Best Buy: Uh...You Guys Want Some Cheap Video Games?

Skip the shower, slap on the deodorant, and throw on the black t-shirt, because it's time to run to Best Buy. Don't worry about how you smell, just go!

Or you could just go to the Best Buy web site. I hope you didn't stop reading, because I could've saved you some time and gas. Oops.

Anyhow, Best Buy is having a buy one, get one half off sale on select Xbox 360 and PS3 games. Needless to say, they're all terrible. In addition to Frontlines: Fuel of War for the 360, here's the list.

Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3
Burnout Paradise
Turning Point: Fall of Liberty
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Devil May Cry 4
Turok
Assassin’s Creed
Frontlines: Fuel of War

God, this is worse than Backyard Wrestling. What a bottom of the barrel sale. Sale ends on April 4, but I don't know if any of these are worth price + half price + shipping and handling.

(P.S. to the moms and dads unfamiliar with the titles above, they are all wonderful games for your pixelated-blood thirsty children.)

WWE vs. TNA: The Video Games

I was once a fairly intense pro-wrestling fan. Judge me as you will, but as a middle schooler, I couldn't get enough. It's the perfect soap opera for young boys.

So eventually, my love of the WCW wained and I became a fan of the better-written WWF. Then the WWF and the WCW merged, and a bunch of my favorite wrestlers either got fired, quit or died. Now, there are two wrestling companies: the WWE (formerly the WWF) and TNA.

TNA (or Total Nonstop Action Wrestling) is a group founded by Jeff Jarrett, former WWF and WCW star who ultimately isn't a very popular guy in the wrestling community. The company is chock full of members of both companies whose contracts were never renewed, such as Sting, The Dudley Boys (now wrestling as Team 3D), Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Kurt Angle, to name a few.

The WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) is the well established organization, whose origins began with Hulk Hogan and the legends we know and love today. The company still holds pay-per-view events every month, complete with wrestling legends like Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Triple H, The Big Show, and Ric Flair. Both companies, as you can see, have their big hooks.

Both companies are coming out with video games this year. For TNA, it will be the first (to be released on PS2, PS3, Wii, and 360). WWE have made over twenty games with THQ, not including THQ's WCW games (the latest will be released on the PS2, PS3, PSP, DS, 360, and Wii). The TNA iMPACT! game will get a June release and we can expect WWE's Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 to release sometime this fall.

To be frank, THQ have been here and there with their WCW/WWF/WWE games. The WWE games for the GameCube were always kind of finicky with the control system and the original WCW games for the Nintendo 64 were always a bit too primitive. However, a couple of those WWF games for the N64, particularly Wrestlemania 2000, will always have a special place in my heart. The newer games have gotten pretty advanced in style and controls and I've had a much harder time getting into them than the old N64 WWF games.

The new kids' game will be developed by Midway. These are the guys that have been putting out the Mortal Kombat games. You know, the ones that have been consistently good from day one? The ones that I haven't been bored with since elementary school? It looks like TNA has a fighting chance against the WWE. You can check out some screen shots and a trailer at the TNA iMPACT! site.

So ignore the fact that TNA is newer, has a weird looking ring, and not as many superstars. Give it a chance. If Midway can make a good fighting game, they can surely make a decent "fighting" game.

Microsoft: No 360 Blu-Ray, Japan Sales Hilariously Low

Earlier this month, Microsoft nixed rumors of the Xbox 360 getting any Blu-ray love from Sony. So for those of you who bought HD-DVD players, keep believing. Maybe you'll finally find that copy of The Rookie with Dennis Quaid for $3 at the flea market - that is a bargain for a lot of handsome and easily digestible drama. Sorry for the late report.

Also, the Japanese apparently aren't buying the Xbox 360. At all. In the last two weeks, a little over 3,000 units were sold in the country. Why?

Theory A) Japanese gamers are outraged due to a lack of Seaman 3.
Theory B) Japanese teenagers are too busy buying pasta, after being hypnotized by this amazing commercial.

I'm so hungry all of a sudden - I must find spaghetti.

By the way, if you watched all of that, you are a champion.

