Everyone is talking about Apple’s latest product: the Apple iPad. Never mind the name – it IS kinda lame, I have to admit – but people all over the world are raving about this cute little thing. Having a screen size that’s even smaller than the smallest netbook around and a very light tag price, the iPad is certain to capture many hearts.

The question that concerns me right now, however, is whether or not the iPad will be the next big thing in mobile gaming, as some people are claiming. Peter Moore of Electronic Arts has already showed the world where he stands. He said that “If it’s got a great screen, some buttons, you can turn it on and it connects to the Internet, it’s got the ability to be a games machine.” From what I have seen, it seems to me that the iPad meets all those qualifications. And if you are shaking your head thinking that a gadget has to have more than that, think of the iPhone. Now that is one gadget that has truly changed the face of mobile gaming. Indeed, a lot of people that I know with the iPhone love it best because of the ability to download apps (a LOT of them games).

Now go back to the iPad. It has more computing power than the iPhone but it can download the same kinds of apps. For sure, more apps will be developed in the months to come. Now imagine GAMES galore on the iPad…I’ll leave you to dream of the gaming potential of this little baby.

Tags: Apple iPad, Apple iPhone, mobile gaming

Well, at least when it comes to becoming successful at gaming. That’s what some researchers are saying now; so if, for example, you find yourself struggling with certain kinds of video games, it may be your brain size that is to blame.

According to the findings published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, certain parts of the brain may be larger than the others; so much so that the proportions are totally out of whack. This disproportion may explain why some individuals are better at certain tasks than others.

More on the research and the findings from BBC:

MRI scans showed participants with a larger nucleus accumbens, which is part of the brain’s reward centre, outperformed others in the first few hours, perhaps due to the “sense of achievement and the emotional reward” accompanying achievement in the earliest stages of learning, the team speculated.

But those players who ultimately performed best on the game in which priorities changed had larger sections deep in the centre of the brain, known as the caudate and putamen.

So it’s not just gaming overall that is affected. It is also the kind of task that you have to achieve throughout the game!

If you’re tempted to be fatalistic and give up on gaming, don’t be. The researchers say that the brain is “fairly plastic,” meaning that it can be trained to change and perform much better. More so, they say that at the end of the day, it is what you do with your brain that counts. Yep, brain size is a factor but it is something that can always be overcome!

Tags: brain, research, science

I think that everyone knows this in the back of their minds, although confirmation from those who actually crunch the numbers is always appreciated. According to EA, this simulation game that some people look down on (yep, I can name a few friends who would never lift a finger to buy this game) has sold more copies last year than big games such as Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2, and World of Warcraft. Can you believe that? I sure can!

Will Wright, the genius behind The Sims franchise, must be ecstatic right now; and he should very well be! With all the copies that his games (from the very first Sims to the latest), he should be all set for the rest of his life. Not only that, his name will forever be remembered by the countless gamers he has made happy!

So just how many copies were sold in 2009? You might not believe this, but The Sims 3 sold 1.4 million copies in its first week alone. By the end of June 2009, this figure had risen to 3.7 million. Unfortunately, EA has not released the exact figures for the whole year. That makes me wonder, but let’s just give them the benefit of a doubt, shall we? After all, this is not the first time that a Sims game has been proclaimed the best-selling PC game for the year. In fact, this is the sixth time in 10 years that this has happened.

If you haven’t tried The Sims 3 yet, I suggest you go buy one now.

Tags: best-selling games, EA, PC-games, The Sims 3, Will Wright

The year 2009 was rocked – hard – by various controversies. From politics to the entertainment industry to sports – we all heard and saw one scandal after the other all throughout the year. Not the least of these scandals is what happened to star golfer Tiger Woods. Who would have thought that he had all those skeletons in his closet?

After the news about his infidelity, it came as no surprise when sponsor after sponsor jumped ship, not wanting to touch the former squeaky clean sportsman. Here’s a bit of news though: Electronic Arts (EA) is standing by their guy! Well, I don’t know much about the relationship between Tiger Woods and EA but the fact remains that the video game icon is not cancelling its plans because of the scandal.

