Folks, we should have seen the Wii coming. But alot of us never saw it coming. We were too busy focusing on the 360/PS3 that we never saw the Wii sneak up on us and suplex us into a table.
That is why Dice CEO Fredrik Liliegrin had this to say about the Wii
Because the Wii, to me, I would describe it as a Virus, that doesn't stick. Everyone comes home, it's a toy, people have got to realize the Wii is a toy, not an entertainment focused product. People come home, someone, they play Wii for a bit, feel it's really cool, blah blah blah, they go out and buy one. Ask people how often they play the Wii, that are not the core game consumer that buys one because they have an Xbox 360 and a Wii or a PlayStation 3 and a Wii. The people that only own the Wii, ask that consumer how often they use their machine. They just don't use it, it was cool, but they're not gamers, so they put it away. Other than the Wii Fit phenomenon that helped a lot of people get a nice cutie voice telling that they're fat and need to go work out, they need to find other alternatives. Nintendo is smart in that way in that they realize this is not a video game machine, this is not a games game machine.
Exactly. Not only is the Wii a contagious infection, it is also a toy that doesn't play video games, just like the 4 systems that it preceeds. The NES doesn't paly video games, it's just a measly toy. In fact, Toys are interactivity made for fun. However, Mr Liliegrin backpeddled and had this to say
“First off I believe the Wii is a phenomenal accomplishment and a great addition to the video game space. Nintendo did a very smart thing by staying away from the graphics arms race and created a product that was different and could stand out. Given this design direction the Wii in my mind is more of a toy then a games machine, and I say millions of Wii Fit players agree with me! It’s a Toy that plays some pretty good video games, but the majority of users that has bought a Wii, I believe, would never consider buying a Xbox 360 or a PS3. Simply because I believe they would not be interested in that experience. So I really meant no disrespect to Nintendo at all or the Wii. I just expressed the opinion that Wii will need a successor sooner rather then later as its newness and virus-spreading capabilities will soon run out. Just my two cents!”
Mr Liliegrin, I am disappointed in you. How dare you call the Wii a virus and at the same time, a Phenomenal accomplishment. If you're gonna blast the Wii, at least make sure you're hating it. You made real haters look bad in that shot. If I was a real hater, I would have come down on you for that.
And another thing, it's an insult to call the Wii a Toy and not an entertainment focused product because teal entertainment focused products are mainly toys that we enjoy just for fun. That would make the 360 and the PS3 toys now, would it?
Works Cited:
GoNintendo Link 1
GoNintendo Link 2
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
How not to flip-flop
Folks, when gaming is in trouble, 3rd parties do what they do best and drop Wii while continuing to throw their money at HD gaming. But something awful just happened...the exact opposite
Take-Two, the current owner of the 2K fanchise that was once apart of SEGA, has announced that NHL 2K11 will not release on the PS3 or the 360, but rather exclusively to the Wii. Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick has this to say about NHL 2K11 being Wii-exclusive
"As far as NHL, we're taking a year off on PS3 and Xbox 360 to refine, redesign and re-think,"
To make matters worse, a spokesperson for Take Two had this to say
"We have decided to reevaluate our NHL strategy and will only be releasing NHL 2K11 for the Wii in fiscal year 2010. We want to become a stronger competitor in this category and taking a year off on PS3 and Xbox 360, while focusing on making the best possible game for Wii, should allow us to accomplish that goal."
That's not how you reevalutate things. You can the Wii version and support the 360/PS3 versions, even if the latter was not as well received as the former, and even if the Wii version outsold both versions combined. That makes as much sense as saying Tony Hawk RIDE is the best game of 2009, only if you put your hands and not your feet on the board.
Speaking of RIDE, Shaun White has announced his own Skateboarding game for 360, PS3, Wii and PC.
Works Cited
Joystiq
Gamasutra article on Shaun White Skateboarding
Take-Two, the current owner of the 2K fanchise that was once apart of SEGA, has announced that NHL 2K11 will not release on the PS3 or the 360, but rather exclusively to the Wii. Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick has this to say about NHL 2K11 being Wii-exclusive
"As far as NHL, we're taking a year off on PS3 and Xbox 360 to refine, redesign and re-think,"
To make matters worse, a spokesperson for Take Two had this to say
"We have decided to reevaluate our NHL strategy and will only be releasing NHL 2K11 for the Wii in fiscal year 2010. We want to become a stronger competitor in this category and taking a year off on PS3 and Xbox 360, while focusing on making the best possible game for Wii, should allow us to accomplish that goal."
That's not how you reevalutate things. You can the Wii version and support the 360/PS3 versions, even if the latter was not as well received as the former, and even if the Wii version outsold both versions combined. That makes as much sense as saying Tony Hawk RIDE is the best game of 2009, only if you put your hands and not your feet on the board.
Speaking of RIDE, Shaun White has announced his own Skateboarding game for 360, PS3, Wii and PC.
Works Cited
Joystiq
Gamasutra article on Shaun White Skateboarding
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Get to know, your SEGA All Star
Folks, if you're like me, you have picked up Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing last week for ether the Wii, 360, PS3 or DS. But if you're like me, you may have picked up more than 1 version.
Today, I'm gonna talk to you about the playable characters. We'll discuss the ones available at start, then go into detail the characters that can be unlocked. This image contains the characters that you will be playing with(With the exception of Banjo-Kazooie, Avatars and Miis) courtesy of SEGA
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk282/Daimando/Game%20Reporter/Asrgroupphoto.jpg
1) Sonic the Hedgehog: The world's fastest hedgehog, known for battling the evil Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Chili Dogs, and the number of traffic tickets he received in one blow. Sonic uses the quills on his back and head to turn into a buzz saw(Or a ball) to rip through Eggman's machines. Hidden within the Speed Star are his Chaos Emeralds, used to turn him into Super Sonic as his All-Star move. That sounds very Dragon Ball Zish, doesn't it?
