A visually impaired gamer named Alexander Stern is suing Sony, Sony Online Entertainment and Sony Computer Entertainment America for not offering features that make their games accessible for people with visual disabilities.

According to Stern, by not including these options, Sony is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The law suit claims that Stern has written several emails and letters to Sony requesting these features for games - mainly on MMOs - and Sony hasn’t complied. The suit also mentions how other companies, including Blizzard, have allowed the use of mods or other third party programs to incorporate features including visual cues or voice overs for gamers with “disability impaired visual processing”.

The suit also states that Sony’s denial in including these features are costing Stern money. Sony runs an auction site where users can sell their in-game loot for real money and, since Stern can’t participate in the auctions, Stern claims that he is losing money.

I’m really sorry for this guy and I think that everybody should have the right to entertainment and, in this case, video games but I think he’s just trying to work the system for easy money.

Video games are a visual form of entertainment and I don’t think it’s realistic to suppose that a company is going to modify the code in their games to fulfill the needs of an individual or a comparatively small group. By this same logic all movie studios and book publishers should alter their products to offer versions for the visually impaired.

I think it’s great that some companies offer the possibility of including mods or other programs into the game but. in my opinion, demanding them is totally different. Hopefully, technology that allows visually impaired people to have a better enjoyment of games will come along soon but I don’t think suing is the best way to accomplish or accelerate this process.

Read [Destructoid] Also read [GameSpot]

Full Story » | Written by Christian Morlotte for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

This week’s first featured downloadable game is Military Madness: Nectaris for $9.99 on the PS3. This remake of the original Military Madness for the TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment System back in 1986, features two opposing forces battling for supremacy on the moon. Players choose a commander for their Army and strategically use up to 20 unique abilities by plotting their attacks on an overhead map and watch the battles unfold in a cinematic view of the action. Up to four players can choose the maps they wish to fight on in multiplayer mode, set the number of turns and time limit for each game, and customize their armies. This game allows controller share for players who don’t have enough controllers for everyone playing on the same console. Check out Military Madness: Nectaris for the PS3:

The next downloadable game this week is Numblast for $4.99 for the PS3 and PSP. In this game a young boy accidentally changed his friend into a monkey while trying to solve the Numblast stones. Players must help the boy change his friend back by lining up the correct stones together. Check it out:

Price Drops

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine Weapon X Arena Pack (PS3/Now $4.99)
• TV Show King Price Drop (PS3/Now $6.99)
• Mercury Bundle 2 Sale (PS3/Now $9.99)
Bundle includes:
• Archer Maclean’s Mercury
• Mercury Meltdown

Qore Subscription

• Qore Episode 18: November 2009 (PS3/$2.99)
• Qore Annual Subscription: November 2009 (PS3/$24.99)

Here is what else is new:

Downloadable Games

• PSOne Classic: Gex (PS3/PSP/$5.99)
• Crimson Room: Reverse (PSP/$7.99)
• Creature Defense (PSP/$7.99)
• Ben 10: Protector of Earth (PSP/$14.99)
• Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground (PSP/$14.99)
• Ben 10 Alien Force (PSP/$19.99)
• Ghostbusters The Video Game (PSP/$29.99)
• Star Wars Clone Wars: Republic Heroes (PSP/$29.99)
• Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (PSP/$29.99)
• Class of Heroes (PSP/$39.99)
• Dissidia Final Fantasy (PSP/$39.99)

Free Demos:

• Trine Demo (PS3/Free)
• Military Madness: Nectaris Demo (PS3/Free)
• MotorStorm Arctic Edge Demo (PSP/Free)

Bonus Game Contents:

• LittleBigPlanet Anniversary Costume (PS3/Free)
• LittleBigPlanet Spaceman Costume (PS3/Free)
• Brutal Legend Tears of the Hextadon Map Pack (PS3/Free)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Character Compatibilty Pack (PS3/Free)
• Topatoi: Arcade Style Pack (PS3/Free)
• Way of the Samurai 3 Weapons DLC (PS3/Free)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Juggernaut Playable Character (PS3/$1.99)
• Dragon Age: Origins Warden’s Keep (PS3/$6.99)
• Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Character and Mission Pack (PS3/$9.99)
• Dragon Age: Origins Stone Prisoner (PS3/$14.99)

Rock Band Pack:

• Nirvana Bleach Pack (PS3/$5.49)
Individual Tracks:
• “About a Girl” by Nirvana (PS3/$1.99)
• “Blew” by Nirvana (PS3/$1.99)
• “School” by Nirvana (PS3/$1.99)

• Foo Fighters Pack 03 (PS3/$6.99)
Individual Tracks:
• “Best of You” by Foo Fighters (PS3/$1.99)
• “The Pretender” by Foo Fighters (PS3/$1.99)
• “Wheels” by Foo Fighters (PS3/$1.99)
• “Word Forward” by Foo Fighters (PS3/$1.99)

Individual Song Tracks

• “Fake Friends” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (PS3/$1.99)

