Video: 3DS Gameplay: StreetPass Puzzle

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Video: Nintendo 3DS Creates Mii Using Photograph

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Nintendo 3DS Price Guide

The Nintendo 3DS is now out in Japan. It'll be out in Europe a month from now, on March 25, and two days later in North America, on March 27. Although the selection of games available at launch differ from region to region, it's the same piece of hardware no matter what country you're in.

There was some initially some displeasure following Nintendo's announcement that the 3DS would cost $249.99 in the United States, making it $50-$70 more expensive than the Wii. And indeed it seemed quite expensive compared with the DS, which launched at $149.99. But comparing the U.S. pricing of the new handheld with how it's priced in Japan and the United Kingdom, it suddenly looks like a much better deal. The system alone is more than $55 cheaper than it is in Japan. The savings are even greater over what those in the United Kingdom will be paying for it, depending upon which retailer you go to. With Nintendo leaving the U.K. price up to retailers to decide, there's been some battling over which can offer it for cheapest. Even with this going on, the U.S. still gets it the cheapest, and you don't have to worry about which store is offering the best deal.

Games are also significantly cheaper in the U.S. Presently, all 3DS games in the U.S. cost no more than $39.99. Europe's cheapest games, meanwhile, are $48.33, or as much as $64.45. Japan's games range in price from $58.79 to $74.59. Nintendo could jack up the price for its big-name releases (Mario, Zelda, etc.) by $5 or $10 in the U.S. and still they'd be cheaper than they would be in the U.K. and Japan.

The 3DS might be coming to the U.S. later than it is in U.K. or Japan, but the other two are paying for it -- literally. Read of for the full breakdown on hardware and software prices in the three regions.

Japan (February 26, 2011)

System:25,000 yen ($306.18)

Games:4,800 yen - 6,090 yen ($58.79 - $74.59)

Suggested retail prices follow

• Nintendogs + Cats - 4,800 yen ($58.79)
• Winning Eleven Soccer 3D - 5,800 yen ($71.00)
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition - 4,800 yen ($58.79)
• Samurai Warriors: Chronicles - 6,090 yen ($74.59)
• Puzzle Bobble 3D - 4,980 yen ($61.00)
• Ridge Racer 3D - 6,090 yen ($74.59)
• Battle of the Giants: Dinosaurs 3D - 5,040 yen ($61.73)
• Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle - 5,980 yen ($73.24)

United States (March 27, 2011)

System:$249.99

Games:$29.99 - $39.99

Following game prices from GameStop

• Pilotwings Resort - $39.99
• Steel Diver - $39.99
• Nintendogs + Cats - $39.99
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition - $39.99
• The Sims 3 - $39.99
• Madden NFL Football - $39.99
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D - $39.99
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars - $39.99
• Ridge Racer 3D - $39.99
• Super Monkey Ball 3D - $39.99
• Bust-a-Move Universe - $29.99
• Samurai Warriors: Chronicles - $39.99
• Asphalt 3D - $39.99
• Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D - $39.99
• Rayman 3D - $39.99
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars - $39.99

United Kingdom (March 25, 2011)

System:194.99 GBP - 249.99 GBP ($314.24 - $402.87)

Games:29.99 GBP - 39.99 GBP ($48.33 - $64.45)

Following game prices from GAME

• Pilotwings Resort - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Nintendogs + Cats - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• The Sims 3 - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars - 29.99 GBP ($48.33)
• Ridge Racer 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Super Monkey Ball 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Samurai Warriors: Chronicles - 32.99 GBP ($53.17)
• Asphalt 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)
• Rayman 3D - 34.99 GBP ($56.39)

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Active Time Babble XXXII: BioWare's Mike Laidlaw, Dragon Quest VI&Valkyria Chronicles 3

Okay, I give up. For months now, I've been receiving requests to record Active Time Babble on a more regular basis. It's what we Americans do: take a good thing and gorge on it until we hate it, then talk about how it was never that great to begin with.

Well get ready, because this is the first of what may be three straight weeks of Active Time Babble. Are we good now? Yes? Okay then.

I had planned on kicking things off with a Dragon Quest VI chat, but the recent glut of RPGs has kept anyone else from really playing it, so I'm going it alone once again. I take questions regarding both DQVI and Valkyria Chronicles 3 in the first couple segments, and share my misgivings for both. It's strange, I enjoyed both games, but it was negavity that bubbled to the surface this time around. I believe both of these games require further examination.

In the second segment, BioWare lead designer Mike Laidlaw joins me as we continue our examination of the upcoming Dragon Age II (which I actually happen to be playing at the moment). Unfortunately, a fairly shoddy Internet connection in some technical problems, so the sound occasionally hiccups. It's not enough to detract from the conversation, but you should be aware that it's there.

Next week we'll be tackling GDC, and I plan to get in as many guests as possible in between tackling a steadily more insane schedule. Expect plenty of chatter on both the eastern and western side of things as the entire game industry descends upon San Francisco.

Until then, here's the breakdown:

Episode Breakdown(download it now!)

• 0:00 | Theme&Introduction
• 00:35 |Valkyria Chronicles Analysis
• 16:15 | Musical Interlude: Main Theme (Valkyria Chronicles)
• 16:45 | Dragon Quest VI Analysis
• 32:00 | Musical Interlude: Town Theme (Dragon Quest VI)
• 32:30 Interview: BioWare's Mike Laidlaw
• 01:11:30 | Musical Interlude: The Lazarus Project (Mass Effect 2)
• 01:12:00 | Outtro&Next Episode

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This Week in 1UP Community 2/23/11

I've always been happy with the amount of community engagement of this site -- so many of you write quality blogs, insightful message board posts, and create hilarious videos. So, there's nothing stopping me from finally sharing some the staff's personal favorites once a week. Of course, this does not mean we've seen every single contribution made, therefore you shouldn't feel discouraged if you're not mentioned. If you feel like you deserve to be recognized for your talents and we haven't acknowledged them yet, just send me a message!

