An eighth-grade teacher in Minneapolis, Minnesota has taken to using video games in his class to teach kids about storytelling in a way they might actually pay attention to: The kids play games and pause to write down details about the plot, setting, and characters. Presumably they actually do something with this information afterwards, but whoever wrote the article didn't feel it necessary to go into details. The class still uses books and traditional teaching methods too, which leads to fun crossover potential!

"He was talking about Sonic the Hedgehog and he said, 'It's much like "The Odyssey" Mr. Dubbels. Sonic has to get home just like Odysseus.' I was like, 'Tony, this is great!'" Dubbels said.

No, no that's not great at all. How are those two things at all related? What game ever involved Sonic needing to get home? What are you talking about?

I'm not sour on the idea, as I'm sure there are games you could make legitimate literary comparisons to, but I don't think that's one of them.

Source: WCCO

Posted by Ermac at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Psychonauts developer Double Fine's blog both makes mention of a new game and posts a picture of the most adorable kitten ever.

• Super Paper Mario and Children of Mana set for October.
• Current generation sez "Dammit, I'm not dead yet." Next Generation provides a list of what's still to come for the current gen systems. A new Megaten coming, and I haven't even started Digital Devil Saga.
• Man, even the Japanese animated Mario series was goofy. And they couldn't get his hair color right either.
• Japan gets a new rating system.
• An LP from 1982 instructing you in how to beat games like Centipede and Defender is pretty much the worst idea one can have.
• Much delayed, much hyped STALKER may be losing features as it claws its way to the finish line.

Posted by Ermac at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Of course, most of the news over the next three days will just be announced games and previews of stuff on the show floor, and I'm not going to repeat all that here. I'd suggest regularly looking over IGN and Gamespot's E3 pages, with the following being the bits I found interesting.

• Just in case you missed it yesterday, here's the Wii's classic controller.
• Guitar Hero 2 will feature Primus playing John the Fisherman. Not a cover, the actual master track.
• A new Resident Evil is headed to the Wii.
• Rockstar is bringing Vice City Stories to the PSP. I'll just wait for the inevitable PS2 version.
• Zelda is no longer the only thing still worth having a Gamecube for: Nintendo announces Super Paper Mario.
• Hideo Kojima announces new DS game with weather-based vampires.. eh?
• New Duck Hunt omg wtf. And the light gun that goes along with it.
• First screenshots of Trauma Center 2.
• Sega announces Wii-exclusive Sonic Wild Fire.
• The President of Sega marketing says to bet on the Wii being less than $200.
• Gates announces Live Anywhere at Microsoft conference.
• The Wii version of Twilight Princess will feature a widescreen mode.
• First details on the non-card game PSP Metal Gear: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops.
• Draenei to be next playable race in World of Warcraft expansion.
• Leisure Suit Larry creator Al Lowe returns to gaming and unveils his first project, Sam Suede: Undercover Exposure.
• Screens of the Opera browser on the DS.
• Atari picks up the rights to Earthworm Jim.

Last but not least, I finally found that sumnbitch. He was playing Warhawk the whole time.

Posted by Ermac at 03:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm sitting here with 12 minutes until scheduled start time, listening to some non-descript dance music over Nintendo's stream. I'll be updating this as I go, so long as I haven't died of a heart attack upon actually seeing some games.

Screens of games and mention of some DS titles unannounced at the show are here: http://e3.nintendo.com/

Update: The classic controller can be seen at the bottom of this page.

The show's over, notes are below, summary is right here. Nintendo's show started out strong, with an almost immediate display of footage for multiple Nintendo titles, including Super Mario Galaxy, Pilotwings, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Red Steel. It was basically the strength of knowing these games exist, coupled with live demonstrations of Red Steel and Zelda using the Wii remote that carried the show.

There was no real surprise about the Wii, just confirmed rumors: The controller will have a built-in speaker (the example they used for it was you could hear the bow in Zelda pulling taut) and rumble, and the nunchuck attachment will have its own motion sensor. Expect to see a lot more about the games in the next few days, as there will be 27 Wii titles on the show floor. Iwata also mentioned a web browser loaded on the Wii's flash memory, which I don't think had been announced before. Also, there will be two versions of Zelda: Twilight Princess released at the same time: the Gamecube version and the Wii version. Both will go on sale the day the Wii launches.

The big news on the DS front was the unveiling of StarFox DS and Yoshi's Island 2, which drew applause from the crowd. Phantom Hourglass was said to "pick up where Wind Waker left off." Osu! Tatakae! Ouedan! was confirmed as coming to the US as Elite Beat Agents.

They also briefly mentioned "Wii Connect 24", some sort of feature where the system can stay connected to the Internet all the time, even when you're not using it. This would allow people to visit your home in Animal Crossing, even when you're asleep. The Wii in this standby mode is said to use as much power as a small light bulb.