Rock Band Unplugged bonus content:

• “Toxicity” by System of a Down (PSP/$1.99)
• “Waking the Demon” by Bullet for My Valentine (PSP/$1.99)

Free Game Videos:

• Pulse 11/5 Edition (PS3/PSP/Free)
• PlayStation 3 TV Commercial – “Candle” (PS3/PSP/Free)
• PlayStation 3 TV Commercial – “Montage” (PS3/PSP/Free)
• Numblast Trailer (PS3/PSP/Free)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars “Out For Revenge” Video (PSP/Free)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Trailer (PSP/Free)
• 2 for 1 Mercury Bundle Trailer (PSP/Free)
• God of War Collection Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Assassin’s Creed 2 Dev Diary 4 (PS3/Free)
• Dragon Age: Origins City Elf Origin Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Dragon Age: Origins Dwarf Commoner Origin Trailer (PS3/Free)
• Dragon Age: Origins Mage Origin Trailer (PS3/Free)
• NIER TGS 2009 Trailer (PS3/Free)

Wallpapers and Themes:

• Tekken 6 – Returning Characters Theme (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 – The Fight Card Theme (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 – The New Faces Theme (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 Alisa Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 Asuka Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 Hwoarang Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 Jin Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• Tekken 6 Kazuya Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• FIFA Soccer 10 Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• Let’s FIFA 10 Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• FIFA Soccer 10 Blanco Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• FIFA Soccer 10 Rooney Wallpaper (PS3/Free)
• FIFA Soccer 10 Rooney Wallpaper 2 (PS3/Free)
• Lemmings PSP Theme (PSP/Free)
• Roadkill – Animal PSP Theme (PSP/$1.49)
• Roadkill – Human PSP Theme (PSP/$1.49)
• Roadkill Theme (PS3/$1.99)
• Family Guy Theme (PS3/$1.99)
• DarkMatter Quadrilogy PSP Theme Pack (PSP/$4.49)
• DarkMatter Quadrilogy Theme Pack (PS3/$5.99)

Read [PlayStation Store Blog] Site [PlayStation]

Full Story » | Written by Lucy Newman for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Full Story » | Written by Jessica Moen for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Walmart has some great online-only specials that have just appeared on the website. The only catch is, there’s no knowing how long these deals will last. The site specifically states that it is while supplies last, but it doesn’t mention how many of each item are available. So if you see a deal you like, better pounce on it quickly.

There are six video game deals that go along with this online special. Five out of six relate to Nintendo systems or products for Nintendo systems, and the other sale pertains to an Xbox 360 item.

Let’s look at what online specials Walmart is selling:

• Make your own DS Lite value bundle with a DS Lite (you choose the color), Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and one of four Nintendo Expression Accessory Kits for $149.00. The page also gives you the option to add on an additional game, but the additional game will full price.
• Wii Fit Plus with balance board and DreamGear 5-in-1 fitness bundle for $119.00.
• 2 Wii games for $30. You can choose from 33 titles, which include Cooking Mama: Cook Off, Lego Batman, Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Lego Star Wars: Complete Saga.
• Wii with Wii Fit Plus with balance board and $25 gift card for $299.00.
• Wii Rock Band 2 or Rock Band Track Packs for $20 each. You can choose from Rock Band 2, AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack, Rock Band Metal Track Pack, Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock, Rock Band Track Pack: Volume 1 or Rock Band Track Pack: Volume 2.
• Guitar Hero World Tour Band Kit for Xbox 360 for $79.00.

Site [Walmart]

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Haven’t caught all of the Gamertell news this week?  Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

• 28,275 PSPgos sold on the November 1, 2009, launch in Japan
  ” Famitsu featured an interesting news story pertaining to the PSPgo today. The system launched November 1, 2009 in Japan, and Enterbrain already has the first day sales figures for Sony’s latest incarnation of the PSP. Brace yourself - only…” MORE »
• Apple App Store gaming update for the week of October 26 to November 2, 2009
  “The Apple App Store gaming update is Gamertell’s weekly look at the previous week’s Apple App Store game releases. We cover them all - good and not so good - in their respective categories with a breakdown…” MORE »
• DS bundle deals in the Toys ‘R Us 2009 Big Toy Book
  “The Toys ‘R Us Big Toy Book ad arrived in this past Sunday’s (November 1, 2009) paper, and while it is filled with a number of big and pertinent video game releases, there aren’t really that many…” MORE »
• Aldi ad for November 4, 2009 offers a $249.99 Wii bundle deal
  “The Aldi ad for November 4-10, 2009 has a pretty nice Wii bundle deal, if you’re looking to pick one up for a friend or family member this holiday season. The custom bundle is billed as a Nintendo Wii…” MORE »
• Toys R Us ad for November 6-7, 2009 features multiple game bargains
  “If you check your mailboxes, you may find a Toys ‘R Us circular proclaiming that a massive sale is going to be held Friday, November 6, 2009 from 9am to 12am and Saturday, November 7,…” MORE »
• Latest Persona 3 Portable details revealed at AtlusNet
  “AtlusNet.jp updated recently with many new details about Persona 3 Portable, the PSP port/remake of Persona 3, which came out November 1, 2009. The most obvious and talked about addition is the ability to play as a heroine…” MORE »
• Nintendo downloads for November 2, 2009
  ”  There’s a large assortment of downloadable games available today for Wii and DSi owners. There are three new WiiWare games, two Virtual Console classics and three DSiWare games. Not…” MORE »
• Advertorial: Binverse, the next evolution In downloads
  “Experience what it’s like to download at unlimited speeds from a massive collection of over 800 Terabytes of user uploads. You’ll max out your Internet connection downloading a file in minutes that would take hours using other technologies.  Binverse utilizes 256-bit…” MORE »
• Doom cover artist Don Ivan Punchatz dies at 73
  “The man behind one of the most well-known game covers in history died October 22, 2009. Don Ivan Punchatz created art for National Lampoon, Playboy and National Geographic during his decades-long career.  He suffered a heart attack October 11, 2009,…” MORE »
• Gamertell Review: Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga for Wii
  “Title: Valhalla Knights: Eldar Saga Price: $39.99 System: Wii Release Date: September 29, 2009 Publisher (Developer): Xseed Games (K2) ESRB Rating: “Teen” for alcohol reference, blood, fantasy violence MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

