Sony’s original plan was to unveil its new PlayStation 3 in Japan this spring, but due to difficulties concerning its production plans, it seems that Japan will not see the new PS3 until August. One of the main production difficulties is related to the Blu-ray Disc drive in each console.
According to a Sony spokesperson, the company is waiting for the final specifications on some of the technology that is being used in the PS3, which includes the Blu-ray drive as well as input and output video and sound.
Sony’s stock took a hit on Monday after Merrill Lynch released a research note last week which indicated that the PS3’s launch may be postponed by six to 12 months, and that the cost of materials used in the console’s production could be around $900 per unit at the outset.
Yuta Sakurai, a senior analyst at Nomura Securities, estimates the price of the unit to be around 50,000 yen, which is about $420. “I don’t think it matters when Sony launches in the U.S. as long as it’s in time for Christmas,” he added.
Sakurai expects Sony to aim for an early summer launch, which would be in time for the big selling season around July, which is when schools are on holiday.
Little is known for sure about the PS3 as of yet. Price estimates by analysts in Japan vary greatly, ranging from 40,000 to 300,000 yen. The console will allow up to seven players to play at once, and will be powered by the “Cell” chip, which is more powerful than Intel’s Pentium 4.
Other features include an enhanced graphics chip, a built-in Ethernet port, and Blu-ray, which is a next-generation DVD format that is backed by Sony.
Since the technology specs for the PS3 are being delayed, game developers are forced to develop games with guesswork. “Game makers are developing games according to their guesses on what the final specifications might be,” said BNP Paribas analyst, Takeshi Tajima.
Sony’s PS3 will compete with the likes of the recently-released Xbox360 and Nintendo’s Revolution console, which is expected to be released later this year.
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video games. Show all posts
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Nintendo Wii - Has Just Completed One Year
Can you believe that it's already been a whole entire year since the Nintendo Wii was released? In fact, at the time of this writing, it has now been officially more than one year! Feels like just yesterday, doesn't it? Although the Wii has been out for more than a year, it doesn't officially make it the oldest "next-gen" system. That spot actually belongs to the Xbox 360, which in comparison, is over two years old. The incredible thing about the Nintendo console is it's undeniable success, and how fast it's achieved it. To give you an idea of the measure of it's success, although the Xbox 360 was released one year before the Wii, the Wii had officially passed it's sales this year!
The success that this system has seen up to this point, has been completely unprecedented. Even after more than a year, you would still have trouble finding this console in the stores - After a whole year! As soon as the system is put on store-shelves, there's someone there to snatch it right up! Because of the hectic demand for the console, it may not seem to practical too purchase the system in person, unless of course you don't mind playing the potential "chase and catch" game. If you do though, then shopping online for the popular video game system may be your best bet of grabbing it. So, over the course of the year, the Wii has been in high-demand, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Although this may not be great news for consumers that are looking to purchase the system, it most certainly is great news for the consoles manufacturer, Nintendo.
Until recently, video games in general have been geared more towards the "hardcore gamer", leaving little room for those casual games that might entice people with less interest in video games to give it a try. The great thing about the system though, is that it essentially bridges that gap. It brings together both hardcore and casual gamers alike. Wii sports, a game packaged with the Nintendo console, has you swinging your arms, and moving your body. Instead of using complicated button combinations to play a game of tennis for example, with the Wii, all that is required of you is the motion or swing of the controller, making it easy for people of all ages to enjoy.
Just because the Wii may seem to be simple in controls doesn't mean that you can't play games that are more complicated. The console provides titles for both the hardcore and casual gamers. Those that have played games for several years will quickly warm up to titles like Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend Of Zelda, Red Steel, Call Of Duty, and the list goes on. Just the opposite, those that are new to the gaming scene will find fun in games like Wii Sports, Wii play, Big Brain Academy, Wii Fit, and the list goes on and on. Looking at the systems software library, it's not hard to notice the diversity of games, thus making it easier for consumers of all ages to find what they like.
The reason for Wii's massive success is because it has managed to reach audiences beyond those that have normally been playing games. It has simplified controls, yet at the same time is using cutting-edge technology. The software available has expanded beyond titles that are available for the hardcore gamers only. It has games that can be played online at no additional cost. Most importantly though, it's user-friendly. It's these combinations, and more, that have made the Wii the must-have video game system for more than a year.
The success that this system has seen up to this point, has been completely unprecedented. Even after more than a year, you would still have trouble finding this console in the stores - After a whole year! As soon as the system is put on store-shelves, there's someone there to snatch it right up! Because of the hectic demand for the console, it may not seem to practical too purchase the system in person, unless of course you don't mind playing the potential "chase and catch" game. If you do though, then shopping online for the popular video game system may be your best bet of grabbing it. So, over the course of the year, the Wii has been in high-demand, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Although this may not be great news for consumers that are looking to purchase the system, it most certainly is great news for the consoles manufacturer, Nintendo.
Until recently, video games in general have been geared more towards the "hardcore gamer", leaving little room for those casual games that might entice people with less interest in video games to give it a try. The great thing about the system though, is that it essentially bridges that gap. It brings together both hardcore and casual gamers alike. Wii sports, a game packaged with the Nintendo console, has you swinging your arms, and moving your body. Instead of using complicated button combinations to play a game of tennis for example, with the Wii, all that is required of you is the motion or swing of the controller, making it easy for people of all ages to enjoy.
Just because the Wii may seem to be simple in controls doesn't mean that you can't play games that are more complicated. The console provides titles for both the hardcore and casual gamers. Those that have played games for several years will quickly warm up to titles like Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend Of Zelda, Red Steel, Call Of Duty, and the list goes on. Just the opposite, those that are new to the gaming scene will find fun in games like Wii Sports, Wii play, Big Brain Academy, Wii Fit, and the list goes on and on. Looking at the systems software library, it's not hard to notice the diversity of games, thus making it easier for consumers of all ages to find what they like.
The reason for Wii's massive success is because it has managed to reach audiences beyond those that have normally been playing games. It has simplified controls, yet at the same time is using cutting-edge technology. The software available has expanded beyond titles that are available for the hardcore gamers only. It has games that can be played online at no additional cost. Most importantly though, it's user-friendly. It's these combinations, and more, that have made the Wii the must-have video game system for more than a year.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Nintendo Wii - All The News About It
The new Wii is the fifth home video game console from Nintendo. This gaming device is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube and targets a broader demographic than that of the Xbox 360 by Microsoft and PlayStation3 by Sony. The game console comes with the distinguishing feature of a wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and is able to detect acceleration in three dimensions. Another feature is the WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet in a standby mode.
Nintendo first announced the entry of the Wii console at the 2004 E3 press conference the system and later unveiled it in the 2005 E3. The console was known by the code name of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006. But later, it was changed to the Wii. It was the first home console Nintendo had marketed outside of Japan. Nintendo announced the launching of the console on September 14, 2006. The company announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the Americas, while the 33 titles would be available in the 2006 launch window. Nintendo also announced the release of the console in South Korea by the beginning of 2008.
Since its launch, Nintendo Wii recorded a high rise in the monthly sale of the console beating its competitors across the globe. According to the NPD Group, the Nintendo Wii sold more units in North America than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007, which was a record in gaming console history. Nintendo also enjoys a large market share in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales, having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1 to 6:1 nearly every week from its launch until November 2007. The sale of the Nintendo Wii in Australia also created history by overtaking its competitors.
Nintendo first announced the entry of the Wii console at the 2004 E3 press conference the system and later unveiled it in the 2005 E3. The console was known by the code name of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006. But later, it was changed to the Wii. It was the first home console Nintendo had marketed outside of Japan. Nintendo announced the launching of the console on September 14, 2006. The company announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the Americas, while the 33 titles would be available in the 2006 launch window. Nintendo also announced the release of the console in South Korea by the beginning of 2008.
Since its launch, Nintendo Wii recorded a high rise in the monthly sale of the console beating its competitors across the globe. According to the NPD Group, the Nintendo Wii sold more units in North America than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007, which was a record in gaming console history. Nintendo also enjoys a large market share in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales, having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1 to 6:1 nearly every week from its launch until November 2007. The sale of the Nintendo Wii in Australia also created history by overtaking its competitors.
Friday, July 29, 2011
If You Could Play One Game For The Rest Of Your Life, What Would It Be?
Title:
If You Could Play One Game For The Rest Of Your Life, What Would It Be?
Word Count:
987
Summary:
You’re an online game player. Probably an expert. Actually, you’re probably an expert at a bunch of different games. And you probably enjoy playing lots of different games, especially the new ones. But, if you were to pick just one, just one game that you would have to play for the rest of your life – what would it be? Would it be an old school board game like Monopoly or Risk? Would it be Prime Suspects or Mah Jong Quest? Perhaps it would be a puzzle such as Big Kahuna Reef,...
Keywords:
Article Body:
You’re an online gameonline games, board games, video games, download games, internet games, fun online, player. Probably an expert. Actually, you’re probably an expert at a bunch of different games. And you probably enjoy playing lots of different games, especially the new ones. But, if you were to pick just one, just one game that you would have to play for the rest of your life – what would it be? Would it be an old school board game like Monopoly or Risk? Would it be Prime Suspects or Mah Jong Quest? Perhaps it would be a puzzle such as Big Kahuna Reef, or Fish Tycoon in an underwater adventure? Or maybe you’re a Texas Hold Em fan. Whatever it is, you’re probably very passionate about it. You play it a lot. But that’s how you get to be good, right? It’s also a great way to pass the time and just have some fun.
Web Games
Many people, especially those who aren’t super sophisticated when it comes to online games, are just looking for a way to pass the time. These are the folks you may see playing the slots for 8 hours at the casinos. They enjoy games, but tend to like the simple ones, without a whole lot of strategy. Online card, arcade, and puzzle games provide lots of entertainment value for many people, everyday. As a bonus, many of these types of games are free to play on the Internet. These games run in a web browser, don’t require much hardware, and work on almost any computer.