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First 3DS Game Review Scores from Japan

This week's issue of Japanese game magazineFamitsucontains the first reviews for the Nintendo 3DS's lineup of launch games. The text for these reviews isn't available yet, but the scores have leaked out on the net.

The scores are about what you'd figure, withNintendogs + Catseasily being the highest-scorer and old franchises likeDynasty Warriors,Ridge RacerandProfessor Laytonall doing well. Among the duds, meanwhile, is the 3DS version of classic tile puzzlerShanghai-- the only 3DS launch game to get rated 5/10 by aFamitsureviewer.

Click on for the full list of scores, and come back later for fuller summaries of what the reviewers had to say.

-Winning Eleven 3D Soccer: 8/8/8/8, 32 points

-Dynasty Warriors Chronicle: 9/9/8/8, 34 points

-Shanghai 3D Cube: 7/7/7/5, 26 points

-Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition: 9/8/8/9, 34 points

-Super Monkey Ball 3D: 9/8/8/7, 32 points

-Puzzle Bobble 3D: 6/6/6/6, 24 points

-Ridge Racer 3D: 8/8/7/9, 32 points

-Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracles: 8/8/8/8, 32 points

-Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs: 6/6/6/6, 24 points

-Nintendogs + Cats: 10/9/9/10, 38 points

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Why A Link to the Past is Still the Best Zelda Game

1UP Celebrates The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary

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The Legend of Zelda Gameography

1UP Celebrates The Legend of Zelda's 25th Anniversary

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Game Night with Bulletstorm

Live video by Ustream

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Why Doesn't Bulletstorm Feature a Co-Op Campaign?

The campaign mode inBulletstormis a strictly single-player experience. At one point co-op was implemented and did function, Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski has explained -- it just didn't wasn't right for a game that focuses on taking your time and being creative with how you kill enemies.

"{I}t was in there at one point and it actually worked, but we found that the game shifted from being this kind of puzzle-shooter into essentially this downhill skiing simulator, where people were seeing how fast they could get to the bottom of the mountain,"he toldThe Telegraph."Really the game just broke down, and it was a situation where people would race through the game, ignoring the vistas and they wouldn't set up as many skillshots.

He added,"So when we made the decision to go straight campaign, it gave us the chance to put in one-offs that could only be controlled by one player, like the giant robotic dinosaur, where you don't have to worry about Player 2, or slow motion one-offs that could only occur in a single-player game."

It's an understandable (and significant) problem, so it's hard to blame Epic or People Can Fly for leaving co-op out of the campaign. Fortunately, Bulletstormdoeshave multiplayer support, including a form of co-op called Anarchy mode. It's similar toGears of War's Horde mode; up to four players fight off increasingly difficult waves of enemies while still trying to land skill shots (the various types of unique kills you can pull off, such as shooting an enemy in the butt or impaling one on a cactus).

Bulletstorm has been the center of some controversy due to its over-the-top violence and language -- Fox News evenposeda question asking if it was the"worst videogame in the world."You'll be able to decide for yourself next Tuesday, February 22 when it lands on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3

Source:Eurogamer

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Talk to the Retronauts About Zelda - Live!

When we brought theRetronauts podcastto an end last fall, it wasn't for spite, malice, or lack of love. The simple fact is that we simply lack the classic-games-loving manpower around the office to talk about the medium's history for a couple of hours every week or two. We intended to switch over to a video format, but that fizzled out when we lost our video producer...the following week. D'oh.

At the same time, we really love hosting our semi-annual live panels at Penny Arcade Expo (in fact, you can come catch us talk about the 16-bit console wars in a few weeks at PAX East 2011!). Your energy, enthusiasm, and feedback give us a lot to go on. Obviously, though, we can't bring people together to participate in live recordings in our office every week.

But what if we could split the difference?

Tomorrow, we'll be giving it a shot. From4-4:30 p.m. Pacific Time(7-7:30 p.m. Eastern) Friday, Feb. 18, we'll be taking to the studio and opening up a phone line to field your questions and thoughts on the topic of the week:The 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. The original Zelda launched in Japan on Feb. 21, 1986, and on Monday we'll be posting the recording of our session in the studio to mark the occasion.

Want to participate? Please do! You can reach us in that 30-minute period at415-547-8778. Please keep your comments on-topic, and bring your love of all things Zelda. Except the DiC cartoon; it was pretty awful.

Spread the word! Tell your friends! If this works out, maybe there's new life yet for this Retronauts thing. We'll talk to you soon.

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SCEJ President Talks The PlayStation's Future, His Communist Years

Hiroshi Kawano, current president of Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, has worn a lot of hats in his career. After joining Sony in 1985, he spent a couple years working as a salesman in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, shilling TVs and Walkmans to passers-by in the world-famous electronics mecca. That changed in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall."All the Communist countries were collapsing after 1989, and since Norio Ohga {Sony's president at the time} had been a music student in Germany once, he had a real passion for the whole region,"Kawano toldFamitsumagazine in this week's issue."He wanted to get people into Eastern Europe as soon as possible now that we could do business there -- basically, he wanted someone young, strong, and without a lot of intelligence. I thought I was going to be sent off to America, but then the HR department went to Ohga and said 'I know this is a crazy coincidence, but we've got a guy on standby who satisfies all there of your requirements!'"