Crystal Castles: An 8-Bit Dance Party

Have you head about Crystal Castles? They just released their debut self-titled, which you can get on iTunes, and the little that I've heard, I've enjoyed immensely. It's rare to find a group who can utilize music from video game's past so well.

This song is right up there with the recent fabulous work of Johan Abebjörn or Black Kids.

I know that I talk about music an awful lot for a video game blog, but again, I'll pull the "video game culture" card.

Is there any other artist that utilizes 8-bit sounds that I should know about? Because I'd love to hear about it.

This song is called "Vanished," and it's off their recently released self-titled album. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Netflix Looking for Microsoft Love?

I don't know if you remember, but a little over a month ago, I reported on a Netflix survey that invaded the blogosphere in a pretty substantial way. To refresh your memory, a Netflix survey asked users whether or not they'd like the option of instant movie streaming using the PS3 or the Xbox 360.

Well, even though Netflix still isn't compatible for instant streaming on Macs (again, thanks Steve Jobs), they themselves have mentioned the notion of teaming up with Microsoft (but not Sony quite yet). The statement said that they surveyed users about the notion of streaming films on the 360.

Here are the facts, people. The Netflix site was down all day Monday, they're telling the masses about the prospect of getting compatible with Microsoft (maybe to put some pressure on ol' Bill Gates), and it looks like they've been doing plenty of remodeling.

Personally, I would love this. It would be that much more incentive for many people to join either Netflix or Xbox Live, and since I already have both, this would be fantastic.

Wyclef and Paul Simon Make a Commercial...er...Music Video for Sony

So it's a music video that brings together Wyclef Jean, Paul Simon, the PSP, the PS3, and Burnout Paradise. It looks like somebody wants some free swag from Sony. At least the song isn't all that bad.

It seems, though, like the song is full of social consciousness, and to utilize this song as an outlet for video game publicity is somewhat cheap. Agreement? Disagreement?

Sonic Unleashed(?)

Looks a lot like the original Sonic platforms for the Genesis, right?


So there isn't an official announcement, but there has been a slew of rumors over the weekend. Sonic Unleashed is possibly making it to Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii. From the sound of it, no official announcement will be made until E3 or May. It looks like a cross between a next-gen Sonic the Hedgehog and a follow-up to Sonic and the Secret Rings. Either way, it looks intriguing.

Messin' With the Kid

Rumors have been reeling about a new Kid Icarus game for the Wii. Seriously, you can't swing a cat in a video game blog without hitting some more speculation.

Personally, I never played the original game. I'm honestly only interested in the prospect of a new Kid Icarus installment because of how awesome Pit is in Super Smash Bros.

If there are any official announcements, I'll hit you with them - especially if anything arises from E3. But is anybody else hoping for this thing?

Cloud Strife: the Chad Michael Murray of Gaming

Right? The smoldering looks, the big sunglasses, the wavy blonde hair. It's all there. Also, you can tell something's terribly unsettling and wrong with each of them.

Anyway. I think I've made my point.

So there's this game coming out for the PSP in two days called Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. This time, Cloud is sharing the spotlight with his black-haired buddy Zack, as to take the heat off his unwavering good looks. It's kind of like how Chad shared the spotlight with that dreamboat Brian Presley in Home of the Brave in 2006. Anybody else getting a little sweaty?

Right. Here's the trailer.

I actually wish I had a PSP for this one. What a rare occasion. Oh, and there's a new trailer here, if you're still interested.

Music for Video Games

If you aren't familiar with Audiosurf, the PC sensation, inform yourself. It's a game that combines your love of music and your love of games. It's probably easier just to watch the video.

I love that song all too much.

Anyhow, Asthmatic Kitty Records compiled some music by artists (the only one you may have heard of is Sufjan Stevens) to utilize the game. Music for Video Games v.1 is the latest in video game music, although I still have mad props for Mega Man.

SEGA's Take on Iron Man

Say it with me, everybody.

I AM IRON MAN.

Anybody else giddy?

Ah, the Joys of the RSS Feed

So for those of you who don't know, an RSS feed is this magic thing that updates you to any news that you desire. Myself, I look for news involving the term "video game." Others look for "Britney Spears," "Barack Obama," or "Kenny Loggins."

Every now and then, I'll see an article by Justin McElroy for The Herald-Dispatch or by Griffin McElroy for Joystiq, and my heart is warmed to see that friends of mine are being zipped across the Interweb.

But sometimes, satirical "news" slips in to the mix, leaving me with giggles. Here's a new article from the Onion, teaching us how seriously we should look at video games as a source of violence. Enjoy!

Metal Gear Solid Movie? Solid.

And now, the world has even more of a reason to look forward to Metal Gear Solid 4. Following the release of the game, Columbia Pictures is seeking to put the Metal Gear Solid movie into production.

The script will be written by Kurt Wimmer, who penned the movie Equilibrium. The story, however, branches from Hideo Kojima, who wrote the stories for every other Metal Gear Solid game, which takes us all the way back to Metal Gear in 1987 (a game that is as old as I am).

There aren't a lot of details at the moment, but as they emerge, I'll hit you with them.

Let's hope that it's as good as Super Mario Bros.: The Movie.

Oh, and happy Ides of March. Alas! Caesar est mortuus!

Bomberman Land - the Review

I am a long-time advocate of Bomberman. That cute little guy without eyebrows, toting a white jumpsuit? Oh he's the best. I mean, any character that can make a science out of bombing is admirable - especially if they make it fun for the kids!

Bomberman Land is the perfect kids game. The mini-games are simplistic and fun, while still being challenging. The dialogue and plot in the adventure mode is quite easy to understand if you're just learning how to read. The problem, however, is that I've been reading for quite a long time.

So how does this game differ from the original Bomberman? Well there are a ton of mini-games that are repetitive and aimless, there's an actual plot (although the story is pretty hard to digest), and it encourages you to do more than run around and bomb your friends.

Unfortunately, the classic battle mode is the only thing that really keeps this game interesting. One of the most timeless games in history is probably Bomberman 64. I still play that consistently with my friends. I can't imagine a world where it won't be an entertaining game.

So if your young child wants a game for the Wii, I recommend Bomberman Land. If you're in college and like the original Bomberman, wait until they re-release it for WiiWare later this year.

Grade: C-

Super Smash Bros.: Brawl - the Review

It was 11 a.m., but due to Daylight Savings Time, I thought it was 10 a.m. I looked at my computer screen when it dawned on me that I was an hour late to go to Best Buy and pick up my own copy of Super Smash Bros.: Brawl.

I rushed out the door, jumped on a bus, and waited in tooth-chattering anticipation to run into Best Buy and snatch up one of the few remaining copies. After all, the Chicago RedEye told me that it was going to be a hot commodity.

The bus pulls up next to Best Buy. I run in. I look frantically around. And there it is. An entire shelf full of the game, none of them to have been bought.

Now to the actual review. Sorry for the prosey intro about my internal struggle.

Super Smash Bros.: Brawl, in short, is every nerd's greatest dreams come true. You don't have to pay for online mode, you get to play as Solid Snake, Sonic, or Mario (although you gotta love Luigi in this one), and it's incredibly fun.

Play it with your friends, play it alone, or play it online - this game will be eternally fun. Like Melee before it, this game isn't dated. It just keeps being fun.

There are mini-game time wasters and you may very well fry your brain playing this game for hours and hours, but its worth it. With songs from games in years past and even the classic Donkey Kong level as one of the possibilities, this game is a nostalgic overload.

Plus its really surreal seeing Sonic become invincible from one of Mario's classic stars.

I love this game. I could write volumes about how much I love this game. I could write ballads and love notes to this game. You can use a variety of controls, play a number of characters, and go through the extensive adventure mode without getting bored. The soundtrack isn't even annoying! In all honesty, I wish I wasn't reviewing this game so I could go and play it.

Buy this game - take it in.

Grade: A+

The Next BTVG Reviews

Hey gang. I just wanted to let you know that even though school is getting pretty intense this week, I haven't forgotten about you. I have some reviews on tap. Here's what you can look forward to in the coming weeks (and I'm sorry, but GameFly seems to keep sending me Wii games...I'll get more 360 reviews to you ASAP).