2) Miles 'Tails' Prower: Sonic's little buddy. Tails is known for his two tails that allows him to fly, but he's also a mechanical genius almost to the level of Eggman. He's also known to be afraid of lightning and will cower like a pussy cat when suspected to it. Tails modified his Tornado plane into a racer and when he goes All-Star, he'll summon Flickies to spin Tails into a Tails Tornado to suck up enemies and items. PETA will be knocking on his door in the future.
3) Amy Rose: She has the cuteness of Minnie Mouse, the attitude of Sonic, and the anger of Miss Piggy. She happens to have a crush on Sonic and will do anything for him. She drives the Pink Cabriolet in the race, which she previously used in Sonic R. Normally, she's a sweet girl, but if you piss her off, she'll get out her Pikopiko hammer as her All-Star move and smash you with it. Anger Management groups are too fearful of her hammer to allow her into the group
4) Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik: Sonic's arch-nemesis since 1991. Eggman's favorite hobbies includes conquering the world, hating Sonic, encasing animals into robots, stuffing himself full of food, and watching Glenn Beck. Eggman decided to go big this time and turned his Eggpod into an Egg Monster of a truck. Features include giant tires, power steering, instant sandwiches, and a transformation button, used to go into his All-Star Missle Madness which sends his Eggpod into flying mode while he launches missles at everyone.
5) Shadow the Hedgehog: Sonic's rival since Sonic Adventure 2. Shadow's been known as an artifical life form created by Eggman's grandpappy: Gerald Robotnik. He's been known to avenge his fallen girlfriend Maria Robotnik, wield guns of many kinds, support the NRA, drive motorcycles, and slamming Michael Richards for that Laugh Factory incident. Speaking of cycle, Shadow is one of the few cycle drivers with his Dark Rider, courtesy of G.U.N. And apparently, he's also carrying Chaos Emeralds that turns him into Super Shadow as his All-Star move. 2 Super forms in one game? That doesn't make sense
6) Aiai(Super Monkey Ball): Though times are tough for this little monkey, Aiai is in good spirits as he represents Super Monkey Ball, known for trapping monkeys in a ball and rolling them around a play field. Aiai drives the Blazing Banana, a mobile shaped like a pair of bananas. When he goes All-Star, he jumps into his favorite Monkey Ball and calls his friends MeeMee, Baby and Gongon to bowl over anyone in his way. Those are some crazed monkeys
7) Amigo(Samba De Amigo): This world ain't big enough for two monkeys. But Amigo of Samba De Amigo is a wild dancing monkey. Despite his immigrant status, Samba De Amigo knows how to bring out the party animal within him. His vehicle, Car de Amigo, is shaped like his favorite instrument the Maraca. But don't get him into the music, or he'll bust out his All-Star move: Samba De Party, and get everyone nearby dancing with him. Wonder if they serve alcohol in this party.
8) Billy Hatcher(Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg): Now here's a character that's been neglected. Billy Hatcher, along with his friends, once fought against the evils of the Dark Raven and his eternal night to save Morning Land and its inhabitants. When not battling Dark Raven, he rides around in his Raving Rooster vehicle. Ruffle his feathers and he'll go Egg Rodeo on a Giant Egg and chase you around with it. A dangerous All-Star move indeed as he goes from chicken to bull.
9) Knuckles the Echidna: The first unlockable character. Knuckles is Sonic's buddy, but he's so gullable, he sometimes turn against him. And in one case, his gullability almost made him join the Tea Party. Known for being all-terrain, Knuckles drives the Land Breaker ATV to go over almost anything. A secret compartment hides the Master Emerald and when he goes All-Star, he brings it out and unleashes his Emerald Power, gliding above the track while slamming his fist into the track creating shockwaves to shake up other racers, and nearby coconuts that will land on his head later on.
10) Big the Cat: Out of all the Sonic characters, Big is one of the most lazy characters on this game. He enjoys fishing, talking to Froggy, watching the grass grow, and watching Pro Wrestling. Big's enormous bulk is the result of too much fish, though we wonder how he can fit on his Green Hopper cycle. But if you pull this cat's tail, he'll get out a giant version of Froggy as his All Star move and hop onto the tail as it goes on a rampage, smashing anything in its path. Who said frogs aren't dangerous
11) Zobio and Zobiko(House of the Dead EX): Zobiko was an immate thrown in jail by a mad scientist. Zobio busted her out after quitting his job as a prison guard due to lack of health care. Even Zombies need their public option. While they were there, they also took the Doctor's Hotrod of Horror and use it in their races. Inside the glove compartment is an endless supply of potions used for their All-Star move: Run-a-way Love: Which turns Zobio into a hulking giant and Zobiko rides on top of him while he smashes everything that gets in his way. He's almost like the Incredible Hulk, only dead.
12) Beat(Jet Grind Radio): A member of the gang GGs in Tokyo-To, Beat is known for his vandalism by tagging buildings with his signature graffiti. His actions have caused Captain Onishima and the local Police to chase after him. Beat rides around in his De la GGs, a custom built car used for getaways from all that tagging. And when he gets bored, he busts out his All Star Tag Jamming and rides on his skates, spray painting any racer that gets in his way. He was recently spotted tagging Eggman's Egg Fortress in recent days.
13) Jacky Bryant and Akira Yuki(Virtua Fighter): Virtua Fighter fans will remember these two powerful fighters, who represent the 3D Fighting generation, which lacked super moves and projectile attacks. Jacky was involved in an accident that really no accident while Akira is the winner of the 2nd World Fighting Tournament and the master at Yuko Budokan. Jacky rides in his muscle car Red Lightning with Akira as passenger. Akira's fighting spirit is unleashed when they go into All-Star Virtua Fight. This causes Akira to jump out and punch the car so hard, it sends the car flying forward and running everyone over. How Akira gets back in is beyond me.