How was it behind the iron curtain?"Brutal,"Kawano recalls."I had no office, and I certainly didn't have any employees. I told them that I had no motivation whatsoever for this job. I mean, I couldn't even find any of those countries on a map back then, and they wanted me to start a complete business from scratch. It took about five years, but I managed to get us set up in Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and so forth. It was really a valuable experience -- I rode around in a car with bulletproof glass because there was always this risk that I could be kidnapped."

After returning from Europe, Kawano spent the majority of the ensuing years in America before being recalled to Japan last year to take over SCEJ. His first major project: Spearheading the design process for the NGP, the PSP successor Sony formally unveiled at a Tokyo conference last month."The NGP isn't something that's driven solely by us at SCE,"he toldFamitsu,"because in the end, it's got to receive support from gamers. We visited a number of companies to discuss this because we wanted to know and care about what the creators and front-line developers thought. This started last spring, right around when I came to SCE. We received all sorts of opinions from developers, and they liked some things and didn't like other things. That debate process was something I think was extremely important for us -- I think a lot of creators, not just the ones that spoke at our conference, really feel like they were an integral part of the NGP's hardware design process."

Kawano may not have a long career working with video games, but in the interview, he displayed a refreshingly open mind when it comes to user feedback."When you think about how to make a platform popular and exciting, eventually it all comes down to how the users are participating in the thing,"he said."We need more than ourselves and the software companies -- we need the users, and we also need the media contributing. If we have a clear vision and drive on how to expand our platform and the industry in general, that allows us to expand our ideas and get down to the core of what we're doing. We wouldn't leave everything to the users' whims, but we can turn an eye to them, at least. I want to be able to absorb what users think of the things SCE and the publishers are doing, and I think we'll be establishing a project like that."

SCE had one of its best holiday seasons ever last year, with hardware shortages common in Japan and PSP flagship titleMonster Hunter Portable 3rdselling over 4 million copies in a month. But Kawano is wary of resting on his laurels."Sony's business has shown that after the initial success, there are always challenges that come afterward,"he said."If you hit with something, then you're reluctant to change anything later on. The game industry is no different; it's facing tough challenges partly because of the successes it's experienced in the past. Whether we can overcome those challenges or not depends on how adaptive we decide to be. The thing is, though, we have all the technical skills, the people, and the resources we need to manage that. That's why I think the PlayStation has a bright future ahead of it."

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Double Fine's Next Game: Sesame Street for Kinect

Since the decision came from a publisher to not proceed with a sequel toBrutal Legend, Double Fine has beenfocusingon smaller projects likeCostume QuestandStacking. Its next game is much different than either of those two; rather than come up with another new IP, Double Fine is teaming up with Warner Bros to produce a newSesame Streetgame titledSesame Street: Once Upon a Monsterfor Kinect.

"It's great to be working with Warner Bros., especially on a game like Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, which brings together so many things we all care about,"said Double Fine CEO Tim Schafer."Sesame Streethad a profound effect on me, and many members of the Double Fine team, when we were children. So did video games. Now many of us are parents and we want to share with our kids the great experiences we had, but also the completely new ones made possible by cutting-edge technology like Kinect for Xbox 360. So it's a labor of love on many levels."

The game is described as a"truly original interactive experience"that tells the story of players joining classicSesame Streetcharacters to explore the titular storybook Once Upon a Monster. Players will interact with the game through activities like dancing, jumping, and flying. Warner Bros. announced last month that it would beproducingaSesame Streetgame that would use motion controls.

A licensed game like this is a first for Double Fine, a company that's probably best known forPsychonauts. The game will also be aimed at a much different demographic than previous titles, so it should be interesting to see how it turns out. It was not specified if this would be a retail or downloadable title. When announcing that it had four titles in the works last July, Schafer stated that some would be downloadable and others would be retail -- this could very well end up falling in the latter category when it's released this fall.

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PlayStation 2's Lifetime Sales Surpass 150 Million

The PlayStation 2 is the best selling videogame console of all time including both home consoles and handhelds. As of January 31, the system has sold 150 million units worldwide in just under 11 years.

Next month will mark the 11-year anniversary of the PS2's release in Japan. It'll reach that same milestone in North America this October. Sony's announcement does note that the 150 million figure is a sell-in number, as opposed to a sell-through number -- that is to say, that's how many systems have been sold to retailers as opposed to units sold to customers. With a collection of more than 10,828 games available for the system, more than 1.52billiongames have been sold through the end of 2010.

The announcement made sure to remind everyone that Sony did controler-less gaming before Microsoft in a paragraph talking about the EyeToy. It's an easy opportunity for it to brag and enjoy this occasion. However, Sony may not hold onto the record of best selling system for long. As of December, the DS -- on the market since 2004 -- had sold more than 144 million units. The 3DS is sure to hamper DS sales as we go into the future, but surpassing the PS2 seems more than doable for Nintendo.

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Xperia Play Detailed: First U.S. Carrier and Release Window

After officially revealing the existence of the Xperia Play with acommercialduring the Super Bowl, Sony Ericsson has formally introduced the device during a presentation at the Mobile World Congress event today. After many leaks revealing just about all there was to know about it, we did get two especially important details today: Its first carrier in the United States and a release window.

The Xperia Play will begin shipping worldwide in March. Verizon Wireless will be the first carrier in the U.S. to have the phone -- it'll be releasing it sometime in"early spring."It's a major coup for Verizon after finally getting its hands on the iPhone this month.

The presentation was filled with all the hyperbolic statements you'd expect -- it's a"revolutionary milestone in our industry,""it's a killer new form of entertainment,"and other similar comments were presented with an awkward shtick. Mixed in with all that was some actual information that will be of interest to gamers: 50 games will be available at launch, all of which are"optimized"for the phone. A PlayStation Store for the phone will launch later this year. At launch, it will ship with a"legendary"PlayStation One game that was not identified.

Support from many developers was promised -- Electronic Arts, Gameloft, and Glu Mobile (which has worked with Activision, Atari, PopCap, Konami, and other game companies in the past) were named. Unity Technologies was also thanked for its support; it's noteworthy for its game engine that powers many games that can now be ported to the Play. Confirmed for the system, though not necessarily for launch, were Battlefield, Assassin's Creed, Dead Space, and Guitar Hero, the latter of which felt like a stange announcement given what hashappenedrecently.Dungeon Defenders Second Wavewas played on stage and will launch first on the Xperia Play.

The phone runs on the latest Android release, Gingerbread (version 2.3), and is available for MWC attendees to try out, so expect to be hearing impressions over the next few days. A price and exact release date are two of the remaining details Verizon now needs to officially announce. With the phone shipping next month, it shouldn't be a long wait.

{Image courtesy ofEngadget.}

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Departing Salute - The Best of DS #12: Mario&Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

In2514 days, Nintendo launches its 3DS handheld system in Japan, to be followed a month later by the European and American versions. While the arrival of 3DS doesn't mean its predecessor is completely dead, we're definitely moving into the DS's latter days. That makes now the perfect occasion to catch on up all the DS games you've missed. In the days leading up to 3DS's Japanese debut, I'll be looking back at the best the DS had to offer -- my favorite games for one of my favorite systems ever, and some others that I may not be totally enamored with but can respect for their general importance. This isn't a definitive list or anything. It's an op-ed column! Please feel free to voice your dissent in the comments.

Previous entries:1.Bangai-O Spirits| 2.Brain Age| 3.Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow| 4.Contra 4| 5.Dragon Quest V| 6.Dragon Quest IX| 7.Etrian Odyssey III| 8.Feel the Magic: XY/XX| 9.Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light| 10.Kirby: Canvas Curse| 11.The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Departing Salute Entry 12:Mario&Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Developed by:AlphaDream
Published by:Nintendo
Genre:Incredible RPG journey
Date:Sept. 15, 2009

ThebestMario RPG is 2001'sPaper Mariofor N64, which exists outside the continuum of this series. I am, after all, writing about DS games. But that frees me to write about thesecond-best Mario RPG, which is 2009's Mario&Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (which I will henceforth call M&L3, because the full title is way cumbersome and doesn't shorten with anything resembling elegance).

M&L3 marked the seventh time the Mario brothers had ventured out into the world of role-playing. It succeeded the two least popular Mario RPG entries to date, Partners in Time and Super Paper Mario, and I think a lot of people dismissed the game out of hand after being disappointed by its predecessors. But that was their loss, because M&L3 was great. It seems seven reallyisa lucky number.

Let's begin with the graphics. Despite coming off a little simplistic and cutesy in screenshots, M&L3 is a beautiful-looking game. You have to see it in motion, I suppose, but every element of the game is dripping with detail. These details collect into pools of animation in which it's entirely too easy to drown. Big, rounded, colorful sprites are everywhere, moving with fluid grace and demonstrating the greatest number of totally superfluous incidental animations I've seen sinceFinal Fantasy TacticsorSymphony of the Night. So, yeah, basically I'm saying that this is a game that showed off the same degree of subtle detail seen in the two most subtle and detailed big-budget games of the PlayStation era. And here you thought portable games were lightweight fluff.

Equally deserving of praise, though, is M&L3's game design. The whole adventure is broken into sections: sometimes you play as Mario&Luigi, sometimes as Bowser, sometimes as Mario&Luigiinside ofBowser as mushroom-fueled micronauts. It's a mad hybrid of the first two Mario&Luigi games, the scenes from the Paper Mario series where you stomp around as Bowser, andHoney I Shrunk the Kids. It's all very amusing, although it's best not to think too hard about the scenery when you're scampering around Bowser's innards. Sometimes it's kind of gross.

The best moments of the game are the ones that play up the odd duality-slash-relationship between the Mario brothers and Bowser. The bros often play a role Bowser's battles, as he'll swallow foes and let Mario and Luigi deal with them -- a variant on Partners in Time's four-character battles, but far less clumsily designed and considerably easier to manage as well. Meanwhile, as the brothers, you spend much of your time running around Bowser's guts restoring the powers that he was robbed of at the beginning of the story. This is necessary to progress and all, but the brothers find themselves facing off against the Koopa King on multiple key occasions. At each new encounter, he's stronger and more capable than he was the last time you fought.And you have no one to blame but yourself.

And, of course, it's an amusing game all around. Funny situations, witty localization, all highlighted by the return of Superstar Saga's popular villain Fawful. Even on a system choked with RPGs, M&L3 merits notice.

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Shenmue Creator to Receive Pioneer Award

Famed Sega developer Yu Suzuki is set to receive a special award at this year's Game Developers Choice Awards. The event is to take place during the 2011 Game Developer Conference next month. He will be presented with the Pioneer Award, described as celebrating"those individuals who developed a breakthrough technology, game concept, or gameplay design at a crucial juncture in videogame history."

Suzuki has had a long career at Sega that includes developingShenmue,Virtua Fighter,Virtua Cop,Hang-On, andDaytona USA, among other games. Last December, 1UP ran acover storyon Shenmue that included an extensive,two-partinterview with Suzuki, who created the series, and aresumeof the many games he's had a hand in making over the past 25-plus years.

Suzuki was previously honored with an induction into the Interactive Arts&Science's Hall of Fame in 2003. The GDC award show will take place on March 2 at 6:30pm PST. Earlier in the day, at 10:30am, Suzuki will be conducting a lecture entitled"Yu Suzuki's Gameworks: A Career Retrospective."

Previous individuals to have won the Pioneer Award include Valve's Gabe Newell, the"Father of Videogames"Ralph Baer, and Harmonix founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy.

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Active Time Babble XXXI: Tactics Ogre&Dragon Age II

There are apparently two ways to pronounce"Dragon Age:"as epically as possible, or like a crazed gnome. That's just one of the topics we explore in the latest episode of Active Time Babble (though not for too long, thankfully).

The first part of the episode actually focused on Tactics Ogre, which received an A+ inJeremy's review. Long story short, it's a fantastic remake of the tactical RPG that helped define the genre, and is well worth a look. Just in case you're still on the fence though, this episode breaks it down pretty thoroughly over the case of an hour long chat between Jeremy and myself.

In the second segment, Scooter and I convene to discuss Dragon Age following a preview event that we both attended last week. I'm actually looking forward to this one, not the least because it actually looks fun to play on consoles this time around. Plenty of tidbits worth noting in this segment, particularly the fact that it's roughly 90 percent the same engine as the original (and yet it looks pretty darn good -- bit of an"Avatar: The Last Airbender"vibe).

Next week, I hope to dive into Dragon Quest VI and Valkyria Chronicles 3, and maybe a little Xenoblade and Last Story as well. And it won't be long before it's time to give the Nintendo DS a proper sendoff as well.

Until then, check out the full breakdown below.

Episode Breakdown(download it now!)

• 0:00 | Theme&Introduction
• 00:35 | Tactics Ogre Discussion
• 51:30 | Musical Interlude: Chaotic Island (Tactics Ogre)
• 52:00 | Dragon Age Discussion
• 01:21:53 Musical Interlude: Overture (Tactics Ogre)
• 01:22:15 Outtro&Next Episode

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Expanding Variety of Game Platforms a Challenge for Publishers

There are more ways to play games than ever before -- in addition to the dedicated gaming consoles and handhelds, mobile phones, the iPad and other tablets, and social networking sites are just some of the areas gaming is becoming an increasingly large factor in. That plethora of platforms is a real challenge for publishers like Activision, which are now faced with a lot more ground to cover.

"One of the biggest challenges we face right now is that, while several years ago there was just the 360, PS3, Wii, Xbox, PS2, and the DS, now we just have so many different platforms and pieces of interactive entertainment that are vying for consumers' time,"said Bob Loya, Activision's director of developer relations and acquisitions, in an interview withGamesIndustry.biz.

He continued,"It's much harder now, because we're competing on so many platforms, so many mechanisms for getting content to gamers -- and as exciting as it is, it's extremely challenging to get your consumer and keep them. They have so many more options now."

While it might be a challenge, having a wide variety of ways to get games into the hands of potential customers seems like a good problem to have. Loya went on to talk about his excitement about Kinect, revealing that Microsoft may soon be showing some new Kinect games for hardcore gamers.

"I'm really excited about Kinect,"he said."I know that Microsoft is gearing up another round of games that's probably going to be focused more on the core gamer -- that's extremely exciting for me, to see what they're able to come up with, and see what the technology is able to do for those core audiences, as opposed to the casual audiences which it already does a great job for."

Just yesterday, areportsurfaced about the rumored Gears of War game for Kinect. A trademark filing also recently came to light for something calledGears of War: Exilewhich -- if it is the Gears of War Kinect game -- we might be hearing about soon if Loya is right.

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Fox News Calls Bulletstorm the Worst Videogame in the World

As a game filled with violence, profanity, and skill shots with names like"Deep Penetration"and"Gag Reflex,"Bulletstormwas sure to draw the ire of those who routinely take issue with violent videogames. But it's not every day that a game is bestowed a title like"worst videogame in the world"for said content, yet that's what Fox News is suggesting in areporton Bulletstorm and its contents that earned it a Mature rating from the ESRB.

Beyond that eye-catching headline, the report also quotes various experts, several of which denounce Bulletstorm's violence. Psychologist and author Carol Liberman had an especially harsh comment regarding violent videogames, saying,"The increase in rapes can be attributed in large part to the playing out of {sexual} scenes in videogames."The basis for this claim isn't mentioned in the story, and is simply presented as an accepted fact.

Psychologist Jerry Weichman also offered up a statement:"If a younger kid experiences Bulletstorm's explicit language and violence, the damage could be significant."

The story also focuses on the supposed shortcomings of the ESRB rating system. It's suggested that laws be put in place similar to Califronia's which makes it illegal for a Mature-rated game to be sold to a minor. The penalty is a $1,000 fine.

Electronic Consumers Association president Hal Halpin was quoted in the story as saying,"Between a great ratings system, parental controls on the consoles, and the major retailers inhibiting the sale of Mature-rated games to minors, the matter is really one for parents and adults to consider, individually. I respect the creative rights of game developers to make a game like Bulletstorm in the same way that I appreciate Quentin Tarantino's right to make over-the-top movies likeKill Bill."

Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinski recently spoke toCVGabout Bulletstorm's violence. He said he finds the attacks on the industry"very scary,"but also sees it as flattering. He added,"There wasn't any sort of process {during the game's creation} where we considered ripping off someone's head and shitting down the neck or something like that. It was all in the name of fun."

There is, of course, the notion that any publicity is good publicity -- this will certainly raise the game's profile beyond whatDuty Callscould accomplish. But at a time when the Supreme Court is in the process of deciding alandmark casefor the videogame industry, it can't be good for a major news outlet to report on a claim"that sexual situations and acts in video games -- highlighted so well in Bulletstorm -- have led to real-world sexual violence"without citing any actual studies or evidence.

