So, with all the Grand Theft Auto IV excitement that's been going on, I realized I didn't have a post ready for you guys today - then I realized that I still hadn't posted the fact that the demo of Sega's Iron Man for the PlayStation 3 is now available for download via the PlayStation Store despite the fact that it's been available for more than a week. Lucky me. Download size is approximately 948MB.
While I may be skipping out to grab Grand Theft Auto IV, there are a few bits of news you may want to know about…
That's it - enjoy!
Seriously, was there really ever any question as to what game would get pick of the week this time around? Grand Theft Auto IV is already being hailed as the best title in the series, featuring a solid story backed by non-stop action. I get the feeling before the week is done, sales records will be broken.
Fortunately, for those out there who don't care for the GTA franchise, there are some other choices worthy of mention - let's take a look.
…and now, on to the full release list!;
Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.
It’s almost here now - can you feel the excitement? Are you ready for the mayhem?
The last time we looked at Grand Theft Auto IV, I would have sworn that we were seeing the last new trailer Rockstar would put out prior to launch. Looks like I was wrong - Rockstar is treating us to one last glimpse at the game before the 29th, and what we get this time is a look inside Niko’s head - check it out courtesy of GameTrailers.com
Okay, while I wouldn't get my hopes up just yet, Maximum PC (found by way of Kotaku) has just released an initial preview of Phantom Entertainment's Phantom Lapboard… you know, that keyboard that was originally part of a console, that became a separate accessory, which between company name changes and delays somehow never managed to make a deadline.
Now, according to the article, Phantom Entertainment is sending out review hardware and, wonder of wonders, the keyboard does indeed work, and is apparently good enough too impress the reviewers over at Maximum PC (and for $130, it should be impressive) - unfortunately, the same review states that the bundled mouse is apparently a waste of space. Just as importantly, with Phantom Entertainment and a June release date, whether it will ever actually appear on shelves is a whole other story.
Still for those of you who have been waiting on this keyboard, you may want to start looking into getting one from that initial limited run - who knows how long it'll last.
Following in the footsteps of the latest MAME update, MameUI v.124.4, the Windows GUI port of MAME v.124u4, is now available. The same advice I gave about the latest build of MAME applies to this version of MameUI as well.
As you may or may not already know, MameUI was previously known as MAME32. The emulator's name has been changed as it is now available in both 32 and 64 bit versions (as MameUI32 and MameUI64 respectively). Please be sure to download the correct version for your CPU.
The MAME development team has made version .124u4 of the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator available for download. This update mainly focuses on bug fixes and background changes once more, and according to the development team, those background changes this time are large enough that the expect more than a few issues to crop up - so unless you've been having difficulties with your current installation, I’d recommend holding off on upgrading until the next full release.
Those of you interested in testing this build for the dev team should download the update and then head on over to MAME Testers to find out how to get started.
The updated emulator files can be found at the official MAME development page at Mamedev.org. You can Click here to see the full list of what’s new in this update.
A demo of Atlus' tactical role-playing game Operation Darkness for the Xbox 360 is now available for download in The United States and Canada via the Xbox Live Marketplace. Download size is approximately 493MB.
Please note: As of late November 2007, it appears that Microsoft has re-instituted the one week wait before free content becomes available to Xbox Live Silver members. As such, if you're not an Xbox Live Gold member, this demo most likely won't be available for download until sometime next week.
Xbox Live Arcade returns to the table today with the release of Lost Cities, an online version of what is supposedly an award winning card game. I've never played the game this one is based on, so I have no idea how close it plays to the original or how much fun you can expect from it. Microsoft does have a good record with approving quality card and board games for the Live Arcade, so I'm looking forward to trying this one.
As always, a demo is available, so please be sure to try it before you lay out 800 points ($10) for the title.
Title: Lost Cities
Developer: Sierra Online Shanghai
Publisher: Sierra Online
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 4/23/08
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1 / 2 Online
Full Game: 800 points ($10)
Rating: E (Everyone)
Demo?: Yes
From the Xbox.com product description;
"Risk it all on the expeditions of a lifetime in the award-winning card game Lost Cities™ as it comes to life on Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Draw from a pool of cards to amass the most points, play your cards wisely, take chances with your money, and create the best strategy to outwit your opponent on the road to victory.
- True to the original: All of the fun and strategy of the original card game has been faithfully translated for the console audience.
- Easy to learn: Jump into a game and start devising strategies within minutes.
- Exotic locales: Manage prosperous expeditions through the lost cities of the frozen Himalayas to the sandy deserts of Egypt, and even the Brazilian rain forest.
- Online play: Play with up to three of your friends over Xbox LIVE." - Xbox.com
I didn't get much of a chance to try last week's Live Arcade releases - mainly due to a lack of interest in mini-game compilations (Rocky & Bullwinkle) and the fact that the Battlezone demo is about 30 seconds long. Purchase either at your own risk.
Every once in awhile, a rumor comes along that you just desperately hope turns out to be true - this is one of those rumors. According to Next Generation (by way of Kotaku), Activision will be turning the Call of Duty franchise exclusively over to Infinity Ward following Treyarch's turn with the franchise in the form of the already in production Call of Duty 5.
"Next-Gen learned from an ex-Activision Underground employee on Monday that Infinity Ward, developer of November's CoD4, recently prompted a renegotiation of its contract with parent Activision so that the studio would be the sole developer of the FPS series." - Next Generation
I've made no secret of just how bad I thought Call of Duty 3 was - I still vividly remember my last moments with the game… I was assaulting an enemy machine gun bunker from the rear. I started off by shooting the guards by the entrance - which somehow didn't alert anyone inside that I was approaching.
Then I threw a grenade into the bunker, killing another soldier or two… yet no one else in the same room even turned around to challenge me. I think the last straw was when I was then able to walk up behind each of the machine gunners, pull out my pistol, and shoot them, execution style, in the back of the head - and never once did any of them even turn around. Great AI there guys.
Needless to say, I already didn't have much faith in Treyarch's ability to deliver a quality product, and the fact that they planned on going back in time with CoD5 just seemed to cement that feeling. Here's to hoping this one turns out to be true - maybe they'll even rename Call of Duty 5 to keep the stink off the franchise.
We've got another short release list that really doesn't have a single new game worth getting too excited about. It's a good thing too, as they would have probably lost to our now three time pick of the week winner, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Yes, this week the PlayStation 3 gets the Game of the Year edition of Infinity Ward's blockbuster first person shooter.
I've spoken about this one so often, there's really not much else to say, so let's get on with it, shall we?
…and now, on to the full release list!;
Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.
Just a quick note here - Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb has announced that Xbox Live (and much of Xbox.com) will be down for routine maintenance on Monday, April 21st between 5am and 1pm EST.
"On Monday April 21st from 0200-1000 PT Xbox Live will be offline for maintenance. As a result, the ‘My Xbox’ section of Xbox.com will be unavailable, and the Xbox forums will be in read only mode (you won’t be able to post.) The remainder of Xbox.com will be available.
Find out what time the maintenance will begin in your time zone
This is for maintenance, there are no new features on your that will appear on your Xbox 360 console or Xbox.com when the service comes back online. This is server maintenance only" - Major Nelson
No new features will be added to the service during this downtime, it's all about the maintenance. Make some popcorn and watch a movie.
A demo of Sega's Iron Man for the Xbox 360 is now available for download in all regions via the Xbox Live Marketplace. Download size is approximately 643.34MB.
Please note: As of late November 2007, it appears that Microsoft has re-instituted the one week wait before free content becomes available to Xbox Live Silver members. As such, if you're not an Xbox Live Gold member, this demo most likely won't be available for download until sometime next week.
A demo of Sega's Condemned 2: Bloodshot for the Xbox 360 is now available for download in all regions via the Xbox Live Marketplace. Download size is approximately 736.56MB.
Please note: As of late November 2007, it appears that Microsoft has re-instituted the one week wait before free content becomes available to Xbox Live Silver members. As such, if you're not an Xbox Live Gold member, this demo most likely won't be available for download until sometime next week.
Following in the footsteps of the latest MAME update, MameUI v.124.3, the Windows GUI port of MAME v.124u3, is now available. The same advice I gave about the latest build of MAME applies to this version of MameUI as well.
As you may or may not already know, MameUI was previously known as MAME32. The emulator's name has been changed as it is now available in both 32 and 64 bit versions (as MameUI32 and MameUI64 respectively). Please be sure to download the correct version for your CPU.
The MAME development team has made version .124u3 of the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator available for download. This update mainly focuses on bug and background fixes once more, so unless you've been having difficulties with your current installation, I’d recommend holding off on upgrading until the next full release.
Those of you interested in testing this build for the dev team should download the update and then head on over to MAME Testers to find out how to get started.
The updated emulator files can be found at the official MAME development page at Mamedev.org. You can Click here to see the full list of what’s new in this update.
Sony has made another update to the PlayStation 3's system software, and let me tell you, issues aside, this is one many have been waiting for.
System Software 2.30 introduces a new look for the PlayStation Store - one which should bring quite a bit of organization to what was previously one big mess. Check out the full patch message below;
"The PLAYSTATION®3 system software version 2.30 update includes the following:
PLAYSTATION® Network
- Redesigned PLAYSTATION®Store PLAYSTATION®Store has a new design and includes new features.
Other new or revised features in version 2.30:Video
- Blu-ray Disc playback now supports DTS-HD Master Audio™ and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio™ output.*
- *The PS3™ system does not support playback of DTS-ES and DTS 96/24 for DVD-Video or DTS-ES Matrix for Blu-ray Discs. " - PlayStation.com
All change comes at a price though, and this one is no exception. The PlayStation Store is running a bit sluggishly as many are downloading the new update (along with some of the icons used by the store that weren't included in the update). According to a note by Sony on their support forums (found by way of Kotaku), Sony claims this issue should be cleared up within the next few days.
Another wednesday, another Xbox Live Arcade update. I'm going to keep this one as short as can be, as it's been an extremely long day and I just want to go to bed at this point in time. What we've got here is another Live Arcade double feature, with both Atari's classic 1980 arcade hit Battlezone and ZEN Studio's Rocky & Bullwinkle finding their way to the Live Marketplace.
You know, I'd love to be excited about Battlezone coming to the Xbox 360, but I just can't find the required enthusiasm. From what I've seen of the screenshots. it appears Stainless Games has once again overdone the visual effects for it's "enhanced" mode, which not only fills me with a feeling of nausea, but also tells me not to expect much from the port in other areas - they just aren't listening to the feedback coming from the community Yes, take one classic game that inspired a U.S. Army tank simulator, add a horrible graphic update and you've got a surefire recipe for disaster.
Multiplayer modes have been added to the game, but I just don't see this as being one people will line up to play online. Maybe I'm being overly harsh because of Stainless' previous Atari conversions, but I call them like I see them - if I'm wrong, I'll be sure to apologize in next week's Live Arcade post. The bottom line on this one is that even without playing the port, I feel pretty safe in saying there are better classic arcade games you can get in the Live Marketplace for your 400 points ($5).
Title: Battlezone
Developer: Stainless Games
Publisher: Atari
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 4/16/08
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1 / 2-4 Online
Full Game: 400 points ($5)
Rating: E - Everyone (Mild Fantasy Violence)
Demo?: Yes
From the Xbox.com product description;
"The original tank vs. tank action classic Battlezone has received an Xbox LIVE® overhaul, adding in exciting new multiplayer modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag. This updated version is truly a must-have for any fan of the original, which is also included. Additionally, players can use the Xbox LIVE Vision camera to watch live video of their opponents. Combine these features with new special effects for weapon firing, impacts and explosions, and you have the killer arcade classic as you've never experienced it before.
- Classic Atari arcade game action: Continuing in the tradition of Centipede and Asteroids, Atari brings you another arcade classic, Battlezone, updated for the next generation with both enhanced and original game graphics and play. For its time, Battlezone was revolutionary with its vector graphics and its intense tank-on-tank action. Now you can play both the original and enhanced versions and take it to the next level with multiplayer play.
- Multiplayer modes: Include your friends in Battlezone with the new Deathmatch.
- Camera-enabled: Use the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera to see the reactions of your friends as you blast their tank off the screen.
- New achievements: Twelve new achievements are provided for you to master and improve your Gamerscore" - Xbox.com
The second Live Arcade title of the week is one that could go either way - Rocky & Bullwinkle takes the much loved cartoon and gives it the mini-game treatment, with over 100 games to play through. Whether or not that's a good thing or a bad thing is anyone's guess - this is one I strongly recommend you download the demo on before making a purchase. Remember, just because Rocky says "Now here's something we think you'll really love." doesn't mean you will.