If you could play only one game for the rest of your life, would it be a web game?
Puzzle Games
These types of games are very popular. Why? Many of them are free, or have a free version. There are also a lot of these types of games out there. What are some of the better ones?
Jewel Quest: You match jewels and quest through beautiful Mayan ruins in dozens of mind-bending puzzles, while discovering hidden treasures and priceless artifacts.
Prime Suspects: In what other game could you interview suspects, solve puzzles, and find key clues? Not many. That’s what makes Prime Suspects so cool. If you have a detective-like nature, you’ll be good at this one.
Bejeweled 2: Innovative, non-violent, the classic game of gem-swapping. Sound interesting? The goal is to match gems and colors as quickly as you can. Kids and adults love this one.
If you could play only one game for the rest of your life, would it be a puzzle game?
Card Games
Card games are as hot as ever. They require skill, they’re challenging and they’re fun. Games such as Tik’s Texas Hold Em and Super Poker Stars offer players three unique advantages. They offer the thrill of playing cards in a casino, there is no risk because there’s no money involved and best of all, players can test their skills against other card sharks. Online games are often new creations, but these games are new interpretations on the classics.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a classic card game?
Simulation Games
By now, everyone has heard of The Sims. Simulation games have skyrocketed in popularity and for those gamers who love to create their own world, the options are endless. You can build a city, a world or an amusement park with mind boggling roller coasters. You can even go back in time and relive medieval battles. So what is the draw of these types of games?
The hook is that as the game progresses, it gets more intricate. Take Cinema Tycoon for example. Start off with a small cinema and as you manage concessions, purchases new hit movies and try to avoid “flops” you build your cinema into a true Mega-Plex. This game is fun for all ages and levels of gamers.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a simulation game?
Strategy Games
If you enjoy games that challenge the mind, perhaps strategy games like Risk II and Chessmaster Challenge are what you are looking for. These games require you to flex those mental mussels. Many of the classic strategy games are available to be played online. You can match wits with your intellectual counterpart in Russia and find out who truly is the Chessmaster! Sound like fun? It is.
3D graphics have brought a new level of realism to strategy games. These games throw you into the action as if you were actually there…deploy your forces, attack your foes and build your armies. Strategy games are typically designed for no more than 12 simultaneous players. Many of these games are free, or have a free version online.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a strategy game?
Game Show Games
You love to win; there is no question about it. Competition is in your blood. Well, then maybe you could play a game show game for the rest of your life. Maybe you want to play Family Feud, the fast-paced game based on the successful Family Feud TV game show! Beat the average score, or go head-to-head with a friend or an entire family! Maybe you are a rock & roll junkie, test your music knowledge (from the golden oldies to current top bands) with Rock & Roll JEOPARDY!
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a game show game?
Summary
Well, what did you decide? Would your one game be Texas Hold Em or Family Feud? Would you choose to become a Cinema Tycoon or take the Chessmaster Challenge? Fortunately, you don’t have to choose, but if you know what type of games you gravitate towards, perhaps you can uncover some new games that you never knew existed!
If You Could Play One Game For The Rest Of Your Life, What Would It Be?
Word Count:
987
Summary:
You’re an online game player. Probably an expert. Actually, you’re probably an expert at a bunch of different games. And you probably enjoy playing lots of different games, especially the new ones. But, if you were to pick just one, just one game that you would have to play for the rest of your life – what would it be? Would it be an old school board game like Monopoly or Risk? Would it be Prime Suspects or Mah Jong Quest? Perhaps it would be a puzzle such as Big Kahuna Reef,...
Keywords:
Article Body:
You’re an online gameonline games, board games, video games, download games, internet games, fun online, player. Probably an expert. Actually, you’re probably an expert at a bunch of different games. And you probably enjoy playing lots of different games, especially the new ones. But, if you were to pick just one, just one game that you would have to play for the rest of your life – what would it be? Would it be an old school board game like Monopoly or Risk? Would it be Prime Suspects or Mah Jong Quest? Perhaps it would be a puzzle such as Big Kahuna Reef, or Fish Tycoon in an underwater adventure? Or maybe you’re a Texas Hold Em fan. Whatever it is, you’re probably very passionate about it. You play it a lot. But that’s how you get to be good, right? It’s also a great way to pass the time and just have some fun.
Web Games
Many people, especially those who aren’t super sophisticated when it comes to online games, are just looking for a way to pass the time. These are the folks you may see playing the slots for 8 hours at the casinos. They enjoy games, but tend to like the simple ones, without a whole lot of strategy. Online card, arcade, and puzzle games provide lots of entertainment value for many people, everyday. As a bonus, many of these types of games are free to play on the Internet. These games run in a web browser, don’t require much hardware, and work on almost any computer.
If you could play only one game for the rest of your life, would it be a web game?
Puzzle Games
These types of games are very popular. Why? Many of them are free, or have a free version. There are also a lot of these types of games out there. What are some of the better ones?
Jewel Quest: You match jewels and quest through beautiful Mayan ruins in dozens of mind-bending puzzles, while discovering hidden treasures and priceless artifacts.
Prime Suspects: In what other game could you interview suspects, solve puzzles, and find key clues? Not many. That’s what makes Prime Suspects so cool. If you have a detective-like nature, you’ll be good at this one.
Bejeweled 2: Innovative, non-violent, the classic game of gem-swapping. Sound interesting? The goal is to match gems and colors as quickly as you can. Kids and adults love this one.
If you could play only one game for the rest of your life, would it be a puzzle game?
Card Games
Card games are as hot as ever. They require skill, they’re challenging and they’re fun. Games such as Tik’s Texas Hold Em and Super Poker Stars offer players three unique advantages. They offer the thrill of playing cards in a casino, there is no risk because there’s no money involved and best of all, players can test their skills against other card sharks. Online games are often new creations, but these games are new interpretations on the classics.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a classic card game?
Simulation Games
By now, everyone has heard of The Sims. Simulation games have skyrocketed in popularity and for those gamers who love to create their own world, the options are endless. You can build a city, a world or an amusement park with mind boggling roller coasters. You can even go back in time and relive medieval battles. So what is the draw of these types of games?
The hook is that as the game progresses, it gets more intricate. Take Cinema Tycoon for example. Start off with a small cinema and as you manage concessions, purchases new hit movies and try to avoid “flops” you build your cinema into a true Mega-Plex. This game is fun for all ages and levels of gamers.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a simulation game?
Strategy Games
If you enjoy games that challenge the mind, perhaps strategy games like Risk II and Chessmaster Challenge are what you are looking for. These games require you to flex those mental mussels. Many of the classic strategy games are available to be played online. You can match wits with your intellectual counterpart in Russia and find out who truly is the Chessmaster! Sound like fun? It is.
3D graphics have brought a new level of realism to strategy games. These games throw you into the action as if you were actually there…deploy your forces, attack your foes and build your armies. Strategy games are typically designed for no more than 12 simultaneous players. Many of these games are free, or have a free version online.
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a strategy game?
Game Show Games
You love to win; there is no question about it. Competition is in your blood. Well, then maybe you could play a game show game for the rest of your life. Maybe you want to play Family Feud, the fast-paced game based on the successful Family Feud TV game show! Beat the average score, or go head-to-head with a friend or an entire family! Maybe you are a rock & roll junkie, test your music knowledge (from the golden oldies to current top bands) with Rock & Roll JEOPARDY!
If you could only play one game for the rest of you life, would it be a game show game?
Summary
Well, what did you decide? Would your one game be Texas Hold Em or Family Feud? Would you choose to become a Cinema Tycoon or take the Chessmaster Challenge? Fortunately, you don’t have to choose, but if you know what type of games you gravitate towards, perhaps you can uncover some new games that you never knew existed!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Guitar Hero - The Origins Of Video Game Rock
Guitar Hero was originally released on the PS2 on one glorious day in November of 2005. This much anticipated video game was special in that instead of the usual control pad used to play, the game was designed for use with a life-like guitar shaped device.
This unique controller was modelled after a real guitar called a Gibson SG. Using the guitar controller was very similar to using a real guitar, albeit with a few minor adjustments for simplicity’s sake. Instead of containing several frets and six strings, the guitar hero controller had 5 fret buttons of differing colors, and a strum bar for strumming.
Originally developed by a video game company named Harmonix, it went on to receive numerous awards for its ingenuity and for the core of the game, its musical soundtrack. With 47 rock tracks by various big name artists, from the modern day to the 60s.
Due to the success of the first game, a second was released for the Playstation 2 in 2006, this time with an astonishing 64 musical tracks. Additional features included were the ability to multi-play against friends and non-friends alike. It went on to become the fifth highest grossing game of 2006 for the PS2. And due to unprecedented demand, a Guitar Hero II version was released for the Xbox 360. This version came with a special guitar and more songs.
The third in the series, aptly named Guitar Hero 3, will be released in October of 2007. The company behind it this time is Activision, who have taken over development of the game from Harmonix. But fear not, as Activision is a major power-house in the gaming industry, having churned out such classics as the Tony Hawk Series and the Call of Duty series.
The much anticipated Guitar Hero 3, has been confirmed to contain at least 46 songs, with new characters and an all new Battle Mode. Characters from the previous games to be featured in the new Guitar Hero 3 are Casey Lynch, Axel Steel, Judy Nails, Izzy Sparks, Johnny Napalm, Xavier Stone and Lars Umlaut. A brand new playable character will be Midori. Unfortunately Clive and Pandora were removed from the game. For the boss battles, there will be three. One of them being Slash, who is also rumoured to be a playable character.
Guitar Hero III, also known as Legends of Rock, will be available on the PS2, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. Activision are also actively looking to bring the game to the Nintendo DS.
This unique controller was modelled after a real guitar called a Gibson SG. Using the guitar controller was very similar to using a real guitar, albeit with a few minor adjustments for simplicity’s sake. Instead of containing several frets and six strings, the guitar hero controller had 5 fret buttons of differing colors, and a strum bar for strumming.
