If there is one next generation console that I am really anticipating with the utmost excitement it would have to be the Nintendo Wii. The Sony PlayStation 3 may be more advanced, more powerful, more beautiful, more versatile but I am a practical man and I know that at this point I am not willing to shell out 600 dollars for a game console.I am anticipating the Wii mainly for two reasons – the price point is so attractive that I am willing to buy a unit at launch. This is the first time that I am buying a game console on the same day that it is going to be released. The second reason why I am excited about the Wii is the game play! I just love to try the nifty Wii-mote and see for myself how it operates and if it would really revolutionize the way we play games.

And I am not the only one that has these same opinions about the Wii. Popular Science Magazine recently awarded the Nintendo Wii its Grand Award in its Home Entertainment section. The award is part of the magazine’s yearly technology innovation roundup.

Popular Science cited the Wii for allowing people to go back to “simpler era.”

The widely read and highly respected Popular Science magazine has given the Nintendo Wii the nod by awarding it the “Grand Award” in the Home Entertainment section of its annual technology innovation roundup.

The magazine chose the Wii because it took them back to a simpler era – a time when, as the magazine said, games were fun, controllers only had two buttons and controlling games was simple.

It really is turning out to be a great decision for Nintendo to not get into the graphics war and instead focus on the game play .

[tags]Nintendo, Wii, Sony, PlayStation 3, Popular Science, Home Entertainment [/tags]

Tags: Home-Entertainment, Nintendo, Playstation 3, Popular-Science, sony, Wii

Japanese game developer Namco Bandai is intent on evolving its services to include game publishing. The company has already shipped its first game as publisher, Mage Knight Apocalypse which was released last September. But the real test on it capabilities as a game publisher will come when the much anticipated Hellgate: London is released. The anticipated street date for the game is during the first quarter of 2007.The action role playing game, which was developed by alumni from the first Diablo, is one of the most highly anticipated in gaming circles mainly because of the gameplay elements, which are said to be quite exciting. The milieu too of a devastated modern day London is a big come on for many gamers.

In order to help its first serious publishing responsibilities run more smoothly, Namco Bandai has signed a co-publishing agreement with Electronic Arts specifically for Hellgate: London. The co publishing venture has very specific and very limited stipulations. For example, even though there is a co publishing venture with EA, the company will not have any publishing rights to any future Hellgate: London projects.

EA’s co publishing deal is not the first agreement that the company has entered into specifically for this kind of venture. Only last July, EA and Valve Software agreed on a multi year deal with regards to the distribution of console and boxed retail versions of Half Life 2 and any other future Valve games that will come out.

Namco Bandai’s entry into the publishing business may have an impact in the distribution aspect of gaming. It would be interesting to know if this will be a beneficial or negative effect.

[tags]Blizzard, World of Warcraft, MMORPG, [/tags]

Tags: Blizzard, MMORPG, World-of-Warcraft

One of the biggest problems with playing massively multiplayer online role playing games (or MMORPGs) is the fact that there are many cheaters who log on the servers and play the game hoping to find exploits and vulnerabilities within the game in order to enhance the way they play the game. This is obviously a practice that is frowned upon not only by gamers but by the game developer / publisher itself.Very obviously, players hate it when there are cheaters in the game most especially because these guys will attempt to do things the easy way because of a vulnerability that they have found, while the straight arrow players will do it the long and circuitous but legal way. Of course game publishers/ developers have more reason to hate cheaters and hackers in games. These people obviously puts companies in a bad light and also jeopardizes the integrity of the game itself. What sane player would continue to play a particular MMORPG when he knows that some people would likely level up faster, have more money, have higher stats simply because they know of how to take advantage of the game.

This was recently a problem a that Blizzard Entertainment faced when the company discovered a particular guild taking advantage of a vulnerability in World of Warcraft that allowed them to avoid a gauntlet of bosses and go straight to the main boss.

The guild, called Overrated, was discovered to have used a particular exploit that essentially knocked down walls at the level of the Temple of Ahn’Qiraj. This exploit allowed them to avoid a series of bosses that only gave regular items and go straight to the main boss, which is said to drop more valuable items.

Blizzard deliberately came out with this particular bit of news as a way of warning other WoW players never to exploit or cheat in the game or they will face harsh

[tags]Blizzard, World of Warcraft, MMORPG, [/tags]

Tags: Blizzard, MMORPG, World-of-Warcraft

Pokemon may not be as red hot as it once was a few years ago but a big fan base still eagerly await any new Pokemon releases. Pokemon Emerald may have been released almost a year ago but this GBA game is still being played by many Pokemon fans because it is such a joy to play. Below you can find some secrets to the game that you can exploit:The Mystery Gift

In order to get the mystery gift, visit the pokemon mart and press A on the paper that you will see on the counter. You should then try to insert the phrase “LINK TOGETHER WITH ALL.” You can press select in order to more easily locate the words. When you have done this the store lady will request to talk to you. She will tell you that the mystery gift has been unlocked.

Hatching eggs – how to make it go faster

This is pretty simple. All you need to do is to place a pokemon that possess the Flame Body or Magma Armor ability in your team. Do this and you can cut the number of steps that are required to hatch an egg.

Swarm’s second ability

Swarm is a pokemon ability that basically has two distinct effects. The first effect is to increase the Bug type attacks 150 per cent when the player has been weakened. What is new to Pokemon Emerald though is that it causes pokemon to cry in the background with more frequency.

Raising weak pokemon

There is an easier way of raising weak pokemons. Put the pokemon on the first slot. When there is a battle quickly choose that pokemon. When the battle finishes, the pokemon will get half of the experience points.

[tags]pokemon, emerald, secrets GBA[/tags]

Tags: emerald, pokemon, secrets-GBA

One of the most anticipated games of the last couple of years is finally being played by gamers all over the world. Final Fantasy XII has gone through a lot of delays before the English version finally saw the light of day. But the wait is over and the game is here. To say that the wait was worth it is a gross understatement. This is one superb game that should be played by anyone who loves games.

The Final Fantasy games always had basic game assumptions that all FF veterans already know – open all treasure chests, kill secret monsters for rare items, etc. But since FFXII is offering a different game experience from previous FF iterations, it is but natural that even its secrets will be a bit different.

For example, if you want to get the most powerful weapon in the game, you should not open all of the treasure chests – specifically in four places. Open any one of them and the Zodiac Spear will not appear:

* The treasure chest that is located outside Old Dylan’s place in Lowtown. * Before you get the Goddess Tear you will be required to sneak into the palace. In the cellar there are several chests. Do not open the two chests that you will find in the southeast corner of the cellar. * At some point in the game something will happen and then your weapons and armor will be returned to you. This place is the Confiscatory. Never open a single chest in this place. * In Phon Coast you will discover an island that has 16 chests that are located near each other. The 4th chest should not be opened. But since locating which one is the 4th chest will be difficult just don’t open any of the chests to be sure.

If you successfully do this then you will find the Zodiac Spear in the Necrohol of Nabudis. How powerful is the Zodiac Spear? Well it has a +150 attack and a +8 Evasion.

[tags]Final Fantasy XII, Zodiac Spear, treasure chest, FFXII[/tags]

Tags: FFXII, Final-Fantasy-XII, treasure-chest, Zodiac-Spear

Fans of Neverwinter Nights were ecstatic to learn that the much awaited sequel is being released very soon. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari, Neverwinter Nights 2 is due to be released in September 19 of this year. For sure, gamers of all ages are eagerly waiting on the edge of their seats for this day.

What are we supposed to expect from this sequel? When Obsidian president, Feargus Urquhart, was interviewed by Gamespot regarding the game, he was (quite understandably) reluctant to reveal any details. However, he was quick to emphasize that they didn’t want to stray far from the original game. He stressed that the elements gamers loved in the previous game wouldn’t be left out and instead they built upon those elements and added to them. Neverwinter Nights 2 uses a different graphics engine from the Neverwinter Nights, making modules from the previous version incompatible with the newer version, though.

Even as details are handed out in bits and pieces, Neverwinter Nights 2 looks to be a very promising game indeed. The graphics are more finely tuned and the player has more options when it comes to creating his character. There is also a new camera which has a zoom in function so that the action is even more lifelike. With the host of new characters, creatures, and battle options, you will really get a kick out of this new feature.

It is a common fear that sequels would not be able to live up to the huge success of the original game. With Neverwinter Nights 2, however, it seems that this fear might be ungrounded. Anyhow, we will all see come September.

[tags]battle options, neverwinter nights, cheats, gamespot[/tags]

Tags: battle-options, Cheats, gamespot, neverwinter-nights

The first time I read reviews about Loco Roco, I asked myself “Would I really get all that excited about a yellow blob?” Apparently, most of the gaming world would. Actually, most everyone is anticipating the release of Sony PSP’s new game – Loco Roco.

Loco Roco is all about a yellow blob with the same name. You play the planet in which he lives in. The object of the game is to keep Loco Roco alive by feeding him and getting him through the various stages. You also have to keep him safe from the different predators that live in the planet. You can control where Loco Roco goes by literally tilting his world. Loco Roco has friends in the planet called Muimui. In each level you can find 3 Muimui, but find them hard you must, as they are hidden. They either give you food or pieces to Loco Roco’s house.