- Super Smash Bros.: Brawl - Arguably, the most anticipated Wii game of the year.
- Bomberman Land - The new face of Bomberman.
- Bully: Scholarship Edition - The Wii edition of the Rockstar hit, Bully.

I'll get those pumped out as soon as I can. I'd like to take a closer look at each game before reviewing them, so be patient, good reader.

WiiWare - What to Expect

Have you heard about WiiWare? Let me drop some knowledge on you.

WiiWare is essentially an extra facet of the Wii Shop Channel. Taking a cue from the Xbox Live Arcade, it will feature games specifically developed for the Wii (you know, instead of the TurboGrafx 16). The new games will hit on May 12, 2008. And what are these games? Let's check it out.

- Defend Your Castle - The bloody stick figure game of little strategy and lots of death. It's unnecessary, and I would recommend playing it online instead of spending five bucks on it. If you want to play it, check it out here.
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - Interesting. Check out the Italian trailer.

- LostWinds - Again, one of the cooler looking things releasing for WiiWare. Control the power of the wind to help a young spirit guide...you know, it just sounds stupid unless you see a picture.

See, there's your little guy, and the blue line is the Wiimote telling him to move - with the power of the wind!

There are only a few examples. Any questions?

Parappa News!

No, there won't be a third Parappa the Rapper. Not yet, anyway.

However, there has been an announcement of some merchandise, coming soon to T-shirts near you. Check out IVGear.com, who are releasing the images of characters on bags, shirts, and others from various PlayStation hits (like God of War and Twisted Metal).

Also, I came across the official Parappa
web site. You can listen to all of the songs from the original game. Oh man. You're a fool if you don't promptly check it out.

More Awesome Game Music

The rest of the video game industry is probably starting to get intimidated by the success of the Rock Band and Guitar Hero soundtracks. It's hard to get attention for your game's soundtrack when you're up against the heavyweights. However, the folks at 2K Sports are keeping their heads up.

Getting help from Matador Records, Sub Pop Records, and Pitchforkmedia.com (my favorite music news site), 2K Sports has drafted a pretty heavy-hitting soundtrack for MLB 2K8. It features some of my favorite artists, so here's the track list (I got it from Pitchfork - the * indicates tracks that they picked).

Battles: "Atlas" *

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: "Need Some Air"

Blitzen Trapper: "Wild Mountain Nation" *

Dinosaur Jr.: "Almost Ready" *

Jay Reatard: "My Shadow" *

Kasabian: "Reason Is Treason"

LCD Soundsystem: "Watch the Tapes" *

Modest Mouse: "Dashboard"

Peter Bjorn and John: "The Chills"

The Cars: "Moving in Stereo"

The Cool Kids: "88" *

The Cure: "Never Enough"

The Flaming Lips: "The Wand (No MF Edit)"

The Hold Steady: "Stuck Between Stations" *

The Presidents of the United States of America: "Cleveland Rocks"

The Revolution Fox Experiment: "Hyper Charlie"

The Strokes: "Someday"

And with the curveball, the theme to "The Drew Carey Show." Man, this game's soundtrack rules.

Hey reader, do I talk about music too much on my blog or should I keep it rolling?

Independent Game Spotlight: "Fez"

The Independent Games Festival saw a test-run of Fez, a seemingly simple game. However, like Crayon Physics Deluxe before it, there is more than meets the eye. By all means, check this out.

Keep in mind, the game is still early in development, but it looks like an even cooler version of Super Paper Mario. The game won the award for Excellence in Visual Art.

Who says yes, who says no?

Another Waste of Wii Space

Trying to come up with some cool multi-platform ideas, Nintendo has outdone itself with the ridiculously unnecessary Wii TV Guide Channel, released today in Japan (with no current plans to invade Europe or North America, mind you).

"Friends" again?

It's a TV Guide that you can see on your Wii, which also turns your WiiMote into a universal remote (in Japan), so that's kind of cool (in Japan). You can also see what your friends are planning on watching.

Not interested! Keep trying, Nintendo.