Originally developed by a video game company named Harmonix, it went on to receive numerous awards for its ingenuity and for the core of the game, its musical soundtrack. With 47 rock tracks by various big name artists, from the modern day to the 60s.
Due to the success of the first game, a second was released for the Playstation 2 in 2006, this time with an astonishing 64 musical tracks. Additional features included were the ability to multi-play against friends and non-friends alike. It went on to become the fifth highest grossing game of 2006 for the PS2. And due to unprecedented demand, a Guitar Hero II version was released for the Xbox 360. This version came with a special guitar and more songs.
The third in the series, aptly named Guitar Hero 3, will be released in October of 2007. The company behind it this time is Activision, who have taken over development of the game from Harmonix. But fear not, as Activision is a major power-house in the gaming industry, having churned out such classics as the Tony Hawk Series and the Call of Duty series.
The much anticipated Guitar Hero 3, has been confirmed to contain at least 46 songs, with new characters and an all new Battle Mode. Characters from the previous games to be featured in the new Guitar Hero 3 are Casey Lynch, Axel Steel, Judy Nails, Izzy Sparks, Johnny Napalm, Xavier Stone and Lars Umlaut. A brand new playable character will be Midori. Unfortunately Clive and Pandora were removed from the game. For the boss battles, there will be three. One of them being Slash, who is also rumoured to be a playable character.
Guitar Hero III, also known as Legends of Rock, will be available on the PS2, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. Activision are also actively looking to bring the game to the Nintendo DS.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Game Testing for Money
Becoming a game tester is probably a little more than you would expect. There are three things you must have before pursuing a game tester job.
1. A Sincere Love of Playing Video Games!
I mean you love to play all the time and almost never get tired of playing. if you could be fed through a tube you would play forever. If you're a casual player then this might not be for you.
2. You Are Really Good!
You have to also be really good at video games. These companies don't have a lot of time waiting for you to learn the game. If you don't have skills, how can you test a new game for release?
3. Must be 16 Years of Age.
This is a qualification that meets child labor laws and is the minimum age that can be employed for this type of work. If you’re just a bit younger then you can always start getting ready by working on your skills and staying up to date with the new games and trends.
If you have these three things then you have the foundation to be a game tester. The next step is creating a gamer profile and getting it out to the appropriate companies for review.
You can do this yourself, or you can sign up with one of the game tester clubs that are legitimate and they will help do most of the ground work for you.
Don't want to wait? Then check out one of the services in our reviews by clicking the following link. This one does most of the ground work for you.
http://www.skeptic-reviews.com/be_a_game_tester.html
We reviewed most services and found the ones that can actually help you achieve this goal. Please read our reviews and see if one of these fits you best.
http://www.skeptic-reviews.com/be_a_game_tester.html
1. A Sincere Love of Playing Video Games!
I mean you love to play all the time and almost never get tired of playing. if you could be fed through a tube you would play forever. If you're a casual player then this might not be for you.
2. You Are Really Good!
You have to also be really good at video games. These companies don't have a lot of time waiting for you to learn the game. If you don't have skills, how can you test a new game for release?
3. Must be 16 Years of Age.
This is a qualification that meets child labor laws and is the minimum age that can be employed for this type of work. If you’re just a bit younger then you can always start getting ready by working on your skills and staying up to date with the new games and trends.
If you have these three things then you have the foundation to be a game tester. The next step is creating a gamer profile and getting it out to the appropriate companies for review.
You can do this yourself, or you can sign up with one of the game tester clubs that are legitimate and they will help do most of the ground work for you.
Don't want to wait? Then check out one of the services in our reviews by clicking the following link. This one does most of the ground work for you.
http://www.skeptic-reviews.com/be_a_game_tester.html
We reviewed most services and found the ones that can actually help you achieve this goal. Please read our reviews and see if one of these fits you best.
http://www.skeptic-reviews.com/be_a_game_tester.html
Monday, March 28, 2011
FreeZone.com Offers Xbox 360 for $100
Freezone.com is pleased to announce that they will be offering Xboxes, normally $400, at a 75% discount as of June 15th, 2007.
As a special promotional offer for its sponsors, www.freezone.com will, for a limited time, be offering Xboxes for $100 to individuals who participate in promotions from the sponsor's website.
With a variety of large sponsors like Blockbuster Online, Best Buy, Disney and Home Depot in addition to everyday merchants all offering special reduced prices and offers, it's even easier to complete and get the most popular game console on the market at a reduced price.
There are over three pages with different offers to choose from, many being special pricing and/or free trials, so customers won't have any problem finding products they'd like to try or entertain.
Those offers that do require purchases are, on average, discounted around 30% bringing rare savings to consumers through this limited time offer.
Rather than spending money to convince viewers to visit sponsors' pages, www.freezone.com has compiled them all in a neat set of pages for viewers' easy access.
Offers change daily, so viewers can check back daily if they want to do some of the first offers they see, but want to have different ones to finish. "Sponsors are joining at such a fast rate, we are in the process of creating a new sleek website that will have a lot more functionality (Web 2.0), we are exciting about re-launching later in the year!" says Valli Kosuru of Free Zone.
Following the style American Express, they are designed to provide great deals on a variety of products in the context of many incentivized promotions.
Unlike American Express, consumers do not have to purchase each time, making the process faster and easier to complete.
Free Zone is in beta now on www.freezonerewards.com which offers a choice between several different major electronic gadgets or other products absolutely free, the xbox 360 being one of them.
Many customers would prefer to have to fill out fewer offers and get the final product at a discount rather than free of charge.
It is the company's hope that offering the xbox in this way will accommodate those who'd rather not go through the loyalty and rewards program and www.freezone.com.
As a special promotional offer for its sponsors, www.freezone.com will, for a limited time, be offering Xboxes for $100 to individuals who participate in promotions from the sponsor's website.
With a variety of large sponsors like Blockbuster Online, Best Buy, Disney and Home Depot in addition to everyday merchants all offering special reduced prices and offers, it's even easier to complete and get the most popular game console on the market at a reduced price.
There are over three pages with different offers to choose from, many being special pricing and/or free trials, so customers won't have any problem finding products they'd like to try or entertain.
Those offers that do require purchases are, on average, discounted around 30% bringing rare savings to consumers through this limited time offer.
Rather than spending money to convince viewers to visit sponsors' pages, www.freezone.com has compiled them all in a neat set of pages for viewers' easy access.
Offers change daily, so viewers can check back daily if they want to do some of the first offers they see, but want to have different ones to finish. "Sponsors are joining at such a fast rate, we are in the process of creating a new sleek website that will have a lot more functionality (Web 2.0), we are exciting about re-launching later in the year!" says Valli Kosuru of Free Zone.
Following the style American Express, they are designed to provide great deals on a variety of products in the context of many incentivized promotions.
Unlike American Express, consumers do not have to purchase each time, making the process faster and easier to complete.
Free Zone is in beta now on www.freezonerewards.com which offers a choice between several different major electronic gadgets or other products absolutely free, the xbox 360 being one of them.
Many customers would prefer to have to fill out fewer offers and get the final product at a discount rather than free of charge.
It is the company's hope that offering the xbox in this way will accommodate those who'd rather not go through the loyalty and rewards program and www.freezone.com.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Escape Reality - Try Playing an Online Role Playing Game
Whether one is a student or is working in some sort of profession, everyone can use a break from the everyday stresses of life. As such, more and more people are looking for ways to engage their minds in something other than just the normal escapes, like television.
In this age of technology, computers are now a crucial part of millions of people’s lives. However, computers can be used for so much more than just typing papers or checking e-mail. Indeed, computers are now great hobbies within themselves, and many people are now discovering how much fun it is to play an online role playing games.
The Online Role Playing Game and “Guild Wars”
Online role playing games are becoming more and more common among the computer savvy. However, there are still many people who regularly use computers, yet have no idea what exactly an online role playing game is.
Simply put, an online role playing game is much like games from childhood, in that players become a certain character, and work with other players to create scenarios within the game itself. The amount of creative freedom that players can have within these types of games is what makes online role playing games so popular in the first place.
One of the more popular online role playing games is one by the name of “Guild Wars.” In this game, a player can choose to play against other players, or play against the environment itself. There are four unique characters that a player can choose to become, and once that is established, the player can choose from the classes of Mesmer, Ranger, Monk, Elementalist, Necromancer, or Warrior.
Online role playing games can certainly be a lot of fun, but they have also been met with some criticism. Much of the criticism centers around the fact that it takes time to learn how to adequately play this genre of game, since the possibilities are quite numerous. Thus, these types of games are generally not recommended for people who do not have much patience.
Online role playing games can be found on many different websites via free or paid download. It should be noted that free games generally are not as advanced as the paid games, so free games are a good idea for novices. For those who have patience and are intrigued by the idea of creating alternative realities, online role playing games are indeed an interesting hobby.
In this age of technology, computers are now a crucial part of millions of people’s lives. However, computers can be used for so much more than just typing papers or checking e-mail. Indeed, computers are now great hobbies within themselves, and many people are now discovering how much fun it is to play an online role playing games.
The Online Role Playing Game and “Guild Wars”
Online role playing games are becoming more and more common among the computer savvy. However, there are still many people who regularly use computers, yet have no idea what exactly an online role playing game is.
Simply put, an online role playing game is much like games from childhood, in that players become a certain character, and work with other players to create scenarios within the game itself. The amount of creative freedom that players can have within these types of games is what makes online role playing games so popular in the first place.
One of the more popular online role playing games is one by the name of “Guild Wars.” In this game, a player can choose to play against other players, or play against the environment itself. There are four unique characters that a player can choose to become, and once that is established, the player can choose from the classes of Mesmer, Ranger, Monk, Elementalist, Necromancer, or Warrior.
Online role playing games can certainly be a lot of fun, but they have also been met with some criticism. Much of the criticism centers around the fact that it takes time to learn how to adequately play this genre of game, since the possibilities are quite numerous. Thus, these types of games are generally not recommended for people who do not have much patience.
Online role playing games can be found on many different websites via free or paid download. It should be noted that free games generally are not as advanced as the paid games, so free games are a good idea for novices. For those who have patience and are intrigued by the idea of creating alternative realities, online role playing games are indeed an interesting hobby.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Download Video Games! The Game Is On And The World Is Waiting For You
I'm not trying to reveal my age, but I remember the days when video games were introduced to me, and how excited I was playing the first version of games available. I barely could make out the choppy looking characters and graphics, but I didn’t care, it was technology in the making that later in life showed me how much we have evolved in the video game market.
Moving forward into the new millennium, it’s brought about many exciting changes for the video game industry. It’s a great feature to be able to conveniently download your favorite games from the Internet right to your computer, and in my opinion, it has changed the face of gaming like I have never seen before!
Gamers from all over the world can click a few buttons and before you know it, the game of your choice is downloaded to your computer in minutes! Depending on how fast your Internet service is, and the speed of your computer, in most situations you can get games downloaded in a matter of seconds, and then you can play them immediately.
Challenge Video Game Players From All Over The World, And Who Knows Maybe Also Some Day From Beyond!
Imagine playing other game enthusiasts that has access to these online games worldwide. This is another exciting option for you in this day and age of Internet gameplay! You and other players from all over the world can compete in the same video game no matter where you live on this planet! This is a great way to challenge yourself and others, plus meet great friends from other countries.
Downloads online are available through specialty gaming sites that let you to sign up and get access to start downloading and playing once you’re a member. This concept provides an exciting and competitive multiplayer environment for the video game enthusiasts.
When A New Game Title’s Released, You Can Be The First To Experience Them Online Before You Buy!
When many game releases that hit the stores for Nintendo, Playstation, and Gamecube, you just don’t know what you’re getting in a game. The packaging looks good, the advertisements entice you to buy them, but when you start to play the video game you purchased, you may realize it was all hype and no substance.
This is another great feature when you download and play games online, you have an opportunity to play the latest and new video game releases, and this allows you to determine if you would like to purchase the select game or not. You can purchase and keep the ones you enjoy, and the games you don’t, you save time by not having to go back to the store and try to get your money back.
If game playing is high on your list of favorite things to do, and you have access to a computer and Internet, consider downloading your favorite games to play, and experience the convenience and unique features that our new world of technology has given us.
Moving forward into the new millennium, it’s brought about many exciting changes for the video game industry. It’s a great feature to be able to conveniently download your favorite games from the Internet right to your computer, and in my opinion, it has changed the face of gaming like I have never seen before!
Gamers from all over the world can click a few buttons and before you know it, the game of your choice is downloaded to your computer in minutes! Depending on how fast your Internet service is, and the speed of your computer, in most situations you can get games downloaded in a matter of seconds, and then you can play them immediately.
Challenge Video Game Players From All Over The World, And Who Knows Maybe Also Some Day From Beyond!
Imagine playing other game enthusiasts that has access to these online games worldwide. This is another exciting option for you in this day and age of Internet gameplay! You and other players from all over the world can compete in the same video game no matter where you live on this planet! This is a great way to challenge yourself and others, plus meet great friends from other countries.
Downloads online are available through specialty gaming sites that let you to sign up and get access to start downloading and playing once you’re a member. This concept provides an exciting and competitive multiplayer environment for the video game enthusiasts.
When A New Game Title’s Released, You Can Be The First To Experience Them Online Before You Buy!
When many game releases that hit the stores for Nintendo, Playstation, and Gamecube, you just don’t know what you’re getting in a game. The packaging looks good, the advertisements entice you to buy them, but when you start to play the video game you purchased, you may realize it was all hype and no substance.
This is another great feature when you download and play games online, you have an opportunity to play the latest and new video game releases, and this allows you to determine if you would like to purchase the select game or not. You can purchase and keep the ones you enjoy, and the games you don’t, you save time by not having to go back to the store and try to get your money back.
If game playing is high on your list of favorite things to do, and you have access to a computer and Internet, consider downloading your favorite games to play, and experience the convenience and unique features that our new world of technology has given us.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Computer Game Review - Innovations And Developments
The continuing advances in graphics technology, platform gaming infrastructure, processor technology and innovations in design will see more aggressive developments in computer games this 2006.
Gaming has traveled a long way today from the baby steps of the video games about thirty years ago. The square and jagged edged figures that used to dominate and entertain gamers on the screen is now more video-movie like if not life like that people today finds computer games more challenging and exciting.
The constant improvements made in computer technology exceeded expectations in the sales of computer games soft ware and has turned it into one big business in a very short span of time. The biggest impact on these games coming form the role playing games and the first person shooters.
The development of broadband had contributed very substantially to online gaming that in countries like South Korea, online gaming (Starcraft Gozu) has gathered a lot of followers dubbing the game fondly as its national sport. Online gaming has gained a popularity never seen before (or possible before), that international tournament are waged and battled online. Always trying to outwit and outplay the competition, world wide, online gaming has become very challenging and intense.
Where computer game designs used to be a simpler affair, today teams of artists, musicians, producers and gaming industries are working together to make the best and offer their best to the public that has patronized the games very well. The industry however has not, in marketing parlance, reached the peak. In my opinion, it is nowhere near it. The constant innovations that are shaping the computer games industry is so vast varied exciting and rewarding, enough material to motivate the designers and gamers to move on, that who knows what surprises are in store for the gaming public in the future.
What make computer games very popular are the regular releases of good computer game software. If you have not yet tried out the following, find a demo and find out for yourself.
1) Backyard Baseball 2005
2) Battlefield 2
3) Civilization IV
4) Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX3
5) FEAR
6) Fifa 06
7) Food Fight!
8) Grand Theft Auto
9) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
10) Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
11) Mario Kant DS
12) Need for Speed
13) Ninja Gaiden Black
14) Peter Jackson's King Kong
15) Resident Evil 4
16) Sid Meier's Pirates!
17) Sly 3: Honor Amongst Thieves
18) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
19) The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
20) We Love Katamari
Console Gaming
The technology race in the computer games category will be heavily participated by Microsoft with their Xbox 360 - powered by a multi core processing unit, Sony's Playstation 3 by a cell processor technology, and Revolution by Nintendo will allow player interaction through a wireless motion sensing controller.
The popularity of the computer and video games has been a big business that it has surpassed the revenues of the film industry excluding the films ancillary revenues. However additional business for the computer games also comes in the form of trading cards, T-shirt prints of popular characters in video games and game titles and television shows that features reviews and gaming competitions. Judging from continuing developments and innovations in the game designs and computer technology, the year 2006 will even be more exciting.
Gaming has traveled a long way today from the baby steps of the video games about thirty years ago. The square and jagged edged figures that used to dominate and entertain gamers on the screen is now more video-movie like if not life like that people today finds computer games more challenging and exciting.
The constant improvements made in computer technology exceeded expectations in the sales of computer games soft ware and has turned it into one big business in a very short span of time. The biggest impact on these games coming form the role playing games and the first person shooters.
The development of broadband had contributed very substantially to online gaming that in countries like South Korea, online gaming (Starcraft Gozu) has gathered a lot of followers dubbing the game fondly as its national sport. Online gaming has gained a popularity never seen before (or possible before), that international tournament are waged and battled online. Always trying to outwit and outplay the competition, world wide, online gaming has become very challenging and intense.
Where computer game designs used to be a simpler affair, today teams of artists, musicians, producers and gaming industries are working together to make the best and offer their best to the public that has patronized the games very well. The industry however has not, in marketing parlance, reached the peak. In my opinion, it is nowhere near it. The constant innovations that are shaping the computer games industry is so vast varied exciting and rewarding, enough material to motivate the designers and gamers to move on, that who knows what surprises are in store for the gaming public in the future.
What make computer games very popular are the regular releases of good computer game software. If you have not yet tried out the following, find a demo and find out for yourself.
1) Backyard Baseball 2005
2) Battlefield 2
3) Civilization IV
4) Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX3
5) FEAR
6) Fifa 06
7) Food Fight!
8) Grand Theft Auto
9) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
10) Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
11) Mario Kant DS
12) Need for Speed
13) Ninja Gaiden Black
14) Peter Jackson's King Kong
15) Resident Evil 4
16) Sid Meier's Pirates!
17) Sly 3: Honor Amongst Thieves
18) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
19) The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
20) We Love Katamari
Console Gaming
The technology race in the computer games category will be heavily participated by Microsoft with their Xbox 360 - powered by a multi core processing unit, Sony's Playstation 3 by a cell processor technology, and Revolution by Nintendo will allow player interaction through a wireless motion sensing controller.
The popularity of the computer and video games has been a big business that it has surpassed the revenues of the film industry excluding the films ancillary revenues. However additional business for the computer games also comes in the form of trading cards, T-shirt prints of popular characters in video games and game titles and television shows that features reviews and gaming competitions. Judging from continuing developments and innovations in the game designs and computer technology, the year 2006 will even be more exciting.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Computer Game Review - Innovations And Developments
Title:
The continuing advances in graphics technology, platform gaming infrastructure, processor technology and innovations in design will see more aggressive developments in computer games this 2006.
Gaming has traveled a long way today from the baby steps of the video games about thirty years ago. The square and jagged edged figures that used to dominate and entertain gamers on the screen is now more video-movie like if not life like that people today finds computer games more challenging and exciting.
The constant improvements made in computer technology exceeded expectations in the sales of computer games soft ware and has turned it into one big business in a very short span of time. The biggest impact on these games coming form the role playing games and the first person shooters.
The development of broadband had contributed very substantially to online gaming that in countries like South Korea, online gaming (Starcraft Gozu) has gathered a lot of followers dubbing the game fondly as its national sport. Online gaming has gained a popularity never seen before (or possible before), that international tournament are waged and battled online. Always trying to outwit and outplay the competition, world wide, online gaming has become very challenging and intense.
