Blog: The Video Game

SNL Tries to Make Video Game Jokes

2008-05-18T15:59:00.003-05:00

The people at Saturday Night Live understand the vast popularity of video games and are now trying to capitalize on it. The tragedy is how flat the jokes fall. The last two weeks have toted video game jokes on "Weekend Update." Here's an example.

Last night, Amy Poehler gave an example of how Wii Fit makes you go from this (compliments of mens-weightloss.com):

To this:

Where's the funny, you ask? Couldn't tell you.

Video game culture can be funny. It's easy. Futurama did it quite well. I just wish SNL was either A) funny again or B) going to bring back Horatio Sanz.

SEGA Announces Four Upcoming (Violent) Video Games

2008-05-18T15:20:00.005-05:00

Today, SEGA announced they have four new games in development. There isn't a lot of information known, but let's look at what we have already.

The first game is called Madworld. This game looks INCREDIBLY violent and is basically a cross between No More Heroes and Frank Miller's Sin City. The game is completely in black and white, other than the bloodshed. But here's the rub - it comes out for the Wii. It's always nice to hear about an incredibly violent addition to the Wii's repertoire. Here's a trailer, but be cautioned that it's extremely violent.

The next game is a Nintendo DS game called Infinite Line. The game is described to be one of the most complex RPG titles the DS has seen. In the game, you can control multiple spaceships at one time. The game also offers over 200 characters to select. I don't know, maybe this game is going to end up giving me the 'too much space on my iPod' problem where I can't decide what to listen to.

The third game is called Bayonetta. The game is directed by the creator of Devil May Cry, which shows great promise. The teaser trailer is below, but again, it's quite violent.

The last game has no name or title or concept or anything - it only has a name behind it. It's being created by Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil.

So that covers most of the major platforms while still sprinkling in some pretty awesome concepts and names. Can't wait to check out some of these beauties.

Back in Action

2008-05-18T15:19:00.002-05:00

Hey everybody. I know I haven't updated very often. I apologize. I just wanted to thank you for checking for updates. Also, I wanted to let you know that now that school's out for summer, I'll be updating far more often.

Hugs and snuggles,

BTVG

A Less Awesome But Still Fun Guitar Hero

2008-05-11T11:08:00.001-05:00

Cool?

Yeah, you can play Guitar Hero via widget now. But don't mind me. I'll be over here playing Free Tetris.

Prince William Beats an 18 Year Old at Wii Sports

2008-05-09T09:09:00.002-05:00

P'WNED. (Photo from The Telegraph in London.)

That Royal Family just loves Nintendo. So much, in fact, that Prince William was challenged to a game of Wii Sports by an 18-year-old kid during an official visit. The best part? The prince won. Come on, kid, you're 18. You have nothing better to do than play Wii. What's the problem?

I never thought I would be playing Wii on an official engagement.

Translation: "Bloody right I beat you at Wii Tennis! Who wants some? Who's next? I'm going to be the king one day! Ha! What, are you crying?"

Actually, it sounds like he was a pretty good sport about it and good natured, at that. During the game, he turned to the boy and said, "You know you are not allowed to beat me."

What a guy.

New "Ghostbusters: The Video Game" Screenshots!

2008-05-04T09:21:00.001-05:00

Get him, Winston! Yes! New "Ghostbusters: The Video Game" screenshots here! I'm having a fit!

The Indie Rocker Guide to Video Games

2008-05-01T17:12:00.003-05:00

So you can go to Pitchforkmedia.com and look at the "Guest List" section and find this information, but I decided to compile it for you anyway. P4K's "Guest List" feature is where they sit down with the artist and ask them a specific set of questions: what's your favorite new band, what's your favorite old song, what's your favorite record store, radio station, etc. In essence, it's a way to get to know the people who make the music you love and, as a plus, you find more music this way. One of the questions on the survey is, "Favorite Video Game at the Moment." Here are some of my favorite artists and their favorite games.