14) Ulala(Space Channel 5): Consider her the rival of Amigo. The top reporter of Space Channel 5, Ulala is also known to be a professional dancer. She was orphaned at an early age due to an accident leaving her a sole survivor. A very trageic past indeed. She drives around in her Futuristic Hover Craft. And when she's in a dancing move, Ulala summons her All-Star Tension Blast and dances to the beat while everyone dances to the music, slowing them down. I wonder why there aren't any No Dancing while Driving laws?
15) BD Joe(Crazy Taxi): If you need a taxi, the Crazy Taxi folks are there. For a lump sum of money, they'll get you to your destination while making your ride a living hell. BD Joe, one of the many taxi drivers, represents the Crazy Taxi business as he drives around. Believe it or not, despite his racing status, BD Joe is still working on his hours and when necessary, his All-Star requires him to pick up customers and go on a Crazy Boost, running over anyone in his way while getting his customer to his destination. Now that's service on a racetrack.
16) Alex Kidd(Alex Kidd): Before Sonic the Hedgehog, there is Alex Kidd. Prince of Planet Aries, Son of King Thunder, and brother of Prince Egle, Alex Kidd fought against the evil Janken the Great to stop him from ursuping his father. Recently, Alex has came out of hiding to mark he return to gaming in tennis and now racing. Alex rides on a red motorcycle. But he also rides on a Peticopter: His All-Star move which lets him ride in the air and fire missles at his enemies. Will we ever see a Sonic/Alex Kidd team up in the future? Stay tuned
17) Ryo Hazuki(Shenmue): Ryo Hazuki has a troubled past. When his father was murdered by Lan Di, he sets off on a quest to avenge his fallen father and obtain the Dragon Mirror. He has close friends like Nozomi Harasaki, his girlfriend, and Naoyuki Ito, who gave him a motorcycle used for his quest and also used for racing. But Ryo also snuck in a Forklift which is his All-Star move. This makes him a Working Man by tossing opponents with said forklift. Who knew forklifts would make great racing tools.
18) The Chuchus(ChuChu Rocket): Cute Space mice, these Chuchus use rockets to escpae from the giant Space Cats known as KapuKapus. 4 Chuchus are represented for racing in the All-Star Racing. They ride around in a modified Chuchu Rocket. Little does anyone know, this rocket also houses a KapuKapu for when its the Chuchu's turn to use their All-Star, they become Cat Walker as they lead a KapuKapu into other racers. Even Big the Cat dare not face this giant Space Cat.
19) Bonanza Bros(Bonanza Bros): Mobo and Robo. These are no ordinary criminals. They are professions that can break into any secure area like a Bank, a Mansion, an Art Gallery, and even a Treasury. These two thieves ride around in their Get-a-Way wagon with many nasty surprises waiting for unfortunate fools. But when the situation is tough, they jump into their blimp and unleash their All-Star: Blimp Strike while they shower bombs onto the racetrack. Even Eggman never thought about this idea before
20) Opa Opa(Fantasy Zone): Our last SEGA character is Opa Opa, a sentient spacecraft that fought against the planet Meron from stealing money from other planets to build a fortress. What makes Opa Opa unique is that it doesn't need a race car. It is the Race car. And not only that, but when one goes to the Part Shop via All Star move, it can choose for a limited time to ether fire a unlimited barrage of missles, get unlimited nitro boosts, or fire off unlimited big rockets. A unique All-Star for a unique character. Missles, Nitro or Rockets, the choice is yours.
21) Banjo-Kazooie(360 exclusive): Hailing from the Rare series of Banjo-Kazooie, this Bear and Bird duo battles Gruntilda Winkybunion while getting the help from friends like Bottles the Mole, Seargent Jamjars, the Witch Doctor Mumbo Jumbo and the shaman Humba Wumba. They drive around in their Bolt Bucket, a custom-built Jeep using parts from Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. Their All-Star move uses Jiggy Power as Kazooie summons a giant wrench that rains Jiggys onto the racers. The forecast never called for a Jiggy Rain.
22) Avatars(360 exclusive): In addition to Banjo-Kazooie, 360 owners can also use their Avatars to race around. Avatars were introduced in a later update to the 360 as an alternative to the Wii's Miis. Your avatar can ride around in the Ava-car 720. As for the All-Star Move, it's Party Power time as Four of your Friend's Avatars will show up and pick up your car while carrying it forward. If you don't have any friends, they will supply you with a set of avatars to assist
23) Miis(Wii Exclusive): Wii owners will only have access to their own Miis(PS3 owners are out of luck). Players can race with any Mii and with up to 8 Miis on the track instead of the usual All-Star Racer. Each Mii is given a Super Zoomer, a Wii-style racer. Their all-star move is similar to the Avatar's all star move, dubbed Parade Power. Except Miis will be used instead of Avatars. It's a parade you don't want to be caught in.
And that does it with the playables of SEGA All-Star Racing. Remember, 360 and Wii owners will get their own exclusives. When they come out, I will discuss DLC characters and their all-stars.
Today, I'm gonna talk to you about the playable characters. We'll discuss the ones available at start, then go into detail the characters that can be unlocked. This image contains the characters that you will be playing with(With the exception of Banjo-Kazooie, Avatars and Miis) courtesy of SEGA
http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk282/Daimando/Game%20Reporter/Asrgroupphoto.jpg
1) Sonic the Hedgehog: The world's fastest hedgehog, known for battling the evil Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Chili Dogs, and the number of traffic tickets he received in one blow. Sonic uses the quills on his back and head to turn into a buzz saw(Or a ball) to rip through Eggman's machines. Hidden within the Speed Star are his Chaos Emeralds, used to turn him into Super Sonic as his All-Star move. That sounds very Dragon Ball Zish, doesn't it?
2) Miles 'Tails' Prower: Sonic's little buddy. Tails is known for his two tails that allows him to fly, but he's also a mechanical genius almost to the level of Eggman. He's also known to be afraid of lightning and will cower like a pussy cat when suspected to it. Tails modified his Tornado plane into a racer and when he goes All-Star, he'll summon Flickies to spin Tails into a Tails Tornado to suck up enemies and items. PETA will be knocking on his door in the future.
