{"id":3246,"date":"2010-12-12T07:12:37","date_gmt":"2010-12-12T12:12:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.calvertgames.com\/cgblog\/?p=3246"},"modified":"2010-12-12T08:11:19","modified_gmt":"2010-12-12T13:11:19","slug":"gaming-news-and-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.calvertgames.com\/cgblog\/2010\/12\/12\/gaming-news-and-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaming News and Notes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the last three weeks, starting right before the Thanksgiving break, I have been on a torrid (for me) gaming rampage. I think I have logged more hours on my PS3 (and even a few on the oft forgotten PSP \u2013 Ghost of Sparta<\/em>) than I did in total January through October.<\/p>\n

I have to say it has been fun. Almost like a kid in a candy store. Gaming nirvana if you please. I have found this latest zone has helped me decompress and even get in some quality time with the kids. These days I don\u2019t question how long this ride will last; I just keep on plugging, enjoying it until I put down the controllers.<\/p>\n

Crazy Taxi<\/strong>
\nAfter pickup up my PS3 Slim for Father\u2019s Day, I flipped Crazy Taxi<\/em> on eBay. Not because I no longer enjoyed the game; I consider it one of the ultimate pick and play titles. It is just a damn good arcade gaming experience, which blends the perfect elements of short bursts of gaming excitement and the pursuit of high scores.<\/p>\n

Besides, the PS3 Slim more or less forced my hand, since it is not PS2 backwards compatible. Of course in my back pocket I knew Crazy Taxi<\/em> would be headed towards the PSN.<\/p>\n

The PSN edition seems to be the same game, minus the licenses (Levi\u2019s, KFC, music, etc), with slightly harder controls compared to the PS2 and Dreamcast versions. Crazy Taxi<\/em> is still a fun arcade experience; one that the boys enjoy playing with dad. As an added bonus, the PSN version also provides the pleasure (or frustration \u2013 take your pick) of pursuing Trophies.<\/p>\n

FIFA 10<\/strong>
\nShame on me for not playing this one more over the past year. FIFA 10<\/em> is a fantastic sports game, and the virtual pro feature being balls out fun. In my dotage, I have a hard time pulling off decent skill moves, so my pro still seems a little stiff and rough around the edges. As a striker, I am all offense, with almost no defensive skills. I think my rating is currently 72 and climbing.<\/p>\n

Rumor has it Santa is bringing me FIFA 11<\/em> ($29.99 during one of the Thanksgiving deals), so I figured I better maximize my FIFA 10<\/em> experience before Christmas so I will not feel so guilty when I trade in or eBay FIFA 10<\/em>. And maximize I have; in fact I have probably spent more time with FIFA 10<\/em> than any other game in this article. Fun and highly addicting!<\/p>\n

Gran Turismo 5<\/strong>
\nAfter waiting an eternity (at least it seemed that way), we finally have a proper Gran Turismo<\/em> on the PS3. I picked up the Gran Turismo 5 Collector\u2019s Edition<\/em> \u2013 I love the series, even if it is not the best pure \u201cracing\u201d experience around.<\/p>\n

After starting off with one of the 25+ versions (or whatever) of a Toyota Corolla, I have been slowly making my way through the game. Due to so many other games in my rotation (or call it my gaming backlog) I have not started the long slow GT grind. I have picked up my B and A licenses, and while I could keep on trying to progress, I have been working on locking up all B and A license Gold trophies, which seems damn near impossible for some. \u00a0I actually find this pursuit more relaxing than frustrating; I get in a zone and keep plugging away, slowly decreasing my times until I strike Gold.<\/p>\n

The only GT game that I managed to \u201ccomplete\u201d at 100% was the first release \u2013 Gran Turismo<\/em> for the PSOne. \u00a0It has been a long time since those days! \u00a0I doubt I have that much spare time to really go after that mark with GT5; however I am sure I will maximize my value (gaming dollar).<\/p>\n

