Gregor Collienne is a photographer from Germany. However, he doesn’t take pictures that catches his eye, or tries to capture the perfect setting to inspire people. Instead, for the most part, he takes humorous snap shots of people doing an everyday activity and pairs them up with another group, who are doing something completely different. When you check out his work, you not only chuckle, but they make you think — it almost feels like an optical illusion.
Up top is one picture of his work. While it’s unlike a lot of his photos — it made me laugh nonetheless. I’m assuming the picture is asking all of us, what if we could control our girlfriends or all women for that matter, with a single PlayStation controller? Like, how awesome would that be? No more would we hear the excuse: “I have a headache.” Can some smart scientist make this happen? Please!
If you want to check out Collienne’s work, click here.
The creator of the original Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami, has been directing his next project titled Vanquish and last night the first trailer premiered on GameTrailers TV, which I have embedded up top. Apparently, Mikami has been working with the talented Japanese studio Platinum Games, who was the team behind the newly released Bayonetta game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Much like a lot of debut trailers, this one doesn’t show any gameplay; however it does something a tad different and doesn’t follow the exact same unwritten rule of a first trailer. The clip mixes CG, along with real human actors, and is getting some flap for doing it. Some people are quickly to comment that maybe Platinum Games doesn’t have enough faith in their own CG and have decided to use ‘real life characters,’ in hopes to disguise what they can’t do. This is just ridiculous to assume.
If anyone remembers the very first Resident Evil for the original PlayStation back in 1996, they should recollect a lot of the scenes used real-life actors. To me, it looks like Shinji Mikami is once again going back to his roots and doing something similar with actual actors, rather than CG in Vanquish — which is fine by me. However, that doesn’t excuse my hatred for a publisher, Sega in this case, releasing a debut trailer and not showing us gameplay whatsoever. I would rather them give us something rather than some fancy cut-scenes, so we would have more to talk about the next day.
Anyway, when you watch the trailer, America is being heavily attacked by either an alien race, terrorists, or another country. Unfortunately for us Americans, especially for the ones who live in San Francisco, it’s up to an albino Master Chief clone to save the richest country in the world. I say “unfortunately’ because most albinos have poor vision or are legally blind, which — in my opinion — doesn’t bold to well in a devastating war.
The only thing that Tiger Woods likes more than golf is probably… money. If you thought I was going to write women, then I fooled you! Even with his recent image of being a squeaky-clean athlete has been tarnished because of his third love, multiple women, and advertisers axing his face on their products, EA Sports is still sticking with him.
The giant publisher has announced Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and iPhone, will be released sometime in June of 2010; however, no specific date was revealed. The game will feature the same famous golf star that your girlfriend most likely slept with, among other golfers from around the world. Of course, we don’t know any of their names because it’s well…golf.
So there you go, Electronic Arts promised Woods would still be their cover athlete for the sports game, and they were true to their word. With the announcement, EA Sports was unable to provide any screens or trailers — so, you’re just gonna have to wait a tad longer.
Nintendo releasing a Mario 2D side-scroller, rather than a 3D platform adventure, was probably a great move on their part. According to the latest numbers from NPD, New Super Mario Bros. Wii has already outsold Super Mario Galaxy, which is ridiculous because Galaxy has been out for over two years. While the newest installment of Mario has been out for a little over a month. As of today, Super Mario Galaxy has sold about 4.1 million copies, while the New Super Mario Bros. Wii has moved about 4.2 million.
Now we can blame a number of reasons why NSMBW has already outpaced what the critically acclaimed Galaxy has done, since it launched way back in 2007. One obvious answer could be contributed to the fact the Nintendo Wii has a much larger install base then when Mario Galaxy debuted to gamers. However, I think it goes much deeper than just numbers.
Nintendo has been marketing their system to not only the casual gamer, but also insuring it would be a family friendly console. Many of the moms and dads who purchased the system, as well as a person who wouldn’t normally buy a videogame system, but felt compelled to own a Wii, probably saw the New Super Mario Bros. Wii and fell in love with the nostalgic look to it. I’m pretty sure these ‘people,’ who probably don’t buy many games to began with, pretended to go back in time and play with a game that reminiscent their growing up days. Now combine that with a fun multiplayer aspect, and Nintendo has a hit on their hands.
Either way, it was smart for Nintendo to go back to its roots once again with Mario.
Tony Hawktweeted about how he was in Chicago meeting with Robomodo, the developers behind his latest, but not well received, videogame Tony Hawk: Ride. According to Hawk, he met up with the studio to discuss whatever they have planned for their next project.
“Just met with @robomodo about our next project and it’s already much better than I expected. Details soon. Chicago is not warm.”
Shortly after, Robomodo tweeted and confirmed Tony Hawk was indeed inside their studio; however, nothing was mentioned about a possible new game between the legendary skateboarder and the gaming studio.
“@tonyhawk just left the building….and took all of our food with him! j/k”
Obviously, Robomodo is creating a new project, and it will take advantage of the skateboard peripheral — but will the game be a Tony Hawk game? Probably so, considering Hawk was with the developers discussing the new project, though, I really hope whatever it is, it is requiring a major overhaul when compared to the previous game. I honestly can’t see Activision giving the the studio the greenlight to develop a similar game. In fact, I’m surprised they gave them the okay to do a sequel, or another ’sports’ game for that matter.
Nintendo of America has gone out of their way to once again trademark the 2001 launch title for the Gamecube, Luigi’s Mansion. Obviously, reading that sentence would sound like Nintendo is planning on making a sequel for the less-than-steller videogame starring Mario’s brother, but I wouldn’t jump to a conclusion.
Nintendo has always been a company that protects its own property, even if they plan on not developing it. According to Kotaku, a few trademarks for Luigi’s Mansion were about to expire or already did in 2009. So this could be nothing more than protecting what they feel is theirs. Although, the website pointed out that maybe we could possibly see the re-release of the original title, under the Play Control label, something Nintendo did with a few titles including Pikmin 2.
The game could work well with the Wii, considering you could move around the Wiimote just as Luigi uses his vacuum in the game. Sadly though, I don’t think the game would be enhanced dramatically — so if this the idea, I’m not looking forward to it.
I didn’t think Luigi’s Mansion was a terrible game, in fact I think a lot of gamers unfairly blasted the title because they wanted Nintendo to make an sequel to Mario 64. Instead, they got Luigi doing his best Ghostbusters impression. Although, if we just get the same game, I won’t be excited because we’re talking about a first-generation Gamecube game. If Nintendo is planning on releasing that has something to do Luigi’s Mansion, I just hope it’s a brand new title altogether. It should take advantage of the Wiimote, instead of using the exact same control scheme — but instead of using buttons, you wave your hands around the air, which is what other Play Control games gave done in the past.
Since the dawn of inventions, everything has been inspired by something else. It’s just the way nature works and videogames are no exception. All of us have no choice but to be okay with that because that’s the way it’ll always be. However with that said, I’m not okay with people bluntly steal/copy from a videogame and call it their own.
Up top is footage from a game called Duludubi Star and I think the Chinese developer who created it, was a little more than inspired by Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. The game follows an unimaginative blue dragon, who collects coins on small planets where its gravity is a staple point in the game, which is the exact premise of Super Mario Galaxy. Hell, even the menus are exactly the same — couldn’t they have at least not make it so obvious and change them!?
Yeah, it’s pretty pathetic. Watch that, and click here to see what Nintendo did with Mario two years ago.
It’s official, EA has announced they have the rights to the Midway classic NBA Jam and they plan on releasing a brand new game in the series for the Wii this year. President of EA Sports’, Peter Moore, spoke briefly about the reboot.
“Diehard fans of the original game have been asking for a remake for more than a decade. We’re very excited to give them their wish this year with the return of this iconic franchise.”
Apparently Moore had forgotten about the 2004 version of NBA Jam for both the Xbox and PlayStation 2. Although, most who had played that version probably wish they had forgotten it too. Alright, maybe it wasn’t that bad — but it certainly didn’t feel like the old-skool Jam I grew up playing with.
The publisher is promising that they will keep the retro feeling of the original Jams, but update things so they can compare to today’s standards, aka the graphics.
I’m hoping EA not only have hundreds of easter-eggs included with the game, but also keep it 2D. When Midway decided to bring back NBA Jam in 2004, they made it 3D. The third-dimension just didn’t work with a simple game like NBA Jam. So, here is hoping EA DOES remember that version and understand what was wrong with it, but I’m not holding my breath either.
