Pushing Buttons

Imax Batman and other things

2008-07-22T00:16:00.003-05:00

I am going to see The Dark Knight in Imax in Houston this weekend. I haven't been to an Imax movie in years, mainly because the ones in Birmingham are about dolphins or volcanoes or other lame topics. Why we can't bring all of the neat Imax movies here is beyond me- you could charge me $30 bucks a ticket and I'd probably pay it

Anyway, I've been playing "Metal Gear Solid Guns of the Patriots." It's a stealth fighter with a little bit of cool thrown in for good measure. Graphis; amazing. Story; good. I haven't gotten to play online yet because it requires a slow loading system update and, as you can see, its just after midnight and I have a real job after all..

This week's column may be an unsolicited submission from a local high school student who reviewed NCAA 09 football. I love when my mental blocks for columns resolve themselves.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T02:58:00.003-05:00

Intense. That's my quick and dirty take on The Dark Knight. If Heath Ledger doesn't get an Oscar nod for this, the people at the Academy are nuts.

Too long? Perhaps. But not long enough to keep me from sitting through it again.

And I will, too.

OMG, OMG "The Dark Knight" in a little over two hours

2008-07-17T21:42:00.001-05:00

I am barely able to contain my excitement. I want Katrina to quit playing WoW so we can get in line for our seats already!

Why there be so many haters

2008-07-17T17:14:00.003-05:00

It seems some movie critics out there are just obligated to point out every flaw in The Dark Knight because of all the hype. It's good they say-- but should it really be two and a half hours long? And should Batman look so sour all the time?

I wouldn't care if this thing was four hours long- I'm a fan. Secondly, a lot of these critics I'd wager aren't hardcore Bat-geeks like myself. Given the fan-base this movie has and the anticipation behind the movie, plus the positive advance reviews, I know this movie will rock.

So if you're a movie critic, quit hatin' on Batman even though you gave his latest movie positive reviews. Fer real.

Columns-

2008-07-16T23:15:00.002-05:00

So I got really lazy at the beginning of the summer and didn't post any columns. My bad.

Wii storage space lacking
By Chris Pittman
Special to The Star
07-17-2008

Nintendo's Wii took the world by storm when it was released in November 2006. The innovative motion controls combined with the company's cast of memorable characters caught the eyes of children and adults alike.

However, it was the promise of downloadable games from Nintendo's past that caught my attention.

This service, dubbed the Virtual Console, allows gamers to download titles from classic systems, for a fee, of course. I feel that Nintendo has done a pretty good job in keeping the flow of additions steady.

In fact, there is only one glaring issue with Nintendo's blast-from-the-past program. It's a problem that can affect all elements of the machine in the blink of an eye.

It has nothing to do with the Wii's power, or the fact that it's not a high-definition console in an age where pretty graphics are proclaimed to be just as important as gameplay. Performance is not an issue either, as most games run just as good as the original cart did back in the day.

You see, the real crutch in Nintendo's latest console is storage space, or lack thereof.

The Wii boasts 512 megabytes of storage onboard, which is enough to save your games and download a few classic titles. However, that minuscule amount of space quickly fills when dealing with bigger games such as hits from the Nintendo 64 era.

The recent release of WiiWare hasn't done much to help the situation, either. Many of these built-for-Wii downloadable games have fairly big file sizes. Your virtual fridge can be filled to the brim before you know it.

One way to free up space is to move Virtual Console games to an SD card, a device that is used for storage purposes in many cameras and cell phones. However, the games are unable to be played from the card, which defeats the purpose.

Nintendo will also allow you to re-download any game that you've purchased from the Wii store. This allows you to delete games that you may not play as much, but may want to revisit later.

Both of these rather inconvenient options work, but the truth of the matter is that the company simply needs to get with the times. Nintendo needs to allow hard drives in either internal or external form.

For a company that loves selling useless Pokemon-themed accessories and controllers, a 20-gigabyte Wii hard drive seems like a no-brainer.

I've read complaints all over the Internet from people refusing to download games because of the lack of space. This is lost revenue that Nintendo could gain by making the right decision. It would only help the company in the long run.

