Toys R Us buy two get one free is upon us and my wallet can’t help but shudder a bit. This also includes games that will be released this week such as Batman: Arkham City or past games such as Gears of War 3. The sale also includes accessories (like Xbox Live points or Gold), guides and apparel.
For those who are thinking about starting their X-mas shopping early or just been holding out for a sale on a video game or three the time is now!
Replay Games has picked up the rights for the original Leisure Suit Larry franchise, and plans to re-release the original series. Additionally, they will begin working on an all new adventure beginning in 2012, to coincide with the series’ 25th anniversary.
The remakes will feature upgraded visuals, sound and control. However, the original sense of humor and puzzles will be kept. Thankfully, Replay Games CEO has been working closely with the Leisure Suit Larry’s creator Al Lowe.
Personally, I am really excited on this announcement. I loved the original series. After I played Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail!, I was eagerly hoping and anticipating any other sequel. I even bought the Leisure Suit Larry’s Casino, hoping it would have some sort of short adventure with Larry Laffer. It didn’t have one, it was strictly casino games using characters from the game.
When the new crop of Leisure Suit Larry games started to come out (Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude in 2004, and Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust in 2009), I was initially super stoked; sadly, after playing them, it left me quite disappointed.
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, and Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust did not feature a couple of key elements that made the original series entertaining and fun.
There is no release date mentioned yet for the HD re-mastered version of the original Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of Lounge Lizards. Replay will hopefully be releasing it on multiple platforms including, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, XBLA, PSN, On-Live, and Steam.
With a bit of luck, look for more updates in the near future.
Source: EGM Now
For those who haven’t pre-order Battlefield 3, and didn’t capitalize on the Origin’s birthday deal, Amazon is now offering a digital download of the Battlefield 3 – Limited Edition for $41.99. Amazon’s pre-order of Battlefield 3 – Limited Edition includes the Amazon exclusive, Dog Tag Pack for multiplayer use as well as the Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand expansion pack for free. No telling how long this deal will last, but for those who are interested now is your chance!
Battlefield 3 (commonly abbreviated to BF3) is a first-person shooter action video game, being developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and to be published by Electronic Arts. The game is set to be released on October 25, 2011 on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and EA Mobile confirmed a port for the iOS platform. It will not support versions of Windows prior to Windows Vista. It is a direct sequel to 2005’s Battlefield 2, and the eleventh installment in the Battlefield franchise. The PC release will be exclusive to EA’s Origin platform.
In celebration of her new Dragon Age: Redemption web episode, starting now, you can start a hangout on Google+! When you do, post on Felicia Day’s G+ page with the link, and she’ll potentially stop by and answer questions about the show and can even pose for a photo that you can screencap and post later! She will give preference for larger hangouts so gather up some buddies or make the jump into other people’s hangout!
“Hanging out” is basically Google+ method of socializing through a web chat. To see her new web episode, look no further than to YouTube for the Dragon Age: Redemption episode found below.
Felicia Day is a professional actress who has appeared in many TV shows and movies. Check her IMDB page or Wikipedia page for a full list of credits.
Felicia is most well-known for her acting in web video; in Joss Whedon’s epic internet musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” and in her own show that she writes, stars in and co-produces, “The Guild”.
She is also an avid social networking fan, most prominently on Twitter.
For more press, contact information and her blog check out her website http://feliciaday.com.
Pepsi and Activision are teaming up together to promote Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Cross promotions aren’t a new thing, Coca-Cola has a point redemption system for purchasing their products and Pepsi with World of Warcraft had a promotion for in-game pet. This however, could be a game changer. Now, if you purchase Mountain Dew and/or Doritos, you get a code that can be redeemed for double experience for a set amount of time. Now for fans, this sounds like a win-win situation.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that parents and consumer groups are going to have a field day with this. I can already hear shouts of kids being obese and that they’re being sedentary for longer hours now. Parents will begin to wonder why their kids are consuming so many Mountain Dews and Doritos all of a sudden. This also brings up the question of buying your way up to “Prestige,” the game equivalent of status and bonuses for playing the game. This can potentially give you a leg up your competition, at the cost of your wallet.