Del tha Funkee Homosapien: Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Meric Long of The Dodos: Call of Duty 4
John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats: Super Mario Galaxy, Red Dead Revolver
Joe Goddard of Hot Chip: Mario Party, Pro Evolution Soccer
Jared Phillips of Times New Viking: Halo 3 (but otherwise apathetic)
White Williams: Paper Boy
Thurston Moore: Guitar Hero (but he'd rather read a book)
Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age: none
Kevin Drew: The NHL games
Ian Parton of The Go! Team: none
Aesop Rock: Gears of War, God of War 2, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Tim Harrington of Les Savy Fav: Wii Sports
Patton Oswalt: currently sworn off video games
Eddie Argos of Art Brut: Halo (because he writes funny songs about it)
Dan Deacon: Tetris
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem: Goldeneye 007
Ted Leo: Tetris
Panda Bear: Ape Escape
Greg Saunier of Deerhoof: Qix
Girl Talk: NBA Jam
Josh Grier of Tapes 'n Tapes: Sonic Pinball Party
Colin Meloy of The Decemberists: Dark Castle, Snood

Now here's the challenge: pick an artist who you like and play their favorite game or pick your favorite game and listen to the artist who likes that game. Discovery time!

The Post About Why I Won't Be Updating Every Day

2008-04-28T10:11:00.003-05:00

Hey there, reader. You may be wondering why the posting is getting sparse. I'll give you a couple of reasons.

Reason 1) It's getting closer to finals for classes, which means that I've got a heavy load of homework on the horizon.
Reason 2) I'm getting sort of tired of my RSS feeds telling me everything about GTAIV and nothing else. I understand why the game is important/good/cool/controversial/etc., but enough is enough.
Reason 3) I really want a copy of Mario Kart Wii, but alas, rent comes first.

I thank you for checking in and updating, and please, feel free to comment and let me know what you'd like to read about. OK? Thanks.

PlayStation Nostalgia

2008-04-25T09:33:00.004-05:00

In 1995, the PlayStation was released. In 1996 sometime, my family got one. It was amazing. Before we got copies of Twisted Metal or the totally-radical Revolution X, however, we only had the developer demo that came with it. The developer demo really didn't have any games to test out. It was just an excuse for the developers of the PlayStation to show off their mad designing skills. Here's a YouTube video - I suggest skipping around frequently so you can get the full gist of the demo.

And here's the tragedy - my brother and I loved it. I mean, we would fight over who got to walk around as the tyrannosaurus rex and who got to make the 3D cone turn into a brick 3D cone. And that music! Why did we love it? Because the graphics were revolutionary, awesome, and lest we forget, tubular.

That was 12 years ago. How I long for the days of playing Final Fantasy VIII while listening to my brother's live Metallica album. Come on, otherwise I couldn't get pumped enough and when I'd summon Ifrit, he'd would only do half damage. And if I didn't have enthusiasm, there would be no chance of Odin showing up just in time to save me.

Obama Gets Pokémon Endorsement

2008-04-22T14:25:00.005-05:00

I don't know how people decide which candidate to vote for in today's Pennsylvania primary, but I hope it goes something like this:

Just so you know, this doesn't necessarily reflect my political views.

Chicago's Video Game Advertisement Conundrum

2008-04-21T11:34:00.007-05:00

I was born and raised in Huntington, but I currently live in Chicago. Here's what's going on on this side.

This is a Chicago Transit Authority bus in Chicago, Ill. It's how I get to school every day. When I look at an advertisement on the bus, I tend to think that I'm not too easily sold on the sandwich they're waving in my face while I try not to fall onto the little old lady standing next to me. However, some Chicago officials believe that these ads are WAY more persuasive than you'd think.

According to Chicago's local Fox News affiliate, the CTA is going to take down all of their Grand Theft Auto IV ads - an ad campaign that can't be cheap. Why? Because the governor and the president of the CTA believe that it's a negative influence on children.

I see these ads every day. I see stickers on newspaper boxes down the street that say GTA IV. I have never been compelled to run out and buy it immediately. Yes, kids may be more influenced by an advertisement than I am, but is this really necessary? Isn't it up to the parents as to what the kid is playing? Are these advertisements worse than subjecting kids to the violent nature of being on the train during rush hour?

It's noble, but is it really necessary?

Microsoft: Don't Buy GTAIV for the PS3

2008-04-20T00:52:00.004-05:00

When Grand Theft Auto IV is released, it's heading out for the 360 and the PS3. Apparently, the PS3 version has a 5-minute install time before you can initially play the game. How do I know that? Microsoft told me so.

In an e-mail to users, the Xbox Team points out that in the time you could take to install the game, you could have all ready boosted a dozen cars on the Xbox. That's cold as ice, Microsoft. Let's keep it clean, shall we?