As a followup to the 2008 Pac-Man mini arcade cabinet ornament, Hallmark is sticking with the same theme.

This year’s ornament is a miniaturized reproduction of the Galaga arcade cabinet (QXI1365) complete with mini buttons, mini joystick, lights and sounds. Press the buttons and you are treated to several seconds of classic tuneage including the intro and what sounds like the first wave of diving aliens. The top panel of the cabinet also lights up so the Galaga logo glows a bit. Aside from the effects, the cabinet also features a mini “screen shot” of the game.

Galaga is one of the great early arcade shooters and was released in arcades by Midway in 1981 (in the US). It features a flying-in-formation row of aliens that periodically swoop down and try to zap your semi-fixed ship. It was a followup to the 1979 release of Galaxian.

The battery operated ornament is all plastic, only 4.25 in. tall and retails for $18.50. I’ve already spotted it in a few non-Hallmark stores.

Although Hallmark has not yet called this a continuing series it sure is starting to shape up as one. Here a list of previous game-themed ornaments:

• 2008 -  Pac-Man mini arcade cabinet ornament with sound effects ($18,50 QXI2154)
• 2007 - Player 1 game controller ornament with sound effects ($15.00, QXG2119)
• 2006 - GameOn ornament (QXG3346) featuring the words “Game On” in bright green, the image of a joystick and a modern game controller with stars and a few explosion-esque graphics behind it.

Hey, if Hallmarks released a few more mini arcade cabinet ornaments you can create your own action figure-sized video game arcade.

Other geeky noteworthy ornaments include Robby the Robot a la Forbidden Planet ($18.50), three classic theme Star Trek ornaments including a Starfleet Phaser ornament with sound effects ($18.50), four Star Wars ornaments including Luke’s landspeeder from Star Wars: A New Hope ($22.50 and the Han Solo ornament looks like it’s been done before unless I’m thinking of action figures), seven comic book heroes and a “Jingle Bell Rock” guitar with sound effects ($16.50).

They also snuck in the Ectomobile from Ghosbusters with sound effects ($18.50). Finally, for those who have the purple-pink PSP, there is a Hanna Montana ornament as well ($16.50).

Product Page [Hallmark Keepsake Galaga Ornament] Read [Gamertell]

Full Story » | Written by PJ Hruschak for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Mythic Entertainment and EA have announced that, instead of only offering a 10 day free trial for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, they will begin offering an endless free trial. I guess EA wants to lure in new customers. This means that you can try and play Warhammer Online for free for as long as you want. In addition, if you ever had a 10 day free trial account, you can now use it again to play in the endless free trial.

There is now also a new Warhammer Online streaming endless trial client that will make it easier for people to begin playing the game. It’s still a pretty substantial download, since it’s larger than 1gb, but it’s smaller than it was before and streams additional required content while you play so you don’t need to download everything to play.

There has also been new content added to the free trial. You can play test all 24 careers, search the tier one Nordland and Norsca Empire vs. Chaos areas, visit Hunter’s Vale, play through a New User Journey tutorial and go through Nordenwatch, Khaine’s Embrace and Gates of Ekrund scenarios. There is a catch though, you can only get your character up to level 10 and you can only explore those tier one areas and experience the scenarios listed above.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is available for both PCs and Macs, and is rated Teen for mild blood, suggestive themes, use of alcohol, use of tobacco and violence. If you like it and decide to pay to play the full game, it’ll cost $14.99 a month.