3) Amy Rose: She has the cuteness of Minnie Mouse, the attitude of Sonic, and the anger of Miss Piggy. She happens to have a crush on Sonic and will do anything for him. She drives the Pink Cabriolet in the race, which she previously used in Sonic R. Normally, she's a sweet girl, but if you piss her off, she'll get out her Pikopiko hammer as her All-Star move and smash you with it. Anger Management groups are too fearful of her hammer to allow her into the group
4) Dr Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik: Sonic's arch-nemesis since 1991. Eggman's favorite hobbies includes conquering the world, hating Sonic, encasing animals into robots, stuffing himself full of food, and watching Glenn Beck. Eggman decided to go big this time and turned his Eggpod into an Egg Monster of a truck. Features include giant tires, power steering, instant sandwiches, and a transformation button, used to go into his All-Star Missle Madness which sends his Eggpod into flying mode while he launches missles at everyone.
5) Shadow the Hedgehog: Sonic's rival since Sonic Adventure 2. Shadow's been known as an artifical life form created by Eggman's grandpappy: Gerald Robotnik. He's been known to avenge his fallen girlfriend Maria Robotnik, wield guns of many kinds, support the NRA, drive motorcycles, and slamming Michael Richards for that Laugh Factory incident. Speaking of cycle, Shadow is one of the few cycle drivers with his Dark Rider, courtesy of G.U.N. And apparently, he's also carrying Chaos Emeralds that turns him into Super Shadow as his All-Star move. 2 Super forms in one game? That doesn't make sense
6) Aiai(Super Monkey Ball): Though times are tough for this little monkey, Aiai is in good spirits as he represents Super Monkey Ball, known for trapping monkeys in a ball and rolling them around a play field. Aiai drives the Blazing Banana, a mobile shaped like a pair of bananas. When he goes All-Star, he jumps into his favorite Monkey Ball and calls his friends MeeMee, Baby and Gongon to bowl over anyone in his way. Those are some crazed monkeys
7) Amigo(Samba De Amigo): This world ain't big enough for two monkeys. But Amigo of Samba De Amigo is a wild dancing monkey. Despite his immigrant status, Samba De Amigo knows how to bring out the party animal within him. His vehicle, Car de Amigo, is shaped like his favorite instrument the Maraca. But don't get him into the music, or he'll bust out his All-Star move: Samba De Party, and get everyone nearby dancing with him. Wonder if they serve alcohol in this party.
8) Billy Hatcher(Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg): Now here's a character that's been neglected. Billy Hatcher, along with his friends, once fought against the evils of the Dark Raven and his eternal night to save Morning Land and its inhabitants. When not battling Dark Raven, he rides around in his Raving Rooster vehicle. Ruffle his feathers and he'll go Egg Rodeo on a Giant Egg and chase you around with it. A dangerous All-Star move indeed as he goes from chicken to bull.
9) Knuckles the Echidna: The first unlockable character. Knuckles is Sonic's buddy, but he's so gullable, he sometimes turn against him. And in one case, his gullability almost made him join the Tea Party. Known for being all-terrain, Knuckles drives the Land Breaker ATV to go over almost anything. A secret compartment hides the Master Emerald and when he goes All-Star, he brings it out and unleashes his Emerald Power, gliding above the track while slamming his fist into the track creating shockwaves to shake up other racers, and nearby coconuts that will land on his head later on.
10) Big the Cat: Out of all the Sonic characters, Big is one of the most lazy characters on this game. He enjoys fishing, talking to Froggy, watching the grass grow, and watching Pro Wrestling. Big's enormous bulk is the result of too much fish, though we wonder how he can fit on his Green Hopper cycle. But if you pull this cat's tail, he'll get out a giant version of Froggy as his All Star move and hop onto the tail as it goes on a rampage, smashing anything in its path. Who said frogs aren't dangerous
11) Zobio and Zobiko(House of the Dead EX): Zobiko was an immate thrown in jail by a mad scientist. Zobio busted her out after quitting his job as a prison guard due to lack of health care. Even Zombies need their public option. While they were there, they also took the Doctor's Hotrod of Horror and use it in their races. Inside the glove compartment is an endless supply of potions used for their All-Star move: Run-a-way Love: Which turns Zobio into a hulking giant and Zobiko rides on top of him while he smashes everything that gets in his way. He's almost like the Incredible Hulk, only dead.
12) Beat(Jet Grind Radio): A member of the gang GGs in Tokyo-To, Beat is known for his vandalism by tagging buildings with his signature graffiti. His actions have caused Captain Onishima and the local Police to chase after him. Beat rides around in his De la GGs, a custom built car used for getaways from all that tagging. And when he gets bored, he busts out his All Star Tag Jamming and rides on his skates, spray painting any racer that gets in his way. He was recently spotted tagging Eggman's Egg Fortress in recent days.
13) Jacky Bryant and Akira Yuki(Virtua Fighter): Virtua Fighter fans will remember these two powerful fighters, who represent the 3D Fighting generation, which lacked super moves and projectile attacks. Jacky was involved in an accident that really no accident while Akira is the winner of the 2nd World Fighting Tournament and the master at Yuko Budokan. Jacky rides in his muscle car Red Lightning with Akira as passenger. Akira's fighting spirit is unleashed when they go into All-Star Virtua Fight. This causes Akira to jump out and punch the car so hard, it sends the car flying forward and running everyone over. How Akira gets back in is beyond me.
14) Ulala(Space Channel 5): Consider her the rival of Amigo. The top reporter of Space Channel 5, Ulala is also known to be a professional dancer. She was orphaned at an early age due to an accident leaving her a sole survivor. A very trageic past indeed. She drives around in her Futuristic Hover Craft. And when she's in a dancing move, Ulala summons her All-Star Tension Blast and dances to the beat while everyone dances to the music, slowing them down. I wonder why there aren't any No Dancing while Driving laws?