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe

2008-04-19T17:35:00.004-05:00

So far, the confirmed line-up includes Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Batman, and Superman. The game will probably play along the lines of a better version of Marvel vs. Capcom. There are no fatalities this time around - I doubt DC Comics was cool with the idea of The Martian Manhunter having his heart ripped out (in other news, I just had Plastic Man-related nerdy fits).

Anybody else looking forward to Kano vs. Hal Jordan? Oooooh boy this is going to be fun. It's coming out this fall for the PS3 and 360.

Will The Sims Ever Learn How to Cook?

2008-04-17T11:15:00.006-05:00

You'd think by now it'd be a science to these guys. Put the food in, start the timer, let the timer go off, and promptly remove the food from the oven. No lollygagging. Don't fall asleep while you're cooking, don't watch TV, don't dance, and no hanky panky with your neighbor. Just wait by the oven, maybe do the dishes, and get the food out of the oven. End of story.

But they won't learn. Otherwise, the lives of The Sims would be as boring as ever. You need fires and spicy romances to keep things interesting.

EA announced today that 100 million copies of The Sims have sold worldwide. Or, in Sim speak, "Huh buh, huh buh ruh buh buh huuuh (word balloon above my head with The Sims box)."

Does that plus sign above your head mean that you're excited about this news are that you're happy to see me? Wait, you want to talk about soccer? That's a total minus sign. No! I don't want to dance!

The Fab Four Debut a Song on "Rock Band!"

2008-04-16T08:59:00.003-05:00

That's right - Mick, Vince, Nikki and Tommy are releasing a brand new song exclusively on Rock Band. Mötley Crüe, baby!

If you were wondering, I really don't care much for them. Really, the only hair metal band song that I ever really, legitimately got into was "Photograph" by Def Leppard. "Saints of Los Angeles" released yesterday on the Xbox Live Arcade and will release tomorrow on the PLAYSTATIONStore. The song will join the likes of "Simple Man" by Skynyrd, "Message in a Bottle" by The Police, and "Call Me" by Blondie. "Saints of Los Angeles" marks the first song to be debuted on Rock Band.

I'd make a "Kickstart My Heart" pun, but it's way too early for that.

Iron Man: PS3 and 360 Exclusive Suits

2008-04-13T18:30:00.005-05:00

Anybody else excited about Sega's upcoming Iron Man game and film?

It was recently reported that there will be two platform exclusive suits for Iron Man to wear (for the PS3 and 360 - no word on the Wii and PC editions. For the PS3, you can don the Silver Centurion costume. For the 360, you can dress up as Ultimate Iron Man. Here are some videos of the exclusive suits in stagnant, spinning action.

That's the PS3 version.

And that's the 360 version.

And I'm still excited.

The Xbox 360 Wiimote (i.e. the "Newton")

2008-04-10T15:33:00.003-05:00

In an attempt to get little girls and the elderly to play the 360, Microsoft is developing their own Wiimote. That's right, not just some third-party Wiimote like device, but a Wiimote to be developed by Microsoft.

To get us to stop calling it the "360 Wiimote," the codename of the thing is the "Newton," named after Sir Isaac. There are no set dates or plans or photos of the thing yet, but we'll see how it turns out. Because as we all know, it only turns out for the best when somebody capitalizes on somebody else's awesome idea.

A Video Game Story that the Media Keeps Forgetting About and Remembering

2008-04-08T13:58:00.005-05:00

"Hey boss, I've got a story idea."
"What is it, Johnson?"
"There's this game that helps kids lose weight. There's a local kid that lost a bunch of weight by playing this game."
"You're lying. I don't have time for this."
"No, really boss! It's a video game and it's good for kids."
"You've lost your mind!"
"I haven't boss, it's called (insert game title here)!"
"That's brilliant! Why didn't they think of this before?! Run that story immediately, son! We're breaking the story of ages!"

Aaaaaand scene.

I don't mean to be a cynic, but if there's anything that I've learned, it's that video games + anything that doesn't lead to adolescent violence = a miraculous news story of ages. USA Today did a story about Dance Dance Revolution in 2004 about the weight loss opportunities the game provides for younger kids (six years after the game initially came out). Today, The Clarion Ledger came out with an extremely similar story about the game.