Sony and Microsoft both offer hard drives in their consoles, with the Playstation 3 supporting a number of USB devices.

That's not to say that the competition has software saving down to a science, but they are certainly in a better position than the big N.

In a generation defined by digital distribution, the amount of space available is crucial. In Nintendo's case, the Wii's current wee amount of storage is simply inexcusable.

Pimpin' ain't easy

Pimp My Ride" for Nintendo's Wii is an affront to pimps everywhere. And, unlike most "Grand Theft Auto Games" where real pimps and pros do stroll the streets, in "Pimp My Ride," I did not encounter a single prostitute.

A game with the word "pimp" in the title should include one of those.

Aside from the flagrant false advertising, "Pimp My Ride" is an interesting glimpse into MTV fantasy land, where the title "pimp" is bestowed more frequently than star stickers on a finger painting. Here "pimp" is something you say quickly over and over again until it loses all meaning.

The objective, as best I can decipher, is to drive around to various homes. These homes have rides, rides that need to be pimped. Sure, having a ride to and from work and school is nice, but you know what would make their cars even cooler? A PlayStation in the backseat.

There's just one catch — "Pimp My Ride" host Xzibit, in spite of working for MTV and being a famous rapper, has no money with which to pimp rides. A very cunning Xzibit devises a solution to his fiscal crisis. Players have to crash their rides into other cars they see on the street, because these cars drop money like little "Mario" coins.

You can also do special events for money like Ghost Ridin' the Whip.

To ghost ride you simply press A … then A again ... A ... and, um, … A …

Playing this game makes me question why I started pimpin' in the first place.

Should I even rate this game? Or better yet, how 'bout I pimp this game?

I give it one button out of five; and it's lucky it gets that.

'Gotham Knight'

For people too impatient to wait for The Dark Knight movie (me), there's a new DVD that will help you pass the days. It's called Gotham Knight, and it's set between the events of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

The movie reunites the character of Batman with voice actor Kevin Conroy from Batman the Animated Series. It's actually six short anime films with different writers and different directors. Think The Animatrix, but with Batman.

The movie really fleshes out what makes Batman such a great hero. In one film, Batman rejects an invisible shield that deflects bullets because the bullets can ricochet and hit other people, including the criminals he's trying to put behind bars.

"I'm willing to put my life on the line to do what I have to," Batman says, "But it has to be mine, no one else's."

A couple of reviewers knocked the stories for being flimsy and derivative but, eh. This is more of a character-design study with lots of blood. It was money well-spent, in my opinion.

Gadrock Gamers tournament

Gadsden-based Gadrock Gamers will host a Halo 3 tournament on Saturday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Party Playstation in Oxford.

It is two-player teams versus other two-player teams and uses Major League Gaming professional rules.

Registration is $20 per team. Prizes include 1 Year Subscriptions & 1 Month Subscriptions to XBOX Live Gold, Cash & Replays Gameware Gift Certificates.

I've been to one of their events in Gadsden, and these guys are really dedicated to bringing gamers together. I'm not a big Halo fan, but I wouldn't mind dropping by and seeing what's going on.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/gadrockgamers.

Pushing Buttons: Review of 'Ninja Gaiden 2'
By Chris Pittman
Special to The Star
06-26-2008

If large amounts of blood or severed limbs make your stomach churn, "Ninja Gaiden 2" for the Xbox 360 is probably not the right game to add to your collection. This newest thriller featuring Ryu Hayabusa is one of the more violent video games on the console, but it's also one of the best.

The game is the sequel to the popular "Ninja Gaiden" for the original Xbox, which was based on the hit trilogy from the original Nintendo Entertainment System days. Tecmo's latest title provides the fantastic gameplay of its predecessor, while adding enough original content to keep things fresh.

There are more than a dozen weapons to collect and use as you progress through the game, including melee weapons such as the Lunar Staff and projectile tools such as the shuriken. Weapons can be upgraded at the shop of Muramasa, a merchant who also sells items to aid you on the journey ahead.