Prior to all the hullaballoo, EA already had plans to launch Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online. This is obviously the web-based version of the known video game. Developers were working on it last year when Tiger Wood’s personal life became headline news all over the world.

The people at EA say that what they have – the company and Tiger Woods – is all about golf and sportsmanship. They are taking the stand that whatever problems Tiger has in his personal life, it doesn’t change the fact that he is the best golfer out there.

Me, I don’t like golf – in real life or in video games. I also don’t think that EA will simply drop an investment like that. What are they going to do with the game anyway? Might as well launch it, right?

Tags: EA, new releases, online-games, Tiger Woods, video game news

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith got me all tickled pink. I still have to get my hands on Metallica so that I can feel the fuel running through my veins. Rock Band’s Beatles has gotten nothing but good reviews. It’s inevitable that other music icons should follow suit and have their names associated with a Guitar Hero or Rock Band game.

Now, it’s Van Halen’s turn. If you did your last-minute Christmas shopping, you might have seen copies of the game on the shelves. It was actually released on the 22nd of December. Unlike the other music games labeled with a band’s name, I didn’t hear much hype about Van Halen’s Guitar Hero, though. I don’t know if it’s just me or if it’s a fact: it doesn’t seem like this is going to make waves.

The game contains 25 songs from the band – the greatest hits attributed to them. There are also three guitar solos by Eddie Van Halen. Of course, several other artists have been thrown in: Blink 182, Queen, Lenny Kravitz, and Weezer among others. Why the eclectic mix? I have no idea. In fact, some reviewers have stated that the added songs only served to clash with the whole idea of Van Halen and their music.

I am not that big a Van Halen fan, but the fact that the game does not do the band credit (as many reviewers have said) does not really entice me to shell out money for it. I don’t have the game and I think I will not be getting it any time soon.

Maybe someone else has a better experience?

Tags: guitar-hero, new releases, Van Halen

Looks like the iPhone 3GS and the iPod Touch (3rd generation) are seriously jumping into the gaming fray. The news is that the Unreal Engine 3 is available for two of the most popular gadgets in the market today. What people are seeing are just demos, but the reviews are pretty good.

Anand Lal Shimpi shares his experience:

I got together with Mark Rein last week and he showed me an Unreal Engine 3 tech demo running on a 3rd generation iPod Touch. The same Unreal Engine 3 that powers Gears of War 2, running on an iPod Touch. The engine also works on the iPhone 3GS, and Mark tells me that we’ll see it on another mobile platform at CES (hmm…).

The demo is both playable and has a flythrough. It’s using a modified Unreal Tournament level previously shown off at GDC. A virtual thumbstick on the left side of the screen controls your movement, while tracking your thumb in the lower right corner of the screen controls the camera. Just tap the screen to shoot. Mark said this is a tech test bed and they’re experimenting with several different control schemes including ones with tilt.

So what does this mean for us, the users? Simple: BETTER games for these gadgets in the near future! The iPhone and iPod Touch are already being sought after because of the plethora of apps available. With the addition of the Unreal Engine, more serious gamers will take notice and we can enjoy a much better gaming experience on the go.

Tags: iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch, mobile gaming, Unreal Engine 3

Everyone has heard of Avatar, and from what I have been reading and hearing, the movie has been nothing but a huge hit. Of course, I have heard one or two people say that they were disappointed, but that is to be expected. I shall be watching it tomorrow night and will judge for myself.

Did you know, though, that the movie has a game version already? And before you get all uppity, you should also know that the game has been years in the making. Unlike many other video games based on a movie, Ubisoft actually took its time in developing the game. In fact, meetings about the game started way back in 2007.

Just like the movie, the game can be played in 3D. I am not sure that everyone will take advantage of that feature just yet, but the thought that it is available is enough to catch one’s attention. Ben Fritz recently published a write up about the game in the LA Times and he says:

Ubisoft got the gig with its plan to create a new story, set two years before the movie, that starts players in the shoes of a character similar to the movie’s protagonist Jake Sully, a young marine played by actor Sam Worthington.