Title: Rocky & Bullwinkle
Developer: ZEN Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 4/16/08
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1-4 / 2-12 Online
Full Game: 800 points ($10)
Rating: E (Everyone) Cartoon Mischief & Mild Cartoon Violence
Demo?: Yes
From the Xbox.com product description;
"Rocky & Bullwinkle™ offers a fast, fun collection of over 100 micro-games, starring your favorite characters from the classic cartoon series: Rocky and Bullwinkle, Boris and Natasha, Dudley Do-Right, and many more. Xbox LIVE® Vision owners can control 25 of the games using gestures, a surefire way to liven up any gathering. Filled to the brim with zany humor and hilarious antics, this is one title you don't want to "moose" out on!
- Great characters: Based on one of the most popular cartoon series of all time, the game features Rocky, Bullwinkle, Boris, Natasha, and a host of other memorable characters from the classic TV show.
- Fun, fast action: Over 100 fast-paced micro-games are packed with zany, family-friendly humor layered with an extra level of humor for the adults. The fast action and quick games create an easy pick-up-and-play experience for gamers of all ages.
- Xbox LIVE Vision interaction: Use the Xbox LIVE Vision camera for gesture-based gameplay with 25 of the mini-games.
- Hotseat multiplayer: Up to twelve players can compete locally in hotseat mode." - Xbox.com
As for last week's Live Arcade title, Ikaruga is exactly what it promises to be - an unforgiving, yet greatly enjoyable top down shooter. If you're a fan of the genre, be sure to check it out.
A demo of Sega's Universe at War: Earth Assault for the Xbox 360 is now available for download via the Xbox Live Marketplace in all regions. Approximate file size is 546.57MB.
Please note: As of November 2007, it appears that Microsoft has re-instituted the one week wait before free content becomes available to Xbox Live Silver members. As such, if you're not an Xbox Live Gold member, this demo most likely won't be available for download until sometime next week.
Following in the footsteps of the latest MAME update, MameUI v.124.2, the Windows GUI port of MAME v.124u2, is now available. The same advice I gave about the latest build of MAME applies to this version of MameUI as well.
As you may or may not already know, MameUI was previously known as MAME32. The emulator's name has been changed as it is now available in both 32 and 64 bit versions (as MameUI32 and MameUI64 respectively). Please be sure to download the correct version for your CPU.
It's yet another short release list as we close in on the release of Grand Theft Auto IV. Yes, from looking at this week's list, It appears that just about no one is taking any chances with their sales figures getting crushed by the ever approaching release of Rockstar's blockbuster crime series.
Getting back to this week, I was initially torn between choosing either Gran Turismo 5 Prologue or Okami for the week's top pick, but after reading EGM's review of Okami, Gran Turismo just seems the way to go. (For those who haven't read the latest EGM, Okami is still the great game it was on the PlayStation 2, but the Wii's motion controls apparently make for a frustrating time when trying to use the brush)
Don't be mistaken though, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is just that - a prologue to the real Gran Turismo 5, which is currently due to be released in early 2009. According to Polyphony Digital, the team behind the game, the main differences between the two will be the number of tracks, cars and modes available in the final product. If memory serves me correctly, GT5 Prologue will feature 6 tracks (2 paths per track) and 70 cars, while GT5 could number some 900 cars by the time everything is finalized. I guess the big question here is whether or not you're willing to wait another year to experience another chapter of Gran Turismo on your PlayStation 3.
Let's take a quick look at some of this week's more notable releases…
…and now for the rest of this week's releases;
Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.
What better day to lie around watching videos than Sunday, right? Okay, in reality I was feeling lazy, wanted to get some gaming in and was expecting the latest version of MAMEUI to be ready as a posting material by this afternoon, but it wasn’t meant to be.
All kidding aside, when I saw this trailer earlier over at GameTrailers.com, I knew it was post worthy - not just because Resistance: Fall of Man was (imho) the only decent launch title the PlayStation 3 had, but because of the potential for greatness it has.
What we know is that Resistance 2 will take place in The United States, and that Nathan Hale is slowly losing his battle against the Chimera virus he was infected with at the beginning of R:FoM. What we don’t know is just where this mass of enemy ships came from, because I sure as hell don’t remember the skies being even remotely that busy in the first game. There’s nothing completely revolutionary there, but it’s a solid enough start.