Along with weapons, Ryu also has deadly magical powers at his disposal. These special moves, dubbed Ninpo attacks, require at least one flame to be present on your Ki gauge. You continue to learn new Ninpo attacks as you progress, many of which are crucial to survival later on in the game.

There are also a number of techniques that you learn while playing that make fighting much easier. The corpses of the fallen can be examined for scrolls that teach you new moves. The most powerful of the advanced actions is called the Ultimate technique, which allows Ryu to perform his weapons' most devastating maneuvers.

Visually, "Gaiden" is beautiful from start to finish, but there are some small frame rate issues. The game chugs a bit during instances with armies of enemies on screen, but this only happens a few times during the entire playthrough. Overall, "Gaiden" is very easy on the eyes.

Playing the game, on the other hand, is not that easy.

The "Ninja Gaiden" series is notorious for providing a difficult experience, and this version is no different.

Two difficulty options are initially available with two more to unlock as you progress. The game provides a challenge on any level and can prove to be quite frustrating at times. Later levels feature fights with upwards of two dozen enemies at once. You'll probably want to throw the controller a time or two as they trap Ryu in a corner and pummel him to death. This is usually a result of the game's biggest enemy of all: The camera.

The field-of-view while maneuvering through levels is pretty spot on, but can become disastrous during combat. The camera will go crazy in small rooms and tight spaces, which can make a fight with one or two enemies harder than normal. Fortunately, many of the game's more epic fights take place in a big environment, making this more of an annoyance than a problem.

All in all, "Ninja Gaiden 2" is hack-and-slash greatness, and one of the Xbox 360's premier titles. The game is fairly linear, but manages to provide a constant flow of action that has been missing from big titles this generation.

The difficulty and jumpy camera can hinder the experience a bit, but prove to be rather minor once adjustments are made. It gets 4 1/2 buttons out of 5.

Nintendo's E-3 goodness

2008-07-15T17:02:00.002-05:00

Just some highlights from what I read over on IGN:

1) Animal Crossing will come out at the end of the year. I know, I know, it's hardly what hardcore gamers adore, but the Gamecube and DS iterations were a lot of fun, and it's a game my mom and I have bonded over, my mom and her sister have bonded over, and me and my friend Sammy have bonded over. I've been waiting forever for the Wii version, and it looks to be truly massive, with chat capabilities and excellent online play.

2) They're making a Wii-exclusive version of Grand Theft Auto. Really, this makes my day. Screw missions, online play, advancement ... all I'm gonna do is blow up Hummers, cops, semis and whatever else crosses my path. If Nintendo is able to make it anywhere near as easy to pick up as Metroid Prime: Corruption was, this will have the potential to be more fun than any game on the system.

3) Not officially E-3 related, but the newest trailers for da Blob have me very excited. I'll be picking that up the second it comes out and tearing through it. As I've said before, I'm a sucker for non-traditional adventure/platformers with more cartoonish art styles (though I despised Zelda: Windwaker). This one has been getting excellent reviews and really, who doesn't want the chance to make a huge mess and not have to clean it up?

As for the rest of Wii's announcements, they talked about a new Wii Sports (with a beach/resort theme), Wii music (I'll pass) and Wii Snowboarding (I'll really pass). It would seem Nintendo's theory of reaching out to all is working beautifully, and I have no complaints.

Been a long time...shouldn't have left you...without a dope beat to step to...step to, step to

2008-07-12T13:25:00.002-05:00

Okay, sorry for the long inactivity. I have been taking a bit of a vacation, since there aren't really any video game releases I'm stoked about.

But just to give you a heads up: if you're going to see The Dark Knight in Anniston (or anywhere else, presumably) get your tickets for the Thursday midnight showing now! At the theater in Oxford they've reportedly sold over 100.

This is a big, big event.

But while you're there getting your tickets, you should see Hellboy and The Golden Army. I just finished watching it myself and man is it good. Not great, but very, very good. Not a waste of my money.

More soon...expect column updates in a couple of days.