Loco Roco is one of those games that make you think “Japanese!” It’s cutesy theme – graphics and music – add up to an enjoyable gaming experience. It’s a far cry from games like Tekken and Diner Dash but it does give you something different.

I don’t know why, but even the rave reviews do not seem to have convinced me of the game’s worthiness. Many experts claim that Loco Roco may be what the PSP needs to bring it into the mainstream of gaming. I don’t know, though. Maybe it’s just not my type. Parents who are averse to violence in games would love Loco Roco, though – and so will their kids I bet.

[tags]loco roco, ranet games, violence, game controls, censorship[/tags]

Tags: censorship, game-controls, loco-roco, ranet-games, violence

As we talked about Diner Dash for your mobile, we thought it appropriate to feature the newest addition to the Diner Dash family. Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue is currently available for the PC only. If you liked Diner Dash, then this game would certainly satisfy your craving for more restaurant action. With 5 new restaurants and even more game interaction, Diner Dash 2 is simply going to make you one happy gamer.

Flo is still the star, of course. This time, her mission is to save her friends’ restaurants from the evil Mr. Big who wants to establish his own food complex. Your goal, as Flo, is to make enough money to pay rent and ultimately put Mr. Big out of business.

The restaurants are more exotic than the first one. Moreover, you get new customers and new food on the side. You have more actions to do, which makes the game play a little bit more complicated than the first one. The basics of the game are the same so you won’t have a difficult time adjusting to the other changes.

The graphics are as nice as ever, with some add-ons which are inherent to the additional interactions. The really nice thing about Diner Dash 2 is that you have more control over how the restaurants look like. Each level gives you options as to the décor that you apply. Of course, if you don’t get an expert score in a level, your options are limited.

Try Diner Dash 2 on your PC now and you’ll definitely get hooked all over again!

[tags]diner dash, diner dash 2,game levels,game cheats, gaming news[/tags]

Tags: diner-dash, diner-dash-2, game-cheats, game-levels, gaming-news

Long queues at the bank, traffic on a bus, airport delays – there’s only one thing to do to keep your boredom at bay, and that’s to find a good game for your cellphone. Cheaper than a text message, and a lot more discreet to those around you, a good cellphone game is indispensable in our multitasking lives. And speaking of the word “multitasking” is the a pc game turned mobile version, Diner Dash, where multitasking is not just fun but deliciously addicting.

Colourful, simple graphics on a rather bare background make this game ideal for tiny cellphone screens, and with next-to-nil sounds, you don’t need to worry about bothering the man sleeping next to you on the train.

Diner Dash is all about you as “Flo”, a young woman who opens a diner. Keeping the customers happy is the name of the game, and you quickly learn the ropes of running a restaurant– from seating a variety of clientele (who range from patient, low-tipping seniors to big-tipping business women in a mad rush - all color coded), to taking orders, serving, clearing the tables and a whole lot more. There are two modes to choose from, the career mode where the goal is to earn enough money to buy a new restaurant, and the “shift” mode where its all about making money through continuous shifts.

The game is easy to learn and as you advance, things get more difficult, making Diner Dash enjoyably challenging with some fun bonuses to boot. Its scored high marks on the gaming community, and is considered one of those games whose scaled-down version for mobiles is actually better than the pc version.

[tags]dash,dinner dash,mobiles,shift mode,flo[/tags]

Tags: dash, dinner-dash, flo, mobiles, shift-mode

Anyone remotely exposed to online gaming would have heard of the World of Warcraft. The popularity of this MMOG (massively multiplayer online game) has reached such heights that its effects have extended even to the “real” world. World of Warcraft gold has been one of the most valuable commodities in the past years and people have been earning tons of money off it. Of course, that is not to say that this practice is not frowned upon by Blizzard. That topic is off tangent, though, as I would like to look into the newest patch that Blizzard has in store for World of Warcraft fans – the Burning Crusade.

Word has it that the new WoW will have some new zones as well as two new races; namely the Blood Elves for the Horde and the Draenei for the alliance. Both of these races will be able to join the five existing character classes – warriors, hunters, paladins, mages, and priests. With regards to the playing area, the main addition would be the Outlands, which is reportedly HUGE. If nothing else, players would have a lot of land to travel in. Of course, so that the existing zones won’t be abandoned when the Burning Crusades comes out, new raid dungeons are also being opened up in the existing zones. This is certainly something to look forward to for avid PC gamers.

Blizzard is not one for hurrying things up though. They do aim to release the Burning Crusade sometime this year but as they say, they “focus on quality.” For fans of all ages, I guess we just have to wait a little bit more.

[tags]blizzard,burning crusade, warcraft,raids, dungeons,zones[/tags]

Tags: Blizzard, burning-crusade, dungeons, raids, Warcraft, zones