15) BD Joe(Crazy Taxi): If you need a taxi, the Crazy Taxi folks are there. For a lump sum of money, they'll get you to your destination while making your ride a living hell. BD Joe, one of the many taxi drivers, represents the Crazy Taxi business as he drives around. Believe it or not, despite his racing status, BD Joe is still working on his hours and when necessary, his All-Star requires him to pick up customers and go on a Crazy Boost, running over anyone in his way while getting his customer to his destination. Now that's service on a racetrack.
16) Alex Kidd(Alex Kidd): Before Sonic the Hedgehog, there is Alex Kidd. Prince of Planet Aries, Son of King Thunder, and brother of Prince Egle, Alex Kidd fought against the evil Janken the Great to stop him from ursuping his father. Recently, Alex has came out of hiding to mark he return to gaming in tennis and now racing. Alex rides on a red motorcycle. But he also rides on a Peticopter: His All-Star move which lets him ride in the air and fire missles at his enemies. Will we ever see a Sonic/Alex Kidd team up in the future? Stay tuned
17) Ryo Hazuki(Shenmue): Ryo Hazuki has a troubled past. When his father was murdered by Lan Di, he sets off on a quest to avenge his fallen father and obtain the Dragon Mirror. He has close friends like Nozomi Harasaki, his girlfriend, and Naoyuki Ito, who gave him a motorcycle used for his quest and also used for racing. But Ryo also snuck in a Forklift which is his All-Star move. This makes him a Working Man by tossing opponents with said forklift. Who knew forklifts would make great racing tools.
18) The Chuchus(ChuChu Rocket): Cute Space mice, these Chuchus use rockets to escpae from the giant Space Cats known as KapuKapus. 4 Chuchus are represented for racing in the All-Star Racing. They ride around in a modified Chuchu Rocket. Little does anyone know, this rocket also houses a KapuKapu for when its the Chuchu's turn to use their All-Star, they become Cat Walker as they lead a KapuKapu into other racers. Even Big the Cat dare not face this giant Space Cat.
19) Bonanza Bros(Bonanza Bros): Mobo and Robo. These are no ordinary criminals. They are professions that can break into any secure area like a Bank, a Mansion, an Art Gallery, and even a Treasury. These two thieves ride around in their Get-a-Way wagon with many nasty surprises waiting for unfortunate fools. But when the situation is tough, they jump into their blimp and unleash their All-Star: Blimp Strike while they shower bombs onto the racetrack. Even Eggman never thought about this idea before
20) Opa Opa(Fantasy Zone): Our last SEGA character is Opa Opa, a sentient spacecraft that fought against the planet Meron from stealing money from other planets to build a fortress. What makes Opa Opa unique is that it doesn't need a race car. It is the Race car. And not only that, but when one goes to the Part Shop via All Star move, it can choose for a limited time to ether fire a unlimited barrage of missles, get unlimited nitro boosts, or fire off unlimited big rockets. A unique All-Star for a unique character. Missles, Nitro or Rockets, the choice is yours.
21) Banjo-Kazooie(360 exclusive): Hailing from the Rare series of Banjo-Kazooie, this Bear and Bird duo battles Gruntilda Winkybunion while getting the help from friends like Bottles the Mole, Seargent Jamjars, the Witch Doctor Mumbo Jumbo and the shaman Humba Wumba. They drive around in their Bolt Bucket, a custom-built Jeep using parts from Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. Their All-Star move uses Jiggy Power as Kazooie summons a giant wrench that rains Jiggys onto the racers. The forecast never called for a Jiggy Rain.
22) Avatars(360 exclusive): In addition to Banjo-Kazooie, 360 owners can also use their Avatars to race around. Avatars were introduced in a later update to the 360 as an alternative to the Wii's Miis. Your avatar can ride around in the Ava-car 720. As for the All-Star Move, it's Party Power time as Four of your Friend's Avatars will show up and pick up your car while carrying it forward. If you don't have any friends, they will supply you with a set of avatars to assist
23) Miis(Wii Exclusive): Wii owners will only have access to their own Miis(PS3 owners are out of luck). Players can race with any Mii and with up to 8 Miis on the track instead of the usual All-Star Racer. Each Mii is given a Super Zoomer, a Wii-style racer. Their all-star move is similar to the Avatar's all star move, dubbed Parade Power. Except Miis will be used instead of Avatars. It's a parade you don't want to be caught in.
And that does it with the playables of SEGA All-Star Racing. Remember, 360 and Wii owners will get their own exclusives. When they come out, I will discuss DLC characters and their all-stars.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Oh the humanity
Before we begin on this talk on Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing, there's something I need to get out of the way. 2 weeks ago, I thought Erik Estavillo was in smooth sailing mode. But as it turns out, he threw the towel.
Estavillo wrote that his medical conditions, particularly symptoms related to panic disorder and Crohn’s disease, contributed to his decision to abandon the cases. He indicated that the long wait for cases to be heard was starting to get to him, causing his doctors to advise him to walk away from the lawsuits in order to improve his health. Estavillo also provided us with some individual reasons for dropping each case, mostly due to those being sued making improvements or fixes which seemed to appease Erik.
The suits were against Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Activision-Blizzard and Game Review sites. Oh the humanity of having to wait 2 weeks to report on the end of this man's court career. I must be ashamed of myself.
But on to the main event. Next week, Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing hits 4 systems: Wii, X-Box 360, PS3 and the little DS. All but the Wii version has a demo out if you wanna go check it out. Wii owners get their Miis as playables. 360 owners get a treat and can play as Banjo-Kazooie from Rare's franchise, and their Avatars. DS owners get smooth framerates and easier gameplay. PS3 owners get...Gee, they seem a bit shortchanged.
The game has 20 playables: From the Large Ham of a Hero Sonic the Hedgehog to neglected mascot Alex Kidd to Mr Ryo "Take that GTA3" Hazuki and even two zombies: Zobio and Zobiko from House of the Dead EX.