Have any of you guys heard about Wii Fit? It's new, it's timely, and it still helps kids lose weight. Why don't you start playing that story before ten years pass?

Again, I apologize for being the neighborhood cynic.

Nyko Rocks Out...with peripherals...so I guess they don't really rock out at all...

2008-04-03T14:29:00.007-05:00

In November, Nyko released some peripherals for the Wii, the Perfect Shot and Net Connect. The former is a hollow gun that will tote your Wiimote (see the Wii Zapper) while the latter is a peripheral that allows Wii users to connect to the Internet with an ethernet cable (no wireless, no problem). Well, those suckers are at it again with the Frontman guitar. Not unlike the wireless guitar they released for the PS2 editions of Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II, the new controller is compatible for the PS3 versions of Rock Band and Guitar Hero III. There's even a little switch that flips between Rock Band mode and GHIII mode, so your PS3 won't get confused. Aww.

I'm no expert with Nyko. They make some handy little devices that make gaming life a little easier - like the Net Connect or the Wii Charge Station - but this controller will cost you $59.99. If you only have one game or the other, I wouldn't waste my money, but this controller could come in handy if you have each game and need a second guitar.

But do these things work better? Do they increase your rocking potential? Just wondering.

Here's to you, Nyko - picking up the slack for inconviences across the gaming world.

An Elegy to the Pokérap

2008-04-02T09:04:00.007-05:00

So last week, I was going through some boxes of old stuff in my closet and came across my Pokédex, seen on the left. Upon initially receiving this treasure for my birthday one year, I scoffed at it. Why do I need an electronic device that holds the names of all the Pokémon? I knew them all. I caught them all. At one time, in middle school, I could recite the entire "Pokérap." I also had a very full collection of Pokémon cards, some of which were Japanese versions that hadn't yet been released in North America, and named my character in the game "Ash" even though that's technically the bad guy's name in the Japanese version. I loved my copy of Pokémon Blue.

So after buying (and beating) Pokémon Yellow, the first game that I owned to utilize the glorious GameBoy Color, I sort of fell out of touch with the Pokémon universe. Like many things in a kid's life, it was an expensive habit. I was buying pack after pack after pack of Pokémon cards, and that adds up to about a year of college that my parents could have paid for. I kicked the habit, moving on to collecting records and books, having clearly learned my lesson.

Today, there are a documented 493 Pokémon. I think the genius of the game was how nearly endless it could feasibly be. Alas, time has jarred my memory and I have no memory of the original 151 Pokémon, with a few unforgettable exceptions, and there are an additional 342 that I don't know. They even briefly replaced Brock with some guy named Tracey in the anime. Sheer foolishness.

I am currently nostalgic for Pokémon. I suppose, good reader, that I need your help and your Pokéwisdom. I want to play Pokémon again, but have already beaten Pokémon Blue and Yellow. Where should I turn to? I have a DS and a GameBoy Color, so I'm open in both of those categories. I'd prefer a game that still gives me some Mr. Mime options, but I'm flexible.

Best Buy: Uh...You Guys Want Some Cheap Video Games?

2008-03-31T09:35:00.004-05:00

Skip the shower, slap on the deodorant, and throw on the black t-shirt, because it's time to run to Best Buy. Don't worry about how you smell, just go!

Or you could just go to the Best Buy web site. I hope you didn't stop reading, because I could've saved you some time and gas. Oops.

Anyhow, Best Buy is having a buy one, get one half off sale on select Xbox 360 and PS3 games. Needless to say, they're all terrible. In addition to Frontlines: Fuel of War for the 360, here's the list.

Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3
Burnout Paradise
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Devil May Cry 4
Turok
Assassin’s Creed
Frontlines: Fuel of War

God, this is worse than Backyard Wrestling. What a bottom of the barrel sale. Sale ends on April 4, but I don't know if any of these are worth price + half price + shipping and handling.

(P.S. to the moms and dads unfamiliar with the titles above, they are all wonderful games for your pixelated-blood thirsty children.)

WWE vs. TNA: The Video Games

2008-03-29T02:30:00.003-05:00

I was once a fairly intense pro-wrestling fan. Judge me as you will, but as a middle schooler, I couldn't get enough. It's the perfect soap opera for young boys.

So eventually, my love of the WCW wained and I became a fan of the better-written WWF. Then the WWF and the WCW merged, and a bunch of my favorite wrestlers either got fired, quit or died. Now, there are two wrestling companies: the WWE (formerly the WWF) and TNA.

