grown accustomed to receiving As before that point -- in part because I went to a low-income middle school that didn't value its students. At my school, we didn't receive instruction in elementary grammar; we were left to fend for ourselves in a brutal world of paper and pens. Sadly, my math education wasn't any better.

During the sixth grade, I was one of the four students in prealgebra because I excelled in arithmetic while in elementary school. The teachers didn't have room for us, however, so we were left to study on our own in the hallway. As you can imagine, we got nothing done, but somehow we passed despite not knowing the fundamentals.

Unfortunately, this caused me to miss out on a number of important algebraic techniques, so I didn't understand certain concepts in future classes. I went from being someone who was extremely confident with math to someone who absolutely hated it. The reason I mention this is because my writing experience was similar.

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It's hard to believe that this great piece of filmmaking was done by someone who wasn't even born when Super Mario Bros. 3 was released for the NES. A 21-year-old YouTuber named smartkid82504 used some cardboard, paper, glue, and colored pencils to recreate the first five minutes of one of the best platformers ever released [Technabob via Gearbox]:

The author only needed 36 hours to set up this one minute of video. With the same tools and amount of time, I might be able to come up with a movie of two stick figures shooting each other with L-shaped pistols.

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Page 1: #-E

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3D Dot Game Heroes -- The Hero's Tomb

3D Dot Game Heroes -- Water Temple

The 7th Guest -- The Game

The 7th Guest -- Skeletons in My Closet

 

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Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth -- Shi-Long Lang: Speak Up Pup!

Achievement Unlocked -- Main Theme*

Actraiser -- Bloodpool Theme

Actraiser -- Offering 

Actraiser -- Peaceful World

The Addams Family -- The Portrait Gallery

Advance Wars -- Grit's Theme

Advance Wars: Dual Strike -- Lash's Theme

Afterlife -- Track 2

Air Zonk -- Cyber City

Aladdin -- Arab Rock

Alan Wake -- Up Jumped the Devil by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds

Alien Hominid -- Main Theme

Amped 3 -- Menage a Brahs Rap

Animal Crossing -- K.K. Ballad

Animal Crossing -- K. K. Soul

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney -- Troupe Gramarye 

Aquaria -- The Light

Aquaria -- The Traveler

Aquaria -- Undiscovered Waters

Art Style: Light Trax -- Spectra 1*

Assassin's Creed 2 -- Ezio's Family 

Assassin's Creed 2 -- Venice Rooftops

Astyanax -- Stage 1 

 

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Bad Dudes -- Stage 2

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean -- Violet Storm

Banjo-Kazooie -- Gobi's Valley

Banjo Tooie -- Jiggywiggy's Temple*

Batman -- Stage 2*

Batman -- Streets of Desolation

Battlefield Heroes -- Main Theme

Beyond Good and Evil -- Home Sweet Home

Bionic Commando -- Bionic Commando (Rusko Remix)

Bionic Commando -- Stage 1

Bionic Commando Rearmed -- Main Theme Remix

BioShock -- Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin

BioShock -- Cohen's Masterpiece

BioShock -- Welcome to Rapture

BioShock 2 -- Waking Up in 1959

Bit.Trip Beat -- Transition

Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled -- Parting Ways

Blaster Master -- Area 1 Music

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger -- Rebellion (Ragna's Theme)

Blue Dragon -- Waterside

Blueberry Garden -- Valse by Daduk

Body Harvest -- Indoor Music*

Boom Blox -- Main Theme

Boom Blox -- Tiki Sacred Honor

Borderlands -- Ain't No Rest for the Wicked by Cage the Elephant

Borderlands -- No Heaven by DJ Champion

Braid -- Downstream

Brave Fencer Musashi -- Allucaneat Palace Theme

Breath of Fire 2 -- Fly Pudding

Breath of Fire 2 -- Windia

Brütal Legend -- Die For Metal by Manowar

Brütal Legend -- Girlfriend 

Bubble Bobble -- Main Theme (NES Version)

Bully -- Main Theme

Burning Rangers -- We Are Burning Rangers

Burnout Paradise -- Paradise City by Guns N' Roses

Bust a Groove -- 2 Bad

Bust a Groove -- Natural Playboy

Bust-a-Move -- Theme (Arcade Version)

 

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Call of Duty -- Call of Duty

Call of Duty -- Red Square

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare -- The Coup

Canabalt -- Main Theme

Capcom vs. SNK -- Sign

Castle Crashers -- Forest Entrance

Castle Crashers -- Race Around the World

Castlevania -- Vampire Killer

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night -- I Am the Wind

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night -- Lost Painting

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night -- Wood Carving Partita

Cave Story  -- Mischievous Robot (REMIX)