Not that far into the game, however, players are presented with a choice: to continue as a human fighting to take control of the planet Pandora, or become a member of the native Na’vi tribe and fight back.

Each choice takes players off in entirely different directions, essentially creating two games in one.

Now THAT is an added value. I can already imagine its replay value. Who wants to play?

Tags: Avatar, movie video games, New Games, Ubisoft

It has been going on for quite some time now – libraries across the country have been stocking up on quality video games and encouraging their patrons to come to the library to play them. One might be surprised at this turn of events, especially those who have always associated libraries with being stuffy and full of nothing but old books. Some people know better though – and I would like to think that I am one of them!

The American Library Association actually is actively promoting video gaming in libraries these days. If you don’t believe me, check out events such as the one at the Bluffton Library. They are going to celebrate National Gaming Day @ Your Library on Saturday. The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. I am sure that other libraries across the country will be holding similar events – check out your local library to see if you can find something that interests you.

Anyhow, why is the library turning to video games now? Libraries are the repositories of information in all formats. We all know that in today’s world, electronic formats are fast becoming the choice for the average person, and the library is quickly changing things to adapt to trends, while keeping their original aim in mind. Hence, video games and other content in electronic format are part of their collection.

I think that this is a great way to encourage people to go back to libraries, which hold so much in terms of tools for lifelong learning and interaction with other people. Perhaps video games is the best tool to attract people for now.

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

Tags: ALA, libraries, National Gaming Day, video games

What do you get if you combine Rock Band and Guitar Hero? It’s simple: Band Hero. This is one of the latest titles in the plethora of video games about music, and guess who is behind it? No other than the makers of the hit video game franchise, Guitar Hero.

The first thought that came to mind when I heard of Band Hero is that why would they feel the need to create another game when Guitar Hero is still making it big? I think one of the things that gives the new game an edge is the line up of artists and songs featured. How does Adam Levine, No Doubt, Lilly Allen, and The All-American Rejects sound? I am pretty sure that the younger crowd will have more fun playing to these songs than a lot of the music featured in the Guitar Hero series.

Just like the other games, Band Hero allows multiple players to contribute their talents as different members of the band. There are a lot modes which players can choose from. I think one very interesting mode is Let’s Get this Party Started! In this mode, any player can join in at any point of the song. Players can tweak their settings in mid-song as well, making it easy for everyone to do their own things without having to worry about messing the whole production up. This is excellent for groups of people who do not have the same level of skill – and I am just thinking of my family right now!

The game is available for the XBox360 and PlayStation3, among other platforms.

Tags: Band Hero, guitar-hero, New Games, Rock Band

When the Nintendo Wii first came out, it became an instant hit because of the novelty it brought to the video game industry. People immediately saw the potential of Wii Sports. Then Wii Fit came out. Now we have Wii Fit Plus.

Countless people have been enticed to purchase these games in order to make their exercise routines more fun and positive. Even celebrities have been attesting to the effectiveness of the Wii Fit. Hardcore gamers, quite understandably, have turned up their noses at this. After all, you play video games because you want to have fun, not to lose weight, right?

Then again, we have a new generation of gamers – age does not matter and the whole gaming experience is taking on a change. Enter Wii Fit Plus yet again – lose weight while having fun!

And after a lot of flak and “investigation,” it seems that Nintendo has scored big. The UK government has released a statement to the effect that the Wii Fit Plus is a good way to get your blood moving. In fact, the game is now authorized to carry logos from the Change4Life campaign. A health department spokesperson stated that “active video games, where kids need to jump up and down or dance about as part of the game, are a great way to get kids moving more. Little bits of activity like this throughout the day can easily add up to the 60 active minutes kids need.”

How about adults? I suppose it should work the same way. Anything to get people moving is good, huh?

Photo courtesy of Gamespy

Tags: health, Nintendo Wii, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus