Review: The New Xbox Experience Netflix Queue

Sadly, watching movies takes precedence over playing video games in my abode. It's hard to find an excuse to drag out the Xbox to watch movies. But with the release of the New Xbox Experience also came the release of the Netflix Instant Queue, something that (until now) was scarce to be found on a Mac.

Just as you see here, Netflix has hundreds of movies available for streaming. They range from indie films to documentaries, from Stanley Kubrick to The Karate Kid. The list is long and spans through great and awful movies alike.

The picture and sound quality is amazing. I was really impressed with how one episode of The Office looked.

Granted, you'll need a pretty good high speed Internet connection to enjoy it to its fullest capacity. Otherwise, it'll stop occasionally to load. It can get tedious, so make sure your modem is up to it.

One aspect of it that bugs me is how the movies are displayed. As you can see above, it's a list of films that you can watch listed left to right. It's pretty simplistic and user-friendly, which is good. Those movies are all in your "Instant Queue," which you control from your computer. If you want to browse for other movies on Netflix, you have to do it on your computer. My problem with it is that it's a system that's highly based on doing a lot of work on your laptop before setting it up, which doesn't bode well for me. Hopefully they'll make it more interactive so the whole website will be accessible from your Xbox.

Otherwise, it's easy to set up, it's cheap and it gives you access to a lot of great movies. Hopefully, with Netflix gaining in popularity, the selection of films will only grow. Definitely check this out.

Under the Weather

Hello there reader. How are you feeling today?

Me? Well, not so good. I'm feeling a bit unwell.

I'm not actually up to playing video games at the moment, but there is still good news to be had. I finally got an Xbox, which means I now have access to the New Xbox Experience. I also have access to more games, which means more reviews for you!

I'll be writing about more stuff very soon reader. Stay tuned!

- Sick Evan

Hendrix Says "No" to Wii DLC

That Jimi Hendrix sure has become persnickety from beyond the grave. First he wants his cameo in Guitar Hero: World Tour, now he says he can only release his songs in "track pack" form. Thus, since the Wii can't support downloadable track packs, there will be no Hendrix downloadable content for the wii.


I suppose the reasoning behind the decision is because the Wii Shop Channel doesn't allow "duplicate" content. That means if you want to buy the Bowie track pack on Rock Band, you'll just have to buy the three songs individually. Is it unfortunate? When it omits certain (see above) rock 'n' roll legends, yes, it does.

Come on, The Ghost of Jimi Hendrix. Lighten up. So what if my neighbors want to play your songs at top volume so I can hear them through the paper thin walls singing "Beat It" as loud as they can completely off pitch? On second thought, thank you, TGJH. Thank you.

A New Flash Classic

If you haven't checked out the flash version of Portal, you definitely should. The flash version of Mirror's Edge, however, is brand new and extremely cool. Here's a look at the trailer for the actual game so you have an idea of what to expect.



The flash game is challenging, 2D and fun. It's definitely worth checking out.

Street Fighter HD Is the Best...Around

Thanks to the good gents at Joystiq, I found yet another wonderful homage to an '80s film as represented in video games. Surprisingly, this one comes from the latest Street Fighter title, Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. Wait until about 40 seconds in and it'll become pretty clear.



I loves me some Joe Esposito. Montage songs don't get better than "You're the Best," The Karate Kid classic. What's next, gaming industry? Mega Man fights Galaxy Man to "Flashdance (What a Feelin')?"

Bound to Happen: "Super Obama World"

You can't turn around with seeing Barack Obama's name somewhere. The soon-to-be-president has the attention of indie rockers, washed-up soul musicians, and now, gamers. So of course, it was bound to happen eventually.


That's right: Super Obama World, the surprisingly fun and nightmarishly topical independent game. There are three levels available to play online. In the first three (more to come later), we find our hero, President-Elect Obama in Alaska. In level one, "Thanks But No Thanks," Obama defeats the pigs and lobbyists and, of course, has to traverse the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere." In level two, "For Everything Else, There's the RNC," the senator has to avoid the McCain campaign's shoppers for Gov. Palin's wardrobe. Finally, in "I Can See Russia From My House," try your best to avoid the governor's snow mobile and watch out for the Russians!

Tacky, yes. But still, for a free online game, it's not too bad (if you can get past the terrible jokes).

Snoopy's Call of Duty

At long last, he will catch the Red Baron. And he's going to do it in style.



Snoopy WWI Flying Ace hits the Wii and Xbox 360 in early 2009. In related news, Charlie Brown is Still Incredibly Sad needs no virtual outlet.

What's On Tap - New This Week

Another week, another barrel of highly anticipated fall releases. Here's a few of this weeks hottest games. [/stereotypical Adam Sessler banter]

1) Call of Duty: World at War - based on previous Call of Duty titles, you can bet that this is another war game.