Cave Story -- Eyes of Flame

Cave Story -- Moonsong

Chime -- Brazil by Philip Glass Ensemble

Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers -- Stage J

Chrono Cross -- Dream of the Shore Bordering Another World

Chrono Cross -- Dream of the Shore Near Another World

Chrono Cross -- Magical Dreamers

Chrono Cross -- Magical Dreamers: Wind, Stars, and Waves

Chrono Cross -- The Scars of Time

Chrono Cross -- Star-Stealing Girl

Chrono Trigger -- At the Bottom of Night

Chrono Trigger -- The Brink of Time Track 1 (REMIX)

Chrono Trigger -- Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger -- Corridors of Time

Chrono Trigger -- Guardia Millenial Fair

Chrono Trigger -- Schala's Theme

Chrono Trigger -- To Far Away Times 

Chrono Trigger -- To Far Away Times (REMIX)

Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross -- Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross Themes by Play! Symphony

Chu Chu Rocket -- Theme

Civilization 4 -- Baba Yetu

Clay Fighter -- Title Screen

Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3 -- Hell March 3

The Company of Myself -- Theme*

Conker's Bad Fur Day -- Great Mighty Poo

Conker's Bad Fur Day -- Windy

Contra -- Stage 1*

Contra 3: The Alien Wars -- The Final Gauntlet (Part 1, 2, & 3)

Courier Crisis -- Keep Your Hands on the Boogie by Hot Chicken Stew

Courier Crisis -- What You Believe by Big Drill Car

Crazy Taxi 2 -- No Brakes by The Offspring

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos -- And So the Adventure Begins

Cruis'n Exotica -- Menu 1

 

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Dark Cloud -- Main Theme

Dark Cloud 2 -- Rainbow Butterfly Woods

Dark Void -- Main Theme

Darksiders -- Darksiders Theme

Darkstalkers 3 -- Fetus of God

Darkwing Duck -- Title

Daytona USA -- Let's Go Away

Deadly Premonition -- FBI Special Agent

Deadly Premonition -- Life is Beautiful

Deadly Premonition -- The Woods and the Goddess

Déjà Vu -- Theme of Ace Harding*

Deus Ex -- Main Theme

Deus Ex: Human Revolution -- Theme*

Devil May Cry -- Flock Off!

Devil May Cry 3 -- Devils Never Cry

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness -- Beautiful Rondo

Donkey Kong Country -- Aquatic Ambiance

Donkey Kong 64 -- DK Rap

DonPachi -- Stage 1*

Doom -- Main Theme

Dr. Mario Online Rx -- Fever

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine -- Password Screen*

Dragon Quest VIII -- Overture 

Dragon Warrior -- Battle Theme

Duck Tales -- The Moon

 

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Earthbound -- Giygas' Theme (Pokey Means Business)

Earthbound -- Kraken of the Sea

Ecco the Dolphin -- Opening Theme

Echocrome -- Prime 5

Einhänder -- Street

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind -- Theme

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion -- Harvest Dawn

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion -- King and Country

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion -- Main Theme

Embodiment of the Scarlet Devil -- Beloved Tomboyish Girl

Enemy Zero -- Agony

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem -- Gateway to Destiny

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem -- The Gift of Forever and Ram Dao 

Eternal Sonata -- Pyroxene of the Heart

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Editor's note: The state of Japanese game development is an interesting subject. It's weird that, right now, I'm enjoying two very different RPG experiences -- one from Japan (Demon's Souls), and one from American (Dragon Age). And I'm really digging the Japanese game. Are you troubled by the state of Japanese development? -Jason

 

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The 2009 Tokyo Game Show's over and done with, and very little big news came out of the event. Sadly, instead of returning to the U.S. excited about what's on the horizon from the country that used to be the de-facto leader of the gaming world, the press slunk back, seemingly dismayed at the state of development in Japan.

Even with huge titles like Final Fantasy 13 and The Last Guardian on the way, a pall hovers above the Japanese horizon because their leadership in the games realm seems to be coming to an end.

In a September 28 post, Brian Crecente of Kotaku.com said that this year's TGS revealed "an industry scrambling to stay relevant in an increasingly Westernized gaming world."

Crecente's story went on to say that "Capcom's famed developer Keiji Inafune, the man behind such hits as Mega Man, Onimusha, and Dead Rising, warned that Japanese game development has one foot in the grave."

 

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Editor's note: In the grand tradition of Folgers instant coffee commercials, I plan to switch out the innards of this multimillion dollar medical device with a Boong-Ga Boong-Ga arcade cabinet. Let's see if he notices the difference! -Demian

 

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Pilots are one thing -- you know, since they shoot the "enemy" -- but now doctors will benefit from video game playing, as well? I came across the above scan in a promotional flier at a local hospital in Redlands, CA earlier today. Personally, I don't know if I'd trust a doctor looking into the first iteration of Nintendo's Virtual Boy to cut me up...would you?

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