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Departing Salute - The Best of DS #7: Etrian Odyssey III

In2519 days, Nintendo launches its 3DS handheld system in Japan, to be followed a month later by the European and American versions. While the arrival of 3DS doesn't mean its predecessor is completely dead, we're definitely moving into the DS's latter days. That makes now the perfect occasion to catch on up all the DS games you've missed. In the days leading up to 3DS's Japanese debut, I'll be looking back at the best the DS had to offer -- my favorite games for one of my favorite system ever, and some others that I may not be totally enamored with but can respect for their general importance. This isn't a definitive list or anything. It's an op-ed column! Please feel free to voice your dissent in the comments.

Previous entries:1.Bangai-O Spirits| 2.Brain Age| 3.Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow| 4.Contra 4| 5.Dragon Quest V| 6.Dragon Quest IX

Departing Salute Entry 7:Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City
Developed by:Atlus
Published by:Atlus
Genre:RPG
Date:Sept. 21, 2010

I realize this list is a little heavy on RPGs so far, but there's a good reason for that: The DS has been a spectacular system for fans of traditional role-playing games. And I do mean traditional, even more traditional than Dragon Quest. Now, the only way to get more traditional thanDragon Quest Vis to delve way back into gaming's primordial soup days, to when RPGs were dungeon-crawling affairs rendered in wireframes on personal computers that rendered graphics so slowly you could watch the lines draw themselves down your monitor... and that's precisely what Atlus did with the Etrian Odyssey games.

The originalEtrian Odysseycame out of absolutely nowhere back in 2007 and instantly polarized gamers. You either got it and loved it, or you were baffled at how such a backward creation could possibly have made it to market in this modern era and hated it with the fury of a thousand angry suns. I got it right away: it was a first-person RPG hearkening back to the days ofWizardry, but far more playable by contemporary standards. Those were the days before I played RPGs, or even owned a gaming device of any kind. But playing the game awakened a faded memory of watching other people work their way slowly through deadly dungeons in search of treasure and victory.

Plus, there's an important tactile component to the Etrian Odyssey experience in that you draw a map of the dungeon as you explore on built-in graph paper. This works as a convenient litmus test for the age of a player. If they find mapping the world a chore and a nuisance, they clearly aren't old enough to remember the old days before auto-mapping. But for anyone who used to game with a ream of graph paper by their side, Etrian Odyssey's use of the DS touch screen elicits a smile and a fond sense of nostalgia -- not to mention a powerful sense of satisfaction as they slowly take command of the unknown depths of the labyrinth, bringing order and conquest to an intimidating void.

So, Etrian Odyssey isn't for everyone. But it's definitely for me. Not only is it the series I've spent the most time with on DS (easily more than 250 hours between the three games... and I've yet to seriously delve into the third), it also demonstrates the diversity of the DS library and audience. Etrian Odyssey is ultimately designed for an older set of gamers (though young 'uns are free to join in), a very specific group of people with very specific tastes who, five years ago, probably weren't paying much attention to portables. A lot of adult gamers are shifting their attention to handhelds these days, though, and with Etrian Odyssey Atlus recognized and capitalized on that shift.

All things considered, the most recent chapter of the series -- Etrian Odyssey III -- is arguably the best of the trilogy. Again, I've only seen about a fifth of the total game, but the balance, pacing, variety, and options are much richer than in the first two chapters. Yuzo Koshiro's retro-tinged musical themes are better, too. Despite being patterned after the ancient and relatively primitive Wizardry games, the series incorporates a lot of modern niceties, and part three is the most modern and nicest of the bunch. Dungeon-diving is broken up by sailing; the class system incorporates a multi-classing option; and the story even has multiple outcomes (or so I hear). You're still the guild leader of a bunch of blank slates, but the things you can do with your team of ciphers is exciting and challenging and interesting.

You know. If you're into that sort of thing.

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Departing Salute - The Best of DS #5: Dragon Quest V

In2521 days, Nintendo launches its 3DS handheld system in Japan, to be followed a month later by the European and American versions. While the arrival of 3DS doesn't mean its predecessor is completely dead, we're definitely moving into the DS's latter days. That makes now the perfect occasion to catch on up all the DS games you've missed. In the days leading up to 3DS's Japanese debut, I'll be looking back at the best the DS had to offer -- my favorite games for one of my favorite system ever, and some others that I may not be totally enamored with but can respect for their general importance. This isn't a definitive list or anything. It's an op-ed column! Please feel free to voice your dissent in the comments.

Previous entries:1.Bangai-O Spirits| 2.Brain Age| 3.Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow| 4.Contra 4

Departing Salute Entry 5:Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
Developed by:ArtePiazza et al.
Published by:Square Enix
Genre:RPG
Date:February 18, 2009

In the time I've been writing reviews for 1UP --more than seven years now, he moaned sadly as mortality loomed above him like a grim specter-- I have handed out exactly two scores of A+. Well, one A+, and one 10 out of 10 before we moved to the letter scale. The important thing here is: Dragon Quest V was one of them.

Does it seem strange that of the hundreds of games I've reviewed, I found more to admire in a simple-looking remake of a 15-year-old RPG than in countless of big-budget blockbusters? That a game whose visuals appear to have been scraped directly out of the PlayStation's innards circa 1997 could wow me more than countless high-definition, immersive experiences? Well, maybe it does, at that.

But Dragon Quest V speaks to why I love this medium more than just about any other game I can think of. And it speaks in a humble voice, eschewing the screaming din of so many so-called"AAA"titles. In its quaint, quiet way, Dragon Quest V tells the story of a single man whose life is beset by tragedy yet who presses on to do the right thing. It's a more affecting tale than you'd think by mere appearances, and it's actually quite clever: it's an RPG that doesn't focus on the tale of the legendary hero who alone can save the world, but rather on the person who's dedicated his life to finding that hero. Not to get all messianic here or anything, but imagine if the Gospels had been told entirely from the perspective of John the Baptist. That's Dragon Quest V for you.