Read [WELT Online] Also Read [VG247] Site [Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

TDGMods is working on a reimagining of the Blood and Blood II: The Chosen first person shooters called Hypertension. What’s unique about this project is the systems it is appearing on. In 2010, it will be released not only for PC, Mac and Linux computers, but also for the Sega Dreamcast. The Dreamcast’s life cycle just won’t end!

Hypertension will be based on the original game, but will also feature a number of new features. For example, while Caleb will still be around to fight against the various monsters and enemies that assail him, Aurelia is a new 2028 character introduced to expand the storyline. The game will also have some RPG elements that weren’t found in the original game, as characters will be able to talk with NPCs to progress or bribe them for crucial information, modify their weapons to make them more powerful and heal themselves. A single-player deathmatch side mode will also be included.

Blood, the original game, was a Monolith Productions PC game released May 31, 1997 by GT Interactive. It was a first person shooter set in 1928, with an ominous storyline surrounding a man named Caleb who going against a cult called The Cabal and its dark master, which he once served as an elite general, to save his love Ophelia. It even spawned a sequel, Blood II: The Chosen, that was released for PCs on October 31, 1998. The sequel was set in 2028, and once again Caleb is facing off against the same cult, although now The Cabal has become a massive corporation.

There’s even a trailer up on YouTube. Before you click through the link to watch it, be advised that it features graphic violence, lots of blood and strong language. If you’re under 16, you probably shouldn’t be watching it. The trailer makes it look like a pretty good FPS option for people who’re looking for a creepy new one.

Read [MCV] Site [Hypertension by TDGMods]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

When Midway filed bankruptcy, one of the potentially lucrative licenses it had was the right to make games based on TNA Wrestling. When Warner Bros. bought the company it picked up the rights to several Midway games but PWInsider said the TNA game wasn’t one of them.

PWInsider’s TNA sources said the rights may bounce back to TNA since Warner Bros. wasn’t interested in purchasing them. TNA officials won’t comment on what, if anything, is happening with the game. TNA Impact sold one million units with reviews being just so-so.

Still, wrestling games have a built-in fan base and TNA is still basking in the publicity glow of a partnership with wrestling legend Hulk Hogan. Wrestling needs more competition in terms of programming and video games, so here’s hoping something works out.

Read [PWInsider] Also Read [Baltimore Sun]

Full Story » | Written by Brian Allen for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

EA’s Madden franchise often comes under fire for a perceived lack of innovation but here’s a feature that certainly promises some unique wrinkles.

Madden NFL 10 will soon contain a game mode that will combine elements of fantasy football and trading card gaming.

Madden Ultimate Team is a free downloadable addition on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network coming January 2010. In this game players will collect virtual packs of cards ranging from “platinum” to “bronze.”

You’ll be able to select everything from your team’s playbook to its uniforms and player cards include legendary statistical years such as Randy Moss’ 1999 Minnesota Vikings campaign. The download will come with a starter pack and you can purchase other cards through the in-game store or win them through in-game accomplishments.

This is definitely a different step for the franchise. It has had card collection modes before but this is the first time they’ve been folded into a separate game experience. I wonder if hardcore Madden fans will consider this a worthwhile distraction and, if this is successful, could we see the cards branch into other games?

Read [Gamertell] Read [Electronic Arts] Also Read [Joystiq]

Full Story » | Written by Brian Allen for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

There are just too many easy Star Trek jokes (“Phasers set to stun!” “Warp speed!” “Beam me up!”) - so, I promise I’ll stay away for the remainder of this post. Trekkers and MMO fans, here’s what you need to know - Star Trek Online has finally received it’s official release date. The game will be available on February 5th in North America, just in time for a particularly exciting Valentine’s day. Are you ready for a little klingon-on-vulcan action? I so am!

1Up has the scoop:

“Star Trek Online allows you to join either the Federation or the Klingons as the commander of your own starship. Players will be able to go on away missions, engage in ship-to-ship combat, and build their own crews from scratch.

Official release date is February 5 in North America.”

The game looks excellent - allowing all Trek enthusiasts to actually go in and captain their own starship sounds like the ultimate way to apologize for the sins of the lesser Star Trek movies. Undiscovered Country, I’m looking at you.

Read [ 1Up]

Full Story » | Written by Danielle Riendeau for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Epic Games is making a breakthrough in the games community by offering one of the most acclaimed game engines, the Unreal Engine 3, free to the public.

Now anyone can get their hands on this technology by downloading the UDK, or Unreal Development Kit.

The Unreal Engine 3 has been used in blockbuster first-person shooters including the Gears of War franchise, Unreal Tournament 3 and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. It has also been adapted for other genres including RPGs (Bioshock and Mass Effect) and action games (Mirror’s Edge).

The UDK offers advanced tools including a physics engine, video encoding, particle effects, destructible environments, audio encoding and an AI system.

Although the UDK is targeted mainly at the development of games, other areas including design, architecture and construction can also benefit from the engine, so there’s much to like here for everybody.

This really got me excited and if my PC wasn’t a piece of junk I would be toying with the UDK right now. Epic Games has taken a huge step in the right direction by putting this engine on the hands of what could potentially be a huge crowd. I’m sure this will drive forward the development of games and I can’t wait to see what the modding community can do with this.