Each character possess an All-Star move, from Sonic going Super to Amy Rose going hammer crazy, to Ryo jumping into his forklift and lifting anyone out of the way, and even 360 guest stars Banjo-Kazooie has Kazooie hold up a Mumbo Wrench while Jiggys fall on players. This is one snowstorm I'd rather stay in the house for.
Later, I'll talk about each character in this game. In the meantime, enjoy the demos.
GamePolitics
Information on Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing
Estavillo wrote that his medical conditions, particularly symptoms related to panic disorder and Crohn’s disease, contributed to his decision to abandon the cases. He indicated that the long wait for cases to be heard was starting to get to him, causing his doctors to advise him to walk away from the lawsuits in order to improve his health. Estavillo also provided us with some individual reasons for dropping each case, mostly due to those being sued making improvements or fixes which seemed to appease Erik.
The suits were against Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Activision-Blizzard and Game Review sites. Oh the humanity of having to wait 2 weeks to report on the end of this man's court career. I must be ashamed of myself.
But on to the main event. Next week, Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing hits 4 systems: Wii, X-Box 360, PS3 and the little DS. All but the Wii version has a demo out if you wanna go check it out. Wii owners get their Miis as playables. 360 owners get a treat and can play as Banjo-Kazooie from Rare's franchise, and their Avatars. DS owners get smooth framerates and easier gameplay. PS3 owners get...Gee, they seem a bit shortchanged.
The game has 20 playables: From the Large Ham of a Hero Sonic the Hedgehog to neglected mascot Alex Kidd to Mr Ryo "Take that GTA3" Hazuki and even two zombies: Zobio and Zobiko from House of the Dead EX.
Each character possess an All-Star move, from Sonic going Super to Amy Rose going hammer crazy, to Ryo jumping into his forklift and lifting anyone out of the way, and even 360 guest stars Banjo-Kazooie has Kazooie hold up a Mumbo Wrench while Jiggys fall on players. This is one snowstorm I'd rather stay in the house for.
Later, I'll talk about each character in this game. In the meantime, enjoy the demos.
GamePolitics
Information on Sonic and SEGA All-Star Racing
Thursday, February 11, 2010
NPD January 2010: The first of our kind
Folks, when I created the Game Reporter, I did this for one thing: To separate my NPD from my Livejournal. Well for the first time, I am pleased to announced the first NPD of 2010. So what happened in the month of January? Let's find out shall we.
January 2010(Current Year to Date sales)
December 2009
Compared to the Christmas season, January is usually a disappointing month for gamers as sales have dropped for all systems. Despite that, the Wii continues to hold out with the DS and the 360 right behind. The Playstation 3 drops below 300K while the PSP is on the 100K edge with the PS2 at the 41.6K edge. Add up the numbers and they don't even outsell the DS, let alone the Wii.
Of course, every month, I also weigh in on the Top 10 games of each month. So without further ado, here is the Top 10 games of January 2010
Even with all the new games like MAG, Bayonetta, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, and No More Heroes 2, many gamers prefer to sing to a similar tune, from New Super Mario Bros Wii in 1st, Wii Fit Plus in 3rd, Mario Kart Wii in 5th, Wii Sports Resort in 6th, and Call of Duty in 4th and 7th respectively. Army of Two also hits the Top 10 at Number 8. Mass Effect 2 was only able to get to 2nd. Come on Bioware. Don't you got any balls to reach the top, or did Mario stomp on them?
Rounding out the Top 10 are Just Dance by Ubisoft and Darksiders by THQ. Next thing we need is a Just Sing game.
Will next month bring a brighter future? Or will gamers be dancing all month? Find out soon.
January 2010(Current Year to Date sales)
| System | Sales |
| Wii | 465.8K |
| DS | 422.2K |
| X-Box 360 | 332.8K |
| Playstation 3 | 276.9K |
| Playstation Portable | 100.1K |
| Playstation 2 | 41.6K |
December 2009
| System | Sales |
| Wii | 3.81M |
| DS | 3.31M |
| X-Box 360 | 1.31M |
| Playstation 3 | 1.36M |
| Playstation Portable | 654.7K |
| Playstation 2 | 333.2K |
Compared to the Christmas season, January is usually a disappointing month for gamers as sales have dropped for all systems. Despite that, the Wii continues to hold out with the DS and the 360 right behind. The Playstation 3 drops below 300K while the PSP is on the 100K edge with the PS2 at the 41.6K edge. Add up the numbers and they don't even outsell the DS, let alone the Wii.
Of course, every month, I also weigh in on the Top 10 games of each month. So without further ado, here is the Top 10 games of January 2010
| Software | Publisher | System | Sales |
| New Super Mario Bros Wii | Nintendo | Wii | 656.7K |
| Mass Effect 2 | Electronic Arts | X-Box 360 | 572.1K |
| Wii Fit Plus | Nintendo | Wii | 555.7K |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Activision Blizzard | X-Box 360 | 326.7K |
| Mario Kart Wii | Nintendo | Wii | 310.9K |
| Wii Sports Resort | Nintendo | Wii | 297.6K |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 | Activision Blizzard | Playstation 3 | 259K |
| Army of Two: The 40th Day | Electronic Arts | X-Box 360 | 246.5K |
| Just Dance | Ubisoft | Wii | 191.9K |
| Darksiders | THQ | X-Box 360 | 171.2K |
Even with all the new games like MAG, Bayonetta, Tatsunoko vs Capcom, and No More Heroes 2, many gamers prefer to sing to a similar tune, from New Super Mario Bros Wii in 1st, Wii Fit Plus in 3rd, Mario Kart Wii in 5th, Wii Sports Resort in 6th, and Call of Duty in 4th and 7th respectively. Army of Two also hits the Top 10 at Number 8. Mass Effect 2 was only able to get to 2nd. Come on Bioware. Don't you got any balls to reach the top, or did Mario stomp on them?
Rounding out the Top 10 are Just Dance by Ubisoft and Darksiders by THQ. Next thing we need is a Just Sing game.