As for how it plays, well -- Dragon Quest is Dragon Quest. The specifics of the action vary from game to game, but you can always count on turn-based battles with a common set of spells and skills and whatnot. Unique to this game is the ability to recruit defeated monsters after battles -- it's random, but occasionally a bested foe will want to tag along and become a party member. Depending on how your random number generator falls, your party composition will probably vary wildly from playthrough to playthrough. Different monsters have different powers; as I mentioned in my review, one of my favorite strategies was to go into boss fights with a Goodie Bag, which was practically indestructible but would rarely obey orders. If things went south, I could count on it being the last standing survivor and eventually winning a war of attrition against any but the toughest bosses. These kinds of strategic options keep Dragon Quest V's ostensibly dated battles interesting.

Of course, there are human party members as well, but these are less amusing to have in your party. They're great from a story perspective, though, because each and every one has a deeply personal connection to the main character. Your party is no ragtag rabble of strangers, but rather an intimate family unit (and their host of pet slimes and golems, of course). The specific composition of that family is a key decision point for the player at around the game's mid-point, as a matter of fact.

I've written plenty about Dragon Quest V's excellence, bothformallyandcasually. Rather than try to express its greatness here, I'll simply direct you to those articles -- or better yet, recommend you play it yourself. The DS has played host to countless RPGs and remakes, but Dragon Quest V is the best of both worlds, and an essential part of any DS owner's library.

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What Madden NFL Can Learn from Super Bowl XLV

When I first sat down to write this article earlier today, it was with the intention of churning out a list of desired improvements for the inevitable Madden 12. It probably would have included a few of the most common wishes:

• Fix the hit detection and the physics so that players aren't warping into one another on tackles

• Overhaul the franchise mode, beginning with adding in incentive-based goals ala NHL 11

• Create a more authentic television-style broadcast like the one found in NBA 2K11

And so on. Really, if you've played Madden at any time in the last five years, you know the rest.

What it all comes down to though is that Madden is probably well overdue for a comprehensive overhaul. Hell, Tiburon even admitted that the reason they didn't touch franchise mode going into Madden 11 was because it would have meant ripping out all of the code and starting over again. Most of the changes that people want simply can't be added in just one year.

I would be happier though if the Madden team made a change that has nothing to do with the game's nuts and bolts. I want them to stop thinking about how to further monetize the game with the"Madden Ultimate Team"mode, and I want them to stop thinking for a moment about how to make the game more accessible for newcomers (though I actually don't mind GameFlow too much).

As we get ready for the Super Bowl and the first Madden 12 info, all I want Tiburon to be thinking is,"How can we make the Madden experience that much more authentic?"

I think they would protest that they work hard to make sure that every player is rated properly while including touches like tiptoe catches. But if they were really thinking in terms of"authenticity,"I think we would already have a true ESPN-style broadcast complete with sideline reporters and (good) halftime shows. We would already have a franchise like the one in NHL 11, where completing certain goals will earn perks like a second phone for making trades, while failing others will simply get you fired.

And as someone with an actual online franchise team (Redskins, 5-2), I wouldn't have to use a third-party program like League Manager to see who's in the Pro Bowl, or get a comprehensive look at my team's stats.

Instead, their proudest accomplishment is the aforementioned Madden Ultimate Team, which basically turns Madden into a collectible card game. It's not a horrible idea, but it does little to address the issues that lay at the game's very foundation. The sort of issues that result in players running through walls after scoring touchdowns.

To Tiburon's credit, they've done quite a lot this year to tune Madden 11's gameplay throughout the year. Zone defenses have been a particular beneficiary of the fixes, as they have gone from"very useless"to"fairly dangerous"in order.

And yet, when EA inevitably predicts the Super Bowl with Madden 11, I won't be paying attention. There's an air of unreality to a game in which balls warp into the hands of players and Chris Collinsworth comments,"The defense recovers the ball ....AT MIDFIELD!."

In an ideal world, watching a game of Madden would be almost indistinguishable from watching a television broadcast. 2K Sports has already reached that point with NBA 2K11, but that's partly because they've had a very strong foundation to build from. Meanwhile, NFL 2K5 arguably has better nuts and bolts than Madden 11 (another common refrain among sports fans).

Seriously, even the 2010 Madden Moments use the wrong rosters. Is it that hard to set things up so that the 2010 Ravens don't suddenly have Anquan Boldin on their roster? It's time for Tiburon to put as much thought into the overall experience as they do their player ratings.

Based on a few recent tweets from EA's Ian Cumming, long overdue changes are in fact on the way to the game's franchise mode. With any luck, coaches, scouts and trainers will actually make a difference this time around, and I'll be able to practice with my own players in online franchise mode. It probably won't be the refresh that Madden really needs -- the series is simply too successful for EA to risk cooking the golden goose -- but it is a chance to lay down a solid foundation for the future.

If Tiburon really want to make their road to the Super Bowl something special though, all they have to do is watch the real thing this Sunday. All the answers they need are right there.

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Two PC Battlefield Projects Canned

In order to focus onBattlefield 3, DICE has decided to cancel two Battlefield projects it had in the works on PC:Battlefield 1943and the Onslaught add-on forBattlefield: Bad Company 2.

1943 (pictured above) was a multiplayer-only, $15 take on the Battlefield franchise first released on the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network way back in July 2009. The PC version was also supposed to hit in 2009 and had beendelayedrepeatedly since then.

TheOnslaught DLCfor Bad Company 2 hit both consoles' download stores last June. It was a co-op mode where players could take on waves of computer-controlled enemies, similar toGears of War's Horde orHalo's Firefight modes.

DICE general manager Karl Magnus Troedsson wrote on theBattlefield blogearlier today,"While we'll continue supporting Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and previous games, it's time to look ahead to the next giant leap for DICE -- the release of Battlefield 3, powered by the mighty Frostbite 2 engine. Our goal is crystal clear: we're going to build the best Battlefield game ever, and we'll do whatever it takes to make this the biggest launch in DICE's history.

"We know some of you eagerly have been awaiting Battlefield 1943 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Onslaught on PC. I'm sad to say that these two titles are now officially cancelled. Instead, our talented teams will focus on delivering the greatest possible gaming experience in our next behemoth release. We're confident this will lead to an even better experience in Battlefield 3, not only on PC, but on all platforms."

It's surprising to see PC owners get the short-end of the stick given that the Battlefield franchise started out as a PC-only series. Troedsson promised"some exciting news"that fans will like is coming, though he wasn't specific about whether or not it would be something that would pleasePCfans in particular. We'll be waiting to see if it can make up for the cancellations.

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Today in Gaming - 2/2/11

"Duty Calls"was an obvious name for aCall of Dutyparody (and was in fact mentioned on an episode of GFW Radio long ago). It just didn't seem like the sort of obvious thing we'd see come out of another legitimate game developer. Yet People Can Fly and Epic Games haveproduceda free, downloadable shooter (albeit a short one that I presume is intentionally mediocre) that mocks the Call of Duty franchise. It's all in the name of publicity for Bulletstorm with no ill intention and is certainly worth a download if you have a few minutes to spare.

A look at today's news:

• Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2on PS3carriesa potentially annoying form of digital rights management.
• Thesystem requirementshave been outlined forCrysis 2.
• ADragon Age 2demo iscoming outthis month.
• Angry Birdsfans have areasonto watch this year's Super Bowl.
• Stealingvirtual poker chips from Zynga isn't the smartest thing to do.

And here's what else happened today:

Company of Heroes Online Canceled

Company of Heroesis a fine game. THQ's experiment with converting it into a free-to-play game, however, has not worked out as it hoped. The beta will be shut down on March 31, and after stating that THQ would"evaluate the next steps for the Company of Heroes series,"it's been revealed that the game has been canceled along with the Asia-onlyWWE Online.

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Yakuza 4 Demo Coming This Month

Yakuza 4is arriving in North America and Europe a full year after it was first released in Japan. The important part is that itiscoming, and gamers will have the opportunity to try it ahead of its March release. PlayStation Plus subscribers will get the demo on February 16, with non-Plus members getting it a week later, on February 23.

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Dead Space 2's Unitology Not an Attack on Scientology

Scientology has taken its shots in the past, whether it be fromSouth Parkor Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes. Just don't countDead Space 2among the things attacking the religion. Creative director Wright Bagwell offered up some clarity about whether Unitology was intended to bash Scientology. He said,"It was never really intended to be a jab at any particular religion. I know people have said, 'Oh yeah, it's a jab at Scientology.' It was never really intended. I think people get that a lot because the name is very similar."

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3DS Mario Game in Development

It shouldn't come as any sort of shock to hear that Shigeru Miyamoto is working on a Mario game for a new Nintendo platform. That's exactly what the series' creator stated in a recent edition ofIwata Asks.

Speaking about the culture of Kyoto and the history of the Mario franchise, Miyamoto said quite plainly,"So, in the interests of adopting new technology for the Super Mario Bros. tradition, I am now making a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo 3DS system."He added,"I want to show everyone as soon as possible what the new Super Mario Bros. will be like on the Nintendo 3DS."

The last original Super Mario game for a handheld wasNew Super Mario Bros., the 2D Mario game that led to the development ofNew Super Mario Bros. Wii (pictured above). A 3D Mario game did appear on the DS with the port ofSuper Mario 64, but there's never been an original Mario game in 3D on a Nintendo handheld. Miyamoto said late last year that we could expect both2D and 3DMario games on the 3DS.

Source:IGN

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Today in Gaming - 1/31/11

As we're still recovering from all of the Next Generation Portable news last week, we learned a new tidbit today about how Sony will continue making money off of the PSP's games even after the NGP is released. We also saw Activision on the charitable side of things and learned the date of two new HD collections from Ubisoft.

The highlights from today's news:

• Sony plans onre-releasingPSP games on the NGP's new memory card format.
• The Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia HD collections are officiallycomingto the PlayStation 3 in March.
• After initially filing a cease-and-desist, Activision isallowinga website to continue hosting multiplayer-enabled, HTML5 versions of some classic Sierra games.

And here's what else happened today:

Digital PS1 Game Releases Still a Priority

It might seem like an easy matter of bringing original PlayStation games to the PlayStation Network. After all, they just throw them on there and the money rolls in, right? It's actually not that simple; Sony has explained some of the difficulties in bringing PS1 classics to the PlayStation Store. Luckily, it was also reaffirmed that Sony is"still dedicated to bringing you as many PSone games as we possibly can."

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Abe's Oddysee HD Remake in the Works

Just Add Water is working on a remake of the first Oddworld game, Abe's Oddysee, and it'll be in high-definition."It's basically Abe's Oddysee being redone in a 3D physics engine as a 2D side-scrolling platformer,"creator Lorne Lanning explained. The development team is"not trying to reinvent any wheels. It's like, 'Can we make that experience in a new engine, with new tech, in the old way?'"

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Grand Theft Auto Almost Failed to Launch

The original Grand Theft Auto (along with its expansion packs and GTA2) are much different games than the GTA we know today. We almost didn't get to experience any of them, however, as one of GTA's original developers revealed in an interview that the first game was almost canceled due to issues with stability and poor vehicle handling."The designers couldn't test stuff out or try things out, it just kept crashing as simple as that,"Gary Penn said. He also revealed that the super-aggressive police originated as a bug.

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