No pricing or lauch details beyond "fourth quarter 2006," no major slams on Sony for trying to steal the control scheme. But just on the strength of their franchises alone, Nintendo generated more excitement in their first five minutes than Sony did their entire conference. The one thing that surprised me was that they didn't end with one final surprise announcement, as they usually do. Given that it wasn't shown up until that point, I figured they'd pull out Smash Brothers as their capper for the show. But the game was nowhere to be seen. This is especially odd seeing as how last year they said they were pushing to have it be a launch title.

Continue reading "The Nintendo E3 2006 Press Conference" »

Posted by Ermac at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Four more games have been added to the Gamecube's budget priced Player's Choice line, so you have all the more reason to try them out if you haven't already. As of now, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Pikmin 2, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures and Star Fox: Assault are all priced at $19.99.

I'm surprised by the inclusion of Pikmin 2, as the Player's Choice line is usually reserved for games that have sold over a million copies, and I was under the impression that the game hadn't sold that well. But I'm pleased to be wrong.

Source: 4 color rebellion

Posted by Ermac at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

EB stores have recieved new promotional materials from Nintendo for the upcoming month, which include posters with Gamecube-branded stickers that read "New Low Price." The space below it is empty, for employees to write in the new price when they get word. A note accompanying the package said the materials were for use if a price drop was announced. This might be because they haven't decided on it yet, or it may just be to keep EB employees like this guy from leaking the news. He did note that similar materials were provided in advance of the recent PS2 price drop.

The Gamecube already retails for $99, so if a price drop comes, those things will be pretty damned cheap.

Source: Gamespot

Posted by Ermac at 03:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here are the highlights of what's coming out today and tomorrow. Also note that Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children comes out tomorrow.

• Black and White 2: Battle of the Gods (PC) - An expansion pack being touted as "darker" than vanilla Black and White 2. $19.99 at Amazon.
• Rampage: Total Destruction (PS2, GC) - A series that should've stayed a novelty of twenty years ago continues to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to new sequels. $19.99 at Amazon for the PS2 and Gamecube.
• 2006 FIFA World Cup (PSP, DS, 360, PS2, GBA, GC, Xbox) - This soccer game is apparently coming to every system except the Atari 5200. Anywhere from $29.99 to $59.99 at Amazon depending on what system you want it on.
• Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers (DS) - Battle across multiple levels on both DS screens, and maybe strike some dust, I dunno. Currently being wonky and unpriced at Amazon.
• Winback 2: Project Poseidon (PS2, Xbox) - The three fans of the original Winback now have something to prolong the period until their ritual suicide. $39.99 at Amazon for the PS2 and Xbox.
• Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny (PS2) - If you liked the first one, chances are you'll like this. Me, I've had the first one sitting on my "to play" stack for the past six months. That's no commentary on the game, just my inability to get anything done. $49.99 at Amazon.

There aren't any real high profile releases this week, but a fairly wide selection of second-tier stuff, so you may want to check out the rest of the releases at Gamespot and Next Generation.

Posted by Ermac at 03:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A poster at the Gaming Age forums has compiled a chart showing the relative popularity, measured in sales, of all the major franchises in this generation. Sales figures were provided by the NPD Group.

(click for bigger)

Mario leads the pack, probably thanks to all those sports titles, and just edges out Madden. GTA is a couple million behind that in third, and Star Wars and Tony Hawk round out the top five. It's kind of depressing to see Namco Museum of all things beating out Zelda, but hopefully Twilight Princess will change that.

In other news, Spongebob is bigger than wrestling. Somehow I always knew.

Source: Gaming Age forums

Posted by Ermac at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Got time to kill? Here's a random game related videos round-up: Mario a cappella, live action Street Fighter featuring the scrawniest Ken you'll ever see, the good ol' dead squirrel Game Gear ad, a hammy Star Fox 64 promo video, another promo video for Killer Instinct, DKC2, and previewing the N64 (guest starring Ken Lobb!), and finally a compilation of animation from various Mario commecials new and old. Most of the ads the clips in that last video were taken from can probably be found somewhere in here, which is also just a good general site for old and new gaming commercials.

• Vin Disel is planning a game called The Wheelman to be released along with a movie of the same name. Or is the movie being released along with the game?
• Everyone's reporting this like it's new, so I'll say it again in case you missed it the first time: EA is lowering prices on current gen games.
• Sorry vault dwellers, there will be no Fallout 3 at E3.
• God of War 2 is coming next February.
• In case you don't get EGM, 1up has the interview with Silent Hill movie director Christophe Gans and composer Akira Yamaoka available online.
• Eurogamer reports that Gran Turismo 4: Online Edition -- yeah, remember that? -- is due out in Q2 2006. Why no link? Because Sony made them remove the story.
• How to get to Nintendo of Japan.
• Former Nintendo president and old kook Hiroshi Yamauchi donated $60 million of his own money to Kyoto University Hospital. He's not such a mean old coot after all.
• I want to live in a world where I can walk into a store and be immediately struck by the sight of box after box of Cammy in her patented butt-floss.
• IGN's top 10 worst console controllers.
• Running low? Halo Needler ammo for sale.
• A handy guide to the ridiculous Revolution theories. And hey, here's another one to add to the pile.