Where computer game designs used to be a simpler affair, today teams of artists, musicians, producers and gaming industries are working together to make the best and offer their best to the public that has patronized the games very well. The industry however has not, in marketing parlance, reached the peak. In my opinion, it is nowhere near it. The constant innovations that are shaping the computer games industry is so vast varied exciting and rewarding, enough material to motivate the designers and gamers to move on, that who knows what surprises are in store for the gaming public in the future.
What make computer games very popular are the regular releases of good computer game software. If you have not yet tried out the following, find a demo and find out for yourself.
1) Backyard Baseball 2005
2) Battlefield 2
3) Civilization IV
4) Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX3
5) FEAR
6) Fifa 06
7) Food Fight!
8) Grand Theft Auto
9) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
10) Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
11) Mario Kant DS
12) Need for Speed
13) Ninja Gaiden Black
14) Peter Jackson's King Kong
15) Resident Evil 4
16) Sid Meier's Pirates!
17) Sly 3: Honor Amongst Thieves
18) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
19) The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
20) We Love Katamari
Console Gaming
The technology race in the computer games category will be heavily participated by Microsoft with their Xbox 360 - powered by a multi core processing unit, Sony's Playstation 3 by a cell processor technology, and Revolution by Nintendo will allow player interaction through a wireless motion sensing controller.
The popularity of the computer and video games has been a big business that it has surpassed the revenues of the film industry excluding the films ancillary revenues. However additional business for the computer games also comes in the form of trading cards, T-shirt prints of popular characters in video games and game titles and television shows that features reviews and gaming competitions. Judging from continuing developments and innovations in the game designs and computer technology, the year 2006 will even be more exciting.
The continuing advances in graphics technology, platform gaming infrastructure, processor technology and innovations in design will see more aggressive developments in computer games this 2006.
Gaming has traveled a long way today from the baby steps of the video games about thirty years ago. The square and jagged edged figures that used to dominate and entertain gamers on the screen is now more video-movie like if not life like that people today finds computer games more challenging and exciting.
The constant improvements made in computer technology exceeded expectations in the sales of computer games soft ware and has turned it into one big business in a very short span of time. The biggest impact on these games coming form the role playing games and the first person shooters.
The development of broadband had contributed very substantially to online gaming that in countries like South Korea, online gaming (Starcraft Gozu) has gathered a lot of followers dubbing the game fondly as its national sport. Online gaming has gained a popularity never seen before (or possible before), that international tournament are waged and battled online. Always trying to outwit and outplay the competition, world wide, online gaming has become very challenging and intense.
Where computer game designs used to be a simpler affair, today teams of artists, musicians, producers and gaming industries are working together to make the best and offer their best to the public that has patronized the games very well. The industry however has not, in marketing parlance, reached the peak. In my opinion, it is nowhere near it. The constant innovations that are shaping the computer games industry is so vast varied exciting and rewarding, enough material to motivate the designers and gamers to move on, that who knows what surprises are in store for the gaming public in the future.
What make computer games very popular are the regular releases of good computer game software. If you have not yet tried out the following, find a demo and find out for yourself.
1) Backyard Baseball 2005
2) Battlefield 2
3) Civilization IV
4) Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX3
5) FEAR
6) Fifa 06
7) Food Fight!
8) Grand Theft Auto
9) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
10) Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
11) Mario Kant DS
12) Need for Speed
13) Ninja Gaiden Black
14) Peter Jackson's King Kong
15) Resident Evil 4
16) Sid Meier's Pirates!
17) Sly 3: Honor Amongst Thieves
18) The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
19) The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer
20) We Love Katamari
Console Gaming
The technology race in the computer games category will be heavily participated by Microsoft with their Xbox 360 - powered by a multi core processing unit, Sony's Playstation 3 by a cell processor technology, and Revolution by Nintendo will allow player interaction through a wireless motion sensing controller.
The popularity of the computer and video games has been a big business that it has surpassed the revenues of the film industry excluding the films ancillary revenues. However additional business for the computer games also comes in the form of trading cards, T-shirt prints of popular characters in video games and game titles and television shows that features reviews and gaming competitions. Judging from continuing developments and innovations in the game designs and computer technology, the year 2006 will even be more exciting.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Choosing a Video Game System: Which One Is Best for Kids?
In the old days, choosing a video game system for children wasn't all that hard. After all, parents didn't have to worry about games carried by systems like Atari (there was nothing threatening about Pac-Man or Space Invaders). Today, however, with the proliferation of games with mature content available on games supported by the major system manufacturers, parents want to know which system carries the most kid-friendly games, ones that the young ones will enjoy and one that parents will not regret spending money on.
Let's start with the Sony PlayStation 2, the best-selling game console on the market today. There are literally thousands of titles available for this system, which cater to every age range. There are approximately 600 games for the PS2 that have the "E" rating, meaning that it is suitable for players ages six and above. However, many of these games are too complicated for young children to play. Games that children ten years old and above can enjoy are rated E10+, while those that are rated EC (Early Childhood) are of course, suitable for the very young. The PS2 carries about a dozen E10+ games, including movie-based titles like Shrek Super Slam for PlayStation 2 and Chicken Little. EC titles that little ones can enjoy include Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet, Eggo Mania and At the Races Presents Gallop Racer.
Nintendo's GameCube console continues to be popular because it carries titles that are popular with children. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) lists 263 video game titles rated E for the GameCube, and these include some of the most popular and beloved among the children of today and years past, such as Sega's Sonic GEMS Collection, Nintendo's own Mario Party 6 and Mario Tennis. The Legend of Zelda series and several Pokemon titles are available exclusively on the GameCube as well.
Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles likewise have many, many titles that are rated E; the Xbox with approximately 270 games and the Xbox 360 with so far about a dozen -- but count on the number of Xbox 360 titles to increase since it's a new release. Some games published by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox and the Xbox 360 and which have the E rating are Astropop and Feeding Frenzy. However, remember that most game publishers release crossover titles, or games that are available on multiple platforms. For instance, Eidos Interactive's LEGO Star Wars (rated E) is available for the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox; Activision's Madagascar (rated E10+) is available on the same platforms, while Global Star Software's Dora the Explorer (rated EC) is available on the PS2 and Xbox, but not on the GameCube.
What about parental control options? Among the four systems, the Xbox and the Xbox 360 have the most efficient parental lock functions. Parents are able to set limits on the games and films to be played on the systems. If you set the system to play only E-rated games, kids won't be able to play DVD's or games that have Teen, Mature, or Adults Only ratings. The GameCube also has a parental lock feature, albeit a less effective one. Users note that all it does is tone down certain effects that might be troubling for children (for example, the amount of blood seen in games) but do not block the playing of games at all. It doesn't even screen or bleep offensive language. The parental control function of the PlayStation 2 is even worse -- it doesn't allow parents or anyone to restrict access to video games at all. The most parents can do is to set the PS2 to prevent their kids from watching DVD movies with inappropriate content.
When it comes to price, the GameCube comes out tops. Available for only $99, it's significantly cheaper than the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, whose prices range from $150 to $199 (or more if bundled with game titles). The Xbox 360, being the newest of the bunch, is the highest-priced. For $299, you get the system and a wired controller. For $399, you get a wireless controller, a headset that players can use to talk to other people online, a 20 GB hard drive that is loaded with game-related videos and music, and a remote.
Parents should go out and try each system personally as well as look at the different titles available for them before deciding which one to buy. Factors such as number and age of users at home, game title availability, and budget should also be considered. Each system has its own pros and cons, and families will differ in their preferences: some will be content with the limited but popular games of the GameCube; some might prefer the wider offering of the PlayStation 2 or the Xbox; others might opt for the high-tech features of the Xbox 360. But all things considered, making the right choice will provide hours of wholesome, fun, and worry-free entertainment for the little ones and for their parents as well.
Let's start with the Sony PlayStation 2, the best-selling game console on the market today. There are literally thousands of titles available for this system, which cater to every age range. There are approximately 600 games for the PS2 that have the "E" rating, meaning that it is suitable for players ages six and above. However, many of these games are too complicated for young children to play. Games that children ten years old and above can enjoy are rated E10+, while those that are rated EC (Early Childhood) are of course, suitable for the very young. The PS2 carries about a dozen E10+ games, including movie-based titles like Shrek Super Slam for PlayStation 2 and Chicken Little. EC titles that little ones can enjoy include Dora the Explorer: Journey to the Purple Planet, Eggo Mania and At the Races Presents Gallop Racer.
Nintendo's GameCube console continues to be popular because it carries titles that are popular with children. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) lists 263 video game titles rated E for the GameCube, and these include some of the most popular and beloved among the children of today and years past, such as Sega's Sonic GEMS Collection, Nintendo's own Mario Party 6 and Mario Tennis. The Legend of Zelda series and several Pokemon titles are available exclusively on the GameCube as well.
Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360 video game consoles likewise have many, many titles that are rated E; the Xbox with approximately 270 games and the Xbox 360 with so far about a dozen -- but count on the number of Xbox 360 titles to increase since it's a new release. Some games published by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox and the Xbox 360 and which have the E rating are Astropop and Feeding Frenzy. However, remember that most game publishers release crossover titles, or games that are available on multiple platforms. For instance, Eidos Interactive's LEGO Star Wars (rated E) is available for the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox; Activision's Madagascar (rated E10+) is available on the same platforms, while Global Star Software's Dora the Explorer (rated EC) is available on the PS2 and Xbox, but not on the GameCube.
What about parental control options? Among the four systems, the Xbox and the Xbox 360 have the most efficient parental lock functions. Parents are able to set limits on the games and films to be played on the systems. If you set the system to play only E-rated games, kids won't be able to play DVD's or games that have Teen, Mature, or Adults Only ratings. The GameCube also has a parental lock feature, albeit a less effective one. Users note that all it does is tone down certain effects that might be troubling for children (for example, the amount of blood seen in games) but do not block the playing of games at all. It doesn't even screen or bleep offensive language. The parental control function of the PlayStation 2 is even worse -- it doesn't allow parents or anyone to restrict access to video games at all. The most parents can do is to set the PS2 to prevent their kids from watching DVD movies with inappropriate content.