On the technical side is where the excitement begins - you see, we also know that the game is scheduled to feature an online co-op campaign mode for up to 8 players - including the ability for those players to choose different classes. If pulled off correctly, this could make Resistance 2 a true classic. Let’s hope Sony has some serious plans to beef up the PlayStation Network.
Still, it’s a teaser, so we’re expected to have questions - from what I know, we won’t see real in-game footage until June, so speculation will just have to run rampant for awhile.
Resistance 2 is scheduled to release exclusively for the PlayStation 3 this fall.
It's MAME update time again! The MAME development team has made version .124u2 of the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator available for download. This update mainly focuses on bug and background fixes once more, so unless you've been having difficulties with your current installation, I’d recommend holding off on upgrading until the next full release.
Those of you interested in testing this build for the dev team should download the update and then head on over to MAME Testers to find out how to get started.
The updated emulator files can be found at the official MAME development page at Mamedev.org. You can Click here to see the full list of what’s new in this update.
Master console hacker Ben Heckendorn has done it again. This time around, the PlayStation 3 gets some attention from Ben, with the final result being the PlayStation 3 Portable - a self contained PlayStation 3 Laptop.
The PS3 Portable features a 17" widescreen HDTV screen (720p resolution), and HDMI/DVI port for use with an external video source, a built in keyboard, stereo amplifier and a 60GB hard drive. Rounding out the fun is the fact that this model was built around one of the original 60GB PlayStation 3's, meaning it features full, hardware based backward compatibility with the PlayStation and PlayStation 2.
You know, I wish I had the tools and talent required to build these machines, because every time I see one of Heckendorn's creations, I find myself suddenly covered in drool. I mean, just look at this thing - it all but has the words sexy typed on it. According to Engadget, for whom the laptop was built, the PS3 Portable will soon be auctioned off for charity, so if you happen to have far more money than you know what to do with, be sure to keep tabs on this one. (and while you're at it, why not send me a few grand? I could use a vacation!)
For more information on the PS3 Portable, check out the below links - be sure to cover your keyboard so the drool doesn't short it out.
You may have noticed we’ve been having some technical difficulties over the last day or two - while we seem to be past the worst of it, it hasn’t left much time to find some news for you today, and you know what that means… yup, you get a video.
Now, truth be told, that’s not a bad thing - especially since today’s video (courtesy of GameTrailers.com) is a new look at Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. The trailer is titled "Now we gonna escalate", and gives you both a look at the plot behind the game as well as some of it’s features. In other words, things go boom. Enjoy.
Mercenaries 2 is scheduled to release for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC on August 31st, 2008.
Fans of insanely difficult shmups rejoice, at long last Ikaruga has found it's way into the Xbox Live Arcade. I'll admit that I never played the original game or it's Dreamcast port, but I know many who have - and every single one of them will attest to just how hard this game is - and since I've never played it before, I'll leave my description of the title at that.
Title: Ikaruga
Developer: Treasure Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Treasure Co., Ltd.
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 4/09/08
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1-2
Full Game: 800 points ($10)
Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence
Demo?: Yes
From the Xbox.com product description;
"The Japanese arcade hit Ikaruga comes to Xbox LIVE® Arcade! Treasure's award-winning scrolling shooter brings a tactical twist to the genre with its yin-and-yang gameplay: the color of your ship determines your effect on enemies. In this polarized system, enemy ships and their bullets are one of two colors. Attack an enemy of the opposite color for extra damage. Absorb enemy fire of the same color as your ship, and use the energy for a special attack. Destroy multiple enemies of the same color to score a chaining bonus. Play solo or cooperatively, and use your polarity to achieve victory!
- Co-op play: Multiplayer support for two-player co-op offline or over Xbox LIVE allows you to clear the levels with a friend.
- Video replay: Record your best moves and replay them to awe your friends.
- Arcade shoot-'em-up action: Five full classic and exciting levels are coupled with twelve new achievements to master." - Xbox.com
As for last week's Live Arcade release, Mr. Driller Online did indeed remind me a bit of Dig Dug, and it was an interesting take on the matching puzzle genre, but ultimately it just didn't thrill me enough to be worth the 800 points ($10) it's going for in the Live Arcade.