Posted by Ermac at 04:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today's laff-fest: An online petition to ask Sony to release all PSX games for free to preserve them for future generations. I believe the word the children use is "roflmao."

• It's official: Reggie Fils-Aime says The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is delayed until sometime this fall.
• While he was at it, Reggie also mentioned that the original DS will be phased out over time to be replaced by the DS Lite.
• Japan introduces a new ratings system which includes an adults-only rating.
• Sony refutes earlier reports about the PS3 cost and launch date, still claims they're aimed for a spring release in Japan.
• Games that pushed the limits of their systems, part 2.
• Making an alarm clock out of an NES.
• Did you know De La Soul did a Parappa video in Japan? Isn't that the kind of thing one should know?
• The creator of the cult hit freeware title Cave Story is working on a new game, this time a top-down shooter. There's also an on-going translation of his developer blog.
• The Nintendo-Apple connection. It all makes sense now!
• 1up's 20 things to love about Zelda (and 5 things to hate)

Posted by Ermac at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's the highlights of what's coming out tomorrow (today's a holiday, and all that):

• Fight Night Round 3 (360) - Thrill to EA's newest sweat simulator/boxing game.
• Super Monkey Ball: Touch and Roll (DS) - The popular Gamecube ball rolling game will undoubtedly be even more frustrating when using the touch screen.
• The Apprentice (PC) - I can only hope these screenshots are some kind of a mistake because holy crap that looks like a bad Newgrounds game.
• Sonic Riders (Xbox, PS2, GC) - The world's fastest hedgehog continues his weird association with extreme sports in this "air board" racing title.

More, if you're the kind of person for Gundam RPGs or Everquest expansions, at the link.

Source: Gamespot

Posted by Ermac at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's late, but I should've linked Gamespot's Great Loves feature for Valentine's. Why didn't I? Because I found it a little silly, to be honest. I mean, Double Dragon?

• The newest official live-action model for Lara Croft doesn't really look all that much like Lara Croft.
• Opera is working with Nintendo to bring the Opera web browser to the Nintendo DS.
• The Utah House committee has passed a bill defining video games as porn. It will now move on to the House of Representatives.
• Local "action news" team: The Nintendo DS can be used by predators to stalk your children.
• IGN has 5 new screenshots of Lego Star Wars: The Original Trilogy.
• Official Sony specs say PS3 has a seperately sold hard drive.
• Finally sorted out: Best Buy is sending out e-mails stating The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be released January 1, 2500.
• Gaming Age has Tekken PSP scans.

Posted by Ermac at 04:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It was mentioned in an earlier post that Activision had announced they were cancelling ports of The Movies to consoles due to poor sales of the PC version. In a thread on the subject on developer Lionhead Studios' message board, a developer on the team had :

Source: Gamecloud

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Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards are back again this year, with a category for favorite video game. And boy howdy, the nominees are...

The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer (THQ/Heavy Iron Studios)
Madagascar: Operation Penguin (Activision/Vicarious Visions)
Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts/EA Tiburon)
Mario Superstar Baseball (Nintendo/Namco)

Yeesh. I'll admit that I haven't played the Incredibles or Madagascar, so this is conjecture on my part. Still, I can't imagine, amongst all the E rated games out there, that two of the best would be licensed from kids movies. Just because they're children doesn't mean that's all they want to play.

Voting for the Kids' Choice Awards begins online March 1, with the show, hosted by Jack Black, airing April 1.

Source: Gamasutra

Posted by Ermac at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Activision held a conference call today with executives to discuss the results of the previous year and plans for the forthcoming year. Sprinkled within were a few interesting bits of information, as follows:

• Yet another Tony Hawk title, this one called Tony Hawk Downhill Jam, is in the works, though absolutely no other information about it was given. The only hint of a release date is "in fiscal 2007." The fiscal year of 2007, oddly enough, begins in April 2006. I've never understood that logic.
• Within that same fiscal year, Activision will also be releasing five PSP titles and four 360 titles, one of which being the newly announced X-Men: The Official Movie Game (working title), which is set in between the events of the second and third X-Men movies (the third of which is now titled X-Men: The Last Stand). Also in the same year, Activision will be releasing three PS3 games and one Revolution game, but their titles are still unknown.
• Activision confirmed that they have bought the rights to the Transformers movie game.
• Despite all its major franchises having sequels released in 2005, sales for the year were down compared to 2004. The one bright spot was that Q4 was up 20% versus Q4 of the previous year. In part, Activision pointed to lower than expected sales for True Crime: New York City, and new IP title Gun. However, the latter was said to be the highest selling game not based on an existing franchise for the year, and suggested that they were still "very excited about the future of this property." This seems to indicate that rumors of its sequel being cancelled were untrue.
• Finally, console ports of Peter Molyneux's Hollywood studio sim The Movies have been cancelled, due to poor sales of the PC version.

Posted by Ermac at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)