AndrewTS

I don't think all of the EA games were released until 2005--but Madden was, at least. However, if he does get a PS2 for him this year, he won't be alone. Let's face it, the biggest-selling console this Christmas will almost definitely be the PS2 yet again. The exception likely being Japan, where likely another million or so DSes will be purchased.

"Mature" means you swear a lot, use the occasional racial slur, and require a certain minimal level of gore, violence, and/or space marines in your games, right? The EA sports games are on every system. That's not an advantage PS2 has over any other console except Gamecube. PS2 will likely get the EA games for the next 3 years, though. Let's face it, the PS3 isn't even going to be available for the mass market until the middle of next year, and even then the price tag will encourage EA to put versions on the more established/affordable consoles. The very last Madden game the PS1 got was Madden 2005!!!! There's still plenty of $$$ for them to make on the PS2.

Who will be Death?

I've finally cleared novice (held up by Jumping Jack Flash for a little, that is), and had begun on normal. Canned Heat is creaming me now. It shifts from slow to fast beats so quick it's hard to adjust. Plus, the elite gauge drops so quick that if you don't get plenty of 300s you'll be screwed in a hurry. To play the last few songs, do you have to clear Normal or Hard? By fiddling around with the options, I discovered that the game is compatible with the Rumble Pak. Do you only get the Pak when you get Metroid Prime pinball?

There's a few pieces you need to put in the tray--it's easier to mod than the older PS2: http://www.swapmagic3.com/ The new PS2 colors have been modified a little--so read up on what you'd need for your model.

Believe me--I don't think that Paul is just going to roll out of bed and make a worse movie than Van Helsing without even trying. He's going to have to *work* at it, and I have faith he can pull it off. Note from Kotaku: I wonder what the disagreement was? I'm calling it right now--Milla Jovavich is Sonia Belmont! Count on it.

Original link works for me, and it could technically go in either. AVP/RE is more recent. Plus for some stupid reason, those movies made buttloads of money--well, mostly on DVDs, but still. I'm still holding out hope that this'll turn out to be another Metroid, with all talks of it being sucked into oblivion, but it isn't looking good.

The big draw has to be the question "can Paul WS Anderson, given a smaller budget, likely a less talented cast, and a similar concept, possibly make a movie worse than Van Helsing?" I have faith that he can. He just needs to find a more flamingly gay Dracula, a stiffer Belmont than Hugh Jackman, and he can make Milla Jovavich the obligatory magic-using girl...who knows martial arts...and ends up laying the smack down on Dracula after whatever Belmont is featured dies in the 2nd act.

Guitar Hero 2 apparently doesn't work on PS3 (and I assume 1 wouldn't...) http://ps3.ign.com/articles/745/745329p1.html

The shadow of Halo will loom over this game like nothing else. When H3 comes out everyone will say "Gears of What?"

Jeremy Parish got to play up until the end of the 2nd dungeon: http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3155134 And that took about 10 hours for an actual seasoned player. Not just Nintendo's estimates. So yeah, this is an insanely huge game. I'm glad I already called off work for the release day.

I've long awaited another project from them. However, there's little you can tell from this (they are teasers, tho, afterall). Naturally these won't give you a taste of the expected sharp writing, though.

Aren't the WWE writers working on these games? I think this is proof they're on some big time mind altering drugs Why does the bald man turn into a chick with LONG BLOND HAIR and an appropriately fitting outfit? His hair isn't even blond normally!!!

I don't know if I'm good enough to even make it that far. I have a loooot of practice I'll need to put in. Am I the only one here who has EBA and doesn't have Ouendan? EDIT: I just got my first A rank on Highway Star (Novice). I got a Perfect, 68 "300s", 16 "100s", 0 50s and no misses. So yeah, looks like you have to get almost all 300s. I started a little bit on Normal--I thought that would be all insane speed and tons more beats. Some of them actually just have different timing--a bit slower on many beats. So the trick is not jumping the gun there. OTOH, Normal has way more circles on top of each other--which I guess takes some insane practice to get the timing for.

Conan said that his severance pay is like $30,000 per month. Not bad scratch for ruining someone's career (okay, being 40% responsible, anyway).

Yeah--I honestly can't see how anyone could be upset about it other than some minor annoyance over a few crap songs being in. I hope it's a hit here. BTW, I encourage people interested in the game to *not* buy it at EB/Gamestop. They're charging an extra 5 bucks (at $35), when you can get it at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. for $30. Why? I don't know. They're just bastards, I guess.

Okay--sooner or later I'll have to get one.

"Canned Heat" totally ruined me the first time--so I hear ya. Once you've played through it a couple times, it's not such a big deal, though. "Let's Dance" is a similar deal--but what makes that tricky is that it keeps prompting you for more and more beats without really letting up. I think I got a majority of 300s on many of my B-ranked missions--but by "majority" maybe it's "almost all." Probably what helps on the older songs is that you likely know them inside and out. A vid of the "Inspiration" mission for those without the game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irTk0MO0T5s

Movie-going audiences won't understand "different writers, different director," tho. It's another Hulk movie and the last one was crap. The Batman Begins ad campaign was heavily based around the fact that it was a franchise reboot, and it was still wasn't that big of a success.

My local Target has begun hocking the more worthless of the Wii accessories--controller gloves, dog tags, and a system case. They also have the light-up gift cards and an Activision trailer DVD.

September, as well, is probably my fave, followed by Highway Star and Canned Heat. However, "Inspiration" is a really well done cover, the stage is fun and even makes you kind of weepy (well me, anyway, but I'm a sensitive guy anyway. ) I can't comment on Jumping Jack Flash because I've yet to reach it yet ("Without a Fight" is kicking my ass.) I've yet to get a single A rank, though. The best I've been able to do is B's--I've been "Perfect" on several stages but it's very tricky to get 300s on every beat. However, the game is so damn fun I don't care if it happens. Biggest surprise: how fun YMCA was. "Material Girl" really flops between irritating (beginning) and rather fun (mainly the chorus). However, the part after the cabana is built--the return to gameplay really hits you off guard. No warning at all! Nintendo is publishing it under their "Touch Generations" label, i.e. one of those games they assume is great for just about anyone (non-gamers included) to play. Not sure about that, with the way the difficulty ramps up, but I definitely see it having broad appeal and big sales if marketed right. Oddly, I haven't seen a single commercial for the game, except for one I saw while flipping past Kids WB one Saturday morning.

Awesome!!! Rather strange we aren't getting Super Mario World yet, though.

If you have a DS USB dongle, that will work. You can also use a USB ethernet kit. Oddly there isn't an ethernet port on the Wii.

So it's pretty much just like the original: pretty game, with utterly vapid, repetitive gameplay.

Yeah. "Beating" the levels isn't so hard, but mastering them is very tough. However, if you pay a bit more attention to the music than the on-screen cues, it's easier to get the 300 pt. markers. But "The Anthem" is really hard on Novice, for cryin' out loud. I might have to get Ouendan eventually--the game is really addicting. However, there seems to be some mistranslation here and there. It still feels like a Japanese borne and bred game. Agreed. A comparison of the two, for those who didn't see when I last posted it: