Microsoft Xbox 360

Review: Sonic Unleashed for Wii and Xbox 360

Dale — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:40:41 -0500

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Bruce Banner and the Hulk. The Wolf Man. Sonic the Hedgehog?! In the latest Sonic release, Sega has taken cues from Nintendo's most recent Legend of Zelda release by inflicting lycanthropy on our favorite blue hedgehog. But while he gets more serious in "scary guy" form, he remains kind-hearted and seeks to restore the planet, which has been broken into chunks by his recurring nemesis, Dr. Eggman (AKA Dr. Robotnik). This game makes history as the first game with an age minimum, and it earns its E10+ rating in the opening cinematic, wherein Eggman tortures Sonic and unleashes an ancient Lovecraft-like being from the planet's core all at the same time, thus unleashing Sonic's wild side. Following his crash to the planet's surface, he encounters a little sprite-like critter who serves as a guide and sounding board, and Sonic accompanies him mainly out of guilt, another theme thus far alien to the franchise.

But the game isn't all dark. Split between day and night, the daylight levels give classic Sonic 3-D and (seamlessly transitioning) 2-D play, which I'm always happy to see. Collect rings and bounce on enemies in Sonic's trademark style. At nightfall, though, Sonic slows down a little and puts his claws and fists to work for the first time, slashing at robotic enemies and throwing crates at them with a wide variety of attacks and combos more commonly found in superhero games.

The Wii and 360 versions follow the same story with identical cutscenes, but gameplay differs significantly between the two. The Wii version offers three options for control, either Wiimote/Nunchuck, classic controller, or GameCube controller. Parents may note that in "scary guy" mode, Sonic attacks when the player holds the controllers and swings, acting out the punches. If parents are uncomfortable with kids acting this part out, they have the other controller options for more traditional gameplay, using a control style similar to the 360's. That said, my 10-year-old had a little trouble controlling the Wiimote/Nunchuck combination but really struggled with the 360 control. In fact, the Wii version seems designed for a slightly younger crowd with a more in-depth (mandatory) tutorial system, whereas the 360 version just offers hint spots along the way and offers additional challenges.

Graphically, as soon as Sonic entered the 128-bit world of the Dreamcast, his games have been visually stunning, and this game is no exception on either console. The Wii version is like the Garden of Eden, and in comparison, the 360 version is like Heaven (minus the whole shattered planet thing of course), and if you missed anything or would like to see more, you can unlock concept art, video clips, and soundtrack music as you play.

Overall, even though I've never been a fan of Sonic since going 3-D and still prefer the classic 2-D for better control, this is a great game on any platform. I recommend the Wii version for younger players (10 and up) and the 360 version for teens, but if you only have one of these consoles or have a teen who likes the Wiimote, both are excellent. My 10-year-old recommends renting it first for age 12 and under to try out the controls and skipping it because of the difficulty for anyone under 9, but for anyone else, go ahead and unleash this one--you'll be glad you did.

Review: Spider-man: Web of Shadows for Xbox 360

Dale — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:30:00 -0500

Spider-man, Spider-man, he is back again for his fans.
This time out, Venom's back, and he's on the attack.
Symbiotes--they're the main villain, man.

As soon as you start, you will be blown away.
It's a work of art, and it's great fun to play.

If you play on SD, you might strain text to read.
Either way, it's a beaut--graphics no one refutes.
Even camera works like it should.

This is a long game with a lot of replay.
If you start on it, you might be gone all day.

Note that it's rated "T". It's a fearful and dark story.
Peter must fight the black, but if not, rep will lack.
The game changes based on your acts.

String along combo moves; learn them all, and you can't lose.
But if you can't recall all of them, you might fall
To the growingly tough villains.

Even cutscenes might catch a player off guard,
Since you'll interact, but the timing's not hard.

As you play, you will earn points to spend, new skills to learn.
But again, you have more buttons than y'have fingers for
So then, you might not use them all.

When you need some help, you can call on your friends.
Wolverine and more help you get to the end.

Spider-man, Spider-man, puts an awesome game in your hand.
Multiplay isn't there; otherwise, this is rare.
Go buy WoS today.