Sure I'm a few days late in reporting this one, but in what's certainly a bad omen for PC gaming, Electronic Arts has confirmed that they will not be releasing this year's Madden roster update Madden NFL '09 for the PC.
While I know that the PC version of the game has long been one of the worst sellers in the series, it's still quite disturbing to see EA pull the game when you consider the fact that thanks to the exclusivity agreement signed with the NFL, the Madden series is the only game in town if you want actual NFL teams and players. Unfortunately, this decision came to light after EA negotiated to extend that agreement with the NFL, so any repercussions from this move won't be felt for some time.
According to a note in EA Sports President Peter Moore's blog, this decision is just a result of the realities of the PC game market;
"We knew that our decision to not develop this year’s Madden for the PC would be an unpopular decision in some circles. But I’ll reiterate what I said a couple of weeks ago in this space…the PC presents some very serious business challenges to us in the sports category, particularly because so many of you all are playing your favorite sports games on the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii. We are committed to shipping a limited number of our games on the PC this year, but we’ve also had to cut a few of our games from the platform. We do have ideas for how to revitalize the PC for sports games and the types of games that are best suited to the platform, and we’ll continue to explore those." - Peter Moore
Don't get me wrong, but when Moore says they decided to ship a limited number of games on the PC this year and that some titles had to be cut, the fact that Madden was one of them makes you wonder just what criteria a PC game is going to need for EA to publish it from this point forward.
We've got another short release list this week, so let's get right to it. While the list is indeed short, there are a few titles that could easily take pick of the week - yet, when all is said and done, one remains standing above all the others. As you may have guessed, our old friend Portal takes the prize in it's new form, unbundled from the rest of The Orange Box.
Let's take a look at some of this week's more notable releases…
Below is the week's full release list - try not to get too excited..
Please keep in mind these are only estimated release dates and could change at any time.
A demo of Sega's Sega Superstars Tennis for the Xbox 360 is now available for download via the Xbox Live Marketplace in The United States, Asia and Canada. Approximate file size is 678MB.
Please note: As of late November, it appears that Microsoft has re-instituted the one week wait before free content becomes available to Xbox Live Silver members. As such, if you're not an Xbox Live Gold member, this demo most likely won't be available for download until sometime next week.
Well, if you're an Xbox 360 owner, I've got some good news and some bad news for you… I'll start with the good. At long last, the Variety Map Pack for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has reached the Xbox Live Marketplace. Unfortunately, that leads to the bad news - the sheer volume of people downloading Infinity Ward's 800 point, 445mb pack of goodness have apparently bogged down Xbox Live's servers.
My guess is that until everyone is done grabbing the maps, you should expect some delays, errors and lag on Live.
Following in the footsteps of the latest MAME update, MameUI v.124.1, the Windows GUI port of MAME v.124u1, is now available. The same advice I gave about the latest build of MAME applies to this version of MameUI as well.
As you may or may not already know, MameUI was previously known as MAME32. The emulator's name has been changed as it is now available in both 32 and 64 bit versions (as MameUI32 and MameUI64 respectively). Please be sure to download the correct version for your CPU.
The MAME development team has made version .124u1 of the Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator available for download. This update mainly focuses on bug and background fixes, though there is some interesting work going on with combining drivers for multiple games.
As usual, unless you've been having difficulties with your current installation, I’d recommend holding off on upgrading until the next full release. Those of you interested in testing this build for the dev team should download the update and then head on over to MAME Testers to find out how to get started.
The updated emulator files can be found at the official MAME development page at Mamedev.org. You can Click here to see the full list of what’s new in this update.
There have been a ton of rumors floating around the internet about just when exactly the Variety Map Pack for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare will be hitting the market. While there seems to have been no change to the PlayStation 3's scheduled release date of April 17th, speculation on the Xbox 360 version has been rampant, with dates ranging from April 1st to April 10th.
Into that confusion rides Infinity Ward's Robert "Fourzerotwo" Bowling with an answer for us all;
"Despite what the internet might tell you (including some “official” sources), the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare variety map pack has NOT been delayed until the 10th. As of right now we’re pushing certification for an on-time release for April 3rd or 4th. As of right now though, I’m being told that it’s a good chance it will be released worldwide (except for Japan) tomorrow night / early-Friday morning." - Robert "Fourzerotwo" Bowling
So there you have it gang, right from the horse's mouth - The Xbox 360 version of the Variety Map Pack should be hitting either today or tomorrow, which would make it at worst, 1 day later than it's originaly announced release.