The minimum requirements for the UDK are:

• Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista
• 2.0+ GHz processor
• 2 GB system RAM
• SM3-compatible video card
• 3 GB Free hard drive space

Read [

Aardman Animations first Wallace & Gromit short, A Grand Day Out, debuted twenty years ago in 1989, and this is naturally a reason to celebrate. Telltale definitely is, as it is not only marking the occasion by releasing Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures on the Xbox 360 and donating to Child’s Play, it is also offering a free episode of the PC version of the game to anyone who visits the a special Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures website.

If you go to the website and provide your email address and a password, you can get the third episode in the series, Muzzled!, for free. It’s the full game, and once you’ve signed up Telltale will send you an email with the serial number needed to unlock it. The only catch is that the promotion is scheduled to end at 12pm PST on November 9, 2009.

As mentioned earlier, the four episodes of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures are now on the Xbox 360 for 800 Microsoft Points each. Telltale is also donating to Child’s Play, giving away free copies of Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures and giving money for each PC season of the game ordered between November 4-8, 2009. The company is also taking orders for the Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures collector’s PC DVD starting today.

Is it just me, or is it odd that Telltale decided to offer the third episode in the Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures for free, and not the first episode? You’d think Telltale would want to hook potential customers in by starting with Fright of the Bumblebee instead.

Read [VG247] Also Read [Gamertell] Product Page [Telltale Games]

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In an expletive-filled interview with Sounds Like Fire, rapper DMX lashed out against both the music and video game industries regarding how much of the proceeds they share with artists that make the products possible.

Specifically, DMX was upset with the offer Def Jam made to him to appear in the sequel to Def Jam Vendetta. “X” was an unlockable character in the 2003 fighting game that featured superstar rappers pummeling each other over contracts and disrespect.

He said some people offered him a $25,000 signing bonus and two cents for every copy of every game sold to appear in the sequel Def Jam:Fight for New York. He declined because of his experience with Vendetta.

“Mind you they used my music throughout the whole———- game and I’m the hardest character to get to, so it’s pretty much like my——,” the rapper said in the interview. “$50 dollar———- game and you’re giving me two cents? Let me think about that for a minute.”

It’s a shame he didn’t appear as it sounds as if his real life frustrations with people in the industry would have made an outstanding addition to the story mode of any fighting game.

Read [Sounds Like Fire] Also Read [Game Politics]

Full Story » | Written by Brian Allen for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

If you check your mailboxes, you may find a Toys ‘R Us circular proclaiming that a massive sale is going to be held Friday, November 6, 2009 from 9am to 12am and Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 7am to 11pm. Looks like Toys ‘R Us is trying to kick off the holiday shopping season early. The ad features a number of good deals, and quite a few promising video game sales.

First, there are going to be two video game doorbuster offers that will only be available from 3pm to 12am on Friday and from 7am to 1pm on Saturday. First, there will be a buy one, get one 50% off sale running on all $19.99 video games in the store. The ad also states that there will be 400 $19.99 games to choose from. Second, four Wii peripherals will be on sale for 50% off the normal price. The ad doesn’t specifically state the names of said peripherals, but it looks like soft maracas to over the remote and nunchuk, Wii Fit mats, a Wii Fit accessory set and Wii remote and nunchuk skin covers.

There are also a few other sales that will be running throughout the whole sale period. For example, you’ll be able to purchase the following Wii games for 30% off the normal price:

• Animal Crossing: City Folk for $34.99
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for $34.99
• Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party for $20.99
• Sonic Unleashed for $20.99

Selected Plug ‘N Play video games will also be on sale for $13.99. You can pick from Retro Arcade, SpongeBob and Star Wars models. The normal price is $19.99 each.

Also, if you like video game action figures, some five inch Sonic the Hedgehog figurines will be on sale. You can get Sonic, Sonic as a werehog from Sonic Unleashed, or the Black Knight from Sonic and the Black Knight for $6.99 instead of the normal $9.99 price.

Site [Toys R Us]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

The Aldi ad for November 4-10, 2009 has a pretty nice Wii bundle deal, if you’re looking to pick one up for a friend or family member this holiday season. The custom bundle is billed as a Nintendo Wii System and Game Set and gives you the console, four games and a remote golf club peripheral for $249.99. The four games included are Big League Sports, Carnival Mini Golf, Game Party and Sonic and the Black Knight. Normally all these things separately would cost around $310.

While the ad states the special deals begin November 4, the Aldi website is also showing the same bundle and it states that the special deals begin November 1, 2009. So if you’re really interested, it may be worth stopping by your local Aldi today to see if the Wii set is in stock.

The same ad also shows that during that time period Aldi stores will be carrying the Wii Fit bundle as well. No special deal on that though, it’s $99.99 there, just like it is everywhere else. But if you are going to buy the Wii and games deal as a gift, it’s good to know you could also get Wii Fit at the same place.