I think the game has already been patched 3 times, so the developers did end up rushing the game, which is a bit of a surprise considering the long delay. Over ambitious? Probably. \u00a0At least the developers are supporting the game and trying to make things right by the fans.<\/p>\n

Sports Champions<\/strong>
\nMy family has discovered the joy of playing Bocce. At least we are enjoying Sports Champions<\/em> version of Bocce, and we are having a blast learning the rules and associated skills. \u00a0My mother is giving my oldest son a Bocce set for the backyard. I love it when videogames cross pollinate real life!<\/p>\n

I think my kids\u2019 favorite is volley ball, closely followed by disc golf. My favorites are archery and disc golf, and I also find gladiator duel an interesting diversion. Ping pong is the favorite of my 3.11 year old, but I find it damn near impossible.<\/p>\n

On a side note, I need to get two more Move controllers for some serious volley ball and archery dual Move head-to-head action. What would that investment be? Almost $325? I have already \u201cinvested\u201d $100 camera + Move controller, $50 second move controller, $35 Navigation controller, $30 Move charge station. Ouch. Archery is a blast with two controllers, so I can only imagine how much fun it would be to have a two-player archery duel with 4 Move controllers!<\/p>\n

On more side note. The Navigation controller seems poorly supported. I think the only Move game I have that takes advantage of it is Heavy Rain<\/em>. Need to come back to Heavy Rain<\/em> in a future article.<\/p>\n

My Aquarium<\/strong>
\nDid I really buy this one? Just for the hell of it I downloaded My Aquarium<\/em>. It is a great concept, with extremely poor execution. The graphics are not acceptable; in fact I was not even sure this was an HD title, but from what I have read, My Aquarium<\/em> is in fact presented in HD \u2026 just without the normal eye popping graphical glory. It really is a damn shame that this virtual screensaver does not look nicer, and to make matters worse, the interface is unbelievable clunky, complete with unresponsive controls.<\/p>\n

If a \u201cgame\u201d begged for updated graphics with Move support, this is the one. To the good, Trophy whores<\/a> will find a few almost freebies on offer; apparently you can cheat to get them quickly, however I am earning my Trophies the old fashion way. It will probably be a year before all the fish unlock, giving me a cheap Gold Trophy.<\/p>\n

Uno<\/strong>
\nI dismissed this one out of hand when it was previously released, however I did pick it up on sale for $0.99. It is OK at best \u2026 I mean it is Uno. I have played a few games online, but I disappointed that a couple of disconnects in the \u201clobby\u201d counted as game discounts. That or someone figured out a way to hack a couple of wins against me; I am not enough of a junkie at this game to try to follow my statistics to see why the game thinks I have abandon a couple of gaming sessions.<\/p>\n

I think you have to really love Uno in order to pick this one up. Not bad for $0.99, but not worth a whole lot more than a single ducket. Then again, this could be a nice diversion if someone wants to get their wife into videogames.<\/p>\n

Hustle Kings!<\/strong>
\nPlus continues to deliver interesting content and discounts. I picked up Hustle Kings!<\/em> a couple of weeks ago when it was discounted to just under $6. I have only played a few times, but the game seems to offer a really nice pool experience. The bar locations have great aesthetics \u2013 music, presentation, and graphics.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll comment more on this one in the future. I picked it up mainly because I suck at pool in real life, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that playing a virtual game will actually help me in real life. To a certain degree it already has, at least when it comes to adding some backspin on pocket shots. In real life I would scratch, following the ball into the pocket, but I am getting the hang of how to avoid this mistake. Hope it carries over!<\/p>\n

Hustle Kings!<\/em> also supports the Move. I am not sure how it compares to playing with a DS controller because I have only used the Move. The game appears to do a good job of supporting the Move, however I have to admit that my poor old fingers and hand gets a little cramped trying to line up fine precession shots. As I said, more on this one later.<\/p>\n

Closing<\/strong>
\nDid I just do that? Good grief; that is a lot of gaming playing!<\/p>\n

Happy Sunday!<\/p>\n

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