Episode 58: Creepy Doll

Dale — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:36:38 -0400

Dale and Teresa are back without pumpkins.

Toy News

Little Mommy Real Loving Baby Cuddle and Coo Doll: Subversive?

Tech News:

MyKey helps parents control teen drivers
Apple's New MacBooks (Note: No FireWire!)

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Music by Kevin McLeod

Review: LEGO Batman for Xbox 360

Dale — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:27:21 -0400

He's the Dark Knight, vengeful, brooding, and terrifying, but in an alternate LEGO universe, he tries really hard to live up to his human counterpart, but he's just too cute. All the same, this game shows that super hero games can be absolutely excellent.

While rated E10+ for violence--there's a decent amount of melee and guns in this game--everything being made of LEGO pieces reduces the violence level to that of a big mess of self-cleaning LEGO bricks. Parents will, as always need to use their discretion, but I have no problem with my 7-year-old playing this. Aside from the comedy of the Dark Knight as a LEGO character, nearly every cutscene has a bit of slapstick comedy, like Robin getting his cape stuck on his head or Clayface falling off of a chair. One of the unlockables is Groucho glasses for the characters. The soundtrack credits include Danny Elfman, composer of the Batman: The Animated Series soundtrack, so the "brooding" sense remains, but the comedy just makes the soundtrack ironic. I do wonder about rewarding the heroes for property destruction, though. Batman actually gets bonus LEGO studs for smashing lampposts and windows.

Each of the chapters is divided into levels, with 15 levels total. Once completing a level, you can revisit the same level to find all the hidden goodies you missed the first time through. Sometimes, you need to wait until you go through a few more and pick up additional power-ups. In a way, it's frustrating not being able to fully complete a level the first time through, but at the same time, it adds to the replay value of the game, especially since you can switch between characters and costumes at will in free play mode, even having two Batmen at the same time. Once you complete a chapter, you can revisit the levels as villains with all new tasks, effectively doubling the number of levels available. Add in the "Experiment" Create-A-Character, and the replay options are nearly endless.

The game works as either one player operating two characters, or a second player can jump in anytime, which is great when you're in the middle of a mission, and a little voice says, "Dad, can I play?"

Most levels are run and jump side-scrollers, sometimes including driving vehicles as well, while others are strictly vehicle, from Batmobile to Batwing, always bringing something new, with lots of puzzles and different strategies. The levels of difficulty are somewhat variable and can automatically adjust to some degree, but it's pretty forgiving. And if you get into a tough spot, just have someone join in and help--the partner's AI is pretty useless.

With great control, sharp graphics, great sound, a seemingly endless supply of characters, vehicles, missions, puzzles, and other unlockables, this fun game continues the tradition of excellent LEGO video games, a must-have for fans of all things LEGO, Batman, or both.

Tutorial: Guide to the Xbox 360 for Macintosh Users

Dale — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 17:30:57 -0400

The Xbox 360, in case you haven't heard, is a Microsoft product, so many of its features are designed to work with Windows right out of the box, but if you're a Mac user, you don't need to be left out in the digital cold. The 360 is a great gaming platform and can offer lots of great content for your family. This tutorial will help Mac users get the most out of their 360's with some helpful tips and tricks, no coding necessary.

Save some money on your wireless network

My first disappointment with my 360 was the lack of built-in wireless. Yes, I got my Wii first, so I was spoiled. Since our TV is nowhere near our router, and even if it were, we have no available ethernet ports, a wired connection was out of the question. Microsoft's Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter retails for $100, and even at Amazon's current price of $87 (~$70 used), it's a bit pricey (although since it draws its power from the USB port, it's pretty nice). A little research brought up a couple different options with some minor advantages.

Xbox Wireless Adapter

If you had an Xbox before upgrading to the 360, note that the wireless adapter from the original works with the 360, so you don't need a new one. If you're new to the Xbox corner of the console wars, you can still pick up an original Xbox wireless adapter. It's a bit bigger, but it's only $50 (~$42 used). If you opt for this choice, skip the installation CD, though. You don't need it, and it could cause problems. It should work right out of the box for you.

Airport Express

Since we use Apple's Airport routers in our house, I happened to have an Apple Airport Express sitting here, so I plugged it in, connected it to the 360 with an ethernet cable, and it worked instantly. Just use Airport Utility, and choose the options as shown below. The 360 should be set for wired mode, since you're wiring it to the Airport Express router.

This option will likely cost you a bit more ($100/~$75), but it has the advantage of strengthening the signal in your house if the 360 is a bit distant from your main base station.

Use your Media (or..."AppleTV? Why?")

iPod

If you have a Mac-centric house (and even if you don't), there's a decent chance you have an iPod. If so, you can use the iPod's USB cord (the one you use to charge and sync) by plugging it directly into the 360's USB port. Go to the System tab of the Dashboard, select "Music," choose your iPod, and check out the selections--your iPod playlists will show up there and can play while you're playing your favorite games. Sadly, though, you can't access your photos and video this way, so you'll need another option, computer streaming.

iTunes & iPhoto

Currently, Mac users have 2 choices for streaming from your Mac: Connect360 and Rivet.

Rivet ($18.95)

Once you install Rivet on your Mac (It's a small (1 MB) download that runs as a background application, only shown in your menubar.), it scans your iTunes, iPhoto and any folder you request. Once you go to the Media "Blade" (menu) on your 360, you'll need to "Change Video Source" (X), and choose your Mac. You'll need to do this with Music, Video, and Photos separately. (Some report that they all change at once, so YMMV.) After that, you can find all your playlists just as you would in iTunes, and albums from iPhoto, although not the default albums, as well as folder nesting on your hard drive. Rivet also includes support for Aperture if you're a hardcore photographer, and for audio and video, the only thing it can't handle, it seems, is copy-protected (DRM) files, so don't buy video from the iTunes store and expect to watch it on your 360. If you have WMA or WMV files (which iTunes can't handle), you can just put them all in a folder and add to the watch list.

Connect360 ($20)

Connect360 works much like Rivet but has a few differences. Instead of a background application, it installs as a PrefPane in your System Preferences. It still, however, has a menu item for easy access, although since you can access it through the System Preferences, the menu item isn't necessary and would be better as an option. Connect360 also allows you to adjust how often the devices sync and update the libraries. But Connect360's best additional feature is the ability to play shoutcast streaming audio, which allows for radio station play, although I was unable to get this feature to work. Connect360 can also display separate albums from iPhoto.

Both applications can also be set to update play counts and dates in your iTunes library, so if you're watching video podcasts, it will mark them as played and, if set to do so in iTunes, automatically delete them. Both work well, but their demos are fairly limited. Try both out, and decide which works best for you. If you have a lot of media in other folders besides iTunes and iPhoto, you'll want to look at how each displays those folders on the 360, as each is slightly different. Connect360 can only handle 1 folder with subfolders and lists all of them together, while Rivet can select multiple folders, as well as integrating iTunes' video podcasts and video playlists properly. We also found that, every time Connect360 resyncs iTunes to the 360, it resets our wireless digital photo frame. For our family, Rivet's capabilities to handle video folders and playlists outweighs the radio capabilities and iPhoto albums, so we'll be using Rivet.

Use Xbox 360 Peripherals with your Mac

Besides putting Mac stuff on your 360, you can also use Xbox 360 peripherals with your Mac.

Wired Controller

If you have a wired 360 controller from the original core system or a 3rd party one, you can just plug it into your USB port and use the USB driver for Xbox 360 and play away.

Wireless Controller

If you have the wireless controllers, and I bet you do, it's just a bit more complicated (and expensive). You'll need to purchase the Wireless Gaming Receiver ($17/15) and download Pref360 (Donationware) and ControllerMate ($15) to set your button configurations.

Xbox Live Vision Camera

The Xbox Live Vision Camera ($40) works out of the box with iChat, and since Apple stopped making the iSight camera (which now sells for $150+), this makes for a nice, affordable, multipurpose webcam.

More Software

GamerCard Dashboard Widget: See your profile information--great way to keep up with your kids' status.

Xbox Gamercard Widget: Pretty much the same thing--take your pick.

iPhone/iTouch Software

Xbox 360 Compatible Games List Web App or Xbox Checker Web App: Before you buy that used Xbox game, check the list

iCheat Web App: Get the latest cheat codes, tips, and tricks when you get stuck

1337pwn Xbox Live Friends Application: Check what all your friends are playing to join in with them

Phanfare: Upload your photos from your iPhone to your Xbox 360

New Lego Batman Launch Trailer

Dale — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:05:54 -0400

Here's the new launch trailer for Lego Batman, which comes out tomorrow for all major consoles. Check back soon for reviews, and check out the new screens at the Image Gallery.

Sonic Unleashed Video

Dale — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:39:15 -0400

In order to re-unite a shattered world, Sonic the Hedgehog races from continent to continent fighting Dr. Eggman’s evil minions. One such content is the naturally striking Chun-nan. With forests of ancient bamboo and stunning architecture -- such as a great stone dragon which snakes its way through the landscape -- Chun-nan is one of the most distinct places Sonic has ever visited.

However, with the recent invasion of Dr. Eggman, Chun-nan is also one of the most dangerous locales on Sonic’s tour throughout the world.

SEGA® of America Inc. has released all-new footage of Sonic the Hedgehog as he fights his way through Chun-nan!

Review: Monster Jam for Wii and Xbox 360

Dennis Gray — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:38:47 -0400

Jump in. Forget the manual. Just drive. Smash everything in sight! That’s the point!

Sadly, smashing everything in sight is the ONLY point in Monster Jam.

We had the opportunity to play Activision’s Monster Truck simulator on two platforms and compare features and game play side-by-side. We smashed us some cars on both the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360 consoles. Visually and thematically, the game is almost identical on the consoles we used for this review, varying only in graphical detail, with better modeling and lighting on the Xbox 360. The smashed-up objects were very 2-dimensional on both consoles, appearing as if we’d smashed through a house of cards instead of a barn.

Game play is simple: Drive a big, loud, heavy, over-customized vehicle over, around and through stuff. Problem is, DRIVING is especially difficult in this game! We first tried Monster Jam on the Wii, looking for game features that take advantage of the Wii’s unique motion-sensing controller. Monster Jam does use the motion sense, but only for steering. Hold the controller horizontally and tilt it left to turn left, right to turn right. While on paper this may seem like a unique way to control a vehicle in a video game, it is a very imprecise one, making control of your monster (truck) frustratingly difficult.

To our surprise, controlling the truck on the 360 was no better – but the reason was clearer, thanks to better graphics. The truck only has 5 wheel positions, much like a cheap radio-controlled car you might buy at a swap-meet for $20. So despite an analog joystick on the 360’s gamepad, you only had hard-left, medium-left, straight, medium-right and hard-right to choose from. A monster truck is unstable to begin with, so why Activision limited the control capability is a mystery, and this limitation really hampered our raw enjoyment of smashing stuff up without tumbling down a ravine – over and over and over.

The instruction booklet is 5 pages in length. Look up the controls and the screen description on page 2 and set it aside. You won’t need it any more. What you will need is a fair amount of time to play the game to unlock most of its features. There is no ‘adventure’ or scripted story mode to ‘Jam, just tracks and trucks to be unlocked.

The game touts 20 monster trucks, 9 stadium venues and 12 outdoor circuit tracks, but only a handful are available to use out of the box. The rest need to be unlocked by accumulating points for winning races with style and airtime as you drive over cars, portable buildings, through a boat or two, etc. With the control limitations of the vehicle, it is very hard to stay interested long enough to unlock everything there is to unlock. If there was a point to having these things locked, such as a plot that unfolded as game play proceeded, or some sort of career mode to manage, I’d be okay with all the little padlocks, and my interest would be drawn along. But in ‘Jam, the locks seem arbitrary. There is no ability to customize vehicles either – a feature that Activision should consider adding.

