Its here... are you in? Sunday 10:30 Rules and details:

Rules for SSB: 

Starts at 10:30, players can arrive after 10:00

1 vs 1 best of 3 (depending on number of players we may do a round robin) - Double Elimination or top two qualify if RR is used

Bring your own controller (there is some stock but please do not complain)

You want to use a Gamecube better bring the adaptor with your stick

Meta Knight is not an eligible character for this tournament

Rules will be based roughly on this wiki: http://www.ssbwiki.com/Tournament_legal_(SSBB)

Lets keep it fun!

Madden 16 rules will be based on MLG gaming rules (these are a sample of rules for Xbox but it is only on PS4):

http://gamebattles.majorleaguegaming.com/xboxone/madden-nfl-16/tournament/1v1-madden-16-kickoff-09-04/rules

Madden tournament will start at Noon.  Depending on when Smash ends it may be delayed.  Pack your patience.

Must use own controller there is some stock sticks but I do not want to hear about it.

This is the first one in the area if you want them to continue please come on out and join us!

Hope to see you Sunday!

New Tournament Information for Monclova Ohio on August 30th

Video Game Tournament

Monclova Community Center

$15 per player (Choice Game)

Includes “Players Only” raffle Ticket

Sunday, August 30th

Smash Brothers Wii U starts at 10:30 am

Madden 16 PS4 starts at Noon

Amiibo Raffles and Blind Bags

For More information:

 email saveandcontinuegaming@gmail.com or Visit

http://thisoldgamer.blogspot.com

Smash will be limited to first 64 players

Madden will be limited to 32 Players

First Video GameTournament Information Incoming

Coming to Monclova, OH August 30th 2015

Monclova Community Center

Smash Brorthers (Wii U) starts at 10:30 am

Madden 16 (PS4) at Noon

$15 person (price includes "players only amiibo raffle ticket"

Amiibo Raffles and Various Blind Bag Prizes

#settleitinsmash

More information coming next week

Limited to 64 players per game

Tables for Merchandise Sales available

Virtual Reality - Please go in front of me

I have fallen for this song and dance once too many times.  After the all out blitz that was the Nintendo Wii I vowed never to let it happen again.  I have not.  Lets go down the list of the times that I have bought first day or sooner and been disappointed:

• Playstation 3 (first week, yeah it got better but man)
• 3D television (with glasses)
• Kinect
• Playstation Move
• Wii U (first day 32 GB)
• Playstation TV

I know some of these had their moments.  Fruit Ninja on Kinect was fun.  Playing Socom with the underutilized PS light gun was fun.  PS3 got better after a few years.  The Wii U finally got Smash Bros and Super Mario was not horrible.  Playstation TV... well we can't say all purchases I make are solid. 

Problem is I did board the hype train but always read the reviews.  Each of these purchases made promises they could never deliver so I am waiting on VR train, in line but waiting.  You know like when you at Disney and let that person go ahead of you because the monorail just seems too crowded waiting.  I know I will start with Sony becaus e they seem to have a line on my bank account but what about the others?  This year I signed up to go to E3 and I want to check them out.  Sony, HTC and of course Oculus are getting closer to "reality".  No one knows the cost, many have seen the demos but no one has come out with a game that is a must have or better yet name an actual game.  I have read the articles and each seems to have benefits but 2016 seems far away to start boarding the hype train.  With Amiibo-mania running wild and Disney Infinity 3.0 about to steal my wallet I think it is too early to tell.  If anyone from any of these companies gets down to my blog.  I get motion sick so I will be a great candidate to try out the process.  Let me know what you guys think.

My love/hate relationship with NHL 15 HUT

I am a huge NHL fan and have been for many moons (the fierce fish win the cup for those who understand) but about this time every year I start to hate NHL.  I am playing Hockey Ultimate Team and for those you do not want to look it up it is a virtual card mixed with your NHL.  Get better cards, build better team... lose anyway.  I am currently in Division 3 of 10 and am starting to think that this is where I am destined to be.  I am currently "ranked" the 40,XXX best player in the game.  I have faced the cheaters , the people that I am confident that this is their job, the gamers who must spend hundreds on this game and some people that I like to think I have a lot in common with.  I have tried to save up my HUT coins and get better players, made trades, watch the players on twitch but I cannot get past level 3 but I keep coming back.  With 2 kids I play at most 2 games a day but I check in with the game every day because I have to get the daily bonus.  I used my Vita remote play if I am travelling or too lazy to go in the other room to turn on PS4 and I keep coming back.  I tried Shadow of Mordor, Monopoly (play the card game its worth the price) and even LBP3 but I always come back to my personal demon NHL 15.  So now it is decision time do I sell all my players and try and go over after someone like Crosby or do I continue to save and plug away to try and get someone better who will push me at least into Level 2.  If anywhere out is reading and would like to donate a great player please hit me up on twitter, comment in the blog or something.  If you just want to play some NHL hit me up on psn.

twitch - must see TV

So last night after pulling a 4-3 come from behind victory on NHL 15 in HUT League Division 3 (win the next game and I move up to 2) I was figuring out what to do next.  On several occasions I have watched different games on twitch to see if  I think I would like the game.  It worked for Shadow of Mordor but failed on Evolve but last night I watched NHL 15 on a few channels and realized how people get addicted.  Last night I started watching iceinmyvain on twitch.  A great NHL 15 player who was not only playing the game, holding raffles, giving away HUT cards (another crack-like addiction) and all in all interacting with the viewers.  I know twitch is not new.  I know people become overnight sensations on the "interwebs" but I watched this guy play for an hour.  Hell, he has his own currency for raffles - icebucks.  It was amazing to watch how him giving a shout out made these players days.  During my time watching I found myself not only picking up tips and tricks but actually cheering for this guy.  I "smashed" the follow button as he asked all the new "crew" to do when we came in. If you have not already tried twitch or if you are not using it to check out the game you are on the fence on... do it.  I have to log back on tonight for some icebucks.

Video Game Tournaments - Lets Try This!

E-sports are starting to creep into the main stream and I want in.  Events and prizes are getting bigger every week and this past week ESPN 2 dipped their toe back in the pond (http://kotaku.com/espn-airs-video-games-twitter-freaks-out-1700333433) and it made me wonder could I do this in my hometown?

So I thought why not give it a try.  I started the same way that everyone does... Google.  As I went down the rabbit hole my head started to spin:

Is it Legal in Ohio?

How much do I charge?

Can I make anything on it?

What games?

How many systems would I need?

Now before I answer some of these questions, let me tell you a little about my background.  I have dealt with venues and I do have experience booking bands so some of this is vaguely familiar to me

So like most folks I retreated to my basement to draw up a simple plan to see how I could make this work.  I started very simply.  $1,000.00 was my budget.

1.  Pick the games.  This was very easy Smash Brothers for the Wii U and Mortal Kombat for PS4

2.  Equipment:  To start I would have 2 - Wii Us and 2 PS4s .  3 - 32" TVs and one projector (for the Main Event)

3.  Venue: something close, I don't want to have lug this stuff around town

4.  Rules: Learn the rules... this was something that was difficult.  I needed to make sure I had the correct firmware and version for the game

5. Set the prizes: Is it legal?

6.  Could I get some sponsors?  What about asking the developers for some DLC or something

7.  What else would gamers want?  Raffles (those Amiibos are out of control).  Food?  No alcohol for sure

This seemed fairly simple.  I asked a lawyer friend who gave me a lawyer answer.  I asked is this legal and he quickly pointed out that video games are games of skill and not chance.  I asked " Have you ever played these games because luck seems to be a contributing factor"  He suggested everything from getting involved with a charity to starting my own league.  His final words still haunt me "I think if you keep it low key no one is going to hunt you down".  Really that is what passes for legal advice over drinks. 

So this lawyer friend got me wondering how did MLG get away with this in Columbus?  They had a huge event at the Convention Center and actually had Police work the event.   It was packed.  Again as planning and set up goes all I saw my video games hooked to TVs.  A few sponsors, you think you do not need a $100 joystick till you see others buying them and you think it does improve my reaction time by half a second. This event was $40 just to watch.  Once again $40 to watch.  The longest line at this event was the souvenir line.  They had some League of Legend Plushies and a few other exclusive items and did some raffles.  The line was HUGE.  This was simple I have had to read riders and meet with sound and stage folks and deal with rock stars. I left awestruck by the event.

Decision time:  I'm going to try it.  I should have a date tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to the challenge and think its time to pursue the dream.  I have started gatorzcap gaming and who knows maybe if I buy the right equipment I may turn this into a business or go after a big fish and start an EVO of my own.  I hope to have information here in the next few weeks.

Follow me on Twitter @gatorzcapgaming #thisoldgamer

Child of Eden and The Gun Slinger Demo

Child of Eden is one of the games I got most excited about for Kinect.  I saw it at E3 2010 and said I would get it.  For the past few months I have put it in and been amazed by the graphics, music but not impressed with the game play at all.  I like the premise but the game is just difficult and frustrating.  Now before anyone sends me anything, remember I am not a FPS guy.  I am constantly going off screen and have a hell of a time with the motion controls (yes I calibrated Kinect... several times).  I get to the first end guy do about half damage he comes straight at me and death comes my way.  I got this game during Best Buy's BOGO sale earlier this year so it cost me about $25.  Let me just say that trade in value is $5 so it looks like I am not the only one who dropped this title.  Not very family friendly and all in all disappointing.

Oh yeah before you ask I did not try it without Kinect because the box says "better with Kinect" and if that's better I don't want to see worse.

Grade - C-

The Gun Slinger demo was 100% better then expected.  The puppet controls and the whole live audience have sold me on this game BIG time.  This is not just a shooter.  There was platforming and a little fighting but the presentation sells this game (no matter how bad the acting)  The folks at Twisted Pixel have nailed a great demo and this game will be going down on my list for games to get for Kinect.

Quick notes:

• Bought NHL 12 this week game play has not changed much but glad I can knock down the goalies.
• I bought a new Xbox 360 Slim (last one I can promise you that)
• Is there any games that are Sharpshooter enabled that you can play together against AI for PS3, Socom 4 is getting a little stale.

Castle Crashers - Just Good Fun

XBL was one of the last things to work on my "old new" Xbox 250 gb Slim (see previous post) so I finished Castle Crashers on it.  For those who are new to Xbox Live or PSN for that matter, CC is one of the highest selling XBL titles in existence.

The premise is simple bad guys take pretty girls, good guys follow in pursuit and action ensues. This game is button mashing fun with great pick and play ability.  It is classic button mapping: a button for strong attack, regular attack, jump and use item.  The 2d graphics are straight out of a comic book and the guys (and one pink crasher who is free on XBLA) are awesome.  The comedy in the game is hilarious (watch out for the pooping deer) and is very family friendly.  There is some blood but its "cartoony" blood if there is such a category.

The boss battles are a blast (my favorite was the corn, yeah I said corn).  These are old school boss battles with a health meter and a weakness.  Nothing that made me throw down a controller but I had to start from the beginning a couple times but the difficulty was casual.  After death if you have earned enough XP you can upgrade your attack, defense, magic and speed.  Nothing makes that big of difference but toward the end I could see some changes (mostly on speed).  Playing with some friends was great because you can play up to 4 people.  The animal side kicks are cute but felt a bit tacked on.  For those wanting achievement points there are some that are simple and some that will make you scream (running through the barn without getting hit upset me more then once).

Finally the length / value of the game is great.  Sure you could knock it out in a couple of days but the challenge boards and simple premise make this a game you can always come back to with friends and without.

Bottom line if you have played X-men Arcade, Double Dragon or TMNT arcade and liked them this game is for you.  The price of about $15 is great and well worth it.

Grade - A

A few quick hits:

• Started Prototype because Prototype 2 looks cool.  Plenty of cut scenes at the beginning (too many) and is it just me or did they make the buttons for the better moves straight out of SFIIV
• NHL 12 and God Of War: Origins are out today.  Kmart has the best deal but I foolishly ordered at Best Buy.
• Thinking about opening a game store, has anyone got one or had any real experience with it?

Xbox 360 Blinking Light of Death = RROD Round 2... My Xbox Slim 2010-2011 RIP

I have said before in this blog that I buy all of my equipment and this week that played out on Tuesday when my 57 week old Xbox Slim 250 gb died suddenly.  That's right I said Slim.  I got what can only be described as the "Yellow Blinking Light of Death".  My Xbox went from a vibrant shiny council to to a non portable PSPGo! that can only play games from the hard drive.  I love Castle Crashers and Limbo but (to quote Chris Carter from ESPN) "come on man".

Let me start from the beginning to set the stage.  I have been playing Castle Crashers on and off for what feels like 2 years but I know its not.  I finally get to the end and going through the 4 portals and "slim" turns itself off with a slight "pop".  I'm upset but it turns right back on.  I thought maybe I blew a fuse (little did I know I was about blow a fuse).  So "slim" turns right back on with a nice strobe light effect for the power button.  I see the yellow light blinking and think I better check with forum gods to find out what the hell this means.  I turn to the Internet and come to the conclusion: contact the good folks at Xbox support.  I call the number and we start to troubleshoot.  Power Brick - checks out ok.  Unplug and reset - still blinking light.  Take out HD and turn on - still strobing.  Finally he says "open the disc and try a game" and then nothing happens.   Diagnosis - "bad disc drive".  Here was the kick in the head.  Dante (maybe from Devil May Cry) says in his most evil boss battle boss "I'm sorry your warranty expired July 28th it will cost you $100 to send it in to fix it".  Have you ever played (insert your favorite game) on line and been winning then the other person leaves with no warning... that is how it felt.  I was 5 weeks out of warranty. I was crushed.  I felt I had been finally defeated when they told me that the repair comes with a 90 day warranty on that repair.  It was like so far on a board having to start the entire level over again (I'm looking at you Demon Souls).  I hung my head and the phone up.  I looked at my games on the shelf, the Kinect seemed to look away from me as if betrayed by it's own family.

I had the Xbox 120gb Elite and found someone to buy it.  I liked the fact that "slim" had a bigger hard drive and WiFi built in.  I liked the look of the new system.  The way it shined in the stores.  Now I have to decide new system or get it fixed.  Gamestop claims they will give me about $90 in store credit for the paper weight.  So I want to warn you readers if that white or non shiny  Xbox is working please let it stay on the shelf until he/she gives up the ghost.  I wonder if that guy who bought my Xbox elite is treating her right... she deserved better anyway.

As for Microsoft you may want to start to look into this problem because all the slims are coming are going out of warranty and with Gears 3 right around the corner it would be terrible if this starts happening all over again.  You have admitted fault before it may be time to raise your hand one more time.  The Halo ad campaign said "Remember Reach" my new slogan when I look at my Xbox games is "Remember the 57th week". 

L.A. Noire or as I refer to it Light Rain

I did not play Red Dead Redemption and have been told by many people that I need to.  I ignored them but when I saw Rockstar games making LA Noire I watched and listened.  I remember the Naked City Trailer and realized that I had to jump in. I preordered at Best Buy to get the goodies and the extra offers.  Last night I finished it and well I was a little disappointed.  Not because it was over but I felt at the end it kind of went all over the place. 

First let me just say the graphics are incredible.  I thought Heavy Rain (PS3) was a step in the right direction and this made it look like it was running on the PS2.  The voice work is awesome also.  The language is crude but real.  This is not a game you can pop in when the kids are in the room.  The plot is good but much like some movies runs a little long.  There is an M rating on this and it should be.  The music is great, this is one of the few games where a soundtrack may have been a cool add in.  "Stone Dead in the Market" was by far my favorite and if you look at the credits (there is something small at the end) you will see some incredible names.  The attention to detail was incredible.

The game play is fun and really puts you into the shoes of Cole (Badge #1247).  You do a little bit of everything from driving (trailing a vehicle can make you want to throw a stick through your TV), shooting, a few puzzles, and stealth (one of the most fun).  The problem is the game play pretty much the same straight through which is not a bad thing.   The side missions are all pretty similar and there is the option of doing 40.  One will get you a trophy if you are into that.  In addition to the side missions there are 95 cars to collect.  You can drive anything, just go up to any car and get in (the music and ads on the radio are a nice touch also).  It was fun for a while but after 40 cars I got kind of bored and went back to the main story.  Hitting 20 of the 30 landmarks which was also fun.  The detail was so incredible you can tell this game took some time.

The actual story could have been a movie and the producer could have done just a little bit of editing.  The story is broken down into 21 cases and to get to the next level you need to find the clues to make your case.  Its kind of nice because the save points are plentiful and you can easily do entire case an hour with the exception of a few.  They all start out pretty much the same with some "killer" cut scenes.  You question individuals and must choose between truth, doubt and lie.  You can always back out of a lie if you want.  Your character says the same thing "sometimes you have to shake the tree..." anytime you back out of a lie.   Reading people was hit and miss.  I found if they looked you in eye and didn't twitch too much it was a "truth" by the end I was hitting "doubt" most of the time.  It was fun to catch some one in a lie and have the evidence to back it up.  The second act could have been shorter and the final act felt like it should have been longer.  Using the "intuition" system as help was kind of cool.  As your rank moves up you get these "points" and are able to ask the community or eliminate an answer.  When they would eliminate the "truth" the choice between doubt and lie blurred.  If you said lie you better be able to back it up and I can tell you around case 16 or 17 I didn't know what the hell was going on and somehow got through it.  I agree with my fellow reviewers that the end is a bit of a bummer but its worth playing through.  Bottom line it was fun and well worth the time but in my opinion not as good as Heavy Rain.

Grade - B+

Some small notes:

The Vita looks great it will be a must buy
Pac Man DX is great better then the original and well worth the price.
Limbo on PS3 for $15 seems steep for a game that's a year old
That Limbo - Trials HD - Splosion Man pack for $10 at Best Buy was a great deal
That PSN hack was out of control.  I kept checking it like I was waiting for something in the mail.
My friends and I are still playing Socom 4 on Tuesdays hit me up and I'll add you to the friends list

What I'm Playing:

PS3 - I have a huge back log I'm thinking about Castlevania or Tiger Woods 12
Xbox 360 - Alan Wake (this got bumped to play LA Noire)
Wii - Super Mario Bros.
PSP - Hot Shots Open Tee

Socom 4 - Multi-Player that will take you back - Starting Alan Wake

If you looked through my collection you will not find any FPS games.  Some people say I am missing out on great games but I will tell you that I just plain am not good at them.  While my friends were playing Halo 3 I was playing Ninja Gaiden and Ratchet and Clank.  From a few posts back you will see that I have the Sony Sharpshooter to go along with my PS Move and I love it.  Socom 4 came out to OK reviews but I have a few friends who purchased PS3s and we wanted a game we could all play.  Enter Socom 4... Mind you this is only the multi-player, I have not tried the single player campaign as of today, but its a lot of fun.  Using the Sharpshooter is easy and accurate so if you have the gun this is a must have anyway but playing with a few friends takes me back to sitting around my room playing Nintendo Tecmo Bowl with some friends.  The ability to make your own private room and play with just people on your friend's list is a blast.  Teaming up against the AI has been fun and started "Socom Nights".  The wives love it because we are home and know exactly what we are doing due to the screaming teamed with the profanity that spews from the depth of my man cave.  The graphics are great, the soundtrack will not win a Grammy and the M rating is dead on because of the violence as well as the language.  There is a slim possibility you may pick up a foreign language if you play this enough but the use will not be practical unless you are playing a game of hide and seek where you hate all the other players.  The learning curve is a little steep but soon you will be throwing grenades with the best of them shouting "fire in the hole".  I will review the rest of the game at a later date but right now just based on the multi player aspect I am willing to grade it right now.  If interested shoot me your gamertag and you can see when we are playing and jump on in.  We could use a vetran and we can always add one more newbie to the clan, headsets are preferred but not required.

Grade - B (Multi Player only)

I have not written a blog in a while and have had plenty going on both personally and professionally.  To update what I am currently playing:
PS3: Socom 4 & LA Noire (the graphics are as advertised)
Xbox 360: Alan Wake (play it with the lights off)
PSP: Hot Shots Golf and Castlevania Dracula X (just started)
Wii: Batman Brave and Bold (I keep putting it in but not hitting the power button)

Alan Wake is as advertised.  The constant battery gathering is a tad annoying but the story is great.  The premise is very a "summer read" (or should I say e-read now?).  The controls are good.  I will review later.  I picked this up at Blockbuster used for $10 and it had the downloadable content still in the box which was a plus.

Finally I am coming up on 100 hits to the site.  Maybe we can do some kind of giveaway if I hit a 1000.  Any ideas let me know...

Monopoly Streets - Mortgage it

When EA went on to make a "new updated" Monopoly Streets I sold off my "original" Monopoly Xbox 360 version and purchased the new one.  I think I may have mortgaged the wrong property.  Monopoly Streets is an updated version of Monopoly with fancy graphics but basically the same game play.  I took it out of the back log last night and threw it in my PS3 just to be disappointed 2 hours later.  The graphics are average, the characters are annoying and I just was not that impressed by it.  Let me just give a few examples:  Who ever thought of the "Daisy Duke" type girl for the wheel barrow should have to play Sonic the Hedgehog for the rest of his/her life.  If I heard one more "Yee-Haw" I think I was going to throw the controller through the tv.  The race car driver and boat captain are not much better either.  The problem is it is the same animation over and over again.  It gets to point where you are annoyed and can not hit the fast foward button fast enough.  Next the dice shake is a 2 button push instead of one.  Come on, if  you want to change it up use the sixaxis or Move controller, it seems lazy and tacked on.  The game also has people walking up and down the street that never interact with the characters and much like Casper they ghost right through when they walk by.  Show them watching the construction being built or have them visit me in jail. 

There are other ways to play to speed things up (dealing out the properties, Jackpot mode, etc.) if that is what you want but if you are having friends over I would not put this in unless there is nothing else to play.  This is a game I looked forward to and felt like I got it for steal at $30 instead its getting traded in at Gamestop as part of the 2 for $50 deal for LA Noire which seems like a great idea.  Two word review: Sad Face

Grade D - get the original

The Shoot - Fun on the Rails + PS3 Sharpshooter !!