Peace

Okami finished ... and man is it good

2008-06-25T17:04:00.002-05:00

After some 40 + hours of gameplay, I finally beat Okami and saved the world of Nippon a few nights ago. And lemme tell you, it was epic. Yes, this game is clearly long, but it rarely played that way. And if you're not borderline obsessive-compulsive while playing video games (and I am, because I want everything unlocked) you can probably knock it out in about 30-35 hours.
But no matter your approach it will be worth it. The story of this game is amazing, hitting a huge range of emotions and even getting some possible wetworks out of the player. It also has a fantastic sense of humor, showing that, yes, silent protagonists can have personalities and their in-game guide need not drive you insane. In this way the game shines above anything in the Zelda and/or Mario series and deserves the franchise treatment.
The combat gets slightly repetitive, as most enemies fall into one of about 10 categories. The boss fights, however, play very differently and pose quite a challenge ... of a sort.
While the bosses are pretty tough to eliminate with the most extreme of prejudices, and though they can smack you around a good bit, they're probably going to have a hard time really threatening your existence. There's so much health you can store/build up in Okami that, once you put in about five hours your life will probably never be threatened. I know that allowed me to basically ugly up every boss fight and go in swinging, knowing I'd outlast the rotten jerks trying to muck up Nippon.
Of course, this does sort of make sense. You're playing as a sun goddess in the body of a wolf, so you should be a paragon of destruction for the forces of good. That you do eventually reach this stage for more than five minutes is a plus.
Several reviews have criticized the game as easy, but its puzzles and boss fights are tougher than anything I've played this year. No, it doesn't have the difficulty a first-person shooter does, and the health abundence takes some thrill off, but several puzzles are diabolical, and finding all the extras is a huge, huge chore.
With the game complete, I'm giving it an actual five buttons out of five. It's the best game I've played this year and manages to knock Metroid Prime: Corruption from the top spot as my favorite Wii game ever.

Some LULZ for today - Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 character design?

2008-06-20T12:32:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine posted this in her blog today...a sampling of the character design in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2, with added commentary by an unknown source :)

You'll have to click the image to see bigger and be able to read the notes.

DELICIOUS PIZZA! xD

Seriously, I pity the cosplayer who dares even THINKING of attempting that outfit. Ew. Final Fantasy character designers, wtf?

'When world's colide

2008-06-20T11:22:00.001-05:00

A McCain ad features "Medal of Honor" music.

Joystiq.com- A recent ad for John McCain's presidential campaign features music from Medal of Honor: European Assault, which GamePolitics believes may be the first time video game music has been used as such. The awkward thing here is that the composer of the piece, Christopher Lennertz, is a passionate Barack Obama supporter who is "dismayed" by the use of his composition in the ad.

Lennertz doesn't own the rights to the piece, but he did release a statement saying that he wishes he'd been consulted before his music was used to promote a campaign that he does not agree with.

In unrelated news, my PS3 is alive and well and will come back to me soon. Hooray!

New Call of Duty Announced

2008-06-12T12:30:00.015-05:00

Earlier this week Activision the publisher of Guitar Hero and the Call of Duty series, made an announcement that wasn't a big surprises to a lot of people. Activision announced that they were in the works of publishing a new Call of duty game entitled Call of Duty: World at War. The other information that was provided at the announcement had a lot of people starting to wonder if this new Call of Duty game will actually be a step backwards rather than a step forwards.

The game will be traveling back to its roots to World War II and not the whole modern theme that was used in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Activison has confirmed two campaigns so far; there will be an American campaign which will take place in the Battle of the Pacific and a Soviet campaign which will take place in Europe in the invasion of Germany. The game is being developed by Treyarch and not Infinity Ward who were the developers of Call of Duty 4. If you are not familiar with Treyarchs work they're the developers of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3 and Spider-Man 3. Most of the games that Treyarch have developed in the past have just been mediocre games that offered nothing new or original and this is why a lot of people have gotten a little sceptical that this game will live up to Call of Duty 4.