Will next month bring a brighter future? Or will gamers be dancing all month? Find out soon.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The NPD and you
This week, the NPD will release its numbers for the month of January 2010. Being a new site, I will start recording my NPD numbers every month. I once posted them on my Livejournal(user: UDX). But that has changed.
But things don't look so good because according to IGN, the numbers may not look good for the industry.
While the games industry saw a nice boost in December, industry software sales have declined for nine of the last ten months, and are expected to do so again in January. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter released his sales preview for the month, and insists weak music game sales are the primary reason, expecting sales of around $45 million, down from $82 million last January.
Activision's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort, as well as new releases Mass Effect 2 and Darksiders, are expected to be the top selling titles for the month.
Sad thing is, the Wii is suppose to have the weakest software support yet it shows signs that it's stronger.
Works Cited: IGN
But things don't look so good because according to IGN, the numbers may not look good for the industry.
While the games industry saw a nice boost in December, industry software sales have declined for nine of the last ten months, and are expected to do so again in January. Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter released his sales preview for the month, and insists weak music game sales are the primary reason, expecting sales of around $45 million, down from $82 million last January.
Activision's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wii Fit Plus, and Wii Sports Resort, as well as new releases Mass Effect 2 and Darksiders, are expected to be the top selling titles for the month.
Sad thing is, the Wii is suppose to have the weakest software support yet it shows signs that it's stronger.
Works Cited: IGN
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Good, the Sonic and the Mentally Insane
Folks, SEGA has committed a number of traversities on the Sonic series ever since they selected him to be a Hedgehog and not a mustached sleeping man. Urkel for a voice actor, partnered with a two-tailed fox, coping off the Dragon Balls with Chaos Emeralds, A Minnie Mouse-like girlfriend, A total grouch of an Echidna, a Gun-toting Hedgehog, A kissing scene that can't hold as much water as Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Surprise, 2 Olympic games with a mustached plumber, pretending to be King Arthur, a number of animated series, and the most horrifying of them all: Sneaking into a Nintendo game along with Solid Snake.
But push all that aside, SEGA has created the most horrifying traversity ever. It's called Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. A direct sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Episode 2(AKA Sonic and Knuckles), Sonic 4's first strike against it, is by having a better and more fluid animation than Sonic 3
*Trailer at the bottom of the post
The second strike, is that it is on WiiWare, X-Box Live Arcade, Playstation Network and the iPhone. The game should be on a system that is out of production, like the Philips CD-I. Ahh how it will be grand to hear Eggman say this
Eggman: Join me Sonic, and I will make you a face the greatest of South Island. Or else you will be robotized.
Ahh, nothing like Eggman pulling a Link: Faces of Evil. Next thing you'll know, he'll want to robotize Amy for bringing light into his chamber.
But the true fans have spoken. They have made their voice all while making fools out of themselves. Many facepalms cannot explain this epic-sized whine even Glenn Beck can't understand.
NO, I WAS EXPECTING SHORT, FAT SONIC WITH BLACK EYES.
Homing attack? WHY? This is supposed to be for the old fans, so why add all this new garbage.
If I wanted all that, heck I could just go play Sonic Rush.
Darn it.
Posted by Eugene on February 4th, 2010 at 1:26 am
Ya know, I always wondered why New Super Mario Bros threw in moves from Super Mario 64. Seems pretty retarded if you ask me, even if it gave the game more of an upgrade
NO.HOMING ATTACK IS THE WORST GAME MECHANIC EVER. IT MEANS ALL ENEMIES WILL BE INCREDIBLY EASY AND THE GAME WILL BE FILLED WITH GAPS YOU CROSS BY HOMING ATTACKING ENEMIES.
WHICH IS RETARDED.
Posted by King Scourge!!L1zu7Nr5D8/ on February 4th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Just like how Lock-on made 3D games easy.
HEY IDIOTS. AESTHTICS DO MATTER. GAME’S NOT FUN IF WHAT YPOU SEE ONT HE SCREEN IS SO UGLY YOU CAN’T BEAR TO WATCH.
Posted by King Scourge!!L1zu7Nr5D8/ on February 4th, 2010 at 1:39 am
He's right. I should have thrown out Mega Man 1-9 many years ago because Mega Man looked like my big-eyed and big-mouthed cousin.
SEGA……..
WHERE ARE THE FLICKIES???????
Posted by Hogther on February 4th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Big ate em. I had some with him. Tasted like chicken.
who the fuck cares what the kids want… THIS WAS MENT TO BE OUR GAME!!!!!!!!
Posted by oldschool sonic fan on February 4th, 2010 at 2:13 am
Yeah. Even if kids bought em since 1991. they don't have any rights to play this like they don't have any rights to have fun.
we want sonic 4. not sonic advanced 4
http://raverkidd.deviantart.com/art/in-space-152658278
Posted by oldschool sonic fan on February 4th, 2010 at 2:39 am
Unfortunately, we're getting Sonic 4 because it's not being made for the Game Boy Advance. CURSE YOU SEGA!*Shakes fist*
EVERY DOUCHEBAG THAT JUST WORRY BOUT EYES OR THE LEGS OR DA BODY SHUT DA F#$% UP COSE DERE R OTHR THINGS TO WORRY BOUT LIKE DA BOSSES ,LEVELS ,GAMEPLAY MECHANICS,ETC SO LIKE I SED BEFORE SHUT DA F#$% UP
Posted by BIGBDAMAN4EVER on February 4th, 2010 at 4:40 am
Hey you, you leave the teabagging Sonic fans alone.
SHUT UP YOU WHINING ASSHOLES! THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME! IF YOU WANT BLACK EYED FAT SONIC AND OLD GRAPHICS GO PLAY YOUR GENESIS FOR F·$·$% SAKES! THIS IS THE PERFECT COMBINATION! OLD SCHOOL GAMING PLUS NEW GRAPHICS! AWESOME SEGA!