Product Page [Aldi]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Siliconera reported on an interesting leak at Amazon.ca - if you search for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, a product listing pops up. Atlus hasn’t made any formal announcements yet, but it appears that the latest DS Shin Megami Tensei game could be arriving in North America on March 10, 2010. The listing also prices the game at $39.99.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey came out October 8, 2009 in Japan. An unknown dimension has appeared over the South Pole, and you’re part of a team sent to investigate what is going on and stop it from spreading. You don Demonica suits, thats what the character on the cover is wearing, and head into unknown dungeons in this new dimension. It’s a standard, turn-based, RPG where you get to recruit demons as your allies. Dungeon crawling is conducted in a manner similar to Etrian Odyssey, as it offers a first person view. Players also able to make choices and decisions during the game that can lead to multiple endings. It got a Cero C rating in Japan, meaning it was recommended for ages 15 and up.

The Trademark Electronic Search System isn’t showing any trademarks for the title Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, and the ESRB doesn’t have any listing for it either.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey is supposed to be a great game, so this is fantastic news. While the leak hasn’t been confirmed by Atlus yet, it is a safe bet that it is legitimate, since practically all the Shin Megami Tensei entries have been released in North America. Personally, I’m thinking after that, after seeing this, I should start checking Amazon.ca for Persona 3 Portable listings in a month.

Update: Atlus has just confirmed Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey will be released Spring, 2010 in North America and announced that an official Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey website is now open.

Editor’s Note: Updated November 5, 2009 2:06pm CST.

Read [Siliconera ] Product Page [Amazon.ca] Site [Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (Japanese)] Site [Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey]

Full Story » | Written by Jenni Lada for Gamertell. | Comment on this Article »

Professional basketball players are getting a little help on the court from their video games. Advanced motion capture and artificial intelligence allow them to apply what they see on their consoles to the real world.

In a recent interview for the LA Times, various NBA players talked about the ways video games including NBA2K10 and NBA Live help improve their game. The fact that most of the players in the game are motion captured to the last detail helps deliver a truly realistic experience, allowing players to experience the game from a different perspective.

Mike Conley from the Memphis Grizzlies said he had adopted a move called the Euro Step after seeing it in the game. Also, after seeing his virtual persona in the game, he realized that it had a lot more stamina than himself, so that made him train harder on his conditioning and stay after practice.

Other players, including DeAndre Jordan from the Clippers, have even devised strategies for specific players from other teams by watching their moves on the games. According to Jordan, some players have certain moves that they will perform on certain situations and by figuring them out on the game he can actually anticipate them in a real game.

It’s amazing how accurate this games are getting. I remember the old days of the Tecmo Bowl and how Bo Jackson could literally run circles around everybody for 15 minutes and then score a touchdown. And I also remember that, as funny as it was, it was really cheap.

I like today’s sports games better. Some of these athletes are already doing uncanny things so maybe the more real the games become, in some cases that makes them even more incredible.

Read [LA Times]

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Fighting games aren’t as popular as they used to be, right? Don’t tell that to Namco Bandai, as the company has put extensive resources behind Tekken 6,  including ponying up enough money for Monday Night Football ads.

Namco Bandai has also confirmed the shipping of 2.5 million copies of the sequel available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Reviews for the newest Tekken installment have been mostly favorable, although online play has come under fire for some hiccups. Kotaku even went so far as to brand Tekken 6 the Lag of Iron Fist.

The game sports a 40-character roster and a new, in-depth Scenario Campaign single-player mode.

The Tekken games have developed a strong fan following with an easy-to-learn but challenging-to-master control schemes, mapping each character’s limb attacks to the controller’s face buttons. Fighters are not as hot as they were during the days when every shopping mall had an arcade (or when every town had a shopping mall, for that matter) but Namco Bandai is hoping nearly three million units it can change that.

Read [GameSpot] Also Read [Team Xbox]

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The man behind one of the most well-known game covers in history died October 22, 2009.

Don Ivan Punchatz created art for National Lampoon, Playboy and National Geographic during his decades-long career.  He suffered a heart attack October 11, 2009, and never regained consciousness.

When hired by then startup iD Software to do the cover art for Doom, Punchatz had the option of taking his fee or a percentage of the game’s profits. Not knowing how much profit there would be, he went for his straight fee.

“So how was I to know this thing called DOOM would make a jillion smackers?” he later joked.

And so it did. Punchatz’s cover is still instantly recognizable piece of gaming culture, one of the bright lights of an era infamous for bad game covers. Right there on the cover is everything you need to know about this game. There is a well-armed, bad-to-the-bone space Marine surrounded by a whole lot of demons.

The cover and the game are influencing designers even to this day.

Who says games aren’t art or that game art isn’t worthwhile?

Read [Spectrum Fantastic Art] Via [Joystiq]

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Famitsu featured an interesting news story pertaining to the PSPgo today. The system launched November 1, 2009 in Japan, and Enterbrain already has the first day sales figures for Sony’s latest incarnation of the PSP. Brace yourself - only 28,275 PSPgos were sold at launch. A PSPgo costs ￥26,800 (~$296.17) in Japan.