When it comes to price, the GameCube comes out tops. Available for only $99, it's significantly cheaper than the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, whose prices range from $150 to $199 (or more if bundled with game titles). The Xbox 360, being the newest of the bunch, is the highest-priced. For $299, you get the system and a wired controller. For $399, you get a wireless controller, a headset that players can use to talk to other people online, a 20 GB hard drive that is loaded with game-related videos and music, and a remote.
Parents should go out and try each system personally as well as look at the different titles available for them before deciding which one to buy. Factors such as number and age of users at home, game title availability, and budget should also be considered. Each system has its own pros and cons, and families will differ in their preferences: some will be content with the limited but popular games of the GameCube; some might prefer the wider offering of the PlayStation 2 or the Xbox; others might opt for the high-tech features of the Xbox 360. But all things considered, making the right choice will provide hours of wholesome, fun, and worry-free entertainment for the little ones and for their parents as well.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Casual games - take it serious
Computer games has always been popular. More and more people play games all over the world. A new kind of games, such as casual games, has become widespread besides console and large games, distributed on CD/DVD. The difference is in the fact that a user can download them freely from the Internet due to their small size and start playing. A small size doesn't mean that these games are not of of good quality as, for example, games for play stations. They excite gamers. The difference is only in gamers audience. Classic games are intended for so-called hard-core gamers, who are ready to spend long hours playing and perfecting their game-playing skills. They are usually teenagers; however they can be adults as well and vice versa, casual games is intended for people who can play during lunch, a break, after school or work and in their spare time. An increasing amount of adult people enjoy playing these games.
A number of companies producing casual games is increasing constantly. As a rule, it is small companies with small budgets who makes casual games in comparison with companies, producing large games. But in spite of their budgets, they produce high quality casual games, and new interesting ideas can be seen in them. In short, it is simply another market/trend with a life of it's own.
The Internet is the principal way of distributing casual games. Having downloaded a game and installed it, you can start playing immediately. It's the “shareware” principle, or “try before buy”. You can check it out before buying and decide if you want it or not. It's an advantage in comparison with classic games, when one buys a game on a basis of indirect information about it. Purchasing of casual games is simple as well and could be done on-line. After that the user receives fully functional game without any restrictions.
As a rule, dedicated game portals deal with game distribution in the Internet. Developers themselves can distribute their products, but it takes a lot of time and efforts. The smartest way is to entrust it to professionals.
Our company Fenomen Games is dealing with distribution of casual games, thoroughly chosen all over the Internet, and is a striking example of a game portal. Our collection has been sorted and games put into genres, so that you can find what you want in an easy way. We follow new ideas in casual games industry, and try to provide users with the newest and interesting games.
We invite you to have a look around our site as we feel confident that we have many games that will interest you and worth your time.
At least you will get some idea about what Casual Games are.
Find Out More: http://www.fenomen-games.com/
A number of companies producing casual games is increasing constantly. As a rule, it is small companies with small budgets who makes casual games in comparison with companies, producing large games. But in spite of their budgets, they produce high quality casual games, and new interesting ideas can be seen in them. In short, it is simply another market/trend with a life of it's own.
The Internet is the principal way of distributing casual games. Having downloaded a game and installed it, you can start playing immediately. It's the “shareware” principle, or “try before buy”. You can check it out before buying and decide if you want it or not. It's an advantage in comparison with classic games, when one buys a game on a basis of indirect information about it. Purchasing of casual games is simple as well and could be done on-line. After that the user receives fully functional game without any restrictions.
As a rule, dedicated game portals deal with game distribution in the Internet. Developers themselves can distribute their products, but it takes a lot of time and efforts. The smartest way is to entrust it to professionals.
Our company Fenomen Games is dealing with distribution of casual games, thoroughly chosen all over the Internet, and is a striking example of a game portal. Our collection has been sorted and games put into genres, so that you can find what you want in an easy way. We follow new ideas in casual games industry, and try to provide users with the newest and interesting games.
We invite you to have a look around our site as we feel confident that we have many games that will interest you and worth your time.
At least you will get some idea about what Casual Games are.
Find Out More: http://www.fenomen-games.com/
Monday, December 27, 2010
Career In Game Testing
Becoming a game tester is probably a little more than you would expect. There are three things you must have before pursuing a game tester job.
1. A Sincere Love of Playing Video Games!
I mean you love to play all the time and almost never get tired of playing. if you could be fed through a tube you would play forever. If you're a casual player then this might not be for you.
2. You Are Really Good!
You have to also be really good at video games. These companys don't have a lot of time waiting for you to learn the game. If you don't have skills, how can you test a new game for release?
3. Must be 16 Years of Age.
This is a qualification that meets child labor laws and is the minimum age that can be employed for this type of work. If your just a bit younger then you can always start getting ready by working on your skills and staying up to date with the new games and trends.
If you have these three things then you have the foundation to be a game tester. The next step is creating a gamer profile and getting it out to the appropriate companies for review.
You can do this yourself, or you can sign up with one of the game tester clubs that are legitimate and they will help do most of the ground work for you.
Don't want to wait? Then check out one of the services in our reviews by clicking the link in the author or resource box with this article..
We reviewed most services and found the ones that can actually help you achieve this goal. Please read our reviews and see if one of these fits you best. Go to Skeptic-Reviews dot com to read our full review.
1. A Sincere Love of Playing Video Games!
I mean you love to play all the time and almost never get tired of playing. if you could be fed through a tube you would play forever. If you're a casual player then this might not be for you.
2. You Are Really Good!
You have to also be really good at video games. These companys don't have a lot of time waiting for you to learn the game. If you don't have skills, how can you test a new game for release?
3. Must be 16 Years of Age.
This is a qualification that meets child labor laws and is the minimum age that can be employed for this type of work. If your just a bit younger then you can always start getting ready by working on your skills and staying up to date with the new games and trends.
If you have these three things then you have the foundation to be a game tester. The next step is creating a gamer profile and getting it out to the appropriate companies for review.
You can do this yourself, or you can sign up with one of the game tester clubs that are legitimate and they will help do most of the ground work for you.
Don't want to wait? Then check out one of the services in our reviews by clicking the link in the author or resource box with this article..
We reviewed most services and found the ones that can actually help you achieve this goal. Please read our reviews and see if one of these fits you best. Go to Skeptic-Reviews dot com to read our full review.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Playstations And Why They Are Popular
The biggest reason is the graphics. The Playstation has some of the best graphics on the market, capable of rending 360,000 polygons per second. This enabled it to render almost any image quickly and sharply, making it ideal for any game that you could play on it, whether it was taking jewels from a safe, sniping a villain, or slamming someone to the floor. The imag...
Keywords:
x box, video games, playstation
Article Body:
Playstations are one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market. There are several reasons for this.
The biggest reason is the graphics. The Playstation has some of the best graphics on the market, capable of rending 360,000 polygons per second. This enabled it to render almost any image quickly and sharply, making it ideal for any game that you could play on it, whether it was taking jewels from a safe, sniping a villain, or slamming someone to the floor. The images were gorgeous, and are among the industry’s best.
The controls are a dream; very responsive, and easy to learn, the controls are some of the best designed in the gaming industry. Although the games themselves may have had some ridiculous problems, the Playstation’s controls themselves allowed any player to master the game to whatever level the player was capable of. Capable of handling up to four controllers with appropriate hardware, the Playstation could easily keep a group playing for days.
The Playstation was also the first console to integrate a DVD player into itself. This allowed the interesting situation of the owner being able to watch an anime, and then play a game based on that anime, all on the same piece of equipment; a great development on a console. Of course, it was a fully-functioning player, with all the features that you would expect from a DVD player; you could find an Easter egg on the player just as easily as you could on the games.
And the variety of the games is definitely not second-rate. With the Game Cube being for kids, and the XBox for showing off, the Playstation seemed to be a personal industry favorite. You could find games for any genre, any rating. You could find the standard fighting games, platform jumpers, and side-scrollers, as well as some truly weird games (such as Cubivore, a game of evolution modeled on actual theories). There were some dating games available, as well as games that were compilations of other games from years past. Not only did it have the best games of today, but best games of yesteryear. The Playstation literally had a game for anyone, with a strong line of educational games and more illicit games for other ages.
The system had few weaknesses. The DVD player wouldn’t last, having to be repaired after a relatively short time. Also, there were only spaces for two controllers. At least the memory cards could hold more game records than other games.
In short, the Playstation is easily one of the best consoles ever designed. The console can keep a group of guys spellbound for hours, and then a little girl could take over the system with her own games. There’s a lot to be said about a console that can allow even the youngest child a wide range of entertainment options, including education games and Disney DVDs. A good console for a good time.
Keywords:
x box, video games, playstation
Article Body:
Playstations are one of the most popular gaming consoles on the market. There are several reasons for this.
The biggest reason is the graphics. The Playstation has some of the best graphics on the market, capable of rending 360,000 polygons per second. This enabled it to render almost any image quickly and sharply, making it ideal for any game that you could play on it, whether it was taking jewels from a safe, sniping a villain, or slamming someone to the floor. The images were gorgeous, and are among the industry’s best.
The controls are a dream; very responsive, and easy to learn, the controls are some of the best designed in the gaming industry. Although the games themselves may have had some ridiculous problems, the Playstation’s controls themselves allowed any player to master the game to whatever level the player was capable of. Capable of handling up to four controllers with appropriate hardware, the Playstation could easily keep a group playing for days.
The Playstation was also the first console to integrate a DVD player into itself. This allowed the interesting situation of the owner being able to watch an anime, and then play a game based on that anime, all on the same piece of equipment; a great development on a console. Of course, it was a fully-functioning player, with all the features that you would expect from a DVD player; you could find an Easter egg on the player just as easily as you could on the games.