Posted by Papayaman on February 4th, 2010 at 7:07 am
You don't tell me what to do young man. I'll wave my cane at you like an angry...person and all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqVeSnoWYFg
this video is true this game is a dissappointment fuck Sonic hes dead now all you lil kiddies can jack off to your new porkiman game ill stick with mario since nothing drastic changes and sticks to the consistency nicely thanks for the nice fail sega you offically killed the genesis era of sonic the hedgehog games R.I.P True Sonic the hedgehog 1991-1994
Posted by John on February 4th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Of course the video is true. He studied under Glenn Beck's "Salty Tears 101" class.
And thus, the Sonic fandom goes into a fit of rage not seen since 2008. And ironically, you don't need a 3D Sonic game just to have the fanbase lose it over minor features that won't affect the gameplay. A small example of unpleasable fanbase.
In the meantime, enjoy the trailer and post a raged comment on why you think this makes Sonic Next-Gen look good.
Works Cited:
Sonic 4 Episode 1 announced
VGTribune: Fanboy Case Study: Unreasonable Sonic Fanboys
Destructoid's Sonic fanboy rant here
But push all that aside, SEGA has created the most horrifying traversity ever. It's called Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. A direct sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Episode 2(AKA Sonic and Knuckles), Sonic 4's first strike against it, is by having a better and more fluid animation than Sonic 3
*Trailer at the bottom of the post
The second strike, is that it is on WiiWare, X-Box Live Arcade, Playstation Network and the iPhone. The game should be on a system that is out of production, like the Philips CD-I. Ahh how it will be grand to hear Eggman say this
Eggman: Join me Sonic, and I will make you a face the greatest of South Island. Or else you will be robotized.
Ahh, nothing like Eggman pulling a Link: Faces of Evil. Next thing you'll know, he'll want to robotize Amy for bringing light into his chamber.
But the true fans have spoken. They have made their voice all while making fools out of themselves. Many facepalms cannot explain this epic-sized whine even Glenn Beck can't understand.
NO, I WAS EXPECTING SHORT, FAT SONIC WITH BLACK EYES.
Homing attack? WHY? This is supposed to be for the old fans, so why add all this new garbage.
If I wanted all that, heck I could just go play Sonic Rush.
Darn it.
Posted by Eugene on February 4th, 2010 at 1:26 am
Ya know, I always wondered why New Super Mario Bros threw in moves from Super Mario 64. Seems pretty retarded if you ask me, even if it gave the game more of an upgrade
NO.HOMING ATTACK IS THE WORST GAME MECHANIC EVER. IT MEANS ALL ENEMIES WILL BE INCREDIBLY EASY AND THE GAME WILL BE FILLED WITH GAPS YOU CROSS BY HOMING ATTACKING ENEMIES.
WHICH IS RETARDED.
Posted by King Scourge!!L1zu7Nr5D8/ on February 4th, 2010 at 1:31 am
Just like how Lock-on made 3D games easy.
HEY IDIOTS. AESTHTICS DO MATTER. GAME’S NOT FUN IF WHAT YPOU SEE ONT HE SCREEN IS SO UGLY YOU CAN’T BEAR TO WATCH.
Posted by King Scourge!!L1zu7Nr5D8/ on February 4th, 2010 at 1:39 am
He's right. I should have thrown out Mega Man 1-9 many years ago because Mega Man looked like my big-eyed and big-mouthed cousin.
SEGA……..
WHERE ARE THE FLICKIES???????
Posted by Hogther on February 4th, 2010 at 1:44 am
Big ate em. I had some with him. Tasted like chicken.
who the fuck cares what the kids want… THIS WAS MENT TO BE OUR GAME!!!!!!!!
Posted by oldschool sonic fan on February 4th, 2010 at 2:13 am
Yeah. Even if kids bought em since 1991. they don't have any rights to play this like they don't have any rights to have fun.
we want sonic 4. not sonic advanced 4
http://raverkidd.deviantart.com/art/in-space-152658278
Posted by oldschool sonic fan on February 4th, 2010 at 2:39 am
Unfortunately, we're getting Sonic 4 because it's not being made for the Game Boy Advance. CURSE YOU SEGA!*Shakes fist*
EVERY DOUCHEBAG THAT JUST WORRY BOUT EYES OR THE LEGS OR DA BODY SHUT DA F#$% UP COSE DERE R OTHR THINGS TO WORRY BOUT LIKE DA BOSSES ,LEVELS ,GAMEPLAY MECHANICS,ETC SO LIKE I SED BEFORE SHUT DA F#$% UP
Posted by BIGBDAMAN4EVER on February 4th, 2010 at 4:40 am
Hey you, you leave the teabagging Sonic fans alone.
SHUT UP YOU WHINING ASSHOLES! THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME! IF YOU WANT BLACK EYED FAT SONIC AND OLD GRAPHICS GO PLAY YOUR GENESIS FOR F·$·$% SAKES! THIS IS THE PERFECT COMBINATION! OLD SCHOOL GAMING PLUS NEW GRAPHICS! AWESOME SEGA!
Posted by Papayaman on February 4th, 2010 at 7:07 am
You don't tell me what to do young man. I'll wave my cane at you like an angry...person and all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqVeSnoWYFg
this video is true this game is a dissappointment fuck Sonic hes dead now all you lil kiddies can jack off to your new porkiman game ill stick with mario since nothing drastic changes and sticks to the consistency nicely thanks for the nice fail sega you offically killed the genesis era of sonic the hedgehog games R.I.P True Sonic the hedgehog 1991-1994
Posted by John on February 4th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Of course the video is true. He studied under Glenn Beck's "Salty Tears 101" class.
And thus, the Sonic fandom goes into a fit of rage not seen since 2008. And ironically, you don't need a 3D Sonic game just to have the fanbase lose it over minor features that won't affect the gameplay. A small example of unpleasable fanbase.
In the meantime, enjoy the trailer and post a raged comment on why you think this makes Sonic Next-Gen look good.
Works Cited:
Sonic 4 Episode 1 announced
VGTribune: Fanboy Case Study: Unreasonable Sonic Fanboys
Destructoid's Sonic fanboy rant here
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