Hey look - it's another puzzle title for the Xbox Live Arcade! Yeah, I'm starting to get sick of them too, but at least Mr. Driller Online adds a few changes into the standard match 3 mix to keep things interesting - why, you have to match four blocks to clear a section!. All joking aside, The original Mr. Driller is often described as Tetris meets Dig Dug, and for good reason - the game was originally conceived as the third game in the Dig Dug series.
As Mr. Driller, the player digs through the Earth attempting to collapse similar colored sections of ground onto each other while avoiding both being crushed by those collapsing sections and running out of air. I'll admit to never having played any of the games in the Driller series (despite my respect for it's parent series Dig Dug), so I'm kind of looking forward to giving this one a shot on Live. Still, as with any Xbox Live Arcade release, I would strongly recommend you download the available demo before dropping 800 points ($10) on this title.
Title: Mr. Driller Online
Developer: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games Inc.
Genre: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: 4/02/08
Console: Xbox 360
Players: 1-4
Full Game: 800 points ($10)
Rating: E (Everyone)
Demo?: Yes
From the Xbox.com product description;
"Namco's popular Mr. Driller character comes to Xbox LIVE® Arcade in Mr. DRILLER Online. Featuring the same addictive single player drilling action from the classic arcade game, Mr. DRILLER Online now includes online play. Drill down through the colored blocks to meet your goal, but make sure you have enough air!
- Classic arcade action: All the drilling action you remember from the original arcade game is faithfully recreated in the Xbox LIVE version, with colorful graphics and challenging gameplay. Play the single-player Standard Driller or Quest Driller modes and keep up your air supply.
- Online modes: Take the game online with the split-screen Solo Battle, or try out the team-based Tag Battle.
- Accessible play: Simple controls and deep gameplay make for an addictive gaming experience, suitable for players of all ages and skill levels." - Xbox.com
As for last week's Live Arcade release, I never got a chance to try TiQal, and word on the street is I should be thankful for that. Catch you next week! Enjoy!
Ah, do you smell that? I love the smell of free in the morning. Harmonix, MTV Games and Valve have announced the release date of "Still Alive" for Rock Band - and just as importantly, they've announced it will be a free download.
According to the press release posted over at Kotaku, the Xbox 360 version of the song will be available today (in fact, it is already in the Xbox Live Marketplace just waiting for you) followed by the PlayStation 3 version on April 17th.
"This is a triumph … Harmonix Music Systems and MTV Games have teamed up with Valve to bring the song "Still Alive", released as part of The Orange Box collection of games on PC, 360 and Playstation 3, into the Rock Band library. And, as icing on the cake, the track will be available as a FREE download on April 1 for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and April 17 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.
Written by Jonathan Coulton and originally performed over the end credits of Portal, the experimental single-player game in The Orange Box, "Still Alive" found its way into the heads and hearts of gamers and quickly became a cult classic.
"While the cake may be a lie, the free download of "Still Alive" is confirmed truth," said Greg LoPiccolo, VP of product development at Harmonix. "'Still Alive' is an awesome song that brings together great gaming and great music. We've teamed up with Valve to deliver a free download of "Still Alive" as a "thank you" to our fans for their incredible support."" - Rock Band media alert as per Kotaku.com
Quite oddly, Xbox Live's Major Nelson is making it sound as if this will be a limited time freebie, so be sure to grab it as soon as you can - remember, even if you don't have the game yet, you can still download the track from the Xbox Live Marketplace.
"This week’s Rockband content is up a little early and for free. I am not sure how long it will be free, so grab it while you can:" - Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb
This is indeed a triumph. Hell, I'm making a note here… HUGE SUCCESS.
Just a quick note here gang - and no, this is not an April Fool's joke - Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb has announced that Xbox Live (and Xbox.com) will be down this morning for routine maintenance between 5am and 8 am EST.
"On Tuesday April 1st from 0200-0500 PT Xbox Live will be offline for maintenance. As a result, the ‘My Xbox’ section of Xbox.com will be unavailable, and the Xbox forums will be in read only mode (you won’t be able to post.) The remainder of Xbox.com will be available." - Major Nelson
No new features will be added to the service during this downtime, it's all about the maintenance. Go read a book or something.