When Madworld was released for the Nintendo Wii early last year, it was met with glowing reviews. It was praised for its mature content and unique graphical style, that used colors to illustrate how violent the virtual world was. Sadly with all those accolades, Wii owners never gave the title a chance.
According to reports, the first month of sales were dreadful. The game launched in March and only sold about 66,000 units, which is horrible considering how many Wii’s are in homes. This eventually led to Sega to reconsider their plans on launching more mature content on the family system.
However, that hasn’t stopped developer Shigenori Nishikawa, who directed Madworld, thinking about creating a sequel. “I think MadWorld was very well received and was acknowledged for its innovative graphical style and gameplay,” Nishikawa told ONM. “We would definitely be interested in making a sequel in the future.”
Again he is right about the title being well received by critics; however, Wii owners just didn’t buy it. The only reason why publishers give studios the greenlight to develop a game is because they feel it could be a money maker. Obviously, these publishers are not always right with their predictions
When Madworld was in the early stages of development, Sega felt they could market mature titles to a profitable niche on the Wii. The company would release other ‘mature’ titles, but ultimately they failed in terms of sales. Let’s face it, there isn’t a lot of videogames dedicated to a male over the age of 18, who is looking for something a little more ‘adult.’ Sega thought releasing this content could potentially capture these men — sadly, there is not a bunch of people who fall under that demographic who own a Wii — according to how many people actually purchased these games.
The only way we could see a sequel to Madworld, is if some publisher felt the original game was just poorly marketed (which it was), and that it could feasibly sell better, as long as it was marketed right. Of course they would have to pick up the rights to the game, but until that happens, don’t wait for a Madworld 2.
Of course, a sequel doesn’t necessarily have to come out for the Wii.
According to ESPN, EA Sports is set to announce a classic game from the 16-bit era is returning. The sports website is reporting that the giant publisher has bought the rights to the 1990’s popular sports title NBA Jam and they plan on updating it exclusively for the Wii.
The rumor isn’t that far fetched, considering it was (is?) owned by the struggling Midway Games, but whom have recently started to sell off its assets. Although when those reports came out, I don’t remember NBA Jam being one of games mentioned. Obviously if this true, the game should have a major overhaul and I’m not just talking about the graphics.
NBA Jam was a pop-culture icon. Not only was it an over-the-top arcade basketball game, when the sport was at its peak, it had crazy characters and themes. From the famous phrase like “Boomshackalacka,” to playing as Bill Clinton; it was a game that many talked about during my childhood. While the gameplay was fun, it wasn’t perfect. What made it survive for so many years were the secretes. Unlike today when a game comes out, you can pretty much find whatever hidden easter-eggs it has on day one, thanks to the Internet — NBA Jam fans didn’t have that luxury back then. Back then, we found some secrets every month through gaming magazines or word of mouth and when you saw it for yourself — it was something special.
So while I look forward to what EA will do with the NBA Jam reboot, if it is true — I’m not sold on the idea just yet. To me, it will be nothing more than the newer arcade sport games they have developed recently like, Madden Arcade or NHL Arcade.
It should be noted that Midway at one point tried to bring back NBA Jam in 2004 for the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox. Sadly, the game didn’t live up to the hype and ultimately received not-so-great reviews by critics.
If you love Mario like the other millions of people roaming this planet, try not to weep while you watch this “uplifting” fan-made Mario tribute. It’s not that I’ll think any less of you as a person if water starts to leak out of your eyes — I for one had a hard enough time holding back the tears — but the problem is you’ll realize that you’re crying for a pixelated plumper. Stuff like that can only be unsafe psychologically because you start to question your own self worth. So I urge you, please watch to be entertained and don’t do anything stupid…
Last week, FInal Fantasy XIII saw a tremendous launch in Japan. The famous RPG series saw more than a million copies moved in the first day alone and by the time the forth day came around, Square-Enix had sold nearly two million units. Obviously, Japan’s love for role-playing games was still here; however, according to Media Create, this past week the numbers had slowed.
Kotaku is reporting that Media Create has tallied the total numbers of videogame sales in the Land of the Rising Sun, and Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. Wii had taken the top spot, something it has already done. The side-scrolling game moved about 506,000 copies and now has totaled almost 2.5 million. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the DS, also published by Nintendo, debuted at number two selling about 291,000.
Final Fantasy XIII saw a drastic change since its first week launch and came in forth place overall and moved about 189,000 copies. Beating out the famous 13th installment of FF was the surprise hit, yet critically smashed game Tomodachi Collection, selling 227,000 and 2,317,000.
After the jump, check out the top ten best selling games in Japan. (more…)
Even before DJ Hero was shipped into stores last year, we heard rumblings about how Activision already had confidence in the game and had given FreeStyleGames the greenlight to develop a sequel. Of course, some people had their doubts of a second version because when the game was released, it didn’t necessarily sell the way the publisher thought it would have. Today, we have some more encouraging news that suggests that Activision is still planning on releasing a DJ Hero 2.
The tidbit comes from DJ David Guetta, a 42-year-old DJ whose music has been available for download for the original title. The DJ told Kelowna that he will be helping Activision to develop what he calls “the number two version.”
“I think it’s amazing, this game, and I’m going to work on the No. 2 version,”
Guetta went on and talked about how the intensity of the music game really gives the player the feeling of being a real DJ; however, he even finds the most difficult setting so hard, he can’t beat it.
“I think it’s amazing, this game, and I’m going to work on the No. 2 version,” Guetta says. “It’s a really crazy game. After 10 minutes, you get the rush that a DJ gets after 10 years of practicing. I have fun with it, but you know what? I can’t go to the maximum level. It’s too difficult for me. It’s crazy.”
I actually really enjoyed DJ Hero, it’s not nearly as innovative as Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but it did one thing great — which was the music. Countless times I felt my body moving to the beat of the original mash-ups, and have wished many times of a release actual soundtrack. However, the game did have flaws. These negatives mostly stemmed from the lack of multiplayer options, which really hurt the title.
Music games of late, really focus on playing with other people in the room. Sadly, with the lack of modes, DJ Hero wasn’t the game of choice during some of my recent get-togethers. Hopefully if DJ Daivd Guetta is correct and a sequel is on the way — multiplayer will be the area FreeStyleGames tries to innovate.
Amazon.com has compiled a list which represents what sold best during the year of 2009 in their videogame category. The big winner would have to be Nintendo — nine of the top ten things sold last year, were a Nintendo product. We should note that it is not just a game title that Amazon considered, but they also took in account accessories as well, and we all know the Wii has a ton of those.
The top three were not even a game; the Wii system, a Wiimote controller and the Wii MotionPlus accessory are listed respectively. The first game to be on the list is Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. Wii at number four, followed by the Wii Nunchuck controller, and the expansion pack Wii Fit Plus with the Balance Board chimed, in at number six. The heavily marketed Wii Sports Resort stands at number seven, with the original Wii Fit right behind it. The first non-Nintendo product to be included on the list is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the Xbox 360 at number nine, but than amazingly Mario Kart for the Wii is next to that.
The first time Sony even has something on the list, is at number 11, which is nothing more than the Dualshock 3 controller. The first game by Sony was Modern Warfare 2, but sadly is listed at number 13.
Obviously these numbers are only for the online retailer Amazon.com and does not actually speak for the industry as a whole in 2009. But this list does prove Nintendo has experienced another great year, while their competitors are still playing catchup and last year might have proven to be the final nail in the coffin.
If you remember correctly, Canadian Community Manager of EA tweeted that his company was working on a brand new sports IP. Most people wrote it off and figured it was nothing more than a street style game, which we have already seen with the NBA, NFL and various other popular professional sport leagues. Although, according to a reliable source from destructoid, it will be nothing of the sort.
According to the insider, the publisher is developing a game called NFL Trainer, which is sounding like a exercise game for the football minded gamer. Apparently this new project for the Wii will focus on football exercises and workouts to give the player the edge on a real gridiron. The exclusive Wii game will coach players on how to throw the perfect spiral and will include football-type accessories, to help shape the gamer into a fierce competitor on the football field. Now of course this is nothing more than a rumor, but the gaming website did say their source has been right in the past, so there isn’t a reason not to believe him/her.
To me, if this ends up being true, it sounds like EA wants to release a exercise type game for the male demographic. Up until now, pretty much every game that involves the player to work out ends up being geared towards women. There really has yet to be a “fitness” title for men, so it’s sounding like EA will try and capitalize on this. Although, if this is the case I’m not sure why the company would just focus on the sport of Football. Seriously, how many gamers play the actual sport AND own a Wii?