That number isn’t all that impressive when you compare it to sales figures for other portable system incarnations. As AndriaSang pointed out, the DSi and PSP-3000 were bigger sellers. IGN reported that in the first two days of the DSi’s launch in Japan, 170,779 DSis were sold and AndriaSang reported 141,270 PSP-3000s were sold in the first four days after it was made available in Japan.

Overall, the PSPgo wasn’t a resounding success at its launch in Japan, but it wasn’t atrocious. It’d be better to check back and see the sales figures for its first month in Japan instead.

Funny, we haven’t heard anything about the first day PSPgo sales figures for North America or Europe. I wonder if the numbers are comparable.

Read [Famitsu (Japanese)] Also Read [AndriaSang] Also Read [IGN] Also Read [Gamertell]

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There’s a large assortment of downloadable games available today for Wii and DSi owners. There are three new WiiWare games, two Virtual Console classics and three DSiWare games. Not too bad.

Most of the games released seem geared towards younger gamers though. All three WiiWare games, “Aha! I Got It!” Escape Game, Carnival King and Family Card Games, and the DSiWare title Battle of the Giants: Dragons - Bronze Edition are clearly geared towards kids. Don’t let that turn you off though - take a thorough look at the descriptions and catalogs on your Wii and DSi before you make any decisions.

Gamertell’s Nintendo Download picks for the week are R-Type (Virtual Console) and Viking Invasion (DSiWare).

WiiWare

“Aha! I Got It!” Escape Game
Price: 500 Nintendo Points / $5
Publisher: Ateam Inc.
Genre: Puzzle
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Players: 1
Description: Milo has gotten a puzzle room for his birthday, and in order to escape from said room, he has to solve all of the puzzles. This means you point and click around the entire room and use the remote to solve all of the puzzles.

Carnival King
Price: 700 Nintendo Points / $7
Publisher: Incredible Technologies
Genre: Mini-game Collection
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Cartoon Violence
Players: 1-2
Description: A mini-game collection where players visit the Arcadia, Dreamland and Lagoon Parks and play various carnival games.

Family Card Games
Price: 500 Nintendo Points / $5
Publisher: Aksys Games
Genre: Card Game
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Suggestive Themes
Players: 1-2
Description: You can play Daifugo, Speed or Memory card games alone, against one other friend or against three other players online.

Virtual Console

Fighting Street
Price: 800 Nintendo Points / $8
Originally Appeared On: TurboGrafx 16 CD-Rom
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Fighting
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Mild Blood and Violence
Players: 1-2
Description: A port Street Fighter. You pick either Ryu or Ken as your fighter, then face off against other characters in an attempt to prove you’re the strongest and best.

R-Type
Price: 500 Nintendo Points / $5
Originally Appeared On: Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Shooter
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Fantasy Violence
Players: 1
Description: A side-scroller where you go through eight levels trying to power up your ship and gun and attempt to stop the Bydo Empire.

DSiWare

Battle of the Giants: Dragons - Bronze Edition
Price: 800 Nintendo Points / $8
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Action
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Mild Fantasy Violence
Players: 1-4
Description: As a Bronze dragon, you must reclaim the bronze gems and beat the Salmu dragon. This means you must travel through 10 different areas. You can also customize your bronze dragon and have it fight against other players.

Sparkle Snapshots
Price: 500 Nintendo Points / $5
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Other
ESRB Rating: N/A
Players: 1
Description: A program that lets you edit the photos you take with the DSi camera by adding in frames, extras, stamps, outfits and such. It also includes a shutter timer, allows you to factor in lighting and set the lens type used for the shot.

Viking Invasion
Price: 800 Nintendo Points / $8
Publisher: BiP Media
Genre: Strategy
ESRB Rating: “Everyone” for Mild Fantasy Violence
Players: 1
Description: A tower defense style game where you have to build up your defenses against vikings. There are three levels of difficulty to choose from, two modes to play through (Campaign and Survival) and over 10 levels to play through.

Image Source for R-Type screenshot: Retro Gamer

Site [Nintendo]

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AtlusNet.jp updated recently with many new details about Persona 3 Portable, the PSP port/remake of Persona 3, which came out November 1, 2009. The most obvious and talked about addition is the ability to play as a heroine rather than the hero Minato from Persona 3. You can switch off playing as the hero and heroine in each playthrough, but still retain all of your character levels and items. The heroine also isn’t just a carbon copy of the hero, as her arcana card is revealed to be XXII (The World), but she still retains his ability to use almost every kind of weapon.

The other details in the news update offer a few new hints about the Persona 3 Portable Social Links. For example, there’s no need to worry if you’re not spending enough time around your Social Link friends. Even if you ignore them for a long time, the Social Link will not decay. If you make the wrong choices during events though, they still will. The update also confirms that Akihiko, Theodore and Shinji are Social Links for the heroine and it sounds like the dating feature is intact. Other new Social Links include Saori Hasegawa replacing Maya as “The Hermit” link and Rio Iwasaki replacing Kazushi Miyamoto as “The Chariot” link. Another notable detail is Rio is friends with Kenji Tomochika, the Magician Social Link for the male character. It is still unknown if Kenji will remain the Magician Social Link for the female character, or if Junpei will replace him.

There was also information released about the UMD and download releases. It looks like there’s a bit of a price difference, as according to the article the UMD version is ¥6,276 (~$69.73) and the download version is ¥5,040 (~$56). Both versions of the game will also have a 255mb Data Installation option. However, this option is only recommended to Persona 3 Portable UMD owners to make the game run faster.

Still no North American release announcement yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear something from Atlus soon. After all, we’ve seen localizations of pretty much every Persona game so far.

Read [AtlusNet.jp (Japanese)]

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The Toys ‘R Us Big Toy Book ad arrived in this past Sunday’s (November 1, 2009) paper, and while it is filled with a number of big and pertinent video game releases, there aren’t really that many items on sale at a reduced price. There is a nice coupon on the back that gives you a $10 Toys ‘R Us gift card if you make a purchase over $75. The ad also makes mention of the fact that you can now trade in games at Toys ‘R Us stores.

If you are looking for a good video game deal in the book, then you should be checking out the various DS bundles. Instead of purchasing items separately, you can pick from one of the DS lite or DSi bundle options offered to make things a bit more simple. Bear in mind that these prices, as well as all in the Big Toy Book, are only valid from November 1 to 26, 2009.

Let’s take a look at what’s featured in the ad:

• “R” DS lite Lego value bundle that includes a silver DS lite, a copy of either Star Wars: The Complete Saga or Lego Indiana Jones and either a Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones protective DS armor case for $146.97
• “R” Disney Fairies DS lite value bundle that includes a metallic rose DS lite, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure and a DS Disney Fairies starter kit accessory pack for $154.97
• “R” iCarly DSi system value bundle that includes a blue DSi, the iCarly DS game and an iCarly system wallet for $186.97
• “R” Transformers DS lite value bundle that includes a blue DS lite, a copy of either Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Autobots or Decepticons and a Transformers starter kit accessory pack for $159.97

Also, for the first time, you can check out the Toys ‘R Us Big Toy Book on either Facebook or on your iPhone. If you want to browse the ad on Facebook though, you must first become a fan. Only after you do will you be allowed to look through the Big Toy Book. Also, if you want to browse the ad on your iPhone, you must first download the Big Book Favorites app. Unfortunately, it’s pretty tricky to find. At 10:45pm on November 1, 2009, I tried searching for Toys ‘R Us and Big Toy Book on iTunes and couldn’t find the app. The closest I came was a free Geoffrey memory game app from Toys R Us.

Read [WalletPop] Site [Facebook]

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If you haven’t got any plans for tomorrow (November 1, 2009) and you’ve either got a Wii or have friends with Wiis, you may want to take a quick trip to your local Target. The store is going to have a one week Wii game sale. When you purchase two $49.99 Wii games, you’ll get a third game for free. Yes, we’ve seen this promotion before, but Target’s is noteworthy because it applies to 80 Wii games in stock. As you can see from the ad scan image at the right, games like Wii Sports Resort, Super Smash Bros, Bakugan, Drawn to Life, Rabbids Go Home and Spore Hero are among some of the applicable titles.

The other major video game promotion in this week’s Target ad starts November 3, 2009. If you go in and purchase the $199.99 Band Hero bundle for the PS3, Xbox 360 or Wii, you’ll get a $20 Target gift card to go with it.

Seems like this could be becoming an annual event at the retailer. Kotaku reported last year on October 31, 2009 that Target was offering the exact same promotion.

Nice to see that the retailer is keeping up deals like this to help people prepare for the holiday season. While the Black Friday 2009 deals will undoubtedly be spectacular and perhaps even better, not everyone wants to rush out on the busiest shopping day of the year.

Read [Vertical Wire] Via [Joystiq] Also Read [Kotaku]

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The Los Angeles Times reports that earlier this week (October 29, 2009) a Sacramento jury awarded $16 million to the family of Jennifer Strange, who died in a ill-fated 2007 radio contest that asked participants to “Hold Your Wee for a Wii.”

The mother of three died from water intoxication after chugging bottles of water without urinating for hours during the “Morning Rave” show on Sacramento’s KDND-FM in an attempt to win a Nintendo Wii console.

During the broadcast, one of the DJs mentioned the 2005 death of a college student during a hazing ritual in which he which he was forced to drink water without urinating. Also, a listener called in and warned the DJs of the hazards of water intoxication. Entercom Communications Corp., the company that owns the radio station, fired 10 people in the wake of the deadly prank.

Entercom said it will not contest the judgment.

Read [Los Angeles Times] Also Read [G4]

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