And the variety of the games is definitely not second-rate. With the Game Cube being for kids, and the XBox for showing off, the Playstation seemed to be a personal industry favorite. You could find games for any genre, any rating. You could find the standard fighting games, platform jumpers, and side-scrollers, as well as some truly weird games (such as Cubivore, a game of evolution modeled on actual theories). There were some dating games available, as well as games that were compilations of other games from years past. Not only did it have the best games of today, but best games of yesteryear. The Playstation literally had a game for anyone, with a strong line of educational games and more illicit games for other ages.
The system had few weaknesses. The DVD player wouldn’t last, having to be repaired after a relatively short time. Also, there were only spaces for two controllers. At least the memory cards could hold more game records than other games.
In short, the Playstation is easily one of the best consoles ever designed. The console can keep a group of guys spellbound for hours, and then a little girl could take over the system with her own games. There’s a lot to be said about a console that can allow even the youngest child a wide range of entertainment options, including education games and Disney DVDs. A good console for a good time.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Becoming A Game Tester
We have seen a record number of requests at Skeptic-Reviews from people wanting to know if this was for real and could any of these products really help someone to start making money while playing video games?
After doing our own independant research, joining some sites and reviewing the information, the truth is, there is a huge explosion in the need for game tester jobs. As video game sales skyrocket year after year, game developers need more and more game testers to go through levels, try out new characters and just play the game. Most games today have a multiplayer aspect to them and this requires extensive game testing to fine tune for release. For this, game developers will pay good money per hour to have these projects tested and re-tested again. The hard part is getting in with these groups to be a part of that labor force for the developers.
We discovered the game industry does these things in a certain way and they also have sources they go to for hords of game testers. Being a member of one of these clubs or joining a group of game testers is how you get your foot in the door to start making money for testing video games.
After some initial research we were able to aquire the information on dozens of products and clubs that claim to help you get started as a game tester. Only three made it to the review, the others were deemed to be scams and not worth any mention. We will save you the heartache and frustration of being ripped off by following our recommendation to one of the valid services we discovered below.
The following sites offer the best possible opportunities for becoming a full or part time "Game Tester".
We reviewed each one and the following is what we found:
Product 1 - Game Tester Guide
We were impressed by this program because the founder of this group is a game tester himself and has been making money doing this for some time now. His expert guidance was very helpful.
Game Tester Guide is a little different because it offers a one time membership fee of $44.95 but, that gets you in for life. This seems like a pretty good deal, then we dig further.
This program basically does it all for you! From the initial setup of your gamer profile to getting you submitted for the video game testing jobs. Then, you receive the games in the mail to play. Once you play them, there is a survey that you have to fill out and return. After you submit the review, they send you a check for your time!
We really liked Game Tester Guide because it had a lifetime membership, it was easy to get started and was realistic on the amount you will actually get paid to do this kind of job.
We gave them an 9 out of 10 score for their product. If you would like to sign up and take advantage of the lifetime membership, see if you qualify by viewing our full review at our site below.
Product 2 - Gamer Testing Ground
Gamer Testing Ground is a another great program that provides all the information, support and hook ups to get started at game testing in a short period of time. We liked the access to unreleased game titles and the broad selection of game assignments. The game copies are a nice bonus to the game tester job.
This program provides a ton of inside resources that will help you become a game tester in short period of time. The insider contacts and information here are invaluable to someone seeking a tester position. This information is impossible to aquire by yourself and with the right contacts and resources this plan gets you the job! We liked it and within a week, with a little effort, we were actually playing games for money!
This one also seemed to have access to some very popular game releases and the most unreleased game titles out of the three. If your in it for game diversity, then this one is for you.
We gave them a 8 out of 10 for their product. If you would like to sign up and take advantage of the special offer they are running, please follow the link at the end of this article.
Product 3 - Only For Gamers
The initial reaction was good. We thought the webpage was good and we were excited to see what the difference was with this one.
Once signed up and looking for how this one compared, we were hit with a decent 3-step plan to get paid to play games. We followed the steps and sure enough we started getting in on some unreleased games that needed game testers, we followed the plan and we were hired on to test a game that has a new version coming out next year. After a week of testing, we got our first check!
Only 4 Gamers had a different approach than some of the others and is geared to the person wanting to start right now. We found the information great and it did help us get some awsome gigs playing games. We also made some nice cash doing it.
We gave them a 7 out of 10 score for their product. If you would like to sign up with this one, and get started in this business right away, please click the link to our site below.
After doing our own independant research, joining some sites and reviewing the information, the truth is, there is a huge explosion in the need for game tester jobs. As video game sales skyrocket year after year, game developers need more and more game testers to go through levels, try out new characters and just play the game. Most games today have a multiplayer aspect to them and this requires extensive game testing to fine tune for release. For this, game developers will pay good money per hour to have these projects tested and re-tested again. The hard part is getting in with these groups to be a part of that labor force for the developers.
We discovered the game industry does these things in a certain way and they also have sources they go to for hords of game testers. Being a member of one of these clubs or joining a group of game testers is how you get your foot in the door to start making money for testing video games.
After some initial research we were able to aquire the information on dozens of products and clubs that claim to help you get started as a game tester. Only three made it to the review, the others were deemed to be scams and not worth any mention. We will save you the heartache and frustration of being ripped off by following our recommendation to one of the valid services we discovered below.
The following sites offer the best possible opportunities for becoming a full or part time "Game Tester".
We reviewed each one and the following is what we found:
Product 1 - Game Tester Guide
We were impressed by this program because the founder of this group is a game tester himself and has been making money doing this for some time now. His expert guidance was very helpful.
Game Tester Guide is a little different because it offers a one time membership fee of $44.95 but, that gets you in for life. This seems like a pretty good deal, then we dig further.
This program basically does it all for you! From the initial setup of your gamer profile to getting you submitted for the video game testing jobs. Then, you receive the games in the mail to play. Once you play them, there is a survey that you have to fill out and return. After you submit the review, they send you a check for your time!
We really liked Game Tester Guide because it had a lifetime membership, it was easy to get started and was realistic on the amount you will actually get paid to do this kind of job.
We gave them an 9 out of 10 score for their product. If you would like to sign up and take advantage of the lifetime membership, see if you qualify by viewing our full review at our site below.
Product 2 - Gamer Testing Ground
Gamer Testing Ground is a another great program that provides all the information, support and hook ups to get started at game testing in a short period of time. We liked the access to unreleased game titles and the broad selection of game assignments. The game copies are a nice bonus to the game tester job.
This program provides a ton of inside resources that will help you become a game tester in short period of time. The insider contacts and information here are invaluable to someone seeking a tester position. This information is impossible to aquire by yourself and with the right contacts and resources this plan gets you the job! We liked it and within a week, with a little effort, we were actually playing games for money!
This one also seemed to have access to some very popular game releases and the most unreleased game titles out of the three. If your in it for game diversity, then this one is for you.
We gave them a 8 out of 10 for their product. If you would like to sign up and take advantage of the special offer they are running, please follow the link at the end of this article.
Product 3 - Only For Gamers
The initial reaction was good. We thought the webpage was good and we were excited to see what the difference was with this one.
Once signed up and looking for how this one compared, we were hit with a decent 3-step plan to get paid to play games. We followed the steps and sure enough we started getting in on some unreleased games that needed game testers, we followed the plan and we were hired on to test a game that has a new version coming out next year. After a week of testing, we got our first check!
Only 4 Gamers had a different approach than some of the others and is geared to the person wanting to start right now. We found the information great and it did help us get some awsome gigs playing games. We also made some nice cash doing it.
We gave them a 7 out of 10 score for their product. If you would like to sign up with this one, and get started in this business right away, please click the link to our site below.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
A Look Back At Video Game History – Do You Remember Pac Man, Space Invaders And Super Mario Brothers?
Of all the things that the 1970’s produced, there are few that made as big of a cultural impact as video games. There’s no question about it: video games have been a significant force in society and one of the most popular leisure pursuits. Chances are if you’re under the age of 40, you played them, some of us a lot. There was Atari, Intellivision and Colecovision. Don’t forget Sega and Nintendo. Today there are web sites that allow you to download free online games.
And if you remember those days of the late ‘70’s and early 80’s, you recall that the games relied on graphic improvements and better ways of shooting the enemy. It was more or less a solitary pursuit. With the rise of the Internet and online games however, lots of things changed, including the ability to download games and playing online games, making games a more social activity, with lots of players, or opponents playing each other from different countries. This may be the biggest change – and the latest benefit that games have offered the world.
But what about the early days? How did it all start and what were the video games that defined the era?
The Innovators
Many people think that Pong was the home game that started it all, but really it was Magnavox and their "Odyssey" system in 1972. Although it was very simple, it was still the first. It had twelve simple games with graphic overlays. However, there was lots of room for improvement, and that’s where Pong came into play.
Nolan Bushnell created Pong, along with Al Alcorn, the founder of Atari. Rumor has it that when the prototype was tested at a California bar, the machine broke down after two days, because it was so popular. The next logical step was to create a home version. So, one year later, Atari released Pong, complete with built in paddles, and a speaker. Of course, Pong was a huge success and represented a new stage in the evolution of gaming. Over sixty Pong knock-offs would be produced, but Atari dominated the market.
Next was the implementation of the microprocessor, which the entire industry adopted. As a result of this, more complicated systems could be developed. These systems produced groundbreaking and innovative graphical and auditory effects that had never been seen before. Consumers were eating it up. The industry was on fire. In 1981 alone, five billion dollars were spent on video arcade machines and another billion dollars was spent on home video game systems. Atari’s VCS/2600 system remained the dominant player through 1982, when the gaming market experienced a crash.
What were some of the great games? How about Pac Man? Pac Man, the yellow blob that ate up dots and avoided squid-like ghosts, was a worldwide sensation and probably the biggest game of all time.
Space Invaders was another incredibly popular game. In fact, it really marked a turning point for arcade games, bringing them out of bars and into family friendly places like shops and restaurants. The premise of Space Invaders was to stop an alien invasion. This simple formula went on to become the most successful arcade game of all time.