If you are already purchase these products and play the game, it wouldn’t quite matter because it this promotion comes as a bonus. For those who don’t, questions arise whether this is the beginning of a new wave of promotions for games, similar to pre-ordering bonuses? Guess time will tell.
For more information go to http://www.rankupxp.com/Teaser
Blizzard’s BlizzCon 2011 is coming around the corner, it’s on October 21-22, 2011, and we decided to help post a guide and photos for new visitors or veterans of the convention. For those who want to skip to the gallery, make the jump.
Easier said than done, since the event has been sold out since tickets were available this year. Generally, in order to go to this event, it does require you to queue in a electronic line and purchase your tickets online. However, for those who couldn’t purchase their tickets in time, there is always the Virtual Ticket (online streaming of the event). If streaming doesn’t sound appealing, there are also other means such as Craigslist and Ebay, but always exercise caution with those two options. If the price is at an unbelievable price, chances are it’s too good to be true.
This usually goes without saying, but sometimes we get a little excited for an event like this! Get plenty of rest, it’s going to be a long two days and you’ll want to be on your best form when pwning faces in StarCraft II or striking up an interesting conversation about why the Alliance is better than the Horde with another person. You may be on your feet for an extended amount of time either waiting in line to purchase merchandise, to try a game, and/or a booth offering free prizes. Get some breakfast before heading on down to the Anaheim Convention Center, stay hydrated, and get some coffee if needed. There are seats at panels for you to rest, if your legs get tired. Remember about hygiene too, you don’t want to scare somebody with your bad BO!
Usually people who attend this are already true fans of the series, but sometimes significant others or new people do visit. Knowing what certain things, mean can help bridge the gap of confusion if this is new to you.
People who dress up may not always be professional models, but may be huge fans of series they represent. Always ask to take their photos, most will be glad to pose for the shots unless they are in a hurry. Don’t take it as a sleight against you if they refuse, as sometimes people have places to go or events to get ready for like the Costume Contest. They are on their feet for the entire day practically, so make sure to them thank for their time and hard work!
From the WarCraft series, red colors would signify the Horde and blue colors represent the Alliance. Allegiances run thick within this culture and many times you may hear shouts for each respected side (“For the Horde” and “For the Alliance”). However, don’t be too quick to judge other people just on the basis of preference. Respect each other for what they bring to the table and remember that without the other, the game would be completely boring (goes for all series and life). Everybody is here for the love of the game and variety is the spice of life!
Diablo, in short, is an action role-playing game about stopping the Lord of Terror. StarCraft is a real time strategy game involving three different factions with a rich storyline affecting each other set in space. Check Wikipedia or other wiki sources for more information on Warcraft, Diablo, and the StarCraft series.
When in doubt and you don’t know what to say, yell “For the Horde!”
Plan ahead! This can potentially save you time instead of wandering around aimlessly (though that isn’t a bad thing either). Check the BlizzCon forums for costume meeting times (they usually meet by the fountains) or realm meet up times (Gorgonnash FTW). Blizzard usually posts the schedules online (they are currently tentative at the moment) so plan around them accordingly. Some events may fill up faster than others (especially the popular events or panels). If you have any questions you want to ask a dev team or celebrity, write them advance. There is usually a Q&A session following each panel.
Don’t forget to charge your batteries for your camera, phone and any other electronic devices. Bring spare batteries if needed especially for your camera (and extra memory cards). A handheld game like Nintendo DS or 3DS can be handy when you’re waiting in a long line or waiting for the next panel to begin.
Not everybody needs to dress up in a costume. But for those who do, I salute you! For the veterans, there shouldn’t be any need to mention preparation. For those who are thinking of dressing up, sometimes the simple things are the best things. I remember two years ago, somebody came as a Level 1 Human Warrior and it was a major hit! Find something you enjoy and run with it. Like Mark mentioned in the Anime Expo article, “mashups = fun” and “mobility is inversely related to costume appeal.” Keep in mind that you may be stopped a lot for photo opportunities. A trend we notice last year was a lot of glowing light and stilt related costumes. Whatever you choose to dress up as, be safe with your costume choices (those stilts are crazy)!
If you are dressing up in costume, try to get some rest, as those last minute fixes and/or touchups can be quite stressful. Try to knock out your costume beforehand so you won’t be as stressed (easier said than done). You have until October 10th to register for the Dance and Costume Contest, if that is something you’re interested in.
If you already have your ticket (including virtual ticket holders), you can purchase from the Blizzard Store online on the BlizzCon page. The reason why is those lines for the Blizzard merchandise stores can be quite long! If you do purchase the day of, try to go when there is a big event where a lot of people may go. Lines usually thin out around the end of day and on the last day as well, but so does item stocks. Signs should be posted when items sell out.
Save up and know what item you want to get beforehand. Some vendors have exclusives for BlizzCon only so be on the lookout for that.
Despite that there are plenty of food and drink options that Anaheim Convention Center can provide, don’t forget to take a look at Google maps to see what’s outside the convention. The convention itself, does provide an cash bar (over 21 and older of course). If you drink, please be careful and have a designated driver! For more food options, there is a shuttle nearby that takes you to Downtown Disney as well.
Regardless of what you may be doing, there are tons of things for you to do at the event. In the past there was booth games to win prizes, treasure hunting, caricature drawings (be warned those lines can go long too), and more! For those visiting Anaheim or the Los Angeles area there’s always other tourist-y things, like Disneyland, California Adventure and Universal Studio Hollywood.
Take a look down below for photos from last year BlizzCon 2010! This may lean a bit heavier towards Lady Blaumeux in the beginning (a good friend of mine I bumped into last year).
BlizzCon is a celebration of the global player communities surrounding the Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo universes. The sixth BlizzCon will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California on Friday, October 21 and Saturday, October 22, 2011. For more information visit www.blizzcon.com
Get your free Portal from Steam, from now until September 20th! This has been brought to us all thanks to education! Yeah, that felt weird to say, but Valve has teamed up with educators, to help find ways to incorporate Portal and Portal 2 into their classrooms. One of the biggest challenges in teaching science, technology, engineering, and math is capturing the students’ imaginations long enough for them to see all of the possibilities that lie ahead. Using interactive tools like the Portal series to draw them in makes physics, math, logic, spatial reasoning, probability, and problem-solving interesting, cool, and fun which gets us one step closer to our goal—engaged, thoughtful kids.
This is a first person perspective game so for those who get a little nauseous (like me), be warned! If you can get past it and haven’t played this, here’s your chance!
Portal is a single player game from Valve. Set in the mysterious Aperture Science Laboratories, Portal has been called one of the most innovative new games on the horizon and will offer gamers hours of unique gameplay. The game is designed to change the way players approach, manipulate, and surmise the possibilities in a given environment; similar to how Half-Life® 2′s Gravity Gun innovated new ways to leverage an object in any given situation. Players must solve physical puzzles and challenges by opening portals to maneuvering objects, and themselves, through space.
Remember, the cake is a lie…
Source: Learn with Portals
Steam Link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/400/
Reviews reflect a 90/100 from Metacritic
If you own a smart phone or know someone that does, chances are you’ve played Angry Birds. Developed by Rovio, Angry Birds has become one of the most downloaded titles for both iOS and Android platforms. To help perpetuate it’s appeal, Rovio has even come out with variations of the game including a holiday version and one tied with 20th Century Fox’s Rio. Fans can also buy Angry Birds merchandise. There’s even an unauthorized theme park in China. In fact, the game recently surpassed 350 million downloads. Now that Angry Birds has become a household name, isn’t it time we see the birds make a splash onto the silver screen?
Here are some essential elements Rovio should use in the motion picture.
Angry Birds is all about projectile birds. The funny thing is the birds don’t flap their wings, they fly like cannon balls. The challenge of angry birds comes from having to aim with the right angle and strength. The concept is old fashioned like a slingshot but that doesn’t mean the movie has to be. The Angry Birds movie should definitely use bullet time scenes liberally within the movie and certainly in the trailer.
Assuming the movie will be done entirely on a computer, producers will have virtually unlimited liberties in the employment of special effects. Slow motion never gets old and it always works with action. That’s all there is to it.
The face of Angry Birds is the red bird. As a ferocious bird on a vengeance to retrieve stolen eggs, the red bird MUST be voice acted by an individual that commands anger but still demands intellectual respect. Samuel L. Jackson would make an excellent voice actor for the red bird because everyone loves an angry Samuel L. Jackson. If it still doesn’t click for you, just watch Samuel L. Jackson recite Ezekiel 25:17 in Pulp Fiction.
Likewise, the antagonist should possess a very sinister tone that fully embodies the audacity of stealing some animal’s eggs. My vote is for Jack Nicholson. Chances are there’s also an opportunity for a comic relief role and Russell Brand has the perfect voice for bringing the laughs to a well balanced movie.
The current theme song is cute and cuddly. That works for mobile devices which are relatively low fidelity. Fans will be paying more for a movie ticket than the cost of a game but limited to a 90 minute experience versus hundreds of lost work productivity hours. It’s only fair that the score be handled by greats like John Williams or Danny Elfman. There would definitely be overlap in viewers of the highly acclaimed The Social Network, but what payday would Trent Reznor be willing to compromise his artistic integrity for?
There’s no way Angry Birds can receive a G rating due to its destructive/vengeful theme. Rating Angry Birds anything higher in maturity level than PG would be a mistake because it can only hit massive sales figures by appealing to families. If we were to entertain the idea of an R rated Angry Birds, possible warnings would include hard language (when the birds curse after missing targets or confronts those nasty pigs, who will certainly be vulgar), drug abuse (how else are the birds going to cope with the pain of all that collision with pain killers?), sex (there is strength in numbers aka reproduction).
We all know the best way to hook fans into an indefinite franchise is by keeping the story open. Just imagine if the birds recover eggs only to find out there aren’t actual birds incubating? Or what if the pigs don’t even exist like Tyler Durden? More importantly, a cliffhanger ending would help seal the deal for a blockbuster trilogy.
There aren’t many video game movies that live up to expectations of loyal fans. Could it be the fundamental change from interactive entertainment to passive entertainment? Let’s hope Rovio does Angry Birds justice.
Nintendo has just released a treasure trove of dates for North America for a lot of their games! The launch dates include Super Mario 3D Land, Mario Kart 7, Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition, and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. See below for each respected release date and some videos to boot!
Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS has been given a launch date of November 13, 2011!
A new trailer has been released for Super Mario 3D Land, highlighting some of the game-play aspect (courtesy of Gametrailers.com).
Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS doesn’t follow too far behind the holiday season, releasing on December 4, 2011!
See the latest trailer for Mario Kart 7, showing off many of the game-play (also courtesy of Gametrailers.com).
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Legend of Zelda series, Nintendo will also be releasing The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition (for DSi and 3DS users) for free, starting on September 28, 2011 until Febuary 20, 2012.
Finally, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword launches November 20, 2011 for the Wii.
Start saving up folks, its going to be an interesting holiday season for sure!
Activision held it’s inaugural Call of Duty XP event, which was a 2 day event for gamers and fans of the series to connect through activities beyond gaming. Located within a large hangar in Playa Vista, California, fans were treated to various activities including:
UPDATE: Here’s some video of Kanye West’s performance
UPDATE: Ambassador Program is now Live!
As a reminder for those who bought their 3ds early on and qualified for the Ambassador program, September 1st is rolling around the corner! With that in mind, Nintendo support has now posted instructions on how to acquire these games. The quickest explanation is that you are re-downloading titles you now own, instead of getting some sort of voucher to redeem these games.
Likewise, owners will also get an Ambassador Certificate (a video file), which can be used to receive updates regarding the program and notify users when new titles are available to download.
The 10 NES Virtual Console games available to download on Sept 1st:
For more information go to Nintendo Support
Related Articles: Handy Dandy Ambassador Checker
Do you remember the sound of a chainsaw cutting through Locust flesh? Finding cover and blind firing at Locust Drones coming at you? Yelling at your friends to run away from an exploding Flame Grenadier? On September 20th, when Gears of War 3 is released, you’ll remember those feelings.
Once again, in the story campaign, you will play as Marcus Fenix. However, for the first time in this series, the game will feature four-player co-op. Now you can take three other friends with you; in previous games, it was limited to two-player co-op. Also returning to the series will be the popular Horde mode, featuring new innovations like boss battles, upgradeable fortifications, more diverse waves and enemies, and a deeper player progression system.
Gears of War 3 already has over one million pre-orders and looks to be one of the most anticipated game of 2011.
For more information, go to the official Gears of War 3 website.