TNA (or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) is a group founded by Jeff Jarrett, former WWF and WCW star who ultimately isn't a very popular guy in the wrestling community. The company is chock full of members of both companies whose contracts were never renewed, such as Sting, The Dudley Boys (now wrestling as Team 3D), Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Kurt Angle, to name a few.

The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) is the well established organization, whose origins began with Hulk Hogan and the legends we know and love today. The company still holds pay-per-view events every month, complete with wrestling legends like Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Triple H, The Big Show, and Ric Flair. Both companies, as you can see, have their big hooks.

Both companies are coming out with video games this year. For TNA, it will be the first (to be released on PS2, PS3, Wii, and 360). WWE have made over twenty games with THQ, not including THQ's WCW games (the latest will be released on the PS2, PS3, PSP, DS, 360, and Wii). The TNA iMPACT! game will get a June release and we can expect WWE's Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 to release sometime this fall.

To be frank, THQ have been here and there with their WCW/WWF/WWE games. The WWE games for the GameCube were always kind of finicky with the control system and the original WCW games for the Nintendo 64 were always a bit too primitive. However, a couple of those WWF games for the N64, particularly Wrestlemania 2000, will always have a special place in my heart. The newer games have gotten pretty advanced in style and controls and I've had a much harder time getting into them than the old N64 WWF games.

The new kids' game will be developed by Midway. These are the guys that have been putting out the Mortal Kombat games. You know, the ones that have been consistently good from day one? The ones that I haven't been bored with since elementary school? It looks like TNA has a fighting chance against the WWE. You can check out some screen shots and a trailer at the TNA iMPACT! site.

So ignore the fact that TNA is newer, has a weird looking ring, and not as many superstars. Give it a chance. If Midway can make a good fighting game, they can surely make a decent "fighting" game.

Microsoft: No 360 Blu-Ray, Japan Sales Hilariously Low

2008-03-29T01:39:00.002-05:00

Earlier this month, Microsoft nixed rumors of the Xbox 360 getting any Blu-ray love from Sony. So for those of you who bought HD-DVD players, keep believing. Maybe you'll finally find that copy of The Rookie with Dennis Quaid for $3 at the flea market - that is a bargain for a lot of handsome and easily digestible drama. Sorry for the late report.

Also, the Japanese apparently aren't buying the Xbox 360. At all. In the last two weeks, a little over 3,000 units were sold in the country. Why?

Theory A) Japanese gamers are outraged due to a lack of Seaman 3.
Theory B) Japanese teenagers are too busy buying pasta, after being hypnotized by this amazing commercial.

I'm so hungry all of a sudden - I must find spaghetti.

By the way, if you watched all of that, you are a champion.

Crystal Castles: An 8-Bit Dance Party

2008-03-27T16:16:00.005-05:00

Have you head about Crystal Castles? They just released their debut self-titled, which you can get on iTunes, and the little that I've heard, I've enjoyed immensely. It's rare to find a group who can utilize music from video game's past so well.

This song is right up there with the recent fabulous work of Johan Abebjörn or Black Kids.

I know that I talk about music an awful lot for a video game blog, but again, I'll pull the "video game culture" card.

Is there any other artist that utilizes 8-bit sounds that I should know about? Because I'd love to hear about it.

This song is called "Vanished," and it's off their recently released self-titled album. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Netflix Looking for Microsoft Love?

2008-03-27T15:32:00.004-05:00

I don't know if you remember, but a little over a month ago, I reported on a Netflix survey that invaded the blogosphere in a pretty substantial way. To refresh your memory, a Netflix survey asked users whether or not they'd like the option of instant movie streaming using the PS3 or the Xbox 360.

Well, even though Netflix still isn't compatible for instant streaming on Macs (again, thanks Steve Jobs), they themselves have mentioned the notion of teaming up with Microsoft (but not Sony quite yet). The statement said that they surveyed users about the notion of streaming films on the 360.

Here are the facts, people. The Netflix site was down all day Monday, they're telling the masses about the prospect of getting compatible with Microsoft (maybe to put some pressure on ol' Bill Gates), and it looks like they've been doing plenty of remodeling.

Personally, I would love this. It would be that much more incentive for many people to join either Netflix or Xbox Live, and since I already have both, this would be fantastic.