Let me start this review saying that I picked up The Shoot on clearance at Target for $9.98 and it was well worth that.  The Shoot is a classic arcade rail game that you just point and shoot with the PS Move controller.  The basis is a bit simple, you are the star actor and go around shooting whatever comes at you without hitting the "civilians".  The director yells "encouragement" to you why you go through the levels.  The levels are simple.  Let me stress this game is for casual and trophy folks only.  Do not pick this up and expect the depth of Killzone 3 or Resident Evil 5.  There is no blood so the kids can play and everyone can see how accurate the Move is.  The graphics are fine the director gets annoying 10 minutes in.  Despite some of the flaws I found myself having some fun.  In some parts you have to duck to take cover and others you have to dodge knives and other objects thrown at you.  I was into it.  There are some power ups that include slowing time down, a shot that kills most enemies on the screen and one that allows you to go Rambo and not having to worry how many shots you fired.  Accuracy does come into play it is not  just how many times I can fire on the screen.  The "draws" are a bit hard to get used to ("draw when he pulls his gun" is more difficult then it should be).  The game is average and if you can find it for $15 or less this is fun distraction before you "move" onto your next game. But stay away at full retail....

Grade - C (one of the best clearance games I have bought)

Also this week I purchased the new PS3 Sharpshooter gun.  This is easy to use and a blast to play with.  The set up is simple and buttons light when the pieces are put together correctly.  Some would argue it is a little heavy with the Move wand and analog stick in it but after trying the Killzone 3 demo with it I was hooked.  You will like the pump reload to give that slight sense of realism.  I am not a FPS guy.  I do not own any FPS shooter games.  As a matter of fact I was upset the end of Ninja Gaiden 2 because of how much you had to rely on the bow and arrow.  The gun is the best "gun" I have used since I was Duck Hunting some 20 years ago on the NES.  At $40 its not bad but if you want to wait there is supposed to be a Socom 4 pack that includes game and gun. This gun dusted off my PS Move

Grade - A

Agree or disagree with the reviews, let me know...

Games I just started PS3: LBP2 and Enslaved  Xbox 360: Peggle

Brains? Plants Vs Zombies Review

As far as XBLA goes Limbo and Castle Crashers are some of my favorites but running close behind is Plants vs. Zombies.  The disc version of the game is yet another tribute to Pop Cap games and all their Peggle goodness.  At $20 the disc is the way to go and not just because you get the addicting Peggle (and the less addictive Zuma).  PvZ is just a fun tower defense game with great graphics.  If you liked Pixel Junk Monsters on PSN then you should have this game for the 360.  The premise is very simple: zombies are coming in the backyard and you must use different plants to stop them using everything from pea shooters to mushrooms.  The level design is very straight foward and your strategy will vary from board to board depending on the elements.  You must deal with day, night, water, rooftops and more.  The Zombies vary by design and you will have to choose the right set of weapons to defeat different creatures of the night.  In my opinion the zombies with a balloon are by far some of the toughest to defeat with the pole jumping zombies right behind. 

This game is the right amount of challenge and fun with boards taking as little as 15 or so minutes.  This game also stars Crazy Dave who works as the shop keeper to add extra weapons to the arsenal.  He is a trip when he comes on the screen.  This game is for all ages and is very pick up and play.  This game also features some mini games that are quick and fun to play.  Zombie bowling is fun, don't worry its nothing like Wii Bowling.  On these long winter nights this game is both economical and fun but can be hard to find so you may have to look around.  I looked this morning and Best Buy did not have it listed on their Buy One $19.99 and get one half off sale.

Grade - A

Update: Force Unleashed 2 - PS3 - This is not the game you are looking for...

One of my Christmas gifts this year was the brand new Force Unleashed II for the PS3.  As a child that grew up in the Star Wars era this game is right up my alley.  The first game was great (I had the good ending for the first one) and I am disappointed to say the second one is not.  Let me explain before the hate mail starts.  I am almost through the game so its not liked I picked it up for 10 minutes and thought more of the same.  The story is not as good as the first one and I am not ruining anything for you by telling you the cameos by Yoda and Boba Fett are just that... cameos.  As a matter of fact the Yoda subplot actually feels tacked on.  The gameplay is the same so its mostly pick and play.  The new force rage is very much like God of War.  The double jump dash is a bit annoying you will find yourself really having to concentrate to make a few crucial jumps.  The violence is minimal and if the kids watch the cartoon they can handle this.  One thing that is funny at first but quickly becomes annoying is the chatter among the stormtroopers.  The funniest one is at the beginning on Kamino when they talk about learning to swim.  The boss battles are either easy or hard you will find the board with the casino fun to "explore".  If you want more information on the boss battles shoot me a message I will help where I can. 

Grade - C - Sorry George Lucas

Update:  I finished this game last week and let's just say the end does not save this game.  My only suggestion is when it comes to choices you may want to go toward the light and use You Tube for the other.

How can I win the Holidays but be "cool"?

One of the questions I get from parents and friends is "What game and/or system do I buy  for _______?"  I know that the 13 year old wants Call of Duty: Black Ops and its assumed the younger kids want something for the Wii.  I have a problem with both these gifts.  Here are some tips on how to give "cool gifts" and a way to be a Santa...

Let's deal with the teenage crowd first.  A 13 year can play Black Ops and be really good at it, the problem I have is going online with a game like this.  The single player campaign is only half the game in most of these FPS.  I have heard the argument you can't always control what your kid does on Xbox Live or PSN but you can.  There are a ton of other great games out there this Holiday season.  Black Ops promotes little Billy being locked in his room yelling into his headset till 3 in the morning. Its the Holidays damn it lets get everyone in front of the Xbox, PS3 and Wii.  Here's a few winners to try instead:

ModNation Racers - PS3 - this game is Mario Kart but better.  The commentary is funny and the controls are very pick up and play.  Plus the races are short so everyone gets a turn.

Viva Pinata - Xbox 360 - There mini games are fun and can get fierce fast.  Plus some of the games favor the players who are losing to make it closer so anyone can win

Pac Man Championship Edition - Xbox 360 - Look online on sites like Ebay for the compilation disc which I think has Uno on it to.  Its a throw back for 30 something gamers and puts you on the same plane as the new generation.  Again games are timed at 5 minutes so its outstanding.

Super Mario Bros. Wii - 4 player action and not a lot of buttons to learn.  Much like Pac Man brings old and new gamers toward a common goal... fun.

Lego Anything - All platforms -  Lego games are very good games for parents and kids to play together.  The games themselves are easy.  Finding 100% of the items and unlocking everything is tough.  Plus for parents the guides are all over the Internet so if you can't find something look it up.  Let the good people at Google help you find it.  I find IGN has a great site with good guides.

Move and Kinect are great family fun but are much more expensive.  Move can be costly at $100 for the starter kit and $50 for an additional wand but that covers 2 people.  Only 2 people can play Kinect at a time for the same $150.  Both come with a game and are fun.  For the Move,  if kids are around EyePet is pretty cool and for Kinect Kinectamals is cool too. 

Most the games listed above can range from $10 - $40 with the peripharals (Move and Kinect) going for much more.  Also those maybe harder to find.

I know what you are thinking though what is going to make me look like the hero this Holiday season.....

Another game system... I know I know but its always cool to have 2 systems. The PS3 is one of the best BluRay players on the market and the new Xbox slim has built in Wifi and a new sleek design.  What better way to graduate from the Wii then to get into "next generation gaming".  Want to make it better, have it hooked up on Christmas morning.  If you have a great gift idea, leave it in the comments.

Kinect - the new Guitar Hero or Wii

I'm guilty I am an early adopter.  I bought the PS3 bundle from Wal Mart so I could get it "first day".  I bought the Move and Kinect also (my review of Move is in an earlier blog).  So over the weekend family and friends gathered at our house for a party and I put on the Kinect, before I get to the results I want to go over the set up. 

1.  I have an Xbox Elite 120gb (the old one) with a wireless adaptor
2.  I have a pretty good amount of room
3.  I still had to move furniture
4.  I am pretty good with the set ups

It took me some where between 10-15 to get the wires where I wanted them and to hook up my wireless adaptor.  I would give yourself between 45-60 minutes set up time before the game play can start.  So do not unbox this thing at a party and tell Santa to hook it up before Christmas morning. Put the disc in and away I went.  Directions are easy to follow on screen.  Now to the fun...

The disc is some typical mini games but its fun and fast.  There are five different mini games to start.  All show off the fun of the controller.  There is an aquarium mini game where there are cracks in the tank.  The now famous "human breakout" that was used in the demos at E3 where you hit a ball back at the wall, a rafting game, a pop the bubble game that is located in space and a running game where you need to duck/jump when cued.  Each game is easy to learn.  See it once and away you go.  This is where the party fun begins.  Each person can jump right into Kinect view and start to play.  At our party everyone from 10 year old nephew to my 40 year old brother jumped in the same spot on the floor and played with minimal problems.  Each game takes 5-7 minutes at most.  The best part of this process was Kinect will take 3 pictures of you playing during game play.  Some you will see coming others you will not.  The fun ensues with the ones you are not expecting.  Everyone had fun.

This is the new Guitar Hero/Wii.  Let me explain. 

1.  This may be hard to find, you can see by the Amazon icon this thing is selling upwards of 20% over cost and some stores are already out for now.  MSRP is $150

2.  This is fun for the whole family.  Grandma can get up and plug the leaks and its fun to watch.  With the camera I can already see the pictures that could be posted.  Remember the famous Wii fit girl?  http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=wii-fit-girl&videoId=262460

3.  Its easy, remember picking up Guitar Hero and letting your four year old niece play the drums, I do.

4.  How will it hold up in the long run?  For the longest time my Wii was the expensive bookend I have ever had.  Most of the games are the same but who cares until they are all the same.  Everyone "bowled" on the Wii but what else was there?  Nintendo was forced to change and years later everyone is catching up.  Lets hope I don't just jump and duck. 

5.  Dance games and exercise games will be huge on this so college kids will go crazy for this.  Its a party starter and whats funnier then when I reach for my drink so does my avatar.  Plus my wife may want this so what is a better reason to buy it.

Grade - B

Xbox 360 quick reviews & Kinnect Deals

Last week we gave the PS3 love and this week with Kinnect right around the corner I decided it was time to do some quick reviews for the Xbox 360.  The first game up for review is Ninja Blade.  The best way to describe this game is Ninja Gaiden meet God of War lite.  The mechanics of this game are similar to Ninja Gaiden (the reason I bought it) with quite a few quick time events and just like God of War they can get annoying at time because there are so many.  The story on this one starts well enough but gets worse as it goes on.  This is your typical button masher with big boss battles but the best part of this game is the price.  Usually you can find it in the 29.99 or less bin.  This game is an ideal title to tide you over between games you are waiting for.  This game does do plenty right and was kind of a sleeper Xbox exclusive and is great if you are buying an Xbox and looking to expand the game library without going broke.

Grade - B


Monopoly seems to come out for every system every time.  I remember having this for the Sega Master System so many moons ago and the problem is it really hasn't changed.  There are new ways to play the game and the game still takes a while.  The AI has only improved slightly even at the most difficult level.  The deals they propose are usually terrible for one player sometimes including them.  The control scheme is a bit troublesome also.  There is a light at the end of this tunnel: the new mini games on this Monopoly are fun and kept friends and family entertained for sometime.  This game screams rental though, once you have gone through the mini game once or twice it gets kind of old and playing single player seems kind of dull.

Grade - C

On Thursday Microsoft releases Kinnect for the Xbox 360 and there are a few deals out there but it sounds like finding the thing is going to be tough enough.  Kmart offers a $25 coupon/reward for buying it there and an additional $15 coupon for a game purchased with it.  The new book is out at TRU and has $10 off $75 on the back page so that is an option also.  Looking at games Target has Buy 2 get 1 Free and looks like Amazon is going to match that deal but do not use 1 click when when buying.  Later this week more Xbox games and I will be reviewing Kinnect more toward the middle of the month.  Any questions please ask...

NHL 11 - Lets Go Pens! - Target Buy 2 get 1 Next week!!

I am confident that my brother and I have a small ownership in EA Sports.  I look at my collection to see year after year of NHL titles I have purchased and think I am the one feeding this beast.  NHL 11 has some minor tweaks to it that make it better then the previous year (broken sticks, new physics engine, updated rosters) but there is something far more addicting... the new card game that you can play in the Ultimate Team which I will address later in this review.

The game is mostly the same, the graphics are slightly better and the game play has improved some.  I am still against the pinning against the boards "button" because it seems like you can get someone if they are anywhere near the boards but I digress... The game play is fun and is always better having some friends over to the house or on the headset.  Simple to learn how to play and the shooting system is great using the right analog stick but knowing you can always use the "classic" set up for your stick from NHL 94. 

I am not bragging but I win the Stanley Cup every year I have played be a player.  I have upped the difficulty (I usually play on Pro and above) and still come out on top.  This year I have a new vice Ultimate Player.  This card game mixed in with my NHL game play has me playing as my own nicknamed team: Toledo Gatorz.  You get everything from uniform cards to skill cards and player cards.  For all you old school gamers it reminds me a lot of Baseball Stars for the NES.  You get points to buy cards and can play in tournaments.  The part that will draw you in is the auctions.  You can bid/trade players and not just NHL players, all the players in the game, so start brushing up on your CHL prospects.  You will quickly look for your favorites (Eric Tangardi) and try to acquire them.  This will require you to play all while managing contracts and playing each game.  It is addicting and oh by the way you buy these packs from your PSN account too (the EA beast rumbles).  My only flaw is I wish I could put my player from Be a Pro into this mode, maybe next year EA.  Here is my gamer tip of the week play the demo first for Ultimate Team you get some free packs when you load the game to give you a head start...

This game is great.  If you are hockey fan this is must have.  Fantasy Sports hockey fan you should already have this.

Grade - A

Holiday shopping season is right around the corner and Target is helping you out next week.  The famous buy 2 get 1 free sale starts next week.  Basically 33% off games.  I know Best Buy has this week too but its on limited titles.  Also the rest of the week I will get to some quick reviews on the Xbox 360 and Wii