Even though a lot of people are disappointed with the information that was given at the announcement a lot of information was also given that might make this game actually good. The game has been in development for two years and it will feature Single player co-op, two player split screen and four player online co-op. The developers are also taking a look at the darker corners of WWII with torture scenes and a much more mature subject matter. Tyeyarch have also taken some ideas from Infinity Ward in this latest installment in the Call of Duty series; like the ability to have perks like in Call of Duty 4.
Well really only time will tell if this game lives up to Call of Duty 4 or if it will just be another average shooter.

Today's column

2008-06-12T09:56:00.001-05:00

A Word About My PS3

My PlayStation 3 died this weekend. I was playing "Call of Duty 4" when the sound suddenly cut out. Attempts to play subsequent games resulted in frozen screens and lengthy, laggy pauses.

"Oh crap," I thought.

Could this be Sony's "Red Ring of Death," which felled many an Xbox 360?

So many gaming consoles cut down in their prime.

Of course, the solution to all this would be whipping out my warranty and saying to Sony, "Fix this, fools." That is, if I had my receipt backing up my warranty, which I didn't — long story.

I faced paying upward of $150 to ship the PS3 to Sony for something they screwed up in the first place. I really need that to buy a new pair of pants or perhaps a tank of gas, crust of bread, a chunk of cheese, etc. Thanks to our wonderful new economy, I feel like a character in a Dickens novel. I think I heard some of the skater kids speaking cockney the other day.

After checking around, I learned I could contact the store that sold my specific console and they could look up my receipt from my PS3 serial number. I don't have much love for Gamestop after its sister company, EB Games, royally screwed me over by selling me "free" magazine subscriptions with my game purchase. But they shined in this situation. They found my receipt and helped me convince the Sony PS3 people to send me a coffin for my dead console.

Sony PS3 customer service employs the most useless, argumentative bunch of dimwits I've ever spoken to in my entire life. I'm getting an error code and reading it back to the woman on the other end and she says, "I don't know what that means." YOU WORK AT SONY'S PS3 HOTLINE.

"I don't have a crystal ball," she added.

Well, I do have a crystal ball, and it's called Google. And I'll just be damned if I didn't get a dozen pages explaining that my Sony BluRay disc-reader basically decided to give me the middle finger.

Why couldn't someone at Sony explain that to me? Even a fourth-grader knows how to restore the PS3's default-settings at this point. One day we will all have cars that fly, and the person at Sony's PS3 hotline still won't know what my error code means.

Why do I put up with Sony's shenanigans? It's because one day, in spite of its suicidal business strategy and this god-awful economy, we will all own high-definition TV sets, and Sony's PS3 will be the best deal going. And because the animated film Batman: Gotham Knight will come out on BluRay soon.

So I think we all learned something here today. Capitalism works, but only when you make it work for you. Don't let bad customer service, biblical hold times and fine print keep you from making Sony or any company pay what they owe. And enjoy that next tank of regular unleaded while you're standing at the pump in your brand new Levi's.

Ok, maybe not the Levi's. Yet.

Coming next week

While my PS3 is kaput, I've found a new game for the Wii. "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life As a King" is a tactical role-playing game where players rebuild a kingdom using magic. King Leo, a mere boy, is not allowed to leave his castle but controls everything within it.

It's available as a $15 Wii ware download. There's also a lot of additional content you can download as well. I haven't played it enough for a full-fledged review yet, but so far, so good.

More Gadrock goodness

2008-06-11T12:30:00.001-05:00

I'm putting Sony on blast Thursday for their poor handling of the PS3 situation. Pittman also has some Wii and Xbox 360 related columns in the works as well....

Here's the latest news from our friends at Gadrock Gamers....

That's correct sirs! HUGE NEWS!!

Gadrock Gamers and Replays Gameware are proud to announce we'll be setting up a FREE Wii Sports: Tennis Tournament at Gadsden's Riverfest 2008!

Radio station Z93.1, Absolute Fitness of Gadsden and Replays will be sponsoring a Wii Sports: Tennis Tournament, Saturday afternoon at Riverfest at the Z93.1 Tent.

So here are the details:

You will have to purchase a pass for Riverfest (or win them somehow etc.) to enter the tournament, which works out great if you're already going to be there! Other than that, there is no entry fee, totally free!

The format will be classic arcade style, ala, you keep playing until you lose and we tally up how many people you beat, and whoever has the most consecutive wins, wins!

The matches will be 1 player vs. 1 player, one game per match.

There will probably be prizes for runner ups...but for sure, the grand prize winner will walk away with the Nintendo Wii that we'll be using that day.

The Wii has been sponsored by Z93.1 and Absolute Fitness, and was purchased from Replays Gameware.

Keep you eyes peeled for the exact contest times and more info.

But this will take place before bands perform on Saturday afternoon!

New 3G iPhone

2008-06-09T15:48:00.003-05:00

So Apple has announced it's new 3G iPhone. They go on sale July 11th.

I've been waiting for this! Finally we'll be able to use faster internet speeds...like Japan!

And the 8GB model is being priced at $199, a bit kinder to the pocketbook than the first model.

Dan's contract is up in January, so I can't get one of these babies yet, but maybe they will add more goodies to it by then. :)

I have a plan

2008-06-09T09:58:00.002-05:00

Following up on my PS3 woes...thanks for all the help and advice. Unfortunately, I don't think its a lens cleanliness issue. I wish it were, but it probably is not.

The reason I think this is because the disk does not make much of an audible spinning noise when its inserted. This leads me to believe that its probably a bad reader, something to do with the hardware itself, rather than a clean lens. I blew duster on it, no luck- I'm afraid to try the disc cleaner because I'm afraid if I do it will scratch the lens and void my warranty.

About that warranty- I've managed to get more info from my friend about where and when his brother bought it. My hope is they will either have a receipt or opt to print me one....that's the idea, at any rate. I hope they are more helpful than the useless bunch of human drones at the PS3 service line. Good God almighty! If you have any trouble shooting to do with the PS3 go to their Web site- and if you absolutely must call PS3 service, ask for a manager right of the gate. Their floor employees are rude, argumentative and have no useful wisdom to impart.

Ok, calling the game store at 11 a.m. Wish me luck.

Played the Battlefield: Bad Company Demo

2008-06-08T18:11:00.004-05:00

Well I downloaded the Battlefield: Bad Company Demo and I have to say it was pretty fun. I started out by playing the Single-player portion of the game and didn't expect much but after a couple of minutes of cinematics the game starts and you jump into a vehicle right away. The single player covers a lot in such a shot amount of time; every second of the game you are either shooting,driving or being shot at. The single player was actually great with amazing sound effects,graphics and destructible environments this game looks like the single player should be fairly solid.

After the single player I jumped into multiplayer which from what I have played is definably where this game stands out. The game can host 24 players in one online match and there was one map and one game type in the demo. The map is called Oasis and it's a desert map with a river, mountains and a small village. The gametype was called Gold Rush and what Gold Rush is that there are two teams one team are Attackers and the other team are Defenders. The Attackers job is to destroy 2 crates filled with Gold to capture that base and expand the map. The Defenders job are to stop the Attackers from doing this and killing off all the Attackers which will drop down the Attackers reinforcements.EA has confirmed that conquest mode will be available as a free update after the game ships out on June 23. The Online play has Tanks,Jeeps,Boats,Helicopters and Turrets which turns the battle into complete mayhem and a struggle for victory.

So far this game looks promising and will definitely offer a great online play that will have a amazing replay value. In the demo there were some problems with the game which consisted of lag at times, texture taring, sound, mic/headset,squad/partying problems and freezing but this is only a demo and lets hope they fix these problems before the full game ships out. Hope to see all of you on the Battlefield.

Doh

2008-06-07T20:41:00.003-05:00

My PlayStation 3 is apparently broke. I was playing COD4 with Creg earlier when the sound went out. Pretty soon after, the game locked up.

I am trying to figure out if there's any way this is covered under my warranty. I'd need a receipt, which is bad because I bought it from a friend who had a brother buy it for him. The service charge is around $150.

Suckitude, is the appropriate word here, I believe.

Apparently other people's PS3s have done this to them?

New Wii ware game is pretty cool

2008-06-07T00:05:00.002-05:00

"Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King" is what "My Sims" for the Wii could've been with a little more thought and effort. Not an RPG per se, the game revolves around the boy King Leo who is restoring a mighty kingdom using magic. Utilizing the finest adventurers and your good ol' noggin, Leo can keep his citizens happy. But its no simple game; it develops in complexity quickly.

The game is a real sweet deal at $15 and has lots of other add-on downloadable content. I hope the rest of the Wii ware stuff is this good.

A perfect 'Fit' for Wii

2008-06-05T09:18:00.002-05:00

In the past, Nintendo has had you raise virtual puppies, stomp on evil Goombas and save the world from Mother Brain.

Now they want to get you in shape.

Wii Fit is the newest off-the-wall title in Nintendo's repertoire. The game features more than 40 exercises to help you burn fat, build muscle and gain perfect posture.

The Wii Balance Board is the real star of the show. The innovative peripheral is included with every copy of Wii Fit and is used with nearly every activity in the game. You simply sync the Balance Board to the Wii console before you play for the first time, and you'll be ready to work out in no time.

The game provides a nice introductory tutorial that explains how to use the device. You are also asked to pick a Mii — a user created avatar — to help represent the virtual journey that lies ahead.

The first thing on the docket is finding out your BMI (body mass index), which is determined by stepping on the Wii Balance Board after submitting your height and date of birth. Next is a series of exams that judge how well you can shift body weight under a strict time limit. The results determine a "Wii Fit Age," a number that most people will strive to lower by playing the game. You are able to set a limit on how much weight to lose over a certain amount of time. A calendar is provided to see the progress that you will need to make in order to reach the goal.

There are only a few exercises to choose from initially, but many more games unlock as playing time increases. A metallic piggy bank dubbed the "Fit Bank" keeps track of how much time you spend and rewards you accordingly.

Yoga provides stretches that are combined with deep breathing exercises to clear the mind and the soul. The gamer mimics the actions of an onscreen yoga instructor, holding each pose for several seconds while trying to maintain balance. One of the tougher poses is the shoulder stand, which hurts about as much as it sounds.

Strength training helps to build muscles all over the body. You can choose to do push-ups, side planks and even the dreaded jackknife (lying flat on the floor and bringing your legs and arms to meet above your body). One big problem with exercises in this category is the amount of space that they can require. Gamers trying to bulk-up in a cramped space will quickly become frustrated.

The aerobic exercises are the most innovative experience of Wii Fit. You can work those hips while spinning hula-hoops around your waist or step in the ring for some rhythm boxing. You can also head outdoors to jog around a beautiful island. This is one activity that doesn't use the Wii Balance Board, and instead makes use of jogging in place with a Wii Remote in your pocket.

Balance games include hitting the slopes for some ski jumping and tightrope walking. One of the more popular games in the category involves heading soccer balls into a goal while avoiding the occasional shoe and panda bear head.

Nintendo's latest creation will not trump going to a gym, but it does provide an innovative way to get on the path to fitness. The Wii Balance Board is worth the price of admission alone due to the amount of games that will be compatible in the future. Wii Fit gets 4 buttons out of 5.

- Chris Pittman

What I'm doing right now

2008-06-02T21:20:00.002-05:00

I'm reading every possible article I can find about The Dark Knight. The suspense is killing me.

Playstation 3 deal

2008-06-01T22:40:00.003-05:00

Wal*Mart has a pretty good deal going on right now for the Playstation 3. The chain is including a free $100 gift card with every 40GB Playstation 3 purchase.

The ad above states that the included card is a "Blu-Ray" gift card, which will only work in purchasing movies of that format. However, there have been plenty reports of people using the card for non-movie related purchases, so chances are the card will work for anything you want to buy. Best Buy is matching the deal as well, and I would recommend going there over Wal*Mart. Anyways, this is a great way to get onboard the PS3 bandwagon. I'm seriously considering it myself.