Once you’ve circled the track a few times, taken in the scenery on the outdoor circuit – which is very nicely rendered by the way – and smashed some stuff to bits, you’ve had all the fun you’re gonna have with this title. If you’re a hard-core monster truck fan, though, this game might have enough to keep you interested. For example, you can drive your favorite monster trucks like Grave Digger and Blue Thunder. You can visit familiar venues, and the first-person camera views can really take you for a ride as you flip end over end and fly through the air (WARNING: this camera angle is especially risky on a 42” plasma TV and a wife who is prone to motion sickness).

The ‘E’ rating is appropriate. The music and sound effects may be objectionable to some (there are separate volume controls in the game options to fix that), but this game is well suited to keeping boys aged 5-9 (or boys 30-up that like to smash stuff) entertained without risk of unlocking something inappropriate or inflicting serious injury. Our young lady test subject, age 10, was not interested in ‘Jam in the least, so maybe this one really is a ‘guy thing’. And as mentioned in the warning, wives will likely take a pass.

My advice: Rent it first. If it holds your attention longer than 30 minutes, buy a copy. Street price for Monster Jam is about $29 bucks. Besides the Wii and Xbox 360 versions we tested, there are versions available for PS2, Nintendo DS and personal computers running Windows.

Viva Piñata 2 Treasure Hunt

Dale — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:16:42 -0400

Today, Rare announced the all-new official Viva Piñata 2 Community site has launched. Players will then be able to upload photos of their gardens – along with their Piñata Vision cards - to the website and share them with the world.

AceyBongos, aka Graeme Boyd, is launching a VP2 Piñata-themed treasure hunt over on Xbox.com this Friday. It’s a pretty simple set-up –

Users look for the Piñata egg icon hidden around Xbox.com
When they mouse over the little Piñata pops out
When they click they open up a PDF doc featuring an exclusive Piñata card that they can then print out
They use their LIVE vision camera on screen or on their print out to get the Piñata.

There are 25 to find on Xbox.com, and Mr Bongos will be seeding 25 more through the XCN. Official blurb is as follows:

Viva Piñata is back but not everything in the garden is rosy – Professor Pester and his band of Ruffians are determined to cause Trouble in Paradise! To celebrate the launch of Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise Xbox.com is holding a huge Piñata Hunt so that you can unlock exclusive Piñatas featuring unique colour schemes and accessories. All you need to do is put on your best Piñata-hunting hat, head to www.Xbox.com, scour the site for Piñata eggs and click on every one you find! By using your Xbox LIVE Vision Camera and the amazing Piñata Vision feature in Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise you can put the Piñata straight into your garden! Happy hunting!

Review: Feeding Frenzy by PopCap

Redboy — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:03:40 -0400

Feeding Frenzy is a one player game and just like popcap.com says "It's survival of the biggest". This game is 40 levels of fish chomping fun. I reviewed this game with my 7 year old son and his 10 year old (boy) cousin and they both enjoyed the game. We played the Mac version of the game on a MacBook, but it is also available on Windows and XBox 360.

Each level is relatively the same however the scenery changes slightly and the different fish you are chomping are bigger species and faster. On each level you start as the smallest fish and eat your way through 3 different sizes to clear the level. I initially was worried that the same concept over 40 levels would start to get repetitive and boing for them. We found that Pop Cap does a nice job of increasing the difficulty and adding new items to eat such as pearls and bonus starfish to keep kids engaged. After each level you are given a small fish fact. While not enough to call this game "educational" in my opinion, it is nice to at least have a little something thrown in. You only get 3 lives in the regular mode, but the game does save after each level and you can go back and play any previously cleared level.

Feeding Frenzy also has a "Time Attack" mode. In this mode you are given unlimited lives and just try to see how far you can make it before the clock runs out. This mode was fun for two players because they were forced to take turns, and at the same time were challenging each other.

One nice additional add-on feature was after winning a set number of levels, you unlock Feeding Frenzy screen savers for your computer. The screens savers are basically watching the game on auto play as the fish eat each other.

The bottom line....As the father of 2 young kids I am always on the hunt for games that challenge them without frustrating them, and if I'm lucky educate them...at least a little. Feeding Frenzy from PopCap gives a nice dose of both.