2) Mega Man 3 - On the Wii Shop Channel this week, we get to see yet another installment of that adorable little cyborg out to save the planet in the year 20XX!

3) World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - The latest installment of the hugely successful MMORPG with the most epic trailer of video game history (pending Burger Time).

4) Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts - Rare sticks it to Nintendo, releases this on the Xbox 360 only. What's that Mr. Gates? Yes, I would like some more money!

5) Mirror's Edge - Here are EA's words about Mirror's Edge: "In a city where information is heavily monitored, agile couriers called Runners transport sensitive data away from prying eyes. In this seemingly utopian paradise, a crime has been committed and now you are being hunted. You are a Runner called Faith - and this innovative first-person action-adventure is your story." The video says it all.

6) Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels - Jedi and sith duel it out with Wiimotes.

7) WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 - Dudes wrestle.

Big week. What're ya buyin'?

Back to the Burnout: GREAT SCOTT!

Do you like playing Burnout Paradise and crashing cars into giant tankers? Ever imagine crashing a car into a tanker equipped with a flux capacitor?


That's right, according to Criterion Games, the "The Jansen 88 Special" will be available for download come 2009. And how can we immediately compare it to a rip-off of the time traveling DeLoreon from Back to the Future fame?

A) It hovers.
B) Flames trail behind it.

This is the best day ever for '80s throwbacks (see below).

Ghostbusters Find a Home

Last we heard from the Ghostbusters, their video game trailer didn't look very promising. Hopefully, they'll be able to catch up now that somebody has finally agreed to publish the game.


Atari, yes that Atari, will publish Ghostbusters: The Video Game. The game is being developed for all of the major systems and is set to release sometime in 2009. So it's safe. You can stop worrying.

Now who's going to rescue Brutal Legend?

Vote Today

Hey there, reader. So I have this theory that today, no matter what web page you're on, you should be reminded of your biggest responsibility as an American citizen. That's why in lieu of writing about video games today, I'm going to write about something more important - politics and video games.

I absolutely won't tell you who to vote for, but I'm going to be honest about something: gamers have been targeted by political campaigns. They know that you're young and opinionated, yes, but more importantly, you're quite lazy. They don't think you have the guff to get off your butt and vote. My friends, it's time to prove everyone wrong (McCain'd).

First, how about two gamers' issues?

1) Universal Internet access - Both Barack Obama and John McCain, on their respective sites, have called for the Internet to be a right (like electricity and phone service) to every American. Whether you live in an area rural or urban, you're old or young, you deserve the right to fast, efficient Internet access. What this means for gamers? If you want to play Xbox Live but your parents aren't willing to pay for the WiFi, maybe they'll think twice if President McCain/Obama kicks in some tax or loan incentives to make the process cheaper.

2) Piracy - John McCain supports efforts to crack down on piracy, on the Internet and off. Obama's stance on the subject is less clear (not on his site). What this means for gamers? Say you've just paid somebody to hack your old Xbox so you can throw on a bunch of emulated SNES games that you got from a torrent site. John McCain will be way less happy with you and will "crack down." That's someone else's intellectual property and, chances are, you can buy that game on the Wii Shop Channel. The word is out on what Obama will do (unless you're importing counterfeit DVDs into the country, then you'll get a talkin' to).

There are many more reasons to vote. Even if you don't like either of the guys for president, vote for mayor or governor or treasurer. Do some research - The Herald-Dispatch is home to many comprehensive interviews with candidates and a mock ballot. That's how I made my voting decisions. Don't assume that the game is over - just because Candidate A is ahead of Candidate B in the polls that all hope is lost for Candidate B. No - there's still work to be done. Finally, do not assume that your vote doesn't matter. There are hundreds of people sitting there saying the same thing. What if 2,000 people who said "my vote doesn't matter" voted? That can swing an election.

So go vote for the people who have spend millions of dollars trying to reach you and get your vote. After all, one candidate worked especially hard for the gamer vote - at least acknowledge it by showing up to the polls.

The New Games for Election Week

It's another big week for the world. There's an election and THE END IS NIGH (according to almost all of this week's new releases).

1) Gears of War 2 - The sequel to the highly acclaimed first-person shooter. This one's bound to be a top seller for the Xbox 360.

2) Resistance 2 - Aliens! Guns! So many guns and aliens! Out for the PS3.

3) James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace - Looking to be the best Bond game since GoldenEye. Take a look.

4) Tom Clancy's EndWar - A game about World War III. OK, all of this post-apocalyptic stuff is getting old.

5) Legendary - Pandora's Box opens, a bunch of beasts attack the city...and it's still very post-apocalyptic. Oi.

6) AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack - OK, finally, a game without guns. Most of the songs are about some sort of violence (or sex), but it's an alternative. This Wal-Mart exclusive is available right now. Here's a video of "Thunderstruck."

Happy gaming, happy voting and good luck on saving the planet.