Halo 3 on June 3

2008-05-31T08:03:00.000-05:00

Gadrock Gamers, along with Replays Gameware will be hosting their third tournament at Applebee's on June 3rd, starting at 9 PM.

The competition will be a 2 vs. 2 Halo 3 tournament.

It will start at 9 PM, registration starts at 8:30. The cost per team is $10. You can enter as an individual for $5, but will be paired with whomever else enters alone.

System Link will be used with two televisions for each match, one team on one and one on the other.

We will be playing under Slayer, and first team to get 25 kills wins. It is single elimination and will be randomly bracketed. Each map will be agreed on by both teams before selection.

We ask that you bring your own controller, but it isn't required, it just really helps us out a bit.

Two matches are going to be going on at the same time, one on each side of the Applebee's bar, which will be amazing.

We are going to try something totally different, and will be better than ever before at Gadrock Gamers, and we're talking prizes!

We are turning it up a notch, and we want you to crank it up also!

Without further ado, here are your prizes...

1st Place Team:
One Free Month of XBOX Live Each
$15.00 Cash Each
$15.00 Gift Certficate to Replays Gameware Each
$15.00 Gift Card to Applebee's Each
And more!
Over $100 worth of prizes goto the winner and each day these prizes are growing!

2nd Place Team:
$10.00 Cash Each
$5.00 Gift Certficate to Replays Gameware Each
$5.00 Gift Card to Applebee's Each
And more!

By "And More!" we're talking shirts, hats, free food from Gadsden's great food spots.

3rd & 4th Place Teams will not be left out!

Everyone participating in the event will get coupons from Replays for a free disc repair and $2.00 off any purchase over $10.00!

This is the most we've ever put on the line for YOU to win. So come out and get it!

So remember, Tuesday, June 3rd, come to Applebee's for some fierce Halo 3 competition, come for the memories that await and the great prizes for those courageous enough to step it up!

Thank you,

Jason R. Coleman
Event Organizer

Gadrock Gamers, as always, thanks Replays Gameware and Applebee's of Gadsden!

Resident Evil 5 trailer

2008-05-31T01:13:00.003-05:00

The new trailer for Resident Evil 5 was unveiled last night on GameTrailers TV. The clip lasts over two minutes and features a good amount of gameplay footage to get your juices flowing. I am absolutely stunned at the amount of characters on screen at once. It looks like Capcom has used some elements from Dead Rising, a game that featured a mall filled with zombies, to create the ultimate horror experience.

Marketing chaos

2008-05-30T23:44:00.002-05:00

Guitar Hero has taken the world by storm and is definitely a high tier game franchise. The Nintendo DS version features a special keypad controller that mimics the guitar buttons of the console games. The handheld hellraiser also has innovative features that can only be done on the small screen. Activision has created a hilarious tutorial video to explain these goodies to the gamer. I've included the video below.

Dr. Mario Online RX

2008-05-28T02:55:00.003-05:00

Nintendo released WiiWare to the North American market last Monday. The service, much like Microsoft's "Xbox Live Arcade" and Sony's "Playstation Network," is made to support downloadable titles from both small and large companies. One of the first titles to hit WiiWare was Dr. Mario Online Rx, an upgrade to the famous pill puzzler of old.

I haven't been able to put much time into the game yet, but I am very impressed from what I've played so far. The game features the original Dr. Mario game, complete with the dancing virus monsters and catchy music. The Wii update is also the first time that Dr. Mario can be played online against other gamers from all over the world.

The biggest addition is "Virus Buster," a multiplayer cooperative mode that bends the rules of the standard game. In this mode, multiple pills will spawn at the top of the screen, and gamers need to work together to be successful. The Wii Remote allows for easy point-and-drag gameplay. I'm going to try and round up some buddies this weekend to see just how crazy this mode is with four people.

If you liked the original Dr. Mario on NES then this is well worth a purchase. For 1000 Wii Points ($10), you get the classic with online play, and the highly addictive Virus Buster mode.