Then there was Super Mario, which was huge as well. It involved an Italian anti-hero who was deliberately designed as a character that everyone could relate to. Soon thereafter came Zelda, Metroid, and other classics.
Rise and Fall of Atari
Atari was the hottest thing in the gaming world in the early ‘80’s. Today, they are a relic of past glory. So what happened? Atari made some bad decisions, and although it’s a little complicated, it’s helpful to understand the situation. At that time in the computing world, magnetic mediums were implemented in the data storage used in Arcade machines. These mediums allowed for a higher memory capacity than ROM cartridges.
In 1982, Atari had the option to include a disk drive in their systems. The price difference would have been nominal, and the memory capacity would have been significant. Atari, however, thought that magnetic media was too “fragile” for the consumer to adequately handle. Atari's "concern" for the customer backfired on them. In the previous years, there had been a very fine line separating arcade game quality from home game quality. With arcades utilizing storage capacities ten to forty-five times larger than home systems that fine line became a chasm. Arcade games seemed to be evolving exponentially, while home systems seemed "stuck in a time warp.”
The public quickly became uninterested in video game specific consoles, and sales plummeted.
This would mark the end of Atari's reign of the video game market.
The Rise of the New
In 1984, everything changed. The reason? Two innovations: The reduction in cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips which allowed more memory, and the production of higher power 8-bit processors, which lowered the prices of the previous chips. Sega, a new player in home gaming systems, entered the console market with their Master System 2. The Sega Master system would sell very well, but its success would be limited.
The other key player was Nintendo of Japan. The genius of Nintendo was their marketing prowess, as they poured millions into advertisements. These advertisements hit consumers at the perfect time, as evidenced in their sales. In fact, Nintendo couldn’t manufacture enough systems to keep up with demand. After all was said and done, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) would become the highest selling system in history. They would also become the most notorious, as they were involved in the intimidation of retailers, competing companies, and other suppliers and partners.
Over the next five years Sega and Nintendo would battle for dominance, going back and forth. The consumer definitely benefited from this rivalry.
Today, it’s between PlayStation 2, the Xbox and the GameCube. Xbox has taken the step to merge the past and present, where Xbox "Live Arcade" is a console system that has a "download-like" characteristic where you can buy games via the console itself. One thing in the video game industry will always remain: the classic games of yesterday were great games, helped define an era, and will always be fun.
And if you remember those days of the late ‘70’s and early 80’s, you recall that the games relied on graphic improvements and better ways of shooting the enemy. It was more or less a solitary pursuit. With the rise of the Internet and online games however, lots of things changed, including the ability to download games and playing online games, making games a more social activity, with lots of players, or opponents playing each other from different countries. This may be the biggest change – and the latest benefit that games have offered the world.
But what about the early days? How did it all start and what were the video games that defined the era?
The Innovators
Many people think that Pong was the home game that started it all, but really it was Magnavox and their "Odyssey" system in 1972. Although it was very simple, it was still the first. It had twelve simple games with graphic overlays. However, there was lots of room for improvement, and that’s where Pong came into play.
Nolan Bushnell created Pong, along with Al Alcorn, the founder of Atari. Rumor has it that when the prototype was tested at a California bar, the machine broke down after two days, because it was so popular. The next logical step was to create a home version. So, one year later, Atari released Pong, complete with built in paddles, and a speaker. Of course, Pong was a huge success and represented a new stage in the evolution of gaming. Over sixty Pong knock-offs would be produced, but Atari dominated the market.
Next was the implementation of the microprocessor, which the entire industry adopted. As a result of this, more complicated systems could be developed. These systems produced groundbreaking and innovative graphical and auditory effects that had never been seen before. Consumers were eating it up. The industry was on fire. In 1981 alone, five billion dollars were spent on video arcade machines and another billion dollars was spent on home video game systems. Atari’s VCS/2600 system remained the dominant player through 1982, when the gaming market experienced a crash.
What were some of the great games? How about Pac Man? Pac Man, the yellow blob that ate up dots and avoided squid-like ghosts, was a worldwide sensation and probably the biggest game of all time.
Space Invaders was another incredibly popular game. In fact, it really marked a turning point for arcade games, bringing them out of bars and into family friendly places like shops and restaurants. The premise of Space Invaders was to stop an alien invasion. This simple formula went on to become the most successful arcade game of all time.
Then there was Super Mario, which was huge as well. It involved an Italian anti-hero who was deliberately designed as a character that everyone could relate to. Soon thereafter came Zelda, Metroid, and other classics.
Rise and Fall of Atari
Atari was the hottest thing in the gaming world in the early ‘80’s. Today, they are a relic of past glory. So what happened? Atari made some bad decisions, and although it’s a little complicated, it’s helpful to understand the situation. At that time in the computing world, magnetic mediums were implemented in the data storage used in Arcade machines. These mediums allowed for a higher memory capacity than ROM cartridges.
In 1982, Atari had the option to include a disk drive in their systems. The price difference would have been nominal, and the memory capacity would have been significant. Atari, however, thought that magnetic media was too “fragile” for the consumer to adequately handle. Atari's "concern" for the customer backfired on them. In the previous years, there had been a very fine line separating arcade game quality from home game quality. With arcades utilizing storage capacities ten to forty-five times larger than home systems that fine line became a chasm. Arcade games seemed to be evolving exponentially, while home systems seemed "stuck in a time warp.”
The public quickly became uninterested in video game specific consoles, and sales plummeted.
This would mark the end of Atari's reign of the video game market.
The Rise of the New
In 1984, everything changed. The reason? Two innovations: The reduction in cost of Dynamic RAM (DRAM) chips which allowed more memory, and the production of higher power 8-bit processors, which lowered the prices of the previous chips. Sega, a new player in home gaming systems, entered the console market with their Master System 2. The Sega Master system would sell very well, but its success would be limited.
The other key player was Nintendo of Japan. The genius of Nintendo was their marketing prowess, as they poured millions into advertisements. These advertisements hit consumers at the perfect time, as evidenced in their sales. In fact, Nintendo couldn’t manufacture enough systems to keep up with demand. After all was said and done, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) would become the highest selling system in history. They would also become the most notorious, as they were involved in the intimidation of retailers, competing companies, and other suppliers and partners.
Over the next five years Sega and Nintendo would battle for dominance, going back and forth. The consumer definitely benefited from this rivalry.
Today, it’s between PlayStation 2, the Xbox and the GameCube. Xbox has taken the step to merge the past and present, where Xbox "Live Arcade" is a console system that has a "download-like" characteristic where you can buy games via the console itself. One thing in the video game industry will always remain: the classic games of yesterday were great games, helped define an era, and will always be fun.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
5 Ways Nintendo can Climb to the Top
5: Shifting Media Man
Nintendo needs to ditch mini-disks and cartridges and publish games on full size compact disks. It will help get rid of your “cute, fuzzy, little kid image.”
4: Deadline Driving for 8 Billion Red Coins
Don’t hype up a game until you’re sure you can release it on time. You get me all worked up about a game like Twilight Princess and then push it back, and back, and back until you’ve pushed back into another console! It gets old! Stop doing it. Finish the game then tell people about it six month before you release it. Problem solved.
3: Footrace with Sony the Quick
It’s a little late for this one Nintendo, but you need to beat Sony to the market if you can. Get your Revolution hardware out and in our hands and take our dollars as soon as possible because after we buy an X-Box 360, 4 controllers, and a hard drive we’re probably going to have enough money for just one Next Gen system. If you can beat Sony to the market and suck up $250 bucks plus the cost of controllers, games, and memory cards people won’t be willing to shell out the $600 bucks plus games and accessory money for Play Station III.
2. Nintendo's Image Lost
You need to fix your image, you have the 3-9 year old market cornered, and nobody can touch you, but now its time to graduate to the big leagues. If you want to survive and latch onto the adult audience I suggest buying a well-known franchise like Grand Theft Auto or create one and make it a Nintendo exclusive. Remind people Nintendo started the age of multiplayer console shooters with Goldeneye.
1. To the Top of the Mountain
Last, but not least, you seriously need to get a better shell for your controller. I personally like it and think it's brilliant, but people aren't ready for it yet. You need to have a more traditional controller for your next gen system. I'm NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD GET RID OF THE MOTION SENSOR, but definitely scrap the remote control look.
Nintendo needs to ditch mini-disks and cartridges and publish games on full size compact disks. It will help get rid of your “cute, fuzzy, little kid image.”
4: Deadline Driving for 8 Billion Red Coins
Don’t hype up a game until you’re sure you can release it on time. You get me all worked up about a game like Twilight Princess and then push it back, and back, and back until you’ve pushed back into another console! It gets old! Stop doing it. Finish the game then tell people about it six month before you release it. Problem solved.
3: Footrace with Sony the Quick
It’s a little late for this one Nintendo, but you need to beat Sony to the market if you can. Get your Revolution hardware out and in our hands and take our dollars as soon as possible because after we buy an X-Box 360, 4 controllers, and a hard drive we’re probably going to have enough money for just one Next Gen system. If you can beat Sony to the market and suck up $250 bucks plus the cost of controllers, games, and memory cards people won’t be willing to shell out the $600 bucks plus games and accessory money for Play Station III.
2. Nintendo's Image Lost
You need to fix your image, you have the 3-9 year old market cornered, and nobody can touch you, but now its time to graduate to the big leagues. If you want to survive and latch onto the adult audience I suggest buying a well-known franchise like Grand Theft Auto or create one and make it a Nintendo exclusive. Remind people Nintendo started the age of multiplayer console shooters with Goldeneye.
1. To the Top of the Mountain
Last, but not least, you seriously need to get a better shell for your controller. I personally like it and think it's brilliant, but people aren't ready for it yet. You need to have a more traditional controller for your next gen system. I'm NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD GET RID OF THE MOTION SENSOR, but definitely scrap the remote control look.
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