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Big Man vs. Machine

From The Washington Post:

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. — All around him there is music now. Jangling. Clanging. A little steel ball rolls up a ramp and down the ramp, off the bumper, off the flipper, off the wall, back up the ramp, back down the ramp. Lights flashing. Numbers roll.

At this moment, Todd MacCulloch is not watching the numbers. He seems to hear nothing of the constant noise ringing around him like a Las Vegas lobby in his basement, so engaged is he in the plight of the rolling steel ball. In fact he is a remarkable sight: a 7-foot-tall, nearly 300-pound man who once thrust his ample girth against Shaquille O’Neal’s in two NBA finals, standing at a pinball machine called Medieval Madness that is distinguished from the dozens of other machines that surround him solely by its a ghoulish, metallic moans…
See the full article here [Washington Post]

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Video game classics still generate interest

From Taipei Times:

The HD age dawned three years ago in the video game world and brought novel gaming concepts, breathtaking graphics and crystal clear sound. Video games had never seemed closer to reality. And then something happened: the technological prowess of the consoles was also harnessed to revive ancient classics of video gaming. That means that today’s Xbox, Playstation and Wii aren’t just showing off the latest in visual fireworks, but now also have been put to work on long-lost, but well-loved classic titles as well.

That includes a new iteration of the Prince of Persia game, designed to return the series to its roots. It’s been almost 20 years since the prince first stumbled his way through dank dungeons to rescue his beloved princess.

“In terms of the core gaming concept, nothing has changed to date. It’s still about rescuing women and getting through levels using acrobatic tricks,” said Jan-Erik Sjovall, an animation artist working Ubisoft’s Montreal offices.

Want to see if differences from the original Prince of Persia game are really just marginal? No need to dust off your old computer and floppy disks. Microsoft’s online Xbox shop offers a glimpse…

See the full article here [Taipei Times]

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X-Arcade Tankstick Makes its Way Across Languages

Xataka, a Spanish tech site, took a look at the the X-Arcade Tankstick, also known as the “StickTank” for you Romantic language goers, with a mini-review. See it here.

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Playstation Home Comes Home

Seemingly a game in itself, the Playstation Home brings a new level to the Playstation Network by creating a virtual environment for your virtual self. After many delays, Playstation 3 users can finally enjoy a social hub where they can dress up, hang out, play games, buy things, among other activities.

So what exactly is the Playstation home? Users will get a piece of virtual space called “HomeSpace” that can be decorated with accessories, pieces of furniture and designs. Outside of HomeSpace users are confronted with a virtual city where they can visit and interact with

other users from around the world. The surroundings are interactive too! Mini-games are found all through out the city

in many forms, including a bowling arena where friends can play billiards, arcade games(featuring the PSP’s maze-game Echochrome) and, of course, bowling.

At the Theater, users can check out an assortment of HD movies and game footage never seen before. Promotional

music and trailers can be heard/seen on a cinema screen placed right above the theater entrance.

Other locations include a hang-out spots such as the Clubhouse, which are local to your region, a shopping center to purchase goods(for yourself and for your HomeSpace), and areas where game developers have created their own space to showcase their products.

Only at version 1.0, Sony has already confirmed that it plans to add much more to the Playstation Home world, including more personalizations for HomeSpace, a trophy and Hall of Fame system, and possibly more locations to visit.

Sources:
Sony’s Official Playstation Home Website
PS3 Fanboy’s Playstation Home Preview

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Holiday Wish List - Top 5 gifts for the gamer

It’s that time of year again when some of the best things come to us. What’s on your wish list? Well, the people from Examiner.com have put together a shopping guide to make it easier to find gifts for the gamer in you and me. The number 1 thing most wanted? The X-Arcade Machine. Of course, we need our Yamaha RH101MS Headphones, and our King of Kong DVDs, but it all wont be complete without that X-Arcade Machine, a gift that will truly bring tears of happiness to your eyes.

Check out the full list [Examiner.com]

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